My journalist journey extends to more than 25 years, starting from my capital Baghdad, which is the center of my culture and the source of my academic achievement and my beginnings for journalistic work by passing through the capitals of states such as Cairo, Amman, Damascus, Ankara ,Baku, Nicosia and Washington.
During this journalist trip, God enabled and helped me to interview international politics ,thinkers And some presidents of state, ministers and diplomats, Iraqis, Arabs, Turks, Americans and the British.
However, this trip sometimes brought me some troubles from the closed minds and the mercenaries, but my passion for my profession gave me the continuity in the journalistic work.
Among the dozens of television interviews that I conducted and I can’t express and reveal them with a few words, which left inside me a passionate basis for the press and media field, is my distinguished and historical meeting with former Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit in 2004 in his house in the Oran district of the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Bulent Evevit , who was born in 1925 in Istanbul and died in 2006, and his presidency took over the ministers of Turkey for different periods until 2002 .He was not only a political man, but was an author, poet, writer and translator.
He graduated from Robert American College in Istanbul in 1944, where he studied English and literature. During interview ,Bulent Ecevit was speaking Turkish literary language in elegant words and political phrases characterized by depth and Easter, and he was the last press interview in his political life.
Bulent Ecevit was an accomplished politician who played an important role in Turkish and international policy, When he was prime minister in 1974 ,he led the liberation of the Turkish island of Cyprus which was called the Cyprus peace process .. He was also more popular politician, as he described as popular Ecevit due to his sympathy and solidarity with workers and peasants.
The meeting I held with his excellency carries many meanings, and it was a historical document concerning the Turkmen people in Iraq. During the interview Bulent Ecevit mentioned about the number of visits to Iraq and his meeting with former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. He discussed that he met Saddam Hussein three times for a period of three hours at a time, and that was before, during and after the first American attack in the first Gulf war (the eighties and nineties of the last century).
Here, in one of his meetings with Saddam Hussein, Bulent Ecevit revealed the controversial topic, that related to the Turkmen people in Iraq and how Saddam Hussein intensified and raged when he defended and demanded the rights of Turkmen in Iraq.
We will now narrate some of the important dialogue excerpts that took place between me and Mr. Bulent Ecevit , the former Turkish Prime Minister in Ankara, on 2004 on the issue of his defense of the Turkmen rights upon his meeting with former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Q/ Mr.Prime Minister … As one of the most prominent politicians in Turkey … You met with former President Saddam Hussein and you discussed with him the conditions of the Turkmen in Iraq, and you defended their rights … Can we return to that date and know the details of that meeting? A/ Of course, I met Saddam Hussein three times for a period The year … Saddam spoke to me about the damage to Iraq and all fields after the first American attack … especially since Iraq had just emerged from a long war with Iran … He also spoke to me about the resistance that the Iraqis showed regarding the American attack and its repercussions on The country … and outside these meetings, I had special visits with my wife to some of the role of our Turkmen brothers … We visited one of the children’s hospitals and we met with the sick children and their mothers and their parents … I saw closely what the Iraqi people suffer from difficult conditions and a cruel economic blockade and other Inherited social and economic problems.
I also noticed how the Iraqis were able, during a short period of time, to achieve an important technological advancement despite the difficult circumstances that we referred to were surrounding them from every side … and I realized at the time that the Iraqi people in general and Turkmen in particular are able to build their homeland and practice democracy if they have the appropriate opportunity for that. .
In one of my previous meetings with Saddam Hussein … I explained to him that the Turkmen were not at any time a problem for the Iraqi regime or the Iraqi governments … and they did not harm anyone, neither against power nor against any other social component … and explained to him It is better to give them their entire legitimate rights … or deal with them in a more flexible way … and explained to him how if the Turkmen rights were given … this step will improve from the image of the regime abroad and that they (Turkmen) will be able to persuade some opposition bodies in Outside of her position and changed her discourse.
And by the surprise (stood) Saddam from his council in a troubled manner … and my friend and my friend stood as well … then Saddam left us and left the hall without uttering one word.
