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Do Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan not exclude escalation of military situation?
August 22 2014
Defense ministers of the three countries are discussing the issues on
protection of communication infrastructures during the military
situation On August 19, a remarkable tripartite meeting was held in
Nakhchivan between Zakir Hasanov, Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Irakli
Alasania, Georgia's Defense Minister and Ismet Yilmaz, Turkey's
National Defense Minister. Defense ministers of the three countries
discussed the issues on protection of communication infrastructures
during the military situation. In particular, it relates to protection
of oil pipelines, gas pipelines, railway, communication and other
facilities of strategic significance. An agreement was reached also on
conducting mutual exercises for protection of oil and gas pipelines.
This is the first meeting of the leaders of the three countries' law
enforcement agencies in this format. According to the Georgian Defense
Minister, Irakli Alasania, the idea of holding a tripartite meeting
belongs to Georgia. `We are getting ready for the tripartite meeting
long time ago. Last year, Georgia made such a motion, and this is
going to be the first official meeting of the three ministers,'
mentioned Alasania, adding, `These meetings and the agreements reached
under these meetings will be intended to planning of our next steps,
in particular, on how our armed forces should act in emergency
situations to protect our communication infrastructures, our oil and
gas pipelines, and railway, in the event if the military situation is
escalated.' The head of Georgia's defense minister also emphasized
that the tripartite meeting is not directed against any party; the
initiative aims to regulate the security and defense issues. `On the
contrary, such agreements lay additional foundations for the regional
stability,' he said. Alasania has qualified the relations between the
three countries as a strategic partnership, and has emphasized the
important role of military cooperation in achieving peace in the
region. At the Nakhchivan meeting of defense ministers of the three
countries, an agreement was reached between Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Turkey to conduct joint military exercises. According to Trend news
agency, the journalists learned about this from the Azerbaijani
defense minister. According to him, the exercises are designed to
increase the combat readiness of the armed forces. During the meeting,
the ministers also agreed on this format of meeting, twice a year, to
conduct joint seminars and conferences, and to establish a
three-dimensional format of cooperation in military-education and
military-technical industries. Defense ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey
and Georgia also discussed the military-political situation in the
region; they exchanged opinions on issues of security and restoration
of stability in the region. In his interview to Ð'овоÑ?Ñ?иÐ?зеÑбай джан
(Azerbaijan News) news agency, Azerbaijani military expert, Uzeyir
Jafarov, commenting on the tripartite meeting, qualified it as an
initial phase for the establishment of an equivalent to CSTO.
`Currently, Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan already have a full
cooperation on military industry. Joint exercises and training are
held, negotiations are underway on energy supply security, and so on.
Now, with regard to processes going on in the world, these countries
want to establish a military unity, which over the time will also
involve a number of CSTO members.' He added that the Nakhchivan
meeting will be followed by other meetings in Tbilisi and Istanbul,
and after the Istanbul meeting, it would become clear about the
establishment of the new military unity. `In the initial phase, the
agreement may be signed by Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. But in the
prospect, this organization can also include the membership of a
number of Turkic-speaking countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
as well as Tajikistan,' noted Jafarov. Defense Ministers of Georgia,
Turkey and Azerbaijan, in fact, are considering the current
military-political situation in the region, security-related issues,
and are discussing the issues of partnership in military industry, as
well as agreeing to conduct joint exercises. Moreover, they are
planning to implement special tripartite exercises for the protection
of the oil-gas infrastructures. One gets the impression that the three
countries neighboring Armenia are getting prepared for a possible
tension in the region, or at least do not rule out such escalation. If
official Tbilisi's alarms were quite understandable even after the
signing of the EU Association Agreement, and Moscow's possible
pressures are not ruled out in Georgia, then it is noteworthy to whom
Azerbaijan and Turkey consider a threat. Such tripartite meeting,
especially after the Sochi tripartite meeting on defense industry,
probably, is symbolic for the Azerbaijani authorities. Most likely,
the Azerbaijani authorities are making attempts of self-determination
in other unities. After inciting provocation on the Contact line and
after introducing a long-term consistent tension on the border, the
counter attacks by the Armenian side, and later, the tripartite
meeting in Sochi, anyway, were humiliating for official Baku,
especially for junior Aliyev. With regard to the Nakhchivan meeting of
defense ministers of the three countries, there is no yet a response
from Russia and Armenia. Georgia's Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili
will visit Armenian on August 21-22. The Georgian side had informed
that Garibashvili would meet Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan. The meetings will focus on political and economic issues.
The core attention will be on the situation that is being developed
between the EU and Georgia after signing of the Association Agreement
and Armenia's accession to the Customs Union. The parties are planning
to discuss the contradictions that have been emerged and to find an
acceptable format for interaction. The Armenian side is planning to
raise Georgia's intention of defining a visa regime with Armenia since
September 1. Will the Government of Armenia ask the Prime Minister of
Georgia about what issues on military-political situation,
security-related issues and cooperation in military industry the
official Tbilisi is discussing with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and what
fears the three countries have?
