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ANKARA: Advancement In Turkish-Azerbaijani Relations A Message To Ru

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  • ANKARA: Advancement In Turkish-Azerbaijani Relations A Message To Ru

    ADVANCEMENT IN TURKISH-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS A MESSAGE TO RUSSIA, IRAN

    Today's Zaman, Turkey
    July 24 2013

    24 July 2013 /GOZDE NUR DONAT, ANKARA

    The latest relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan can be understood
    as a message from the latter to regional heavyweight Russia and even
    Iran, analysts say.

    Orhan Gafarlı, an Azerbaijani researcher at the Turkish think tank the
    Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies (BİLGESAM), stated in remarks
    to Today's Zaman that relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have
    grown more tense as Azerbaijanis have strengthened their relationship
    with the US and Israel, which Russia views as being at the expense
    of itself. Typically, Russia has been a large source of pressure to
    Azerbaijan when it comes to regional issues.

    "The advancement of military relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan
    is important for both sides," said Gafarlı. He explained that
    Russia is currently trying to convince Azerbaijan to be included
    in its Eurasian Union project -- a proposed political and economic
    union involving Russia and post-Soviet states -- that it is trying
    to make ready by 2015. But Azerbaijan is not welcoming of such a
    request. "The relations between the two governments have been cold
    during recent years, which is in parallel with Azerbaijan's foreign
    policy choices having a more Western vision day by day. For example,
    [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and [Azerbaijani President Ilham]
    Aliyev have not had any bilateral visits since 2010; they are only
    having exchanges on the phone," Gafarlı stated.

    Turkey has been staging a major military exercise with Azerbaijan
    since July 12 and it will continue until July 28. The military exercise
    is being made as part of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership
    Agreement signed between the two in August 2010.

    A statement from the Turkish military said the exercise focused on
    infantry and mechanized divisions in Baku and Nakhchivan. "The aim
    of the exercise was to bolster military cooperation between the two
    countries and exchange data and experience," the statement also said.

    Azerbaijan-Turkey joint exercises will be held in Azerbaijan and
    Turkey every year by turn.

    Meanwhile, in a development that would create concern for Azerbaijan,
    Russia promised earlier this month to upgrade its military base in the
    Gyumri province of Armenia while also helping to bolster Armenia's own
    air forces. International reports say that such a step by Russia is
    an effort to appease controversy with Armenia that began after Moscow
    made a huge arms sale to Azerbaijan, a nation with hostile relations
    with Armenia. A modernization project for Russia's 102nd Military
    Base at Gyumri, in northern Armenia near its border with Turkey,
    and the airbase at Yerevan's Erebuni Airport is to begin this year
    and take several years to complete, Armenian officials have declared.

    Meanwhile, the Iranian navy made a five-day military deal in the
    Caspian Sea, where just last year Iran discovered an oil field. The
    status of the Caspian Sea is controversial due to territorial claims
    by Russia, Azerbaijani, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. It is another
    issue of controversy between tense neighbors Azerbaijan and Iran, where
    the former accuses the latter of intervening in its internal affairs.

    The relations of Azerbaijan and Turkey have been strategically
    developing during the last couple of years. The two have been having
    annual meetings within the scope of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level
    Cooperation Council since 2011. The council is the first large-scale
    joint exercise between Turkey and Azerbaijan, as the Azerbaijani chief
    of the Main Operation Department of the Armed Forces, Maj. Gen. Eyvaz
    Jafarov, also noted in a speech during the opening ceremony of the
    exercise in Azerbaijan.

    Also, an official visit was made by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
    Davutoglu last Tuesday to Baku for high-level meetings to discuss
    all aspects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries,
    with a special focus on regional issues. Turkish diplomats noted
    that this is "the first, full-fledged bilateral meeting" between
    Turkey and Azerbaijan in the last few years, as the two countries
    have come together either in Azerbaijan or Turkey on the occasion of
    international meetings.

    In diplomatic terms, the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan
    have also developed in recent years. An exchange program that would
    allow the two countries' diplomats to work in each other's foreign
    ministries, which was started in September of last year, is thought to
    be an important development for the mutual advancement of diplomatic
    relations between the two countries.

    Meanwhile, Sabir Askeroglu, a Russia analyst from the Ankara-based
    think tank 21st Century Turkey Institute, maintained that the
    increasing military and political relations between Turkey and
    Azerbaijan would not in any way amount to being a guarantor in regional
    issues -- as in relations Russia has with Armenia.

    "Azerbaijan has allies other than Turkey, such as the US and Israel.

    On the other hand, Turkey would not like to take Russia on itself by
    getting involved in the regional issues that Russia has a position on.

    But souring relations between Turkey and Iran, especially due to the
    Syrian crisis, would apparently strengthen the Turkish-Azerbaijani
    alliance," Askeroglu said.

    http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action;jsessionid=0EB3369C3 757A62D2DEB35C93962EBDD?newsId=321731&columnistId= 0



    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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