Turkey and Azerbaijan are Trying to Create an Artificial Enmity between Armenia and the Islamic World

• 06.11.2016, 19:10
• Arpine Hovsepyan
•  Region,  World,  Armenia,  Analytics

middleeasteye.net

Turkey and Azerbaijan are using any opportunity for creating an illusion of enmity between Armenia and the Islamic world. In case of any loss in diplomatic, political, as well as military spheres, they immediately declare about "Islamic unity" and as if existing enmity between Armenia and the whole Arab world.

During the last months this has become even more evident. These two countries first of all use Islamic organizations for carrying out anti-Armenian activities. After the four-day April war, on April 14-15 the XIII summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) took place.The document adopted during the summit contains anti-Armenian wording. In particular, the final communiqué urges Armenia "to withdraw its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan", affirming its "principled support to Azerbaijan's efforts."

Moreover, the OIC passed from statements and resolutions to concrete steps. It was declared that a contact group is created with the participation of the foreign ministers, that will deal with “Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan.” Turkey called all countries of the organization to take an active role in the work of the contact group. It is clear that it is Turkey that is the initiator of the creation of this group.

Later, on June 2, German Bundestag adopted a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. This time as well, Turkey turned to the help of the OIC. Turkish Anadolu reported that the Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation of the  Islamic Conference plans to present young people in Europe and the OIC countries the "historic truth", that is, to tell them that "in 1915, Armenians killed Turks in Anatolia."

On June 8, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev invited the heads of diplomatic missions of Muslim countries and international organizations in Azerbaijan and expressed his gratitude for the adoption of the documents of the OIC Summit in Istanbul. Aliyev stated that "Armenian government looks at the Muslim countries as enemies", and therefore it is very important that the whole Islamic world shows its unity in the Karabakh conflict and other issues.

Once again, trying to give a religious coloring to the Karabakh conflict, Aliyev creates the illusion of hostility between Armenia and the Islamic world. And this is the case, when Armenia has always supported the excellent neighborly relations with Iran, has established diplomatic relations at the highest level with Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Egypt and many other Muslim countries. Consequently, the efforts of Turkey and Azerbaijan are doomed to failure.

It is noteworthy that in this way Azerbaijan and Turkey are also trying to contradict the Islamic world not only to the Christian Armenia, but also to the European values. And this is a very dangerous tactics, and on the background of the growth of extremism, it can lead to very serious negative consequences.