15-day military service for Diaspora Armenians

September 1, 2017 By administrator

Acts of valor by the Armenian Armed Forces have always been the source of inspirational stories about heroism, especially after 2016 April War. Current challenges and obstacles combine inspiration with discontent, picturing a contradictory image of the Armed Forces. Armenian Ministry of Defense in cooperation with Arar Civilizational Research Foundation launched Marar pilot program, which allows Armenian diasporans to personally get acquainted with the Armenian Army. This program became the practical expression of the essential “Diaspora-Army” idea.

10 Armenian young men from around the world were “called up” for military service on August 21. They lived in military reality for 15 days, exercising, practicing shooting, visiting military units, combat position and bordering communities.

Executive Director of Arar George Tabakyan said that the program is aimed encouraging repatriation, as well as creating connection between young Armenian diasporans and the Armenian Army. The organizers hope that participants would probably wish to become a part of the Armed Forces, through which they discovered Armenia.

“The Armenian diaspora has mainly emotional perception of our Army. They have not yet understood what Army is about and why we attach so much importance to having one. The diaspora has always admired Armenian fedayis. Armenia needed them at some point in history, and of course, we are grateful and respect all of them. Nevertheless, it is necessary now to strengthen the Armenian Army, and professional military service is an important tool to bring our goal into reality. The work of servicemen should become attractive and demanded,” George Tabakyan said.

The program involves healthy young men (aged 20-35) without previous convictions, who did not escape military service. Soon after the completion of registration, the representatives of the program study all applications in detail. Participants take care of their transportation to Armenia and pay a fee that covers accommodation, food, uniform, insurance. The program received 15 applications this year.

32-year-old Davit Sargsyan left Armenia at the age of 8, and this was his first visit since. He says that his age and family status do not allow him to think about military service, yet he decided to see the Armenian Army with his own eyes rather than just listen to what people tell about it.

“First and foremost I wanted to visit Armenia. Secondly, I wished to get acquainted with the Armenian Armed Forces, live like a serviceman and see historical monuments, involved in the program.”

The organizers have not yet summed up Marar, but they already speak about successes. Participants understood what army is about and how it works. One of them even expressed the desire to get Armenian citizenship.

George Tabakyan said that diaspora has been highly interested in the Armenian Armed Forces after the April War in 2016. They have organized a number of fundraising campaigns, aimed at supporting the Army and families of the deceased. Many people in Armenia and diaspora asked themselves questions about their role and responsibilities if the situation repeats. The initiators of Marar hope that participation in this program will encourage young Armenians diasporans to fill the ranks of the Armenian servicemen.

“Around 800-1000 families repatriate to Armenia every year. They start businesses, create jobs and make investments. We are hopeful that there are also many Armenian diasporans ready to work in the Armed Forces. It is not about money, it is about the necessity of developing this profession in our country. Armenian Minister of Defense Vigen Sargsyan also noted that the Armed Forces are open to diaspora. We should make sure that if diasporans want to serve in the army, they can easily do it,” Executive Director of Arar said.

The initiative inspired both participants and servicemen. Major Vazgen Kocharyan thinks about welcoming a new group, while he has not yet said goodbye to this one. He remarked that the program was equally efficient for participants and soldiers.

“I and my fellow servicemen inspire our friends and relatives a lot when we tell them about professionals from various areas coming to Armenia from around the world to spend 15 days in the Armenian Army.

Participants can also tell their stories to everyone, describe what servicemen wear or eat, what kind of knowledge they get, so that their fellows also wish to serve in the Army.”

On September 3, the organizers will sum up the first stage of Marar and announce the start of the next one. The intervals between the stages will be determined depending on the number of applicants.

Military units are not yet ready to accept girls, but organizers plan their “call-up” in the future. Probably one of the groups will involve exclusively girls.

Lusine Gharibyan
Photos: Arar Foundation

Source: http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/special-report/24862/

Russia, Iraq call for closer economic, military cooperation

July 26, 2017 By administrator

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki have held a meeting, during which they underlined the need for the reinforcement of bilateral “economic” and “military-technical” relations.

