ISR Weekly

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Tebboune: I agreed with Macron to establish a full partnership with mutual respect

Sunday, August 28, 2022 No comments

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that he had agreed with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to "establish a full partnership between their two countries in the light of mutual respect."

During a joint press conference with Macron, who arrived in Algeria today for a 3-day official visit, Tebboune said: "I agreed with Macron to establish a full partnership in light of the principles of respect and a balance of trust between the two countries... We aspire to enhance trade exchange between Algeria and France."

"I discussed with Macron the situation in Libya, Mali, the Sahel and Western Sahara," he added.

For his part, Macron told his Algerian counterpart: "We have a common, complex and painful past, which contributed somewhat to not looking at the future... We have to look at this past with the will of truth... Let's open the archives from the beginning of the (French) occupation to independence without taboos... And this in order to build the future.

The French president considered that "we did not choose the past, but rather we inherited it, and we have the responsibility to build the future for ourselves and for future generations."

French President Macron arrived in Algeria today, Thursday, "hoping to build trade relations and turn the page on a diplomatic dispute," and was received by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

Relations with Algeria became more important for France, because the Russian special military operation in Ukraine led to an increase in Europe's demand for North African gas, and because of the increased migration across the Mediterranean.

It is noteworthy that Algeria canceled, today also, the entry visa of the chief rabbi of France, "Haim Corsia" because of his support for "Israel", according to what a reliable source told "Al-Mayadeen", who stressed that "Algeria will not be drawn towards normalization and rejects it in all its forms, and it is firm on the Supporting just causes, most notably Palestine and Western Sahara.

Last July, Tebboune sent a congratulatory message to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, on the occasion of his re-election for a second presidential term, in which he expressed his "satisfaction with the quality of our personal relationship characterized by trust and affection, and with the developments achieved, albeit relatively, by the Algerian-French partnership."

In it, Macron called for a visit to Algeria "soon, to launch together a dynamic that pushes forward in dealing with major issues, and to intensify and expand Algerian-French relations."

Last March, the Algerian president declared that the "crimes of French colonialism" in Algeria will not be subject to a statute of limitations, calling for a "fair treatment of the file of memory and history in an atmosphere of frankness and trust."

This came after relations between the two countries fell to their lowest level, when Macron said he doubted the existence of an "Algerian nation" before French colonialism.

Damascus breaks its silence: This is our plan for normalization with Ankara

Sunday, August 28, 2022 No comments

by Alaa Halabi

Damascus broke its silence over the “slithering” messages coming to it from Ankara, declaring from the pulpit of Moscow, which is engaged in a difficult mediation with Tehran, between the Turkish and Syrian neighbors, that it does not mind restoring relations with Turkey on a solid and clear basis, which guarantees it the restoration of its control over its entire territory, and paves the way for the start of a real Syrian-Syrian dialogue. Despite the diplomatic and media rush shown by Turkey towards Syria, the normalization path, which is currently managed by the intelligence agencies in both countries, seems to take time, unless Ankara takes dramatic steps, through which it can accelerate this path, in which investment seems a priority. For Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Following a long meeting in Moscow, the day before yesterday, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, made compatible statements focused on the two issues of Syrian refugees and the US presence in Syria. The last title, with its accompanying emphasis on the necessity of the exit of US forces as a necessary condition for resolving the Syrian crisis, has become the backbone of the efforts of the guarantor states of the “Astana track” (Russia, Iran and Turkey), in addition to forming a suitable ground to open the closed doors between Ankara and Damascus. From here, the two ministers recalled the sabotage role of the American forces that seize most of the Syrian oil regions, as well as their support for the Kurdish separatist project, which represents one of the most prominent obstacles to reaching a political settlement in accordance with United Nations resolutions, as well as threatening the territorial integrity of Syria, and impeding the return process. Refugees return to their homes due to the living and economic pressures imposed by Washington on Damascus. This position, and before it the statements of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the policies of the United States, foretells the existence of a preliminary agreement between Turkey and Syria from which to proceed towards political talks that are working to develop those currently being waged by Syrian and Turkish intelligence services, according to what Ankara announced.

