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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/t...rder-kz3mg8stj Turkish troops occupy buffer zone on Syrian border Turkish troops are preparing to enter a strip of northern Syria currently controlled by Kurdish forces to patrol a buffer zone set up under an agreement with the US. The so-called “safe zone”, which will stretch 500 miles along Syria’s frontier with Turkey, will put distance between Turkish soil and a Kurdish militia that Ankara regards as a terrorist group. The area where Turkish soldiers will be present will extend from the border up to three miles inside Syria, according to a report on the Turkish news channel HaberTurk. Beyond that will be a second strip of seven miles where only US soldiers will patrol, followed by a further 2.5 miles cleared of the Kurds’ heavy weaponry. The Turkish-patrolled strip will be far narrower than the 20 miles originally demanded by President Erdogan. Nonetheless, it will double the Turkish army’s area of operations inside the warzone. The deal was struck earlier this month following threats from Ankara of a military offensive fand frantic diplomacy on the part of the US, which is supporting the Kurdish YPG. It has averted a crisis which could have seen Turkish troops clashing with American forces....... Turkey already controls two zones in northern Syria covering a total area of about 1,500 square miles, which it seized in military operations against Isis, in late 2016, and the YPG, in early 2018. Turkish troops are also present in Idlib, the last rebel-held province where President Assad and his Russian backers are currently waging a huge offensive. Ankara controls 12 military points in rebel territory along the frontline with Assad, which were set up under a ceasefire agreement with Russia. Mr Assad has never accepted the presence of Turkish boots on Syrian soil, however, describing it as an invasion of sovereign territory and vowing to seize back the whole country. One of the bases has now been surrounded by his forces and the Turkish flag lowered, while a second was targeted in airstrikes which narrowly missed it on Wednesday morning. There is growing disquiet among Turkish top brass over Ankara’s growing embroilment in the Syrian quagmire. Five generals resigned earlier this week, including the commander and deputy commander of the Idlib operations. |
SU-35 demonstration flight doing low level aerobatics over the centre of Istanbul. Different safety rules I guess...... |
So long as there was a NOTAM, what's the problem? Their airspace, their risk assessment.
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ORAC,
Seeing as the border being discussed is that between Syria and TURKEY, I guess that the Turks will have their own radar cover of their own airspace and border, so cut out of nothing. |
You can see the blips - but without Mode 5/L16 you don’t who they are.
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You'll know if they are not your own...
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And once again, the West throws the Kurds under a bus having first used them for their own ends. That makes 4 times that I can think of in recent history. I’m surprised they still even talk to us.
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Originally Posted by Melchett01
(Post 10590380)
And once again, the West throws the Kurds under a bus having first used them for their own ends. That makes 4 times that I can think of in recent history. I’m surprised they still even talk to us.
The one thing Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq all agree on is that the Kurds will never be allowed to have their own state or be fully accepted into the community. So whenever the Kurds think they have found someone who will help them, they find that eventually those other countries are willing to cut deals to prevent that support from enduring. I have read that Israel has been a fairly steadfast provider of training and perhaps more to the Kurds, but suspect that relationship too has had its ups and downs. |
Originally Posted by etudiant
(Post 10590419)
The Kurds are used to betrayal. It is the result of living as an unassimilated minority in a very fractured part of the world.
The one thing Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq all agree on is that the Kurds will never be allowed to have their own state or be fully accepted into the community. So whenever the Kurds think they have found someone who will help them, they find that eventually those other countries are willing to cut deals to prevent that support from enduring. I have read that Israel has been a fairly steadfast provider of training and perhaps more to the Kurds, but suspect that relationship too has had its ups and downs. I was mildly enraged that the BBC tonight referred to the PKK as separatists; they are terrorists and proscribed as such in almost every Western country. The UK (Met SO15) are very active in breaking up PKK cells, mainly in London. I have little sympathy for the Kurds. |
No chicken coup, that's for sure.
Turkey's Syrian FSA 'rebels' in the front line vs the SDF rebels. |
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/...rkey-sanctions
Graham, Van Hollen announce new Turkey sanctionsSens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) on Wednesday announced that they have reached an agreement on new sanctions against Turkey after the country launched a military operation in northern Syria."I am pleased to have reached a bipartisan agreement with Senator @ChrisVanHollen on severe sanctions against Turkey for their invasion of Syria," Graham said in a tweet announcing the deal. He added that "while the Administration refuses to act against Turkey, I expect strong bipartisan support. ... Most Members of Congress believe it would be wrong to abandon the Kurds who have been strong allies against ISIS." ...... The deal between the two senators comes after they announced Monday that they were working on sanctions legislation following Trump's decision to yank U.S. troops out of northern Syria ahead of a planned Turkish military operation. Turkey began airstrikes and shelling against Kurdish forces in northern Syria on Wednesday and, hours later, moved ground troops into the country after Trump pulled back U.S. troops. Congress is currently out of town as part of a two-week recess. But Van Hollen said on Wednesday that they will introduce legislation next week and want a quick vote. "This sanctions bill will be introduced as soon as Congress returns. Will ask for an immediate vote to send a clear message to Turkey that it must cease and desist its military action, withdraw its fighters from the areas under attack, and stop the tragic loss of life," he said. The bill, according to a fact sheet shared by Graham, would sanction any assets of Turkish leadership, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, within U.S. jurisdiction. The bill would also target Turkey's energy sector and military, including sanctions against "any foreign person who sells or provides financial, material, or technological support or knowingly does a transaction with Turkish military." It would also prohibit U.S. military sales to Turkey and restrict the ability for Turkey's leadership to travel to the United States. "Today @LindseyGrahamSC and I are announcing a framework for sanctions against Turkey to respond to their military operation in northeastern Syria, which is already underway. These sanctions will have immediate, far-reaching consequences for Erdogan and his military," Our bill includes sanctions on: → Turkey's political leadership → Military transactions with Turkey → Turkey's domestic energy sector It will also: → Prohibit U.S. military support for Turkey → Trigger 2017 CAATSA sanctions → Restrict U.S. visas for Turkish leadership https://t.co/nugcPRlMFD — Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) October 9, 2019 Trump distanced himself from Turkey's military operation earlier Wednesday and indicated that he would support additional sanctions. “I think Lindsey would like to stay there for the next 200 years and maybe add a couple a hundred of thousand people every place, but I disagree with Lindsey on that,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “But I will tell you that I do agree on sanctions, but I actually think much tougher than sanctions if [Erdoğan] doesn’t do it in as humane a way as possible.” |
Hmmmmmmm Sanctions, Putin will be rubbing his hand with glee while offering support with the other. Trump wants locking away where he can't do any harm.
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The New York Times reports that the US is finally "reviewing plans" to flush the WS3 nuclear weapons storage vault at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey... |
The weeks events remind me of Dale Brown's Rogue Forces (another Patrick McLanahan Sky Masters/Dreamland high tech thriller) written a decade ago shows how Turkey (having been sold surplus A-10 Warthogs and F-15E Strike Eagles atop of their inventory) wants to wipe out PPK and Kurds by invading northern Iraq. Counteracting US troops backed by by Sky Masters Inc with their flying wing cargo a/c (based on X- something or another) with a laser defeats the rogue Turks
https://www.dalebrown.info/21.htm https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/at...645721eaa0ccc3 Oh and in the book TuAF F-4E 'Terminator' filled with ECM gear, jams the allied forces and gets a taste of a laser thanks to the Sky Masters Inc. In weird twist in the real world, a TuAF F-4E Termintor ends up being shot down by the Syrians in 2012 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...s_basic_planit Cheers |
Was the operative word not 'quietly'?