The meeting took place in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

Putin said that Russia and Iraq have set up “an intergovernmental commission” that is currently working “at full capacity.”

He added, however, that “a lot has yet to be done in terms of economic cooperation…, specifically military-technical cooperation. Russia is proactive in this area, and Iraq benefits from its assistance.”

Paying his third visit to Russia, Maliki said, “With every visit, we take yet another step toward the common goal of further improving our relations.”

Moscow and Baghdad have contacts in the energy, economic and the military-technical fields and are engaged in the implementation of a number of bilateral cooperation agreements, he noted.

Maliki also emphasized that Russia and Iraq “have very good potential for [further] cooperation, and our strategic choice is based on an understanding of the importance of the role of Russia in the region and Iraq.”

The Iraqi vice president further hailed Russia’s active role in the fight against terrorists operating in the region.

“Russia has made a tremendous contribution, in particular in Syria and Iraq, to prevent the disintegration of the region,” he said, warning that without Moscow, “the map of the region would have changed for the worse for us.”

Russia took an “honorable stance” when it agreed to the speedy delivery of weapons to Iraq after the rise of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group in the Arab country, Maliki pointed out.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Shugaev, head of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said that Putin and Maliki had “touched upon” the supply of Russian T-90 battle tanks to Baghdad during Tuesday’s meeting.

According to Russian media reports, the deal could exceed $1 billion.

On Monday, Maliki sat down with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, Valentina.

During the meetings, the Iraqi official urged “substantial” Russian military and political presence in the terror-ravaged country, stressing that this would bring “balance” to the entire region.

Daesh unleashed its campaign of death and destruction in Iraq in 2014, seizing the northern city of Mosul and declaring it as its stronghold in the Middle Eastern country.

Iraqi army soldiers and allied volunteer fighters have been leading a major operation to rid the country of Takfiri elements. The Iraqi forces fully liberated Mosul earlier this month.

Turkey flexing military muscle in Qatar while U.S. Russia squabble

July 25, 2017 By administrator

Turkey flexing military power By Metin Gurcan

One of the key agenda items during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s July 23-24 visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar is Turkey’s continued military presence in Qatar. A Saudi-led coalition of Arab countries that cut ties with Qatar in early June is demanding, among a dozen other things, that Turkey close its base there.

Doha and Ankara firmly rejected the demand as “infringement of sovereign rights.” Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in his July 21 address to the nation, praised Turkey’s stand in the Gulf crisis, saying, “We express our gratitude to Turkey for rapidly implementing our cooperation agreement and meeting our basic needs.”

Qatar is suffering under sanctions by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt, which have restricted Qatar by air, land and sea, charging that the country supports terrorists, which Qatar denies.

In my June 12 Al-Monitor article, “Turkish military will protect Qatari regime if necessary,” I emphasized that for Erdogan, the survival of the Qatari regime and the personal fate of Al Thani — who had given Erdogan the strongest support against a failed military uprising a year ago — are vital matters. This is one reason why Ankara is determined to expand its military-strategic partnership with Qatar.

The number of Turkish soldiers at what is called the “joint tactical division headquarters” in Doha has reached 300. There is a company from the 2nd Commando Brigade, one mechanized infantry company from the 5th Corps and two 155 mm howitzers. It is now a battalion-level task force.

According to security sources speaking to Al-Monitor in Ankara, the Turkish presence in Qatar is expected in 2018 to become a brigade-level task force of about 3,000 strong. The Turkish base will have its own naval port and a runway initially for its drones and then for military flights. It is likely that by the end of 2018, there will be Turkish naval elements patrolling the Gulf and Turkish drones and airborne early warning and control system planes flying reconnaissance over Qatari airspace and the Gulf.

