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Obama is exploiting Turkish leaders’ craving for flattery

January 9, 2013 By administrator

Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

While political leaders often exaggerate their achievements and brag about the superiority of their nation, such claims become absurd if they are far removed from reality and border on chauvinism and narcissism.

When leaders harbor an exaggerated sense of self-importance, they could be easily manipulated by others who exploit their insatiable appetite for flattery. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is one of several high-ranking Turkish officials who may be suffering from such a character flaw.

The Turkish media provided extensive coverage to a Los Angeles Times article reporting that “Pres. Obama has logged more phone calls to Erdogan than to any world leader except British Prime Minister David Cameron.” When the two met at the United Nations in New York, Pres. Obama gave Erdogan “more face time than any other world leader,” lasting almost two hours. The US President reportedly praised the Turkish Prime Minister for showing “great leadership.” The L.A. Times specifically noted that Obama even “resorted to flattery” by subsequently phoning Erdogan “to rave about a Turkish basketball tournament.”

The Turkish newspaper, Today’s Zaman, published a follow up article further highlighting the close relationship between the two leaders: “Erdogan and Obama’s phone chats reveal Turkey’s ascent.” The article included a photo where the American and Turkish leaders are shaking hands while brimming with wide smiles.

Although Prime Minister Erdogan does not look kindly upon anyone who writes unflattering words about him and frequently sues journalists daring to criticize his policies, prominent Turkish commentator Semih Idiz risked imprisonment by writing an article last week in Al-Monitor, titled: “Is Erdogan Aiming to Be a Latter-Day Sultan?” Idiz underlines the Prime Minister’s “authoritarian tendencies and lack of tolerance to any criticism, especially from a free press.”

The Turkish journalist writes in great detail about Erdogan’s plans to run for President in August 2014, but not before drafting a new constitution that would transform the current head of state’s ceremonial post into “an executive presidency” that would not be “encumbered by a system of checks and balances.” If elected President, Erdogan would have “the power to dissolve the Parliament, rule by decree and appoint government ministers, senior bureaucrats and jurists without parliamentary approval.”

It is not a mere accident that Erdogan recently told Turkish journalists that the American presidential system, with checks and balances that limit the power of the president, is not suitable for Turkey: “The US president cannot appoint an ambassador, he cannot even solely decide on the sale of a helicopter…. That’s why we should create a Turkish-style presidential system.”

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who used be a serious scholar, appears to be emulating his conceited Prime Minister. Last week, in his opening remarks at the annual conference of Turkish Ambassadors held in Ankara, Davutoglu made a highly arrogant statement claiming that Turkey plays a critical role in world affairs: “Because the global powers know that now history flows through Ankara, parties that ignore Ankara cannot understand history. The one that risks relations with Ankara will take risks in all regional policies…. Those who want to understand history must be present in Ankara, Istanbul and every other place in Turkey, because from now on we will be more actively present in shaping the flow of history.”

These preposterous words are uttered by a Foreign Minister who had assumed his current post by pompously declaring that his country pursued a policy of “zero problems with neighbors.” The harsh reality is that Turkey now has almost no neighbors without problems! Indeed, Ankara has serious conflicts with neighboring Armenia, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Iraq, and Syria!

Not to be outdone by his senior colleagues, Turkey’s controversial European Union Affairs Minister, Egemen Bagis, greeted the New Year with a fresh list of outlandish statements: “Today there is no government in Europe which is more reformist than our government. While EU countries are struggling in crisis, our country is experiencing the most democratic, prosperous, modern and transparent period in its history. The ‘sick man’ of yesterday has gotten up and summoned the strength to prescribe medication for today’s Europe…and to share the EU’s burden rather than being a burden to it.”

Pres. Obama has discovered that he can get more out of Turkish leaders by honey than vinegar, capitalizing on their overwhelming desire for praise and flattery. The problem is that such lavish praise has turned Turkey into ‘a spoiled brat’ who has become a serious menace to the entire neighborhood!
Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Obama

Turkish snake oil salesman leaders are turning to jailed leader of a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to Resolve Kurdish Conflict

January 9, 2013 By administrator

ISTANBUL (Reuters)—The Turkish government and the jailed leader of a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have agreed on the framework for a plan to end a war that has killed 40,000 people since 1984, envisaging rebel disarmament in exchange for increased minority rights, a newspaper said on Tuesday.

The Radikal daily said senior intelligence officials had held meetings with PKK chief Abdullah Ocalan in his island jail near Istanbul, yielding a four-stage plan to halt the conflict.

Previous negotiations with the PKK were highly secretive and appeared to have run aground. The open acknowledgment of the latest contact has raised hopes for a renewed peace effort, including from the main pro-Kurdish party in parliament.

“Meeting with Ocalan…is a correct step, it’s logical and appropriate,” Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas told members of his party in the assembly in Ankara.

“Peace in Turkey can only begin with this step.”

Radikal said that after an initial end to hostilities the PKK fighters would withdraw from Turkish territory, after which disarmament talks would begin, before a final process of the militants laying down their weapons.

Ocalan will prepare four letters setting out his vision for a solution to the conflict to be addressed to the BDP, to the PKK commanders in northern Iraq, to Europe, where many PKK activists are based, and to the Turkish public, Radikal said.

The “roadmap” would involve releasing from custody thousands of people accused of PKK links.

It would also lead to constitutional reforms removing obstacles to Kurdish language education, strengthening local administrations and an ethnically neutral definition of citizenship, describing people as citizens of Turkey rather than Turkish citizens.

There was no official confirmation of any agreement and Radikal did not specify its sources but it is generally regarded as being reliable on the Kurdish issue.

Ocalan’s demands appeared to be limited, with no references to an independent Kurdistan, a federation or the concept of “democratic autonomy” which has been proposed by Kurdish politicians, according to the report.