In what could be considered the first official Syrian statement in this regard, after a long period of silence, which seems to have been deliberate, Miqdad, in his response to journalists, denied the existence of conditions for normalizing relations, adding that there are fundamental issues that must be addressed “on the basis of respect for the sovereignty of states,” adding The first entitlements before the two countries are “ending the occupation, stopping support for terrorism, non-interference in internal affairs, and solving water problems.” Reiterating that Damascus does not trust “those who sponsor and support terrorism,” he considered that “when we reach such a solution, it will be in the interest of Syria and Turkey, and it will be a prelude to restoring relations to what they were before the war began.” Al-Miqdad’s words draw clear signs of what Syria aspires to, whether in terms of ending the Turkish military presence on its lands, or in terms of stopping Ankara’s support for the opposition groups, which Damascus sees as emptying the “Syrian solution” project of its content. It appears that Syria is receiving support, in this vision, from its Russian and Iranian allies, especially in light of the latter's continued rejection of any new Turkish military attack on Syrian regions, which was explicitly expressed by Lavrov at the same conference, recalling the existence of agreements between Damascus and Ankara (Adana Agreement). Security Treaty signed in 1998) through which Turkish security concerns can be removed through diplomatic means.

As a result, the current situation can be summarized as the beginning of a Turkish turn towards Syria, through which Ankara is rushing to achieve gains, whether in the form of finding a solution to the refugee problem, or by reaping field and political gains that Erdogan can spend in the presidential election race in Turkey, which will intensify as the date approaches. In June of next year. On the other hand, Damascus wants a clear road map, which guarantees the restoration of its control over all parts of the country, and the transformation of Turkey from a party to the conflict to an auxiliary element in the solution. Both demands represent part of a long path that requires consensus on many overlapping and intertwined points, in light of the complex situation in northern Syria, where Ankara, through its affiliated factions, controls the countryside of Aleppo and Raqqa, at a time when Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Al-Nusra Front) is unique. , which has also become affiliated with Turkey, by controlling Idlib, which is the largest stronghold of the "jihadist" groups.

In the face of the field, political and even economic equation (in view of the increasing pressure on Ankara, its desire to play a greater role in energy-related projects in the region, and the conditions that must be present to ensure the return of Syrian refugees), it seems that Russian and Iranian efforts have managed, so far, to open a window of During which, continuous security talks were held between Syria and Turkey, aimed at finding solutions to field issues in a sequential manner, and paving the ground for the transition to political action. This means that the normalization process will take a long time, unless Ankara, which wants to speed up its pace, takes the initiative to translate its diplomatic rush into similar operational steps on the ground.

Thursday, August 25, 2022

Dmitry Medvedev predicts the outcome of the war in Ukraine: Victory or military coup--Tertium non datur

Thursday, August 25, 2022 No comments

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that the scenarios for the development of the situation in Ukraine are no more than "one and a half".

Medvedev noted that this includes the achievement of all the objectives of the special military operation and the recognition of its results by the Kyiv authorities or the occurrence of a military coup in Ukraine and the subsequent recognition of the results of the military operation.

"Analysts of all stripes are competing in preparing forecasts for the Ukrainian conflict," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel, and the Kyiv authorities and Western pro-Ukrainian countries are preparing "predictions of victory."

“But in reality, it is all lies and demagogy to deceive voters. Everyone understands it all. They are just executing roles. There is only one and a half scenarios. The first is the achievement of all the goals of the special military operation and the unequivocal recognition of its results in Kyiv. The second is the military coup in Ukraine, and only after that the recognition of the results of the special operation.”

The statement:

Analysts of all stripes are practicing forecasting the Ukrainian conflict. Here The Guardian came up with five pieces. Forecasts of victory are being built in Kyiv and in the Ukrainian-affiliated countries of the West.
In fact, all this is pure lies and demagogy for the treatment of the electorate. Everyone understands everything. But they work out the roles.

There are only one and a half scripts.
The first is the achievement of all the goals of the [operation] and the unequivocal recognition of its results in Kyiv.
The second is a military coup in Ukraine, and only then the recognition of the results of the special operation.

That's all the options.
Tertium non datur!

Meanwhile, today, Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to increase the number of members of the Russian Armed Forces by 137,000, bringing the total number of soldiers to 1,150,628.

The presidential decree stated: "The number of the Russian Armed Forces has been set at 2,039,758, including 1,150,628 soldiers."

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia is a superpower that pursues a policy that meets its interests.

On the occasion of the Russian Flag Day, Putin said that "Russia is a great power that will not pursue any policy in the international arena that contradicts its basic interests," noting that his country "will always follow traditional values."

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

"Tasnim": Assad and Erdogan may meet at the Shanghai summit in Uzbekistan

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 No comments

The Iranian "Tasnim" news agency reported, quoting informed sources, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "may meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, which is expected to be held next September in Uzbekistan."

The agency quoted the sources as saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin "invited Erdogan to participate in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan, and Putin also asked Assad to participate in this meeting."

