The reconciliatory comments issued by Turkish officials towards Damascus continue; The head of the Turkish "National Movement" Party Devlet Bahçeli announces his support for the foreign minister's statements on Syria and calls for raising the level of dialogue with Damascus

The reconciliatory comments issued by Turkish officials towards Damascus continue; The head of the Turkish "National Movement" Party Devlet Bahçeli announces his support for the foreign minister's statements on Syria and calls for raising the level of dialogue with Damascus

    Monday, August 15, 2022   No comments

After statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Mawad Çavuşoğlu about his meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister and his announcement of Turkey's support for reconciliation in Syria, and after leaks by a Turkish newspaper about communication between Damascus and Ankara. Today came the statement of the head of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahçeli, who welcomed the dialogue with Damascus and supported the statements of Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu Bahçeli, an ally of the Justice and Development Party in the “People” coalition, which includes the “Great Union” party. In an official statement issued The party expressed its support for the recent statements of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, regarding the Syrian issue.

“Turkey’s steps in Syria are valuable and accurate, and the constructive and realistic statements of our foreign minister on bringing peace between the Syrian opposition and the Assad regime are a strong outlet for the search for a permanent solution,” the statement said.

The statement, signed on behalf of Dovlet Bahceli, added, "No one should be disturbed by this," and explained that raising Turkey's talks with the Syrian regime to the level of political dialogue, in the context of removing "terrorist organizations" from every region in which they are located, is one of the most important issues on the agenda. politics in the future.

Bahlachi expressed his desire for an atmosphere of normalization to prevail in every region and with every neighbor of Turkey by 2023, with reference to the brotherhood relationship and the strong ties based on history, culture and faith between the Turks and the Syrians. Bahceli added: “There is a really independent people.. There are also regimes and the opposition.. 11 years ago many people died. Many people left their country. These people should be able to return, including those in Turkey.”

Devlet Bahceli is described as a man behind the scenes who drives the politics of governance in Turkey, in alliance with the Justice and Development Party. He had lined up behind Erdogan in the project to overthrow the regime in Syria, declaring that Assad was a president who had lost his legitimacy, and now he is forming a national cover for the expected transformation of President Erdogan in his policies toward Syria.

In light of the continuation of positive signals from Ankara towards Damascus, and what appears to be a Turkish review of the hostility relationship with it, silence remained prevailing in Syria, and no Syrian official body commented on these statements or press leaks. Perhaps Damascus prefers to wait for some space for Iranian-Russian mediation. The two sides are making great efforts to reach results in reformulating the relationship between Turkey and Syria.

Mass demonstrations in northern Syria condemning Ankara's call for "reconciliation" between the government and the opposition

Mass demonstrations in northern Syria condemning Ankara's call for "reconciliation" between the government and the opposition

    Friday, August 12, 2022   No comments

Thousands protested across parts of rebel-held northern Syria [See locations in attached pam] on Friday after Turkey's foreign minister called for reconciliation between Ankara-backed Syrian opposition groups and the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

More than 11 years after the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, the northwestern region near the Turkish border is the last stronghold still under the control of fighters seeking to overthrow Assad, with control divided between militant groups and other fighters backed by Turkey.

The Turkish government maintains thousands of troops in the area and supports an alliance of anti-Assad armed groups under the banner of the Syrian National Army.

"We need to bring the opposition and the regime together in order to somehow reconcile, otherwise there will be no lasting peace," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara on Thursday.

After he spoke, protests began in areas of Syria controlled by opposition forces, with people waving opposition flags in the streets on Thursday night and pulling Turkish flags from buildings including police stations and local administration offices.

"We have suffered from this criminal for 11 years and we will continue our revolution," teacher Mahmoud Salo, 45, told Reuters during a protest in Azaz, Idlib, on Friday.

About three thousand people gathered in Azaz on Friday, while protests erupted in other areas of the northwestern Idlib province and in the northern areas of the neighboring province of Aleppo.

A Reuters reporter in the region said many Turkish consultants who work in a number of local institutions did not come to work on Friday.

Ahmet Shobak, a refugee from Aleppo who works as an engineer in Azaz, said Cavusoglu's comments were unacceptable.

"If Turkey wants to stand with the world that is already against us, so be it, it won't change anything much," he added. But we hope that Turkey's position will become more positive."

Yesterday, the cities and towns under the control of the Syrian opposition, in the north of the country, witnessed protests against Çavuşoğlu’s statements. The cities and towns of Al-Bab, Azaz, Sego, Jarabulus, Al-Ra’i and Marea in the countryside of Aleppo, Salqin and Idlib witnessed demonstrations during which protesters burned the Turkish flag and raised slogans condemning the statements of the Turkish Foreign Minister, calling To the continuation of the protests, the reactions of the Syrian opposition, through its statements and the positions of its leaders, varied, between those who aligned with the demonstrations and denounced the new Turkish position, and the opposition forces that refused to offend Turkey and denounced the burning of the Turkish flag.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu revealed a meeting he had with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Conference in Belgrade months ago, declaring that Turkey was seeking reconciliation between the regime and the opposition for the sake of Syria's stability and territorial integrity.

Organizations and figures in the Syrian opposition denounced Çavuşoğlu’s statements, and the so-called Department of Political Affairs in the opposition Salvation Government in northern Syria, where Turkish influence areas, said, “We followed up with strong condemnation these statements that offended the Syrian people and their great revolution, as well as the positions of the countries that sympathized, supported and supported this blessed revolution, Proceeding from its moral and humanitarian principles, foremost of which is the Republic of Turkey and its generous government, these statements come in a context of interest that is not befitting the principles of Turkish policy that is biased towards the just causes of oppressed peoples.

Fahim Issa, the commander-in-chief of the "Revolutionary" movement, one of the largest armed groups in the north, said, "There is no reconciliation with Assad, no reconciliation with terrorism and killers. There is no place for Assad or the regime in the future of Syria." "We will not betray the blood of our martyrs, and we will not betray the country's revolution," he added.

Meanwhile, the Defense Minister of the so-called Syrian Interim Government, Hassan Hamadeh, said: “At the first cry of the people wanting to overthrow the regime, it was the point of no return. It's over, there is no alternative to toppling Assad."

Opposition figures praised the movements and demonstrations denouncing the statements of the Turkish Foreign Minister. While others denounced the demonstration and burning of the Turkish flag.

The so-called Syrian National Army confirmed in a statement that “the flag of the Turkish Republic, as the flag of the Syrian revolution, is a source of pride, a title for victory, and a emblem for a great people, and its place is above the heads of the brave and the bodies of the martyrs.”

The statement stressed the need to hold accountable those who crossed their borders by insulting the Turkish flag.

As for the Ministry of Defense in the opposition’s interim government, it retracted in a statement, describing the Turkish flag as “sacred for the people for those who shed their blood on Syrian lands from the Turkish army and people.”

She vowed to hold accountable those she called "ignorant people" who do not represent the constants of the revolution.

She explained that some parties in Syria aim to "destabilize the relations of brotherhood and blood between the Turkish and Syrian peoples, to serve the enemies."

As for the National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, it stressed its refusal to burn the flag of the Turkish people, which hosts 4 million Syrians, and indicated that the blood of the Turkish people was mixed with the blood of the Syrians.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry clarified the Turkish position on the situation in Syria, and said in a statement issued by the ministry’s spokesman: “Turkey, since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, has been the country that has worked the most to support solutions to the crisis based on achieving the legitimate demands of the people.”

He added: “In this context, Turkey was at the forefront of the parties that worked to consolidate the ceasefire on the ground, and contributed to the Astana and Geneva tracks, building the Constitutional Committee and providing full support to the opposition and the negotiating body. And it is working on a solution in Syria in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2254.

Journalism, Where Bias Comes From?

Journalism, Where Bias Comes From?

    Friday, August 12, 2022   No comments

Reporting on war is rearely objective: 

Here, an injured child receives frontpage coverage, a name, age, and a photo to accompany the story.

Other children, though, no names, no faces, no stories--just a number: 15.

Tehran: EU proposal to revive nuclear talks may be 'acceptable'

Tehran: EU proposal to revive nuclear talks may be 'acceptable'

    Friday, August 12, 2022   No comments

Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran news agency quoted a prominent Iranian diplomat as saying that the European Union's proposal to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement "could be acceptable, if it provides reassurance" on Tehran's main demands.

The European Union said on Monday it had submitted a "final" text after four days of indirect talks between US and Iranian officials in Vienna.

A senior EU official said no further changes could be made to the text, which has been under negotiation for 15 months. He said he expected a final decision from both parties within "very, very, very few weeks."

The news agency quoted the Iranian diplomat, who was not identified, as saying that Tehran is reviewing the proposal, adding, "The proposals of the European Union can be acceptable if they provide Iran with reassurance regarding protection (measures), sanctions and guarantees."