We and the journalist stood up in amazement … Then they entered a group of accompanying and officials and asked us about the reasons for Saddam’s departure from the place so quickly … and we answered them in the negative … and then they also left the place … and then they (the accompanying) returned again and told us Saddam went to pray and will not return again .
I was insisting to say all my words and opinions of Saddam as a matter of political and moral advice, and I believe that these tips would have been in the interest of the Iraqi people first and the same system second … except that it seems as if the regime is not prepared to accept such tips … I was aspiring that The Iraqi people receive their full rights because they are a civilized and authentic people, and I thought that these advice would be in the interest of Iraq and Turkey together.
The most influential media organizations in the world between March 2011-2021.
Today, there is almost a consensus among most thinkers and political theorists around the world that:: The media in its various forms and patterns represents the most powerful strategic weapon possessed by major countries or even medium-developed countries..
And when we say media, we mean:: written, audio, visual and electronic media.. And electronic media, as is known, is represented by various means of communication and social media such as Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram and others. .. Since the emergence of the theories of: globalization and Americanization or the small village or the era of “infomedia… open media” and specifically since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, followed by the disintegration and fragmentation of the Soviet Union and the rest of the communist bloc in the world and with it the disintegration of the “Warsaw Pact” military in the years 1990 ~ 1991, we say after all that important theories and major studies have emerged about the role of the media:: in controlling the opinions, desires and inclinations of all the peoples of the earth from east to west;; and from north to south;; With new media philosophies and theories, the vast majority of which fall under what is called ((capitalism / liberalism)), the theories emerged: Samuel Hemington in (The Clash of Civilizations), Francis Fukuyama in (The End of History), Henry Kissinger in (The Last American Empire), Zbigniew Brzezinski in ((The Propaganda Depth of the Capitalist World)) and many others that there is no room here to discuss in detail. Media schools and philosophies have become more efficient, mature and capable of controlling the opinions and tendencies of all the peoples of the earth; and more capable even of controlling global markets and stock exchanges. And the entire media has become ((an advanced specialized industry called the modern media industry))
** On 17 ~ 5 ~ 2021, the International Media Organization published;; It is one of the important institutions associated with the United Nations. An important and detailed study on the five most important institutions and media outlets that had a significant impact on political, economic, financial, cultural and social events in the world as a whole over a full ten years, specifically for the period from March 2011 to March 2021. These five institutions are:
1~ The British Broadcasting Corporation BBC.. It is a British institution headquartered in London / England.
It was founded in 1923.
It has three icons: BBC in English.. and BBC in Arabic.. as radio stations.. with a satellite station with the same name BBC.. Many consider it one of the most neutral, reliable and solid media outlets; and its various activities are followed by more than 2 billion people around the world from different races, nationalities and continents.
2~ The American CNN channel; headquartered in Washington, USA. It was founded in New York City, USA, on 4/13/1979 by the famous billionaire “Robert Murdoch”, who is Jewish in religion and nationality; and many researchers and those interested in media and propaganda consider it one of the most important and dangerous satellite channels in the world; as some accuse it of having dangerous and secret relations with many Zionist and Masonic organizations around the world; and the latest reliable statistics about it indicate that there are approximately one and a half billion people around the world who follow its curricula and news around the clock.
3~ Fox News is an American satellite channel; its headquarters are in the American capital, Washington; it was founded in 1995 by American businessman Robert Maxwell and other shareholders. Many consider it to represent the American Democratic Party; while others consider it to be the official spokesperson and close to all liberal movements around the world. It has two main sections; the first is English-speaking; and the second is French-speaking. The latest statistics and studies about it indicate that the number of its followers is close to one billion people around the planet, representing the five continents of the world.
4~ The Chinese News Agency (Xinhua) is the official Chinese agency allowed to operate within Chinese geography; it was established in late June 1933 with a news/guidance orientation only; but after 1973 and after the Chinese Communist Party tightened its complete control over all parts of China under the leadership of “Mao Zedong”, the entire agency turned into the media and propaganda wing of the ruling Chinese Communist Party since that date until today; and it broadcasts its programs exclusively in the local Chinese language; and the number of its employees is approximately 3965 employees, technicians and consultants; and its headquarters is in the Chinese capital, Beijing itself; and the latest studies and research on it indicate that the number of its followers ranges between one billion and one and a half billion people. The vast majority of them are from the Chinese people themselves; and it has no clear influence outside the official international borders of China.
