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NEIGHBORS IN TURMOIL: ARMENIA VIEWED AS 'ISLAND OF STABILITY' AMID RISING ISLAMIC TERRORISM IN REGION
Analysis | 15.12.14 | 10:31
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent
Authorities in Armenia's neighboring countries, Turkey and Azerbaijan,
are conducting arrests of persons suspected of directly or indirectly
preparing coups and planning to overthrow of the government. Western
governments, meanwhile, accuse Baku and Ankara of violating democratic
norms and not respecting democratic values.
Several dozen well-known journalists and police officers were
arrested in Turkey on December 14. Among those arrested are also
editor-in-chief of the Turkish Zaman newspaper Ekrem Dumanli and head
of the Samanyolu Hidayet Karaca. According to a written statement
of the chief prosecutor of Istanbul Hadi Salihoglu, the arrested
people are accused of "creating a terrorist organization, fraud and
defamation." The government accuses Samanyolu of collaboration with
the preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is in opposition to the ruling
Justice and Development Party.
Earlier a wave of arrests took place in Azerbaijan - among those who
appeared behind the bars were human rights activists and bloggers
who have worked with Western foundations. Baku openly accused US
non-governmental organizations of attempting to stimulate unrest in
Azerbaijan and overthrow the government.
The world press more and more often quotes experts as saying that the
West is using "methods of deterrence" towards Turkey and Azerbaijan.
These methods became especially noticeable after these two countries
refused to cooperate fully with the coalition against the Islamic
State and strengthened their ties with Russia. Now is not the
time for business with Russia, said State Department spokesman Jen
Psaki. And Turkey and Azerbaijan are trying to have lucrative oil
and gas projects with Russia, which is under Western sanctions at
present over the crisis in Ukraine.
Baku welcomes rapprochement between Turkey and Russia, believing
that this will have an impact on Armenia, which may be forced to make
concessions over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign
Minister Khalaf Khalafov said that given that Russia is a mediator
in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, and Turkey is a neighbor
of Armenia, improvement of relations between the two countries could
have a positive impact on the resolution of the conflict. "And we
are waiting for it," he said.
In their turn, Western media, through experts, warn Russia, Turkey
and Azerbaijan about the threat of Islamization, which would threaten
stability in these countries.
"By eliminating moderate voices in society, Azerbaijan's leaders set
the stage for anti-Western environment that will serve as a breeding
ground for radical Islamists, who pose a grave security threat to
both the region and the West," foreignpolicy.com writes.
"The [December 4] coordinated terrorist assault on the Chechen capital
of Grozny - which left at least 20 dead and scores more injured -
should refocus global attention on a problem that Russia itself
increasingly is confronting: a resilient wave of radical Islam,"
writes Foreign Affairs.
Al-Jazeera also says that Russia could become the next "target" for
Islamists. The same predictions are also made for Turkey, a country
aspiring to become a member of the European Union.
Head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini and EU European Neighborhood
Policy and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn issued a joint
statement condemning the detention of journalists in Turkey on Sunday.
They expressed their concern over this fact ahead of Tuesday's
discussions of EU expansion that will also include the issue of Turkey.
The fall in international oil prices has indeed shattered the power
of President Ilham Aliyev in Azerbaijan and the successes of the
anti-Islamic coalition in Syria and Iraq, the US cooperation with Iran
and the Kurds scare the regime in Turkey, which expects the shift of
the terrorist wave and destabilization to Turkey. Christian Armenia
in this situation, despite the threats, is considered an island
of stability.
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/59331/armenia_azerbaijan_turkey_neighbors_arrests_coups
Analysis | 15.12.14 | 10:31
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent
Authorities in Armenia's neighboring countries, Turkey and Azerbaijan,
are conducting arrests of persons suspected of directly or indirectly
preparing coups and planning to overthrow of the government. Western
governments, meanwhile, accuse Baku and Ankara of violating democratic
norms and not respecting democratic values.
Several dozen well-known journalists and police officers were
arrested in Turkey on December 14. Among those arrested are also
editor-in-chief of the Turkish Zaman newspaper Ekrem Dumanli and head
of the Samanyolu Hidayet Karaca. According to a written statement
of the chief prosecutor of Istanbul Hadi Salihoglu, the arrested
people are accused of "creating a terrorist organization, fraud and
defamation." The government accuses Samanyolu of collaboration with
the preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is in opposition to the ruling
Justice and Development Party.
Earlier a wave of arrests took place in Azerbaijan - among those who
appeared behind the bars were human rights activists and bloggers
who have worked with Western foundations. Baku openly accused US
non-governmental organizations of attempting to stimulate unrest in
Azerbaijan and overthrow the government.
The world press more and more often quotes experts as saying that the
West is using "methods of deterrence" towards Turkey and Azerbaijan.
These methods became especially noticeable after these two countries
refused to cooperate fully with the coalition against the Islamic
State and strengthened their ties with Russia. Now is not the
time for business with Russia, said State Department spokesman Jen
Psaki. And Turkey and Azerbaijan are trying to have lucrative oil
and gas projects with Russia, which is under Western sanctions at
present over the crisis in Ukraine.
Baku welcomes rapprochement between Turkey and Russia, believing
that this will have an impact on Armenia, which may be forced to make
concessions over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign
Minister Khalaf Khalafov said that given that Russia is a mediator
in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, and Turkey is a neighbor
of Armenia, improvement of relations between the two countries could
have a positive impact on the resolution of the conflict. "And we
are waiting for it," he said.
In their turn, Western media, through experts, warn Russia, Turkey
and Azerbaijan about the threat of Islamization, which would threaten
stability in these countries.
"By eliminating moderate voices in society, Azerbaijan's leaders set
the stage for anti-Western environment that will serve as a breeding
ground for radical Islamists, who pose a grave security threat to
both the region and the West," foreignpolicy.com writes.
"The [December 4] coordinated terrorist assault on the Chechen capital
of Grozny - which left at least 20 dead and scores more injured -
should refocus global attention on a problem that Russia itself
increasingly is confronting: a resilient wave of radical Islam,"
writes Foreign Affairs.
Al-Jazeera also says that Russia could become the next "target" for
Islamists. The same predictions are also made for Turkey, a country
aspiring to become a member of the European Union.
Head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini and EU European Neighborhood
Policy and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn issued a joint
statement condemning the detention of journalists in Turkey on Sunday.
They expressed their concern over this fact ahead of Tuesday's
discussions of EU expansion that will also include the issue of Turkey.
The fall in international oil prices has indeed shattered the power
of President Ilham Aliyev in Azerbaijan and the successes of the
anti-Islamic coalition in Syria and Iraq, the US cooperation with Iran
and the Kurds scare the regime in Turkey, which expects the shift of
the terrorist wave and destabilization to Turkey. Christian Armenia
in this situation, despite the threats, is considered an island
of stability.
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/59331/armenia_azerbaijan_turkey_neighbors_arrests_coups