MESOPOTAMIA NEWS “EASTWARDS” : Erdoğan turns from NATO summit to promoting regional cooperation with Russia

Jun 16 2021 11:35 Gmt+3 AHVAL NEWS –  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has outlined plans to set up a regional cooperation platform with Russia after attending a summit of NATO’s leaders on Monday.

The platform, which would also include Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, would guarantee regional stability, Erdoğan said, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Tuesday.

“We are willing to make all kinds of sacrifices, Mr. Putin as well,” Erdoğan said at press conference with Azeri President İlham Aliyev in the town of Shusha in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. “With the steps to be taken in this regard, the region will become a peace zone.”

Erdoğan met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the NATO summit in Brussels. Relations between Turkey and NATO have been undermined by disputes including Erdoğan’s closer ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Erdoğan’s acquisition of S-400 air defence missiles from Moscow in 2019 has resulted in U.S. sanctions against its defence industry and Turkey’s exclusion from a programme to purchase F-35 stealth fighter jets.

Erdoğan called on Armenia to join the regional platform.

“We hope Armenia will grasp this hand extended in solidarity and take an opportunity to shape a common future together,” he said.

Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, began a successful military offensive against Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh in September. The conflict ended in November with a Russia-brokered ceasefire. Azerbaijan regained control of much of the disputed territory, including the second largest settlement of Shusha, a historic and cultural centre with a strategic location.

Shusha was under Armenian control for almost three decades.WWW