The Islamic Republic has sought guarantees that no future US president would withdraw from the deal if it was revived, as former President Donald Trump did in 2018 and reimposed US sanctions on Iran.

However, President Joe Biden cannot make such strong assurances, because the agreement is a political understanding rather than a legally binding treaty.

Washington has said it is ready to quickly reach an agreement to revive the nuclear deal, based on European Union proposals.

Iranian officials said they would pass on their "other views and opinions" to the European Union, which is coordinating the talks, after holding consultations in Tehran.

Assistant for Political Affairs in the Office of the Presidency of the Iranian Republic, Mohammad Beheshti, commented on the recent Western media leaks on issues related to the safeguards system in the nuclear agreement, saying that these leaks show which party is suffering from pressure and needs a quick agreement.

Jamshidi said that he did not want to comment on the content or authenticity of the text published in the media on issues related to the safeguards system at the IAEA, but these coordinated media leaks show which party is under pressure and needs an immediate agreement, and that the study of the issue is continuing.

It is noteworthy that some media outlets, as well as some social media, have published news on issues related to the safeguards system and the proposed text of the agreement between Iran and international powers on the nuclear deal.

The Wall Street Journal had claimed that it had seen the text and added that the European proposal included making major concessions to Iran aimed at ending the IAEA investigation.

The Wall Street Journal claimed on Thursday that the European Union had proposed making major concessions to Iran in order to revive the nuclear deal.

According to the newspaper, the proposal submitted by the European Union indicates that Iran is expected to answer the International Atomic Energy Agency's questions "with a view to clarifying them," and adds that if Tehran cooperates, the other parties in the talks will urge the agency to close the investigation.

An EU spokesman has previously stated that the text submitted after recent talks in Vienna is in keeping with the usual confidentiality in such diplomatic processes, he said.

The Russian Embassy in Cairo accuses Lapid of lying and contempt for the Palestinians

The Russian Embassy in Cairo accuses Lapid of lying and contempt for the Palestinians

    Wednesday, August 10, 2022   No comments

The Russian Embassy in Cairo criticized Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid's calls to bomb the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, noting that he adopted allegations related to the "Bucha massacre committed by Ukrainian Nazis."

The Russian Embassy in Egypt published a message on its Twitter account, accusing Lapid of double standards, comparing Lapid’s attempts, last April, to blame and blame Russia for the Bucha massacre, and his calls this August for “bombing and strikes on Palestinian Territories in the Gaza Strip.

And the Russian diplomatic mission asked: "Isn't that double standards, complete disregard and contempt for Palestinian lives?!"

Last April, the Russian presidency rejected any accusations of involvement in the killing of people in the Ukrainian Bucha, and called for an investigation into this "at the highest possible level." The Russian Defense Ministry also considered that the photos and videos in the Ukrainian city of Bucha were specially prepared for Western media, Considering that these actions "are nothing but a new provocation."

The Russian Defense confirmed that the residents of the Ukrainian city of Bucha "were allowed to leave it in the north direction during the control of the Russian forces over it, and none of the local residents was harmed by any violence during the period of the Russian armed forces' control of this city."

Relations between "Israel" and Russia have been tense in recent months. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador to Russia, Alex Ben-Zvi, against the background of a statement by Yair Lapid, last April, in which he condemned Russia's actions in Ukraine, describing them as "war crimes."

The war in Ukraine has unmasked the double standard and racism of Western nations in irrefutable ways. Nonetheless, the dehumanization of people who are not part of Western societies continues. 

For example, on BBC’s Newshour program, Monday August 8, when pressed about the killing of Palestinian children, an Israeli ambassador claimed that the children were killed by Palestinian fighters because Palestinians “don’t care about children”. The false claims created and promoted by Israeli officials have  been widely documented.

  

Turkish media: Erdogan and Assad may hold talks at the suggestion of Putin; US Media: Turkey builds "Bayraktar" aircraft factory in Ukraine

Turkish media: Erdogan and Assad may hold talks at the suggestion of Putin; US Media: Turkey builds "Bayraktar" aircraft factory in Ukraine

    Tuesday, August 09, 2022   No comments

The Kremlin announced today, Tuesday, that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, discussed the situation in Syria.

Turkish media revealed that President Erdogan and his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, may hold a phone call, during the coming period, at the suggestion of Putin.

