North Korea cancels talks with South, threatens to pull out of U.S. summit: Report

May 15, 2018 By administrator

By Guy Taylor – The Washington Times

North Korea has suddenly canceled high-level talks with South Korea that were planned for Wednesday and threatened to pull out of the upcoming summit with President Trump amid frustration in Pyongyang over ongoing joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, according to report in Seoul.

South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that the North’s main state-controlled media outlet, the KCNA, announced that the annual “Max Thunder” joint drills underway between the South Korean and U.S. air forces are a rehearsal for an invasion of the North and a provocation.

Yonhap issued a separate news bulletin that the North had also threatened to “cancel the U.S. summit,” an apparent reference to the June 12 meeting slated to occur between Mr. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore, because of the ongoing drills.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said of the report, “The United States will look at what North Korea has said independently, and continue to coordinate closely with our allies.” She did not elaborate.

President Trump didn’t respond to reporters’ shouted questions about the fate of the North Korea summit as he left the White House late Tuesday afternoon.

State Department officials responded cautiously, with department spokeswoman Heather Nauert telling reporters

Turkey: Cyprus talks last chance, no troop pullout

June 30, 2017 By administrator

Turkey’s foreign minister on Thursday scolded Greece and Greek Cypriots to “wake up from their dream” that Ankara will withdraw all of its troops from Cyprus and give up military rights there as part of any deal to reunify the ethnically-divided island.

Turkish troops and security “guarantees” are at the core of United Nations-sponsored negotiations between Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci now underway in Switzerland.

The top diplomats from the island’s ‘guarantors’ — Turkey, Greece and Britain — are also participating in the talks, which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned Thursday were the last chance for Cyprus’ reunification.

“This is the final conference. We cannot be negotiating these issues in this way forever,” Cavusoglu told reporters at his hotel in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.

At the same time, he strongly rejected one of the top terms sought by Anastasiades and Greece: complete removal of the more than 35,000 troops Turkey keeps in the island’s breakaway northern third.”

“That is their dream. They should wake up from this dream and they should abandon this dream,” said Cavusoglu, adding that Greek and Greek Cypriot negotiators should come up with “more reasonable proposals.”

Anastasiades said the second day of meetings on Thursday had made no real progress and that the talks were procedurally log-jammed.

But he said that Cavusoglu indicated he would soften his proposals on security to make them more palatable to Greek Cypriots if there was progress on other key issues that remain to be sorted out in parallel negotiations.

A key issue on which Turkish Cypriots are insisting is a rotating presidency that would have them sharing power with Greek Cypriots — an arrangement they consider to be the truest test of their acceptance as equal partners in a federal Cyprus.

Officials are hoping the presence of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres at the negotiations on Friday will help break the logjam and bring the sides closer to agreement.

Turkey has kept its soldiers deployed to the Turkish Cypriot’s north since 1974, when it invaded after a coup led by supporters of union with Greece. Ankara invoked military intervention rights accorded to the ‘guarantors’ under Cyprus’ 1960 constitution to initiate the military action.

Anastasiades has renewed a proposal for an international police force backed up by the UN Security Council to keep the peace. He says outside military forces have no place on Cyprus, arguing that European Union statutes guarantee ample security measures.

Cyprus is an EU member, but only the Greek Cypriot southern part that is the seat of the island’s internationally recognized government enjoys full benefits.

(Source: AP)

Cyprus peace talks break up over Enosis controversy “1950 referendum on Enosis”

February 16, 2017 By administrator

A round of UN-brokered peace talks between the rival leaders on divided Cyprus broke up in acrimony on Thursday, February 16 over a 1950 referendum, the Turkish Cypriot leader said, according to AFP.

Tensions have soared over the approval by the Greek Cypriot parliament in the south of the divided island for schools to mark the 1950 referendum on Enosis, or union with Greece.

Mustafa Akinci said that when the issue came up of cancelling the decision to mark the 1950 referendum, his Greek Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades said there “was nothing else to say, slammed the door and left.”

“At that point there was nothing more to do as this meeting needs to be conducted in an atmosphere of respect so we also left the meeting,” he told reporters.

But Anastasiades expressed confusion over the situation.

Akinci’s “withdrawal was unwarranted and without cause or reason”, he said on television, adding that UN envoy Espen Barth Eide, chairing the meeting, was also “unaware of what happened”.

The 1950 referendum — before Cyprus won independence from colonial ruler Britain — overwhelmingly approved Enosis but had no legal value.

