Hürriyet Daily News published an article by Murat yetkin headlined "Erdoğan’s new presidency move."
"It is a valid question to ask whether Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan would say that he was ready to “negotiate” the candidacy for presidency with incumbent Abdullah Gül, if Gül did not make it public that the time has come to talk about it," the article begins.
"Nevertheless, Erdoğan has said in answer to a question before leaving for Azerbaijan on April 4 that he agreed with Gül they have to work out a strategy for the presidential elections," the author writes. "That was the answer Gül has been waiting for, for almost two years."
"As a talented speaker, Erdoğan knows well the difference between the words “talk” and “negotiate.” He knows that when Gül wanted to “talk” about the next president, Gül also meant the next prime minister as well, because if Erdoğan is elected president and if Gül would be happy to run the party and the cabinet, but with his own power and authority, not in the shadow of Erdoğan," the article reads.
According to Murat Yetkin, Erdoğan’s new move shows that he will not exclude, but on the contrary, include his long-time fellow Gül as an equal partner to decide on the party strategy for presidency.
"This is an important move on road to the presidential elections and it might mean Gül’s candidacy for a second term of presidency might have gained weight," the author of the article conclude.
The Jerusalem Post published an article by Michael Wilner entitled "Iran 'plotting in the back room' for nuke talks failure, Menendez says."
"Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed deep skepticism on Sunday that world powers will be able to forge a comprehensive agreement with Iran on its nuclear program," the article reads.
The New Jersey Democrat and Senate foreign policy chief placed blame for those odds squarely on an "obfuscating" Iran— and on the international community for wanting "any deal" on the nuclear crisis "more than a good deal," Wilner cites the senator as saying.
"If past is prologue, I’m skeptical of Iran keeping its promises," Menendez said. "Based on the parameters described in the Joint Plan of Action, all I have heard in briefings, and recent Iranian actions— I am very concerned."
"Menendez, a veteran of the upper chamber who has worked on Iran policy for decades, is also the author of the latest sanctions bill against Iran that would have triggered new financial penalties against the Islamic Republic if negotiations expired this summer without a final deal," Wilner underlines.
"While Menendez holds the respect of the Obama administration, the senator is keen on proving the worth of the Senate on foreign policy, and considers the legislature an equal branch of government on affairs abroad," the author writes.
