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TURKEY'S TARGETS IN AZERBAIJAN IN BUILIND OF THE AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES
Ayna
April 12 2008
Azerbaijan
Ankara wants to play a closer role in building of the Azerbaijani
armed forces
A military mission of the Turkish armed forces comprising generals and
admirals wrapped up the visit to Azerbaijan yesterday. As is known,
the guests arrived in our country on 9 April and had several meetings
here. The first meetings were held at the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry
and the Interior Troops.
A press release from the Defence Ministry said that Defence Minister
Col-Gen Safar Abiyev received the head of the delegation Selaheddin
Kisaciq. The Defence Ministry did not give detailed information about
the issues discussed at the meeting and said that they mainly had an
exchange of opinions on bilateral military cooperation.
[Passage omitted: Interior Troops commander Zakir Hasanov also attended
the meeting]
Plan of joint struggle against the PKK
Issues of joint struggle against the PKK [the Kurdistan Workers Party]
terrorist organization were also among the main topics in discussions
at the meetings of the Turkish generals in Baku, a high-ranking
official wishing to remain anonymous at the Defence Ministry has
said. It is not by chance that on 9 April the information department
of the Defence Ministry issued a sensational statement on the handover
of weapons and other aid to the PKK terrorists by Armenia.
It is also obvious that Baku has so far circulated various reports
about a possible deployment of the PKK terrorists on territories under
the Armenian occupation. Local experts, inspired by successful military
operations of the Turkish armed forces in the country's southwest,
stated that it was also possible for the Azerbaijani army to carry
out similar operations in Karabakh.
"If there are PKK militants operating in Karabakh and in other occupied
territories of Azerbaijan, why should joint operations not be carried
out against them jointly with Turkey?" experts ask.
According to reports, there exist political and military grounds for
joint military operations against the PKK terrorists to this end.
Package of proposals of the Turkish military
This visit of the Turkish generals is not an ordinary one, the
majority of the experts Ayna spoke to shared this satisfaction. A
host of reports obtained about meetings of the delegation add also
to this satisfaction.
Under reports Ayna has obtained from military sources in Turkey,
the Turkish guests have submitted a package of proposals on the army
building in Azerbaijan to the Defence Ministry. Reports say that
this document is aimed at speeding up the reforms under way in the
Azerbaijani armed forces.
We should say that Turkey has a function of a supervisor over the
ongoing reforms in the Azerbaijani defence and security sector in
line with the NATO standards. Turkey has so far provided Azerbaijan
with various military assistance to the tune of up to 170m dollars.
With the support of the Turkish armed forces, the Naxcivan-based
military units have been brought into the NATO standards for the first
time in Azerbaijan. The military units in the autonomous republic were
provided with 2.7m-dollar-worth gratuitous communications equipment
and medical devices in 2005.
Apart from the Azerbaijani ground troops, Turkey has also provided
various assistance to the air forces, the anti-aircraft troops, the
marine forces, the Interior Troops and the National Guard, a military
expert of Milaz.info website, Ildirim Mammadov, said.
Turkey plays an important role in improvement of logistics and training
of personnel of the marine forces. After 1990s, Turkey gave AV-34
(Turkish type) patrol boat to the Azerbaijan marine forces.
Moreover, Turkey gave another boat to the Azerbaijani marine forces
last year.
Given this, what is a point dissatisfying Turkey? The answer of experts
to this question is unambiguous the pace of the military reforms is
slow. So, Turkey is insisting that Azerbaijan to accelerate reforms
under way in the defence and security sectors in line with the NATO
standards to obtain effective results.
Military expert Uzeyir Cafarov believes that Turkey will give certain
support to the Azerbaijani armed forces to make the reforms process
more intensive. Because at present official Ankara has assumed a
mission of bringing the Azerbaijani armed forces into line with the
NATO standards within a short period of time.
Activities of Turkish military consultants
Turkey has a few military attache in the rank of general. Apart
from the USA and Russia, Azerbaijan is one of them. There are
officers representing all types of troops at the military attache in
Azerbaijan. The military attache is led by Maj-Gen Fahri Kir.
According to military sources, at present there are Turkish military
experts in various military ranks at all formations and units of the
Azerbaijani armed forces. There is also a report that the defence
minister has a Turkish consultant. The commander of the Interior
Troops has also Turkish consultants.
As a whole, there are Turkish officers in the capacity of consultants
in various posts both at the education and training centres of
the Interior Troops as well as at the General Staff. The Turkish
consultants are rotated every six months. It is expected to increase
the number of the Turkish consultants in the Azerbaijani army. Ankara
believes that this will contribute to the success of the military
reforms in Azerbaijan.