While there was cautious optimism regarding the prospect of negotiations in Ankara, violence continued in the southeast.

Fourteen PKK fighters and a Turkish soldier were killed overnight after a group of militants, located in northern Iraq some 8 km (5 miles) from the border, opened fire on a military outpost, the local governor’s office said.

Demirtas said Ocalan, held on the island of Imrali since his capture, had shown a determination to work towards peace but that progress would depend on the government.

His own party, which is popular in the mainly Kurdish southeast, should be involved in any talks, Demirtas added.

PKK Demands Access To Ocalan
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has played down the concessions which Turkey would make to end the conflict, ruling out the prospect of Ocalan being released from Imrali and placed under house arrest or a general amnesty.

Erdogan is under pressure to stem the violence, Turkey’s main domestic security concern, particularly with presidential elections due in 2014 in which he is expected to stand.

From his prison cell, Ocalan has not been able to express his views on the process directly as he has not had access to his lawyers for 16 months, although he has had a meeting with Kurdish politicians.

The main opposition CHP party expressed support for the process for the sake of ending the bloodshed but said parties in parliament needed to work together to achieve a solution.

The leader of the nationalist MHP was fierce in his criticism of the state talks with the “Imrali monster”.

“Prime Minister Erdogan has crossed a threshold and dropped the government’s anchor in the bloody port of separatist terror,” the MHP’s Devlet Bahceli told his deputies.

There was a cautious response from senior PKK commander Murat Karayilan in northern Iraq, who said the active PKK leadership must be given direct access to Ocalan himself.

“The (PKK) armed forces are what is fundamentally important. For that reason we must have direct dialogue with the leader,” Karayilan said in an interview with a news agency close to the militants.

“There is the problem of convincing the broad command structure and fighters, not just the leadership,” he said.

Filed Under: Articles, News Tagged With: Kurdish news, Turkish News

شيء من التاريخعن العلاقات العربية-التركية

January 9, 2013 By administrator

مقدمة

    دخل الأتراك حاضرة الخلافة العباسية في أيام المعتصم بالله الذي كانت أمه تركية الأصل و إعتمد عليهم في تقوية جيشه، فعاثوا في بغداد الخراب و كثُرت شكاوي أهل العاصمة من عنف الجنود الترك و بَغْيِهِم، مما أضطر المعتصم أن يبني عاصمة جديدة، سامراء، و نقل الجيش اليها. و بعد وفاة المعتصم بالله في 18 ربيع الأول 227 هجرية-829 ميلادية خلفه إبنه الواثق بالله هارون الذي أعطى لوزيره التركي أشناس علامات الإمارة، تاجاً و وشاحين، فابتدأ توافد قبائل الترك الى بلاد العراق و دخولهم في الوظائف العالية، و خاصة الجندية، الأمر الذي أوجب تدخلهم في أمور الخلافة و استيلاءهم على السلطة الفعلية.  

    و مع تتابع السنين وصلت الموجات الهمجية من سهوب آسيا الوسطى حين غزت الأقوام المغولية و التتارية مثل السلاجقة في 422 هجرية-1024 ميلادية، و هم من قبائل الترك من بلاد كشغر في غرب الصين، فوصلت مناطق ما وراء القفقاس نزولاً نحو الشرق الأوسط، ثم تبعتها قبائل أُخرى. و أسّست هذه الأقوام دويلاتها مثل دولة آل سلجوق في 447 هجرية-1049 ميلادية بقيادة طغرل بك.

    و جاءت الضربة القاضية على يد هولاكو، حفيد جنكيز خان، حين وصل تفكك العرب و تفتتهم الى أعلى مرحلة من مراحل التشرذم فسقطت بغداد عاصمة الدولة العباسية في 656 هجرية-1258 ميلادية. و حكم فيها الإيلخانيون أخلاف هولاكو مدة 82 عاماً من 656 – 738 هجرية (1258-1338 ميلادية)، ثم عقبهم الجلايريون، فلم يمضِ على ذلك أكثر من 57 عاماً حتى احتل تيمورلنك المدينة في سنة 795 هجرية-1392 ميلادية. استعاد الجلايريون الحكم سنة 797 هجرية-1394 ميلادية، ثم عاد تيمورلنك للمرة الثانية في 803 هجرية-1400 ميلادية، و عاد الجلايريون في سنة 808 هجرية-1405 ميلادية. و في 814 هجرية-1411 ميلادية حلّت محلهم أسرة تركمانية تسمى قره قوينلو (الخروف الأسود) ثم أجلتها عن بغداد في سنة 874 هجرية-1469 ميلادية أسرة تركمانية أخرى تسمى آق قوينلو (الخروف الأبيض). ثم جاء الصفويون و الأكراد الى أن أحتلها السلطان مراد الرابع في 18 شعبان 1048 هجرية-1638 ميلادية.  و كان العثمانيون أسسوا دولتهم في 699 هجرية-1300 ميلادية إذ كانت أقوى تلك القبائل فشقّت طريقها نحو القسطنطينية عاصمة الدولة البيزنطية و أسقطتها في 20 جمادي الأول 857 هجرية-29 أيار 1453 ميلادية باسطة نفوذها بعدئذ على أجزاء واسعة من الكرة الأرضية فأصبحت المنطقة العربية مجبرة أن ترزح تحت نير الأتراك.

