Azerbaijan has established two new military units on the border with Armenia, particularly in the Vorotan (Kubatlu) and Lachin regions, Interfax-Azerbaijan reported, citing the country’s State Border Service.
“On July 8, two new military units started operating on the territory of Kubatlu and Lachin regions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border,” the law enforcement agency said.
A Turkish lawmaker last week harshly criticized a prominent US senator for prioritizing his family relationships at the expense of damaging ties between Turkey and the US.
Heading a parliamentary delegation to Washington, D.C., Akif Çağatay Kılıç, chairman of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed displeasure that his interlocutor, Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, did not respond to his request for a meeting.
Kılıç claimed Senator Menendez behaved this way because his wife is Armenian and that he did not want to hear the truth about the Armenian genocide.
Menendez and his wife Nadine
“We know his wife is in the Armenian diaspora. It’s not right to make moves in politics based on populist and family motives that could damage relations with a country, a parliament and a nation,” Kılıç said.
“It is significant that even a dialogue is not sought here, or at least that a request for an appointment was not answered,” he added.
In April US President Joe Biden formally recognized the mass killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide, making him the first US president to recognize the massacre as an act of genocide.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s close lawmaker Kılıç did not explain why the Turkish delegation did not visit the US and meet with their counterparts prior to Biden’s historic decision that had been expected by almost every Turkish and Armenian circle since Biden was elected president in November 2020.
Senator Ron Johnson (second from right) met with the Turkish parliamentary delegation led by Çağatay Akif Kılıç (third from right). Senator Jim Risch (L) and Çağatay Akif Kılıç
The Turkish delegation last week met with several senators and members of the House of Representatives, among them Ron Johnson and Jim Risch from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Menendez. The delegation also met representatives from the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and the US Chamber of Commerce. The delegates also joined a round table discussion with several experts on Turkish-American relations at the Washington office of the Turkish government-funded SETA think tank.
Contrary to Kılıç’s claim, Senator Menendez has long worked for the official recognition of the Armenian genocide. A quick study of his Capitol Hill record suggests that his position on the Armenian issue has been unwavering, and he was known for his pro-Armenian stance long before he was elected to the Senate in 2006. Menendez married his Armenian fiancée Nadine Arslanian in 2020 after dating for several years. The couple is said to have first met in 2011. He previously sponsored many resolutions for recognition of the genocide. In 2009 Menendez himself introduced a Senate resolution that called on the president to officially recognize “the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 as genocide.” In April 2019 he submitted a non-binding resolution with a bipartisan group of 15 senators including then-Senator Kamala Harris, who is now vice president of the United States. Some Armenian groups hailed Arslanian’s influence on the resolution, and in a Youtube interview titled “She Was the Link,” Arslanian was presented as the Armenian woman who” influenced the passage of the Armenian Genocide bill in United States” in 2020. She also elaborated on her family story of survival and her relationship with Menendez in the interview.
Ironically, in 2010 Menendez was criticized for opposing career diplomat Matthew Bryza’s nomination as ambassador to Azerbaijan for the reason that Bryza’s wife was Turkish. Menendez denied that his position had anything to do with the ethnic origin of Bryza’s wife, claiming that he was uncomfortable with Bryza’s opposition to recognition by Turkey of the Armenian genocide and his close ties to individuals in the Turkish government.
Erdoğan and Biden met for the first time at the NATO summit in Brussels in June after Biden’s Armenian move that disappointed Turkey. Erdoğan said at a press conference before he departed Turkey that he would ask Biden about the Armenian genocide recognition and express Turkey’s discomfort. However, while answering journalists’ questions after the one-on-one meeting, he said, “Thank God, this issue was not brought up,” sparking criticism from the opposition, which accused him of speaking differently at home and abroad.
Nordic Monitor previously published secret documents which revealed that Kılıç, who is also vice president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), had past links to a one-time al-Qaeda financier from Saudi Arabia. According to the document Kılıç, a former aide to President Erdoğan, was identified as having developed a relationship with Yasin al-Qadi, listed as an al-Qaeda financier on both the US Treasury and UN lists for many years, and his son Muaz al-Qadi (Kadıoğlu). The document, which was stamped “secret,” detailed an intercepted communication of Kılıç with al-Qadi’s son. The two sounded very friendly on the phone according to a readout from the transcript.
