Peter Kenyon

Iran's 'Zahra' Tells Alternate Tale Of Presidential Campaign

Peter Kenyon — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:02:00 +0000

Iranians choose a new president next month, and one thing Iran's leaders are intent on avoiding is a repeat of the massive street protests that followed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's controversial re-election in 2009.

The sponsors of those protests, known as the Green Movement, have been effectively silenced inside Iran, but not online.

A Sign of Disunity? Iranian Candidates Jockey For Position

Peter Kenyon — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:57:00 +0000

Nearly 700 presidential hopefuls have thrown their names into the ring for Iran's June 14 presidential elections. But two last-minute entrants have altered the shape of the already-chaotic race: a former president once dismissed as a has-been and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator.

Although not exactly a free-for-all, analysts say, there's a clear sense that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has failed to unify the political elite behind a single establishment candidate.

Kurdish Militants Begin Historic Withdrawal From Turkey

Peter Kenyon — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:12:00 +0000

Today marks the beginning of the pullback of thousands of militant PKK fighters from Turkey back to Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq. It's an important milestone in a delicate effort to end nearly three decades of bloodshed that have killed an estimated 35,000 people since 1984.

If the withdrawal is successful, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will push for complete disarmament of the PKK, the Kurdistan Worker's Party. The party was founded as a Marxist-Leninist group to push for an independent Kurdistan comprising parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria.

PKK Fighters Begin To Withdraw From Northern Iraq

Peter Kenyon — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:08:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Let's turn to a conflict now, that has been simmering for three decades. Turkish forces have spent years battling militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK as it's known. Today, thousands of PKK fighters begin a withdrawal to northern Iraq and this could lead to the group's eventual disarmament. Despite entrenched animosity, both Turks and Kurds seem, so far, to be pushing ahead with a peace process.

For Istanbul, here's NPR's Peter Kenyon.

PETER KENYON, BYLINE: Turks are not allowing their hopes to rise too high just yet.

Foreigners At Home: Turkey Beckons Its People In Germany

Peter Kenyon — Sun, 05 May 2013 09:24:00 +0000

In 1961, desperate to increase its labor force, West Germany signed an employment agreement with Turkey and launched a wave of immigration that continues to have repercussions today.

Now, after years of being treated as second-class citizens in Europe's economic powerhouse, large numbers of Turks — descendants of the first wave of immigrants — are returning to Turkey.

In A Strange Land

Yucel Yolcu, 44, has a good life in Istanbul.

Aid To Syria Comes With Fears Of Islamist Presence

Peter Kenyon — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:38:00 +0000

At an 11-nation meeting in Turkey this weekend, there was one thing the United States, European and Arab states could agree on: With more than 70,000 killed and millions of people displaced, the Syrian crisis, as Secretary of State John Kerry says, is "horrific."

In response, the Obama administration is doubling its non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition, Kerry announced at the meeting.

"The stakes in Syria couldn't be more clear," Kerry said.

Prisoner Release May Aid Ceasefire Between PPK, Turkish Government

Peter Kenyon — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:11:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Let's go next to Turkey, where the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party, has released several captives.

Syrian Rebels Describe Fight As Revolution For Justice, Not A Civil War

Peter Kenyon — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:58:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

The world must acknowledge that Syria is going through a revolution for justice and freedom, not a fight between two teams. That message today from the new interim prime minister of the opposition Syrian National Coalition. 50-year-old Ghassan Hitto will now attempt to form an interim government as violence continues across the country.

Interim Prime Minister Elected By Syrian Opposition

Peter Kenyon — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:43:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Syria's opposition coalition in exile has elected a prime minister who, until recently, hailed from Texas. The new leader is charged with putting together an interim government to oversee rebel-held areas of the country. After months of infighting, the coalition selected an information technology executive to do the job. NPR's Peter Kenyon has more from Istanbul on the challenges he'll face.

PETER KENYON, BYLINE: Until recently, 50-year-old computer scientist Ghassan Hitto was not considered a frontrunner for the interim prime minister position.

Iran's Political Infighting Continues, Despite Calls To Maintain Calm

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:39:00 +0000

Iran's raucous political infighting shows no sign of calming down, despite the best efforts of the political leadership. With presidential elections slated for June, new competitors are applying to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while the president continues to lash out at the powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps and, indirectly, at supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Meanwhile, a riot among farmers in Isfahan recently suggests that public unhappiness with the economy will be an important issue in the campaign.

