Flag removal in Baku angers Turkey
The flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan around the
monument honoring Turkish servicemen at the Alley of Martyrs in
Baku where war victims were laid to rest have been removed amid a
cool-down in bilateral relations caused by Ankara`s recent
reconciliation agreements with Armenia, Azerbaijan`s long-time
foe.
Last Thursday, the poles where the flags were hoisted were taken down and the spot where they stood was filled with concrete and covered with stone plates.
The move has been widely covered in the Turkish media and has caused discontent.
Ali Hasanov, the head of the Presidential Administration socio-political department, said the flag removal complies with Azerbaijan`s law on the rules regulating the use of the flags of other countries and international groups. He said that, from now onward, these flags will be permitted only in the areas where this is not prohibited by the law, including diplomatic representations, locations of international organizations` offices as well as residences housing high-level governmental delegations.
The monument was erected to honor the Turkish soldiers who fell in battles with the troops of Armenian Dashnaks and Soviet Bolsheviks who committed the 1918 carnage in Baku.
The development follows sharp criticism from Baku over improved relations between its ally Turkey and Armenia, with whom Azerbaijan faces a long-standing conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh. Though Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 due to Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territory and genocide claims, Ankara and Yerevan have begun talks on mending ties and the two governments signed protocols on October 10 to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders in Zurich.
Turkey`s State Minister Egemen Bagis has criticized Azerbaijan, claiming ``its latest actions are unbecoming both to good neighborliness and our brotherhood.`` Bagis told local the Haberturk website that what he called the lowering of Turkish flags in Azerbaijan, the halt of calls to prayer from Turkish mosques and sealing the shrines was incomprehensible.
``It would be impossible to explain these actions to the Turkish public,`` the minister said.
Bagis maintained that Turkey has, so far, ``turned a blind eye`` to some of Azerbaijan`s actions. The minister said Azerbaijan has not, to this day, recognized the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and failed to back Ankara during discussions on some issues at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Turkey, however, has always stood by Azerbaijan, Bagis added.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, commenting on the removal of the flags, pledged Ankara would not allow animosity to grow between his country and Azerbaijan. Davutoglu said he was told that the flags had been removed temporarily due to upgrade operations on the site.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was offended by Azerbaijan`s move. ``We do believe that our Azerbaijani brethren will realize what this means.``
Major Turkish opposition parties are also concerned over tension in the country`s relations with Azerbaijan and blamed the Erdogan administration for the cool-down. Cihan Pacaci, deputy chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party, believes both Turkish and Azerbaijani authorities had committed flaws in dealing with the flag removal issue.
``The fact that Azeri flags were barred from the soccer match played in Bursa and thrown into a spot resembling a trash can is a major insult to an independent state,`` Pacaci said. ``In response, Azeris took down our flags at the monument to the war victims. Both of these actions were wrong. We should not forget that such steps will harm both countries.``
Turkey and Armenia faced-off in a 2010 World Cup qualifier in the Turkish town of Bursa last Wednesday. Soccer`s global governing body, the FIFA, had forbidden Azerbaijani flags at the match, saying politics should not be mixed with football. Fans, indignant by the ban, clashed with police officers, and there were reports of throwing flags to the ground.
Last Thursday, the poles where the flags were hoisted were taken down and the spot where they stood was filled with concrete and covered with stone plates.
The move has been widely covered in the Turkish media and has caused discontent.
Ali Hasanov, the head of the Presidential Administration socio-political department, said the flag removal complies with Azerbaijan`s law on the rules regulating the use of the flags of other countries and international groups. He said that, from now onward, these flags will be permitted only in the areas where this is not prohibited by the law, including diplomatic representations, locations of international organizations` offices as well as residences housing high-level governmental delegations.
The monument was erected to honor the Turkish soldiers who fell in battles with the troops of Armenian Dashnaks and Soviet Bolsheviks who committed the 1918 carnage in Baku.
The development follows sharp criticism from Baku over improved relations between its ally Turkey and Armenia, with whom Azerbaijan faces a long-standing conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh. Though Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 due to Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territory and genocide claims, Ankara and Yerevan have begun talks on mending ties and the two governments signed protocols on October 10 to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders in Zurich.
Turkey`s State Minister Egemen Bagis has criticized Azerbaijan, claiming ``its latest actions are unbecoming both to good neighborliness and our brotherhood.`` Bagis told local the Haberturk website that what he called the lowering of Turkish flags in Azerbaijan, the halt of calls to prayer from Turkish mosques and sealing the shrines was incomprehensible.
``It would be impossible to explain these actions to the Turkish public,`` the minister said.
Bagis maintained that Turkey has, so far, ``turned a blind eye`` to some of Azerbaijan`s actions. The minister said Azerbaijan has not, to this day, recognized the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and failed to back Ankara during discussions on some issues at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Turkey, however, has always stood by Azerbaijan, Bagis added.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, commenting on the removal of the flags, pledged Ankara would not allow animosity to grow between his country and Azerbaijan. Davutoglu said he was told that the flags had been removed temporarily due to upgrade operations on the site.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was offended by Azerbaijan`s move. ``We do believe that our Azerbaijani brethren will realize what this means.``
Major Turkish opposition parties are also concerned over tension in the country`s relations with Azerbaijan and blamed the Erdogan administration for the cool-down. Cihan Pacaci, deputy chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party, believes both Turkish and Azerbaijani authorities had committed flaws in dealing with the flag removal issue.
``The fact that Azeri flags were barred from the soccer match played in Bursa and thrown into a spot resembling a trash can is a major insult to an independent state,`` Pacaci said. ``In response, Azeris took down our flags at the monument to the war victims. Both of these actions were wrong. We should not forget that such steps will harm both countries.``
Turkey and Armenia faced-off in a 2010 World Cup qualifier in the Turkish town of Bursa last Wednesday. Soccer`s global governing body, the FIFA, had forbidden Azerbaijani flags at the match, saying politics should not be mixed with football. Fans, indignant by the ban, clashed with police officers, and there were reports of throwing flags to the ground.
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