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Turkey condemns ASALA linking Turkey to Azeri-Armenian tension
Today's Zaman
Sept 6 2012
Turkey
Turkey has lashed out at the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation
of Armenia (ASALA), a terrorist organization that was inactive for
a long period of time, pointing out that the country has never been
part of the recent escalating tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Commenting on the recent tensions, Turkish Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Selcuk Unal stated that "this kind of effort to turn
Turkey into a target with baseless claims is a new mud-slinging
campaign by sinister circles."
Amidst tension in the South Caucasus, particularly following the
extradition by Hungary of Ramil Safarov and his pardon by Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, an anonymous letter in Turkish was sent to
Azerbaijan's embassy in Budapest threatening to kill embassy staff,
the Azerbaijani state news agency reported on Sept. 3. The report
alleges that the letter was sent by ASALA.
Safarov, a lieutenant in the Azerbaijani army, was convicted and
sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary for the murder of an Armenian
army officer, Gurgen Markaryan, during a NATO-sponsored education
program in Budapest in 2004. Last month, Safarov was conveyed to
Azerbaijan, after a request under the Convention on the Transfer of
Sentenced Persons. After returning to Azerbaijan Safarov was pardoned
by the Azerbaijani president, and expressed gratitude to Turkey and
its people for its support during his jail term in Budapest. "I know
that from the very first day Turkey was demonstrating interest in
the situation I had found myself in. I've always felt the support of
Turkey," he said.
The pardon of Safarov has hampered attempts to establish peace between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, neighboring countries in conflict over the
unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Unal remarked that associating
Safarov's pardon with Turkey and the subsequent reaction of the
Armenian diaspora "is watched with astonishment [in Turkey]."
The letter, received by Azerbaijan's embassy in Hungary on Monday,
addresses both Azerbaijani and Turkish people, but mentions in
particular Azerbaijani diplomats, Azerbaijani students studying abroad,
Azerbaijani businessmen and activists of the Azerbaijani diaspora as
targets, stating that they will be killed.
Following receipt of the letter, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry
announced on Wednesday that the Armenian government would be held
responsible if any attacks were staged against Azerbaijani diplomats.
The letter mentions the so-called "Armenian Genocide," and notes that,
in acts of retribution, ASALA "supports and gives directions to the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)."
Active during the '70s and '80s, ASALA has lately shifted its focus
to Turkey following recent developments in both the Middle East and
South Caucasus. ASALA threatened Turkey on Aug. 20 with unspecified
measures in relation to its Syria policy, stating that it would launch
attacks if Turkey were to take military action against Syria.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-291593-turkey-condemns-asala-linking-turkey-to-azeri-armenian-tension.html
From: A. Papazian
Today's Zaman
Sept 6 2012
Turkey
Turkey has lashed out at the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation
of Armenia (ASALA), a terrorist organization that was inactive for
a long period of time, pointing out that the country has never been
part of the recent escalating tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Commenting on the recent tensions, Turkish Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Selcuk Unal stated that "this kind of effort to turn
Turkey into a target with baseless claims is a new mud-slinging
campaign by sinister circles."
Amidst tension in the South Caucasus, particularly following the
extradition by Hungary of Ramil Safarov and his pardon by Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, an anonymous letter in Turkish was sent to
Azerbaijan's embassy in Budapest threatening to kill embassy staff,
the Azerbaijani state news agency reported on Sept. 3. The report
alleges that the letter was sent by ASALA.
Safarov, a lieutenant in the Azerbaijani army, was convicted and
sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary for the murder of an Armenian
army officer, Gurgen Markaryan, during a NATO-sponsored education
program in Budapest in 2004. Last month, Safarov was conveyed to
Azerbaijan, after a request under the Convention on the Transfer of
Sentenced Persons. After returning to Azerbaijan Safarov was pardoned
by the Azerbaijani president, and expressed gratitude to Turkey and
its people for its support during his jail term in Budapest. "I know
that from the very first day Turkey was demonstrating interest in
the situation I had found myself in. I've always felt the support of
Turkey," he said.
The pardon of Safarov has hampered attempts to establish peace between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, neighboring countries in conflict over the
unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Unal remarked that associating
Safarov's pardon with Turkey and the subsequent reaction of the
Armenian diaspora "is watched with astonishment [in Turkey]."
The letter, received by Azerbaijan's embassy in Hungary on Monday,
addresses both Azerbaijani and Turkish people, but mentions in
particular Azerbaijani diplomats, Azerbaijani students studying abroad,
Azerbaijani businessmen and activists of the Azerbaijani diaspora as
targets, stating that they will be killed.
Following receipt of the letter, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry
announced on Wednesday that the Armenian government would be held
responsible if any attacks were staged against Azerbaijani diplomats.
The letter mentions the so-called "Armenian Genocide," and notes that,
in acts of retribution, ASALA "supports and gives directions to the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)."
Active during the '70s and '80s, ASALA has lately shifted its focus
to Turkey following recent developments in both the Middle East and
South Caucasus. ASALA threatened Turkey on Aug. 20 with unspecified
measures in relation to its Syria policy, stating that it would launch
attacks if Turkey were to take military action against Syria.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-291593-turkey-condemns-asala-linking-turkey-to-azeri-armenian-tension.html
From: A. Papazian