Ibrahim Kalin

Turkey called on all parties to act with common sense and avoid steps that will fuel tension, the presidential spokesman said on Jan. 3 amid the fresh U.S.-Iran row.

Ankara showed on Sunday its annoyance with the diplomatic activity Greece and Cyprus have engaged in across the region, regarding the EastMed gas pipeline, and said that referring the controversial Turkey-Libya agreement to the UN would not be a problem for the Turkish government.

In 2019, Turkey has shown its strength both at the table and the field ground with three crucial moves, said the presidential spokesman on Dec. 29.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Dec. 26 announced that the government will submit a parliamentary motion to send troops to Libya in early January, when parliament re-opens.

"We will go to places we have been invited to. Since there is an invitation [from Libya] we will accept it", Erdoğan said.

Turkey continues to follow an aggressive strategy towards other nations in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Dec. 25 arrived in Tunis to meet his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied.

Erdoğan's visit came amid strengthening of Turkey-Libya ties.

The Turkish government is in the works to prepare a bill that will allow for troop deployment to Libya, and the parliament is expected to discuss the matter after its recess, according to state broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT).

Any plan excluding Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean is impossible, and Turkey will not shrink from steps needed to stand with the Libyan government and its people, said Turkey's presidential spokesman on Dec. 24. 

The Turkish government is set to reevaluate the recently imposed "valuable house tax" for one year, following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's instructions, his spokesperson has said.

Senior Turkish and U.S. officials spoke over the phone on Dec. 23 to discuss bilateral relations and the security situations in Syria and Libya, according to a statement by Turkish presidency.