[Passage omitted: Azerbaijan and Turkey also cooperate in military
education]
Is a regional military bloc possible?
Nowadays the further expansion of the military cooperation is on the
agenda. Both Ankara and Baku consider that the relations between the
sides have not been established at the desired level over the last 17
years and the similar development of the situation sometimes damages
their interests.
So, experts believe that the issue of the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia
military bloc, once on the agenda some six to seven years ago,
is about to become topical again. Military expert Ildirim Mammadov
thinks that the growing relations between Turkey and Georgia make
such a military bloc real in the future.
"Turkey is closely involved in upgrading Georgia's military airports.
Since 1999, relevant Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian structures
have been conducting joint exercises under various programmes. Joint
exercises for the protection of pipelines held in 2005 are an example
to this effect," the expert said.
According to reports from military sources, there are plans to endorse
several joint exercises for the protection of regional projects in the
near future. It is expected that command and staff as well as tactical
drills of military of the three countries under these programmes.
We should say that a short while ago, the former US ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish, stated that the USA supported the idea of
establishing such a military bloc for the protection of the regional
projects. At that time, the former ambassador even said that the USA
was coordinating efforts for the establishment of such a military bloc.
However, this has not taken place yet. Those anxious about a possible
Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia military bloc are as known Russia, Armenia
and Iran. The fact that Armenia is anxious about a military bloc
of the regional states is envisaged in its military doctrine. The
occupying country's military doctrine stresses that such a possible
future military bloc would threat Armenia's security.
In its turn, Russia is straightforwardly against such a military
alliance on its southern borders. Moscow believes that this is
diametrically opposite to the Kremlin military and political priorities
with regard to the South Caucasus and Armenia, in particular.
It is also obvious that such a military bloc amongst Azerbaijan,
Turkey and Georgia would result in quick integration of the regional
states into the West and subsequently might result in Baku's and
Tbilisi's membership of NATO. This is what exactly Moscow fears.
Tehran also takes heed of this aspect. So Moscow, Tehran and Yerevan
are trying by all means to prevent the establishment of a new regional
military bloc.
Nevertheless, Ankara is beginning to influence on the regional
processes. Under reports, though Turkey is not directly involved, it
supports a possible GUAM [Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova]
peacekeeping contingent. In this context, it is also possible for
official Ankara to participate in the GUAM military alliance in
the future.
Ayna
April 12 2008
Azerbaijan
Ankara wants to play a closer role in building of the Azerbaijani
armed forces
A military mission of the Turkish armed forces comprising generals and
admirals wrapped up the visit to Azerbaijan yesterday. As is known,
the guests arrived in our country on 9 April and had several meetings
here. The first meetings were held at the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry
and the Interior Troops.
A press release from the Defence Ministry said that Defence Minister
Col-Gen Safar Abiyev received the head of the delegation Selaheddin
Kisaciq. The Defence Ministry did not give detailed information about
the issues discussed at the meeting and said that they mainly had an
exchange of opinions on bilateral military cooperation.
[Passage omitted: Interior Troops commander Zakir Hasanov also attended
the meeting]
Plan of joint struggle against the PKK
Issues of joint struggle against the PKK [the Kurdistan Workers Party]
terrorist organization were also among the main topics in discussions
at the meetings of the Turkish generals in Baku, a high-ranking
official wishing to remain anonymous at the Defence Ministry has
said. It is not by chance that on 9 April the information department
of the Defence Ministry issued a sensational statement on the handover
of weapons and other aid to the PKK terrorists by Armenia.
It is also obvious that Baku has so far circulated various reports
about a possible deployment of the PKK terrorists on territories under
the Armenian occupation. Local experts, inspired by successful military
operations of the Turkish armed forces in the country's southwest,
stated that it was also possible for the Azerbaijani army to carry
out similar operations in Karabakh.
"If there are PKK militants operating in Karabakh and in other occupied
territories of Azerbaijan, why should joint operations not be carried
out against them jointly with Turkey?" experts ask.
According to reports, there exist political and military grounds for
joint military operations against the PKK terrorists to this end.
Package of proposals of the Turkish military
This visit of the Turkish generals is not an ordinary one, the
majority of the experts Ayna spoke to shared this satisfaction. A
host of reports obtained about meetings of the delegation add also
to this satisfaction.
Under reports Ayna has obtained from military sources in Turkey,
the Turkish guests have submitted a package of proposals on the army
building in Azerbaijan to the Defence Ministry. Reports say that
this document is aimed at speeding up the reforms under way in the
Azerbaijani armed forces.
