Caucasus is a meeting point of opportunitiesJuly 24, 2009 - 20:05 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Recently, a workshop on Turkey-Georgia relations took place in Istanbul.The workshop was organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, or SETA, a Turkish nongovernmental organization that researches regional, national and international issues and proposes policy recommendations. Delegates from NGOs, universities, government and the media attended the conference aimed at looking more closely into the Turkish-Georgian relationship. The Caucasus is a meeting point of opportunities, Savas Barkcin, chief adviser to the prime minister, said, adding, "If we look at the horizon that unites both countries, this meeting will be fruitful and we will be able to build bridges." During the opening speech, he emphasized Turkey's close proximity to the Caucasus region, a region that is, he said, at a crossroads. "When we look at today, [the Caucasus region] is an area of global competition in energy and security. The Caucasus region was at the periphery of world politics, but it is now coming to the center of world politics," Hurriyet Daily News cited Barkcin as saying. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |