German FM: End of Turkey’s peace process would be fatal

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier speaks during a press conference on May 31. (Photo: AP)

Germany's top diplomat has warned that the suspension of the settlement process launched to resolve Turkey's Kurdish issue could prove fatal for the region.

A possible return to armed clashes against the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as in the 1990s would lead to disastrous consequences due to the situation Turkey's southern neighbors are in, the Doğan news agency quoted German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier as telling a German daily on Saturday.

“It is only through the continuation of the talks [for the settlement process] that the re-emergence of an environment of clashes which was lived through in the '90s could be avoided,” the German foreign minister was quoted as saying to the Rheinische Post.

The recent PKK attacks, which came after a deadly attack in the southeastern town of Suruç on July 20, have put an end to the settlement process the government launched at the end of 2012 to resolve the terrorism problem and the Kurdish issue in Turkey.

Following the PKK attacks, in which several members of the security forces were killed, Turkey launched air strikes against PKK bases in northern Iraq.

Top government officials have said on numerous occasions since the PKK attacks that the process has been shelved.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at the end of last month “it is impossible to continue the peace process with Kurdish militants.”

Steinmeier, who revealed that Turkey has given Germany positive signals that the talks for peace could be relaunched, also noted that Turkey demands that the PKK stop attacks as a condition for the relaunch of the process, the news agency said.

The settlement process was launched by the government at the end of 2012 in cooperation with the jailed leader of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, to settle the country's long-standing terrorism problem and the Kurdish issue.

Nearly 40,000 people have been killed in clashes with the PKK since 1984, when the armed group launched its first attacks. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by the US, the European Union and Turkey.

The process has practically been suspended since March of this year, that is, several months before the June 7 general election, when President Erdoğan announced that Turkey no longer had a Kurdish problem.

The Suruç attack, in which 32 people lost their lives, has been attributed to radical terrorist group the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Following the Suruç attack, the PKK accused Turkey of failing to prevent the attack.

11 dead as overloaded minibus carrying Syrian migrants rams into wall in western Turkey

(Photo: Cihan)

Eleven people were killed and 29 others injured on Saturday when an overloaded minibus carrying Syrian migrants steered off the road and rammed into a roadside retaining wall in the western province of Balıkesir.

The driver lost control of the vehicle as the minibus was driving downhill on the Balıkesir-Havran highway in the district of Havran. News reports said the minibus was overloaded, carrying more than twice its authorized passenger load. The bus was headed towards the Aegean coastal town of Ayvalık, where the migrants had planned to cross over to the Greek island of Lesbos. The passengers had life vests for the trip packed with them along with their belongings.

One of the dead was a Turkish national, while the remaining 10 were Syrians, news reports said. The minibus' 23-year-old Turkish driver was among the injured.

Turkey hosts close to 2 million Syrians who fled the civil war in their county while only about 200,000 of them are accommodated in refugee camps. Hoping for better living conditions, many of them resort to seeking the help of smugglers in an attempt to migrate to European countries.

Turkish military attache to Azerbaijan replaced

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The military attache of Turkish Armed Forces in Azerbaijan was replaced.

The Embassy’s press office told APA that current attache Nevzat Tasdeler was appointed as Chief of Staff of the War Academies Command in Istanbul, where Azerbaijani soldiers are also studying.

Tasdeler will serve for the training of commanders of the Turkish Army.

According to the decision passed at the Supreme Military Council meeting under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he was also promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

Lieutenant General Ihsan Basbozkurt was appointed as military attache of Turkish Armed Forces in Azerbaijan. Basbozkurt will replace Tasdeler in coming days.

Newly-appointed attaché, currently acting as a brigade commander in Urfa, was born in Kars. He reportedly knows the Azerbaijani language.

Turkish military attache to Azerbaijan replaced

Text size:  

The military attache of Turkish Armed Forces in Azerbaijan was replaced.

The Embassy’s press office told APA that current attache Nevzat Tasdeler was appointed as Chief of Staff of the War Academies Command in Istanbul, where Azerbaijani soldiers are also studying.

Tasdeler will serve for the training of commanders of the Turkish Army.

According to the decision passed at the Supreme Military Council meeting under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he was also promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

Lieutenant General Ihsan Basbozkurt was appointed as military attache of Turkish Armed Forces in Azerbaijan. Basbozkurt will replace Tasdeler in coming days.

Newly-appointed attaché, currently acting as a brigade commander in Urfa, was born in Kars. He reportedly knows the Azerbaijani language.

Ambassador: I only see peaceful solution to conflicts in Caucasus

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“I only see a peaceful solution to conflicts in the Caucasus,” said Georgian ambassador to Azerbaijan Teymuraz Sharashenidze, APA reported.

According to him, renewal of bloodshed in a small region like the South Caucasus might have negative consequences.“

A new outbreak of conflicts in a small region like the South Caucasus might bring about bitter consequences. Therefore, a peaceful solution to conflicts is the best thing to do for today,” the diplomat stressed.

Defense Minister visits facilities constructed in military units on frontline

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Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov and officials of the ministry, paying visit to the districts located on the frontline under the instructions of President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, reviewed facilities constructed in military units.

The Defense Ministry said that the minister, reviewing the progress of the ongoing construction work in new military camps, gave relevant instructions and recommendations about qualitative construction of military facilities in accordance with the site plan within the specified period, as well as reconstruction works.

Hasanov also visited stocks of armored vehicles, artillery systems, military medical facilities, barracks, service and administrative rooms, desert and stationary bath-laundry complexes and familiarized himself with social conditions of servicemen.

The Defense Minister's visit to the frontline continues.

Italian conductor: Azerbaijanis have great composers, beautiful music

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Azerbaijanis have great composers, beautiful music.

“The organization of the 7th Gabala International Music Festival in such a beautiful area between the mountains and forests, and the participation of such famous performers has come as a great surprise to me,” said conductor of the Italian Symphonic Orchestra Giancarlo De Lorenzo, AzerTag reports.

He said attending the festival “is a good chance for me to discover Azerbaijan”.

"The participation of world-known musicians at the festival is an indicator of the excellent organization of the event. I led the Italian Symphonic Orchestra during the 2-day concert in Gabala. We performed an overture from Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli`s "Koroghlu" opera. The audience gave as a standing ovation.”

“This is the greatest present for a musician. We are happy that we successfully performed Uzeyir Hajibeyli`s work. Your nation has great composers, beautiful music."