Emma GABRIELYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/08/22/166609/
From: Baghdasarian
August 22 2014
Defense ministers of the three countries are discussing the issues on
protection of communication infrastructures during the military
situation On August 19, a remarkable tripartite meeting was held in
Nakhchivan between Zakir Hasanov, Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Irakli
Alasania, Georgia's Defense Minister and Ismet Yilmaz, Turkey's
National Defense Minister. Defense ministers of the three countries
discussed the issues on protection of communication infrastructures
during the military situation. In particular, it relates to protection
of oil pipelines, gas pipelines, railway, communication and other
facilities of strategic significance. An agreement was reached also on
conducting mutual exercises for protection of oil and gas pipelines.
This is the first meeting of the leaders of the three countries' law
enforcement agencies in this format. According to the Georgian Defense
Minister, Irakli Alasania, the idea of holding a tripartite meeting
belongs to Georgia. `We are getting ready for the tripartite meeting
long time ago. Last year, Georgia made such a motion, and this is
going to be the first official meeting of the three ministers,'
mentioned Alasania, adding, `These meetings and the agreements reached
under these meetings will be intended to planning of our next steps,
in particular, on how our armed forces should act in emergency
situations to protect our communication infrastructures, our oil and
gas pipelines, and railway, in the event if the military situation is
escalated.' The head of Georgia's defense minister also emphasized
that the tripartite meeting is not directed against any party; the
initiative aims to regulate the security and defense issues. `On the
contrary, such agreements lay additional foundations for the regional
stability,' he said. Alasania has qualified the relations between the
three countries as a strategic partnership, and has emphasized the
important role of military cooperation in achieving peace in the
region. At the Nakhchivan meeting of defense ministers of the three
countries, an agreement was reached between Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Turkey to conduct joint military exercises. According to Trend news
agency, the journalists learned about this from the Azerbaijani
defense minister. According to him, the exercises are designed to
increase the combat readiness of the armed forces. During the meeting,
the ministers also agreed on this format of meeting, twice a year, to
conduct joint seminars and conferences, and to establish a
three-dimensional format of cooperation in military-education and
military-technical industries. Defense ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey
and Georgia also discussed the military-political situation in the
region; they exchanged opinions on issues of security and restoration
of stability in the region. In his interview to Ð'овоÑ?Ñ?иÐ?зеÑбай джан
(Azerbaijan News) news agency, Azerbaijani military expert, Uzeyir
Jafarov, commenting on the tripartite meeting, qualified it as an
initial phase for the establishment of an equivalent to CSTO.
`Currently, Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan already have a full
cooperation on military industry. Joint exercises and training are
held, negotiations are underway on energy supply security, and so on.
Now, with regard to processes going on in the world, these countries
want to establish a military unity, which over the time will also
involve a number of CSTO members.' He added that the Nakhchivan
meeting will be followed by other meetings in Tbilisi and Istanbul,
and after the Istanbul meeting, it would become clear about the
establishment of the new military unity. `In the initial phase, the
agreement may be signed by Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. But in the
prospect, this organization can also include the membership of a
number of Turkic-speaking countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
as well as Tajikistan,' noted Jafarov. Defense Ministers of Georgia,
Turkey and Azerbaijan, in fact, are considering the current
military-political situation in the region, security-related issues,
and are discussing the issues of partnership in military industry, as
well as agreeing to conduct joint exercises. Moreover, they are
planning to implement special tripartite exercises for the protection
of the oil-gas infrastructures. One gets the impression that the three
countries neighboring Armenia are getting prepared for a possible
tension in the region, or at least do not rule out such escalation. If
official Tbilisi's alarms were quite understandable even after the
signing of the EU Association Agreement, and Moscow's possible
pressures are not ruled out in Georgia, then it is noteworthy to whom
Azerbaijan and Turkey consider a threat. Such tripartite meeting,
especially after the Sochi tripartite meeting on defense industry,
probably, is symbolic for the Azerbaijani authorities. Most likely,
the Azerbaijani authorities are making attempts of self-determination
in other unities. After inciting provocation on the Contact line and
after introducing a long-term consistent tension on the border, the
counter attacks by the Armenian side, and later, the tripartite
meeting in Sochi, anyway, were humiliating for official Baku,
especially for junior Aliyev. With regard to the Nakhchivan meeting of
defense ministers of the three countries, there is no yet a response
from Russia and Armenia. Georgia's Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili
will visit Armenian on August 21-22. The Georgian side had informed
that Garibashvili would meet Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan. The meetings will focus on political and economic issues.
The core attention will be on the situation that is being developed
between the EU and Georgia after signing of the Association Agreement
and Armenia's accession to the Customs Union. The parties are planning
to discuss the contradictions that have been emerged and to find an
acceptable format for interaction. The Armenian side is planning to
raise Georgia's intention of defining a visa regime with Armenia since
September 1. Will the Government of Armenia ask the Prime Minister of
Georgia about what issues on military-political situation,
security-related issues and cooperation in military industry the
official Tbilisi is discussing with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and what
fears the three countries have?
Emma GABRIELYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/08/22/166609/
From: Baghdasarian