Logistics truck of Armenian Armed Forces damaged by Azerbaijani fire
18:28, 5 October, 2021
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS. A logistics truck of the Armenian Armed Forces was damaged by Azerbaijani fire at Yeraskh section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on October 4 at about 23:30.
The Defense Ministry informed ARMENRESS that there are no casualties among the personnel.
A scene from the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photo by Aleko Boghoskhanian, courtesy of the ABMDR
Both Events Draw Unprecedented Youth Participation
LOS ANGELES— The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry held simultaneous walkathons on the East and West Coasts of the United States, to honor the memory of soldiers fallen in last year’s Artsakh War and in solidarity with ABMDR patients in need of a stem cell donor match. The walkathons were held on Saturday, September 25.
The walkathons, which took place in Watertown and Los Angeles, drew unprecedented community support and youth involvement, with numerous schools and grassroots organizations participating in the events.
The jubilant opening ceremony of the walk in Watertown, the tenth annual Walk of Life, took place at the St. James Charles Mosesian Cultural and Youth Center. Subsequently the participants began a two-mile walk, led by Jack Antounian and other representatives of the Armenian Business Network. The walk concluded at Saltonstall Park, where participants enjoyed music, dancing, and food, along with those attending the annual Faire on the Square festival.
The walkathon in Los Angeles, the 16th annual Walk of Life, started with a festive opening ceremony at the plaza of the Glendale City building. The more than 350 supporters who attended the event included state and local elected officials, community leaders, and teams representing schools, community organizations, and individual supporters. Participating schools included Providence High School, St. Francis High School, and Crescenta Valley High School.
In her opening remarks, Walkathon Committee Co-chair Dr. Christina Ashjian said, “We are glad to be back this year to an in-person event, on the same day that our team in Boston is also hosting the walkathon on the East Coast. Last year’s virtual walk was a bit different, but it still made an impact, getting walkers from all over the globe to participate over a month’s period, raising awareness to continue our life-saving mission. Thank you all for coming and being believers in this organization.”
Dr. Ashjian said youth participation in this year’s walkathon was extraordinary. “A special thank you to Providence High School for showing up today with the biggest group we’ve seen in our 16 years of hosting this walkathon,” said Dr. Ashjian. “This was thanks to Janet Fontane, Dr. Arjan Harjani, and Sona Ashjian. Academy of Science Medicine students from Crescenta Valley High School are also here with big numbers, thanks to Eric Markarian.”
Dr. Ashjian acknowledged several dignitaries in attendance, including California State Senator Anthony Portantino; Glendale City Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian; Teresa Lamb Simpson, representing U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff; Christopher Khachadour, representing California State Assemblymember Laura Friedman; and Greg Krikorian of the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education.
Dr. Ashjian was joined on the podium by Walkathon Committee Co-chair Hratch Postik, who stressed the vital importance of volunteers in the continued sustainability of ABMDR. “We are an all-volunteer organization and always looking for dedicated volunteers to join our ranks,” he said. Postik went on to acknowledge the walkathon’s sponsors, including Foundation Lab, the event’s major sponsor; Softline Solutions; Andre and Ivette Sinani; Ella and Mila; Janet Parsanj; Los Angeles County District Supervisor Kathryn Barger; Paulette Malekian of Dilbeck Real Estate; DJ Eddy O; Turnaround Time Transcription; Rafik and Arpi Moghadesian; Carmen Lukassian; Dr. Raquel Keledjian of pH Solutions; Dr. Vergine Madelian; Providence High School; and Porto’s Bakery and Café.
The walkathon’s invocation was performed by Father Zaven Markosyan, representing the Western Diocese; and Father Movses Shannakian, representing the Western Prelacy.