 

النبيذ و الجرّة  

    بدأت بوادر البعث التحرري العربي العسكري في بداية القرن العشرين حين أنتفض الحسين بن علي، شريف مكة و أميرها، و أطلق الرصاصة الأولى إيذاناً ببدء الثورة العربية ضد الإستعمار التركي، و لكنه، رحمه الله، أخطأ في حساباته حين استمع الى معسول الكلام الإنكليزي، فتم طرد الأتراك بالفعل من المنطقة و لكن أستُبدِل الإستعمار التركي بآخرٍ إنكليزي…

    و منذ سقوط الدولة العثمانية إكتسبت العلاقات العربية-التركية بُعداً أكبر من التضارب. فقد تأسست دولٌ عربية متعددة في المنطقة قاسمهم المشترك القومية العربية و الدين الإسلامي. أمّا في تركيا نفسها، وريثة الدولة العثمانية، فقد ظهرت الى الوجود جمهورية مصطفى كمال التركية العلمانية التي، و منذ الساعات الأولى لولادتها، إنتهجت خطاً مضاداً لكل ما هو عربي و مسلم… حاربت الحضارة العربية و الدين الإسلامي مبتدأة بنبذ الحروف الأبجدية العربية و مستعيضة عنها بالحروف اللاتينية، و حاولت الحكومات التركية المتعاقبة، بغضِ النظر عن توجهاتها الدينية و السياسية، أن تعتبر تركيا دولة أوروبية و تنزع عنها الثوب الشرقي.

    و زادت التناقضات العربية-التركية حِدّة في السنوات التي تلتِ الحرب العالمية الثانية حين سُمِعَت من أقطارٍ عربيةٍ معينة همسَ نداءاتٍ تارةً أو جَهْوَرَ الصوتِ أحياناً بإحياء الخلافة الإسلامية و بثوبٍ عربي…و ليس تركي، و أن تكون مكة أو المدينة أو حتى أيّ عاصمة عربية عاصمةَ الخلافة.  و كانت هذه في الواقع دعوة لإقامةِ وحدةٍ عربيةٍ شاملةٍ. لم تَرُقْ هذه الفكرة غرب أوروبا، موطن الإستعمار القديم، و خاصة إنكلترا. و في 1946 و بمباركة تركيا جاء الى الوجود مشروع إنكليزي جديد ينادي ببعث الدولة العثمانية، و لكن بثوبٍ جديد، على أن ينضمَّ اليها عدد من الدول العربية، و تكون بعيدةً عن أيِّ توجُّهٍ قومي، لبناء سدٍّ عربيٍّ-إسلامي ضد التغلغل الشيوعي السوفييتي نحو الشرق الأوسط.

    كانت هناك قوى إقليمية و دولية تعمل في الخفاء و تحلم ببعث الدولة العثمانية الزائلة…أي “بوضع النبيذ الجديد في جرّةٍ قديمة” كما يقول المثل.

 

الدور الأمريكي

    كتب جورج فيلدنك إليوت، المراسل العسكري و البحري لصحيفة “نيويورك هيرالد تريبيون”، مقالة مهمة في عدد الجريدة الصادر في 7 تشرين الأول/أوكتوبر 1946: “ان مصلحتنا الرئيسة و المباشرة موجودة في منطقة الشرق الأوسط التي تُعَدُّ منطقة عسكرية و استراتيجية. توجد في تلك المنطقة تركيا، العراق، سوريا، فلسطين، مصر، ايران و غيرها من الدول المجاورة. تعتبر المنطقة جسراً تاريخياً يربط الأجزاء الثلاثة من العالم القديم، أوروبا، آسيا و أفريقيا. كان هدف الأباطرة القدماء العبور من تلك المنطقة ليتسنى لهم المرور من هذا البَرالى ذاك.”

    و يستمر إليوت:”لم تكن في الأمر صدفة عندما حارب نابليون من أجل مصر و سوريا. و لم تكن مجرد صدفة أيضاً عندما حاولت المانيا الهوهنزولرنية أن تعبر الى سوريا و فلسطين عن طريق تركيا. و لم تكن صدفة أيضاً عندما حاول هتلر في أحلك أيام الحرب العالمية الثانية أن يأخذ تلك المنطقة في كمّاشة مهاجماً في الوقت نفسه القفقاس و أفريقيا الشمالية لتلتقي قواته ثانية في الشرق الأوسط، و لكن سُحِقَتْ هذه القوات في ستالينكراد و العلمين.”

    يضيف جورج أليوت عن سياسة بريطانيا العظمى منذ القدم فيقول: “لقد بذلت الأمبراطورية البريطانية جهدها لحماية الدولة العثمانية، ليس لأن الإنكليز يحبون الأتراك و الأنظمة التركية، بل لأن الدولة العثمانية تشكِّلُ جسراً برياً لا يستطيع أيّ فاتحٍ أو غازٍ عبوره.”

    و يستمر جورج أليوت في تصريحه موضِّحاً السياسة الأمريكية بعد الحرب العالمية الثانية مباشرة، أي في 1946:

    “هناك فراغ في الشرق الأوسط…من الممكن ملئ ذلك الفراغ بشعبٍ يعيش هناك و يتحمّل المسؤولية، أو السماح بمجئ دولة من الخارج تحتل تلك المنطقة و تسلِّط ضغطاً عليها. لقد جرِّبَ البريطانيون الأسلوب الأخير بين الحربين العالميتين. ليس بمقدورهم أن يتحمّلوا هذا الحِمل لوحدهم الآن، و نحن لا نستطيع أن نكون مناصرين لإستعمارٍ قديم…”

    و بدورنا نسأل إليوت، فما العمل إذن…؟

    و يستمر في تصريحه كناطق شبه رسمي بإسم السياسة الأمريكية آنئذٍ: “هناك حلٌّ آخرٌ محتمل…إعادة بعث الدولة العثمانية بشكل جديد و بمبادئ جديدة كلياً…مستندة على مبادئ حقوق الإنسان و قوية بصداقة دول الشرق الأوسط.” (جريدة “هايرينيك” 11 تشرين الأول 1946).