5~ Al Jazeera Qatari Channel; It was initially established in the British capital London on 1~11~ 1996.. And after only four months of its work, it moved to the Qatari capital Doha; and huge sums of money were allocated to it, close to 2 billion dollars;; and Al Jazeera Qatari Channel broadcasts in three sections: the Arabic section, headquartered in Doha; the English section, headquartered in England; and the French section, headquartered in Paris.
The number of its employees and experts is approximately 1955 employees and affiliates in its three sections.. Al Jazeera Channel adopts a very mature and efficient media philosophy that combines moderate political Islam with limited disciplined freedoms. The latest studies and solid research on it indicate that the number of its followers ranges between 570 and 600 million people in the entire world;; It is also accused of being the official spokesperson for the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.
Thus, we have provided a brief description of the five most important media institutions around the world, with reference to the role of contemporary media in influencing the trends and opinions of most people in the world as a whole.
For many years up until the Syrian civil war of 2011, Syria and Turkey enjoyed very close relations. In a series of reciprocal visits, Pres. Bashar al-Assad made a historic trip to Ankara in 2004, the first Syrian President to do so. Then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Damascus to sign a free trade agreement. In 2007, Erdogan and Assad attended the opening ceremony of the Aleppo International Stadium. Trade flourished with visa-free travel. In 2008, Erdogan and his wife hosted the Syrian first couple for a vacation in the Turkish Resort town of Bodrum. In 2009, the two countries held joint military maneuvers along their mutual border. I was told that Pres. Assad, to appease his ‘Turkish ally’, even banned Armenian Genocide books from bookstores in Syria.
In 2008, during this period of a cozy relationship between the two countries, the Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I met in Damascus with Pres. Assad. The Catholicos informed me later that Pres. Assad told him Armenians were making a big mistake by being anti-Turkey and constantly talking about the Armenian Genocide. Assad said that Armenians should forget the past and establish good relations with Turkey, which he described as a powerful and important country. He suggested that Armenia’s economy would benefit greatly from trading with Turkey.
As the descendant of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and a life-long activist for justice to the victims of that mass crime, I was very upset to hear Pres. Assad’s terrible advice to Aram I. Keeping that conversation in mind, when I had a chance to travel to Damascus in early June 2009, I asked a mutual Armenian friend who was close to Pres. Assad to arrange a meeting for me with the President.
After I arrived in Damascus, my friend called the Presidential Palace to confirm the meeting. The President’s Chief of Staff told my friend to come to the Palace alone in order to talk about the requested appointment. An hour later, my friend returned from the Palace and told me in a dejected voice that the meeting will not take place because the Chief of Staff had checked my name in google search and discovered that I had written hundreds of critical articles about Turkey and the Armenian Genocide. Therefore, he told my friend that it would not be possible for an anti-Turkey man like me to meet with Pres. Assad because of the friendly relations between Syria and Turkey.
Naturally, I was very disappointed. The reason I wanted to meet with Pres. Assad was to tell him that not only his advice to Armenians was wrong, but he himself was making a big mistake by trusting Pres. Erdogan. I wanted to tell Pres. Assad that Armenians know all too well the deceptive nature of Turkish leaders given the genocide Armenians had suffered. I wanted to warn Pres. Assad that the day would come when his ‘good friend’ Erdogan, will betray him and stab him in the back.
I could not have known in 2009 that two years later a major civil war would take place in Syria with the full backing of Erdogan. I was not sure that even if I had the chance to meet with Pres. Assad and warned him, he would have listened to me. But regardless, I wanted to give him a piece of my mind.
I subsequently heard that Pres. Assad had also told other Armenians he had met with that they should be friends with Turks and Turkey. Assad particularly criticized Armenians for burning the Turkish flag on April 24.
