Good News!!! If it is carried out.
"Erdogan: we will 'strangle' U.S.-backed force in Syria 'before it's even born'
Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan threatened on Monday to “strangle” a planned 30,000-strong U.S.-backed force in Syria “before it’s even born,” as Washington’s backing for Kurdish fighters drove a wedge into relations with one of its main Middle East allies.
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VIDEO: Houthi sniper smokes Saudi soldier at over 2 kilometers
By Andrew Illingworth
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25/12/2017
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:10 A.M.) – Recently, a Houthi rebel sniper achieved an impressive hit on a Saudi regime soldier at very long range in the desert of southern Saudi Arabia. Houthi-linked media released footage of the kill.
According to sources, the Houthi sniper achieved his kill at a range of 2,000 meters which, taking into account factors like crosswinds, humidity and – of course – gravity, is an extremely professional shot.
The engagement took place in the Nijran region of southern Saudi Arabia and represents one of the many cross-border hit and run attacks conducted by Houthi rebels against Saudi regime forces of the soil of the kingdom itself.
The specific type of weapon used by the sniper cannot be seen, but taking into account the range at which the engagement took place, it is most likely the case that the Houthi fighter used a high-powered anti-materiel rifle of either 12.7 mm or 14.5 mm caliber.
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VIDEO: Syrian Army, Turkey-led forces fight over key town in north Aleppo
By Andrew Illingworth
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21/12/2017
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:30 A.M.) – Firefights have broken out between Syrian pro-government forces and Turkish-backed militias in the northern countryside of Aleppo province. The basis for the exchanging of blows appears to be an ongoing dispute for control of a key town in the region.
On Wednesday afternoon, Syrian army-led forces and Turkish-backed fighters exchanged blows in and near the town of Tadef in northern Aleppo. The town itself appears to be the reason for the armed dispute as neither of the two belligerents fully control it and yet seek to.
Pro-Turkish sources released a brief clip, apparently captured on the personal camera of a militant, showing the exchange of gunfire between pro-government forces and Turkey-led fighters in and near the town of Tadef.
Tadef is like about one kilometer south of the strategic crossroad town of Al-Bab, which was surrendered by Islamic State fighters to Turkey-led forces after a three-month battle.
Control of Tadef itself is disputed, the frontier between government-held lines and militant-controlled territory runs right through the middle of the town, with Syrian army-led forces holding positions in the south, and pro-Turkey fighters holding positions in the north.
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Thank you for this .Originally posted by Azad View Post
The whole article is worth reading...
Note the recent activation of Paul Goble...
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Moscow, Tehran to Fight ‘Turkification of Azerbaijan’
Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 163
By: Paul Goble
December 14, 2017
Talysh youths showcase their traditional dance (Source: Talysh - blogger)
Russia is once again focusing on Azerbaijan’s attachment to Turkey and on its “Turkification” of the minority nationalities within its borders, something one advisor to the Kremlin says is a threat to stability in the region and to the interests of Russia and Iran (Ekonomicheskiye Izvestia, December 6). The warnings come amidst Russian concerns about the opening of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway, which will allow Chinese and Central Asian goods to reach Europe while bypassing Russia (Turan Today, November 23; Ekonomicheskiye Izvestia, November 1; see EDM, October 16), as well as anger that Azerbaijan has become the first post-Soviet government to reject a Moscow-nominated ambassador to its capital (Ekonomicheskiye Izvestia, December 12; see EDM, December 5).
The construction of the BTK railway has been a long time coming, and Moscow has opposed it from the beginning, viewing it as a threat to Russian influence not only in the Caucasus but in Central Asia and with China as well (see EDM, January 31, 2013; October 16, 2013). Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani-Russian diplomatic spat over the appointment of a new ambassador to Baku is still intensifying. Azerbaijani officials explain that their anger was motivated by not being approached for agreement in advance as well as reservations about Moscow’s candidate who, they say, is pro-Armenian. At the same time, Russian commentators suggest that others, including Turkey and the United States, who have an anti-Russian agenda, are behind the conflict between Baku and Moscow (Narodnyye Novosti, December 12; see EDM), December 5).