The schools legislation, sponsored by the far-right ELAM party, essentially calls for secondary school pupils to mark the referendum anniversary by learning about the event and reading leaflets dedicated to understanding the Enosis cause.

In a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday, Akinci warned that the move would cause “great damage” to the peace process.

The two sides had in recent weeks been engaged in fragile peace talks that observers have seen as the best chance in years to reunify the island.

In January, the UN hosted talks in Geneva bringing both sides together for the first time with the three “guarantor powers” of Britain, Greece and Turkey.

Much of the progress until now has been based on the strong personal rapport between Anastasiades and Akinci, leader of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus who was born in Limassol which is now in the south.

“The Greek (Cypriot) leader has acted from time to time hotheadedly,” said Akinci.

“In the past we tolerated it until the last drop. It was not possible to tolerate this now,” he added. “This is a way to behave in a meeting.”

The UN envoy was due to make a statement later in the day.

The eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded the northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking Enosis.

FATİH ÇEKİRGE, Reopening talks with Armenia “Turks your friend today your enemy tomorrow”

July 26, 2016 By administrator

fatih-cekirge I was able to learn later that Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had tested the waters for a very important “peace attack” during his last trip to Azerbaijan. It was about restarting talks with Armenia, some kind of moderation with Armenia and maybe opening the borders, as well as ending the crisis between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

This is a very meaningful initiative after the normalization of ties with Russia. In other words, it is exactly as it was said: “Increasing our friends…”

As a curious coincidence, I had such a conversation with Çavuşoğlu on the evening he flew from Baku to the Black Sea city of Samsun on July 15. I said to him, “The crisis with Russia is being solved… friends are increasing.” He replied, “Yes, look how many other good things are about to happen. Believe me, there will be much good news for peace.”

Upon my insistent questions, the minister said, “You should wait and see.”

These words of Çavuşoğlu’s were in my mind, but with the heinous coup attempt these words flew out of my mind.

In Samsun’s city square I stayed up for the “democracy guard” with Çavuşoğlu and Youth and Sports Minister Kılıç until the early hours of the morning.

Later, as the dust was settling, I again remembered the minister’s words and did some research.

After solving the Russian crisis, following this convergence, Turkey was preparing for a very important “peace initiative.”

In other words, I learned from my diplomat friends that Çavuşoğlu had conducted the initial talks of this peace initiative on July 14 and July 15 in Baku. He was testing the waters in Baku for a renewed and comprehensive peace search with Armenia. Also, there is a positive trend. The platform is ready for more advanced phases. That was the happy mood he was in when he arrived in Samsun…”

This was the meaning of the words Çavuşoğlu uttered in Samsun when he said, “Much more beautiful things will happen.”

Look at the turn of events…

While the government was starting a peace initiative, while it was engaged in trying to create a peace calendar with Armenia through talks with Azerbaijan after Russia, the traitors launched a war against democracy domestically.

Imagine a foreign minister who launches a quiet contact for a historic peace initiative for his country and comes home with huge excitement, breathing a sigh of relief for peace, and encounters such cowardice.
It is hard to believe. It is a note in history, a shameful one… And if we are to look ahead instead of looking back, while justice conducts its work, the state will indeed continue with this “peace.”

Which side was Gen. Öztürk on?

There are several statements and stories being told about Gen. Akın Öztürk and which side he took. The facts are that the air chief marshal was at Akıncılar Base and that base was the center of the coup plotters.

The persuasion matter, I did not quite understand. It is not clear who was persuading who. So I am saying we should all wait carefully and patiently.

As a matter of fact, a deep-seated betrayal has been disclosed. Let us see how far these roots go…

July/26/2016

Talks on Nagorno-Karabakh more than ever closer to success – Lavrov

July 12, 2016 By administrator

The sides in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement has moved more than ever closer to success t but it is too early to disclose the details, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday after talks with his Azerbajani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.

“We have grounds to think that we are now moving much closer to success than ever before,” Lavrov said.