Subsequent to my visit to Damascus, Pres. Assad visited Armenia on June 17-18, 2009 and offered to Pres. Serzh Sargsyan to mediate between Armenia and Turkey, because of Syria’s “close relationships” with both countries. However, Pres. Assad did not pay a protocol visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan which all foreign leaders do, to lay a wreath. This was yet another example of Pres. Assad’s excessive sensitivity not to upset Turkey. Assad also explained that, in deference to Turkey, Syria cannot recognize the Armenian Genocide.
In a Facebook post last week, Samvel Farmanyan, a former Member of Parliament and Press Secretary to Pres. Sargsyan in 2009, reported that when Pres. Assad excitedly spoke about his ‘excellent relations’ with Erdogan, Pres. Sargsyan replied: “You don’t know Turks well. The time will come and we will judge by the result.” This is similar to the message I wanted to convey to Pres. Assad in Damascus.
More interestingly, in March 2014, following several years of attacks on Syria orchestrated by Turkey, when Farmanyan led a parliamentary delegation to Syria and met with Pres. Assad, he asked Farmanyan to transmit to Pres. Sargsyan the following message: “I remember very well our private conversation in Yerevan [with Pres. Sargsyan].” Assad then added: “President Sargsyan was right. We did not know Turks well.”
Naira Karapetyan, another member of the Parliamentary delegation that went to Syria in 2014, confirmed the accuracy of Farmanyan’s report about Pres. Assad acknowledging that he was wrong to have trusted Erdogan.
Of course, it was too late by 2014 for Pres. Assad to realize that he should not have trusted Erdogan. That big mistake was one of the key reasons for his eventual downfall.
Yalman Haceroglu interviews the head of the Syrian Interim Government affiliated with the Syrian National Coalition: The next stage requires a comprehensive national dialogue… and no sectarian quotas in Syria.
Any new authority must start from the Geneva Statement of 2012 and UN dicession 2254 of 2015
We aspire to form a technocratic government capable of building the state and meeting the needs of the people, far from any sectarian or national considerations
Turkmen factions have played a prominent role since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in confronting the regime and fighting terrorism, including confronting the “PKK” and “PYD” organizations
We seek for Syrian relations with regional countries to be based on mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs
The new Syria will seek to build strategic partnerships and benefit from its geographical location to enhance its role in trade, energy and transportation
The comprehensive role between receiving refugees and military, humanitarian and development efforts highlights Turkey’s steadfast commitment to the Syrian people
We count on continued Turkish support to achieve political transition and democratic transformation in Syria, in a way that guarantees the security and stability that the Syrian people deserve.
Interview conducted by: Yalman Haceroğlu
The armed factions of the Syrian opposition were able, during military operations, and within a few days, to The removal of the Assad regime and the curtain falling on the Syrian political scene that lasted for more than five decades. Here, many questions arise regarding the future of stability in Syria.
1-Does the easy fall of the regime mean that the forces that seized power will have an easy task in achieving stability in Syria?
How will the future political equation be written and what will be the participation of different ethnicities, nationalities and sects in the political process.
We pose these questions and others to the head of the Syrian Interim Government of the Syrian National Coalition, Mr. Abdul Rahman Mustafa.
2-How do you view the future political process in Syria?
The future political process in Syria is a crucial axis for achieving sustainable stability and rebuilding the state on the foundations of democracy and social justice. With the fall of the Assad regime, it has become necessary for any authority that assumes the management of the country’s affairs to work to implement the spirit of international legitimacy resolutions, especially the Geneva Communiqué of 2012 and UN Resolution 2254 of 2015. This is represented by establishing a transitional government capable of managing the transitional phase and ensuring the transfer of power to the people in a peaceful and democratic manner.
The next stage requires launching a comprehensive national dialogue that brings together all components of Syrian society, without exception or discrimination, and includes political, societal and civil parties. This dialogue must be supported by a sincere will to build trust between all parties and develop a clear vision for the future.
Through this dialogue, a transitional government can be formed that expresses the aspirations of all Syrians, works to achieve justice, and rebuilds state institutions in a manner that serves the national interest.
In this context, transitional justice is considered an essential element to address the effects of conflict and hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations, while working to redress the harm suffered by victims and ensuring national reconciliation.