Earlier, Erdogan said that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, invited him to attend the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan in September.

Meanwhile, 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.

In the context of the Turkish-Syrian rapprochement, the agency indicated that the leader of the Turkish "Homeland" party, Dogu Perincek, "will soon head to Syria as part of a political and diplomatic delegation, where he will meet and hold talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad."

She added, "Berncik will be accompanied on this trip by a number of former ministers and veterans of Turkish diplomacy, and a report on the results of this trip will be submitted to the Turkish authorities."

In this context, it was pointed out that the Turkish delegation's trip to Syria will be the first from a Turkish airport to Damascus in about 10 years, as direct flights between the two countries have not been operated since 2011.

The Iranian agency stated that "the focus of this trip will be on ways to restore relations, the joint struggle against terrorism in northern Syria, and the return of Syrian refugees," as it put it.

It is noteworthy that the Kremlin announced on August 9 that the two Russian Presidents, Vladimir Putin, and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, discussed the situation in Syria.

It is noteworthy that the regular summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be held next September in the city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan, which is currently the head of the organization.

Mevlut Cavusoglu : A dialogue is taking place between the Syrian and Turkish intelligence services

Today, Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that "there is a dialogue taking place between the Syrian and Turkish intelligence services."

Cavusoglu stressed that "Turkey does not have preconditions for dialogue with Syria," noting that "dialogue with the Syrian government must have specific goals."

The Turkish minister said: "A meeting was not planned between the Turkish and Syrian presidents in Shanghai, because Assad will not participate in the summit," as he put it.

Earlier today, the Iranian "Tasnim" news agency reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "may meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, which is expected to be held next September in Uzbekistan."

The agency quoted sources as saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin "invited Erdogan to participate in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan, and Putin also asked Assad to participate in this meeting."

Monday, August 22, 2022

Pakistan: Charges of terrorism against Imran Khan and prevents broadcasting of his speeches

Monday, August 22, 2022 No comments

Pakistani authorities deploy the "terrorism" label to address political dissent, risking instability and further uncertainty.

On Monday, Pakistani police charged former Prime Minister Imran Khan with terrorism charges, who is leading popular demonstrations calling for early elections.

The former prime minister of Pakistan accused the government of briefly blocking YouTube in the country to prevent Pakistanis from listening live to his speech at a political rally on Sunday evening.

"The importing government blocked YouTube in the middle of my speech," Khan said in a tweet.

Demonstration in Pakistan against the continued detention of a leader in the "Insaf" party

Supporters of the Pakistan "Insaf" party led by Imran Khan demonstrated against the authority's continued detention of the party's leader, Shahbaz Gul, 10 days ago.

The demonstrators demanded the release of Shahbaz Gul, who is the deputy head of the party. Simultaneously, the local government in Punjab - led by allied with Imran Khan - issued an arrest warrant for 12 officials in the ruling party.

Saturday night's protest gathering was followed by the arrest of a prominent leader of the "Insaf Movement", who was accused by the authorities of making statements against the army on a TV channel whose broadcast was later suspended.

Criticism of the military establishment that has ruled Pakistan for nearly half of its 75-year history is a red line.

Asad Omar, a senior official in the "Insaf Movement", denounced the move by the media regulator to ban Khan's speeches. "Banning Imran Khan's speeches is another attempt to find an administrative solution to a political problem," he told AFP. He added that his party would file an appeal against the decision before the court.

Simultaneously, a decree was issued banning TV channels from broadcasting live speeches by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The media regulator issued this decision against the background of a speech in which Khan criticized police and judicial officials after the arrest of one of his party leaders.

The authority said that Khan "is making baseless accusations and spreading hate speech," adding that "his provocative statements against state institutions and officers will cause disturbances - most likely - to public peace and tranquility."

Pakistan opposition warns Khan's arrest would cross 'red line' after being reported under anti-terror law

Pakistani opposition leaders warned Monday that the authorities would cross a "red line" if they arrest former Prime Minister Imran Khan, after he was reported under the Anti-Terrorism Act over comments he made about the judiciary.

Since being ousted in a no-confidence vote in April, Khan has organized rallies across the country, warning state institutions including the military not to back the coalition government led by his longtime political rival Shahbaz Sharif.

Hundreds gathered outside Khan's home on Monday, apparently with the aim of preventing police access, but Khan has been facing a raft of charges for several months, and he has yet to be arrested.

For his part, former Information Minister Fouad Chaudhry wrote on Twitter, "Wherever you are, go to Bani Gala today and show solidarity with Imran Khan," referring to Khan's home. "Imran Khan is our red line," he added.

An initial police report was filed on Sunday as the first step in a process that could lead to formal charges and an arrest.

A light police presence was observed outside Khan's residence Monday, as about 500 supporters of his party gathered in the affluent suburb.

Muhammad Ayub said he traveled overnight from Peshawar in the northwest to be on site to show support for Khan.

"We will protest and block the roads if Khan is arrested," he told AFP.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party said in a statement that the latest accusations against him were "frivolous".

"We have serious reservations about this politically motivated step, which leads to more instability in the country," he added.

Khan on Saturday criticized a judge responsible for keeping a party official in police custody, after party leaders said he was tortured in custody.

Khan's main goal is to hold an early general election before the expected date before October 2023, but the government has shown no indication that it is willing to go to the polls at a time when it is facing significant economic problems.

Since he was ousted from power by a vote of no-confidence last April, Imran Khan has organized a series of popular anti-government demonstrations.

The ban came into effect immediately on Saturday night, the same day Khan held a rally in the capital where he criticized police and judiciary officials over the arrest of one of his party leaders.

Khan remains popular among young people, with his speeches attracting the highest viewership ratings on television channels, while his highlights are widely shared on social media.

Who is Alexander Dugin, who is described as Putin's brain, and whose daughter Daria was killed by Car Bomb in Moscow?

Monday, August 22, 2022 No comments

Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin is said to have great influence on Russian politicians including the current president, Vladimir Putin. His daughter killed by a car bomb. The Russian authorities announced the killing by detonating her car with an explosive device planted under the driver’s seat in a suburb of the capital, Moscow. Daria Dugin worked as a press secretary for her father, who is described as "Putin's brain", a nationalist and one of the most prominent theorists of the Kremlin's ideology who predicted the end of the era of Western liberalism.

To learn more about Dugin, we provide a summary of his ideas that he shared with Aljazeera network in an extended set of interviews (See interview1, and interview 2; Arabic) in which he talked about Russia, the West, Christianity, Islam, Chechnya, Sunnism, and other topics.

Russian identity and change

On the other hand, Dugin spoke to Al Jazeera about the Russian identity and the radical change that he said had affected it over the course of one century, as the country was an empire with its faith and perception, and after the Bolshevik Revolution, perceptions changed dramatically, and in 1991 the Russian identity changed again and Russia became part of The Western world, then Putin, changed identity again and Russia became a powerful country that defends its own conservative values, according to what the Russian philosopher says.

On Russian identity, "Putin's mind" says that his country is changing its position and "we are in a spiritual search for ourselves", and it is sensitive to changes.

However, Dugin confirms - in the first part of his meeting in the episode (14/11/2021) of the "The Interview" program - that Western tendency is still largely present within Russia, and there is a liberal elite and strong resistance to President Putin's reforms on the part of liberal intellectuals, and that This Western tendency hinders the special orientation of Russia.

He also believes that other civilizations have the right to rely on their own political teachings that are based on their own values, not on Western values.

He indicated in the context of his review of his identical vision with his president's on the Chechen issue, which he said Putin had found a solution for, as well as with regard to Georgia and Ukraine and the annexation of the Crimea in 2014.

Fourth political theory

The Russian thinker Alexander Dugin focused in the second part of his interview with the "The Interview" program on the fourth political theory, which he said is an anti-capitalist tendency, and talked about his vision of terrorism and its relations with Iran and Turkey.

Dugin described the fourth political theory as the theory of revolution and decolonization for Russian society, and it defends the originality of Russian civilization and human rights, but not according to Western values, which he said are not totalitarian and are unacceptable neither in Russia, nor in the Islamic world, nor in China.

Definition of terrorism

In the interview, Ali Al-Dhafiri's guest linked the issue of defining terrorism to the interests of states, and gave an example of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that he supported Washington's position after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and in return was waiting for the US administration to classify those he called the Chechen separatists in the category of Terrorists, which did not happen, and the Russian thinker says that Putin understood at that time the meaning of geopolitical considerations.

In another context, Dugin - one of the most prominent political theorists in Russia - saw that Iran is an ally of Russia and is one of the opponents of globalization and American leadership, and that radical Sunni Islam in the Arab world had supported the American strategy in the MiddleEast, but the new generation of leaders - continues the speaker - In SaudiArabia, Qatar and Egypt, he is looking for a new approach to Arab Sunni Islam, and he believes that staying in the orbit of American policy is bad for the Islamic world.