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Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 10594585)
https://twitter.com/nktpnd/status/11...530738693?s=20
The New York Times reports that the US is finally "reviewing plans" to flush the WS3 nuclear weapons storage vault at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey... Cheers |
Just replace the weapons with training "Shapes" on the quiet.
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https://www.dailysabah.com/defense/2...ghter-jet-sale
Turkey, Russia close to reaching agreement on Su-35 fighter jet saleTurkey is close to reaching a deal with Moscow over the purchase of Su-35 fighter jets as well as co-manufacturing some components of the Russian-made jets, Turkish sources said Friday.Turkish and Russian officials are discussing the details of the sale of a total of 36 Su-35 fighter jets to Turkey, two months after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) aviation show outside of Moscow. Sources added that officials are also discussing Turkey's possible involvement in the production of some components of the fighter jets, including its precision weapons and ammunition...... |
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/g...ibya-hpzcdgkk5
Greece fears Turkish encroachment over oil exploration deal with LibyaGreece has accused Turkey of breaching international law after Ankara signed a Mediterranean oil and gas exploration agreement with Libya.The deal, which threatens to vastly extend Turkey’s claimed rights over the Mediterranean, follows an agreement last week for Ankara to supply weaponry to the internationally recognised Libyan government in Tripoli, which is involved in a military struggle with forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar for control of the country. Greece fears that the exploration deal encompasses uninterrupted territory running from Turkey’s southern shore all the way to the coast of Libya, encroaching on areas close to the islands of Rhodes and Crete over which Athens claims exclusive economic rights. “It is illegal and absurd because it ignores the presence of islands like Crete,” Nikos Dendias, the Greek foreign minister, said. “Greece cannot and will not relinquish its sovereignty. We will respond to any attempt [Turkey] makes to encroach these rights. Our military capabilities are robust,” he told Skai, a television network based in Athens. Greece has accused Turkey of breaching international law after Ankara signed a Mediterranean oil and gas exploration agreement with Libya. The deal, which threatens to vastly extend Turkey’s claimed rights over the Mediterranean, follows an agreement last week for Ankara to supply weaponry to the internationally recognised Libyan government in Tripoli, which is involved in a military struggle with forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar for control of the country. Greece fears that the exploration deal encompasses uninterrupted territory running from Turkey’s southern shore all the way to the coast of Libya, encroaching on areas close to the islands of Rhodes and Crete over which Athens claims exclusive economic rights. “It is illegal and absurd because it ignores the presence of islands like Crete,” Nikos Dendias, the Greek foreign minister, said. “Greece cannot and will not relinquish its sovereignty. We will respond to any attempt [Turkey] makes to encroach these rights. Our military capabilities are robust,” he told Skai, a television network based in Athens...... |
https://breakingdefense.com/2019/12/...-eucom-deputy/
Pull US Troops Out if Turkey: Former EUCOM Deputy .....When asked about growing concerns about the safety of these nuclear weapons in light of deteriorating U.S.-Turkey ties, former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James noted that – hypothetically – if such weapons did require relocation, removing them from Incirlik would be a “complicated operation [that] would require negotiations with the [new host] nation.” Nevertheless, the United States should prioritize moving these weapons to a more stable and secure European facility, such as Aviano Air Base, Italy. There is simply no longer a strategic necessity for maintaining a nuclear arsenal in Turkey as the United States has other nuclear forces available for deterring Russia. Second, Washington should relocate the 39th Air Wing and its various support functions; Cyprus and Greece are excellent alternatives. For the former, its Akrotiri Air Base is already home to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and it has runways and facilities akin to Incirlik; moreover, it is still near the Middle Eastern theatre but has the added advantage of being located on European soil. Choosing Cyprus would send Turkey a clear message that the United States is a no longer prepared to tolerate Turkey’s illegal oil exploration and naval harassment within the Cypriot exclusive economic zone....... |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 10633222)