3-As the head of the Syrian Interim Government, what are the political foundations that will be followed in Syria to write the political equation through a government that includes different ethnicities and nationalities in Syria?
We look forward to a transitional period of rule, which is an essential step to start comprehensive reform of various sectors, including the military, political, legal, economic and social sectors. This should be done with the effective participation of different ethnicities, nationalities and sects to ensure fair and comprehensive representation that enhances national unity and establishes the principles of democracy and human rights.
Achieving stability in Syria requires a serious commitment from all parties to the political process based on international legitimacy decisions, in addition to building strong institutions in which human rights are respected and in which all Syrians participate on an equal footing. The ultimate goal must be to build a state of law and democracy that allows every individual the opportunity to live in dignity and justice. This commitment is the basis through which we can overcome the painful effects of the past and move forward towards a bright future for Syria and its people.
4-Do you think, Mr. President, that the next government will be a quota government like what happened in Iraq, and how can we compare the scenes in Iraq and Syria? Many questions are being raised about the nature of the next government in Syria, and whether it will face the fate of governments based on sectarian quotas as is the case in Iraq.
In this context, he explained that the ambition in the new Syria is directed towards forming a technocratic government that represents all Syrians and is capable of building the state and meeting the needs of the people away from any sectarian or national considerations. The main goal is to establish a national unity government that works to remove the fears of Syrians and enhance their sense of equal citizenship.
Despite the great diversity that characterizes Syrian society, which includes different ethnicities and sects, the future vision seeks to elevate the status of citizenship as the basis for building the state, so that belonging to the homeland is above any other affiliation.
We seek to avoid the sectarian quota model that has proven in many countries that it can lead to internal divisions and conflicts instead of achieving stability.
The Syrian vision is to benefit from the lessons learned from regional experiences, with a focus on building a political system based on efficiency, justice and equality, far from any quotas that harm the national fabric. The challenges in Syria also require adopting a unified approach that works to build strong institutions capable of serving all Syrians without discrimination, ensuring national unity and sustainable development.
5-Will elements of the Syrian armed factions, including the Turkmen armed factions, participate in the political process?
The participation of the Syrian armed factions, including the Turkmen factions, in the future political process is vital to rebuilding Syria on democratic and inclusive foundations.
It is necessary to integrate these factions into a comprehensive national dialogue aimed at establishing a unified national military institution that goes beyond the mistakes of the past and is subject to civilian authority, while respecting human rights and refraining from interfering in political affairs.
Turkmen factions have played a prominent role since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in confronting the regime and fighting terrorism, including confronting organizations such as the PKK, PYD. Their continuation in these efforts reinforces the importance of involving them in the transitional phase to ensure the representation of all components of Syrian society and achieve the desired stability.
Involving these factions in the political process will contribute to building a national army that reflects the diversity of Syrian society, and will strengthen civil-military relations on sound foundations, thus preventing the recurrence of previous painful experiences. This approach is in line with the aspirations of the Syrian people to build a democratic state that respects human rights and ensures the participation of all spectrums in decision-making.
6-Mr. President, during your political work, you were the head of the Turkmen Council in Syria. First, how do you evaluate the Turkmen political activity in Syria?
The Turkmen are considered an integral part of the Syrian fabric and a fundamental component of the Syrian people, whose diversity extends across different ethnicities and sects. They have had a prominent and influential role since the start of the revolution for freedom and dignity, as they stood by their brothers from various components of Syrian society, making great sacrifices in order to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people towards freedom and justice.
On the political level, the Turkmen Council and the Turkmen played an effective role in supporting the revolution, whether through political forums or through community and media activities. During my presidency of the Council, I was able to present the Turkmen voice in international conferences and forums, which contributed to clarifying the position of this component and its vital role in the Syrian revolution.
The Turkmen political activity is characterized by a strong will to work within the comprehensive national framework, with a constant emphasis on the principle of national partnership based on equality and respect for the rights of all. The Turkmen were not only supporters of the revolution, but they were an essential part of the political movement calling for the unity of Syrian lands and the building of a civil, democratic state that accommodates all its people without discrimination. In our assessment of the Turkmen political activity, we find that it succeeded in preserving its Syrian national identity, while at the same time working to enhance cooperation with other groups to achieve a common vision for the future of Syria. These efforts reflect an advanced political awareness and a firm belief that the solution in Syria requires unifying ranks and working together to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people in all their groups.