And the newspaper "Turkey" published a report, in which it was based on private sources, that Erdogan, who recently visited Sochi, Russia, exchanged views on Syria with President Putin, and the Russian President suggested that he meet Assad and Erdogan, in order to solve the problem of terrorism in Syria.

But Ankara made it clear that it is "too early" for a meeting between the two presidents, while a phone call is still possible.

The newspaper pointed out that there are diplomatic contacts from a Gulf country and an African one with Syria and Turkey, in order to arrange a meeting between Presidents Assad and Erdogan.

During their bilateral summit in Sochi, Putin and Erdogan confirmed their support for preserving the unity of Syria. 

During this meeting in Sochi, Putin was accompanied by the president of the Chechen Republic, R. Kadyrov, who might be called upon to nudge Turkey further in the direction of Russia.

Erdogan announced, earlier, that his country intends to launch a military operation inside Syrian territory to combat “terrorism” and establish what he described as a “safe zone,” noting that his country “will not ask permission before launching a military operation in Syria.”

While Ankara says that its military presence in Syria aims to prevent the threat from the Kurdish factions, Damascus considers the Turkish military presence in the country an occupation and a threat to regional and international peace.

In a letter sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to both United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council, Syria protested Turkey's intention to launch a military operation inside its territory.

Last May, an official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates confirmed that "Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity will not be the object of blackmail or bargaining by the Turkish regime."

Reacting to the latest media report about possible talks between the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is Syrian sources, off the record, rejected the the idea of such event happening, characterizing it as "totally incorrect."

...

Meanwhile, US media sources highlight another aspect of Turkish involment in matters of concern to Russia.

The American "Newsweek" magazine said today, Tuesday, that the Turkish company "Baykar", which produces the "Bayraktar" unmanned combat aircraft, is currently building a factory on Ukrainian soil.

The magazine quoted Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, Vasyl Bodnar, as saying that the Turkish company had already purchased a plot of land in Ukraine and developed the station project. Bodnar added that "Baykar" intends to build the plant in fulfillment of the personal commitment of the company's owners to make this production in Ukraine.

The magazine pointed out that the Bayraktar TB2 drones were considered one of the most valuable weapons for Ukraine in the first months of the war, especially before the arrival of the American "HIMARS" missiles.

She noted that Ukraine had more than 20 unmanned aircraft produced by the "Baykar" company when the war began, and acquired them during the past two years.

Because Kyiv currently has a limited supply of these planes, and given that Russia has learned a lesson from weakness during the first phase of the war, it is unlikely that Ukrainian forces would risk losing their TB2s from unmanned aerial vehicles, by pushing them forward in areas where Russian air defenses could easily fall."

She added that "a TP2 aircraft factory can fundamentally change the situation in Ukraine," noting that the time required for the construction of the factory is still unclear.

...

Editors' Note: This story was updated to include the Syrian government's rection to the news about the phone call between the two presidents.

A Saudi prince claims Western bias, comparing the wars in Ukraine and Gaza

A Saudi prince claims Western bias, comparing the wars in Ukraine and Gaza

    Monday, August 08, 2022   No comments

A Saudi prince responded to the sympathy of the Ukrainian ambassador in Israel: The hypocrisy of the West and its double standards have exceeded all limits.. People in Ukraine in the eyes of the West are not like people in Palestine

The Saudi prince, Abd al-Rahman bin Musaed, said, "The hypocrisy of the West and its double standards have exceeded all limits... People in Ukraine in the eyes of the West are not like people in Palestine."

The Ukrainian ambassador to Israel, Yevgeny Kornichuk, expressed his “great” sympathy with the Israelis, which a prominent Saudi prince considered “hypocrisy.”

In a tweet published by the Ukrainian embassy in Israel, Cornicheuk said: “As a Ukrainian whose country is under a long-term brutal attack by its closest neighbor, I feel great sympathy for the Israeli people.”

Cornichuk added, “Terrorism and attacks against civilians have become a daily routine for Israelis and Ukrainians. We have to put an end to this. We pray for peace and hope for an end to the escalation soon,” before the shooting stops between Israel and the “Islamic Jihad.”

It is a good sign that even the Saudi ruling family is moved by the plight of vulnerable peoples and outraged by the disproportionate use of force. But it is not clear if the Saudi ruling family would have the same sympathy and concern for civilians living in Yemen, a country that has been under Saudi armed attack, sanctions, and isolation killing thousands of children and pushing poverty in that country to record levels.