    قبل أكثر من ست عقود كان العمل يجري على قدم و ساق في هذا الإتجاه لتأسيس حلفٍ جديدٍ و قوي من الشعوب “بمبادئ جديدة” و مُرسَّخة على “حقوق الإنسان و المواطن” و برئاسة تركيا. و تم ترشيح، أو بالأحرى، تعيين تركيا، مصر، لبنان، سوريا، العراق، فلسطين، شرق الأردن و المملكة العربية السعودية كدولٍ مكوِّنة لهذا الحلف، و هو عالمٌ شاسع يُشغِلُ 5.5 مليون كيلومتر مربع و كان يحوي ضمن حدوده آنذاك 50 مليوناً من البشر، إذ كان 33 مليوناً منهم من العرب لهم صلات مختلفة مع بعضهم، و أمّا البقية فأتراك و قوميات صغيرة متفرقة.

    لإكمال المشروع، قامت الأعمال الآتية في ذلك الإتجاه. عُقِدَتْ في 22 آذار/مارس 1946 المعاهدة البريطانية-شرق الأردنية (و أصبحت شرق الأردن بهذه المعاهدة دولة كاملة السيادة)، و في 29 آذار /مارس 1946 عُقِدَت معاهدة صداقة و حسن جوار العراقية-التركية، و في 10 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر 1946 عُقِدَتِ المعاهدة العراقية-شرق الأردنية. و أمّا في 11 كانون الثاني/يناير 1947 عُقِدَ الحلف التركي-شرق الأردني.

    كانت تركيا مركز استقطاب تلك المعاهدات لأنها كانت القوة الأسلسية في الشرقين الأدنى و الأوسط آنذاك لموقعها الجغرافي المهم في صدِّ الأطماع السوفييتية في المنطقة.

 

أصداء الأحداث

    كتب الأديب الدكتور طه حسين، و كان يشغل في 1946 منصب رئيس قسم الآداب في جامعة القاهرة، يقول بألم:

    “يتبيّنُ من الوضع السياسي كأن انكلترا تريد إعادة خلق الدولة العثمانية القديمة” (أنظر دكتور طه حسين-“بريطانيا العظمى، تركيا و العالم العربي” جريدة “آريفيلك”، حلب، 10 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر 1946).

    و في عددها الصادر في 27 كانون الثاني/يناير 1947 نشرت “نيويورك هيرالد تريبيون” مقالة وسَّعَتْ فيها مفاهيم الفكرة الآنفة الذكر:

    ” يمرُّ خط التحصينات العسكرية الأنكليزية من جنوب ايران نحو العراق، سوريا، لبنان، فلسطين، مصر و اليونان لحماية الخليج العربي و الشرق الأوسط و حوض البحر الأبيض المتوسط الشرقي و كذلك تركيا بموقعها الحالي.  يمثِّل هذا الخط السور الحقيقي للأستراتيجية الإنكليزية حيث يشمخ كبناء أساس لحماية الشرق الأوسط.”

 

    أمّا تركيا فقد كانت على أهبّة الاستعداد للنزول الى ساحة القتال من جديد.

    فقد كتبت جريدة “La Turquie” في عددها الصادر في 7 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر 1946 عن ضرورة تجمُّع العالم الأسلامي: “من الطبيعي أن تركيا هي التي ستقود هذه الحركة، و أن نفوذها سيمتد ليصل الى تلك الحدود التي كانت الدولة العثمانية قد وصلتها في القرن الثامن عشر (ما عدا البلقان). و بفضل كل هذا سنأخذ بين أيدينا من جديد زمام الأمور في إحدى المناطق الواسعة و الغنية في هذا العالم.”

    كان هذا هو حلم تركيا الجديدة، خليفة الدولة العثمانية السيئة الصيت.

    و على خطى زميلتها شهدت “تصوير” في عددها في 8 كانون الثاني/يناير 1947: ” لا يوجد أي عائق يمنع تجمُّع الدول العربية و تركيا سياسياً وأقتصادياً في إتحادٍ له أهمية للعالم الإسلامي و لنا.”

    و صرّح الملك عبدالله، ملك شرق الأردن آنذاك، برسمه حدود ذلك العالم المتحد الجديد في صدى ناقلٍ لصوت المُلَقِّنِ قائلاً، و كأن والده الشريف الحسين بن علي لم يكن أول من أطلق الرصاصة الأولى للثورة العربية ضد الحكم التركي  قبل ثلاثين سنة من ذلك التاريخ: “ستدخل في تجمُّع الشرق الأدنى كل من أفغانستان، ايران، تركيا، العراق، سوريا، شرق الأردن و لبنان.”

    و أضاف في الوقت نفسه: “بسبب بعض الظروف الخاصة لا تدخل المملكة العربية السعودية و مصر في هذا التجمُّع.”

    و قد ردَّت جريدة “La Republique” التركية في عددها الصادر في 26 كانون الأول/ديسمبر 1946 على تصريح الملك عبدالله بما يلي: “إذا عاندت مصر و المملكة العربية السعودية للدخول في الحلف الدفاعي تكونان قد ارتكبتا خطأ جسيماً.”

    هذا، و قد نظرت الصحافة السوفييتية للأمور عبر المنظار السياسي نفسه، فكتبت “برافدا” تقول:

    “أُطلق مؤخراً نداء من أنقرة لخلق  “إتحاد” من الدول العربية برئاسة تركيا غير العربية.” و حلّلت الجريدة هدف أنقرة: “بعث الدولة العثمانية بشكل جديد.”

    و علّقت موسكو على لسان أحد كتّابها: “تدرس الصحافة العربية و تدقق أكثر و أكثر في المحاولات الدبلوماسية التركية لخلقِ حلفٍ من الدول العربية برئاسة تركيا غير العربية.” (“برافدا” 21 كانون الأول/ديسمبر 1946).