Now, there are indications that Russia plans to counter Azerbaijan on both points—the BTK railroad and the dispute over the ambassador. And it may seek to do this by attacking Baku for its connections with Ankara as well as for its Turkification programs with regard to ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan. Moreover, it appears Russia my try to involve the Iranian government in that action, a prospect which significantly raises the stakes for Azerbaijan and its supporters in Turkey and the West. The clearest evidence of this strategy can be found in a new interview given to the Real Tribune portal by Ismail Shabanov, an ethnic Talysh who serves on the Russian Presidential Council on International Relations (Ekonomicheskiye Izvestia, December 6).
In this interview, Shabanov said bluntly that “the Turkification of Azerbaijan” and indeed Azerbaijan’s ties with Turkey and efforts to involve Ankara in the Caucasus are “a very dangerous development for Russia and Iran” and something the two powers must work together to oppose before things there become even more explosive. Indeed, he argued, “The restoration of the rights of the indigenous peoples [of Azerbaijan] corresponds to the strategic interests” of those two countries (Ekonomicheskiye Izvestia, December 6).
According to the Russian presidential advisor, the Azerbaijani authorities not only want Turkey to become a paramount power in the South Caucasus but are promoting Turkish-style repressions against ethnic minorities there, denying these peoples basic rights and even the possibility of asserting their identities. Baku sees in Turkey its basic protector and thus seeks to curry favor by pursuing a policy under the Aliyevs’ (President Ilham Aliyev and his late father and former president, Heydar) doctrine of “one people, two states” with regard to minorities that is even more Turkish than Turkey now is.
The Azerbaijani government “wants to legitimate a Turkish presence in Azerbaijan by declaring that Turkey supposedly has the right to take part in Caucasus affairs,” Shabanov asserted. But “they are deeply mistaken. First, the Trans-Caucasus [a common Russian name for the South Caucasus region] is not only Turkey.” It is at the intersect point of other powers as well, in particular Russia and Iran; and Baku forgets that Tehran, in the 1813 Gulistan Peace Treaty, transferred to Russia the predominant position in the region. “From this it follows,” the advisor continued, “only Russia and Persia have rights in the region.”
“If the Azerbaijanis really want to play with the Turks,” Shabanov added, they have to expect that others will play as well. The Talysh ethnic minority, for example, has the full right to turn to Russia and Iran for help, he argued. “Why is it then that the Azerbaijanis think that they can do whatever they want but that others cannot?” According to him, the Turks are not “so stupid” that they will play this game, but the Azerbaijanis appear not to understand just how dangerous the path on which they are embarked at home and abroad can become.
Azerbaijani state ideology is now based on a shameless “chauvinism,” one that blames Armenians for all of Baku’s own failures and seeks to suppress all minorities. Azerbaijan is not a democracy, and it is intolerant despite its claims to the contrary. But the dangers involved here are even greater than that, Shabanov said. “If Azerbaijan finally become a place des armes for pan-Turkism and radical Islam, then this will affect the entire Caucasus.” Neither Russia nor Iran will let that happen, he contended.
One of the first tasks of Moscow and Tehran is to dissuade Ankara from overstepping its bounds, something the two powers have already been doing with success, the advisor said. But equally important, they must “help restore the rights of the Talysh and Lezgins so that these peoples will not disappear.”
Azerbaijani outlets have not yet responded to Shabanov’s remarks, but it is almost certain that they will read them as an indication that Moscow intends to interfere in Azerbaijan’s domestic affairs even more directly than in the past. And this interference may come either via its embassy or, more likely (as has been true earlier), via Armenian actions. To the extent the Azerbaijani government reads the Russian advisor’s remarks in this way, tensions between Moscow and Baku will only grow, making what is already a tense situation even worse.