In Kazakhstan, No Horror At Horse Meat

Peter Kenyon — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 22:34:00 +0000

Though the thought of horse meat in British lasagna or Ikea meatballs may be stomach-churning to some people, in some cultures the practice of eating horse meat is not just acceptable, it's a treat. NPR's Peter Kenyon just returned from the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan and checked out the meat market at the Green Bazaar in Almaty.

Iran Nuclear Talks Set Stage For Future Bargaining

Peter Kenyon — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:19:00 +0000
Transcript
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
Today, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Iran and six world powers including the U.S. wrapped up two days of talks. No breakthroughs, but Iran is considering a proposal that would impose new restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for the easing of some economic sanctions. The two sides will return to Kazakhstan for another meeting in early April.

International Negotiations Continue Over Iran's Nuclear Program

Peter Kenyon — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 22:20:00 +0000
Another round of negotiations on Iran's suspect nuclear program got underway Tuesday in the Kazakhstani city of Almaty. Iran's envoys are pushing for relief from a vast array of economic sanctions while the U.S. and its partners in the so-called P-5 plus Germany are looking for signs that Tehran is prepared to roll back its nuclear program.

Iran's Presidential Election Could Interfere With Nuclear Talks

Peter Kenyon — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:30:00 +0000
Transcript
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
And I'm Renee Montagne.
President Obama's re-election briefly raised hopes that in a second term the U.S. might be able to engage with Iran, possibly even direct talks between the two countries. Then, harsher rhetoric set in, and now a less ambitious round of talks involving several countries is set to get underway.

Turks Desire 'Reversal' In Olympic Wrestling Move

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:12:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
This week's news that the International Olympic Committee has decided to drop wrestling from the list of core Olympic sporting events has caused acute pain in Turkey. Wrestling is revered there as an ancestral sport.
In this letter from Istanbul, NPR's Peter Kenyon tells us that Turks plan to take the IOC decision to the mat.
PETER KENYON, BYLINE: The Turks don't claim either to have invented wrestling or to be the best in the world at it.

Iran's President Draws Long-Simmering Feud Out Into The Open

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 22:06:00 +0000
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ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
Iran's unpredictable president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is nearing the end of his final term in office and he has apparently decided to go out with a bang. The president has dragged a long-simmering feud with one of Iran's most powerful political families out into the open. It features hidden camera videos and allegations of corruption and it has prompted an urgent call for calm from the country's Supreme Leader.

In Syrian Conflict, Real-Time Evidence Of Violations

Peter Kenyon — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:25:00 +0000
There are growing calls for Syria's leaders to face war crimes charges for the fierce assaults against rebel targets and civilian areas. If that happens, veterans of past war crimes prosecutions say, Syrians will have one big advantage: The widespread gathering of evidence across the country is happening often in real time.
After visiting a Syrian refugee camp in southeastern Turkey recently, Robert Ford, the U.S.

Iran's Leader Embraces Facebook, Fellow Iranians Are Blocked

Peter Kenyon — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:03:00 +0000
When Iran's supreme leader got a Facebook page in December, Iranians sat up and blinked.
Some thought it was a fake, finding it hard to believe that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be using a technology that his own government blocks. A U.S.

Suicide Bombing At U.S. Embassy In Turkey Kills Security Guard

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:02:00 +0000
Transcript
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.
MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
And I'm Melissa Block.
CORNISH: And we begin this hour with a report on today's suicide bombing in Turkey. The target, the U.S. embassy in Ankara. The attack killed two people, a guard and the bomber. The White House called it an act of terror but had no information on the motive behind the blast. Turkish authorities identified the bomber as a member of an outlawed left-wing group.

Iran's 2009 Crackdown Resonates With Exiles In Turkey

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:09:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
Iran is preparing for a presidential election set for June. The last election back in 2009 was followed by massive protests after hard line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner. Iran then brutally cracked down and thousands of Iranians fled into exile. NPR's Peter Kenyon met with many of them in neighboring Turkey.