Next to address the attendees was ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan. “I’d like to thank our tireless Walkathon Committee for organizing this beautiful event,” she said. “Last year, Armenia had to fight not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the Artsakh War, which claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians and soldiers. Among those fallen soldiers were many ABMDR donors who had joined ABMDR in times of peace to be able to save a patient’s life. Today, we salute these heroes and walk in their honor. As we do so, we pledge to continue to get stronger, recruit more donors, save more precious lives, and help rebuild our nation. There is no doubt that we can accomplish all of these goals if we stand united.”
Subsequently remarks were delivered by State Senator Anthony Portantino, a longtime supporter of ABMDR. “I’m proud to join you this morning at this very important event, and proud to represent this wonderful community,” said Portantino. “We all know someone who’s been struck by cancer, or someone who has had another health issue. Many of us probably know someone who has been affected by the war in Artsakh as well. So it’s very appropriate that we commemorate and honor those who were impacted by the war. I’m actually going to go to Artsakh in November. It will be my fourth trip there. But today, we’re here to celebrate the life-saving mission of ABMDR.” With this, Senator Portantino presented a Certificate of Recognition to Dr. Jordan, in appreciation of ABMDR’s dedication to serving families affected by cancer. “This event brings people together around a unified cause,” the Certificate signed by Portantino read; “congratulations on behalf of the California State Senate.”
Next, Christopher Khachadour presented the ABMDR Board members with a Certificate of Recognition, on behalf of Assemblymember Laura Friedman and the California State Assembly, honoring the life-saving mission of ABMDR.
Once again, a beloved feature of this year’s walkathon was a large banner, displayed in the plaza of the Glendale City building, on which walk supporters wrote down their individual reasons for participating in the event, whether in honor of loved ones or in support of all those who need a life-saving stem cell donor match.
Before the conclusion of the ceremony, Dr. Ashjian introduced Minella Harabidian, a walk participant, to share her story of how she became a supporter of the Registry’s work. “Some years ago, we began recruiting everyone around us to help us find a match for Biurad, my nine-year-old cousin who was diagnosed with leukemia,” said Harabidian.”After waiting what felt like an eternity, we finally found a match for him. However, in 2007, we lost our little Biurad before he could have his transplant surgery. This is why your presence here today is so important: not only because you can help save someone’s life, but you can provide a sliver of hope for someone who’s going through a really dark time.”
Following Walk of Life’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, the 5-K walk-run looped through central Glendale. The walkathon concluded at the plaza of the Glendale City building, where the festivities continued into the day. The event also gave participants the opportunity to join the ranks of ABMDR as potential bone marrow stem cell donors, as many volunteers were on hand to answer questions and welcome new recruits.
This year, the team with the most participants in the walkathon was the one from Providence High School, while the team that raised the most funds was Team Angel, in memory of Biurad Moghadesian.
Established in 1999, ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians and non-Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening, blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. To date, the registry has recruited over 32,000 donors in 44 countries across four continents, identified over 9,000 patients, and facilitated 36 bone marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663 – 3609 or visit the website.
The bronze bust of Aram Manoukian sculpted by Hagop Janbazian at the at the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Aram Manoukian Youth Center of Yerevan
YEREVAN—The bronze bust of Aram Manoukian, one of the founders of the Republic of Armenia, was unveiled on Thursday at the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Aram Manoukian Youth Center of Yerevan. The sculpture, which is the work of Canadian-Armenian artist and community activist Hagop Janbazian, was placed in the lobby of the Aram Manoukian Center, through which hundreds of youths enter every day.
ARF Bureau member Arsen Hambardzumyan and artist Hagop Janbazian
“Were it not for Aram Manoukian and his contemporaries, we would not have the First Republic, we would not have Soviet Armenia, and we would not have today’s independent republic,” ARF Bureau member Arsen Hambardzumyan said in his remarks.
In his address, Janbazian thanked the ARF Bureau for the opportunity and highlighted the importance of honoring Manoukian’s legacy. “The young people who enter this building will bow not in front of this bust, which is, after all just a bronze statue, but in front of Aram’s everlasting memory. They have inherited his eternal torch and will continue to carry on his legacy,” said the sculptor.
