Category: 2020

Erdogan gives ‘advice’ to Armenian forces in Karabakh

Aram Torosian
AMN – Al-Masdar News
Dec 31 2020
by News Desk

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:30 P.M.) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the Armenian forces in the disputed Karabakh region of any violations of the ceasefire between them and Azerbaijan.

In a letter addressed by phone to the Turkish military personnel present in Azerbaijan within the framework of the Joint Turkish-Russian Center for Truce Supervision in Karabakh, Erdogan said:

“I advise the Armenian forces to quickly back off the mistake of engaging in activities that violate the ceasefire.”

                            

The Turkish president expressed his pride in the presence of the Turkish military in Azerbaijan, describing it as an indication of the level of relations between the two countries.

Erdogan expressed Turkey’s hope that the joint center with Russia would start working soon, stressing that Ankara continues to support Baku at all levels.

He continued: “The Turkish military performs all the tasks assigned to them in many countries of the world: from Somalia to Kosovo, from Afghanistan to Qatar, and from Syria to Libya, and I would like to wish success to our military who contribute to peace and stability in the world.”

Turkey provided intensive support to Azerbaijan during the last round of the conflict in Karabakh, which ended on the 10th of November with the signing of Baku, Yerevan and Moscow a tripartite declaration on a ceasefire requiring the Armenian side to make concrete earth concessions and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone.

Turkish Press: Turkish-Russian joint center to be ready in 2 weeks

Bedik Zaminian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Dec 31 2020
Turkish-Russian joint center to be ready in 2 weeks

Ruslan Rehimov   | 31.12.2020

BAKU

The construction of the Turkish-Russian joint monitoring center will be completed in two weeks, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Thursday.

“The sooner the Monitoring Center starts operating, the better, because even though about two months have passed since the war ended, there are still threats and dangers,” Aliyev said during a meeting with Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and commanders of Turkish Armed Forces.

“The Azerbaijani side is currently constructing a building for this Monitoring Center in Aghdam district. This Monitoring Center will be ready in the next 10 days – a maximum of two weeks,” a statement by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry quoted him as saying.

“As far as I know, the Turkish side is ready to start operating. You are probably also in contact with the Russian side,” he added.

Aliyev noted the armed forces of Armenia violated the cease-fire and that the Azerbaijani army had martyrs even after the war.

“I can say that according to the information we have, the Armenian armed units that still remain in some of the liberated lands are not subordinated to the Armenian political leadership,” the Azerbaijani president said, adding many of them have been neutralized and many others arrested.

“They cannot be considered prisoners of war – they are terrorists. They were given a chance. In particular, Russian peacekeepers joined the operation and they were allowed the opportunity to leave the area,” Aliyev said.

Highlighting the importance of the formation of the Azerbaijan-Armenia-Turkey transport corridor, Aliyev said that the construction of a railway line that extends to the border with Armenia would take around two years to complete, but without waiting that much transportation can begin via trucks.

For his part, Akar said Turkey and Azerbaijan are working together to help ensure peace in the newly liberated Upper Karabakh region.

“The unity, equality and joint efforts of Azerbaijan and Turkey in ensuring peace and stability here with Azerbaijan’s determination will usher great prospects not only for today but also for the future,” the Turkish defense minister said.

Following the Nov. 10 truce, Turkey and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a joint center to monitor the peace deal on Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenia's occupation.


– Liberation of Karabakh


Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as an Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the nearly three-decade-long occupation.

Despite the Nov. 10 deal ending the conflict, the Armenian army several times violated the agreement and martyred several Azerbaijani soldiers and a civilian, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The truce is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces have been withdrawing in line with the agreement.



The sky above Stepanakert illuminated with balloons

Alex Nanijanian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 31 2020
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The sky of Stepanakert was illuminated with balloons in memory of the heroes killed in the Artsakh war, the Armenian Government informs.

https://en.armradio.am/2021/01/01/the-sky-above-stepanakert-illuminated-with-balloons/


Turkey to turn renovated Armenian church into humour art centre

Emil Lazarian
AHVAL News
Dec 31 2020

  • Dec 31 2020 03:42 Gmt+3
  • Last Updated On: Dec 31 2020 04:04 Gmt+3

Turkey has decided to turn the recently renovated Holy Trinity Armenian Church in the south-central Konya province into a cultural centre, the Armenian weekly newspaper Agos reported.

The 19th-century building, which has been closed to worship and visitors even after restoration project ended in 2017, will be re-opened as the World Masters of Humour Art House at an unannounced date, Agos said.

The project was carried out by the Akşehir municipality and the Konya Plain Project Regional Development Administration (KOP), at a total cost of 3.5 million Turkish liras ($475,000), it said.

