https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:23:54 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230615-turkiye-foreign-policy-in-the-new-era/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 18:30:05 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=644988 Turkiye is a middle power, and the transformation of the international system from the US-led unipolarity to a multi-actor centric multipolarity over the last decade is in its national interest. Assessing how Turkish foreign policy might evolve in the years to come with Hakan Fidan at the helm of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be incomplete if the changing dynamics of the international system were not taken into account. Fidan as the core of Turkish foreign policy Fidan has been in the inner circle of foreign policy-making process since his appointment to the head of the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) in 2010. He has played a critical role in shaping and implementation of various foreign policy decisions that were […]]]> 644988 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230503-turkiye-closes-airspace-to-armenia-after-erection-of-monument-celebrating-assassination-of-ottoman-generals/ Wed, 03 May 2023 18:43:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=633635 Turkiye has closed its airspace to Armenia in protest against its erection of a monument commemorating the assassinations of Ottoman generals who were responsible for the killing of Armenians during World War I. The new memorial opened in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, last week commemorates the team that carried out 'Operation Nemesis', a campaign during the 1920s to hunt down and assassinate Ottoman leaders judged as responsible for the 'Armenian genocide'. The mass killings in 1915 are labelled by the governments of Armenia and many Western states as a genocide which wiped out around 1.5 million Armenians, while the Turkish government and historians insist that it was not a genocide but, instead, a harsh campaign against Armenian militias that took […]]]> 633635 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230430-turkiye-closes-airspace-to-armenian-airline-without-warning/ Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:12:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=632268 Turkiye on Saturday closed its airspace to low-cost Armenian airline FlyOne Armenia without warning, the domestic Armenpress news agency cited the carrier's board chairman as saying, reports Reuters. "For reasons incomprehensible to us and without any visible grounds, Turkish aviation authorities cancelled the permission previously granted to the FlyOne Armenia airline to operate flights to Europe through Turkish airspace," said Aram Ananyan, FlyOne's chairman. "Turkish aviation authorities implemented the cancellation without prior notification, putting our airline and our passengers in an uncomfortable situation." FlyOne Armenia, a subsidiary of Moldovan airline FlyOne, began operations in December 2021. In February 2023, Ananyan told Armenpress that the carrier had five Airbus aircraft and offered flights to 14 destinations in eight European and Middle […]]]> 632268 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230424-yet-another-attempt-to-distort-history-turkiye-slams-us-remarks-on-1915-events/ Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:33:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630872 Turkiye on Monday lashed out at US President Joe Biden's remarks on the 1915 events between Turkiye and Armenia. "Yet another attempt by political charlatans to distort history! Politically driven statements cannot change the facts. "Those intentionally insisting on their mistakes are destined to be remembered as hypocrites. No one shall dare to lecture us on our history," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter. Separately, the Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected the statements made by the government officials of some countries, saying that Ankara considers them "null and void," and condemned in the strongest terms those "who persist in this mistake." "The unfortunate statements that are incompatible with historical facts and international law regarding the events of 1915 are […]]]> 630872 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230423-azerbaijan-says-it-established-border-control-point-at-starting-point-of-lachin-khankendi-road/ Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:54:20 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630815 Azerbaijan on Sunday announced that it established a border control point at the starting point of the Lachin-Khankendi road, Anadolu reports. Over the past two and half years since the signing of the January 2021 Trilateral Statement among Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia, the Azerbaijani side has consistently called attention to large-scale abuse of the Lachin road by Armenia. "This includes the rotation of personnel of Armenian armed forces that continue to be illegally stationed in the territory of Azerbaijan, the transfer of weapons and ammunition, entrance of terrorists, as well as illicit trafficking of natural resources and cultural property," a statement by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry read. READ: Azerbaijan President, Israel Foreign Minister discuss bilateral ties, cooperation in various fields The statement […]]]> 630815 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230406-azerbaijan-arrests-six-men-over-alleged-links-to-iran-secret-service/ Thu, 06 Apr 2023 15:32:20 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=627008 Azerbaijan has arrested six men it says are linked to Iranian secret services, as relations between Baku and Tehran continue to deteriorate. According to a joint statement by the Interior Ministry, State Security service and Prosecutor-General's office, the six men – all Azerbaijani nationals – were "recruited by Iranian secret services to destabilise the situation in the country." They were allegedly plotting to "set up a 'resistance squad' aimed at establishing a Sharia state in Azerbaijan through armed unrest and violent overthrow of Azerbaijan's constitutional order." The men were accused of being "engaged in a pro-Iranian propaganda of religious radicalism, fulfilling orders from abroad to undermine Azerbaijan's tradition of tolerance", primarily by promoting "radical Islam" through money