According to military analyst Can Kasapoglu, the deployment of 3,000 Turkish troops will equal nearly one-third of the entire active Qatari military. Thus, within the confines of bilateral agreements between Ankara and Doha, the base could play a major role in Qatar’s defense planning, as well as in the emir’s regional affairs agenda.

“Forward deployments in Qatar are likely to bring more competition and strain to the Turkish-UAE relations. Nevertheless, as long as Ankara can compartmentalize its relations with the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council], first and foremost with Saudi Arabia, a political dispute with the UAE would be manageable,” Kasapoglu said in a July analysis for the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies.

According to the analysis, currently, Turkey has a military presence in:

Somalia, for partner capacity-building, foreign internal defense missions and humanitarian assistance. Turkey is building a base there that, when completed, will be its biggest base abroad.
Qatar, for assisting with security, building alliances and power projection.
Northern Iraq, for counterterror operations, special reconnaissance, and training and equipping missions.
Northern Syria’s Jarablus/al-Bab/al-Rai triangle, for counterterror, special reconnaissance, and training and equipping missions.
Kabul, Afghanistan, for a peacekeeping mission.
Northern Cyprus, with a corps-size military force for collective defense, international obligations and power projection.
Azerbaijan, with military bases for alliance-building and foreign internal defense missions.
Lebanon, where a naval element serves the UN Interim Force.

It’s no secret that Turkey has been discussing potential military bases in Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Sources in Ankara have acknowledged that discussions with Saudi Arabia about setting up a base there in the Shiite-populated south and another as a naval sea port have been interrupted because of the Qatar crisis. Many wonder if these two projects in Saudi Arabia will come up during Erdogan’s visit there.

Within three years, Turkey plans to complete the Turkish Coast Guard Anadolu amphibious assault ship and light aircraft carrier. The ship is slated to carry up to 10 F-35B jets that the Turkish navy is planning to deploy in 2021, and new additions to the Turkish Armed Forces’ inventory of CH-47 multipurpose and T-29 ATAK assault helicopters — along with a fully equipped marine battalion to secure beachheads. The project will be a major force multiplier for Turkey in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Many people have also noted Erdogan’s statement that Turkey is among 10 countries that can build warships, and that it is now determined to build its own aircraft carrier.

With all these foreign policy moves and plans, Turkey has been gradually militarizing its foreign policy from soft power to hard power.

Between 2006 and 2011, with a foreign policy shaped by then-Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his team, Turkey acknowledged that its value in world politics was predicated on its geo-strategic location, historical depth and soft power.

In 2016, after Davutoglu gave up his premiership, and security risks grew primarily in Iraq and Syria, a new foreign policy gained prominence: respond effectively, proactively and assertively to security risks and challenges through hard power.

Fuat Keyman, the director of the Istanbul Policy Center think tank and a professor of international relations at Sabanci University, defined this new paradigm as “moral realism.”

Moral realism “combines hard power-based military assertiveness and humanitarian norms, in addition to new capacity- and strategy-based parameters,” he said.

Turkey’s military is pleased to project regional hard power as a replacement to civilian diplomacy and alliance building. Among the military branches, the naval command has overtaken the army and air force in roles and missions in this new paradigm. That may explain the increasing visibility, especially of naval officers, when Turkish officials visit foreign decision-makers.

A more “muscular” foreign policy also has the domestic benefits of repairing the civilian-military relations that were seriously damaged with the July 15 coup attempt and encouraging the two sectors to work together. Other segments that are benefiting considerably are the defense industry and military technology.

The somber, rocky relations between the military and civilian sectors in Ankara — over the military education system, promotions and appointments, and power relations between the Turkish General Staff and the Ministry of Defense and among the service commands — have spilled over to shaping and implementing foreign policy, the defense industry and military technologies. Smoothing the relations between two prime sectors of the country by resorting to hard policy in foreign relations is welcome news to a polarized public.