In his remarks, art critic Movses Hergelian (Tsirani), called Manoukian the ‘hero of the heroes’ because he was able to unite the nation. Commenting on the artwork, Tsirani said, “By looking into this statue’s eyes, it is evident that Janbazian has captured the moment when Manoukian commands us to be united and, at the same time, obliges us to be committed to his message. We are accountable to him because he established Armenian statehood. Without Aram Manoukian, there would be no Armenian state.”
Movses Hergelian and Hagop Janbazian
Janbazian’s bust of Manoukian is also displayed at the Sardarapat Ethnography and Liberation Movement History Museum at the Sardarapat Memorial complex. Janbazian is the author of several monuments, sculptures and other pieces of art in Armenia and across the world, especially in Armenian communities throughout the Diaspora.
WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan group of US Representatives led by Central Valley California Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) has called on President Biden to send five million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Armenia through the global access (COVAX) program, citing the country’s low vaccination rate and inadequate supply, an initiative strongly supported by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In a September 22nd letter to President Biden, Representatives Costa, Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Jackie Speier (D-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA), wrote “Armenia, a country of less than three million people, is struggling to vaccinate its citizens. Only about five percent of the population is fully-vaccinated due to lack of adequate supply. . . The estimated five million doses needed to vaccinate the remainder of the country are but a small fraction of the doses the United States pledged will be donated to other countries through COVAX.”
“Our US government – spending our American tax dollars – is on target to share a billion COVID-19 vaccine doses globally – but has yet to prioritize Armenia – a landlocked genocide-survivor state facing a health emergency, a refugee crisis and ongoing attacks and occupation by Azerbaijan,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “Instead of sending military aid to the Aliyev dictatorship, the Biden administration should prioritize humanitarian aid in the form of vaccines to Armenia and assistance for the 100,000 Artsakh Armenians displaced due to Azerbaijani aggression.”
The ANCA has – since the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic – advocated for robust US funding to help Armenia deal with this health crisis.
The full text of the Congressional letter to President Biden is below.
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September 22, 2021
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, D.C. 20050
Dear Mr. President:
We write in support of your pledge for the United States to donate 500 million additional COVID- 19 vaccine doses to lower-income countries around the world. In keeping with this pledge, we urge you to specifically ensure that adequate vaccination doses reach the Republic of Armenia for the country to vaccinate its population.
Armenia, a country of less than 3 million people, is struggling to vaccinate its citizens. Only about 5 percent of the population is fully-vaccinated due to lack of adequate supply. Vaccination procurement assistance for Armenia is in keeping with the goals of the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) program. The estimated 5 million doses needed to vaccinate the remainder of the country are but a small fraction of the doses the United States pledged will be donated to other countries through COVAX.
As supply for vaccines continues to meet domestic demand, the United States must step up our global vaccine distribution efforts to ensure our allies and partners around the world also have access to adequate supplies of vaccines. As you know, vaccinating the world is a key to ending this pandemic, and the United States should be a leader in supplying vaccines to the world and ensuring countries like Armenia get the assistance they need to reach widespread vaccination for COVID-19. Again, thank you for your commitment to ensuing lower-income countries receive adequate vaccines to finally end this global pandemic.
Sincerely,
Jim Costa
Member of Congress
David G. Valadao
Member of Congress
Jackie Speier
Member of Congress
Anna Eshoo
Member of Congress
Frank Pallone Jr.
Member of Congress
18:28, 30 September, 2021
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Moscow hopes that the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs will contribute to the organization of a meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports Russian MFA press service official Alexey Zaytsev said in a weekly briefing, commenting on the announcement of Azerbaijani president about his readiness to meet with Armenian PM.
‘’Russia has always believed that constant dialogue, particularly at the top level, contributes to the ensuring of mutual understanding and solution of problematic issues in a constructive atmosphere. Thanks to the intensive interactions of Russian President with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, it was possible to stop bloodshed in Nagorno Karabakh, sign a trilateral statement, which set the basis for the establishment of peaceful life in the region’’, Zaytsev said.