Turkey Promises Peace Talks With Kurdish Militants, Despite Paris Killings

Peter Kenyon — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:45:00 +0000
Transcript
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
The government of Turkey is vowing to push ahead with efforts to end its long-running conflict with Kurdish militants. That's despite the killings last week of three female Kurdish activists that were shot in Paris. The murders are seen as an effort to derail the peace talks before they gain traction.
As NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from Istanbul, Turkey, Turkey has pushed for peace before.

Turkey's AK Party Still Defies Easy Categorization

Peter Kenyon — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:17:00 +0000
It's been a decade since a coalition of Islamic and secular political parties formed the AKP, or Justice and Development Party, and swept to power in Turkey. Warnings from secular Turks about a secret agenda to impose Sharia law on the country proved groundless, and yet ten years into AKP rule, secular unease is on the rise again. European Union-style political and social reforms have ground to a halt in the past 18 months, and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems bent on converting Turkey to a strong presidential system with himself at the helm, possibly for another decade.

Prime Minister Finds Soap Opera's Turkish Delights In Bad Taste

Peter Kenyon — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 08:23:00 +0000
Suleiman the Magnificent was the longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire, presiding for nearly a half-century at the peak of the empire's power in the 16th century.
During Suleiman's rule from 1520 to 1566, the Ottomans were a political, economic and military powerhouse.

Head Of Military Police Defects To Syrian Opposition

Peter Kenyon — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 20:54:00 +0000
Transcript
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
From NPR News this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel and we begin this hour with fighting in Syria and the terrible impact of that fighting on children. In a few minutes, we'll hear from a refugee camp in Turkey, where families have fled the violence. First, today the Syrian regime appeared to suffer another high level defection.

Syria Airstrike Update

Peter Kenyon — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 11:30:00 +0000
There were reports of explosions in Damascus Monday, where international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi was due to meet with Syrian leaders. He's there at a time of heavy bloodshed as government forces battle rebel fighters, and civilians continue to perish in large numbers.

In Istanbul, A Byzantine-Era Fleet Surfaces Again

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:28:00 +0000
In Istanbul, major public transit projects are back under way after years of paralysis. The problem wasn't a lack of financing, but the layer upon layer of ancient artifacts that turned up every time the earthmovers started their work.
The excavation began eight years ago on projects intended to ease Istanbul's notoriously clogged traffic.
The job included building a tunnel under the Bosphorus Strait and linking it to a rail and subway network.

Is Iran Ready For A New Round Of Nuclear Talks?

Peter Kenyon — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:43:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
There are increasing signals from Iran that it's open to a new round of talks on its suspect nuclear program. The last round was held in Moscow in June. And with the American campaign season over, new diplomatic efforts are being explored.
But domestic politics - this time in Iran - may still limit what can be achieved at the negotiating table, as NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from Istanbul.
PETER KENYON, BYLINE: There are at least three reasons why nuclear talks may resume this winter. First, sanctions continue to weaken the Iranian economy.

Bullet Dodged In Turkey, But Kurdish Conflict Lingers

Peter Kenyon — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 12:33:00 +0000
Transcript
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Elsewhere in the region, Turkey's leaders are weighing their next steps after managing to avoid a humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of Kurdish inmates in Turkish prisons had been on a hunger strike for more than two months until a controversial leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party called for the strike to end. The Turkish government has now promised to enter talks with leaders from the Kurdish minority, but longstanding grievances suggest that the Kurdish issue will continue to be a drag on Turkey's regional ambitions.

Israelis Ponder Likud Party's Shift To The Right

Peter Kenyon — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:43:00 +0000
Some analysts have suggested that one impetus for the Israeli military strikes in Gaza is the upcoming election season in Israel. With elections set for January, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu changed the political landscape last month by announcing that his Likud Party would run along with a right-wing party led by hawkish Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Likud Party leaders complained that they were left in the dark before the prime minister effectively vaulted Lieberman into the No.

As Turkey Rises, 'A Real Problem' With Censorship

Peter Kenyon — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 10:24:00 +0000
Nearly two years ago, Soner Yalcin and more than a dozen of his employees at the online news outlet OdaTV joined the growing list of incarcerated Turkish journalists. Yalcin, the owner of OdaTV, is one of the sharpest critics of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government.
As their trial proceedings dragged on, challenges to the state's case grew, and most of the outlet's journalists were released, pending the trial's conclusion.