gained from drug […]]]> 627008 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230402-azerbaijan-rejects-iran-commander-accusation-of-hosting-zionist-daesh-forces-during-karabakh-war/ Sun, 02 Apr 2023 08:24:07 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=625778 Azerbaijan has condemned and rejected accusations by a senior Iranian commander that the country has been hosting "Zionist" forces and Daesh militants since its conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. According to Azerbaijani media, Iranian ground forces commander Kiomers Heydari made the claim that Zionists and Daesh members had a presence in Azerbaijan during and following the 2020 conflict over the Karabakh region, which saw the territory return to Azeri control. A statement issued on Thursday by Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry rejected Heydari's remarks and accusations, saying they amounted to "dirty and slanderous opinions." It stressed that "the accusation of the Iranian side about the presence of any foreign forces in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan is groundless […]]]> 625778 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230325-russia-foreign-ministry-calls-for-prosecuting-israelis-responsible-for-church-of-gethsemane-attack/ Sat, 25 Mar 2023 13:12:42 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=624614 The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for the trial of those responsible for the attack on the Church of Gethsemane in occupied Jerusalem. On Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova shared an official statement: "We are convinced that there is no justification, and that there can never be any justification, for such criminal acts, and hope that the Israeli authorities will provide an unequivocal assessment of what happened and to take comprehensive measures to bring perpetrators to justice and prevent the recurrence of such attacks in the future." Zakharova expressed Moscow's "profound concern" about such abusive behaviour, noting: "The number of anti-Christian incidents has grown at an alarming pace recently, as churches, cemeteries of various Christian denominations, […]]]> 624614 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230306-israel-sent-almost-100-flights-loaded-with-weapons-to-azerbaijan/ Mon, 06 Mar 2023 15:43:26 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=619647 Almost 100 flights loaded Israeli weapons worth billions of dollars were shipped to Azerbaijan between 2016 and 2021, an investigation by Haaretz has found. In exchange, Israel has been granted permission for Mossad spies to set up a forward listening post in Azerbaijan territory in order to spy on Iran. Israeli weapons were ferried from Israel's Ovda air force base north of Eilat using Azerbaijani Silk Way Airlines. This is one of the largest cargo airlines in Asia, and according to official documents it serves as a subcontractor for various defence ministries around the world. In 2017, the airline was mired in controversy following allegations that it took weapons to Daesh and Al-Qaeda terrorists under the watchful eyes of the […]]]> 619647 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230302-new-world-order-is-taking-shape-azerbaijan-president/ Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:52:07 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=618988 Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, on Thursday said that a "new world order is taking shape" as he addressed the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group meeting in the capital, Baku, Anadolu News Agency reports. "Now the world is witnessing the most serious East-West confrontation since the end of the Cold War, with repercussions for the remaining part of the world. As the second largest international institution after the UN, NAM should play a more visible and efficient role in the international arena and actively participate in reshaping the new world order," Aliyev said. He said that the international security architecture that has existed for decades is currently undergoing radical changes, adding that multilateralism is at stake with "the erosion of international law […]]]> 618988 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230223-nine-quarters-of-jerusalem-a-new-biography-of-the-old-city/ Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:26:02 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=617081 Matthew Teller had to unlearn much of what he had learnt about Jerusalem before he could write his book Nine Quarters of Jerusalem – A New Biography of the Old City, of which a new softback version is now available. Teller's journey, prompted by his visit to the Old City as a child and ongoing visits as an adult, serves the reader willing to challenge the assumptions typically held about this troubled and historic city and its supposed "four quarters": Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian. In fact, according to Teller, the city is more of a nine-quarter place, as the title of his book makes clear. However, the Palestinian Jerusalemites would never refer to the four historic quarters in any […]]]> 617081 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230212-turkey-armenia-gate-opens-for-first-time-in-decades-to-allow-aid/ Sun, 12 Feb 2023 11:50:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=614053 A border gate between long-feuding Turkey and Armenia has been opened for the first time in 35 years to allow aid for victims of the devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey, state-owned Anadolu news agency and a diplomat said. Turkey's special envoy for Armenia, Serdar Kilic, tweeted photos of trucks passing through the Alican checkpoint at the Turkish side of the Aras river separating the two countries. "I will always remember the generous aid sent by the people of Armenia to help alleviate the sufferings of our people in the earthquake stricken region in Turkey," Kilic said, thanking Armenian officials. Anadolu said the crossing was last used to send aid from the Turkish Red Crescent to earthquake-hit Armenia in 1988. Last […]]]> 614053 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230131-putin-speaks-to-algeria-president-armenia-premier/ Tue, 31 Jan 2023 20:05:22 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=611229 Russian President, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday, held separate phone talks with Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, the Kremlin said in a statement, Anadolu News Agency reports. Putin and Tebboune "reaffirmed their readiness for further joint work on the global energy market, including within the OPEC plus and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum." READ: Algeria, Russia discuss strengthening industrial, economic cooperation Vladimir Putin also spoke to Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, on Monday, as ministers from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and its allies known as OPEC+, are due to hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday. With Pashinyan, Putin discussed the situation in the Karabakh region, with the emphasis on the importance […]]]> 611229 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230108-police-in-armenia-detain-65-protesters-near-russian-military-base/ Sun, 08 Jan 2023 15:35:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=604500 Police in Armenia on Sunday detained 65 protesters near a Russian military base demanding Moscow intervene to dismantle what they say is a crippling blockade by Azerbaijan of an ethnic Armenian enclave, Russia's Interfax news agency reported, says Reuters. It said around 200 protesters, gathered outside the base in the northern town of Gyumri, were demanding that Russian peacekeepers unblock the sole road – the Lachin Corridor – which links Armenia and the predominantly ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Since December 12, people identifying themselves as environmental activists from Azerbaijan have partially blocked the road, letting only limited traffic through. Azerbaijan says their action does not amount to a full blockade, but ethnic Armenian officials in Nagorno-Karabakh officials say food, […]]]> 604500 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221230-partition-regime-change-and-geopolitical-rivalry-what-does-2023-hold-for-the-middle-east/ Fri, 30 Dec 2022 12:03:22 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=603112 As the year of 2022 comes to an end, the usual spate of predictions for the incoming year are espoused by many. That includes, it seems, Russia's Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, who predicted on Twitter – either mockingly or seriously, or perhaps both – a number of world-altering events in 2023 such as the breakout of civil war in the United States, the disintegration of the European Union, the establishment of a "Fourth Reich" which will partition Europe, the collapse of the global financial system, and the shifting of international markets from the Western world to Asia. Putting aside such drastic predictions for now, some of which are certainly plausible and others which seem to stem from the […]]]> 603112 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221201-why-are-relations-between-azerbaijan-and-israel-developing-now/ Thu, 01 Dec 2022 14:38:36 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=597804 Azerbaijan's announcement that it's going to open an embassy in Israel came as no surprise. It reflects the strong ties between the two countries for nearly three decades in the political, security and military fields. While there is an Israeli Embassy in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, the latter only had commercial and tourist offices in Tel Aviv. This in part reveals the nature of the diplomatic strategy Azerbaijan has begun to follow in recent years, which has reached the point of normalisation agreements. For a number of reasons, Azerbaijan topped the list of countries that Israel set its sights on, including its extremely important geopolitical location which extends beyond the Caucasus. This places it in Russia's backyard and has helped […]]]> 597804 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221019-22-countries-requested-to-purchase-iran-military-drones-official-says/ Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:03:53 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=587401 Some 22 countries have submitted official requests to purchase Iranian-made military drones, former Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and top military aide to Iran's Supreme Leader, Major General Yahia Rahim Safavi, said. "The current candidate countries to buy Iranian drones are Armenia, Tajikistan, Serbia, Algeria, Venezuela and other countries," Safavi said yesterday. He added that before the Islamic Revolution, Iran used to import 80 per cent of its military needs from abroad, however, it now produces them. On Monday, Israeli media outlets reported that the Iranian-made drone Shahed 136 had been used by Russia in Ukraine. Israel's Walla website said Israel is closely following this development as it may affect any future conflict with Iran. READ: Iran agrees […]]]> 587401 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221011-the-north-caucasus-borderland-between-muscovy-and-the-ottoman-empire-1555-1605/ Tue, 11 Oct 2022 15:08:12 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=585349 Regions such Dagestan, Chechnya and the Caucasus tend to make us think of territories that are firmly under Moscow's control as part of the Russian Federation. However, Russian control only stretches back a few hundred years. Large parts of the region came under the Ottoman Empire and in the 16th century, the Muscovy Duchy (later known as Russia) and the Ottomans began competing with each other in the North Caucasus. This often forgotten history is the subject of Murat Yasar's new book The North Caucasus Borderland: Between Muscovy and the Ottoman Empire, 1555-1605. The Caucasus is a large region and in the 16th century it had a number of different rulers and administrations. This made the Caucasus attractive to different […]]]> 585349 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221007-turkiye-and-armenia-leaders-hold-historic-meeting/ Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:25:28 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=584836 Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, met with Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinian, in the normalisation process between Turkiye and Armenia in Prague, Turkish media reports. According to the report, Erdogan met with Pashinian and Aliyev in Prague, where he attended the European Political Community Summit (EPC). Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, joined Erdogan during his meeting with Pashinian. During this historical meeting, Erdogan gave messages to Pashinian that the talks between the special representatives should be held alternately in Turkiye and Armenia, not in third countries and that the final peace agreement should be signed with Azerbaijan. OPINION: New chapter in Turkiye's foreign relations]]> 584836 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221003-is-the-south-caucasus-a-new-battleground-for-india-and-pakistan/ Mon, 03 Oct 2022 10:10:46 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=584047 The South Caucasus is no stranger to outside powers competing for influence and advancing their own interests. During the Cold War, for example, the region was on the front line of the ideological conflict between the West and the former Soviet Union. Due to the region's close proximity to the wider Middle East, the Soviet Union sought to use the Caucasus to exert its influence there, particularly in Iran and Turkiye. Today, these two regional hegemons are also vying for influence following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and ongoing border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. With Russia evidently resolute about maintaining its post-Soviet sphere of influence across peripheral states, the South Caucasus has found itself yet again a theatre for proxy […]]]> 584047 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220919-kremlin-says-pelosis-loud-remarks-on-azerbaijan-armenia-dont-help/ Mon, 19 Sep 2022 10:11:41 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=580954 The Kremlin on Monday that "loud announcements" from US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on the causes of the border conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia were unlikely to help stabilise the situation, reports Reuters. In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that a "quiet and businesslike approach" to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict would bear fruit. Peskov said: "Anything… done in a quiet and businesslike approach can contribute to the normalization of relations, the stabilization of the situation on the border, all this can be welcomed. Can such high-profile actions and statements really contribute to the normalization of the situation? Let's see." Pelosi visited Armenia this weekend, in an unprecedented show of US support for the country, which […]]]> 580954 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220918-azerbaijan-calls-pelosis-accusations-against-it-groundless-unfair-accusations/ Sun, 18 Sep 2022 14:40:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=580851 "Groundless, unfair accusations" against Azerbaijan made by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her visit to Armenia are "unacceptable," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said Sunday, Anadolu reports. "The statement made by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi during her visit to Armenia on September 18, 2022, which distorts the situation in the region, is deeply regrettable," the ministry said in a statement. "Groundless and unfair accusations made by N. Pelosi against Azerbaijan are unacceptable." Noting that "Pelosi is known as a pro-Armenian politician," it said the "presence of pro-Armenian members of Congress in her delegation to Armenia is a pure evidence of this." The ministry claimed that Pelosi's Armenia visit aims to take the support of […]]]> 580851 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220914-turkiye-backs-azerbaijan-and-erdogan-says-armenia-should-cease-fire/ Wed, 14 Sep 2022 21:13:22 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=580083 Turkiye said, on Tuesday, it continued to back Azerbaijan and called on Armenia to "cease its provocations", after clashes erupted between the two South Caucasus countries that resumed decades-old hostilities, Reuters reports. According to the report, Turkish Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar, held talks with Azeri counterpart, Zakir Hasanov, the Ministry said. "He emphasised that Turkiye has always stood by brotherly Azerbaijan and will continue to stand by it in its just causes," it said. Early on Tuesday, Russian news agencies reported the clashes were linked to the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, over which Azerbaijan re-established full control in a six-week conflict in 2020. Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said Ankara's relations with Armenia were not independent of Yerevan-Baku ties. He […]]]> 580083 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220719-what-did-turkiye-gain-from-normalising-its-regional-relations/ Tue, 19 Jul 2022 19:52:01 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=567850 Turkish foreign policy during the era of the Justice and Development party witnessed several stages of change, primarily coinciding with, and influenced by, local and regional developments. However, the last few years have shown it to be as if it has become a daily policy that is closer to reactions than to a fixed policy based on a clear vision. It is true that the liquidity of the situation in the region – and more recently the world – has a prominent role in this, but it is neither the only reason, nor the logical explanatory framework for this. In 2016, for many reasons, challenges, and crises at home and abroad, Ankara raised the slogan of "more friends and fewer […]]]> 567850 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220525-saudi-arabia-in-talks-to-buy-turkeys-bayraktar-drones/ Wed, 25 May 2022 14:26:47 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=558269 Saudi Arabia is in talks to acquire Turkey's Bayraktar unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), according to a recent report by the geopolitical and market intelligence website Tactical Report. "The Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) has expressed interest in Turkish drones and is ready for talks with the producing company, Baykar," the report stated. The reports were alluded to in local media, including the daily Milliyet headlining, "Another candidate for Bayraktar" "The number of countries that the TB2 drones have been exported to has reached 20," the daily wrote on Monday. Turkish unmanned combat drones gained international acclaim over their widespread use in several conflicts, including Syria, Libya, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and most recently in Ukraine following Russia's invasion and on-going military operations