We should say that Turkey has a function of a supervisor over the
ongoing reforms in the Azerbaijani defence and security sector in
line with the NATO standards. Turkey has so far provided Azerbaijan
with various military assistance to the tune of up to 170m dollars.
With the support of the Turkish armed forces, the Naxcivan-based
military units have been brought into the NATO standards for the first
time in Azerbaijan. The military units in the autonomous republic were
provided with 2.7m-dollar-worth gratuitous communications equipment
and medical devices in 2005.
Apart from the Azerbaijani ground troops, Turkey has also provided
various assistance to the air forces, the anti-aircraft troops, the
marine forces, the Interior Troops and the National Guard, a military
expert of Milaz.info website, Ildirim Mammadov, said.
Turkey plays an important role in improvement of logistics and training
of personnel of the marine forces. After 1990s, Turkey gave AV-34
(Turkish type) patrol boat to the Azerbaijan marine forces.
Moreover, Turkey gave another boat to the Azerbaijani marine forces
last year.
Given this, what is a point dissatisfying Turkey? The answer of experts
to this question is unambiguous the pace of the military reforms is
slow. So, Turkey is insisting that Azerbaijan to accelerate reforms
under way in the defence and security sectors in line with the NATO
standards to obtain effective results.
Military expert Uzeyir Cafarov believes that Turkey will give certain
support to the Azerbaijani armed forces to make the reforms process
more intensive. Because at present official Ankara has assumed a
mission of bringing the Azerbaijani armed forces into line with the
NATO standards within a short period of time.
Activities of Turkish military consultants
Turkey has a few military attache in the rank of general. Apart
from the USA and Russia, Azerbaijan is one of them. There are
officers representing all types of troops at the military attache in
Azerbaijan. The military attache is led by Maj-Gen Fahri Kir.
According to military sources, at present there are Turkish military
experts in various military ranks at all formations and units of the
Azerbaijani armed forces. There is also a report that the defence
minister has a Turkish consultant. The commander of the Interior
Troops has also Turkish consultants.
As a whole, there are Turkish officers in the capacity of consultants
in various posts both at the education and training centres of
the Interior Troops as well as at the General Staff. The Turkish
consultants are rotated every six months. It is expected to increase
the number of the Turkish consultants in the Azerbaijani army. Ankara
believes that this will contribute to the success of the military
reforms in Azerbaijan.
[Passage omitted: Azerbaijan and Turkey also cooperate in military
education]
Is a regional military bloc possible?
Nowadays the further expansion of the military cooperation is on the
agenda. Both Ankara and Baku consider that the relations between the
sides have not been established at the desired level over the last 17
years and the similar development of the situation sometimes damages
their interests.
So, experts believe that the issue of the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia
military bloc, once on the agenda some six to seven years ago,
is about to become topical again. Military expert Ildirim Mammadov
thinks that the growing relations between Turkey and Georgia make
such a military bloc real in the future.
"Turkey is closely involved in upgrading Georgia's military airports.
Since 1999, relevant Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian structures
have been conducting joint exercises under various programmes. Joint
exercises for the protection of pipelines held in 2005 are an example
to this effect," the expert said.
According to reports from military sources, there are plans to endorse
several joint exercises for the protection of regional projects in the
near future. It is expected that command and staff as well as tactical
drills of military of the three countries under these programmes.
We should say that a short while ago, the former US ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish, stated that the USA supported the idea of
establishing such a military bloc for the protection of the regional
projects. At that time, the former ambassador even said that the USA
was coordinating efforts for the establishment of such a military bloc.
However, this has not taken place yet. Those anxious about a possible
Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia military bloc are as known Russia, Armenia
and Iran. The fact that Armenia is anxious about a military bloc
of the regional states is envisaged in its military doctrine. The
occupying country's military doctrine stresses that such a possible
future military bloc would threat Armenia's security.
In its turn, Russia is straightforwardly against such a military
alliance on its southern borders. Moscow believes that this is
diametrically opposite to the Kremlin military and political priorities
with regard to the South Caucasus and Armenia, in particular.
It is also obvious that such a military bloc amongst Azerbaijan,
Turkey and Georgia would result in quick integration of the regional
states into the West and subsequently might result in Baku's and
Tbilisi's membership of NATO. This is what exactly Moscow fears.
Tehran also takes heed of this aspect. So Moscow, Tehran and Yerevan
are trying by all means to prevent the establishment of a new regional
military bloc.
Nevertheless, Ankara is beginning to influence on the regional
processes. Under reports, though Turkey is not directly involved, it
supports a possible GUAM [Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova]
peacekeeping contingent. In this context, it is also possible for
official Ankara to participate in the GUAM military alliance in
the future.