    و في 12 كانون الثاني/يناير 1947 أبرقت وكالة “أ ف ب”من أنقرة: “تتقدم تركيا نحو الدول العربية ببطء و لكن بثقة. لم يحن الأوان بعد لتحليل الوضع تحليلاً سياسياً ذكياً.” (جريدة “هوسابير”، القاهرة، 13 كانون الثاني/يناير 1947).

    نعم، كانت تركيا تتقدم آنذاك ببطء نحو الدول العربية و لكن بثقة عالية بالنفس و بالذين كانوا يدفعونها لإتخاذ تلك الخطوة. و لكن مع تنامي الوعي القومي العربي في سنوات الخمسينيات من القرن الماضي و اختفاء عدد من الحكومات العربية السائرة في فلك الغرب، وعى بعض العرب عن عدم جدوى الأرتماء في أحضان الحرملك التركي، فقُبِرَتْ فكرة خلق الدولة العثمانية الجديدة بقيادة تركيا غير العربية و بإنتسابٍ عربي الى غير رجعة…

 

    و أمّا الآن، و بعد أكثر من ستين سنة على طرح المشروع الخائب في أعلاه، لا زالت تركيا تحلم في إعادة الحياة الى الدولة العثمانية المقبورة و بعثها. و لتحقيق حلمها التوسعي لجأت الى إنشاء أحلاف أستراتيجية في المنطقة معتمدة على تخلخل توازن القوى بإنهيار الإتحاد السوفييتي و اختفائه من الساحتين الإقليمية و الدوليةعلى الرغم من ان الدب الروسي لا زال متربصاً بها، و خروج العراق كقوة اقليمية من المنطقة. تستخدم تركيا في هذا المجال الترغيب حيناً و التهديد المبطن أحياناً أُخر، ملوِّحةً دائماً بنقطة الضعف المشتركة لدولتين عربيتين لهما وزنهما في الشرق الأوسط، ألا وهي المسألة المائية، متناسية في الوقت نفسه مشاكلها في المسألة الكردية في جنوب البلاد التى تنخر عظامها بشكل مستمر.

 

    خاتمة        

    إن مسألة الحفاظ على الكيان التركي، إنْ كان ذلك الكيان متمثلاً ب”رجل أوروبا المريض” قبل أكثر من قرن، أو بتركيا المعاصرة، مسألة حسّاسة جداً و متعلِّقة بالوجود الروسي في المنطقة. ليس مهمّاً لون الثوب الذي يرتديه الدب الروسي، إن كان أبيضاً في أيام القياصرة، فتغيَّر الى الأحمر في أيام البلاشفة، ثم ابيضَّ ثانية في أيامنا هذه. فلا زالت روسيا هي نفسها…و على الرغم من نوائبها السياسية و الاقتصادية كافة في الوقت الحاضر، لا زالت تشكِّل ثقلاً في المنطقة، تراودها أحلام القياصرة و السوفييت على السواء بنزول سفنها الى مياه البحر الأبيض المتوسط الدافئة على الرغم من قرب المسافات بسبب التقدم العلمي و التقني.

    لقد وقفت أوروبا منذ عهد بطرس الأكبر وقفة رجلٍ واحدٍ أمام روسيا، على الرغم من كل الخلافات السياسية و المذهبية التي كانت تفَرِّق أوروبا، لمنعها من الوصول الى اسطنبول (القسطنطينية) و مضائق البوسفور و الدردنيل،  و بفضل دهاء اللورد بيكنسفيلد (دزرائيلي) و غيره من ساسة انكلترا و أوروبا، حافظت أوروبا على حياة “الرجل المريض” من التدهور لأن التركة لم تكن مقسومة على الورثة بعد. ففي تلك الأثناء كان يهمُّ بريطانيا العظمى منع نزول الروس نحو الجنوب و إبعادها عن خطوط المواصلات المؤدِّية الى الهند، دُرَّة التاج البريطاني آنذاك.

    و بعد زوال الدولة العثمانية بعد الحرب العظمى (العالمية الأولى) تقاسم “الورثة” التركة من الممتلكات العثمانية بموجب إتفاقية سايكس-بيكو التي وُقِّعَتْ قبل إنتهاء الحرب، ثم خلقت أوروبا نفسها الدولة التركية الحديثة بشخص مصطفى كمال للوقوف أمام المد الشيوعي في أوج عنفوانه الأستعماري أنذاك. و كان هذا الموقف الغربي من روسيا ينبع من حقيقتين، أولاهما، اقتصادية، منع روسيا من الوصول الى نفط العراق في الموصل ثم الوصول الى الخليج لقطع طريق بريطانيا نحو الهند، و ثانيتهما، سياسية-فكرية، منع تغلغل الفكر الشيوعي في المنطقة العربية و الشرق الأوسط. فأصبحت تركيا، على الرغم من أشكال الحكومات التي تعاقبت على حكمها مدللة الغرب ضد الأطماع الروسية.

    نستنتج مما جاء في أعلاه أن العنجهية التركية سوف تستمر و لن تنتهي أبداً ما دامت أوروبا، ثم الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، نصبت تركيا حاجزاً أمام أي امتداد روسي نحو الجنوب، و كان الله في عون شعوب الشرق الأوسط التي وقعتْ في مهبِّ ريح الكبار…

 

آرا دمبكجيان

 

المصادر:

1- عبد الرزاق الحسني-“تأريخ الوزارات العراقية”، الجزء السابع، 1988، بغداد.

2- محمود فريد بك المحامي- “تاريخ الدولة العلية العثمانية” 1971.