However, the foreign minister said he will not disclose the details of agreements reached between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia at their meeting in St. Petersburg on June 20. “For obvious reasons, we are not publicly disclosing details of those ideas that were discussed at the meeting. The leaders of the three countries agreed after the meeting on June 20 that they will carefully treat those sprouts of hope that are appearing. Not because we are hiding something, it is just an ethical norm at negotiations,” he added.
Talking about progress in talks on Nagorno-Karabakh, Lavrov especially noted his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that took place on July 11. “The conversation was rather useful, and this will help us to move forward toward realization of the understanding reached by the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia at the meeting in St Petersburg on June 20,” the foreign minister concluded.
On April 2, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh rapidly deteriorated when the parties to the Karabakh conflict accused each other of violating truce along the front line. The claims came from defense authorities of Armenia and of Azerbaijan.
On April 5 Azerbaijan’s Chief of Staff Col. Gen. Nadjmeddin Sadykov and his Armenian counterpart Col. Gen. Yury Khachaturov in Moscow with Russia’s mediation. At the talks the sides reached an agreement on cessation of hostilities at the contact line between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces. On the same day, the defense ministries of the two countries announced that the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh would start at 12am local time.
Though the ceasefire mostly holds, both sides continue to report occasional violations of ceasefire on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh.
On May 16 the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Vienna. Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev agreed to “make steps to monitor observance of agreements on ceasefire and introduce a mechanism on investigating incidents.” They also agreed to “possible resume the negotiations process on settling the conflict,” the press service of the Armenian president said.
In the trilateral declaration adopted on June 20 after the meeting between the presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in St. Petersburg, the sides confirmed adherence to normalizing the situation on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey: No More Talks With The PKK?

May 30, 2016 By administrator

Supporters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) gather during a rally in Diyarbakir in March.

By Abbas Djavadi

May 30, 2016

(rferl) There are indications that the appointment of the new Turkish prime minister, Binali Yildirim, will open a “new phase” in Ankara’s approach toward the “Kurdish issue.”

In this new phase, the government is said to solve the Kurdish issue without the cooperation of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and its “political arm,” the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which is represented in the Turkish parliament. This will reportedly mean using more force against militants, adopting a tougher approach toward the HDP, and more openness toward nonviolent Kurdish groups and civilians. But it is not clear at all how the government wants to carry out such a plan in the absence of credible alternatives on the Kurdish side to talk to.

An ethnic Kurdish parliamentarian, Orhan Miroglu, himself a member of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), recently told a Turkish TV channel that in this “new era” there will be no talks whatsoever with the PKK or the HDP, unlike the last two years. The “dialogue will now be with all the layers of the people and the Kurdish population,” he said.

“It is not only PKK terror that we are fighting against,” Miroglu said. The PKK has become “an organization of the Iranians, of Syrians, Europeans, Americans, and of the Assad regime and [they plot to] dismember Turkey.”

Confidential talks between the Turkish government and PKK officials broke down last summer. Unconfirmed reports from the government side indicated that the Kurdish side was raising demands that included a separate region with a separate flag and security force that, in the Turkish view, came close to de facto independence. The collapse of talks ended a cease-fire agreement between the two parties and the PKK resumed its terror attacks, with the Turkish military and security forces fiercely hitting back.

Kurdish militants increased their bombings of public and civilian targets in urban centers. According to an International Crisis Group survey, 350 Turkish police and security forces and 250 civilians have been killed in hostilities related to Kurdish militantcy since July 2015. The HDP, though publicly expressing regret about “all kinds of violence,” has demonstrated a reluctance to clearly condemn terrorist attacks, maintaining its rhetoric that such attacks are a “reaction” to the “just and suppressed” demands of the Kurdish population.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself has been clear in his recent messages, stressing that there will be no more talks with those who still use weapons against civilians and Turkish military and security forces. The Turkish parliament has already approved depriving parliamentarians of their immunity if they are suspected of being involved in terrorism or other criminal offenses. There are reportedly dozens of deputies from all political parties with pending allegations against them who could now face criminal charges.

In Ankara’s Kurdish political circles, there is no doubt that this bill primarily targets members of the HDP’s parliamentary faction. That could seriously weaken parliament’s third-biggest party or even cause its closure. Yes, it seems Ankara is formulating a “new policy” toward its armed conflict with the PKK. In the next few months, we may observe a further surge in the current armed campaign against the insurgents in order to “eliminate” a large portion of the militia organization.

The question that remains to be asked and which has found no clear answer yet is with whom the ruling AKP government would then negotiate, if not with the PKK or the HDP? It is expected that ethnic Kurdish members and officials inside the AKP, such as Miroglu, will increase their activities in an effort to gain more support for the government’s efforts. In fact, the HDP and AKP are the two main political forces in southeastern Anatolia, where large numbers of Turkey’s large Kurdish minority live. But they have always acted as “supra ethnic” and as rather national Turkish entities and not “ethnic members” of society.

The HDP and the PKK represent leftist and Kurdish nationalist thinking, while Kurdish members of AKP (or other national parties) do not limit themselves to only one issue. The PKK and its political arms (the HDP and previous parties that were disbanded) have survived 32 years of political struggle and an armed rebellion that has seen more than 35,000 people killed, around 350,000 citizens displaced, and which has caused large-scale destruction, as well as distrust and division in the population.

