winning the asian cup. philip sanchez, the coach has stayed somewhat su, loyal to the squad of players, and hasn't changed things up now. he said a defeat like this will not derail the plans. he's had in place the last 3 or 4 years. but plenty to think about for him and his team as they build up to playing in that 1st world cut next year and trying to achieve as stated a getting out of the group stage and into the knockout rounds. ah, hello again. i'm fully back the ball with the headlines on al jazeera, the u. s. president says the federal government will cover the 1st month of clean up costs caused by severe tornadoes. job binding visited kentucky where he toward the devastation caused by storms that killed at least 80 people across 6 states. i've been involved in responding to a lot of disasters and you can see people's faces, what they're really looking for. and look around, i say, to the press, what they're looking for is just put their head down on the pillow. be able to

close their eyes. take a deep breath, go to sleep and make sure that kids are okay. that's people looking for right now. a lot of hard work is going to happen the next 2 and 3 months to bring it all the way back. the government's going to cover 100 percent of the cost, 100 percent of the cost for the 1st $30.00 days. for all the emergency work from clary and everything. for every single costs, the federal government's going to take care of the u. k has reported its highest number of daily coves 19 infections since the thought of the panoramic. more than $17000.00 cases were confirmed on wednesday scientist fe, only cross will be the dominant very and in europe by the middle of january. iran, foreign minister says you and cameras will be allowed to feel very sensitive nuclear side. the issue had been a sticking point during negotiations in vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. ukraine's president is urging the european union to impose new sanctions on russia to help these rising tensions between the 2 countries voting easy. lensky was

speaking brussels at the eastern partnership summit that currently a 100000 russian troops on the border with ukraine's talking fears of a possible invasion. former south african president jacob's illness lawyers are appealing of ruling setting aside his medical pro and ordering him back in jail. the 79 year old is supposed to be serving a 15 month sentence, a contempt of court after defying a constitutional quarter to give evidence that a corruption inquiry and cut off his cup host. enough house after losing 2 jerry a to one a go to the final nice to extra time of the late equalizer, but it wasn't enough algeria victory with a penalty shortly after face tenicia in the final on saturday. and you're up to date with the headlines on al jazeera coming up next year in 5 story. aah.

long time. so as make amends, taking armenia and out steps to normalize relations wise is happening now. and can they build trust off the decades of animosity? this is inflexible. ah, ah, hello, welcome to the program. i'm a ron kong relations between armenia and turkey have been described as frosty, intense, even hostile, the biggest and longest lost in control was he was undoubtedly the mass killing of armenians during world will one. but there's also armine is current territorial dispute were turkeys. ally as the by john. however,

things may be about to improve. on monday, turkey announced both sides will appoint special envoys to work on normalizing ties . i mean, he is foreign ministry. confound this in a statement, a few hours later, the united states has welcome the decision turkeys, foreign minister says anchor will coordinate steps with as the bizarre you get. i know how bad it is. del up i'd, i spent, i want to share 2 pieces of news with we have consulted with other badge on on that soon we will mutually appointed special representatives could armenia for the steps towards normalization, but we're act together with as a badge on it. if we step up in the, in the near future, we will start charter flights with armenia. as we heard relations between encore and year of, and have been strained since the mass killing of armenians during the ottoman empire in the early 20th century. often referred to by armenians as the 1st genocide and estimated 1500000 people were killed. but turkey rejects the killings

at the time of the 1st will war amounted to genocide and denies. they were systematically orchestrated. the border between the 2 countries has been closed since the 19 ninety's and diplomatic relations put on hold. in 2009, turkey and armenia finally signed a peace accord to store size. but that deal was never ratified. 5 years later prison rich of type, only one offered turkey's 1st ever condolences for the mass killings of armenians. ah, let's bring in our guests. joining us from a stumble with hat chillik parlour professor of international relations and vice rector are called their class university. from year of ann richard garago, seeing director of regional study center in armenia and also from istanbul, matthew browser, a former us ambassador, as or by john and non resident senior fellow at the atlantic councils eurasia center. a warm welcome tool. i'd like to start in a stumble with mit at her jelic parlor 1st, and this has been

