- Azerbaijan Airlines crash sparks speculation plane ‘accidentally shot down by Russia’ Yahoo! Voices
- Speculation mounts over cause of Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash that left at least 38 dead CNN
- Russian Missile Shot Down Azerbaijani Passenger Plane – Reports The Moscow Times
- Azerbaijan Airlines Jet Crashes in Kazakhstan, Killing Dozens The New York Times
- Azerbaijan observes day of mourning for air crash victims as speculation mounts about its cause The Associated Press
- Azerbaijan Airlines flight was downed by Russian air-defense system, sources say Reuters
- President Aliyev launches criminal probe into Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash Euronews
- Why did an Azerbaijan Airline plane crash in Kazakhstan? What we know Al Jazeera English
- Disturbing videos show fiery Christmas Day Azerbaijan plane crash and desperate search for survivors New York Post
Day: December 25, 2024
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–#NewsAndTimes #NT #TNT #News #Times #World #USA #POTUS #DOJ #FBI #CIA #DIA #ODNI #Trump #TrumpNews #TRUMPISTAN #Israel #Mossad #Netanyahu #Ukraine #NewAbwehr #OSINT #Putin #Russia #GRU #Путин #Россия #SouthCaucasus #Bloggers
-… https://t.co/2ZsiyKDAbL pic.twitter.com/UA7V7vBBeT— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) December 25, 2024
Unblocking in Caucasus: Armenian analyst on risks
“In 2024, uncertainty in the South Caucasus persisted, and possibly even increased. This is due to the process of normalising Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, as well as developments unfolding in Georgia. Both processes involve geopolitical layers and elements of global competition, which negatively impact the region and further exacerbate risks,” says political analyst Armen Petrosyan.
According to him, the process of unblocking communications in the South Caucasus carries the greatest risks, as it sharply highlights the conflict of interests among all parties involved.
- ‘Yerevan sees risk of further escalation’: views on the Pashinyan-Aliyev remote dialogue
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- Aliyev unwilling to pursue peace or strategic deal with Armenia: expert in Yerevan
Yerevan sent proposal to Baku but has yet to receive response
“We have submitted our proposal to Azerbaijan in writing,” said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. It is known that the proposals were handed over after the Aliyev-Pashinyan talks in Kazan.
The Armenian Prime Minister is confident that, on the issue of unblocking regional communications, Yerevan and Baku can reach “mutually acceptable solutions.”
The details of Armenia’s proposal are unknown. Both Pashinyan and other government members have only stated that it is based on the principles outlined in the “Crossroad of Peace” project.
“I know what the proposals are, but there has been no official response yet, and I would not like to reveal their content,” said Vice Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan a week ago.
He reiterated that Armenia is highly interested and ready to unblock communications “on very clear but dogmatic rules — based on the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the territories.”
Armenian authorities have repeatedly stated that “sovereignty and jurisdiction, reciprocity, and equality” are the four principles upon which the country is ready to begin the process of unblocking.
At the same time, Azerbaijan periodically updates and promotes its demand for the provision of an extraterritorial road to connect with Nakhchivan, which is referred to as the “Zangezur Corridor.” This is a red line for Yerevan. Pashinyan and his entire government categorically reject the possibility of providing communications that would result in the loss of sovereign control over that territory.
Political analyst Armen Petrosyan
Azerbaijan “continues to put forward various artificial reasons and refuses to normalize relations” with Armenia, says political analyst Armen Petrosyan:
“Baku also refuses to allow external players the opportunity to try to influence the processes in the region. But it is noticeable that Russia, recently, at the political and propaganda level, is again raising the agenda of the November 9, 2020 format [meaning it insists on its participation and demands control over communications]. There is also noticeable activity from Turkey. Along with promoting Azerbaijan’s interests, Turkey is trying to influence regional processes as a whole. Certain activity is expected from the new US administration as well.”
Petrosyan sees a conflict of interests not only over the signing of a peace treaty but also over “the most complex and risky issue,” namely the unblocking of communications:
- “Azerbaijan seeks unblocking according to the corridor logic [the term ‘corridor’ implies Armenia losing control over its territory],
- Turkey wants the unblocking process to align with Azerbaijan’s interests, while also requiring stable communication with the Turkic world, that is, access to Central Asian countries,
- Iran wants this corridor to pass through its territory,
- Russia wants the section of the road passing through Armenian territory to be under its control,
- The US aims for there to be no Russian control and for Iran’s territory not to be used.”
The analyst reminds that Yerevan has repeatedly expressed its readiness to unblock communications and even developed the “Crossroad of Peace” project.
“However, Baku speaks of the ‘Zangezur Corridor,’ promoting, together with Ankara, the corridor logic. As long as the most sensitive issue of unblocking roads in the region remains unresolved, naturally, competition and the promotion of various projects remain relevant,” he emphasized.
According to Armen Petrosyan, to unblock communications within Armenia’s interests, the authorities must actively promote their “Crossroad of Peace” project and gain “greater approval from international partners.” To achieve this, he suggests continuing to actively inform about its existence and advantages.
Unblocking in Caucasus: Armenian analyst on risks
Irakli Rukhadze, owner of the Georgian Dream propaganda mouthpiece Imedi TV, gave an interview on his channel in which he said about the Georgian Dream narrative that “if at some stage, you don’t believe in the premise that Georgia was really asked [by Europe] to get involved in this war [between Russia and Ukraine], every subsequent action that Georgian Dream has done is madness and can not be explained.”
Rukhadze recounted his intervention during the business community meeting with GD PM Irakli Kobakhdize on December 23, where Kobakhdize recounted the whole narrative of his actions, which was “very complicated” and “many people” find it hard to believe. Rukhadze says he told Kobakhidze, “The fact that we listened carefully to you does not mean we all agree with you” and argued, “When this narrative is told, this premise [about the war] needs to be very well explained,”
The businessman further skewered Kobakhidze personally, saying, “When one has such a difficult job, one must stay alert. For example, one must not make the statement like we heard on November 28 [about halting EU accession], which then one is forced to deny.”
Commenting on GD’s choice of Mikheil Kavelashvili as a presidential candidate, Rukhadze said, “A more unifying person could have been chosen, which would have worked constructively with the West.”
Irakli Rukhadze is a senior partner at UK-registered Hunnewell Partners, which manages several major assets in Georgia, including Imedi TV, Liberty Bank, Heidelberg Cement, Rustavi Steel, and communication giant MagtiCom. He has been long-term partner and supporter of Bidzina Ivanishvili, GD patron. According to his profile page at the Liberty Bank where he serves as a board member, he is currently a US citizen.
A surprising intervention by Rukhadze comes in the context of solidifying the U.S. and UK sanctions regime against the Georgian Dream leadership due to the violent crackdown on protests. In the UK House of Commons, Labour representative Blair Mc Dougall has called for the possibility of investigating Hunnewell Partners due to its ownership of Imedi TV, which he described as “the main propaganda arm of that brutal [GD] government.”
Controversially, Georgia Pride director Tamar Jakheli recently targeted Rukhadze, referring to his daughter, a U.S. citizen, who is living in a gay marriage. Jakeli wrote, “The regime propaganda is immoral to the extent that the chief propagandists of the Georgian Dream is willing to sacrifice people just like their children for the identity they have not chosen, only because the Russian authoritarian script says so.” She said Rukhadze “could have said that yes, my child is lesbian and this is a normal thing […] but he chose greed and power over supporting his child.”