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"Moscow, Tehran to Fight ‘Turkification of Azerbaijan’
Russia is once again focusing on Azerbaijan’s attachment to Turkey and on its “Turkification” of the minority nationalities within its borders, something one advisor to the Kremlin says is a threat to stability in the region and to the interests of Russia and Iran. The warnings come amidst Russian concerns about the opening of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway, which will allow Chinese and Central Asian goods to reach Europe while bypassing Russia" ....
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Անկարան համագործակցել է Գերմանիայում գործող թուրքական հանցավոր խմբերի հետ. հետաքննություն
Դեկտեմբեր 15, 2017
Գերմանիա-Բերլին, արխիվ
Գերմանացի լրագրողների վերջին հետաքննությունը պնդում է՝ Անկարան համագործակցել է Գերմանիայում գործող թուրքական հանցավոր խմբերի հետ, և ֆինանսավորել նրանց՝ քրդերի դեմ հարձակումներ իրականացնելու, Հայոց ցեղասպանության ճանաչումից հետո Բունդեսթագի մոտ բողոքի ցույցեր կազմակերպելու համար:
Աղմկահարույց այս զեկույցը հրապարակել են Stuttgarter Nachrichten պարբերականն ու հանրային ZDF հեռաստաընկերությունը, որոնց տրամադրության տակ են հայտնվել գաղտնալսված հեռախոսազրույցների ձայնագրություններ ու հետախուզական այլ տվյալներ:
Ըստ այդմ, Թուրքիայի նախագահ Ռեջեփ Էրդողանի կուսակիցներից մեկը՝ Մեթին Քյուլունքն ամիսներ շարունակ կապի մեջ է եղել Գերմանիայում հանցավոր գործունեությամբ զբաղվող «Օսմանեն Գերմանիա» կոչվող խմբի հետ:
Հետաքննությունը նաև պնդում է, որ թուրք պատգամավորը պարբերաբար ուղղակի կամ անուղղակի գումարներ է փոխանցել այդ հանցախմբին՝ զենք գնելու, ցույցեր կազմակերպելու կամ Էրդողանի ընդդիմախոսներին ճնշելու համար:
«Օսմանեն Գերմանիան» ներկայանում է որպես բռնցքամարտիկների ակումբ կամ եղբայրություն, որը մոտ 2 հազար 500 անդամ ունի և 20 մասնաճյուղ՝ ողջ երկրի տարածքում:
Գերմանիայի իրավապահ մարմինները, սակայն, տևական ժամանակ է կասկածներ ունեն, որ թուրքական այդ խմբավորումը զբաղվում է քրեական հանցագործություններով:
Հաղորդվում է, որ թուրք պատգամավորը հիմնականում շփվել է խմբի նախկին առաջնորդ Մեհմետ Բաղչիի հետ, ով անցած տարվանից գտնվում է գերմանական բանտում՝ նախնական կալանքի տակ:
Գործով անցնող մյուս առանցքային կասկածյալը՝ խմբի փոխնախագահ Սելչուկ Շահինը, ևս ձերբակալված է: Ամիսներ շարունակված հետաքննությունից ոստիկանությունը պարզել է՝ թուրք պատգամավորը հրահանգել է բռնցքամարտիկ-գանգստերներին հետապնդել գերմանիայում ապրող քրդերին ու Էրդողանի ընդդիմախոսներին:
Գաղտնալսված հեռախոսազրույցների համաձայն, Քյուլունքը հորդորել է ձողերով հարվածել քրդերի գլխին, նկարահանել այդ հարձակումն ու տեսանյութը ուղարկել Թուրքիա, որպեսզի թուրք իրավապահները դրանցով ճնշեն ու վախեցնեն Էրդողանի ընդդիմախոսներին :
«Օսմանեն գերմանիայի» նախկին առաջնորդը հեռախոսազրույցներից մեկում պարծեցել է, թե շատ լավ կապեր ունի, և որ իր մարդիկ կարող են հեշտությամբ քրդերի հետ հաշվեհարդար տեսնել։ Այս զրույցից հետո՝ անցած տարվա ապրիլին, Շտուտգարտում քրդերի ցույցից հետո զանգվածային անկարգություններ ու բախումներ են արձանագրվել, որոնց հետևանքով տուժել է առնվազն 50 գերմանացի ոստիկան:
Անցած տարի ամռանը Համբուգի դատախազությունը հետևել էր հանցավոր խմբի առաջնորդին ու արձանագրել՝ ինչպես է նա Բեռլինում երկու հաստափոր ծրար վերցնում Քյուլունքից:
Այս հանդիպումից հետո, ըստ գերմանացի քննիչների, թուրք պատգամավորը զանգահարել է նախագահ Էրդողանին և զեկուցել՝ ամեն ինչ կարգին է: Օրեր անց արդեն Բեռլինում բողոքի ցույց է անցկացվել Բուդեսթագի կողմից Հայոց ցեղասպանությունը ճանաչող բանաձևի դեմ, որին մասնակցել են հանցավոր խմբի տասնյակ ներկայացուցիչներ:
Ձայնագրությունները վկայում են՝ Էրդողանի կուսակցից բացի պաշտոնական Անկարայի մի շարք այլ ներկայացուցիչներ և՛ս կապի մեջ են եղել հանցավոր խմբավորման հետ, ոմանք անգամ հորդորել են Գերմանիայում ապրող թուրքերին զինվել՝ խոստանալով փամփուշտ տրամադրել:
«Հետաքննական այս զեկույցը վկայում է, որ Էրդողանի ձեռքերը հասել են մինչև Գերմանիա, և սա մտահոգիչ ազդակ պետք է լինի իշխանությունների համար», - հայտարարել է կանաչների առաջնորդ Ջեն Օզդեմիրը։ Թուրքական ծագումով մեկ այլ քաղաքական գործիչ՝ ձախերի ներկայացուցիչ Սևիմ Դաղդելենն էլ կոչ է արել Բեռլինին անցնել կոնկրետ քայլերի:
Էրդողանի կուսակից Քյուլունքը հրաժարվել է մեկնաբանել աղմկահարույց այս զեկույցները, պարզաբանումներ տալու փոխարեն թուրք պատգամավորը նախընտրել է Թվիթերում մի քանի գրառում է անել ՝պնդելով, թե գերմանական մամուլը արշավ է սկսել երկրում ապրող թուրքերի դեմ:
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Azerbaijan Threatened With Expulsion from Council of Europe
December 12, 2017 , by Bradley Jardine
Ilgar Mammadov, an Azerbaijani opposition figure and political prisoners, in 2012. The Council of Europe has launched unprecedented legal proceedings against Baku over Mammadov's case. (photo: CoE)
The Council of Europe has launched unprecedented legal action against Azerbaijan over an imprisoned opposition politician, raising the possibility of the country being kicked out of the 47-nation council.
On December 5, the CoE Committee of Ministers announced that it was opening infringement proceedings “due to the authorities’ continuing refusal to ensure the unconditional release of opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov following a judgment from the European Court of Human Rights.”
In May 2014, the ECHR concluded that Mammadov, a leader of the opposition group REAL, had been falsely imprisoned. The court found that Mammadov’s arrest and pre-trial detention were initiated to silence him for criticizing the government.
Since then, the CoE has adopted repeated resolutions stressing the flaws in the criminal proceedings and calling for Mammadov’s immediate and unconditional release. However, in the three years since the judgment was made, Mammadov has remained in prison.
“Over three years since the court’s judgment became final, the applicant remains in detention on the basis of the flawed criminal proceedings,” the CoE said in a statement. It noted that this is the council's first-ever use of the infringement proceeding, and that Azerbaijan's refusal to release Mammadov after the ruling is unprecedented.
Azerbaijan was quick to respond.
Novruz Mammadov (no relation to Ilgar), presidential assistant on foreign affairs, said the CoE’s decision is an example of “European Islamophobia.” And he suggested that Azerbaijan may leave the CoE rather than being kicked out.
“Azerbaijan can take every step within its own interests whenever it needs that,” Novruz Mammadov said. “No one in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe or in Europe wants Azerbaijan to leave the Council of Europe. The issue cannot be put in the form of Azerbaijan’s removal from the organization.”
He also argued that the body was “sacrific[ing] justice for smaller geopolitical interests,” which he implied were connected to Armenia.
Ilgar Mammadov, from prison, released a statement through his lawyer saying that he would withdraw his case from the EHCR if he were released unconditionally.
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Caspian Pact Paves Way for Turkmen Gas Exports to Europe – Eventually
December 13, 2017
, by David O'Byrne
An Azerbaijani drilling island on the Caspian Sea. After nearly 30 years of negotiating the Caspian Sea's borders, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan have agreed to delineate their maritime borders — creating the opportunity for Turkmenistan to export its natural gas reserves to Europe.
(Photo by Dan Nevill/CC BY-ND 2.0)
After close to 30 years of haggling over the legal status of the Caspian Sea, the five littoral states appear to have finally settled their differences and agreed on delineating their maritime borders. If finalized, the deal could pave the way for the export of Turkmenistan’s vast natural gas reserves to Europe.
Details of the agreement have not been released and some elements may only be finalized when the final text is signed next year by the heads of the five states: Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan.
“We have found solutions to all the remaining open, key issues related to the preparation of the draft Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after a meeting with his Caspian counterparts in Moscow on December 5. “The text of the document is, in fact, ready.”
A compromise by Turkmenistan over how its maritime border with Azerbaijan is determined appears to be the breakthrough that made finalization of the pact possible.
Under the compromise, Ashgabat reportedly would drop its claim to part of Azerbaijan's Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil field, and would also likely lead to talks over other disputed assets like Kapaz/Sardar, an oil and gas field located midway between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and claimed by both. “In the coming months the two countries will also start discussing joint oil and gas projects and perhaps some form of production sharing agreement regarding the Kapaz/Sardar field,” said Efgan Nifti, director of the Washington-based Caspian Policy Center.
The agreement also appears to remove the ability of Russia or Iran to block the development of a pipeline to transit Turkmen gas across the Caspian to Azerbaijan and possibly on to Europe.
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov said the deal that has been reached stipulates that pipeline projects only need to be approved by the countries whose waters the pipeline would traverse.
“At least on the legal level, no one can now object if Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan decide to build a pipeline,” Nifti said.
It's not clear what might have led Russia, which has for years strenuously opposed the construction of a pipeline across the Caspian, to make this concession. Russian officials have not publicly addressed the issue. Alexander Knyazev, a pro-Kremlin analyst, told the newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Russia could resort to old-fashioned saber-rattling techniques to disrupt the construction of any pipeline that Moscow opposed.
“The issue [of a pipeline] isn't eliminated, but if the project is realized, conflict could take place, most likely, in less civilized forms,” Knyazev said. “And in that case, the Russian Caspian Flotilla, which de facto dominates the sea, does not require the agreement of other countries.”
Proposals for a pipeline to carry Turkmen gas to Europe are nothing new. Such plans first surfaced in the late 1990s, when the European Union starting seeking to open a "Southern Gas Corridor" (SGC) as a means of lessening European dependence on Russian gas.
Backed by a consortium of Bechtel, Shell and GE plans for a "Trans Caspian Pipeline" (TCP) progressed as far as Turkey signing a deal in 1999 for state gas importer Botas to take 16 billion cubic meters per year of Turkmen gas. But those plans were shelved after the discovery of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas field led Baku to develop its own reserves instead.
Interest in Turkmen gas surfaced again in 2009, during negotiations over the Nabucco pipeline project, which was backed by the EU under its SGC ambitions. Ultimately, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan never came to an agreement.