a very long time coming. but this latest announcement is basically 2 jobs to special envoys and some flights between the 2 countries. is it the breakthrough, the istanbul and armenia were looking for, or is it just a good start for our media and for the region as you know, for a long wire, all the development issues often couple or prior they face or are normally it for one 3rd or a long why did we hope that environment in the region to get together and related to reflection? what somebody will need all the region again. but the only

way we want to be in the park managed to move forward and relation and move move. and it can be done before the regent richard girl goes in and year of and one of the sticking points for all of this has been language is a mass killing of the armenians join us of an empire, or was it as you say, a genocide is that language now been sorted out, is there an agreement back stage that we don't know about? well, i would actually argue that language is not a sticking point. in other words, what we're talking about is a process of normalization. this is not reconciliation. and dealing with history in a more. ready sincere way that you're on the slide issue. these are deferred to

a reconciliation later state. what we're talking about is what me talk referred to, to basic objectives of normalizing relations. reopening the closed order and establishing diplomatic relations full stop. therefore much more practical and much more realistic. it is much more practical. it's much more realistic. but meantime we've seen this before in international relations between jordan and israel. and yet things haven't really progressed since the low codes in the, in the mid ninety's. i mean old it's really happened is there are flights. there is some sort of negotiation, but there's no true peace agreement between those 2 countries. all you confident the turkey can break that mold. yeah. or, you know, different different regions, but you know, this time, you know, and the expectations just to start to move forward. and more than that,

i mean your experience is much more important after the war and ready now and this is wrong with the are feeding armenia and they just don't put the in the equation is ready to move forward on their issues. but you the question the parking lot, waiting on my both boys and from those point forward and it's kind of been a boy again, any active region at all. that's all i have to do. i have to warn you the fact that kind of them ready to go goes in in yerevan. how important was it the, the other by john was part of this discussion with

a driver for this latest talks. well, very much so in fact, if we look back at the 1st round of engagement for the protocol process back in 2008, it was also redrawn that belatedly opposed and then the rails, the process. what we have now is also drawn in close. busy for reality is very much willing to see what we can do in terms of normalization. and it's just that 2nd round of re engagement. we've learned lessons from the past. and i do think it's a low hanging fruit. in other words, a rare success for foreign policy as well. well, if you broke, also, even if stumble, one of the most interesting things i guess about this is, it wasn't a u. s. influenced us lead accord. this is actually these 2 countries getting together with us by john and saying ok, we can make this step. did it come as

a surprise to us or as the u. s. been involved in any way? well, i don't think it's a surprise at all for the united states, and i should clarify that i was very actively involved in the 2009 process when i was. ready the u. s. mediator between us or by john and armenia, and at that time, president brock obama was strongly encouraging the reconciliation. this time the united states hasn't played that role effectively has well, really lost a lot of its significance in the region over the course of the last couple of presidencies. but especially since a year ago in july when they were military clashes along the us or by john armenia border before the 2nd time about war. and the u. s. wasn't really involved at all in the mediation with russia and turkey that, that filled a diplomatic vacuum. so i know that the president biden supports the reconciliation of our up turkey and armenia. and i know that the actual johnny government, as richard was just saying, would like to see reconciliation,

armenia with both officer by john and with turkey, you know, as a john, armenia and russia. i've all signed agreements, calling for the reopening of all transit routes between armenian or by john armenian turkey, and also including russia. so, and i think armenian present prime minister nichol passion. yon has also wanted to see this normalization happen because it will lead to investment will lead to economic growth and jobs and stability. he has been obstructed, however, by his own political opponents who are playing their own games and talking about continuing complex. so, to sum it up, it's not a surprise at all for the united states, because i think you as simple as realized that the pieces were in place, armina, turkey, and as are by john as well as russia. what all like to see this collaboration renew in a way that will re and reintegrate armenia into the regional economy? well, let's talk about economics. midterm potter in it's tumble,

