Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – June 5, 2022

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) - Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments around the world.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed that Türkiye and Azerbaijan made "vital contributions" to regional and global energy supply security by realizing mega investments such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, and the TANAP project in a message that was conveyed by Türkiye's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Cahit Bagci, who attended a special session in the Azerbaijani city of Shusha.

Erdogan also spoke at the 30th consultation and evaluation meeting of the Justice and Development (AK) Party in the nation’s capital of Ankara and reiterated that Türkiye is taking steps to establish a 30-kilometer (18.7-mile) security zone south of its border with Syria against the threat posed by the PKK/YPG terror group.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca clarified that no cases of monkeypox have been reported in Türkiye. Referring to media reports claiming that four people might have monkeypox in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul, Koca said necessary tests were conducted and the results were negative.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that urban warfare has begun in the eastern city of Severodonetsk as heavy clashes with Russian forces intensify in the city’s center.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell warned that the prospect of restoring the Iran nuclear deal is “shrinking” following a telephone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

40 warships from NATO countries, as well Finland and Sweden, arrived in Stockholm for NATO’s BALTOPS 22 exercises.

Serb member of the Bosnian Presidency Milorad Dodik said he would hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss gas projects and economic cooperation. He added that the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is more divided than ever.

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Germany for its "ban of Russian media."

According to local sources in northern Syria, Russian forces have conducted aerial reconnaissance around Tal Rifat and surrounding areas in northern Syria to consolidate their positions. Russian forces are also trying to establish a defense system at the Qamishli Airport in the northern al-Hasakah province, which is largely under the YPG/PKK terror group’s occupation.

The first batch of Hajj pilgrims which consisted of 358 pilgrims from Indonesia arrived in Saudi Arabia for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.