https://breakingdefense.com/2019/12/...-eucom-deputy/
Pull US Troops Out if Turkey: Former EUCOM Deputy .....When asked about growing concerns about the safety of these nuclear weapons in light of deteriorating U.S.-Turkey ties, former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James noted that – hypothetically – if such weapons did require relocation, removing them from Incirlik would be a “complicated operation [that] would require negotiations with the [new host] nation.” Nevertheless, the United States should prioritize moving these weapons to a more stable and secure European facility, such as Aviano Air Base, Italy. There is simply no longer a strategic necessity for maintaining a nuclear arsenal in Turkey as the United States has other nuclear forces available for deterring Russia. Second, Washington should relocate the 39th Air Wing and its various support functions; Cyprus and Greece are excellent alternatives. For the former, its Akrotiri Air Base is already home to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and it has runways and facilities akin to Incirlik; moreover, it is still near the Middle Eastern theatre but has the added advantage of being located on European soil. Choosing Cyprus would send Turkey a clear message that the United States is a no longer prepared to tolerate Turkey’s illegal oil exploration and naval harassment within the Cypriot exclusive economic zone....... Moreover it would cause both sides on the island of Cyprus to become (more) enraged and jointly target the British presence. This is in addition to pissing off the Turks, with whom we still have a good working relationship at diplomatic and military levels. Added to that, there would be huge agitation from the very pro Russian government in the Republic of Cyprus. Furthermore there is no question of Russian troops or aircraft based in Turkey; during the coup attempt in July 2016 it was the Turkish Base Cdr (BGen Van) who rebelled against the government and was dragged from the US Base Cdr's office by MİT officers. The US Colonel had served on 1 Sqn on exchange about 15 years ago - 'Red' for those who might remember him. The US and Turkish perimeter around the SSA remained secure. Of course the US and Turkey have clashed over nukes before. One of the secret protocols agreed after the Cuban missile crises was to withdraw the jointly US/Turkish manned Jupiter Missile batteries. The US withdrew the nuclear tipped missiles without telling the HN, who were justifiably cross, and it soured relations for a good decade. |
Of course, it's not just a simple matter of moving the devices from one location to another. In Greece I'd anticipate huge civil unrest if the US proposed to move then there - with a pro |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 10633354)
There is no suggestion in the article of moving the nuclear weapons to Cyprus, only the 39th AW.
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Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 10633354)
There is no suggestion in the article of moving the nuclear weapons to Cyprus, only the 39th AW.
The 39th Air Wing comprises a lot more than the 39th Weapons System Security Group which is the only element that would go with the weapons and be reassigned to another USAF wing or HN base. The balance of 39th Air Wing is either to do with providing mission support to transit / deployed aircraft (39th Mission Support Group) or the hospital (39th Medical Group). Furthermore, the former RAF SSA at Akrotiri is derelict and a non-starter - and off-base with self-evident unacceptable outload security implications compared to modus operandi with WS3. I would imagine that the B-61s would only remain in the European theatre if a HN that had a base with spare WS3 in HASs would be willing to accept them. Unlike the B-61s in the other NATO countries, those remaining at Incirlik now are for US aircraft. The ideal reallocation would be to a US air base - kind of narrows the choice - Ramstein (for aircraft deployed into spare HAS in crisis) or Lakenheath (for F-15E now - F-35A later) - there are plenty of spare WS3 slots around (100 at Lakenheath alone) that could be up and running pretty quickly. Both those options would probably have civilian NIMBYs up in arms (pun intended) - so the B-61s might have to go back to the USA. https://fas.org/blogs/security/2019/...out-of-turkey/ https://www.incirlik.af.mil/Units/39th-Air-Base-Wing/ |
The ideal reallocation would be to a US air base - kind of narrows the choice - Ramstein (for aircraft deployed into spare HAS in crisis) or Lakenheath (for F-15E now - F-35A later) - there are plenty of spare WS3 slots around (100 at Lakenheath alone) that could be up and running pretty quickly.
