The Agonist - Levant

Turkey drops Israel's participation in joint air-force drill

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:42:15 -0700

Oct 11

Haaretz - Turkey has dropped Israel's participation in the joint air-force drill planned to take place within the country's jurisdiction, as reported on Israel Radio on Sunday.

The annual drill was scheduled to begin on Monday with air-forces from the U.S., NATO, Italy and Israel but was delayed to an unknown date after the U.S. withdrew its participation following Turkey's request to ban Israel from the exercise.

Israel-Turkey relations have been tense since Cast Lead, especially in light of a televised fracas between President Shimon Peres and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Davos Conference this past January.

JPost - Defense officials told the Post that Turkey informed Israel of the cancellation of the Anatolian Eagle exercise last week, which was to also include US, Italian and NATO forces, saying this was because the planes that Israel was going to send likely bombed Hamas targets during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

Armenia, Turkey Hit Glitch in Agreement to Build Diplomatic Ties

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:56:15 -0700

Mary Beth Sheridan | Zurich | October 10

WaPo - Senior Armenian and Turkish officials traveled to Switzerland on Saturday to sign an agreement that could set them on a course to end a century of hostility stemming from brutal massacres at the end of the Ottoman Empire.

But just as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's motorcade arrived at the University of Zurich for the signing of the accord, she got word of a last-minute glitch. The motorcade reversed and sped to a hotel, where U.S. diplomats tried to satisfy concerns on the Armenian side over language in the two countries' statements.

The accord was quietly brokered by the Swiss over the past two years, with the help of French, Russian and U.S. officials. Clinton has been in frequent contact with the two sides in recent weeks to help seal the deal.

The agreement still must be approved by the two countries' parliaments, where it is likely to face opposition from nationalists.

Muslim Turkey and Christian Armenia have had bitter relations since an outbreak of violence in 1915 that ultimately left hundreds of thousands of ethnic Armenians dead. Many historians call the killings genocide, but Turkey strongly rejects that label, saying people died in forced relocations and fighting.

If ratified, the accord could have implications well beyond Turkey and Armenia. It may ease tensions in other parts of southeastern Europe and help with the establishment of oil pipelines to the West, officials said.

"It's a huge step. It's a historic breakthrough," said David Phillips, a scholar at American University who has worked on the dispute.

Turkey, Armenia to sign peace agreement

CNN, By Jill Dougherty, October 10

Istanbul -- The historic Saturday signing of an agreement normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia was delayed when the Armenian delegation objected to the wording of an oral statement.

"We are facilitating the two sides in coming to an agreement on the statements that they're going to make at the ceremony," U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.

He didn't indicate what Armenia's problem with the wording was.

The statement was to be delivered after the signing in Zurich. Officials said the signing is apparently not jeopardized by the holdup.

The agreement would normalize relations between the countries after nearly a century of animosity.

Saudi King leaves Damascus after "historic" two-day visit

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:03:19 -0700

Damascus | Oct 8

DPA - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz left Damascus Thursday ending his two day 'historic' visit to Syria, in which he held political and economic talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Saudi Arabia has called on Syria to take part in efforts to solve inter-Palestinian problems, support Iraq and Lebanon as well as cooperating to fight terrorism and extremism in the region, sources in the Saudi delegation told the German Press Agency dpa.

Abdullah arrived in Syria Wednesday, in a move hailed as a 'historical' and 'landmark shift' in diplomacy between the two countries.

Syria and Saudi Arabia are two of the Arab world's longest standing rivals, with the latter having close relations with the US and Damascus having been implacably opposed to Washington's influence in the region for decades.

Genocide forgotten: Armenians horrified by treaty with Turkey

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:37:43 -0700

Robert Fisk | Oct 8

The Independent - A new trade deal is set to gloss over the murder of 1.5 million people

In the autumn of 1915, an Austrian engineer called Litzmayer, who was helping build the Constantinople-Baghdad railway, saw what he thought was a large Turkish army heading for Mesopotamia. But as the crowd came closer, he realised it was a huge caravan of women, moving forward under the supervision of soldiers.

The 40,000 or so women were all Armenians, separated from their men – most of whom had already had their throats cut by Turkish gendarmerie – and deported on a genocidal death march during which up to 1.5 million Armenians died.