18:43, 30 September, 2021
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. The Russian side continues working with Yerevan and Baku in the direction of returning the Armenian POWs in exchange for providing Azerbaijan with mine maps and hopes that it will help the normalization of relations between the two countries, ARMENPRESS reports Russian Foreign Ministry press service official Aleksey Zaytsev said.
He noted that in its efforts, Russia is guided by the trilateral statements of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, ‘’which are a good guarantee for ruling out such tragic developments in the future’’.
French President Emmanuel Macron reacts as he hosts a dinner at the Elysee Palace as part of the closing ceremony of the Africa2020 Season, which presented the views of the civil society from the African continent and its recent diaspora in different sectors of activity in Paris, France, Sept. 30, 2021.
In an apparent display of the souring relations between Algeria and France, Algiers withdrew its ambassador to Paris for consultations, state TV reported, in a move that followed French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to cut visas by half and controversial remarks on Algerian politics and history.
The North African country's decision came three days after the French ambassador to Algiers was summoned to the foreign miinistry to protest Paris' decision to reduce the number of visas granted to Algerian nationals. As the row was ongoing between France and Algeria, however, Macron added more fuel to the fire Thursday through a series of controversial remarks over the political situation in Algiers, minimizing his country's role in brutal colonization of the country and attempts to rewrite history.
On Thursday, Macron met with 18 young Algerians and French with Algerian roots at the Elysee Palace in the capital Paris. According to the transcript of the meeting released by French newspaper Le Monde on Saturday, Macron accused the political system in Algeria of being built on the trauma and tragedies of the past, namely inflicted during the French colonial rule and the brutal repression of the eight-year Algerian struggle for independence.
The French president went on to claim that the Algerian system was "tired," saying that the Hirak protest movement that began in 2019 further weakened it. He added that he has a good dialogue with President Abdelmedjid Tebboune, adding: "But I see that he is caught in a system that is very hard."
Since independence in 1962, the National Liberation Front (FLN), the leading pro-independence group with a strong emphasis on Arab and Algerian nationalism and anti-imperialism, has dominated Algerian politics along with the military. The country went through a civil war between state forces and extremist militias following the scrapped elections in late 1991. The political system was partially relaxed in the late 1990s and early 2000s during the presidency of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who ruled the country for 20 years before resigning amid mass protests in April 2019. Bouteflika, already suffering from poor health throughout his final term, recently passed away in September at the age of 84. His successor was again from the country's ruling elite. Tebboune, a former minister and prime minister who assumed office in December 2019, saw protests gradually fading out with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Algerians returned to streets in early 2021 and held protests for months, which prompted Tebboune to carry out a large-scale Cabinet reshuffle.
Following his swings, Macron went on to say that the recent visa cutback decision will target the Algerian ruling elite while assuring that there will be no impact on students or businesspeople. "If you don't cooperate to keep people in an irregular and dangerous situation away, we're not going to make your life easier," Macron was quoted as saying by Le Monde.
To further add to the woes of Algiers, relations with Rabat is are at an all time low as the two countries, already at odds over the Western Sahara conflict and regional competition, recently severed their diplomatic ties as Algeria accused Morocco of supporting separatists in the Kabylie region and implicating it of wildfires.
Whereas France is going through the worst crisis in decades in its relations with the U.S. and U.K. over the AUKUS defense pact with Australia, which prompted Canberra to cancel a submarine deal with a French company and ordering U.S. nuclear submarines instead. A fuming Paris witdhrew ambassadors from all three countries while accusing Washington, London and Canberra of "deceit."
France invaded Algeria, nominally under Ottoman suzereinty but enjoying a high degree of autonomy in practice, in 1830. Insurgency against French troops and colonialists lasted for nearly five decades, killing hundreds of thousands of locals in the process. Due to its proximity to the mainland, Paris sought to assimilate Algeria as an integral part of France with tens of thousands of settlers, who constituted up to one-fifth on the local population during the final years of the colonial rule. Calls for independence were raised right after World War II but were met with stiff rejection by the French, who were raging anti-independence wars in their colonies elsewhere in Africa and Indochina, where fighting culminated into the Vietnam War after the French defeat in 1954.