there. OPINION: Did […]]]> 558269 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220503-turkiye-armenia-reaffirm-goal-of-achieving-full-normalisation/ Tue, 03 May 2022 15:50:06 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=553207 Turkish and Armenian envoys for the normalisation of ties between the two countries reaffirmed their goal of "achieving full normalisation," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, reports Anadolu Agency. "The special representatives reaffirmed the declared goal of achieving full normalisation between their respective countries through this process," the ministry said in a statement following the third meeting of Turkish and Armenian envoys in the Austrian capital Vienna. The envoys discussed the possible steps that can be taken for the tangible progress in normalisation, the statement added. Turkiye's Ambassador Serdar Kilic and Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Ruben Rubinyan "reiterated their agreement to continue the process without preconditions," it added. Kilic was named as Turkiye's special envoy to discuss […]]]> 553207 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220503-what-is-left-for-turkiye-to-be-in-the-western-camp-the-armenian-tragedy-and-the-last-fig-leaf/ Tue, 03 May 2022 15:09:03 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=553210 The US – and most of the western governments – stance on the issue of the Armenian tragedy of 1915 was the last in a series of western positions that harmed their relations with Turkiye. Over the past decades, despite being a sincere and indispensable ally – as many western leaders occasionally said – Turkiye has received many setbacks from the western camp which shook their alliance and endangered the country's national security. A situation that eventually and logically put forward the question for the Turkish decision-makers and international relations experts, as well: "What is left for Turkiye to be in the western camp?" Following the end of the Second World War in 1945, Turkiye was not hesitant to join […]]]> 553210 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220425-turkiye-rejects-us-commemoration-of-107th-anniversary-of-armenian-genocide/ Mon, 25 Apr 2022 08:25:37 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=551269 The Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday rejected US President Joe Biden's commemoration of the 107th anniversary of the Armenian genocide when 1.5 million Armenians were killed in World War I during the era of the Ottoman Empire. "We reject such statements and decisions to distort historical facts for political motives, and we condemn those who insist on this mistake," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that Biden has repeated the same mistake he made last year. Yesterday Biden commemorated the 107th anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide, issuing a statement in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians "who were deported, massacred or marched to their deaths in a campaign of extermination". Last year, Biden recognised the massacres […]]]> 551269 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220128-armenian-foreign-minister-to-visit-turkey-after-decades-of-animosity/ Fri, 28 Jan 2022 15:35:47 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=530164 Armenian Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, is to visit Turkey in March, his Turkish counterpart said on Thursday, as the neighbours work to mend ties after decades of animosity, Reuters reports. Turkey has had no diplomatic or commercial ties with its eastern neighbour since the 1990s. The two are at odds over several issues, primarily the 1.5 million people Armenia says were killed by Ottoman forces in 1915. Earlier this month, Turkey and Armenia said a first round of talks in more than ten years between envoys on normalising ties was "positive and constructive", raising the prospect that ties could be restored and borders reopened. Armenia says the 1915 killings constitute genocide. Turkey accepts that many Armenians living in the Ottoman […]]]> 530164 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220120-are-turkiye-and-armenia-ending-their-animosity/ Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:33:38 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=528317 On 14 January 2022, Russia hosted a meeting of Special Representatives for the Normalisation Process between Türkiye and Armenia, Ambassador Serdar Kılıç and Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Ruben Rubinyan. Kılıç and Rubinyan discussed the possibility of ending the decades-long animosity between Türkiye and Armenia. According to a press release posted on the website of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, "the Special Representatives exchanged their preliminary views regarding the normalisation process through dialogue between Türkiye and Armenia." The press release also stated that the "parties agreed to continue negotiations without preconditions aiming at full normalisation," but they did not decide the date and venue of their second meeting, noting that it "will be decided in due time through diplomatic channels." […]]]> 528317 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220102-armenia-lifts-embargo-on-goods-from-turkey-advancing-thaw-in-relations/ Sun, 02 Jan 2022 09:35:06 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=523305 The Armenian government has announced that it is lifting its embargo on Turkish goods from the beginning of 2022, marking a new step in the thawing of relations between the two countries. Armenia's economy ministry made the announcement in a Facebook post on Thursday, stating that "as a result of interdepartmental discussions, a decision was made not to extend the embargo on Turkish goods." The embargo was imposed by Armenia due to Turkey's support of Azerbaijan during the six-week-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh towards the end of 2020. Since Baku's victory and subsequent internal political instability within Yerevan, however, the latter is now attempting to reconcile with Ankara and relations are being restored. According to the ministry's statement, it is not […]]]> 523305 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211215-turkey-armenia-agree-to-appoint-special-envoys-to-normalise-relations/ Wed, 15 Dec 2021 15:27:50 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=520330 Turkey and Armenia have agreed to appoint special envoys in a bid to normalise relations with each other, following decades of tension and rivalry. Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Vahan Hunanyan, yesterday announced that the country is ready to join the process of normalising relations with Turkey "without preconditions," confirming that a special representative will be appointed for that effort. It came a day after Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, first announced the initiative, telling Turkish lawmakers that "we will respectively nominate with Armenia special representatives for normalisation." He also added that Turkey "will also start Yerevan-Istanbul charter flights in the coming period." READ: Azerbaijan clears over 48,000 mines laid by Armenia Relations between Ankara and Yerevan have long been fraught, […]]]> 520330 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211123-iran-supports-turkeys-peace-mechanism-for-south-caucasus-envoy/ Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:49:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=513900 Iran's Ambassador to Turkey said his country supports President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's initiative to establish a peace mechanism in the Caucasus region, Turkish Hurriyet Daily News reports. According to the report, the ambassador said Iran welcomes the initiative brought up by Erdogan for the region. In November 2020, Turkey's President Erdogan suggested the peace initiative which consists of establishing a cooperation mechanism in the Caucasus region, comprising three Caucasian states – Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia – and their three neighbours – Russia, Turkey and Iran. Hence, it's called the 3+3 peace mechanism. "Without a doubt, the facilitation of peace and stability in the strategic Southern Caucasus region by ending 30-year-old tensions will create development, trade, investment and transportation opportunities, which […]]]> 513900 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211115-azerbaijani-civilian-killed-by-armenian-mine-left-from-occupation/ Mon, 15 Nov 2021 19:50:06 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=511338 A mine explosion in the recently liberated Nagorno-Karabakh region killed an Azerbaijani civilian, an official statement said on Monday. The mine was planted in Aghdam by Armenian troops during their nearly three-decade occupation, Anadolu Agency reports. According to the statement by Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office, the civilian in Aghdam's village of Tagibeyli stepped on the mine while doing agricultural work. Landmines are a grave violation of essential norms and principles of international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions. As many as 33 Azerbaijani citizens, including seven soldiers and 26 civilians, have been killed and 139 injured since November 2020—the end of the Karabakh conflict—due to mines laid by Armenia during the occupation. Liberation of Karabakh Relations between the former […]]]> 511338 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211109-bad-military-adventurism-azerbaijan-slams-armenian-ministers-unauthorised-visit/ Tue, 09 Nov 2021 16:09:16 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=508830 Azerbaijan, on Tuesday, strongly condemned the Armenian Defence Minister's "unauthorised" visit to Azerbaijani territory, terming it a "military-political provocation." "Armenian Defence Minister, Arshak Karapetyan, illegally visited the territory of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed," the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said in a statement. Karapetyan's visit was "deliberately held" ahead of the anniversary of the trilateral agreement signed by Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia on 10 November last year, the ministry said. His "unauthorised entry … into the territory of Azerbaijan, holding meetings with illegal Armenian formations, and expressing views on their combat readiness is a military-political provocation," it added. "The political and military leadership of Armenia, grossly violating the provisions of the trilateral statement, attempts to destabilise the situation in […]]]> 508830 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211022-azerbaijan-clears-over-48000-mines-laid-by-armenia/ Fri, 22 Oct 2021 14:24:18 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=503868 Azerbaijan has destroyed more than 48,000 mines and unexploded ordnances laid by the Armenian army in the regions liberated from occupation, Anadolu News Agency reports. Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) and the engineering unit of Azerbaijani Armed Forces, with support from Emergency Situations Ministry, Border Services Command and Special Mine Clearance teams of Turkish Armed Forces, continue to clear the mines in the Karabakh region and surrounding provinces. Since 10 November, 2020, a total of 18,302 hectares of land has been swept by demining experts. As many as 22,230 unexploded ordnances, 17,426 anti-personnel mines and 8,755 anti-tank mines had been detected and destroyed by 15 October, 2021. Stating that demining efforts continue ceaselessly in the region, ANAMA Chairperson, Vugar Suleymanov, […]]]> 503868 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211011-turkish-iranian-competition-in-south-caucasus/ Mon, 11 Oct 2021 14:37:14 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=500670 With the victory of Azerbaijan against Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh region almost completing its first year, the South Caucasus region does not yet seem ready to enter a phase of long-term stability. The peace agreement, sponsored by Turkey and Russia, succeeded in ending the war between the two countries and opened, for the first time, prospects for the possibility of reaching a comprehensive peace agreement between Baku and Yerevan, but it only addresses the local factors of this conflict, ignoring the external factors affecting it. Three regional countries are involved in the issue: Russia, Iran, and Turkey, and while Moscow and Ankara managed to end last year's war and have peacekeeping forces in Karabakh, Tehran found itself side-lined in a […]]]> 500670 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211001-iran-launches-military-drills-on-border-with-azerbaijan-armenia/ Fri, 01 Oct 2021 18:19:48 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=498222 