The PKK is labeled as a “terrorist” organization in Turkey as well as in the United States and by many nations in Europe. And, yes, it is a matter of principle not to talk to terrorists. It is comfortable and even right to say so, while taking revenge would find a lot of support in some segments of society. But the PKK and the HDP seem to be the only organizations currently speaking out about Kurdish ethnic interests in Turkey. And they have not disappeared after 32 years of often bloody confrontation.

Who is the Turkish government going to talk to if both the PKK and HDP fall out? This is an extremely difficult question to answer, especially now that calls for an independent Kurdish state are being heard more often and louder. Recently, Masud Barzani, head of the semi-independent Kurdish administration in northern Iraq, said that the “time is ripe” now for the world’s 40 to 50 million Kurds, noting that the Kurds are basically divided among four countries (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran) and that “each part has its own situation and each should find a solution with its central government.”

In Turkey, can a nonpartisan embracing of the Kurds in the southeastern regions of the country and further investments there to make people’s lives easier be enough to turn around the current state of de facto civil war?

Is the ethnic Kurdish basis of the AKP and other parties strong enough to rise to a majority voice in this community of 15 to 20 million people?

The AKP and other political parties do not seem to have any clear answer to these basic questions, which should justly be asked about any “new phase.” The “new phase” in tackling Turkey’s “Kurdish issue” seems to be a big gamble — for all sides involved.

Putin visits Greece for energy, investment talks

May 27, 2016 By administrator

Putin in greece Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first trip to a European Union country this year Friday with a visit to Greece that will include a stop at a secluded Christian Orthodox monastic sanctuary in the country’s north.

Under heavy security, Putin arrived for a two-day visit expected to focus on energy cooperation and Russian investments during talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Athens is keen to maintain its traditionally close ties with post-Soviet Russia, despite its participation in European Union sanctions against Moscow, and a gas pipeline project designed to limit Russia’s regional energy dominance.

Putin was met at Athens Airport by Defense Minister Panos Kammenos as air force F-16s buzzed overhead as part of a welcoming ceremony.

Russia is one of Greece’s main trading partners, but business has been hit by the sanctions and drop in commodity prices.

Greece is also keen to reverse a slump in tourist arrivals from Russia last year.

“This will be the first time Putin has visited an EU country in the past six months and Russia-EU relations will be definitely on the agenda,” said Alexander Kokcharov of the U.S.-based IHS Country Risk group.

“Putin is likely to offer investment projects in Greece, most likely in energy and transport sectors. However, we do not expect that Greece would go against the EU consensus.”

Some 2,500 police will provide security for Putin’s visit in Athens, and much of the city center will be blocked to motorists and public transport.

On Saturday, Putin will visit the Monastery of St. Panteleimon, which is inhabited by Russian monks. It’s set in the 1,000-year-old Mount Athos autonomous monastic community, from which women are banned.

He will be accompanied by the head of Russias Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who arrived in northern Greece on Friday.

[AP]

Kurdish Exclusion From Peace Talks the Result of Turkey ‘Blackmailing’ West

January 28, 2016 By administrator

Despite being one of the most effective ground forces in the region, the Kurdish PYD has been barred from participating in Syrian peace. Elif Sarican of the Kurdish Student Union, tells Radio Sputnik’s Loud & Clear why the PYD has been left on the sidelines.

“They have been heroic, and they have been, I would say, the sole reason why, in Kobane, ISIS was defeated,” Sarican tells Loud & Clear. “It’s been shocking for all of us that they’re not being included in these Syrian peace talks in Geneva.”

Those talks begin Friday, seeking an end to Syria’s bloody conflict. According to Sarican, Western nations have refused to allow the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) to join the talks for fear of upsetting Turkey, especially considering Ankara’s role in slowing the flow of refugees in mainland Europe.

“Turkey has been very smart about blackmailing the EU about this situation. So, ‘You either give us what we want, or we send the refugees your way,'” she says.

“Turkey does not want Kurds to gain any power or strength in the region because this challenges their authority.”

Ankara is also a crucial ally of the United States.

“Their geopolitical position in the region is key for the US at the moment, and I think has been for some time now,” Sarican says. “[The US] cannot lose Turkey as an ally, so therefore, they cannot upset Turkey.”

A stronger Kurdish presence could also help provide stability in the region – something the US has an interest in preventing.

