Category: Turkey

The Time of Troubles in Transcaucasia – Part 2

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3 October 2020 — Indian Punchline

The desperate Battle of Shipka Pass in Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 between Ottoman Empire & Eastern Orthodox coalition led by Russian Empire, fought in the Balkans and the Caucasus which the Turks lost to be pushed back all the way to the gates of Constantinople.

Part-1 of the three-part essay is here. 

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Berlin on October 2 that the European Union seeks a “constructive dialogue and a positive agenda” with Turkey. She had just returned to the German capital after a 2-day summit meeting of the EU countries in Brussels. Germany played a key role at the summit in steering EU-Turkey relationship away from a confrontationist path to which it was drifting lately. (See my blog EU marks distance from Indo-Pacific strategy.) Continue reading →

The Time of Troubles in Transcaucasia – Part 1

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1 October 2020 — Indian Punchline

By M.K. Bhadrakumar

Transcaucasian Trail: Ancient lands & new frontiers in great game

Three days into the renewed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh in the Transcaucasian region — also known as South Caucasus — it is becoming clear that the binary narrative dished out by western commentators of this being a Turkish-Russian clash of wills and strategies is either simply naive or purposively deceptive. The point is, Russia and Turkey — and Iran in a somewhat supportive role — are already proactively talking of negotiations involving the warring sides.

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Turkey hangs tough on Libya

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11 June 2020 — Indian Punchline

By M.K. Bhadrakumar

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C), flanked by Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar (R) and the Libyan Parliament speaker Aguila Saleh (L) announced a road map to end the fighting in Libya, Cairo, June 6, 2020

The series of debilitating military setbacks that Libya’s renegade general Khalifa Haftar suffered in the recent weeks have spurred diplomatic activities over the conflict in the country. But the war is far from over.

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Libyan War Escalates as Regional Powers Attempt to Gain Stronger Influence

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1 June, 2020 — Global Research

Alarms are sounding in Europe as Turkey, Russia and Arab states could potentially agree on shared influence in Libya, and therefore the entirety of the eastern Mediterranean, according to some experts. This comes as European states have no influence over the war in Libya despite it occurring on its southern doorstep and Turkey, Russia and Arab states continue to gain influence.

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Russia and Syria tired of being deceived

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26 March 2020 — Inforos

The Russian ultimatum to detachments of all the Idlib de-escalation zone militants expires by the end of March

Yuri Veselov, military observer 

Turkey is unable to fulfill all the agreements with Russia. Following the March 5 Moscow talks, Recep Erdogan vowed to establish joint patrol of the M4 highway between Aleppo and Latakia starting March 15 in exchange for Syrian government army’s terminated offensive in the Idlib province. But he never got round to get this agreement done. The Turkish leader has pledged to ensure that all the detachments and weapons along the highway are withdrawn by mid-March for a distance of six kilometers on both sides. The militants do not shy away from their unwillingness to leave the positions.

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US-Israel Predictably Behind Turkish Aggression in Syria

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11 March 2020 — Land Destroyer 

(Tony Cartalucci – NEO) – Turkey’s ongoing fighting in northern Syria’s Idlib governorate was – from the beginning of recent escalations – clearly a continuation of Washington’s wider now 9 year-long proxy war against Damascus.

Whatever gains Turkey had made in terms of reducing its role in Washington’s proxy war and repairing ties with Syria’s allies Russia and Iran – were clearly less important to Ankara amid these recent weeks of renewed aggression than whatever Washington has either promised Anakara or threatened it with.

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Which target after Syria? by Thierry Meyssan

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10 March 2020 — Voltaire Network

Events in the “Broader Middle East” since 2001 have followed a relentless logic. The current question is whether the time has come for a new war in Turkey or Saudi Arabia. The answer depends in particular on the resumption of hostilities in Libya. It is in this context that the Additional Protocol negotiated by Presidents Erdoğan and Putin to resolve the Idleb crisis must be interpreted.

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Syria News Links 6 March 2020

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6 March 2020 • 22:45 — The New Dark Age

There may be some duplication due to cross-posting and may be updated throughout the day, so please check back

Another Farcical Ceasefire in Syria
https://www.globalresearch.ca/another-farcical-ceasefire-in-syria/5705729

The New Idlib Ceasefire Forces Turkey-Backed Extremists to Fall Back
https://www.mintpressnews.com/russia-turkey-ceasefire-moscow-idlib/265541/

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Putin saves Erdogan from himself

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6 March 2020 — Asia Times

Once again it was Russia that just prevented the threatened ‘Muslim invasion’ of Europe advertised by Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech on November 9 last year on the 81st anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Turkey. Photo: AFP / PhotMurat Kula / Anadolu Agency

At the start of their discussion marathon in Moscow on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with arguably the most extraordinary diplomatic gambit of the young 21st century.

Syria – Another Ceasefire In Idleb – Erdogan Loses On All Points

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5 March 2020 — Moon of Alabama

Our last post on Syria concluded:

Erdogan wants Idleb but neither Syria nor Iran nor Russia will let him have it. President Putin will meet Erdogan during the coming days and will make sure that the point is understood.

President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Vladimir Putin of Russia met today in Moscow. They had a 160 minute long talk under 4 eyes and another round with their relevant staff. The parties agreed on a new ceasefire in Idleb governorate.
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