Author: Jane Topchian

TURKISH press: Turkey hopes for better relations with Israel, Erdoğan says

Jane Topchian
 ISTANBUL DIPLOMACY 
DEC 25, 2020 1:59 PM GMT+3
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks at the joint opening ceremony of museums in Konya, Tunceli and Bursa provinces via teleconference, Dec. 24, 2020. (DHA Photo)

Turkey has not fully cut off its relations with Israel and continues to cooperate with the country in the intelligence field, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday.

“The main problem right now is about individuals at the top,” Erdoğan told reporters following Friday prayers.

“The Palestine policy is our red line. It is impossible for us to accept Israel’s Palestine policies. Their merciless acts there are unacceptable,” Erdoğan said.

“If there were no issues at the top level, our ties could have been very different,” he added.

However, the president noted that Turkey hopes to improve its relations with the country. “We would like to bring our ties to a better point,” he said.

Meanwhile, recent reports claimed that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has been trying to mend relations between the two countries.

Azerbaijan, which recently liberated its territories from Armenian occupation in Nagorno-Karabakh, used drones and other defense systems from Turkey and Israel, which helped it gain superiority. According to the Israeli website Walla!, Aliyev called Erdoğan earlier this week and made several suggestions about ways to improve diplomatic ties with Israel.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also reportedly called his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi last week to bring up the same issue and noted that Baku would be interested in improving ties between both of its allies.

Relations between Turkey and Israel drastically declined in 2010 following an Israeli naval raid on a Turkish aid ship, the Mavi Marmara, en route to deliver humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip. The raid killed 10 activists.

The event caused an unprecedented crisis in the decadeslong peaceful Turkish-Israeli relations. Both countries even recalled their diplomatic envoys following the massacre.

In 2013, with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s apology to Turkey and the payment of $20 million (about TL 38 million at the time) in compensation to the Mavi Marmara victims, Turkish-Israeli relations entered a period of normalization.

In December 2016, both countries reappointed ambassadors as part of the reconciliation deal and reiterated several times the necessity of further improvements in bilateral relations.

Turkish officials continue to criticize Israel’s policies targeting Palestinians, however, including illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Turkish citizens have also been complaining about Israel’s arbitrary restrictions on visits. However, Israel’s informal policy of deportation, visa rejection, arbitrary detention and delay of Turkish nationals for no reason at airports has failed to discourage hundreds of visitors each year.

Known for its unbreakable solidarity with the Palestinians, Turkey has been voicing support for the Palestinian cause in the international realm for decades. Turkish authorities emphasize that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the Middle East is through a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue within the framework of international law and United Nations resolutions.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1980, in a move never recognized by the international community, Israel annexed the entire city, claiming it as the self-proclaimed Jewish state’s “eternal and undivided” capital. Last year, the U.N. called the Israeli occupation in Palestine “the longest occupation” in the world.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel since 1967, might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a so-called peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, dubbing it the “Deal of the Century,” although it had already been roundly rejected by the Palestinians.

Netanyahu was with Trump at the White House for the announcement, but no Palestinian officials were present. In a news conference, Trump said Jerusalem will remain Israel’s “undivided capital.”

Turkey rejected the plan, saying it would not support any plan that is not accepted by the Palestinian authorities, adding that peace in the Middle East would not be obtained if the policies based on occupation continued.

Trump’s so-called peace plan unilaterally annuls previous U.N. resolutions on the Palestinian issue and suggests giving Israel almost everything it has been demanding.

Tigran Abrahamyan ‘illegally’ detained by police

Jane Topchian
Panorama, Armenia

Dec 24 2020

Head of the Henaket Analytical Center Tigran Abrahamyan says police have “illegally” detained him during today’s opposition rally demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation outside the government building.

“The fools serving and justifying those who ceded Artsakh and Armenia [to the enemy] have illegally detained me,” he wrote on Facebook.

“You are selling the future of your and our descendants. I had no other expectations from you,” he added. 



Artsakh Ombudsman resigns, to assume another position in public administration system

Jane Topchian

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 14:54,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Ombudsman of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan has submitted a resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament on December 22.

Beglaryan said on social media that his decision is connected with assuming another position in the public administration system.

Artak Beglaryan will hold a press conference on December 23 at 11:00.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian President meets with ARF leadership

Jane Topchian

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 14:54, 15 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian met with representative of the ARF Bureau Hakob Ter-Khachatryan and representative of the ARF Armenia Supreme Council Ishkhan Saghatelyan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The situation in the country was discussed during the meeting.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

AZERBAIJANI press: Italy, Azerbaijan ink agreement to create energy infrastructure in Karabakh (PHOTO)

Jane Topchian
OIL&GAS 16:44 (UTC+04:00)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 18

By Fidan Babayeva – Trend:

Italy and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on cooperation within the energy infrastructure of Karabakh, Trend reports.

The Italians will contribute to the creation of energy infrastructure in the liberated Azerbaijani territories.