3- فاهان نافاسارتيان- “المضائق: البوسفور و الدردنيل”، 1947، باريس.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Articles

Publisher: Azeris bring Karabakh war to Hollywood

January 9, 2013 By administrator

Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier issued an editorial titled “Karabakh War Comes to Hollywood, Courtesy of Azerbaijan.”

“Karabakh conflict should not give free license to anyone to make racist and insulting statements about people on the other side of the border. Even under war conditions, there are civilized norms of behavior.

Since Armenia and Azerbaijan are in the midst of delicate negotiations to resolve their thorny conflict, it is highly irresponsible to pour oil on the fire by inciting inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatred, and inflaming pent up emotions! While some Armenians may engage in periodic emotional outbursts, Azerbaijan’s leaders have elevated the making of racist statements and anti-Armenian threats into state policy!

Such despicable behavior has caused the Artsakh conflict to spill over into Hungary (by using an axe), Mexico (by offering a $5 million bounty for Aliyev’s statue with an anti-Armenian plaque in a park), and many other countries around the world, thousands of miles away from the actual theater of conflict!

The Azeris have now decided to fight the Artsakh war in Hollywood, after Armenia officially submitted for an Oscar an innocuous film titled “If Only Everyone,” for the category of Best Foreign Film. The movie’s American premiere was held at the ARPA International Film Festival in Hollywood.

The Armenian movie depicts the story of a young Russian girl whose father was killed during the Artsakh war. Twenty years later, she comes to Armenia hoping that the Commander of her father’s military unit would help locate his unmarked grave. After a lengthy search, the young girl discovers that her father’s grave lies on the other side of the border, inside Azerbaijan. She and the Armenian Commander cross the frontline surreptitiously in the cover of darkness, and while planting a birch tree by her father’s grave, are confronted by an armed Azeri shepherd who threatens to shoot them. Upon learning that the girl’s father is buried there, the Azeri lets them go safely after telling them with a heavy heart, that his 10-year-old son had also died during the war after stepping on a landmine. The Azeri shepherd tells that he is unable to visit his son’s grave because it is located inside Artsakh. The movie ends on a high note with a wonderful gesture, when the Russian girl and her Armenian companions plant another tree, this time next to the young Azeri boy’s grave.

Even though the movie neither contains anti-Azeri rhetoric nor depicts any scenes of the Karabakh war, Azerbaijani journalists have harshly attacked it without having seen a single clip. Apparently, the fact that it was an Armenian film was enough reason for them to try and undermine its submission for the Academy Awards! The Azeri media falsely labeled the movie as a “propaganda film” and an example of “the information war unleashed by Armenia against Azerbaijan.”

To make matters worse, Ali Hajizade, an Azeri journalist, attacked Teni Melidonian, the publicist for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for simply being of Armenian heritage! As part of her official duties, she had issued a press release that named all 71 foreign countries that had submitted movies for the Foreign Language Film category, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey!

It is important for Azeris to understand that such racist remarks have no place in civilized society. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan needs to be resolved through peaceful negotiations, not by hurling xenophobic insults. Someday, when peace returns to the region, Armenians and Azeris will have to live side by side, not as enemies, but as neighbors and friends. Azeris who are engaged in sowing seeds of hatred and racism are not only besmirching their own reputation, but unnecessarily aggravating and prolonging the antagonism between the two peoples.

Fortunately, Armenians have refrained from retaliating against the film submitted by Azerbaijan to the Oscars. Political feuds should not be converted into cultural wars or personal vendettas. May the best movie win regardless of whether it is produced by an Armenian, an Azeri or a Turk! The Academy announced the short list of nine films in the Foreign Language Film category on December 20, 2012, and will announce the five finalists on January 10, 2013, and the Oscar winner on February 24, 2013,” the editorial said.

“If Only Everyone” is co-produced by Tereza Varzhapetyan and award winning actor and director Michael Poghosyan, who plays the role of the retired Armenian Commander. Natalia Belyauskene is the director and Ekaterina Shitova plays the role of the young Russian girl. The movie was screened in Yerevan, Moscow, Paris, Bucharest, and Hollywood, and has won several awards at international film festivals.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Azerbaijan

New Azerbaijani PR: attempt to corrupt Artsakh citizens

January 8, 2013 By administrator

January 09, 2013 | 02:09

YEREVAN. – Azerbaijan still hopes to raise the image of the country and improve at least some part of it by realizing a new PR project, the motto of which may fully be called as follows, “Artsakh residents are you ready to be corrupted?”

The idea is a chance of returning the Soviet bank savings to those citizens of Arstakh of the Armenian nationality, who will turn to Azerbaijan for being issued an Azerbaijani citizenship.

“The citizens of Azerbaijan of the Armenian nationality, who live in the territories of our country [note that Azerbaijan refuses to recognize the independence of Artsakh] have also the right to submit the documents on receiving back their investments made in the Soviet period in the banks. They are to confirm their nationality through a notary of other or our country. They may receive the compensation in the banks of either Azerbaijan or other countries,” an Azeri MP told Ekho.

Filed Under: Articles

Iran: Sardar-e Jangal oil field belongs only to Iran

January 7, 2013 By administrator

Sardar-e Jangal oil field, which is located in the Caspian Sea, belongs to Iran, Arannews.ir quoted Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghasemi as saying.

Responding to Azerbaijan’s claims regarding Sardar-e Jangal oil field, the Iranian Oil Minister said, “This is just an allegation. Currently, we carry out exploration works in that oil field. Sardar-e Jangal is in Iran’s territory and belongs only to Iran.”

Iranian media reported earlier that Iran had discovered two big oil fields in the Caspian Sea in 2012, whose oil was among the top quality oil products in the world.

The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) made a statement saying that Sardar-e Jangal oil field was located in the waters belonging to Iran and the Azerbaijan Republic had no share of it.