Subjected to constant rape and beatings, some had already swallowed poison on their way from their homes in Erzerum, Serena, Sivas, Bitlis and other cities in Turkish western Armenia. "Some of them," Bishop Grigoris Balakian, one of Litzmayer's contemporaries, recorded, "had been driven to such a state that they were mere skeletons enveloped in rags, with skin that had turned leathery, burned from the sun, cold, and wind. Many pregnant women, having become numb, had left their newborns on the side of the road as a protest against mankind and God." Every year, new evidence emerges about this mass ethnic cleansing, the first holocaust of the last century; and every year, Turkey denies that it ever committed genocide. Yet on Saturday – to the horror of millions of descendants of Armenian survivors – the President of Armenia, Serg Sarkissian, plans to agree to a protocol with Turkey to re-open diplomatic relations, which should allow for new trade concessions and oil interests. And he proposes to do this without honouring his most important promise to Armenians abroad – to demand that Turkey admit it carried out the Armenian genocide in 1915.

President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority is in dire political trouble.

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:27:24 -0700

Simon McGregor-Wood | Jerusalem | Oct 6

ABC News - The U.S. ally is being accused by Palestinians of colluding with Israel and the United States in sidelining the controversial Goldstone report on Israel's military operation in Gaza.

The U.N.-sponsored report attracted widespread coverage last month with its stark allegations that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes. Israel launched a concerted campaign to discredit the report. Most Palestinians saw it as a valuable diplomatic weapon with which to pressure Israel.

But, in Geneva Friday, Abbas, under pressure from the United States and Israel, agreed to defer a U.N. Human Rights Council vote on the report until next March, effectively burying it.

The story has outraged Palestinians across the political spectrum. Abbas is being accused of treachery. Even his moderate Fatah colleagues have publicly expressed their dismay

AP - Syria has postponed a planned visit by the Palestinian President amid controversy about his decision to suspend efforts to have Israeli officials prosecuted for war crimes

AFP - Chief Palestinian negotiator Erekat says Palestinian president 'seriously considering' asking Arab and Islamic bloc to officially take UN committee's conclusions on Gaza war to international bodies, in light of controversy raised around report

White House Reacts To Sibel Edmonds, Asks Congress To Sell Nuclear Secrets To Turkey

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:27:17 -0700

Originally posted Jan 15, 2008. Recent updates below in the comments ~ editors

A savvy blogger over at DailyKos has discovered an announcement by the Bush Administration, which appears to be pressuring Congress to retroactively approve the sale of nuclear secrets to Turkey.

hmmm...

Siebel Edmonds leaked her story to the UK Times two weeks ago, despite a court order. It was filled with tales of American diplomats acting in a treasonous manner by selling secretes to Turkey. If Bush gets the legislation he wants, then the treason will be authorized, and everything is hunky dory.

Naturally, this is all a bit fishy... and I hope those who broke the law for profit get punished severely. However, I can't find myself being too worried about Turkey having nukes. Geopolitically speaking, Bush may have fallen ass-backwards into something that could stabilize the middle east, and improve the US standing amongst Muslims.

Firstly, Turkey is probably the most modern, secular, and stable Muslim republic around. Besides human rights abuses, problems with the Kurds, and nationalistic rumblings, they're the top of the pile.

Second, a nuclear powered Turkey could redirect this nationalism away from violent extremism, and in the more positive direction of making Turkey a member of the "nuclear club." Very, very few countries at that table, and they all command respect. That usually satisfies the hurt egos that feed nationalism.

Third, its an interesting military barrier. Europe doesn't want Turkey in the EU because of the flood of Muslims through Turkey's porous borders. This could be a kick in the pants that would force Turkey to secure their borders. Also, a nuclear Turkey might be more willing to wait for full EU membership.

Fourth, all "clash of civilizations" stuff aside, this could make Turkey THE go-to guy when there's secular problems in the Muslim world. It reduces the influence of Iran, while not trying to step on the toes of religious countries like Saudi Arabia. Turkey could be a universally accepted half-way-point between the west and the mid east.

Of course, I'm no expert in Turkish history, or the Middle East... but I see some silver lining here... if and only if we have somebody competent running our foreign policy.

Israel hiding nukes in Golan, Syria claims

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:31:22 -0700

UPI | Cairo | Sept 23

UPI - Damascus in a report submitted to the United Nations claims Israel is burying nuclear waste, and possibly more, in the occupied Golan Heights.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry in a report linked to allegations of human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories blames Israel for "the crime" of disposing of nuclear, radioactive and other hazardous waste in tunnels throughout the Golan Heights.