After working closely with Erdoğan for years, Kılıç ran for parliament in 2011 on Erdoğan’s party ticket. He was appointed in December 2013 as minister of youth and sports. In September 2016 Kılıç was involved in a major scandal with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), which conducted an interview with him for its flagship political talk show, “Conflict Zone.” The reporter, Michel Friedman, asked Kılıç questions about a failed military coup on July 15, 2016, mass purges and arrests that began in the aftermath of the abortive putsch, the situation of the Turkish press and the place of Turkish women in society. When the DW team was preparing to leave the ministry building after the interview, the minister’s press advisor came and told the team that they could not air the interview. When the team refused to agree, ministry officials told them they would not be able to leave the building without handing over the video footage of the interview, after which they seized it. DW General Director Peter Limbourg strongly condemned Turkish authorities for their confiscation of the video footage of the interview with the Turkish minister.
Kılıç was removed from his ministry position in a cabinet reshuffle in 2017. He ran for parliament again in 2019 and was elected as a deputy from Istanbul.
Expert in security issues, the Head of "Henaket" analytical service Tigran Abrahamyan commented on Facebook the changes Azerbaijan is implementing in the armed forces.
"Azerbaijani media source report about the formation of a new military unit within the structure of the armed forces which will be tasked with carrying out actions in the back of the adversary. Azerbaijan now has the respective unit we learnt about also during the recent war through some videos. It is not yet clear what is the aim of creating the new unit. Azerbaijan, which is voicing readiness to sign a peace agreement, is in active processes both in terms of purchasing new armament and implementing changes in the armed forces," Abrahamyan wrote, adding "What are the actions of the Armenian leadership in ensuring the security except giving indefinite promises or making silent concessions?"
A sham trial of 14 Armenian POWs began in Azerbaijan on June 16 (Trend.az photo)
Aliyev Admits to Holding Armenians Captive for Political Reasons
Another sham trial of Armenian prisoners of war being held captive by Azerbaijan was staged on Wednesday in a Baku court, while a video has surfaced in which Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev admitted that Baku was holding Armenians captive to advance its political interests.
The trial of 14 Armenian POWs kicked off in an Azerbaijani court with prosecutors alleging that the defendants “illegally crossed the state border of Azerbaijan on November 26-27, 2020 as an organized group, took up the combat positions in the forest and other areas in the northwestern part of the Hadrut in the Khojavend district.”
The 14 Armenian POWs illegally being held captive in Azerbaijan and standing trial were identified as Gegam Serobyan, Hrach Avakyan, Armen Bagasyan, Gor Gasparyan, Kamo Sefilyan, Volodya Akobyan, Gevorg Asertyan, Sisak Engonyan, Albert Petrosyan, Romik Sedrakyan, Aram Minosyan, Mkrtich Minosyan, Edgar Matesyan, and Yura Karapetyan is being clarified.
Trend.az reported that another three Armenians, Andranik Mikaelyan, Setrak Soghomonyan, Rafik Karapetyan, are being investigated for the same “crime.”
The trial comes days after an Azerbaijani court sentenced Lebanese-Armenian Vicken Euljekian to 20 years in prison for alleged terrorism.
On Saturday, through the mediation of the United States, the European Union and Georgia, Azerbaijan released 15 POWs, in exchange for Armenia handing over maps of landmines located in Aghdam, which was surrendered to Azerbaijan after the November 9 agreement.
Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan on Wednesday revealed that during a conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Aliyev admitted to holding a number of Armenians captive for political purposes.
Tatoyan said that conversation between Aliyev and Erdogan, which took place when the Turkish leader was visiting occupied Shushi, is irrefutable evidence that the Azerbaijani authorities are:
“This discussion between the Presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan proves that Armenian captives are being illegally held in Azerbaijan in exchange for minefield maps,” said Tatoyan who said the translated version of the above video will be dispatched to relevant United Nations bodies, the OSCE, Council of Europe and other international structures.
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Polarized Armenia is preparing to vote in parliamentary elections. This is seen as a test of whether the hard-won democracy can survive the political turmoil caused by the failure of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict last year.
The results of Sunday’s elections will determine the future of post-war Armenia and the 30-year conflict with Azerbaijan, but many voters have yet to decide whether to choose between bad or worse in the eyes of some people.
Four groups and 22 political parties will oppose the caretaker prime minister Nikol Pashinyan, who stepped down in April after months of protests after signing a peace agreement last year and ending six weeks of fighting.
At least 6,000 people on both sides were killed in the conflict, most of them soldiers.
The agreement was facilitated by Russia and is widely regarded as beneficial to Azerbaijan’s old enemy. Armenia returned Nagorno-Karabakh and its surrounding territories to neighboring countries, but Pashinyan insisted that facing greater losses, He has no choice.
In what experts say may be the most competitive election in the history of modern Armenia, the four former leaders of the current republic are participating in parliamentary elections.
With the exchange of threats and insults and the prevalence of populist rhetoric, some believe that confrontation may spread to the streets.
The front runners include former journalist Pashinyan and former President Robert Kocharyan, the latter is a former journalist who took the lead in the peaceful protests known as the “Velvet Revolution” in 2018. In some people’s eyes, he represents the corrupt old guard who was removed during the uprising.
Although Pashinyan and his Civil Contract Party promised to separate business from politics during their tenure, Kocharyan still faces a bribery investigation due to the alleged bribery of a business woman during his last months as president in 2008 $3 million.
Pashinyan took the lead in launching the “Velvet Revolution” in 2018 and then came to power [Tigran Mehrabyan/PAN Photo via Reuters]
In total, six candidates face criminal charges.
Kocharyan, who leads the Armenian Union, is also the former leader of Nagorno Karabakh and comes from its capital, Stepanakert.
He positioned himself as an experienced and security-conscious politician, and he is about to retire, leading Armenia through difficult times.
But lack of confidence in the current and previous authorities may lead to low voter turnout.
According to a March poll conducted by the US-based International Republican Institute, more than 40% of respondents said they would not vote in the election.
Voters interviewed by Al Jazeera expressed indifference to all aspects of the political spectrum.
Georgi Ghahramanyan, a 37-year-old linguist from the capital Yerevan, will vote for Kocharyan because “under certain circumstances, you have chosen the lesser of two evils.”
He said: “He is charming and strong-willed, so I think he can handle the current situation better than just talk.”
If any party or group fails to get 50% of the votes, a second round of voting will be held between the two parties with the most votes.
Experts warn that there are already signs that if this happens, politicians may call on their supporters to take to the streets.
“I don’t support Pashinyan, but everything is better than returning the Kocharyan regime,” said 42-year-old teacher Alex Mekhitarian.
Richard Gilagosian, director of the Think Tank of the Regional Research Center in Yerevan, said that Kocharyan “represents the Jurassic Park of Armenian politics-the revenge of the dinosaurs.”
He expects Pashinyan to win with a smaller majority.
“Voters who are hesitant will become the key swing votes that may support the government, not because they like or support Pashinyan, but because the opposition is more dangerous,” he said.
The opposition has not announced any different approaches during or after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that began in September last year.
In the eyes of many in Armenia, the country is still at war-intermittent skirmishes and ceasefire violations continue to occur in the border areas.
Kocharyan is also the former leader of Nagorno Karabakh, from the capital of Stepanakert [File: Vahram Baghdasaryan/Photolure via Reuters]
Last week, Baku handed over 15 prisoners of war (POW) in exchange for a map detailing the location of the Agdam mines, the area ceded to it under the November peace agreement.
But the outcome of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains a core issue for many Armenians, as does the continued presence of Russian peacekeepers in the region under the terms of the agreement that Moscow helped plan.
“Regardless of who is in power, this country is now more firmly on the track of Russia,” said Gilagosian, who thinks Moscow prefers Pashinyan to win.