In order to create an electric power infrastructure in the territories liberated from Armenian occupation by the Azerbaijani army under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, an agreement was signed on mutual cooperation in the format of a video conference with the participation of the head of Azerbaijan’s Azerenerji OJSC Baba Rzayev, the head of the Italian company Ansaldo Energia Marino Giseppena and the Italian ambassador to Azerbaijan Augusto Massari.

According to Rzayev, the Italian company will provide equipment for 4 substations with a capacity of 110 kilovolts, which will be built in Aghdam, Fuzuli, Kalbajar and Gubadly districts of Azerbaijan.

“Thus, along with Turkey’s companies, another influential state, Italy will also participate in the electric power supply projects in the territories liberated from the occupation,” he stressed.

He also noted that in the above-named districts, as well as Zangilan district, which Armenia had been holding under occupation for almost 30 years, the entire infrastructure, including power plants, substations and power lines, was destroyed.

Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia’s PM, and the president of Russia.

A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was introduced on Nov. 10, 2020.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Ombudsman to send maps presenting parts of Armenia as “historical Azerbaijani lands” to international bodies

Jane Topchian
Public Radio of Armenia

Dec 17 2020

Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Taoyan has presented the maps that the Azerbaijani military have in their special booklets. Most of these maps show the Republic of Armenia as a historical territory of Azerbaijan.

According to the Ombudsman, these maps are accompanied by texts that clearly do not correspond to reality, which are directly based on the theses of the propaganda of anti-Armenianism and hostility organized by the Azerbaijani authorities.

Moreover, he says, those very texts are accompanied by inflammatory and inspiring expressions of deep hatred towards Armenians.


“All this is falls within the competence of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, as it concerns the guarantee of the entire Armenian people’s rights to life, property and all others rights, their protection from torture and inhuman treatment,” Arman Tatoyan said.

According to him, it is this kind of propaganda that has over years developed an institutional system of propaganda of hatred and enmity towards Armenians based on ethnicity in Azerbaijan.

The Ombudsman’s investigation shows that these are among the main reasons why the Azerbaijani Armed Forces committed and continue to commit war crimes, atrocities (beheadings, shootings, torture, etc.) against Armenians in April 2016, September-November 2020 and other periods.

Expert examination of videos of atrocities by Armenian Ombudsman’s staff confirms that Azerbaijani servicemen use expressions derived from the propaganda theses of inspiration when torturing or killing Armenian soldiers or civilians.

All this is confirmed by real and concrete evidence obtained by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.

“It is obvious that in the face of these challenges today more than ever we need solidarity, unity, respect for each other and exclusion of any kind of development that could lead to tensions within our country, for the sake of each of us and the rights of our entire nation,” the Human Rights Defender said.

“The international community, and especially international organizations with a mandate to protect human rights, must take decisive action to prevent a reprehensible propaganda of hatred and enmity towards Armenians based on ethnicity, using information that is clearly untrue. They must prove that they are true to their calling and mission, that they still adhere to the international rules they have established,” Arman Tatoyan added.

The Ombudsman will send all this, accompanied by a corresponding analysis, will be sent to international bodies and will be provided to the relevant structures of Armenia.


Baku wins intelligence war thanks to Israeli contracts

Jane Topchian

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 16:47,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Intelligence Online has published an article about the recent war in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), stating that Azerbaijan has won the intelligence war thanks to the Israeli contracts.

The article says that while the world’s focus was on the support of Turkey and Syrian mercenaries to Azerbaijan, as well as the Israeli-made UAVs, Israel was also providing intelligence data to Baku.

Intelligence Online reports that Israeli companies have provided Azerbaijan with concrete data about the geographical terrain of Nagorno Karabakh which made it easier for the UAVs of the Azerbaijani army to move in the aforementioned areas. It says it is thanks to these data that the UAVs managed to accurately hit the targets and cause huge losses to the Armenian side.

The article also states that Israel managed to test its equipment in areas near Iran, which, according to the author of the article, is of great importance for it.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

‘One nation, two states’ on display as Erdogan visits Azerbaijan for Karabakh victory parade

Jane Topchian
France 24
Dec 10 2020
 
 
‘One nation, two states’ on display as Erdogan visits Azerbaijan for Karabakh victory parade
 
 
During a visit to Azerbaijan Thursday to celebrate his close ally’s recent victory in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Baku’s “struggle” against Yerevan was not over and vowed to carry on the contest “on many other fronts”.
 
“Azerbaijan’s saving its lands from occupation does not mean that the struggle is over,” Erdogan said during a military parade in Baku. “The struggle carried out in the political and military areas will continue from now on many other fronts.”
 
Erdogan’s visit came weeks after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on a deal with Russia to end clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh after a string of Azerbaijani victories in its fight to retake the disputed region.
 
Azerbaijan’s historic win was an important geopolitical coup for Erdogan who has cemented Turkey’s leading role as a powerbroker in the ex-Soviet Caucasus region.
 
Turkey backed Azerbaijan during the six weeks of fighting that erupted in late September and left more than 5,000 people dead. Ankara was widely accused of dispatching mercenaries from Syria to bolster Baku’s army, but repeatedly denied the charge.
 
Erdogan’s support crucial: analyst
 
“Azerbaijan would not have been able to achieve military success in Karabakh without Turkey’s open political backing,” analyst Elhan Shahinoglu of Baku-based think-tank, Atlas, told AFP.
 