the turkish lira is tanking against the dollar is the weakest. there's been in a number of years. turkey does need investment. was that a driver for this? because there's a lot of investment that can be made you know, and all the net and problem net. net. and why i'm from the region or committee division of the union equation while they are after the war last couple months from the e. and they were all together. you know, you got to move forward. police actor in the region on the

table and he had lation all. that's an important thing that you can remove all the to go off the back that be okay with the face of all the rocky minutes. and then if it, russian are your region and the army, giving it kind of the green light, it's very important for my i'm, they will negotiate, although they should be done on vision and know that and for some development, richard is this advantage armenia here, then because of the economic situation, the turkey finds itself in, does your, on have the upper hand here in a way? i'm not sure i would say upper hand, but i do say there are 2 important observations. one is economics in trade for the

1st time ever. are now recognized as important incentives in this post war period. that's very important in terms of a positive change. the 2nd observation, however, is rhetoric a normalization. busy is not just about our media, it's normalization with israel. busy and the you eat what it's also about russia, because after the war last year, russia excluded turkey from the trilateral working group on regional trade in transport. so for all garage normalization with armenia is a way to regain the see that the table in the broader promise of the restoration of all. busy regional trade and threads for in the reopening of borders. so in that context, armenia isn't a good position to counter the threat of weiss elation. matthew brice russia is in

a good position. he says our guests in yerevan, but that doesn't mean the americans have a sea of the table on the americans are relevant. santa yeah, i was hinting at that before. i think the u. s. relevancy has decreased dramatically since the period right before the war and during the war. i mean the united states is still the united states and it is a member of the multilateral working group. it's called the o. s. c e 's minced group. but the role of that organization remains to be seen because the basics of, of the conflict have been settled. now militarily, there is, there is a need for there to be a negotiation on a, on a comprehensive piece agreement, as well as a negotiation to demarcate. the boundaries the borders between us or by john and armenia, which are still on drawn. and it's russia that was able to insert in a communicate on november 26th when he hosted in sophie president. feel how many of

us are by john prime minister nickle pushing on of armenia to say that the 2 parties will begin negotiations and form working groups to, to delineate their border. and russia will help them. so russia has stepped in almost a to 1000 person peacekeeping force on the ground. turkey is also as a smaller peacekeeping contingent. so there's sort of a natal presence, but the us is not absent. and you know, it's not clear to me what role the u. s. is going to play from here on out. i mean the south caucuses, as i said, for the last couple of us administration since the town of george w bush have not been much of a focal point. and you'll remember under the obama administration, the policy toward russia was one of resetting russia relations, russia reset. and that was in reaction to a very active engagement by the bush administration in the south caucuses. so the u . s. a sorta, sorta by choice withdrawn from the south caucasus not entirely, but it seated diplomatic territory to, to turkey, to russia as well as the u. s. may well have seated influence from the south

caucuses, but actually it's still a pretty big player in turkey, still has the intellect airbase that the turks, however, did by russian air defense systems, which angered the u. s. is this is one got to has to do with another, is this normalization of relations with armenia, a gift to the u. s. and saying that we are doing some of the things you want us to do. just don't take away a defense system on turkey, the amount of perspective towards the goals are likely to work in the work and us and must provide the anytime at their approach with the normalization piece in the region. and we're more than that. and this is again, can just change the wider it's served the american way. but right as

you know, right, that it's on the field as an active. but you know, they just froze again, working on the line, normalized or regional issues, but any kind of armenian or, or normal vision to get an army. we changed the white glove again. i don't think that the us or others. but again, again, even though maybe russia and the initial cost, and they will actually be part of all those develop. but you know, most of the, even the russian profit kind of company should it be on the american division may have to restart,