The same year, the FLN launched its armed independence campaign against French rule that lasted until 1962, making Algeria the last major French colony to become independent. In this violent period, more than 1 million Algerian civilians were killed and as many were injured, in addition to hundreds of thousands of casualties on the pro-independence militas and operatives. France suffered tens of thousands of military casualties. The political, economic and moral effects of the conflict also shook the country, which saw the Fourth Republic terminated by a military coup prompted by an Algeria-based junta, the return of World War II hero Charles de Gaulle to the helm with strong presidential powers and the defeat of a far-right leaning Algiers putsch in 1961, accelerating the decolonialization process.
Nearly a million people of European descent, known as Pieds-Noirs, fled to mainland France within months as the community suffered thousands of casualties. Tens of thousands of Harkis, Algeriians who were conscripted by the French during World War II and later during the Algerian War, were executed in revenge acts. Recently in September, Macron issued an official apology for "letting down" Harkis, which was met by rejection from Algiers.
Despite such a poor historical record, the French president claimed Thursday that the Algerian history has been "totally rewritten," accusing it of being "based on a hatred of France" rather than "truths."
"Was there an Algerian nation before French colonization?" the French president, already unapologetic for brutality in Algeria, asked.
He then suggests France to produce Arabic and Berber documents on Algerian history.
Macron than delves into his never-ending feud with Turkey, accusing the country of "disinformation" and "propaganda" that apparently have for worked Algerians.
"I am fascinated to see Turkey's ability to make people completely forget the role it has played in Algeria and the domination it has exercised, and to explain that we are the only colonizers, that's great. Algerians believe in it," Macron quipped.
Throughout their 300-years of influence in Algeria, Ottoman Turks greatly shaped the Algerian society and culture.
Following decades of French support for Armenian claims and recognition of 1915 events as "genocide," Turkey became more vocal about the French humanitarian record in history, accusing Paris of genocidal acts throughout its colonial rule.
Ankara and Paris are at odds over a number of issues, including Libya and Syria, French backing in initiatives targeting Turkey in the Mediterranean, active French support for Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, and Macron's policies accused of being Islamophobic.
France on Tuesday had said it would sharply reduce the number of visas granted to people from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, accusing the former French colonies of not doing enough to allow illegal immigrants to return. Immigration is becoming a key campaign issue for the French presidential election set for April next year, with right-wing and far-right parties challenging the policies of centrist Macron, whose conduct is increasingly unpopular and candidacy remains in limbo.
Starting in a few weeks, the French government plans to slash the number of visas given to Algerians and Moroccans by half, and to Tunisians by 30%, according to government officials. All three countries were part of France’s colonial empire, and many Europe-bound migrants and other visitors coming from those North African nations have family or other ties in France.
French spokesperson Gabriel Attal told Europe-1 radio that France decided to take action because the Maghreb countries have refused recently to provide consular documents for their citizens being deported from France after arriving illegally. Virus travel restrictions have also complicated such return efforts.
A senior official in the French presidency said France notably wants North African countries to take back people flagged for extremism and expressed hope that a solution can be found soon. Attal said France has been trying to reach a diplomatic solution since it passed a tougher immigration law in 2018.
Between January and July, French judicial authorities ordered 7,731 Algerians to leave French territory because they didn’t have residency authorization but only 22 departed because many lacked the necessary documents from Algeria, Europe-1 reported.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said his country has issued 400 consular documents to Moroccans being expelled from France, but the number was limited because many of them refused to take a virus test, which is required to re-enter Morocco. That is "the problem of France, which must deal with it,” Bourita told a news conference in Rabat. He said Morocco is trying to seek "the necessary balance between facilitating the movement of people, whether students, businessmen and those wishing to benefit from medical services, and combating clandestine immigration.”