“If not for Erdogan’s support, Yerevan’s ally Russia – which competes with Ankara for influence in the Caucasus – would have pressured Baku to stop fighting.”
 
The ceasefire deal spurred mass celebrations in Azerbaijan. But as thousands of Armenian residents of the region fled the territory, the pullout was met with fury in Armenia, where Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has faced large demonstrations calling for his resignation.
 
The deal saw Armenia cede control over parts of the enclave it lost during the recent fighting and seven adjacent districts it had seized during a war in the 1990s.
 
But the agreement leaves Nagorno-Karabakh’s political status in limbo.
 
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed discomfort over the Russia-brokered ceasefire as France struggles to retain its geopolitical sway in the region following Armenia’s defeat.
 
The enclave will see its future guaranteed by nearly 2,000 Russian peacekeepers deployed for a renewable five-year mandate and the truce will be monitored in Azerbaijan by Turkish military.
 
Separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Baku in a war in the early 1990s that left some 30,000 people dead and displaced tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis.
 
But their claim of autonomy has not recognised internationally, even by Armenia.
 
Historic tensions from Ottoman to Soviet era
 
Armenia accused Turkey of direct involvement in the recent fighting – including sending foreign fighters to the battlefield – allegations dismissed by both Baku and Ankara.
 
Their shared border has been closed since 1993 when the two countries cut diplomatic ties.
 
Erdogan in 2009 dismissed internationally mediated reconciliation efforts with Armenia and said ties could only be restored after Armenian forces withdrew from Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
The two countries share a deep and mutual distrust over Armenia’s efforts to recognise as genocide the World War I massacres of some 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman empire.
 
Turkey has furiously rejected the genocide label.
 
 
Referred to as “one nation, two states,” Turkey’s alliance with Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan was forged following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 and has deepened under Erdogan’s tenure.
 
Turkey has helped Azerbaijan train and arm its military and serves as the main route for energy exports to Europe, bypassing Russia.
 
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan links Turkey with ex-Soviet Turkic nations in Central Asia and with China.
 
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
 
 

MEP Loucas Fourlas calls for release of Armenian PoWs and detainees

Jane Topchian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 5 2020

Member of the European Parliament Loucas Fourlas (Cyprus) is calling for the liberation of the Armenian prisoners of war and civilians captured by Azerbaijan.

The MEP has submitted an urgent question to the European Commission on the fate of the missing and captives.

“I submitted an urgent question to the European Commission on the fate of the missing and captive Armenian people who are being held hostage by Azerbaijan with the support of Turkey. Baku must respect human life,” the lawmaker said in a Twitter post.


Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: Turkey’s military exports to Baku jump 600 percent

Jane Topchian
Middle East Eye
Dec 3 2020
Large Turkish backing for Baku in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sees arms sales surge
By Ragip Soylu in Ankara                 

Published date: 3 December 2020 12:48 UTC

Turkey’s military exports to its ally Azerbaijan jumped a whopping 610 percent in the first 11 months of this year, during which Baku fought a brutal and successful conflict against Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkish exports for the time totalled nearly $256m, according to the Turkey Exporters Union’s latest data release.

During the September-November conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, a nominal Azerbaijani territory that had been occupied by Armenian forces since 1994, Ankara provided unprecedented support for Baku. 

Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: Israeli ‘kamikaze’ drones wreak havoc on Karabakh

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Turkey shipped at least six armed Bayraktar type attack drones and supplied smart munitions including precision-guided missiles, while Turkish military staff helped to shape Azerbaijan’s strategy to capture the territory.

Turkey’s drone blitz against Armenian hardware, which included howitzers, missiles, missile defence systems, tanks and fortifications, weakened Yerevan’s resistance and gave Azerbaijan a huge advantage on the battlefield.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have conducted joint military drills for years, most recently in August, when Turkish officers shared the experience and expertise they had developed in the Syrian and Libyan conflicts.

Ankara has also brought in Syrian mercenaries to prop up Azerbaijani defences and deployed Turkish F-16s as a deterrent, even though the warplanes were not used in the actual fighting.

Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on a ceasefire after six weeks of heavy fighting in November, following the Azerbaijani army’s seizure of the strategic city of Shusha (known as Shushi in Armenian).

The agreement, which was met with anger and disbelief among Armenians, hands administrative control over several areas of the mountainous territory to Azerbaijan.

EXCLUSIVE: Azerbaijan, Armenia ‘near ceasefire deal’ on Nagorno-Karabakh

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As part of the deal, Russian peacekeepers are deployed along the frontline in Nagorno-Karabakh and the corridor between the region and Armenia. Turkey and Russia also earlier this week agreed to establish a joint ceasefire observation centre to inspect developments on the ground.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also set to visit Baku on 9-10 December, according to a statement by the presidency on Thursday.

Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s, prompting a long unresolved conflict that has seen tens of thousands of people killed.

The disputed territory has been held by Armenian forces for nearly three decades, despite four UN Security Council resolutions urging them to withdraw.

Both Armenians and Azerbaijanis have long historical and cultural roots in the territory.