Metin Gurcan

Metin Gurcan is a columnist for Al-Monitor’s Turkey Pulse. He served in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Iraq as a Turkish military adviser from 2002-2008. Resigned from the military, he is now an Istanbul-based independent security analyst. Gurcan

Germany Starts Military Withdrawal From Turkish Incirlik Airbase

July 9, 2017 By administrator

Germany started on Sunday the withdrawal of its forces from the Turkish Incirlik airbase, what was approved by Bundestag in June following Berlin’s row with Ankara, German media reported.

BERLIN (Sputnik) – First of all, Berlin will pull out tanker aircraft and reconnaissance Tornado jets, Der Spiegel magazine reported, citing its sources.

The Tornado jets will reportedly be withdrawn from Turkey to Germany until the end of July. After that, in a month and a half, the aircraft will be moved to a base in Jordan.

The conflict between Berlin and Ankara dates back to May, when Turkey blocked a group of German lawmakers from visiting servicemen stationed at Incirlik, which has been used by Berlin to carry out reconnaissance flights as part of the international operation against against the Daesh (outlawed in Russia) terrorist organization. Mustafa Yeneroglu, a Turkish lawmaker representing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), told Sputnik that the decision to ban German lawmakers from entering the base was made due to the threat posed by politicians who supported the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey.

To resolve the dispute between the two states, the German government backed the relocation of German troops from the Incirlk base. According to German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, the German military airplanes and equipment will be moved to airfield Azraq in northern Jordan.

Armenia planning to expand military product range built inside the country

June 15, 2017 By administrator

Armenia intends to expand the military product range manufactured inside the country and provide the armed forces with modern weapons and military equipment.

The government on Thursday, June 15 approved the project launched after president Serzh Sargsyan’s instructions of January 31.

Defense minister Vigen Sargsyan presented the program to the cabinet members.

According to the project, the move will help perform systemic reforms and improve relations between legal entities and individual entrepreneurs and Armenia’s executive bodies.

Armenia and Cyprus sign Agreement on Bilateral Military Cooperation Programme

May 29, 2017 By administrator

Cyprus Armenia Armenia and Cyprus on Monday signed agreements on Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information, as well as on Bilateral Military Cooperation Programme.

The agreements were signed during the visit of Armenian FM Vigen Sargsyan to Cyprus, in-cyprus.com reports.

The talks between the Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan and his Cypriot counterpart Christoforos Fokaides were followed by a meeting in an extended format.

Sargsyan will also be received by President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades. Apart from this, he will hold meetings with House President Demetris Syllouris, Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Kasoulides, and Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus Chrysostomos II.

Turkey seeks more active political role in South Caucasus – Armenian historian

May 23, 2017 By administrator

With its plans to hold joint military drills in the South Caucasus, Turkey is trying to be politically more active in the region, an Armenian historian and orientalist said today, commenting on the recent developments.
“Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia are conducting joint military exercises in June and September. The trilateral format raises concern as the three countries’ cooperation has extended beyond the economic domain, developing into a political and even military cooperation,” Ruben Safrastyan, the director of National Academy’s Institute of Oriental Studies, told reporters in Yerevan.

Meantime warned of imminent hazards to Armenia, highlighting possible attempts to isolate the country. In his words, the cooperation will change also the regional balance, increasing Azerbaijan and Georgia’s advantages under Turkey’s support.
Safrastyan attributed Turkey’s active policies to the country’s deteriorated relations with the US.
“At meetings with the United States, Turkey raises such issues as the problem of Kurds or the extradition of [Fetullah] Gulen. Yet, we know that the most recent meeting between [Presidents Recept Tayyip] Erdogan and [Donald] Trump bore largely a formal character as it lasted only 20 minutes. Also, the US armed forces have been recently active on the Turkish-Syrian border, which is yet another blow to Turkey. The Turkey-US relations deteriorated further after the delegation led by Erdogan beat peaceful protestors [in Washington],” he noted.
Safrastyan said he thinks that Turkey is now trying to raise its value for the US, considering the country an important partner.
Addressing the recent developments surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, he praised the OSCE Minsk Group’s recent statement as an attempt to “more objectively evaluate the situation”. “That’s a new trend, a new phenomenon so to speak. I think our diplomacy must do everything possible to maintain and deepen it further,” he added.