He also talked about his ideas, and said that he is a supporter of Islamic traditional values in Iran, but nevertheless he has strong relations with Turkey, noting in his touch on Russia's future that Russia is Putin and he determines everything in politics, to conclude his speech by saying that in his country "the law does not something and rule everything."

It is noteworthy that after Putin took power in Russia, a new phase began in Dugin's political activity when he moved from the radical opposition camp to the pro-power camp.

European Union's foreign policy chief: Iran's response to the European proposal on the nuclear deal "reasonable"

Monday, August 22, 2022 No comments

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, considered today that Iran's response to the bloc's recent proposal for a nuclear agreement with the United States is "reasonable."

He added during an event at a university in the city of Santander in northern Spain: "I presented a proposal in my capacity as the coordinator of the negotiations ... and there is a response from Iran, which I considered reasonable. He was transferred to the United States, which has not yet officially responded.

Borrell was referring to a response Iran sent last week to the European Union's latest proposal to update the 2015 nuclear deal, following 16 months of indirect talks between the United States and Tehran.

For his part, the Russian envoy to the Vienna negotiations, Mikhail Ulyanov, said that he met the new permanent representative of Iran to international organizations in Vienna, Mohsen Naziri, and they discussed a number of issues related to the final stage of the Vienna negotiations on the nuclear agreement.

He added that Iran had made reasonable proposals regarding the nuclear agreement, and the Russian official expressed his hope that Washington would not delay in responding to the Iranian proposals, as he put it.

Friday, August 19, 2022

Erdogan: America and the coalition are fueling terrorism in Syria, and dialogue with Damascus is not excluded

Friday, August 19, 2022 No comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on possible talks with Syria that "states can never rule out political dialogue and diplomacy."

The Turkish TRT channel quoted Erdogan as saying that "his country has no ambitions in Syrian territory," and said that "the Syrian people are our brothers, and their territorial integrity is important to us."

He added, "The United States of America and the coalition forces are the feeders of terrorism in Syria in the first place. They have done so relentlessly and continue to do so."

Pointing out that "we must take advanced steps with Syria, through which we can spoil many schemes in this region of the Islamic world."

Erdogan stressed, according to Anatolia, that Turkey "has no ambitions in Syrian territory, and Damascus must understand this well," noting also that Ankara "has always been supportive of a political solution and dialogue in Syria."

The Anatolia news agency quoted Erdogan as saying, "We do not care about the issue of Assad's defeat or not being defeated," expressing a position in this context, saying: "We have always been part of the solution in Syria."

This comes at a time when the northern countryside of Aleppo is witnessing a remarkable military escalation, through an exchange of shelling between the Turkish army and the "Syrian Democratic Forces", which led to the martyrdom of civilians and members of the Syrian army deployed in the area, as a result of a raid by a Turkish fighter on Tel Jarqali. , west of the city of Ayn al-Arab.

Cities and towns in the border strip are witnessing frequent Turkish bombardment, under the pretext that the SDF did not withdraw to a distance of 30 km, according to the Sochi Agreement, which led to the deaths and injuries, and the displacement of dozens of families from their villages and towns.

On the other hand, the Turkish president said regarding relations with Egypt: "We are united by the Egyptian people as brothers. There can be no disagreement with the Egyptian people. For this reason, we need to establish this peace there as soon as possible."

It is noteworthy that Erdogan's statements came during his one-day visit to Lvov, during which he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, at the Potochki Palace, in the presence of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Monday, August 15, 2022

The War in Ukraine creates new tends: Proliferation of weapons and widening of conflict areas

Monday, August 15, 2022 No comments

This is serious development: Russia will widen its operation in Ukraine to cover the range of weapons supplied by NATO to Kyiv; that seems to be the new strategy developed by Russian leaders, including supplying nations that are friendly to Russia with weapons the same way the West supplies it allies.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that "if the West provides Kyiv with long-range weapons, the geographical objectives of the special operation in Ukraine will move beyond its current goals."

Russia has previously sent a memorandum to NATO countries, due to the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated that any shipment "containing weapons to Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia," considering that NATO's arming of Ukraine was "playing with fire."

This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed today, Monday, that Moscow values its relations with the countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa, and is ready to supply its allies with modern weapons. He made the remarks while opening the Army-2022 International Military-Technical Forum and the International Army Games-2022, which started on Monday in the Moscow Region.

This year, over 6,000 soldiers and officers from 37 countries of the world are taking part in them.

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.

Friday, August 12, 2022

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?

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'

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.

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

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.

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

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.