Wasn't it stated on another thread that F35 is not nuclear capable, hence the Germans had to reject it as a Tornado replacement? |
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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/turkey-protects-disputed-mediterranean-oil-and-gas-drilling-with-armed-drones-jgmtknw9f
Turkey protects disputed Mediterranean oil and gas drilling with armed drones Armed Turkish drones will be launched from northern Cyprus today to assist Ankara’s drill ships surveying the eastern Mediterranean for oil and gas, it was announced yesterday...... It remains unclear how many unmanned aerial vehicles will be mobilised from Cyprus in the operation, according to the Turkish news agency Demiroren. The move may further aggravate Ankara’s already tense relations with the European Union and its neighbours over energy resources in the Mediterranean. In a statement issued at the weekend, the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said that his cabinet had authorised use of the Gecitkale airbase in line with Ankara’s decision to expand its drilling operations in the region. The statement added that the drones would “protect the legitimate rights” of Turkey and northern Cyprus, a breakaway state that only Ankara recognises. Turkey began seeking oil and gas off the coast of Cyprus this year, dispatching two drill ships and an exploration vessel to the contested region. A recently agreed deal with Libya to section off part of the eastern Mediterranean, cutting through waters recognised as the sovereign territory of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, has served to ratchet up tension in the area. Angered by the deal, Athens expelled the Libyan ambassador last week. It also rallied its EU partners in condemning the maritime accord as “illicit”........ Greece and Turkey, which are Nato allies, have long been at loggerheads over air, sea and territorial rights, coming to the brink of war in 1996 over a barren islet in the Aegean Sea. Greece has on three occasions intercepted ships supplying weapons to the government in Tripoli. In a recent interview, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, the Greek defence minister, said that if it came to a fight with Turkey “we shall not wait for anyone to come and help us. Whatever we do, we shall do alone.” |
Armed Turkish drone lands in Cyprus as regional tensions rise
In The Guardian.
Delivery follows Libya-Turkey deal aimed at securing rights to gas reserves in east Mediterranean https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...bya-deal#img-1 A Turkish military drone lands at Geçitkale airport, in northern Cyprus, on 16 December. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images A Turkish military drone was delivered to northern Cyprus on Monday amid growing tensions over Turkey’s deal with Libya that extended its claims to the gas-rich eastern Mediterranean. The Bayraktar TB2 drone landed in Geçitkale airport, in Famagusta, at about 7am GMT on Monday, an AFP correspondent said. The breakaway northern Cyprus government had approved the use of the airport for unmanned aerial vehicles. It followed a deal signed last month between Libya and Turkey that could prove crucial in the scramble for recently-discovered gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean. The agreement claimed extensive areas of the sea for Turkey, undercutting claims by Greece and the internationally-recognised Republic of Cyprus, which governs the southern part of the island. Analysts say Turkey was pushing back against rival efforts to claim exploration rights in the area after Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and Israel excluded it from a new “East Mediterranean Gas Forum” that also includes Jordan, Italy and the Palestinian territories. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is only recognised by Turkey, said approval for the drone was given last week “in light of the latest developments in the eastern Mediterranean region” and “to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the TRNC and Turkey”. The TRNC’s transport minister, Tolga Atakan, said Turkish drones were partly in response to the acquisition of Israeli drones by Cyprus in October to monitor its exclusive economic zone. Turkey already has two drilling vessels in the eastern Mediterranean despite the threat of European Union sanctions. Ankara does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member, and says the TRNC has the right to explore around the entire island. |
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/turkey-could-shut-nato-airbase-if-us-imposes-sanctions-jzzlt3pmp
Turkey could shut Nato airbase if US imposes sanctions President Erdogan warned that he may shut down the main Nato airbase in Turkey, as increasingly toxic relations between Ankara and Washington threatened the home of US nuclear bombers in the region. Mr Erdogan made the comments about the Incirlik base, where 5,000 US personnel are based along with 50 nuclear warheads, during a televised interview last night. He also warned that the Kurecik radar station in the eastern province of Malatya could be closed to the US military. It came after US senators approved a package of sanctions against Turkey in response to Ankara’s purchase of the Russian-made S400 missile-defence system, and separately passed a resolution recognising the mass deportations and killings of Armenians in Anatolia in 1915 as a genocide. “If it is necessary for us to take such a step, of course we have the authority . . . If this is necessary, together with our delegations, we will close down Incirlik if necessary,” Mr Erdogan told a panel of journalists from a news group part-owned by his in-laws. “If they are threatening us with the implementation of these sanctions, of course we will be retaliating.”..... |
I would have thought the only credible/politically possible European alternative for B61’s would be RAF Lakenheath or RAF Fairford.