Tunisia took a more conciliatory public stance. President Kais Saied’s office said, "We are among countries that are cooperative in this domain, and we have excellent relations with France.”
Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen gave qualified backing to the visa reduction but suggested that Macron's government waited too long before acting. Le Pen was Macron’s main rival in the 2017 election and is seen as his principal opponent if he runs again.
"For a long, long, long, long time, I have been asking that steps be taken to oblige certain countries to respect international law, ” she said, naming Algeria and Tunisia. "I am pleased that the president of the republic heard me. I find it’s a bit late."
Le Pen was speaking in Paris at a press conference about her plans, if elected, for a referendum on her proposals for a "drastic reduction” of immigration to France.
French President Emmanuel Macron meets residents in Algiers, Algeria, Dec. 6, 2017. (AFP Photo)
Algeria on Saturday issued a statement that condemned remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron on the colonial past.
The statement by the Algerian Presidency broadcast on state television said, “Macron’s statements constitute an unacceptable attack on the memory of 5.63 million martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice, through courageous resistance against French colonization between 1830-1962".
According to Anadolu Agency (AA) it said the numerous colonial crimes committed by France were a genocide against the Algerian people and noted statements attributed to Macron were not officially denied.
“The countless crimes of colonial France and the genocide against the Algerian people – which is not recognized by France – cannot be the object of offensive maneuvers,” the statement continued.
The Presidency noted that “Algeria categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs as contained in its statements and President Abdelmedjid Tebboune has decided to immediately recall, for consultation, the Algerian ambassador to France, Mohamed Antar Daoud.”
Macron made a remark about Algeria on Thursday and blamed the country for hatred against France. He also disputed the existence of the Algerian nation before the arrival of French colonization in 1830, asking the question, “Was there an Algerian nation before French colonization?”
Macron claimed that “there was a colonization before the French colonization” of Algeria, alluding to the Ottoman presence in the country between 1514 and 1830.
“I am fascinated to see the capacity that Turkey has to make Algeria completely forget the role that it played in the country and the domination that it exerted,” he quipped.
Throughout their 300-years of influence in Algeria, Ottoman Turks greatly shaped the Algerian society and culture. Following decades of French support for Armenian claims and recognition of 1915 events as "genocide," Turkey became more vocal about the French humanitarian record in history, accusing Paris of genocidal acts throughout its colonial rule.
Ankara and Paris are at odds over a number of issues, including Libya and Syria, French backing in initiatives targeting Turkey in the Mediterranean, active French support for Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, and Macron's policies accused of being Islamophobic.
Echourouk, the Algerian newspaper described Macron’s statements as “provocative”. It underlined that they “put Algerian-French relations back to square one and reveal the extent of the fragility of bilateral relations enameled by several poisoned files”.
“It was notorious in the words of the French president that he was looking for a subcontractor of the Interior to stand up against the Algerian-Turkish rapprochement, which is growing to the detriment of the deteriorated French heritage and this sub-treating can only be the Algerians themselves, a hope which remains a chimera since Algeria knows how to distinguish clearly between friend and enemy and does not wait for advice from anyone,” it said.
The tensions between two countries have also been fueled by Paris' decision to reduce the number of entry visas granted to its Algerians.
An Iranian army helicopter maneuvers during a military exercise in the northwest of the country, close to the Iranian-Azerbaijani border, Oct. 1, 2021. (AFP Photo)
The Iranian army recently held massive military exercises near its border with Azerbaijan. These drills come against the backdrop of escalating disputes between the two neighbors after Baku imposed tariffs on Iranian trucks crossing the border and heading to Karabakh.
However, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev considers the drills illegal and his country has voiced objections to Iran through various channels.
He questioned the motive of Iran’s military moves in a recent interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency (AA). He also criticized them for being held so close to his country’s borders and the fact that they coincide with the commemoration of the first anniversary of the second Karabakh war.