Iran on Friday announced launching military exercises on its borders with Azerbaijan and Armenia, in the northwestern part of the country, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the commander of Iranian ground forces, Kioumars Heydari, said the maneuvers were launched with the participation of armored and artillery units, drones and electronic warfare units, and army helicopters. Noting that the drills will raise the level of combat readiness of the ground forces, Heydari said two anti-armour and some other weapons produced by his country will be tested. He claimed that "Daesh terrorists came to his country's borders at the invitation of a regional state during the clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia." Heydari said his country emphasized the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan during […]]]> 498222 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210429-syria-to-invite-friendly-states-to-observe-presidential-elections/ Thu, 29 Apr 2021 12:51:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=468547 The Syrian People's Assembly yesterday agreed to invite friendly Arab and foreign parliaments to observe the presidential elections scheduled in May, local media reported. SANA news agency said the parliaments of Russia, Algeria, Oman, Mauritania, Iran, Armenia, China, Venezuela, Cuba, Belarus, South Africa, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Bolivia will be invited to observe the elections. President Bashar Al-Assad recently met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and briefed him on preparations for the elections. Both Iran and Russia have confirmed their support for holding presidential elections in Syria, in accordance with the country's constitution. READ: 14 candidates for Syria presidency in addition to Assad ]]> 468547 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210426-pakistan-backs-turkey-on-armenia-genocide-claims/ Mon, 26 Apr 2021 12:44:02 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=468147 Pakistan's foreign minister said yesterday that Islamabad supports Turkey's stance on the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed Pakistan's position during a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu. According to foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, Pakistan believes that "one-sided approaches and political categorisation of historical events" could undermine trust and lead to polarisation between nations. "We note with appreciation Turkey's constructive approach on the subject including its proposal for a Joint History Commission to ascertain the facts, allowing all to move forward." Pakistan is noteworthy in being the only country in the world not to recognise Armenia as a state owing to its own close relations with Azerbaijan […]]]> 468147 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210425-turkey-rejects-bidens-remarks-on-armenian-claims/ Sun, 25 Apr 2021 09:42:20 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=467994 Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Saturday said remarks by US President Joe Biden on Armenian claims about the events of 1915 lacks any scholarly or legal basis and is not supported by evidence, Anadolu Agency reports. "We reject and denounce in the strongest terms the statement of the President of the US regarding the events of 1915 made under the pressure of radical Armenian circles and anti-Turkey groups on 24 April," the ministry said in a statement. It said none of the conditions required for use of the term "genocide" — strictly defined in international law — are met by the events of 1915. "The nature of the events of 1915 does not change according to the current political motives of politicians or […]]]> 467994 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210422-biden-under-pressure-to-recognise-armenian-massacre-as-genocide/ Thu, 22 Apr 2021 13:20:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=467772 Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill are pressing President Biden to become the first US president to acknowledge the 1915 mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as a "genocide" on 24 April when annual commemorations are held around the world, the LA Times reports. Armenian Americans, including the large diaspora in Southern California, have fought for decades to get the federal government to identify the years-long slaughter during the fall of the Ottoman Empire as a genocide. Biden is likely going to use the word "genocide" during his speech, the report says. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters yesterday the White House would likely have "more to say" about the issue on Saturday, but declined to elaborate. Turkish […]]]> 467772 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210226-president-turkey-is-against-all-kinds-of-coups/ Fri, 26 Feb 2021 18:29:06 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=458169 Turkey is opposed to all kinds of coups, the country's president said today, referring to recent developments in Armenia, Anadolu Agency reports. "We are against all kinds of coups. It is especially not possible for us to accept coups," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul following Friday prayers. He called the Armenian military's coup attempt "unacceptable" and added that the public is already in a position to lawfully replace Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. "If there is a change in administration, the Armenian people will do that. It should be left to the will of the Armenian people," Erdogan said. READ: Iran opposes presence of foreign forces in Armenia  He added that Pashinyan's fate has already become clear as the public […]]]> 458169 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210225-nato-urges-democracy-in-armenia/ Thu, 25 Feb 2021 18:42:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=458045 NATO encouraged democracy in Armenia on Thursday amid growing tension between the military and prime minister, Anadolu Agency reports. "We are closely monitoring developments in our partner country Armenia. It's important to avoid words or actions that could lead to further escalation," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said on Twitter. "Any political differences should be resolved peacefully & democratically and in line with Armenia's constitution," she added. The remarks follow the Armenian military's demand for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign. Army