Filed Under: Articles

4000 Greeks reside in Armenia

January 5, 2013 By administrator

January 03, 2013 | 12:24

YEREVAN.- The recent official reports show 1,247 Greeks are residing in Armenia. However, according to information received by Greek community, about 4,000 Greeks live in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Head of the Union of Greek NGO Arkady Mkhitarov told Armenian News-NEWS.am that three organizations are functioning in Yerevan and the rest in the regions. All the regions where Greeks reside, except of Hrazdan, have Sunday schools where children learn Greek language. The teachers participate in trainings in Greece. The textbooks are provided by the Greek government, he added.

Speaking about the Greeks’ role in political life of Armenia, Mkhitarov said there is a representative in the Armenian parliament and the community is always ready to support him.

Filed Under: Articles

New UN Report on Syria

January 3, 2013 By administrator

Thursday, 3. January 2013

Reported on http://www.boilingfrogspost.com

On January 2, the UN News Centerheadlined “Data suggests death toll could be more than 60,000, says UN human rights office.”

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) commissioned the analysis. It covers the March 15, 2011 – November 30, 2012 period.

It’s impossible to compile precise figures. Analysis depends on methodology and sources used. Bias corrupts findings.

UN Human Rights Council High Commissioner Navi Pillay long ago fell from grace. Like Ban Ki-moon, Kofi Annan, and Lakhdar Brahimi, she’s a reliable imperial partner.

Her previous reports on Syria expressed one-sided anti-Assad sentiment. She part of the conspiracy to replace him with a pro-Western puppet.

Whatever she reports is suspect. Credibility on Syria isn’t her long suit. She spurned her mandate. Instead of responsibly “strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights,” she defiled them in deference to Western interests.

Throughout the conflict, she pointed fingers the wrong way. She ignored Western-sponsored massacres and other atrocities. She blames Assad, not foreign death squads.

Syria is Washington’s war. It’s being ravaged and destroyed. Assad responsibly confronts invaders. He’s obligated to protect his people. He’s blamed for insurgent killings and atrocities. Pillay, like Western scoundrels, points fingers the wrong way.

“Given there has been no let-up in the conflict since the end of November, we can assume that more than 60,000 people have been killed by the beginning of 2013,” she said.

She believes 60,000 way underestimates true totals. She admits new data fall short of definitive analysis. Conflict complexities prevent accuracy.

Once peace is restored, she hopes further investigations will better reveal body count totals. Instead of blaming Washington, key NATO partners, rogue regional allies, and foreign invaders, she holds Assad accountable for doing his job responsibly.

“This massive loss of life could have been avoided if the Syrian Government had chosen to take a different path than one of ruthless suppression of what were initially peaceful and legitimate protests by unarmed civilians,” she claimed.

Millions of Syrians are displaced. Humanitarian crisis conditions exist. She partly admits insurgent responsibility. Overwhelmingly she points fingers the wrong way.

“Cities, towns and villages have been, and are continuing to be, devastated by aerial attacks, shelling, tank fire, bomb attacks and street-to-street fighting,” she said.

She blames Assad for “massive scale” killing. She ignores what most needs explaining. Conflict would stop straightaway if Washington called off its dogs.

The obvious goes unmentioned. Self-defense is called aggression. Truth is turned on its head. She blames Security Council inaction. So far, Russia and China alone prevented full-scale NATO intervention.

Libya 2.0 hasn’t happened. In early 2013, it looms. Security Council authorization will be circumvented. NATO intervened belligerently against Yugoslavia without it. Imperial powers spurn rule of law principles.

So do reliable human rights partners. Pillay practically begs for intervention. “Where is the international community,” she asks? “Why aren’t (world leaders) acting to stop this slaughter?”

Current body counts will pale compared to numbers if NATO intervenes. Hundreds of thousands could die. Multiples more could be injured and displaced. Pillay mindlessly ignores what she should deplore.

On January 2, Press TV headlined “Foreign-backed militants attack hospital in Damascus countryside,” saying:

Harasta Hospital was targeted. Casualties and damage isn’t known.

“There are also reports of fresh clashes between the two sides in some other parts of the country, including the northern city of Idlib, where the government forces confronted militants near the Taftanaz military airport.”

Insurgents attacked Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp before. On January 1, they did again. At least 10 deaths were reported. A car bomb injured many more. Foreign terrorists bear full responsibility.

“According to sources inside Yarmouk, there were also deadly clashes between members of the terrorist Free Syrian Army and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front inside the camp. Armed men affiliated to the al-Nusra Front have reportedly killed a number of Palestinian civilians there.”

Thierry Meyssan says “reality on the ground has turned around completely.” Free Syrian Army (FSA) elements are being routed.

“The truth is that on the ground the upper hand is held by the Syrian government. The military situation has been reversed.”

French reports stopped mentioning “liberated zones.” They’re steadily shrinking. Disreputable Salafists and other Islamofacists hold fewer areas.

FSA fighters have no popular support. Extremist elements are hated. Meyssan believes strategically “the war is already over.” The fullness of time will have final say.

Meanwhile fighting rages. Dozens or hundreds die daily. On December 31, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) headlined “General Command of the Army: The Armed Forces Continue Operations Against the Terrorist Groups,” saying:

Terrorist forces are being effectively confronted.

“In Aleppo, armed terrorist groups of Jabhet al-Nusra and NATO mercenaries tried to attack an air-defense battalion in Tal Hasel in al-Sfeira using rockets, mortars and machineguns.”

“Our Armed Forces confronted them and foiled the attempt, killing and wounding large numbers of terrorists and destroying their weapons.”

Aleppo International Airport areas are being cleared. Large numbers of terrorist elements were killed or wounded. Their weapons and ammunition were seized.