“It wouldn’t benefit the US for the PYD to gain any more strength or power in the region, and to implement their ideologies, which is democratic federalism, which is the inclusion of everyone in the region, which is…the only solution to the Middle East,” she says.

“But this will mean stability in the Middle East, which, of course, as we know, will never benefit the US because it feeds off…this instability.”

Sarican also points out that Washington’s intervention in Syria is more about a desperate attempt to hold onto its status as the sole world superpower.

“Especially after Russia got involved, and they were, of course, as everyone saw, a lot more effective than the US had been over the last few years,” she says.

“The solution isn’t for humanitarian reasons or because they [the US] want people to live peacefully…they want to be the people behind some sort of action in the world,” Sarican adds. “They want to be seen as the saviors of the world.”

While the PYD is one of the most effective fighting forces, it could also be the best hope of diplomacy.

“The real idea of democracy is what the PYD would want to implement and what their direction would be in Syria.”

Given the long history of Turkey’s mistreatment of Kurdish communities, the PYD is simply fighting for a chance to live free of repression.

“They want human rights, to start with, but then they want to be able to govern themselves. They want to be able to say they’re Kurdish, they want to be able to be educated in Kurdish, and they want to be able to live the way they want to live.”

Source: sputniknews.com

US accuses Israel of spying on nuclear talks with Iran

March 24, 2015 By administrator

Israel denies Wall Street Journal reports that it shared confidential information from talks with members of the US Congress in attempt to derail any deal

The US has accused Israel of spying on international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and using the intelligence gathered to persuade Congress to undermine the talks, according to a report on Tuesday.

The Wall Street Journal cited senior administration officials as saying the Israeli espionage operation began soon after the US opened up a secret channel of communications with Tehran in 2012, aimed at resolving the decade-long standoff over Iran’s nuclear aspirations.

The apparent decision by the White House to leak the allegations is the latest symptom of the growing gulf between Barack Obama’s administration and Binyamin Netanyahu’s government over the Iran talks, in which the Israeli leader suspects US officials of being ready to make too many concessions at the expense of Israeli security. Intelligence analysts suggested that the leak reflects the degree of anger in Washington at Netanyahu’s actions, and could mark a more serious blow to the already tottering relationship.

The leak has come exactly a week before a deadline for the US-Iranian negotiations in Lausanne to produce a framework agreement.

According to the report, the US has long been aware that Israel is among the shortlist of countries with the most aggressive intelligence operations targeting America, alongside Russia, China and France. It said American diplomats attending the talks in Austria and Switzerland were briefed by US counterintelligence officials about the threat of Israeli eavesdropping. It also raised the possibility that Israel gathered intelligence about the US position by spying on other participants in the negotiations, from western Europe, Russia, China or Iran. US intelligence had previously provided help to the Israelis to spy on the Iranians, the report said.

The US also conducts intelligence operations against Israel, and learned of the Israeli spying operation when it intercepted communication between Israeli officials exchanging classified information that US intelligence believed could only have been acquired by espionage.

“It is one thing for the US and Israel to spy on each other. It is another thing for Israel to steal US secrets and play them back to US legislators to undermine US diplomacy,” the Wall Street Journal quoted a senior US official as saying.

Israel has categorically denied the allegations that it spied on closed-door nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US, however it did not deny that such information had been obtained.

“I think the report is wrong, it is inaccurate,” the outgoing Israeli foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, told the country’s Army Radio on Tuesday morning. “The State of Israel obviously has various security interests and we have excellent intelligence services, but we are not engaged in espionage against the United States.” He did not, however, deny information was obtained. Lieberman said: “All the information we gathered was from another entity, not the US.” He added: “We reached a decision a long time ago not to spy on the US and I haven’t come across anyone who has violated that instruction in several decades.”

Ronen Bergman, an expert on the country’s intelligence agencies at the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, said: “Whatever you think of Netanyahu’s position on the Iran talks, if he thinks that Israel’s national security is at stake, he has the right to order the intelligence community to find out what is happening.”

But Bergman – whose book, A History of the Israeli Mossad, will be published next year – added: “What worries me and what should be of high concern to the leaders of Israel is that this is ample proof that the relations at large between the US and Israel are sustaining an earthquake. The fact that it is happening is less worrying than that it was leaked. Also, any intervention by Israel in the inner working of American politics is wrong. If this report is true and Netanyahu’s intervention used intelligence material, then it is just making it worse.”

Yuval Steinitz, the strategic affairs minister and close Netanyahu aide, told Israel’s Channel 2 that the reports were “intended to damage the strong ties between the US and Israel, despite our differences on the Iran issue”.