7-Can we talk about the participation of the Turkmen people in Syria in the upcoming political process? The Turkmen people have proven during the Syrian revolution that they are a fundamental and effective component, with a strong will to contribute to building the future of Syria. Their participation was not only in the military or societal field, but was also evident in their participation in the political movement and their pursuit of achieving the aspirations of the Syrians for freedom and justice.
The Turkmen were marginalized during the era of the defunct regime, like many components of Syrian society, but their participation in the revolution has re-shed light on their national role and active presence.
This historical marginalization must be addressed by ensuring their fair and effective participation in the transitional phase and in the future political process, to ensure the representation of all spectrums and achieve the balance required to build a democratic state.
We emphasize that building modern Syria requires a true national partnership that includes all components of society without exception, including the Turkmen. This partnership is the basis for strengthening national unity and consolidating the principles of citizenship, where every individual and component has a role in shaping the future of the country, regardless of race or sect.
The Turkmen, through their history, sacrifices and participation in the revolution, have proven that they are an essential part of the project to build a modern state that reflects the aspirations of the Syrian people in all their diversity. This next stage will be an opportunity to achieve justice and equality, and to ensure that the Turkmen and all components have a voice and an effective position in political and administrative decision-making.
8-How do you read the Syrian political scene in terms of Syria’s relationship with regional countries?
The current Syrian political scene in terms of relations with regional countries is going through a sensitive and complex phase as a result of years of conflict and foreign interventions. With the fall of the regime, Syria has a new opportunity to reformulate its relations with its regional surroundings on completely different foundations, based on the principles of good neighborliness, joint cooperation, and building strategic partnerships that serve mutual interests.
We seek for Syrian relations with regional countries to be based on mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs, with a focus on enhancing cooperation in the political, economic, and security fields. The new Syria, after all the tragedies it has gone through, must be a source of stability and peace in the region, and seek to build bridges of trust with all neighboring countries in a way that enhances regional security.
The relationship with regional countries will depend to a large extent on our ability to rebuild the Syrian state as a unified and stable entity that works to achieve the interests of its people, while at the same time respecting international agreements and working to enhance regional peace. We seek to transform Syria into a positive partner in the region, capable of contributing to resolving regional issues and enhancing stability rather than being an arena for conflicts.
In this context, it is imperative to emphasize the importance of cooperation with friendly regional countries to rebuild, strengthen the economy, coordinate to combat terrorism, and ensure the safe and dignified return of refugees. These efforts will be the basis for building solid and sustainable regional relations that will make Syria an effective and positive country in its surroundings.
9-If we draw the international political map, where will you find Syria’s position on this map?
Syria is a country with a geostrategic position and a long history, and has always been an important axis in the region and the world. However, the former regime weakened its position by transforming it into an authoritarian state that serves its narrow interests. We aspire to restore Syria to its natural role as an effective state in the international community, built on the foundations of democracy and justice, contributing to regional and international stability and peace.
The new Syria will seek to build strategic partnerships and take advantage of its geographical location to enhance its role in trade, energy, and transportation. Our goal is for Syria to be a model for a modern state that respects human rights, achieves the interests of its people, and restores its role as a source of stability and communication between the East and the West.
10-How do you view the Turkish government’s support for the Syrian people, which has sheltered millions of Syrians and those fleeing the brutality of the Assad regime, as well as the Turkish government’s political support for establishing stability in Syria?
It is impossible to talk about the Turkish role in supporting the Syrian people without referring to the great efforts made by the Republic of Turkey in various fields. It played a pivotal role in defeating terrorism and confronting terrorist organizations such as ISIS and PKK, PYD, as it provided significant military support to the Syrian National Army and the intelligent blood of the Turkish martyrs mixed with the blood of the martyrs of the National Army, who sacrificed side by side to liberate Syrian lands from terrorism and restore security to its people, which reflects the depth of brotherhood and solidarity between the Syrian and Turkish peoples.
In addition to its military efforts, Turkey opened its doors to receive millions of Syrian refugees who fled the brutality of the Assad regime and the horrors of war, and provided them with shelter and care, affirming its humanitarian and moral commitment to the Syrian people. Turkey also contributed significantly to building institutions in the liberated areas, which helped restore life to normal. These efforts included establishing schools to provide education for children, building hospitals to provide health care, and developing basic infrastructure to support the local population.
In addition, Turkey supported the Syrians in international forums, defending their legitimate demands before the world, and working to strengthen local governance and provide stability in liberated areas through development and administrative programs aimed at enabling Syrians to manage their own affairs.
This comprehensive role that combines receiving refugees, military, humanitarian, and development efforts highlights Turkey’s steadfast commitment to the Syrian people. We count on this support to continue to achieve political transition and democratic transformation in Syria, ensuring the security and stability that the Syrian people deserve.
We’re delighted to welcome Yalman, our dedicated correspondent in Kirkuk, to the Turkish Forum family.
Your dedication to bringing the voices and perspectives of the Turkmen people to our readers is truly invaluable. We are grateful for your courage, professionalism, and the vital work you do.
We’re honored to share his work and look forward to the rich contributions he will continue to make to Turkish Forum
bagdad university -college of arts- English DEP 1984
➢ High School Ma. Preparatory stage- MOUSUL UNİVERSİTY 2018
Media experience
I started media work in 1982 through my work as a translator at Baghdad Radio, the Turkmen section. I have been appointed in the Public Corporation for Radio and Television under the title of Announcer on the Permanent Owner from 1994 to the end of 2002. I worked in the field of translation and translated many books into Arabic, Turkish, English. After 2003, I worked as the news director for Turkmen Eli satellite channel from April 2003 to May 2007, then I took over the management of Turkmen Eli satellite channel as general manager until the year 2020 in September. During my working in TURKMAN ELI TV I did more than 700 television interviews with iraqi, Araps and foreigners politicians, presidents and foreign diplomats I present lectures in media colleges in Arab countries and Iraq, especially at the University of Kirkuk about the writing of news. I participated in international visitors in USA that arranged by USA foreign ministry in 2006 as presentative of Iraq with 14 Arap countries. I take position in Iraq neighbors conference in Egypt sharm el-shyh. I was correspondent of los angels times in 2004-2005 in Kirkuk . I wrote articles in Arabic and Turkish in newspapers and websites on political, literary and media topics.
Syndicates & Association Memberships 1- Member of Iraqi announcers association 2001 2- Association of radio and TV 1999 3- Iraqi journalist syndicate 2003 4- Iraqi translators association 1984 5- Iraqi authors and litterateurs union 1999.
DEGREE and DIPLOMAED 1- Degree of honorary doctorate from union of middle east of France in Iraqi media 2- 100 most effective characters in media
WORKS and BOOKS
1-Iraq after globalism discussing by politician 2-Modrn Turkish media 3-Translion the novel kill Henry kissinger
Something is terribly wrong when Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is making continuous concessions to Azerbaijan, while the French Ambassador to Armenia, Olivier Decottignies, is defending Armenia’s interests. Ironically, a foreign ambassador is more pro-Armenian than the Prime Minister of Armenia.
When Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev repeated his lie about the non-existent “Western Azerbaijan” as a replacement for the Republic of Armenia, Pashinyan shamefully equated the fake “Western Azerbaijan” with Armenians’ historical demands for “Western Armenia.” It was the French Ambassador who responded to Aliyev on Nov. 24, 2024, on X: “The one and only: Western Azerbaijan is one of the 31 provinces of Iran whose capital and largest city is Urmia,” quoting from Wikipedia. He attached a map of Iran that indicated the location of the Western Azerbaijan province in Iran. The post was viewed over 93,000 times with 114 comments and 1,100 Likes. An Armenian with the pseudonym “Nemesis Melkonian” praised the French Ambassador on X: “Can you become our next prime minister? The current one is ethnically Turkish.” An Iranian replied: “As an Iranian” adding the OK hand sign. This was a slap in the face of Aliyev, but also a rebuke to Pashinyan, according to some Armenian commentators.
On the same day, the French Ambassador also posted a photo of the well-known Blue Mosque in Yerevan and wrote: “In the gardens of the Blue Mosque of Yerevan, emblematic of the Persian heritage of Armenia.” This post was viewed 43,000 times with 46 comments and 660 Likes. While Azeri commentators falsely claimed that the Blue Mosque was of Azerbaijani origin, many others thanked the French Ambassador for featuring this historic Persian place of worship. The Iranian Embassy in Armenia expressed its appreciation to the French Ambassador by posting on X: “The Blue Mosque, a symbol of Iranian art, has been active again in the last three decades as the praying and congregation place of Muslims residing in Armenia and a touristic attraction. A great pleasure that its centuries-old Persian epigraphy has been preserved! Who can read them?” The embassy then added several images of Persian calligraphy found on the walls of the Mosque.
Mordechai Kedar, An Israeli sycophant of Azerbaijan, jumping into the discussion, wrote an article in the Jerusalem Post on December 5, 2024, titled: “France’s ambassador sparks outrage with support for Persian hegemony in Armenia.” This is nothing but pure pro-Azeri propaganda.
Kedar wrote that “The Azerbaijanis are outraged by these social media posts, as the Blue Mosque in Yerevan was built by Azerbaijanis, and trying to portray the mosque as ‘Persian’ demonstrates France’s support for Persian colonialism in the region. Furthermore, the Azerbaijanis are angered at the French diplomat’s attempt to portray West Azerbaijan as part of Iran.” If the Azeris were outraged by what the French Ambassador wrote, why is it any of Kedar’s business, unless he expects to gain something by volunteering to act as a propagandist for Azerbaijan?
Kedar claimed that Armenians have described the Blue Mosque as Persian in order “to erase all traces of Azeri heritage from their country [Armenia].” Kedar is ignoring the fact that Azeris have destroyed thousands of Armenian historic monuments and churches in Artsakh and Azerbaijan. Making an even more outrageous claim, Kedar wrote that Persians “used these Armenian acts of delegitimization in order to expand their colonial influence into the South Caucasus.”
To pile up the attacks on Armenia and France, Elnur Enveroglu wrote on the Azernews website that the French Ambassador’s tweets “revealed Decottirnies’ ignorance of history.” Elnur could not even spell the Ambassador’s last name correctly.
Naturally, the French Ambassador could not leave unchallenged such nonsense from Kedar whose childish arguments disgraced the Jerusalem Post. The Ambassador replied: “Seriously, Mr. Kedar? The Blue Mosque in Yerevan was built under Persian rule in typically Persian style. Does calling a Roman aqueduct Roman ‘demonstrates support’ for colonialism?”
Even though there was no reason for Nasimi Aghayev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Germany, to stick his nose in this issue, but being a life-long falsifier of the truth, starting from his days as the Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles, he wrote: “Beautiful Azerbaijani Blue Mosque in Yerevan. Built in 1766 by Huseyn Ali Khan, Ruler of Azerbaijan Iravan [Yerevan] Khanate. The only surviving mosque in Armenia. All others (at least 269) were destroyed. Regrettably, Armenia continues to deny Blue Mosque’s Azerbaijani identity.” Mary Hogins rightly responded in a tweet to Nasimi: “You mean Persian Mosque, lying khiyar [cucumber]?”
Nasimi must have forgotten that until 1918 there was no such country as Azerbaijan. Even then, the Secretary General of the League of Nations rejected Azerbaijan’s application to be recognized as a state by writing in an official memorandum in 1920: “This territory, occupying a superficial area of 40,000 square miles, appears to have never formerly constituted a State, but has always been included in larger groups such as the Mongol or Persian and since 1813 the Russian Empire. The name Azerbaijan which has been chosen for the new Republic is also that of the neighboring Persian province.” Case closed.
In his fanatical zeal, Aliyev doesn’t seem to understand that his constant attacks on France, based on lies, are not going to end well for Azerbaijan. France is a superpower, while Azerbaijan is a banana republic, which does not even have bananas, ruled by a two-bit dictator!