“Every country can conduct military exercises in its territory. It is their sovereign right. But considering the timing, why now and on our borders, in particular?” Aliyev said. “The question arises: Why were these exercises not carried out during the Armenian occupation?"
After a Russia-backed agreement was reached between Baku and Yerevan in coordination with Turkey, it can be said without exaggeration that Iran has lost more than Armenia.
Considering it important for peace in the south Caucasus, Iran officially welcomed it. However, statements and analyses from parties close to decision makers in Tehran indicate concerns about what situation the arrangements might reach in the future.
A few days after the Karabakh deal was reached last year, Irani lawmaker Ahmad Begish issued a statement requesting his government not recognize a transit corridor between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan that would go through Armenia and border Turkey and Iran.
According to Azerbaijani media, Begish called on the parliament to officially declare that Iran does not recognize the geographical change of borders in the region and the corridor in question.
Iranian critics of the agreement that ended the second Karabakh war did not hide their concerns and claimed the deal would bring serious changes to their country's border since the proposed corridor runs alongside it.
In the last stages of the war, Tehran was keen to appear as a neutral mediator between Azerbaijan and Armenia and offered to hold talks on more than one occasion. In addition, it also denied the transit of weapons to Armenia through its territory, apparently in an attempt to come clean of the longstanding accusations that Tehran is supportive of Yerevan.
After 1993, despite the continuation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict, Tehran, in general, did not show any special solidarity with Baku, and was inclined, in one way or another, toward Armenia.
There are many factors affecting Tehran-Baku relations – from Tel Aviv and Washington to the Armenian community in Iran, as well as concerns over separatist tendencies in Azeri-dominated regions inside Iran.
Azerbaijan also fears Iranian religious influence on its secular society.
It may not seem that Iran and Armenia could be partners but the reality indicates that Tehran's relations with Yerevan are stronger than those with many neighboring Muslim majority countries. It is clear that there are reasons the two countries are moving toward each other, as Iran needs Armenia to provide an alternative crossing for transport to Russia and Europe, while Armenia faces a continuous blockage on trade routes due to the lack of communication with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
It is true that Iran has enjoyed strong relations with Armenia, but, on the other hand, it has not been able to place Azerbaijan within its regional sphere of influence. Despite a common religious background, as well as deep historical and cultural ties, Azeri nationalism in Iran is only second to Persian nationalism in the country's social structure.
Azerbaijan has maintained friendly relations with Tehran, because it relied on its airspace and territory to supply the Nakhchivan Autonomous Region, which lies between Iran, Armenia and Turkey.
In addition, the dynamics of bilateral relations have changed in favor of Baku, as part of Iran’s borders with Azerbaijan finally came under Baku’s control. This connected Azerbaijan with Iran's Azeri-dominated regions after decades of interruption due to the illegal occupation by Armenia, Tehran’s ally since 1994.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Sochi, Russia, Sept. 29, 2021. (AFP Photo)
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi. The two leaders had not had an opportunity to meet in person for more than 1 1/2 years and many issues were on agenda at the Sochi summit. The Erdoğan-Putin meeting lasted more than three hours and was held in a constructive environment. A short press declaration was released without mentioning the details of a specific agreement. The two leaders decided to keep the status quo in Idlib, indicated their desire to deepen cooperation in the defense and security sectors, and promised to improve their economic relations.
The main issue on the table during the Erdoğan-Putin summit was the increased regime and Russian attacks on Idlib and Afrin. These attacks were jeopardizing the terms of the deal that was reached in 2018. Both leaders confirmed their willingness to maintain the existing status quo in Syria and work together to restore security and stability in the war-torn country. Both Moscow and Ankara are more pressured than ever to find a political solution in Syria due to the enduring costs and potential security risks of the Syrian civil war.
On his return to Ankara, Erdoğan highlighted his complaint about Brett McGurk, who is currently the National Security Council’s coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The president relayed his concerns about McGurk's continuous efforts to support and sponsor the PKK terrorist organization's Syrian offshoot, the YPG.
