Author: Tambiyan Samvel

Azeri-Press news agency (APA)
 Monday
Ambassador Kanellos: Linking TAP with TANAP will serve as a 'bridge'
of friendship between Greece and Azerbaijan
APA presents an interview with Mr. Nicolaos D. Kanellos, Ambassador of
the Hellenic Republic to Azerbaijan
Q: Greece underwent an economic crisis some time ago. At the time,
some said the crisis had resulted from Greece's membership of the EU
and entry into Eurozone. It was even proposed that Greece exit the EU.
How is the current situation in your country? Is there going to be a
'Greek version' of the Brexit?
A: After many years of recession the Greek economy is recovering,
boosted by exports and tourism (30 million arrivals in 2017 or
all-time high). We have achieved a positive GDP growth rate in 2017,
with even better prospects for 2018. Unemployment has fallen 6
percentage points from 2014 to 2017 and the Greek government has
succeeded in surpassing fiscal targets for primary budget surpluses.
These macroeconomic and fiscal and achievements rule out completely
the possibility of GREXIT. They are the outcome of the great effort by
the Greek government to exit bailout program by August 2018.
Q: How do you feel about the level of cooperation between Greece and
Azerbaijan? What was last year's trade turnover between the two
countries? What steps can be taken to improve bilateral relations
further?
A: Bilateral trade data for 2017 are still expected. Trade turnover
for 2016 was rather small at about 16 million USD, consisting almost
entirely of Greek exports of goods to Azerbaijan (as the Azeri oil
exports to Greece virtually disappeared during that year, amounting
only to about half a million USD). Excluding oil, which is a very
special commodity traded under its own rules, the two countries
produce more or less similar products, and therefore increasing trade
volume is not easy. However our common will with the Azerbaijani
authorities is to increase trade volume in the near future.
Q: Are there any Greek companies interested in Azerbaijan's new oil
and gas fields? Azerbaijan is implementing the TANAP and TAP projects
together with its partners. What are Greece's expectations from these
projects?
A: Greek companies have shown no interest in the Azerbaijani
'upstream' sector so far, because they are focusing primarily on
hydrocarbons exploration and exploitation in the area of Greece itself
(with the single notable exception of North Africa and the Eastern
Mediterranean). TAP, of course, is a great 'engine for growth' in
Greece since its construction started in 2016, being the largest
Foreign Direct Investment in my country's history. 65% of the project
in Greek soil has already been completed and the direct amount of work
contracted to Greek companies (e.g. the steel pipes) is about 1
billion USD. Last but not least, linking TAP with TANAP at the
Greek-Turkish border will serve as a 'bridge' of friendship and
cooperation between the two countries.
Q: Last year Athens hosted a meeting of the Azerbaijan-Greece Joint
Intergovernmental Commission. Next meeting is expected to be held in
Baku. Is the date fixed?
A: Indeed, the last meeting of the Joint Commission took place in
Athens in May 2016 and it was very successful. The Azerbaijani side is
expected to formally propose a date for the next meeting (in Baku) in
due time.
Q: Are there going to be any high-level official visits between the
two countries this year? In what areas are new agreements going to be
signed?
A: Mr. Kotsonopoulos Loudovikos (Head of Minister's Cabinet, the
Ministry of Energy and Environment of the Hellenic Republic), Mr.
Verriopoulos Michail (Secretary General for Energy and Mineral
Resources of the Ministry of Energy and Environment of the Hellenic
Republic) will participate in the 4th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory
Council and MPs will visit Baku in the framework of the VI Global Baku
Forum. We are in the process of elaborating visits on a Ministerial
level. Moreover, there is a broad array of ongoing negotiations for
the signing of bilateral agreements in various fields like Education,
Culture, E.U. affairs, Sports, cooperation in Military issues,
judicial affairs and more.
Q: As you know, the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has
been going on for many years. What is Greece's stance in respect of
this conflict?
A: Greece actively supports the peaceful resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the provisions of international law
and the relevant UN/SC resolutions.

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Thursday
Constitutional referendum, inter-state scandals, Erdogan aggression's
display in US: 2017 in Turkey
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. 2017 was historical for Turkey in a
sense that based on the results of the constitutional referendum that
country’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan eventually succeeded in
changing the country’s governance system from parliamentary to
presidential one. Such change will enable Erdogan to govern the
country in the upcoming years and concentrate all the levers in his
hands.
ARMENPRESS tried to identity the most important and key events held in
Turkey during 2017.
Terrorism on New Year’s Eve
2017 started in Turkey on the New Year’s Eve by the terror attack in
the Reina night club in Istanbul on January 1. 39 people were killed
and 70 were wounded in the terror attack. The Islamic State terrorist
group assumed responsibility for the attack.
The author of the terror attack was arrested on January 16. He is to
face live imprisonment.
Constitutional referendum
The constitutional referendum was held in Turkey on April 16 with
51.4% in favor and 48.59% against. As a result the country shifted
from the parliamentary system to the presidential one. The referendum
aimed at further concentrating the power in the hands of Erdogan and
his ruling Justice and Development party. After these changes Erdogan
can remain in power until 2029.
Overall, 18 articles of the current Constitution will change. The main
changes will come into force starting from 2019.
However, some provisions of the new Constitution started to be applied
immediately after its adoption. In particular, the talk is about to
allow the country’s president have a party affiliation. During the
extraordinary session of the Justice and Development party on May 21
Erdogan after a 33-month pause again returned to the ruling party.
Although the opposition announced the results of the constitutional
referendum as being fake, the referendum results remained unchanged.
Scandal involving ministers
The passing year was also distinguished by inter-state scandals
involving Turkish ministers. Some European countries, including
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Netherlands banned the
Turkish ministers’ entry to their countries. The Turkish political
figures planned to visit European countries on the 1st anniversary of
the failed military coup attempt in Turkey and meet with the Turkish
community representatives.
However, the Netherlands on March 11 withdrew the permission to land
the plane transporting Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The
Netherlands government announced that they took such a step since
Cavusoglu’s visit was “putting the public order and security under
risk”.
The Netherlands was followed by Germany and Austria which cancelled
the speeches of the Turkish ministers and events with their
participation. In particular, the speeches of the Turkish President
were banned in the German cities of Dortmund, Oberhausen, Cologne and
Düsseldorf.
Of course, official Ankara strongly reacted to this incident by
sending notes of complaint and threatening to cut the relations.
Germany withdrew its troops from Incirlik airbase
The existing tension in the Turkish-German relations after the
adoption of the Armenian Genocide recognition resolution by the
Bundestag in 2016 continued this year as well. Already this year after
banning the speeches of the Turkish political figures in Germany the
tension reached culmination over the issue of the visit of German
lawmakers to the Incirlik airbase.
Official Ankara again banned the German parliamentary delegation’s
visit to their troops in the airbase. In response to the decision of
the Turkish side the Bundestag on June 22 adopted a decision by
majority of votes to withdraw its troops from the Incirlik airbase.
For the first time in history the German army withdrew its troops from
the airbase of NATO member state and transported to the airbase of
Jordan, which is not a member of NATO. The last German troops left
Turkey in September.
Establishment of new party by Meral Akşener
2017 was significant in the Turkish political life by the
establishment of new political party: famous Turkish politician,
former defense minister Meral Akşenerestablished the Good party. It’s
worth mentioning that hundreds of former members of the Nationalist
Movement party joined the Good party who were not satisfied with the
current policy of the nationalist party, in particular, with the fact
that the Nationalist Movement party closely cooperates with Erdogan
and the political force led by him.
Meral Akşeneris expected to be Erdogan’s main rival in the upcoming
2019 presidential election.
Erdogan’s dictatoriship demonstrated in Washington D.C.
Erdogan, who constantly violates the fundamental human rights and
freedoms, tried to “export his policy” to the United States. In
particular, on May 16 the whole world witnessed how Erdogan’s security
details attacked peaceful protesters outside the Turkish Embassy in
Washington D.C. who were complaining against Erdogan’s policy.
As a result of the attack a number of wounded people, including
Armenians were hospitalized.
The video of the attack shows that Erdogan personally gives the order
for the attack.
The Washington Mayor and Police Chief on June 15 announced declaring
arrest warrants for 12 supporters of Erdogan. Two Turkish citizens
involved in the attack have been immediately arrested. During the
December court hearings they pleaded guilty for the attack.
The world’s biggest prison for journalists
Like the previous year, this year as well the restrictions on
fundamental human rights and freedoms continued in Turkey. During 2017
dozens of local and foreign journalists have been arrested. It’s not a
coincidence that Turkey was ranked 155th among the 179 countries in
the Media Freedom Index 2017 of the Reporters Without Borders
organization. The organization again recognized Turkey as the “world’s
biggest prison for journalists”.
Araks Kasyan