The church is the latest historical Christian house of worship that Turkey has repurposed as either a mosque or religious tourism site this year. The sites include the Byzantine Chora Church and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

U.S.-based non-profit International Christian Concern slammed the Turkish authorities for not making efforts to restore the churches “back to their original Christian community”.

When repurposing sites of worship for religious tourism, Turkey uses them “as an example to the international arena about how they care for religious freedom”, it said in a written statement.

“However, it is a point which confuses religious freedom with faith tourism,” ICC said. “The state reaps the monetary rewards of having churches restored into cultural sites and museums. Any remaining Christian community is forced to petition the state for access to these sites for worship purposes.”

Akşehir Ermeni Kilisesi kültür merkezi oluyor | Agos

Konya Akşehir’deki Surp Yerrortutyun Kilisesi’nin 2017’den bu yana süren restorasyonu tamamlandı. Kültür merkezi olarak faaliyet gösterecek olan kilise, Anadolu’daki en büyük Ermeni kiliselerinden biri olarak biliniyor.


Erdogan Hopes Joint Russia-Turkey Center on Karabakh Will Be Launched Soon

Vardan Badalian
TASNIM News Agency, Iran
Dec 31 2020

  • December, 31, 2020 – 16:39
  • Other Media news

    • – Other Media news –

    "I wish success to our military who will monitor ceasefire (in Nagorno-Karabakh). I hope that the center that is being constructed now will start operating soon," Anadolu Agency quoted him as saying to the Turkish officers in Azerbaijan, TASS reported.

    Earlier, Minister of National Defense of Turkey Hulusi Akar reported that 36 officers including a general will serve in the monitoring center.

    Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27 in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10.

    The Russian leader said the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would maintain the positions that they had held, and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region. Besides, Baku and Yerevan must exchange prisoners and the bodies of those killed.

    The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.

    In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs – Russia, France and the United States.

    On November 11, Russia and Turkey agreed to create the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire monitoring center, the memorandum was signed following videoconference talks between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar.



    Qazvin: a city with fascinating churches, Armenian neighborhoods

    Aram Torosian
    Tehran Times, Iran
    Dec 31 2020
    By Afshin Majlesi

    – 0:48

    Besides serving as places of worship and religious services, churches are visited for their splendor and architectural beauty, their majesty and magnificence.

    A Muslim-majority country, Iran is home to many gorgeous churches and chapels that showcase amazing architecture and exquisite ornate work that are a simply must visit.

    Like other Iranian cities, Qazvin is standing in the way of peaceful coexistence between Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian communities, a social phenomenon that can be traced in various documents narrated by many travelers to the country.

    Earlier this month, the pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus apostle monastery was recognized by UNESCO for its cultural significance. The United Nations’ heritage body accepted the pilgrimage as a joint tradition worthy of protection for Iran and Armenia, which many deem as a seal of approval for the peaceful coexistence in the Islamic Republic.

    Armenian neighborhoods of Qazvin can be traced even in books and travelogues authored by Western globetrotters such as Jean Chardin (1643 – 1713), Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605–1689), and Pietro della Valle (1586 – 1652), according to a recent note written by Ali-Asghar Mounesan, the minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.  

    Chardin was a French jeweler and traveler whose ten-volume book The Travels of Sir John Chardin is regarded as one of the finest works of early Western scholarship on Persia and the Near East in general. Tavernier was a 17th-century French gem merchant and traveler, who at the behest of his patron Louis XIV, published Les Six Voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (Six Voyages, 1676). And Valle was an Italian composer, musicologist, and author who traveled throughout Asia during the Renaissance period. His travels took him to the Holy Land, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and as far as India.

    Armenian neighborhoods of the west-central city mainly date from the time of Shah Abbas I, who transported crowds of Christians from the town of Jolfa (now on Iran’s northern border) to Iran. Shah Abbas sought their skills as merchants, entrepreneurs, and artists and he ensured that their religious freedom was respected.

    Of the most famed churches in Qazvin is Cantor (or Kantur) Church, which was built in 1905 for Russian engineers hired for road constructions.

    Qazvin was once the capital of the mighty Persian Empire, under Safavids, from 1548 to 98. It is a major tourist destination with a wonderfully restored caravanserai-turned-arts precinct, some quirky museums, and a handful of decent eating options. For most travelers, Qazvin is also primarily the staging point for excursions to the famous Castles of the Assassins and trekking in the sensational Alamut Valley.

    The city is also home to one of the biggest roofed caravanserais of the country, Sa’d-al Saltaneh caravanserai. Dating back to the Qajar era, it’s a place for discovering tens of Hojreh or shops, cafes, yards, and a stunning mosque. It’s a place for visitors who want to experience the culture, culinary, and hospitality of Iran.