“The Kremlin’s Armenia is the exact opposite of Belarus-Pashinyan is a useful trophy for the president as a legitimate and democratically elected leader. [Vladimir] Putin, unlike [Alexander] Lukashenko. “
Narek Minasyan, a senior expert at the Orbeli Analysis Center supported by the government, said that the possibility of another large-scale confrontation with Azerbaijan in the short term is low, but issues such as prisoners of war have been politicized.
He said the election will “answer several key questions about society.”
“Do Armenian citizens want the revolution and democratization process to continue in 2018? Do they think this historical stage is a failure? Do they prefer former authoritarian leaders who try to position themselves as’crisis managers’ to overcome crises?” Mi Naxian said.
“Some people think that the wounds after the war are too deep and the elections will not bring stability, but will deepen the crisis.
The Shusha Declaration recently signed between Turkey and Azerbaijan sets out the borders of the two countries by taking into consideration the Kars Agreement of 1921, Tural Ganjaliyev, head of the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh community in Turkey stated Friday.
Speaking to Daily Sabah, Ganjaliyev said: “The declaration gives reference to the Kars Agreement. From now on, ours and Turkey’s borders are certain. Armenia and the countries behind it now know that these borders cannot be changed.”
On June 15, Turkey and Azerbaijan signed a declaration “on allied relations” aimed at deepening ties in several areas of cooperation, including security, during a visit to Shusha, a city that Azerbaijan recaptured from Armenian occupational forces in last autumn’s conflict.
Ganjaliyev also reiterated Baku’s call for Yerevan to participate in regional cooperation and abandon its revisionist stance.
When asked about Armenia's condemnation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the symbolic Azerbaijani city of Shusha, Ganjaliyev said it would be in Armenia’s interest to cooperate with Turkey and Azerbaijan, which in turn would contribute to its economy. He added that the critical remarks stem from the current uneasy atmosphere in Armenia in the runup to the elections “but still there are circles within the country that think in a sensible manner.”
“It is in Armenia’s interest to leave behind revisionist ideas.”
However, despite the invitations to cooperate, Armenia's Foreign Ministry Tuesday condemned Erdoğan and Aliyev's visit to Shusha in a statement, describing their visit as “provocative actions.”
The historic city was liberated by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in November last year, after 28 years of Armenian occupation. Shusha, known as the pearl of Nagorno-Karabakh, was occupied by Armenia on May 8, 1992.
Ganjaliyev reiterated that Erdoğan’s recent visit to Shusha was a historic moment since it was the first time a Turkish president visited the region.
“The recent developments in our region made me happy. During the 44-day conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia we were one with Turkey and won the war thanks to Turkey’s diplomatic and moral support,” he pointed out.
“All realities in the region changed.”
In addition to the reference to the Kars Agreement, another point of high significance is the envisioned opening of the Zangezur corridor intended to connect Nagorno-Karabakh via a railway line through Nakhchivan and Turkey's eastern Kars province, Gajaliyev said.
“The opening of the Zangezur corridor is important for the cooperation of regional countries.”
“With the opening of the corridor, Turkey will be able to access Central Asia by passing through the Caspian Sea. Russia will similarly benefit economically from the corridor. It will be a great opportunity for the region,” he elaborated.
Ganjaliyev added that the corridor is no cause for concern in Georgia as “Georgia is our friend and has cooperation with both us (Azerbaijan) and Turkey.”
Experts had been stating that Georgia is worried about the potential development of the new corridor as for decades various pipelines, roads and a major railway have transited the country from Azerbaijan to the Black Sea and Turkey.
Erdoğan has frequently called for a six-nation platform comprising Turkey, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia for permanent peace, stability and cooperation in the region.
11:43,
YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. President of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer responded to the letter of Armenian President Armen Sarkissian relating to the quick return of all Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives from Azerbaijan, the Armenian President’s Office told Armenpress.
The ICRC President has assured that all issues voiced by the Armenian President are under his and his Organization’s full attention.
Peter Maurer stated that since 1992 the ICRC has had a continuous practical presence in the region and from the very first days of the 2020 war it has provided a humanitarian aid, as well as expressed readiness to carry out further activity within the humanitarian mandate provided by the international community to the Organization.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan