Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
Commentary

Russian border guards kill Turkish shepherd on Armenian-Turkish border, highlighting Russia's unusual involvement in Armenia.

2 August 2013

An incident on the Turksih-Armenian border earlier this week resulted in the killing of a Turkish shepherd who had strayed by mistake into Armenian territory whilst gathering his sheep. In iteself this is not an unsual occurance, such problems happen on tense borders. What was unusual in this case was that he was killed by Russian border guards, since it is the Russians who police the Turkish-Armenian border. The incident has highlighted one of the many anachronisms in the peculiar relationship between Armenia and Russia.
 
A statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday (1 August) said that Mustafa Ülker, a Turkish citizen who was grazing his livestock on the Turkish-Armenian border lost his life as a result of firing as he crossed the Armenian border to round up his livestock.   The statement added:
 
\"We strongly condemn the shooting and killing of an innocent Turkish citizen for a simple border violation which we understand to have had an innocent purpose. There is no explanation for the Armenian party’s use of disproportionate force in such an incident which may typically occur at the border.

This and other similar incidents reveal once again the need for a complete, sustainable and comprehensive normalization in the South Caucasus region and the prevalence of common sense in Armenia’s relations with its neighbors.\"
 
Armenia has been trying to play down the incident. It sent a diplomatic note to Turkey in which it extended its condolences concerning the incident, and expressed a hope that such incidents would not occur again in the future. 
 
The incident took place on Wednesday and the body of the dead shepherd has alrerady been returned to Turkey.
 
Commonspace.eu political editor said in a comment that "Armenian-Turkish relations remain tense and complicated, and this incident, though in itself not politically serious, can easily be used by nationalists in Turkey to stir up anti-Armenian feeling. But it has also reminded the world that the border between Armenia and Turkey is guarded on the Armenian side by Russians. In fact they never left after the USSR was dissolved. Armenia says that it is for its own protection because of the hostile attitude of Turkey and the fact that Turkey does not have diplomatic relations with Armenia. But the fact remains that this is an odd situation, one of many anachronisms in Turkish-Armenian relations. The Turkish call for 'complete, sustainable and comprehensive normalisation in the South Caucasus' is well founded and needs to be heeded"
 
source: commonspace.eu

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged
Trending

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

9 June 2021
Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
Armenia and Azerbaijan edge closer to a peace deal
Trending

Armenia and Azerbaijan edge closer to a peace deal

22 April 2024
Armenia and Azerbaijan last week announced they had agreed on the process of demarcation of their border in the Tavush region that will result in the return of four villages that had been under Armenian control since the conflict in the 1990s to Azerbaijan. The agreement is being seen as a milestone event that will greatly contribute to finalising the process leading towards the signing of a peace agreement between the two countries, who have been in conflict for more than three decades. The agreement comes after months of negotiations, and controversy, including some opposition from Armenian residents in the proximity of the four villages. On 19 April, it was announced that the eighth meeting of the Committee on Demarcation and Border Security of the State Border between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Committee on the Demarcation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia was held under the chairmanship of Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafaev. There are of course many small details that will have to be ironed out later, but the fact that the sides have agreed the basic parameters, and especially their re-affirmation that they will "be guided by Alma Ata's 1991 Declaration in the demarcation process" is a huge step forward. No wonder that the international community in the last few days have lined up to congratulate the two sides on their success and to nudge them forward to complete the process of signing a peace agreement between them. Seasoned observers now see the signing of such an agreement as being truly within reach. Of course, there will be those who for one reason or another will not like these developments and will try to spoil the process. Armenia and Azerbaijan must remain focused on overcoming any last obstacles, and on its part, the international community must also remain focused in helping them do so as a priority.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
Armenia and Azerbaijan edge closer to a peace deal
Trending

Armenia and Azerbaijan edge closer to a peace deal

22 April 2024
Armenia and Azerbaijan last week announced they had agreed on the process of demarcation of their border in the Tavush region that will result in the return of four villages that had been under Armenian control since the conflict in the 1990s to Azerbaijan. The agreement is being seen as a milestone event that will greatly contribute to finalising the process leading towards the signing of a peace agreement between the two countries, who have been in conflict for more than three decades. The agreement comes after months of negotiations, and controversy, including some opposition from Armenian residents in the proximity of the four villages. On 19 April, it was announced that the eighth meeting of the Committee on Demarcation and Border Security of the State Border between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Committee on the Demarcation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia was held under the chairmanship of Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafaev. There are of course many small details that will have to be ironed out later, but the fact that the sides have agreed the basic parameters, and especially their re-affirmation that they will "be guided by Alma Ata's 1991 Declaration in the demarcation process" is a huge step forward. No wonder that the international community in the last few days have lined up to congratulate the two sides on their success and to nudge them forward to complete the process of signing a peace agreement between them. Seasoned observers now see the signing of such an agreement as being truly within reach. Of course, there will be those who for one reason or another will not like these developments and will try to spoil the process. Armenia and Azerbaijan must remain focused on overcoming any last obstacles, and on its part, the international community must also remain focused in helping them do so as a priority.