Turkey wants to see positive signs before border is opened

At a seminar held today in Yerevan of Armenian journalists and representatives of Turkish educational and civil structures, Behlul Ozkan, an instructor of foreign relations at Istanbul’s Bogazici University, stated that there would be no progress in Armenian-Turkish relations without positive developments on the Karabakh front.

“One must understand, he said, that Armenian-Turkish relations cannot be independently viewed from Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, because Baku is an ally of Turkey in the south Caucasus.” He added that there were millions of people in Turkey who viewed Azerbaijan as a related nation and had quite friendly feelings towards it. »»»»»

A prominent Turkish Alevi organization has applied to the European Court of Human Rights, seeking equal religious treatment before the law.

The Cem Foundation is protesting a Turkish court ruling that denied its demands that Alevi community prayer houses be officially registered as places of worship, like a mosque, church or synagogue. It had also demanded that Alevi religious leaders be included on the state payroll, like Sunni imams. »»»»»

Yesterday, organizers of the Malatya International Film Festival (MUFF) shrugged off allegations that by naming one of its awards “Golden Apricot” it was violating the copyright laws of the Yerevan film festival of the same name.

Last week, the Yerevan organizers of the “Golden Apricot Film Festival” announced that they haven’t yet decided whether to take legal action and that they are still investigating the matter. »»»»»

Fethiye Cetin, one of the lawyers of the family of slain journalist Hrant Dink, has protested that rights violations continue in the murder trial and that they are planning to reapply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) once domestic remedies are exhausted.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) recently convicted Turkey in the case concerned with the files of Hrant Dink. In the defence recently submitted by Turkey to the Strasbourg court, Dink was compared to a Nazi leader and he was accused of publishing “hate speeches”. »»»»»

On August 14, an Azerbaijani platoon commander was charged with the attempted rape of a new conscript in a storage facility located on the military base. The soldier later committed suicide by hanging himself.

The report was provided to Hetq by an Azerbaijani journalist who has been granted political refugee status in Europe. Official Azerbaijani military outlets have remained silent on the matter. Non-official sources have reported the suicide as the result of non-sanctioned interpersonal relations; failing to note the underlying cause of the tragic incident. »»»»»

Excerpt of an interview with Director General of Azerbaijani-American Council Javid Huseynov, appearing in Today Az. Below, Mr Huseynov was talking about American-Armenian lobbying efforts opposing the nomination of Matthew Bryza as U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan.

Q – It would be more appropriate for the Armenian lobby to combine its efforts to invest in Armenia, the most backward country in South Caucasus, wouldn’t it?

Why? Does someone from wealthy Armenians of Glendale, the fans and sponsors of ANCA plan to go back to Armenia and live there? I am sure that even if Armenia becomes “great”, they will not. They are well aware that in reality the Armenian statehood can never satisfy the eternal striving of the world Armenians for greatness. They need prosperity in the diaspora more than prosperity in Armenia.

Care to comment?

According to Professor Kemal Cicek, head of the Armenian Studies Desk at the Turkish Historical Society, Armenians cannot claim compensation from Turkey for property confiscated by the Ottoman government in 1915 since the matter was closed in the 1930’s.

In an article appearing in Hurriyet, Professor Cicek argues that the compensation issue ended after the payment of $900,000 by Turkey in 1934 as a result of an agreement signed by Turkey and the United States. »»»»»

Republican Party parliamentary faction Secretary Edvard Sharmazanov said today that Armenia shouldn’t sit idly by while Azerbaijan continues to increase its military spending. The ruling party spokesman used this argument, and pointed to continued bellicose statements coming out of Baku, for the need to increase the contract for the Russian military base in Armenia till the year 2044.

“Not only is the extension of the term important but the fact that the base will be assuming new functions and will be reequipped with modern technology and equipment. This will insure the inviolability of Armenia’s security,” Mr. Sharmazanov stated. He added that Azerbaijan would never dare to resume military operations against the people of Karabakh. I’ve said it before, even if Baku ever entertains such an idea, the Karabakh army will march all the way to the natural border of the Armenia plateau, the confluence of the Kur and Araks Rivers.”

A strategic partnership and mutual assistance agreement was signed the other day in Baku by Azerbaijani President Aliyev and Turkish President Gul, this according to NEWS.AZ,

“The Agreement on Strategic Partnership and Mutual Assistance that we signed today has great, historic significance. This agreement determines our future activity and will determine friendly and fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey for the coming decades,” Ilham Aliyev said. »»»»»

Responding to statements made the other day by Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Baku that the Karabakh conflict must be settled according to the principle of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, Edvard Sharmazanov, the secretary of the ruling Repiublican Party faction in the RoA National Assembly, noted that the upper political echelons of Turkey had learnt their lessons from the Third Reich’s Propaganda Minister Goebbels’ quite well. »»»»»

A report in today’s RIA Novosti cites Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev saying that the long-standing Nagorno Karabakh conflict could easily be settled if Armenia withdraws its “occupation forces” from the disputed area.

During a meeting with Abdullah Gul, Turkey’s president, Aliyev said Armenia and Azerbaijan were in the final stages of talks. »»»»»

RUSSIAN POWER, ARMENIAN SOVEREIGNTY, AND A REGION AT RISK

By Raffi Hovannisian

Yerevan–The second anniversary of blitzkrieg between Russia and Georgia underscores the unresolved geopolitical undercurrents in this region among the seas.  Landlocked by the forces of history from the Caspian, the Black and the Mediterranean, Armenia’s pivotal position remains encircled by a neighborhood in strategic turmoil. »»»»»

Thousands turned out in the city of Diyarbekir to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of famed Armenian musician Aram Tigran. A concert of his songs was held in Batikent Square.

Well beloved by Kurds throughout the world, and particularly in Turkey, Tigran wished to be buried in Diyarbekir, but the request was turned down by Turkish officials. He was buried in Brussels on August 17, 2010. Aram Tigran died in Greece, where he had been living since 1995.

Ambassadors to Azerbaijan and Turkey in Limbo

In a major embarrassment for the Obama Administration, Senators took an unprecedented action last week, blocking the President’s ambassadorial nominees for both Azerbaijan and Turkey!

The Administration showed a total lack of experience and poor judgment by ignoring warnings that Matthew Bryza and Francis Ricciardone, the nominees for Baku and Ankara, would meet strong opposition in the Senate. »»»»»