    AFM/

    Dendias speaks with new Albanian, Armenian counterparts

    Emil Lazarian
    eKathimerini, Greece
    Dec 31 2020

    [Intime News]

    TAGS: Diplomacy

    Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias held a phone call with his new Albanian counterpart, Olta Xhacka, on Thursday.

    During their talk, the two officials noted the willingness “to strengthen [bilateral] relations and enhance cooperation to address common challenges,” Dendias said in a post on Twitter.

    The Greek minister also spoke with the new Armenian Foreign Minister, Ara Ayvazyan, with whom they discussed their countries’ close relations and recent regional developments. 

    https://www.ekathimerini.com/260794/article/ekathimerini/news/dendias-speaks-with-new-albanian-armenian-counterparts

    European Court request information about 23 more Armenian captives

    Lena Karagyozian
    Public Radio of Armenia
    Dec 31 2020

    The European Court of Human Rights has decided to apply an interim measure with regard to 23 more Armenian citizens held in Azerbaijani captivity, lawyers Artak Zeynalyan and Siranush Sahakyan say in a press release.

    The mentioned persons are: Aram Guyumjyan, Arman Ashpakhyan, Levon Mkrtchyan, Levon Hovhannisyan, Gevorg Gasparyan, Erik Gasparyan, Gevorg Manukyan, Gnel Petrosyan, Levon Tosunyan, Samvel Shukhyan, Grigor Saghatelyan, Haykaz Hovhannisyan, Karen Vardanyan, Edik Harutyunyan, Hrayr Herabyan, Hrayr Tadevosyan, Andranik Manukyan, Argam Hunanyan, David Voskanyan, Seyran Tamrazyan, Sasun Petrosyan, Gagik Mkrtchyan and Yurik Poghosyan.

    The facts of capturing or arrest of the above-mentioned individuals is supported by pieces of evidence, including videos.

    The European Court of Human Rights has requested documented information from the Government of Azerbaijan on the fact of their detention, their location, conditions of detention and medical care. The court set deadlines accordingly for providing the required information.

    “Thus, our appeals to the European Court protect the rights of 80 captured servicemen and civilians, eighteen of them have already returned to homeland,” the lawyers say.

    They pledge to spare no effort to identify all persons in captivity, restore their rights and the rights of their families.

    https://en.armradio.am/2020/12/31/european-court-request-information-about-23-more-aremnian-captives/

    Eternal glory and homage to fallen heroes

    Emil Lazarian
    Public Radio of Armenia

    Dec 31 2020

    Today, on behalf of President Armen Sarkissian, tribute was paid to the memory of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the defense of the Homeland, President’s Press Office reports.

    A wreath was laid on behalf of President Sarkissian at the Yerablur Military Pantheon, on the wall commemorating the heroism of those who died for the sake of freedom and independence of the Homeland.

    https://en.armradio.am/2020/12/31/eternal-glory-and-homage-to-fallen-heroes/

    Turkish Press: ‘Turkish, Russian troops to defend Azerbaijan’s rights’

    Parkev Tvankchian
    Anadolu Agency, Turkey
    Dec 31 2020
    'Turkish, Russian troops to defend Azerbaijan's rights'

    Sarp Ozer

    BAKU

    Turkey's defense minister said Turkish and Russian troops will work together to defend the rights of the Azerbaijani nation.

    “Our activities will intensify after the joint center starts operating and we will carry out our duty of defending the rights of Azerbaijani brothers,” visiting Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told a military ceremony in the Azerbaijani capital Baku late Wednesday.

    Turkish personnel, who arrived in Azerbaijan earlier this week to work in the joint monitoring center in Karabakh, were also present at the ceremony, which was also attended by Turkey’s Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler, military commanders, and senior authorities.

    Praising Azerbaijan’s victory over the Armenian forces in Upper-Karabakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, Akar said the joint center of Turkey and Russia will monitor the cease-fire which was announced on Nov. 10.

    Following the truce, Turkey and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a joint center to monitor the peace deal. It will be established on Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenia's occupation.

    Earlier in December, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the center will be established in the Aghdam city.

    Akar noted that the Turkish and Azerbaijani troops continue to clear mines and improvised explosives planted by Armenians in the region.

    Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, for his part, said: “Turkey has always been by our side. The Turkish president, defense minister and other authorities have always supported Azerbaijan.”

    Liberation of Karabakh

    Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as an Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

    When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

    During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the nearly three-decade-long occupation.

    Despite the deal ending the conflict, the Armenian army several times violated the agreement and martyred several Azerbaijani soldiers and a civilian, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

    The truce is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces have been withdrawing in line with the agreement.


    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkish-russian-troops-to-defend-azerbaijans-rights/2094437