Chief of General Staff Onik Gasparyan, along with other senior commanders, released a statement Thursday that called for Pashinyan to step down. Pashinyan responded by labelling the demand a coup attempt and urged his supporters to take to the streets […]]]> 458045 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210128-iran-opposes-presence-of-foreign-forces-in-armenia/ Thu, 28 Jan 2021 10:37:18 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=450576 Armenia's territorial integrity is a "red line" for Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned yesterday. Zarif's remarks came during a meeting with his Armenian counterpart, Ara Aivazyan, in Yerevan during a trip to the capital city before he sets off to Azerbaijan and Russia. Officials reportedly discussed "bilateral relations between Armenia and Iran, as well as other regional issues." "Iran attaches big importance to the territorial integrity of all countries, and respects and follows that all nations' religious and other rights are always protected," Zarif was quoted by Mehr News Agency as saying. "Our red line is the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia," he stressed. For his part, Aivazyan described Tehran as an "economic partner to Armenia", […]]]> 450576 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201219-mine-blast-kills-russian-soldier-in-nagorno-karabakh/ Sat, 19 Dec 2020 13:26:13 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=443544 A Russian soldier died after a mine planted by Armenian soldiers exploded in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to the country's Defence Ministry, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement, the ministry said the explosion occurred in the city of Shusha when Russian soldiers were clearing the area from mines. A soldier was injured and later succumbed to his wounds in the hospital, said the statement. It added that the soldier was on duty at Russia's International Mine Action Center. Last month, a mine blast in the Suqovusan region of Upper Karabakh killed one Azerbaijani soldier and injured a Russian soldier. READ: Turkey, Azerbaijan ink deal to secure Nakhchivan's natural gas supply Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been […]]]> 443544 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201213-azerbaijan-says-armenia-violated-cease-fire-in-karabakh/ Sun, 13 Dec 2020 17:03:17 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=441775 Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh violated cease-fire and martyred four Azerbaijani soldiers last week, Azerbaijani officials said on Sunday, Anadolu Agency reported. Some Armenian soldiers remained in the forest area of Hocavend province despite agreeing to withdraw, the Defense Ministry and the State Security Service said in a joint statement. The press release said Baku met all the conditions for the withdrawal of all armed groups, and Russia as well asked them to leave the area through loudspeakers. Instead of leaving the region, Armenian forces have fortified their positions, and are attacking both Azerbaijani soldiers and civilians. READ: Turkey's Erdogan, at Nagorno-Karabakh parade, says Armenia needs new leaders Armenian forces attacked Azerbaijani soldiers in Hocavend's Sur village, martyring three soldiers and wounding two […]]]> 441775 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201212-iran-protests-to-turkey-over-remarks-by-erdogan-in-azerbaijan/ Sat, 12 Dec 2020 10:33:34 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=441687 Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned Turkey's ambassador on Friday over remarks by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during a visit to Azerbaijan, which Tehran said amounted to meddling in its affairs. Erdogan recited an Azeri-Iranian poem about the division of Azerbaijan's territory between Russia and Iran in the 19th century. Tehran appeared concerned his remarks could fan separatist tendencies among Iran's Azeri minority. "The Turkish ambassador was informed that the era of territorial claims and expansionist empires is over," the Foreign Ministry said on its website. "Iran does not allow anyone to meddle in its territorial integrity." Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted earlier: "President Erdogan was not informed that what he ill-recited in Baku refers to the forcible separation of areas…from […]]]> 441687 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201210-turkeys-erdogan-at-nagorno-karabakh-parade-says-armenia-needs-new-leaders/ Thu, 10 Dec 2020 20:33:01 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=441217 Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday renewed a call for a change of leadership in Armenia, while offering the country the chance of joining a regional cooperation group alongside Azerbaijan, Reuters reports. Erdogan made the comments in Baku, where he reviewed a military parade marking Armenia's defeat by Azerbaijan in a war in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Erdogan, who provided military and diplomatic backing to Azerbaijan during the fighting, offered indirect support for opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is under pressure at home to resign over his handling of the conflict, which ended last month. READ: Turkey, Azerbaijan drone success should worry Europe, says European Council analyst "We wish for the Armenian people to rid itself of the […]]]> 441217 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201206-erdogan-frances-karabakh-resolution-is-a-disaster/ Sun, 06 Dec 2020 13:59:34 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=439502 The Turkish president on Saturday termed a French parliament resolution on Upper Karabakh a "complete disaster." "The decision taken the previous day in the parliament of France, the co-chair of the [OSCE] Minsk Group, is a complete disaster beyond the scandal," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the opening ceremony of a newly built motorway in eastern Turkey via video link. A so-called French resolution to recognise Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state was adopted on Friday. Erdogan noted that Azerbaijan did not attack anyone or anyone's lands, and it just liberated its own lands that had been occupied by Armenia for nearly 30 years despite UN and OSCE resolutions. "It [Azerbaijan] did this by remaining within the framework of legitimacy, not […]]]> 439502