Turkish-Azerbaijani relations: reality check

By ELDAR MAMEDOV

At the meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, in Astana in December 2010 the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan were at pains to downplay the damage that WikiLeaks could cause to the historically close relations between their countries.

The documents released by WikiLeaks contain harsh criticisms of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, by Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev, who reportedly dismissed its foreign policy as being “naive” and a “failure.” These revelations merely confirmed an open secret: behind the rhetoric of “one nation, two states,” tensions and misunderstandings abound. Yet, if well-handled, the leaks could help to build a healthier and more mature relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict ‘self-deception,’ says Armenian peace activist

The head of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Center of Peace-Making Initiatives, or CCPMI, argued in a recent interview that both Azerbaijan and Armenia are involved in “self deception” regarding the conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In an interview with the Azerbaijani online news outlet News.az earlier this week, Georgi Vanian, said the conflict stage of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia has given way to a self-deceptive, persecution-complex style ideology that perpetuates tension. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Uncategorized No Comments » February 2011

U.S. will continue to engage Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, spokesperson says

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State has said that U.S. would continue to engage Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

At a daily press briefing, Philip J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Public Affairs of the U.S. State Department, said, “we will continue to engage Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and see how we can move forward.”

When a reported asked, “Armenia’s President Sargsian just stated that the normalization process with Turkey is dead, and the U.S. has invested so much work and time on this process. What’s next step you are taking?” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011

Why Armenia is Looking for Nagorno-Karabakh’s Status in Africa?

How we recall the past, or at least a particular fragment of it, is invariably shaped by how the reel of history later unwinds. This quarrel is much more complicated when we looked to Armenian position on Nagorno-Karabakh. Since securing a ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1994, both sides failed to reach peace due to Armenian’s non-constructive position and the game of big powers.  During this time, the separatist regime in Karabakh and populist politicians in Armenia theoretically tried to “clone” examples to the Nagorno-Karabakh case which erupted last two decades in different areas of the world; such as East Timor, Montenegro and Kosovo. What do all these cases bring to the issue of Karabakh? Principally, based on the real politicking the answer is “nothing”. But, the new “clone” example is being discussed currently in Armenia due to the referendum in South Sudan. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011

OSCE Minsk Group To Resume Talks On Nagorny Karabakh

Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will arrive in the capital of Azerbaijan on Thursday to resume talks on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.

Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will arrive in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, on Thursday to resume talks on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported.

The Minsk Group, comprising Russia, France and the United States, mediates the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over breakaway Nagorny Karabakh. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011

Foreigners eye investment opportunities in Karabakh

A group of businessmen from Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia have visited the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh to look at investment opportunities, a report has said.

The delegation met Feb. 4 in Stepanakert with the disputed territory’s de facto Armenian leadership, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, or RFE/RL’s, Armenian service reported on its website.

A flashpoint of the Caucasus, the region known as Nagorno-Karabakh is a constituent part of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia since the end of 1994. While internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, the enclave has declared itself an independent republic but is administered as a de facto part of Armenia. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011

ICG warns of war risk between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Escalating front-line clashes, a spiraling arms race, vitriolic rhetoric and a virtual breakdown in peace talks increase the chance Armenia and Azerbaijan will go back to war over Nagorno-Karabakh, with devastating regional consequences, the International Crisis Group, or ICG, warned Tuesday.

The Brussels-based group’s report, “Armenia and Azerbaijan: Preventing War,” highlights the deterioration of the situation in the past year. “Increased military capabilities on both sides would make a new armed conflict in the South Caucasus far more deadly than the 1992-1994 one that ended with a shaky truce,” the ICG warned. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011

Armenia and Azerbaijan: Preventing War

Escalating front-line clashes, a spiralling arms race, vitriolic rhetoric and a virtual breakdown in peace talks increase the chance Armenia and Azerbaijan will go back to war over Nagorno-Karabakh, with devastating regional consequences.

Armenia and Azerbaijan: Preventing War, the latest policy briefing from the International Crisis Group, highlights the deterioration of the situation in the past year. Increased military capabilities on both sides would make a new armed conflict in the South Caucasus far more deadly than the 1992-1994 one that ended with a shaky truce. Neither side would be likely to win easily or quickly. Even if neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan is planning an immediate all-out offensive, skirmishes could easily spiral out of control. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011

Cable: Aliyev thinks Armenian claims harm region

Azerbaijan’s president told U.S. diplomats that a “Sword of Damocles” is hanging over the Nagorno-Karabakh process and the Turkey-Armenia normalization process, according to a U.S. cable newly released by whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks. Ilham Aliyev was referring to the April 24 Armenian remembrance day.

According to a February 2010 cable about a meeting between U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Bill Burns and Aliyev, the Azerbaijani president shared his concerns about Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » February 2011