ECO summit will show whether Turkey-Iran alliance is possibleMarch 11, 2009 - 14:47 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The 10th Economic Cooperation Organization summit will show whether a Turkey-Iran alliance is possible, a Russian expert said."This meeting will be collision of great-power Persian nationalism, flavored with tough ideology of Shiite Islam, against great-power Turkish nationalism assimilating the Summi heritage," said Yevgeni Satanovsky, president of the institute of Middle East studies at the RF academy of sciences. "Transit of Iranian gas through Turkey is not a Nabucco issue. It's a key to relations between Russia and EU, U.S and Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan," he said. "Turkey is a crossroad of strategic interests of world powers. Its position will determine the balance of forces in the region. Turkey is no longer satisfied with the role of NATO right-wing member, standing in a queue for European Union membership. It sounds its neighbors, develops alliances and causes clashes between rivals," Satanovsky said, Kommersant daily reports. 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 | Power of One Dram sums up two-year program with Teach for Armenia Idram Junior also joined the companies during the visit, bringing with it a fascinating intellectual game for children Moscow slams EU mission in Armenia for “provocative activity” The EU mission is doing more and more against Armenia’s neighbors Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, Mikhail Galuzin said. Yerevan Mayor to travel to Paris on May 15-19 The official delegation headed by Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan will travel to Paris from May 15 to 19. Armenia, India hold first defense consultations The meeting was attended by Indian Ambassador Nilakshi Saha Sinha and Defense Attaché Brigadier General Naveen Nijhawan. |