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1/ I looked in some detail the Baku "Victory Parade" of December 10, read the two speeches, symbolism used, what was said and shown but also what was not said.
You can find about it in my article Agos:
"The day symbols paraded on the streets of Baku" http://www.agos.com.tr/en/article/25041/the-day-symbols-paraded-on-the-streets-of-baku
You can find about it in my article Agos:
"The day symbols paraded on the streets of Baku" http://www.agos.com.tr/en/article/25041/the-day-symbols-paraded-on-the-streets-of-baku
2/ The whole "imagination" of the Parade was Soviet: "victory" in the "patriotic war".
Strong parallels to Moscow Victory Parade of 1945:
While Soviet soldiers showed captured flags of German armies, in Baku they showed captured or destroyed armenian military hardware:
Strong parallels to Moscow Victory Parade of 1945:
While Soviet soldiers showed captured flags of German armies, in Baku they showed captured or destroyed armenian military hardware:
3/ While there's totalitarian quality to this Parade (mass event orchestrated by the state, excited popular masses, crying "victory") had neither the Stalinist quality, nor the effect of Leni Riefenstahl (who was a power hungry bastard, but used a team of qualified film-makers)
4/During the war, Ilham Aliyev communicated war info alone, on TV or through tweets.
During "Victory Parade" he decided to share it with Turkish president.
By doing so, he shared "his" victory, gave central stage to Erdogan, came under his shadow.
Why did he do so?
During "Victory Parade" he decided to share it with Turkish president.
By doing so, he shared "his" victory, gave central stage to Erdogan, came under his shadow.
Why did he do so?
5/ Is it because Turkish involvement is more than what is already known? Is it because Azerbaijan is heavily indebted to Turkey for this war?
Is it more than drones and F-16, more than special forces?
Or, is it a question of psychology? The need of "father figure"?
Is it more than drones and F-16, more than special forces?
Or, is it a question of psychology? The need of "father figure"?
6/ Aliyev speech https://en.president.az/articles/48788
didn't contain new ideas (correct me if I'm mistaken)
This was not a speech of a victorious leader looking to the future. No vision, no "future" in the speech, every single idea was tweeted before.
A lot of "iron fist" and "heroism" ...
didn't contain new ideas (correct me if I'm mistaken)
This was not a speech of a victorious leader looking to the future. No vision, no "future" in the speech, every single idea was tweeted before.
A lot of "iron fist" and "heroism" ...
7/ “Zangazur, Goycha and Iravan districts are our historic lands. Our people lived in these lands for centuries, but the Armenian leadership expelled 100’000 Azerbaijanis from their native lands.”
By choosing this, he kept future conflict a possibility, even beyond Karabakh
By choosing this, he kept future conflict a possibility, even beyond Karabakh
8/ Genocide was also present in his speech. Aliyev mentioned “Khojali genocide”
While Erdogan “those who brought Nagorno-Karabakh only disasters, genocide and tears should already come to their senses.”
Both are genocide deniers.
While Erdogan “those who brought Nagorno-Karabakh only disasters, genocide and tears should already come to their senses.”
Both are genocide deniers.
9/ But the 1915 genocide has shaped the Karabakh conflict. I have argued this in Open Wounds, and in further detail here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09668136.2018.1489634
10/ Erdogan used a lot of Ittihadist references. Enver. Nuri. Army of Islam. The transcript: https://azertag.az/en/xeber/A_Victory_parade_dedicated_to_Victory_in_the_Patriotic_war_was_held_at_Azadlig_Square_Baku_Azerbaijani_President_Ilham_Aliyev_and_Turkish_President_Recep_Tayyip_Erdogan_attended_the_parade_VIDEO-1662787
If you want to know why diplomatic solution was not reached between 94 and 2020, have a look at those speeches: Armenia was constantly threatened by Azerbaijan
If you want to know why diplomatic solution was not reached between 94 and 2020, have a look at those speeches: Armenia was constantly threatened by Azerbaijan
11/ allied with Turkey that continues to deny the exterminations AND remind them of the genocide at every occasion.
This is not to excuse neither Arm. crimes in 91-94 war, nor Yerevan's failures.
But constant threats + the legacy of genocide made conflict resolution impossible.
This is not to excuse neither Arm. crimes in 91-94 war, nor Yerevan's failures.
But constant threats + the legacy of genocide made conflict resolution impossible.
12/ Ittihadist references are not only a threat to Armenians, but also to Azerbaijanis.
Not only because it puts them under a totalitarian ideology, but also provokes future conflicts.
Why did Erdogan cite Vahabzadeh's poem, if not to provoke tensions with Iran?
Not only because it puts them under a totalitarian ideology, but also provokes future conflicts.
Why did Erdogan cite Vahabzadeh's poem, if not to provoke tensions with Iran?
