Category: 2020

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 25

Trend:

As a result of the measures carried out by the Azerbaijani army, the commander of the sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Armenian Armed Forces, senior lieutenant Gurgen Alaverdyan, born in 1989, was identified and detained on August 23 at 06:00 in the direction of the Goranboy region of the front line, Trend reports on Aug. 25 referring to the joint information disseminated by the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Security Service.

There were solid suspicions that Gurgen Alaverdyan, having taken part in illegal armed formations in the territory of the Kalbajar region, occupied as a result of the wars of aggression initiated by the Armenian armed forces, attacked the military personnel, military enterprises, departments, organizations of Azerbaijan or individuals, causing harm to their health, causing significant property damage or other socially dangerous consequences, as well as committed actions classified as illegal acquisition, storage, transportation and carrying of firearms, their parts and ammunition. There were also solid suspicions that Alaverdyan, on behalf of the Armenian special services, in order to collect and transfer to this country information constituting a state secret for their use to the detriment of the security of Azerbaijan, crossed the state border on August 23, 2020 for espionage purposes.

On the fact, the General Prosecutor of Azerbaijan opened a criminal case under Articles 100.2 (waging an aggressive war), 276 (espionage), 279.1 (creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law), 228.1 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, component parts for it, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices) and 318.1 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan).

In order to conduct a thorough, complete and objective preliminary investigation within the framework of a criminal case, a joint operational-investigative group was created, consisting of employees of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Border Service.

Given the nature and complexity of the crime committed, the Prosecutor General has instructed the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office to conduct a criminal investigation, and proper investigative actions and operational-search measures are currently being carried out.

For the past few decades, there have been some circles in Washington that have fiercely endorsed the idea that the United States should pursue almost a belligerent attitude toward Turkey.

According to them, Turkey is responsible for every tension and crisis in bilateral relations. They criticize the White House even for extending an invitation to the Turkish government.

They call Turkey an unreliable ally and call on the U.S. administration to stop the partnership between the two countries. They bash the Turkish government whenever possible.

According to some of them, Turkey does not have strategic value and in fact, it is a burden for the U.S. Thus, they support the relocation of U.S. bases in the country and the removal of NATO’s strategic assets.

Some more radical people even argue that Turkey should be kicked out of NATO. In recent years this attitude toward Turkey in Washington, D.C. gained much more prominence.

Almost a year ago, when the Turkish government launched a counterterrorism operation in Syria, we witnessed the coming together of all of these different groups. Some in the U.S. media unfairly criticized Turkey and even asserted that Turkey may conduct an “ethnic cleansing” in Syria.

Several resolutions were introduced in the U.S. Congress to condemn Turkey for its operation and sanction members of the Turkish government.

The long-forgotten Armenian resolution was reintroduced to the U.S. Congress and passed through both the Senate and the House. It was interesting to see the members of Congress competing to introduce resolutions to “punish” Turkey.

The tweets from different officials, the leaks that were provided to the press by high ranking U.S. officials and the statements that involve the _expression_ of “concerns” and “threats” to Turkey were all parts of this anti-Turkey campaign.

Last week when a video was released showing Democratic candidate for presidency Joe Biden making similar statements about Turkey and the Turkish government, it was not a surprise for the Turkish public. There are several paradoxical dimensions of this anti-Turkey attitude in the U.S.

First, after so much anti-Turkey rhetoric and Turkish government bashing, the same names complain about the rise of anti-Americanism in Turkey.

After so many ignorant and insensitive statements, they expect the Turkish public to have a favorable view of the U.S. They often accuse the Turkish government of fueling anti-Americanism among the Turkish people.

Second, there is a more significant question that needs to be posed for these circles in Washington. Although they support a harsher policy of the U.S. toward Turkey, call Turkey an unreliable ally and endorse the downgrading of relations, they cannot answer what U.S. foreign policy can benefit from such an attitude toward Turkey.

For the ethnic lobbies in the U.S., the destruction of the relations between Turkey and the U.S. can be the ultimate objective. How about for the ordinary Americans? Is there a strategic benefit for the U.S. in spoiling its relations with one of the most important actors in the region? Would it bring any good for U.S. foreign policy to alienate Turkey, a country placed in such critical geography?

When there is a follow-up question regarding the anti-Turkey attitude and the alienation of Turkey, there is no convincing response from these circles.

Turkey is only used as a talking point, but there is no plan or strategic thinking among these circles on what the Turkish-American relations really mean.

Without understanding and without recognizing the cost of destroying relations with Turkey, they will continue to be the responsible parties for this grave mistake in U.S. foreign policy.