Eventually Nabucco, too, was shelved and Baku opted to develop its own pipeline routes: the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) across Turkey, and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) through Greece and across the Adriatic to Italy.
Under current arrangements, TANAP will carry 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field, of which 6 billion cubic meters will go to Turkey and the remaining 10 billion to Italy via TAP. That leaves some spare capacity in the pipelines: 15 bcm/year for TANAP and 10 bcm/yr for TAP. Both pipelines could, under their current legal frameworks, accept Turkmen gas.
Any moves to develop a pipeline to feed Turkmen gas into TANAP and on to Europe would be sure to receive the full support of the EU.
However much has changed since the various trans Caspian proposals were first mooted.
"Declining gas demand across Europe, new interconnector construction in the Balkans and rising liquid natural gas capacity have reduced prices and increased competition. The landscape is very different from that when TCP was first envisaged,” said William Powell, editor in chief of Natural Gas World.
In short, Turkmen gas would face strong competition for customers in what is currently a declining market dominated by Russia's Gazprom.
In addition, because TAP is being developed under EU rules that require the pipeline to be open to any suppliers, Gazprom could fill any extra capacity, thus leaving Turkmen gas with no route to European markets.
Even if European gas markets eventually recover, Turkmen gas would still be more likely to be sold, in fact, in Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan has committed so much gas for exports that it can't keep pace with domestic demand,” said John Roberts, an independent consultant specializing in Caspian energy issues.
“And with the next big investment in Azeri upstream not likely for another eight to 10 years, the only source available is Turkmen,” Roberts said.
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Անակնկալ փոփոխություն «Թուրքական հոսք» նախագծում. գազատարը Եվրոպա դուրս կգա ոչ թե Հունաստանով, այլ Բուլղարիայով. լրատվամիջոցներ
14.12.17
«Թուրքական հոսք» գազամուղի կառուցման նախագծում անակնկալ փոփոխություններ են տեղի ունեցել, գրում է թուրքական Habertürk կայքը:
Ի սկզբանե նախատեսվում էր, որ գազամուղը թուրքական Թրակիայի տարածքից դուրս գալով Հունաստանի տարածքով կհասնի Եվրոպա: Սակայն այժմ հայտնի է դարձել, որ, փոխելով իր ուղղությունը, «Թուրքական հոսք»-ը Թուրքիայի տարածքից կմտնի ոչ թե Հունաստան, այլ Բուլղարիա: Նման փոփոխության պատճառների մասին լրատվամիջոցներն առայժմ լռում են:
Նախատեսվում է, որ Բուլղարիայից գազամուղը դուրս կգա դեպի Ռումինիա, Հունգարիա և կհասնի մինչև Ավստրիա:
Հղում անելով իր աղբյուրներին՝ թուրքական կայքը նշում է, որ թեմայի շուրջ արդեն բանակցություններ են սկսվել բուլղարական կողմի հետ:
Հիշեցնենք, որ Ռուսաստանը և Թուրքիան 2016 թվականի հոկտեմբերի 10-ին ստորագրել են «Թուրքական հոսք» նախագծի վերաբերյալ միջկառավարական համաձայնագիր: Նախագիծը նախատեսում է գազատարի երկու ճյուղ կառուցել Սև ծովի հատակով՝ շրջանցելով Ուկրաինան: Առաջին ճյուղը նախատեսված է թուրքական շուկա գազ հասցնելու համար, իսկ երկրորդը՝ Եվրոպա:
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The Jerusalem Post:
"TURKEY'S ERDOGAN EXPECTED TO SPIT FIRE AT OIC MEETING ON JERUSALEM
Some 22 heads of state or government are expected to attend, including those from Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sudan, Somalia and Azerbaijan, as well as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. In addition, some 25 foreign ministers, including from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Kazakhstan, are expected to attend. Saudi Arabia will be represented by its Islamic affairs minister.
In addition to Egypt and Jordan with which Israel has peace agreements, it also has strong ties with a few countries in the OIC, such as Azerbaijan
and Kazakhstan."
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