Category: 2022

Parliament late Thursday ratified a bill on the historic Shusha Declaration signed with Azerbaijan last year.

A total of 266 lawmakers voted in favor of the declaration in the 581-seat Turkish Parliament, while 11 lawmakers were against it.

The declaration, signed on June 15, 2021, envisages elevating relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan to the level of an alliance.

Emphasizing that Armenia’s groundless allegations against Turkey and attempts to distort history are damaging peace and stability in the region, the declaration states that the opening of the Zangezur corridor connecting Turkey and Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan-Kars railway will contribute to the strengthening of relations.

The declaration focuses on defense cooperation and establishing new transportation routes.

The ceremony was attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Shusha, which was liberated in November 2020 from nearly 30 years of Armenian occupation.

The declaration affirms joint efforts by the two armies in the face of foreign threats, and the restructuring and modernization of their armed forces.

Turkey was a key backer of Azerbaijan during the 44-day Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which erupted on Sept. 27, 2020 and ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire on Nov. 10.

The Turkish defense industry has made new deliveries of Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) to the Turkish Land Forces Command, the top defense body’s head said Saturday.

In a Twitter statement, Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) Chairperson Ismail Demir said the SSB had successfully delivered the Baykar-made combat drones.

He noted that the newly delivered drones are equipped with the leading defense firm Aselsan-developed Common Aperture Targeting System (CATS).

CATS is a high-performance electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting system designed for fixed-wing and rotary-wing airborne platforms, including unmanned air systems (UASs), helicopters and aircraft.

The country’s drones were previously using electro-optic systems purchased from abroad but related embargoes on such exports led Turkish defense industry firms to develop the equipment with local resources within the country.

Last year, Canada canceled export permits for drone technology to Turkey after concluding that the country sold the equipment to the Azerbaijani military forces while fighting in the Armenian-occupied and internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey, like Canada, is a member of NATO and is a key ally of Azerbaijan, whose forces regained territory after six weeks of fighting and after three decades of illegal Armenian occupation.

However, Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said the use of the technology “was not consistent with Canadian foreign policy, nor end-use assurances given by Turkey.”

Turkey criticized the decision, saying that it expects Turkey’s NATO allies to refrain from taking steps that would negatively affect bilateral relations and harm NATO solidarity.

As expressed by many military specialists and defense experts, the combat drones gave the Azerbaijani army the upper hand in detecting and destroying enemy forces and military equipment, including armored vehicles, howitzers, and Russian-made air defense systems.

Among the defense industry products that Turkey imports from Canada is the electro-optic camera system procured from the Wescam company.

Apart from using the domestically developed combat drones on its own, Turkey is also on its way to becoming among the world’s No. 1 exporters in the field.

Export contracts have already been signed with 16 countries for Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs, which have completed 420,000 flight hours.

An ancient church belonging to Turkey’s Armenian community in southeastern Diyarbakır province is expected to undergo restoration, officials told Anadolu Agency (AA).

The Surp Sargis Armenian Church, built in the 16th century in the Alipaşa neighborhood of Sur district, Diyarbakır province, has an area of 3,769 square meters (40569.18 square feet).

Owned by the Diyarbakır Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation, the church, whose upper structure was completely destroyed, is also known as the Paddy Church as it was used as a paddy factory for a long time.

An inscription, now in the Diyarbakır Archaeology Museum, says the Christian place of worship was last repaired in 1840.

Cemil Koç, head of the Culture Ministry’s Directorate of Surveying and Monuments in Diyarbakır, said the 16th-century building deteriorated over time due to a decline in congregations.

He said the premises was used as a warehouse by various public institutions in the past.

The official added that the “monumental” building has immense importance for Diyarbakır. “Measurements that will form the basis of the building survey and projects are being made. Material samples have also been taken, which will help in getting more information about the church’s architectural style.”

Ergün Ayık, the head of the foundation, said the building is one of the two surviving churches in Diyarbakır, and that they have begun the process to return it to its former condition.

February:5, 2022

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 4

Trend:

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a request to start the procedure for recognizing Azerbaijan’s Khojaly genocide, the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend.

During the first Karabakh war, the Armenian military committed an act of genocide against the population of Azerbaijan’s Khojaly town consisting of 7,000 people on Feb. 26, 1992.

As many as 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 old people were killed as a result of the massacre. A total of 1,000 civilians became disabled in the onslaught. Eight families were completely annihilated, 130 children lost one parent, while 25 lost both parents. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage.

The petition was signed by member of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine, deputy chairperson of the Ukraine-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Liudmyla Marchenko.

“The issue of recognizing the Khojaly genocide was raised in a letter received by Verkhovna Rada signed by co-chairman of the Rada of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis, chairman of the “United Diaspora of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis” Hikmat Javadov,” the petition said.

“Recognition of the Khojaly tragedy as genocide will help restore historical justice, as well as strengthen friendly relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan,” the petition said.

While using her parliamentary powers, Marchenko asked Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to begin the procedure for recognizing the genocide.

The members of the Ukraine-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group visited Azerbaijan in October 2021 through the support of the Azerbaijani parliament and the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora. The Ukrainian MPs who visited Ganja and Aghdam cities stressed in a joint statement following the visit that they were horrified with the consequences of Armenia’s terror, they stated that the world shouldn’t remain indifferent.