It wouldn’t absolute amaze me to discover that they have already been moved out of Turkey. WWW |
Ramstein seems to the only place with both the in-situ security teams and the most surplus vaults.
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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/greece-buys-armed-drones-to-challenge-turkey-in-eastern-mediterannean-wj0qg0d5w
Greece buys armed drones to challenge Turkey in eastern Mediterannean Greece is to buy a fleet of American and Israeli armed drones which could be used against similar Turkish assets already deployed to the eastern Mediterranean as Ankara prepares to exploit extensive oil and gasfields under the sea. Athens is buying three US drones and two others from Israel. Nikos Panagiotopoulos, the defence minister, told parliament last night that the drones could be used to “immobilise” their hostile Turkish counterparts in the event that they enter Greek airspace. “Rules of engagement have already been charted by [our] country’s armed forces . . . to confront potential threats to our sovereignty . . . including [action] to immobilise Turkish drones,” he said....... The deployment of a new drone to northern Cyprus, a state recognised only by Ankara, has unnerved Greece. Tensions between the two countries intensified after Turkey and Libya agreed this month to carve up part of the eastern Mediterranean, waters recognised as sovereign territory of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus...... The deal between Tripoil and Ankara, which the EU and other regional neighbours have declared illegal, has put Greece’s armed forces on heightened alert. But it has also sparked a rift between the civilian and military leaders in Athens over how to respond to Turkey’s exploration plans in the eastern Mediterranean. Ankara has said it will plunder oil and gasfields off the coast of Greece’s biggest and wealthiest island Crete. Mr Panagiotopoulos today sought to ease such concerns insisting that the country was both capable and prepared to “do whatever it takes to defend its national sovereignty”. |
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-mediterranean
France to send warships to support Greece in Turkish standoff Greece’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has welcomed a decision by France to dispatch war frigates to the eastern Mediterranean as a standoff with Turkey over regional energy reserves intensifies. With tensions between Athens and Ankara causing growing international alarm, Mitsotakis described the vessels as “guarantors of peace.” “The only way to end differences in the eastern Mediterranean is through international justice,” he told reporters after holding talks in Paris with the French president, Emmanuel Macron. “Greece and France are pursuing a new framework of strategic defence.”....... The Gallic-Greek alliance cements what officials in Athens are calling a renewed diplomatic push to counter Turkish belligerence in the Mediterranean. Greece’s defence minister, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, this week went as far as to warn that armed forces were “examining all scenarios, even that of military engagement” in the face of heightened aggression from Ankara. Rejecting Turkish demands that Greece demilitarise 16 Aegean islands, he accused Turkey of displaying unusually provocative behaviour. The demand, made last week by his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, follows a dramatic surge in recent months in the number of violations of Greek airspace by Turkish fighter jets. “Greece does not provoke, does not violate the sovereign rights of others, but it doesn’t like to see its own rights violated,” said Panagiotopoulos. Tensions between the Nato allies prompted Donald Trump to take the unprecedented step of voicing concerns over the situation in a telephone call with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on Monday...... |
https://news.sky.com/story/hagia-sop...iumph-12025607
Hagia Sophia: Istanbul monument to become a mosque again as Turkish Islamic conservatives triumph Hagia Sophia has witnessed many upheavals in its 1,500 year history, evolving from a cathedral to a mosque, then a museum. In a landmark decision, Turkey's high court has ruled that its conversion into a museum in 1934 was unlawful - paving the way for the most visited monument in the country to be converted back to an Islamic place of worship. The move, which threatens to upset Christians around the world, is not about creating more space for prayer as Istanbul has more than 3,000 mosques. Rather, the decision reflects the wider societal struggle within Turkey between secularism and President Erdogan's religious conservatism. The usual crowd of tourists was absent as the announcement came, but the predominantly Turkish media gathered outside Hagia Sophia. Turkish officials have said opening Hagia Sophia to prayer will not stop tourists from visiting the site and have offered reassurance that the building's Christian icons will be preserved. However, historian Zeynep Ahunbay, who has worked on the conservation of Hagia Sophia for 27 years, doesn't see how that will be possible. |