“In Hama, our Armed Forces completely controlled Morek town and the international highway and dismantled more than 150 explosive devices.”

Deir B’albeh neighborhood in Homs, Daraya outside Damascus, and other areas are also controlled.

On January 2, the Free Syrian Press issued similar reports. Routing terrorists from suburban Damascus was discussed.

Voice of Russia headlined “Syrian troops chasing militants near Damascus.” Terrorist strongholds were destroyed. Dozens of foreign mercenaries were killed.

Heavy clashes continue. Syrian troops repelled insurgent invaders from Jordan. Border police seized large caches of weapons.

Some were Israeli made. Israel’s been involved in arming invaders for months.

On January 1, Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) headlined “IDF and Syrian rebel officers meet clandestinely in Jordan,” saying:

Secret talks preceded “possible Israeli-US operation(s) in Syria to protect the Golan Heights.” DF cited unnamed Western intelligence reports.

They suggest “nightly clashes taking place between US, Jordanian, Israeli special forces and Syrian rebels, on the one hand, and Syrian special forces, on the other.”

They’re jockeying for control of “buffer strips.” They want “their opposite numbers (prevented) from establishing intelligence gathering posts there.”

Jordan’s military is training insurgent forces. US, UK, French, Czech, and Polish military instructors are involved.

“Extensive preparations are secretly afoot by US Special Forces, the IDF, and the Turkish and Jordanian armies.”

They’re “ready(ing) for President Bashar Assad to hand down the order to his army chiefs to launch a chemical war offensive on the military concentrations of Syrian rebels and their allies in the lands neighboring on Syria.”

Claiming it is fear-mongering propaganda. Syrian forces have no intention of using chemical or other banned weapons. Washington and Israel prioritize them.

False flag attacks may be planned. Further updates will report more.

# # # #
Stephen Lendman- BFP Contributing Author & Analyst
Stephen Lendman was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. He received a Harvard BA in 1956 and a Wharton MBA in 1960. Since 2005, Mr. Lendman has been writing on vital world and national topics, including war and peace, American imperialism, corporate dominance, political persecutions, and a range of other social, economic and political issues. He hosts The Progressive Radio News Hour on The Progressive Radio Network. Visit Mr. Lendman’s blog site here. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net

Filed Under: Articles

Turkey takes second spot in ECHR violation cases in 2012

January 3, 2013 By administrator

2 January 2013 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL ,
Turkey was the country against which the second-highest number of cases of violations of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was filed in 2012, an ntvmsnbc.com report said on Wednesday.

There are almost 18,000 cases currently ongoing against Turkey, making it the country against which the second-highest number of cases has been filed. Turkey follows Russia, which has nearly 30,000 cases filed against it. The cases filed against Russia last year constitute 22 percent of the total caseload of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), while the cases filed against Turkey last year constitute more than 13 percent of the ECtHR caseload. Russia and Turkey were followed by Italy, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Poland and the UK, respectively.

The ECtHR will announce the final figures of 2012 at the end of January.

The total number of cases filed against Turkey in 2011 was 15,950. The ECtHR announced its judgments for 174 cases against Turkey in 2011 and ruled against Turkey in 159 of them. Turkey was the country with the highest number of violations of the ECHR in 2011, the third year in a row.

The ECHR, drafted in 1950, placed Turkey under the jurisdiction of the ECtHR. In 1990 recognized the compulsory jurisdiction of the court. However, Turkey has still not ratified some of the protocols of the convention despite having signed them.

Turkey is likely to adopt a law that will establish a commission to review ongoing cases against Turkey at the ECtHR and decide whether to offer compensation to the plaintiffs in an attempt to decrease the number of cases before the court.

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin in November explained the specifics of the proposal. He said that as of December 2011, the court had fined Turkey 2,404 times, finding it guilty of having violated a number of provisions of the ECHR since 1959, the year the country acknowledged the right of individual applicants to file cases with the European court. This makes Turkey the most frequently fined country by the European court, followed by Italy and Russia, the minister said. He said 493 of the rulings against Turkey were made due to lengthy trial periods, adding that exceeding a reasonable period in the judicial process is the main reason behind the frequency of the rulings against Turkey.

Filed Under: Articles

Coordinated efforts will help to achieve de jure recognition of Karabakh – Prosperous Armenia

January 3, 2013 By administrator

January 03, 2013 | 13:36

YEREVAN. – Positive momentum was registered in the settlement of Karabakh conflict in 2012 in terms of work with international community, secretary of Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group Naira Zohrabyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

She said views on prevailing of people’s right to self-determination are becoming dominant worldwide.

“Previously, it was difficult for members of the Armenian delegation to the European agencies to justify that the right of peoples to self-determination is the prevailing norm fixed in the UN Charter, over the past year, there is a tendency that no one tries to dispute it,” she said.

Zohrabyan noted there is much to be done, given the enormous financial resources spent by Azerbaijan to distort the essence of the Karabakh issue.

“It is important to act so that the European countries change their perception of issues on the right to self-determination. Even those European Parliament members, who had received petrodollars from Azerbaijan, refrain from speaking on the issue of the right of peoples to self-determination. Armenia has no oil revenues but the truth is on our side, and we have to achieve justice through coordinated efforts for de-facto independent Karabakh to be recognized de jure,” Zohrabyan emphasized.

Filed Under: Articles

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  • Baron Kisheranotz on Pashinyan’s Betrayal Dressed as Peace
  • Baron Kisheranotz on Trusting Turks or Azerbaijanis is itself a betrayal of the Armenian nation.
  • Stepan on A Nation in Peril: Anything Armenian pashinyan Dismantling
  • Stepan on Draft Letter to Armenian Legal Scholars / Armenian Bar Association

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