negotiate, richard, we keep talking about this idea of normalization of relations, not a consider terry o consolidation of relations, rushes, the key play absolutely but was russia looking to get out of this? do you think? well, i would argue that rushing support is actually both the monster ball, but also necessary. what we see is, even with the reopening of the close border between turkey and armenia, it's also a close border between turkey and the origin economic union. very much a pet project, the president food. in this context, it's washing own sectors of the army and the economy that benefit most and 1st from a board of real and for russia, there's little danger of losing our media to nato war to turkey. having said that,

i do think that the future in terms of normalization is a process that has become inevitable. it's no longer a question of what, when and how is it become inevitable? richard, because the russians are deeply involved. where was it always going to happen? no, i think there's an accidental convergence of interest between turkey, media and even also brit drop in terms of the necessity for post war stability. and as me thought, those already said, this is a rare positive game changer in a region very much at risk. not you, i'm going to come to you in just a 2nd, but i want to put riches points to me to do you trust the russians, the limit for you know, they cannot prevent any of that and all the parties that they have and this is what the russian left to see is to have

the role in this issue. but you know, they say armina to move forward. we'd find one before but new turkey john hall. i'm calling in the game changer that i don't expect any time. right or wrong kind of the wrong one will be so much relation. and then as the reach of mention, rating will be reach or or to the i don't think that the russians with you. it is almost extraordinary to think

that's post 2nd world war. there is finally an agreement on an international conflict that the americans, i'm the russians can get behind. that seems unusual to me, is that, would you agree with that? and it's quite unusual. but, you know, i have to say in my experience, as i mentioned before, as the u. s. mediator, there was a moment in, in september 2008, which was, you know, a month after russia had invaded georgia. when i had had the honor to have a conversation with the russian foreign minister, and he made clear at that point that, you know, as opposed as the us and russia had been and our to this day in georgia. we were on the same side when it comes to going to car about conflict and that wasn't just rhetoric. i mean, the way my russian counterpart behaved and minister law broke himself was, was sincere. they were creative, they were brainstorming with my french counterpart and me looking for break,

who's looking for ways to move the process forward. i always thought that, you know, the russian side wanted, wanted to avoid an armed conflict. they didn't want this war that happened. and they wanted to get a framework in place, but maybe not to finalize that framework. be a piece, be a peacemaker, but allow there to be some instability out there on the horizon so that they could stir the pot into the future. and they were not in figure they were against turkey, armenia normalization back then. now they're in favor of it. well, us don't take it away from either techie or, i mean, yeah, they're the main drivers of this agreement here is no america. it's not russia, it's turkey, it's all media, richard in the year of our and we all running out of time, but just quickly, did you ever think that they was going to come? yes, to be honest. i've been a long engage, been invested in normalization between arminian turkey and my eternal optimism is now a justified optimism. do you, would you agree? did you think the study would ever come?

yeah, i know one more parties are involving financial level, but open to me. they already i already or so they probably will be ready now, although this is a turkey armenia success, i'm going to ask the last question to matthew matthew about if this works out and the americans and russians can get behind it. does that mean they can get behind other disagreements in the region, other disagreements globally, or is this just a one else? i think this is a one off for all sorts of unique reasons. but, you know, as i was saying before, the russian side always negotiated in good faith when we were doing with the corner

car box. and i think that that gets to something that richard was saying before is that it would be hard for armenia to be any more dependent on russia than it is. and if russia wants to improve its geo political standing in the south caucasus, that means it needs to improve its relations with other by john, everywhere else and all the other companies. let's say georgia, russia sees it as a 0 sum game, right? same with ukraine, but this is not non 0 sum game and i want to thank all august metallic. paula richard go, goes in and matthew browser and i want to thank you to for watching. you can see the program again anytime by visiting our website, al jazeera dot com, and for further discussion good will facebook page at facebook dot com forward slash ha inside story. and you can also join the conversation on twitter. handle is at a price for me. m wrong car and the whole team. bye for now. the

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