The Damascus complaint says the move is part of an effort to prevent Syria from reclaiming the territory occupied and later annexed by Israel, the government-backed Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram reports.

Apart from the disposal of radioactive waste, reportedly from Israel's Demona reactor, the Syrian government now claims Israel is hiding nuclear warheads, nuclear mines and radioactive bombs throughout the Golan Heights.

Damascus claims Israeli forces are supervising the activity, while Israeli military officials say they are simply digging anti-tank ditches in the region.

Golan Heights is one of the more contentious issues concerning regional peace. Israel views the territory as an important strategic asset, while Damascus said it would not move forward with a peace settlement with Israel until the area is returned to Syria.

...............................

Arab Monitor

Israel accused of using Golan Heights for dumping nuclear waste

Damascus, 21 September – In a report submitted to the Unite Nations Syria accuses the Israeli authorities of using occupied Syrian territories for dumping nuclear waste. According to the report Israel has dug tunnels in the occupied Golan Heights using them as waste deposits.
A tunnel dug underneath Mount Hermon is allegedly being used to store nuclear warheads. In reports dating back to 2003 Syria had already accused Israel of burying nuclear waste from its nuclear plant Dimona in tunnels dug underneath Mount Hermon. At that time Tel Aviv admitted it was digging tunnels in Mount Hermon, but denied they were intended as dumping site for nuclear waste.

.................
Syrian News Station

23:39:12
Israel dumps nuclear waste in occupied Golan

Syria charges Israel with dumping nuclear waste near the Syrian border, in territories occupied by Israel in 1967 ..

In a report titled "The suffering of Syrian citizens in the Golan" and submitted to the United Nations, Syrian officials have stated that Israel uses tunnels in the Golan Heights to bury nuclear waste, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram reported.

The report also charges that Israel has dug a tunnel in Mount Hermon to hide its nuclear warheads. According to Syrian officials, Israel has booby-trapped the nearby region and planted tactical nuclear mines in the area.

Syria had reported earlier in 2003 that Israel was digging tunnels in Mount Hermon to bury waste from its Dimona nuclear plant.
Tel Aviv has acknowledged that it was digging tunnels in the region but claimed that they were anti-tank ditches.

The United Nations, however, under dominating influence by the US, has yet to investigate or even consider looking into such reports. The US has always used its veto power in the UN unreservedly to provide total immunity for Israeli atrocities and war crimes against any binding actions or even criticism by the world body.

Hariri to step aside in Lebanon

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:44:46 -0700

Sept 10

BBC - Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri says he is to abandon his attempt to form a national unity government and is stepping down.

Mr Hariri has spent more than 10 weeks trying to assemble a government.

Earlier this week a team he put forward was rejected by Lebanon's opposition, led by Shia radical group Hezbollah.

President Michel Suleiman is expected to consult with parliament in an effort to nominate a new candidate for PM, reports say.

"Given that my commitment to forming a government of national unity has run up against difficulties that everyone now knows about, I announce that I have informed the president of the republic that I have abandoned trying to form a government," he said in Beirut.

"I hope that this decision will be in the interests of Lebanon and will permit a relaunch of dialogue," the AFP news agency reported him as saying.

Turkey, Armenia move to boost ties

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:58:27 -0700

September 1

Al Jazeera - Turkey and Armenia are at the beginning of a "long process" of normalising ties, the Turkish foreign minister has said.

Ahmet Davutoglu's comments on Tuesday came a day after the feuding neighbours agreed to establish relations and reopen their border under a plan to end nearly a century of hostility.

Davutoglu told Turkey's NTV television that the process would be long but that obstacles could be overcome and that the border could be open by the end of the year.

"If everything goes as planned, if mutual steps are taken, the borders could be opened around New Year," he said.

Azeris baffled by Turkmen legal threat

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:09:34 -0700

Kenan Guluzade | Baku | Aug 19

Asia Times - Political experts are baffled by a Turkmen announcement that it will take Azerbaijan to court over their maritime boundary, saying the decision does not seem to make political, business or legal sense.

European plans to diversify gas supply, by building the Nabucco pipeline from the Caspian region to Austria, could be under threat from the unexpected Turkmen claim, which would disrupt development of Caspian oil and gas fields and interrupt two years of improving relations between Baku and Ashgabat.

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedov said just a month ago his country was keen to join the Nabucco project, but the legal challenge could harm the route by blocking production from fields on or near the Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan maritime border.