UAE backs China on Taiwan, condemns 'provocative visits' after Pelosi trip

UAE backs China on Taiwan, condemns 'provocative visits' after Pelosi trip

    Monday, August 08, 2022   No comments

A day after Pelosi's trip, on Thursday, the influential GCC state, UAE,  reiterated its support for China's "sovereignty" over Taiwan and condemned "provocative visits" after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed on the island earlier this week.

"The UAE affirmed its support for China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the importance of respecting the 'One China' principle... the UAE indicated its concern over the impact of any provocative visits on stability and international peace," the Emirati foreign ministry said in a statement.

Pelosi landed in Taiwan as part of a wider Indo-Pacific tour on Tuesday - enraging China, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province.

The UAE is a key US ally in the Middle East, but also has burgeoning ties with China. It has previously expressed strong support for China's sovereignty over Taiwan.

A Sky News investigation found earlier this year that the UAE was providing China with "black sites" to detain and forcibly disappear Uighur activists.

Abu Dhabi and Washington have taken differing stances on some key global issues, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine - with the UAE failing to follow the US in condemning Moscow for its actions.

The US reportedly intervened last year in Beijing's construction of a Chinese military base in the UAE.

Türkiye, Russia to work against terror groups in Syria; Erdoğan confirms the payment of Russian natural gas in rubles

Türkiye, Russia to work against terror groups in Syria; Erdoğan confirms the payment of Russian natural gas in rubles

    Saturday, August 06, 2022   No comments

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Aug. 5 that he discussed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin the steps to be taken against terrorist organizations in Syria and agreed to take necessary steps to protect Syria’s territorial integrity.

Erdoğan has also confirmed that Türkiye will start paying for some of its Russian natural gas imports in rubles.

"As Türkiye, our door is open to everyone. One good thing about this Sochi visit is that we agreed on the ruble with Mr. Putin," Erdoğan said.

"Since we will conduct this trade in rubles, it will of course bring money to Türkiye and Russia."

Neither Erdoğan nor Russian officials have said what portion of the gas will be covered by ruble payments.

Putin and Erdoğan on Aug. 5 adopted a statement pledging to boost political and economic cooperation including in energy and trade.

At the start of the talks Putin also praised the TurkStream natural gas pipeline project, saying Europe should be grateful to Türkiye for uninterrupted supplies of Russian gas.

"I believe that (today’s meeting) will open a whole different page in Turkish-Russian relations," Erdoğan said.

Putin and Erdoğan last met for a three-way summit in Iran in July.

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Putin and Erdogan agreed to buy Turkey part of Russia's gas in rubles; Kadyrov to visit Turkey

Putin and Erdogan agreed to buy Turkey part of Russia's gas in rubles; Kadyrov to visit Turkey

    Friday, August 05, 2022   No comments

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed to sell part of Russian gas to Turkey in rubles.

"Gas supplies to Turkey were discussed, which is supplied in fairly large quantities: 26 billion cubic meters annually. During the negotiations, the two presidents agreed that part of the gas supplies would be paid for in rubles," Novak said.

"We are talking about a gradual transition to national currencies, and in the first stage, part of the supplies will be paid in Russian rubles," he added.

Earlier in the day, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the end of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the Russian city of Sochi, after they lasted for four hours. Putin and Erdogan discussed several files, most notably the files of Syria, Libya, Ukraine and energy.

It is worth mentioning here that the Russian President issued his instructions to transfer all payments for gas supplies to Europe into the national currency, stressing that "it makes no sense to supply Russian goods to the European Union or the United States of America and to receive payments in euros and dollars."

There were reports that the president of Chechnya, Ramazan Kadyrov attended the meetings in Sochi. Perhaps responding to such reports, Kadyrov released the following statement:

During the face-to-face talks between Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, I personally met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and head of the Turkish national intelligence organization Hakan Fidan. We had an informal rich and productive conversation, during which we came to a common opinion on the need to establish close cooperation between Turkey and the Chechen Republic on various issues.

Historically, our peoples are connected by a lot, especially since a fairly large number of ethnic Chechens currently live in Turkey. Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed hope that this informal meeting would be the beginning of further development of relations and establishing contacts. I agreed with the Turkish Foreign Minister and also noted that both sides would benefit from joint undertakings.

At the end of the meeting, the distinguished guests invited me to visit Turkey, during which we could discuss a wide range of cooperation issues, including economic ones. Of course, I accepted the invitation.