Armenian Assembly renews calls for investigation into Turkey’s influence in US

May 19, 2017 By administrator

Michael Flynn's opposition in concert with Turkey against a U.S. military operation WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the latest revelations regarding Lieutenant General Michael Flynn’s opposition in concert with Turkey against a U.S. military operation that had been planned for months, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) renewed its call for a thorough investigation of Turkey’s surreptitious influence over U.S. officials to the detriment of U.S. national security.

Today, the Assembly sent letters to the Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC), Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), House Intelligence Chairman David Nunes (R-CA), and Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) highlighting key concerns on this matter.

“Time and time again, we have seen Turkey’s corrosive attempts to influence U.S. policy. Given the aforementioned issues, we respectfully renew our request for a thorough investigation of Turkish activities that compromise America’s national security and democratic institutions,” Assembly Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian said.

Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. stated: “It is even more troublesome that [Flynn] failed to disclose his actions and that he may have compromised our efforts to defeat ISIS in order to please his former client. With Mr. Flynn’s willingness to conceal relationships with foreign powers, we must investigate if there are other interactions that have yet to be revealed.”

According to a report in McClatchy Washington Bureau, “Flynn’s rejection of a military operation that had been months in the making raises questions about what other key decisions he might have influenced…”

This new revelation follows Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn’s November 8th op-ed in The Hill wherein Flynn argued that “we need to see the world from Turkey’s perspective.” Flynn was paid over $500,000 for his work on behalf of Turkey according to his recent FARA filing, which he failed to disclose until he was caught.

News about Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn comes just after a brutal attack by Turkish bodyguards against those peacefully protesting in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence.

CSTO confirms representative of Armenia to take up the post of the military bloc Secretary General

January 27, 2017 By administrator

Permanent Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has adopted on January 24 the draft decision on “Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization” and has submitted it for the ratification of the CSTO member states.

As the Armenian-Russian Information Agency reports, Press Secretary at CSTO Vladimir Zaynetdinov has informed an agreement had been reached on appointing a representative of Armenia to the post.

“The adopted decision by the Permanent Council names the country whose representative is set to assume the post for a three-year term. That is Armenia,” Zaynetdinov said, as quoted by the agency.

The press secretary at the military bloc has next detailed the decision of the Permanent Council will be discussed in April 2017 at the CSTO summit.

“If the decision is approved, the new Secretary General will be appointed,” Zaynetdinov noted, referring the reporter to the Armenian side to name the possible candidate.

Greece: Prosecution against extradition of two Turkish military

January 15, 2017 By administrator

The prosecutor of the Greek Court of Cassation ruled against the extradition of two Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece in the aftermath of the putsch failed in Turkey on 15 July.

“I do not allow Greek judges to extradite them,” said Haralambos Vourliotis, quoted by a judicial source. He justified his position by not being entitled to a fair and just trial in their country.

In the aftermath of the abortive coup in Turkey, eight Turkish troops had fled their country and arrived in Alexandroupolis (northern Greece) aboard the same helicopter.

In the first instance, an Athens court had accepted the extradition of six of these soldiers, who then appealed. The court, however, had opposed the extradition of the last two, believing that their lives would be in danger in Turkey. But after an appeal by the public prosecutor’s office, these two soldiers will also be tried by the Court of Cassation.

On Tuesday, the case of two first soldiers had been examined by the court, and the prosecution had already ruled that they should not be returned to Turkey because they would not have a fair and fair trial. The case of the last four Turkish troops must be examined on Friday. According to judicial sources, a judgment could be issued on 23 January, but the final decision will be taken by the Greek Minister of Justice.

The eight soldiers, who deny having participated in the putsch, say they fear for their lives. Many soldiers fled to European countries after the failed coup in Turkey. The affair embarrasses Greece, which keeps delicate relations with its neighbor.