The Czar Makes Up With the Sultan Analysis

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:55:37 -0700

Hilmi Toros | Istanbul | Aug 12

IPS - Once the worst of enemies, involved in 12 wars in three centuries, Turkey and Russia have suddenly become the best of friends, forging strong bonds that could be a counterpoint to the European Union if it freezes Turkey out of full membership.

The countries call their ties "multi-dimensional co-operation," somewhat short of a "strategic partnership", but that too may be in the offing.

On an eight-hour visit to Turkish capital Ankara last week, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed 20 deals with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. These are mostly commercial contracts in energy, collectively worth some 40 billion dollars.

The two leaders also declared that rival gas pipelines Nabucco and South Stream to bring natural gas to European markets would be "complimentary" rather than "conflicting".

In the end, conflicting or complimentary, if both projects are realised, Russia and Turkey would play a major role in meeting Europe's growing gas needs. For Europe, either an unfriendly Turkey or Russia would endanger energy security - and it would be much worse if both were ever to gang up on the EU together.

Nabucco, the 7.9 billion euro project backed by the EU and the United States, would bypass Russia in bringing gas from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iraq and potentially also from Iran to Europe via Turkey. It is due to be operational by 2014.

The Russian proposed South Stream, to become operational by 2016, would carry gas from Russia to Europe through Turkey's territorial waters in the Black Sea and onward to Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia to Austria. Its objective is to bypass Ukraine, currently the conduit for 80 percent of Russian gas pumped to Europe.

Putin seals new Turkey gas deal

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:44:06 -0700

Aug 6

BBC - The prime ministers of Turkey and Russia have signed a series of agreements regarding co-operation on major oil and gas projects.

One deal is for the construction of a pipeline through Turkish waters in the Black Sea.

Moscow hopes the South Stream pipeline will become a viable new route to supply Russian natural gas to Europe.

Vladimir Putin sealed the agreement with Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a one-day visit to Ankara.

Among the other accords signed at the meeting was an agreement on peaceful nuclear co-operation, which included a push towards building Turkey's first nuclear power station.

U-turn puts Hezbollah in the driving seat

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:51:59 -0700

Sami Moubayed | Aug 5

Asia Times - The opportunistic head of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, has again switched sides, this time turning his back on the United States-backed March 14 Coalition to support the Syrian-backed, Hezbollah-led opposition. A full party defection would hand Hezbollah a majority in parliament, casting serious doubt on Saad Hariri's future as premier.

...

The question remains: will the Syrians forgive Jumblatt, who went to unbelievable levels of criticism against Syria, using dramatic insults that remain strongly imprinted in the minds of Syrians, both the government and public alike? In the complex world of Middle East politics everything is possible. Jumblatt's u-turn is testimony to how low regional politics have sunk and how one's word - which meant his pride and honor during the age of Arab chivalry - can now swiftly be broken.

'Defenders of Ataturk' on trial for plotting to overthrow government

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:11:23 -0700

Nicholas Birch | Istanbul | July 21

The Independent - In a case described as the most important in Turkey's history, two retired four-star generals went on trial yesterday at a high-security court outside Istanbul, charged with trying to overthrow the government.

For some, the arrest of the highest-ranking officers in Turkey's 63-year history of multi-party democracy is a critical blow against a once-untouchable military that has toppled four elected governments since 1960.

For others, the charges are an invention of the ruling AKP party to weaken the secular army and open the way for the country's Islamisation

There are 56 defendants in the case, including journalists, university rectors and businessmen. Outside the courtroom in Silivri, hundreds of their supporters waved national flags and portraits of Ataturk, the secularist founder of modern Turkey. "The patriots are in prison," they chanted.

• A trial that will define Turkey

2009 Istanbul Photo Contest

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:56:54 -0700

I'm not going to get all misty eyed here. I'll just simply announce that the Istanbul 2009 Photo Contest is now accepting submissions. This year's theme is right up my alley and I'm considering making a few submissions of my own. From the site:

The main target of this contest is; living Istanbul with its historical and touristical locations by focusing on the historical city walls including mosques, museums, bridges, towers, churches, synagogues, sufi lodge, cisterns, palaces, people, cats, parks, fountains, baths, grand bazaar, spice market, shopping centers, authentic Turkish cuisine, boutique hotels, handcrafts and shops, artists, carpet sellers , 24 hours living streets etc.

Feel free to head over to my Istanbul Flickr gallery and make suggestions.