Day: October 5, 2023
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev cancels a peace meeting with Armenia’s Pashinyan, mediated by Europe, after his proposal to invite Baku’s ally Türkiye to the talks was rejected, media reports say
An anticipated meeting between Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was shelved after Aliyev decided not to join, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting Daily Sabah. The two leaders were scheduled to meet in Spain for peace talks after a 2020 war over Karabakh. Yet, tensions between the two countries rose again after Baku launched an offensive against Armenian separatists in its territory Karabakh in September.
Baku was already angered over France’s support for Armenia and what it called the biased stance of Paris despite its role as a mediator. France would have been among the participants of the meeting, along with Germany and Azerbaijan. Baku also proposed that Türkiye join the talks. When other parties rejected the idea, Aliyev decided to skip the meeting, Azerbaijani diplomatic sources told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday.
Earlier, Turkish media outlets reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would not participate in the meeting.
A five-way meeting would focus on peace between two old foes, in conflict since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. France, home to a large Armenian diaspora, is among the major backers of Yerevan and offered military aid to Armenia earlier this week, to the chagrin of Baku, which wrestled back its territory Karabakh from the country after a brief war three years ago. Azerbaijan also complained that France was not neutral while trying to mediate the conflict after French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna accused Azerbaijan of a “blockade” and “forced displacement” of Armenians in Karabakh.
Azerbaijan on Tuesday criticized French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna’s remarks against Baku during her visit to Armenia. “Repetition by (Catherine Colonna) of fake ‘blockade’ and ‘forced displacement’ narratives in her meetings in Armenia doesn’t serve peace,” Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, wrote on X. “Her statements on ‘France always standing by Armenia’s side’ finally removed all masks off French claims to being an honest broker & neutral mediator,” Hajizada added.
During her contacts in the Armenian capital Yerevan, Colonna blamed Azerbaijan for the recent developments in Karabakh.
In the fall of 2020, with Türkiye lending its support, in 44 days of clashes Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages and settlements in Karabakh from illegal Armenian occupation. The war ended with a Russia-brokered cease-fire.
Then, earlier this month, in the wake of provocations by Armenian forces in Karabakh, Azerbaijan said it had launched “counterterrorism” activities to uphold the trilateral peace pact. After 24 hours, a cease-fire was reached, with Azerbaijan widely seen as the victor.
The post Azerbaijan refuses Armenia peace talks after Türkiye not included appeared first on Azerbaijan In Focus.
A deadly shooting at a luxury shopping mall in Bangkok has raised questions about the safety of tourists and expatriates in Thailand, a country that relies heavily on its tourism sector for economic recovery.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, when a 14-year-old boy opened fire at the busy Siam Paragon mall in central Bangkok, killing two women and injuring five others. The victims included a Chinese national, a Myanmar citizen working at the mall, and another Chinese visitor.
The shooter, who was arrested shortly after the rampage, had a history of mental illness and had skipped taking his medication, according to police. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
The shooting has shocked the public and drawn criticism on social media, some of whom said they would never visit Thailand again.
industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused travel restrictions and lockdowns around the world. The Southeast Asian nation recorded only 20 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first 10 months of 2023, far below its target of 29 million for the year.
To boost tourism confidence and revive the economy, Thailand’s new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced a visa-free policy for Chinese and Kazakh tourists last week, ahead of the main tourism season. Srettha, a property developer who was elected in August, said his government would implement the highest safety measures for tourists after the shooting.
However, some analysts and industry experts said the shooting would hurt tourist sentiment and pose a downside risk to Thailand’s fragile economic recovery. They urged the government to take more steps to ensure security in all areas and improve Thailand’s image as a safe destination.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand and other agencies said they would enhance their communications strategy to ease concerns among travelers and promote Thailand’s attractions. They also said they would tighten weapons screening at shopping malls and other tourist spots.
At the re-opened Siam Paragon mall, crowds were trickling back on Wednesday. A bouquet of flowers was placed near one entrance to the mall as a tribute to the victims. Some tourists and expatriates said they were saddened by the shooting but not deterred from visiting or living in Thailand.