https://www.politico.eu/article/azer...haky-alliance/
Caucasus skirmish pits Russia against Turkey, straining shaky alliance https://www.snafu-solomon.com/2020/0...erbaijani.html Armenian army destroys 4 Azerbaijani armored vehicles...we are entering a period of many small wars globally |
https://www.politico.eu/article/germ...harms-eu-ties/
Greek PM warns Turkey over Eastern Mediterranean survey ATHENS — The EU will have no choice but to impose sanctions if Turkey continues to create tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned Tuesday. Greek armed forces were placed on alert, as Turkey announced plans for a seismic survey south and east of the Greek island of Kastellorizo from July 21-August 2. Some military personnel were told that summer leave would be suspended, according to Greek officials, while the chief of the Greek armed forces, Konstantinos Floros, has expedited his return from Cyprus. “Greece is monitoring all developments with confidence, assuredness and absolute readiness,” Mitsotakis said at a press conference with Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Athens. The Greek embassy in Ankara sent a complaint to the Turkish foreign ministry, according to the Greek foreign ministry. Greek authorities also said they have raised the issue to the EU, NATO and the United Nations Security Council. “Today's announcement of Turkey's surveys in a section of the Greek continental shelf, through a new illegal Navtex [navigational warning] constitutes an escalation of the tension in our region,” the Greek foreign ministry said in a statement. “It highlights Turkey's persistence in violating international legality and its complete contempt for International Law, the International Law of the Sea, the rules governing good neighborly relations and the urgings of the European Union.” Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos briefed U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper about the latest developments in the Mediterranean over the phone. Panagiotopoulos told Esper that Greek navy ships were in the area and “Greece is prepared to defend its sovereign rights if necessary,” according to a statement issued by the ministry. “The United States is aware that Turkey has issued a Navtex for research in disputed waters in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the U.S. State Department said. “We urge Turkish authorities to halt any plans for operations and to avoid steps that raise tensions in the region.” Greece and Turkey are at odds over a number of issues, including Ankara's plan to push ahead with exploration work in contested waters. The bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned last week that Turkey's exploration work ran "counter to EU interest, to the sovereign rights of EU member states and to international law." Germany’s Maas also warned Turkey Tuesday that it needs to stop exploratory drilling for hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean if it wants to improve relations with the EU. “Regarding Turkey’s drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, we have a very clear position — international law must be respected so progress in EU-Turkey relations is only possible if Ankara stops provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said Maas, who chairs regular meetings of EU foreign ministers under Germany's Council of the EU presidency. “The illegal and provocative behavior of Turkey has a serious backlash not only to peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean but to the cohesion of NATO and to its relations with the European Union,” said Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias following talks with Maas. Earlier this month, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu wrote in an opinion piece for POLITICO that his government was open to dialogue but would continue its exploration work to "protect our national interests and the equal rights of Turkish Cypriots." |
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