Washington’s continued efforts to back the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and YPG are threatening Turkey’s national security and encouraging the PKK. Although the U.S. representative was not present at the Sochi meeting, the country's position had significant influence on the agenda of the Erdoğan-Putin meeting. Ankara’s relations with Moscow are contingent on its ties with Washington and Brussels.
The uncooperative policies and hostile attitudes of Washington's elite towards Ankara weaken Turkey’s negotiation position with Moscow. This is especially relevant in the Syrian conflict and in Libya, where Moscow continues to have a strong position backed by its military capabilities on the ground. Moscow follows Ankara’s relations with Washington closely and benefits from the ongoing discord between the two NATO allies.
The discord between Ankara and Washington eventually turned into a new opportunity for coordination and cooperation between Ankara and Moscow. Washington also refrained from generating new tensions with Moscow, which would distract them in their efforts to counter the expanding influence of China. Washington seems to be upset with the current status quo in its relations with both Moscow and Ankara. That is why Washington refrained strictly from taking steps that would generate new uncertainties.
Washington is preoccupied with supporting and sponsoring the SDF and YPG. Erdoğan and Turkish officials condemn Washington’s continuous support of the YPG on every occasion. With the S-400 issue and Washington’s sanctions preventing the delivery of F-35 fighter jets, Washington’s position concerning the YPG poisons the relations between the two NATO allies.
Washington officials continue to reflect the same position in every meeting rather than engaging in diplomacy with Ankara to find common ground on the mentioned issues. They only seek to gain more time and expect their Turkish counterparts to accept the current status quo. Ankara responds with almost similar phrases after each failed meeting.
New threats follow from Washington if the Turkish side becomes more vocal about their criticisms of the American policy line. It seems that the U.S. still wants to maintain the stalemate and expects some contextual changes to approach its policy change with Ankara. The proponents of Turkish-American normalization are losing hope, whereas the Turkish public is getting more disenchanted with the potential value of being U.S. allies.
A choir of Turkophobes in the U.S., including the PKK, the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Greek, and Armenian diaspora lobbies, continue to generate some justifications for not improving relations with Turkey. The Turkophobic choir has been less creative in increasing tensions between Ankara and Washington in the last couple of months. They just mention the same arguments initiated by the members of FETÖ. In any case, they were relatively successful in maintaining the negative status quo with Ankara and prevent the Biden administration from engaging more constructively with Erdoğan. The Turkish side is unhappy about the current stalemate with the U.S. and has signaled further negative steps if Washington’s policy line jeopardizes Turkey’s national security.
A biased and ideologically driven attitude toward Turkey is also risking the U.S.' regional interests, but the ideological hostility continues to defeat more practical joint claims. The Pentagon’s ongoing sponsorship of the YPG prevents further Turkish-U.S. cooperation in other critical regions. It seems that Washington will not change its attitude toward Ankara until the 2023 presidential elections in Turkey. Many in Washington continue to hope that the opposition in Turkey will act together to defeat Erdoğan and the People’s Alliance. Even this hypothetical plan works, it will not be a panacea for restoring Turkish-American relations.
As Washington plans new efforts to contain Turkey in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, the tactical relations between Ankara and Moscow gain more substantial ground. Indeed the Biden administration also tried to maintain the status quo with Moscow as well. We should not expect a breakthrough in Turkish-American relations soon due to the contingent nature of complicated diplomatic ties with some other actors, including Russia. Washington does not want any further geopolitical distractions or surprises in the MENA region and trans-Atlantic relations. Washington’s coercive tools and sanction game is getting gradually ineffective. The victims of American sanctions and coercive policies may eventually increase their cooperation and coordination to overcome their difficulties. Despite their strategic differences, Turkish-Russian relations are gaining stronger ground. Washington’s policies and efforts to maintain the current status quo are essential catalysts for such an outcome.