Erdogan cancels visit to GazaSeptember 5, 2011 - 14:49 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is bypassing Hamas-controlled Gaza on his way to visit Egypt next week. According to israelnationalnews.com, a government spokesperson, responding to news reports that Erdogan would visit de facto Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, said the timing is not right. Erdogan has been overtly pro-Hamas, even declaring that it is not a terrorist organization. He has quickly moved away from once-friendly relations with Israel during the past three years and has created a diplomatic alliance with Syria and Iran. Following conclusions by a committee appointed by the United Nations to report on the flotilla clash last year between Turkish-based terrorist activists and the IDF Navy, Erdogan chilled relations with Israel even further. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has refused Erdogan's demands that Israel apologize for the incident, while Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said that it is Turkey that should request forgiveness. The Palmer Report on the flotilla clash stated that Israel’s maritime blockade on Hamas in Gaza is totally legal, a conclusion that sparked reports that Erdogan would stop off in Gaza, through the Rafiah land crossing, in a protest visit. An anonymous Israel spokesman told Channel 2 Sunday, September 4 night that if Erdogan were to visit Gaza, he would harm relations between Turkey and the United States, which has outlawed Hamas as a terrorist organization. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |