Month: February 2015

It’s high time Americans recognized Armenian genocide 100 years ago:
Christian van Gorder

13:58, 14 February, 2015

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS: A. Christian van Gorder, an
associate professor of religion at Baylor University, an ordained
pastor with the American Baptist Churches and served as associate
pastor in Burton, Michigan, and interim pastor in Conneaut,
Pennsylvania, wrote an article in the website WacoTrib.com, appealing
to the American society and the authorities to call to responsibility
the Turkish State, which denies the mass killings of the Armenians in
1915. Reminding of the electoral promise of the US President Barack
Obama, the author condemned the American Government for not
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Armenpress presents the full
article as follows:
“Adolf Hitler, before launching the Holocaust against Europe’s Jews,
asked, “After all, who today speaks of the Armenians?” One hundred
years ago this year, more than 1.5 million Armenian Christians were
massacred by agents of the Turkish government.

Men of all ages were shot, crucified, stabbed; women and girls of all
ages — often in front of their husbands and families — were raped
before being killed. Even children were tortured and murdered in every
barbaric way imaginable. People were set on fire and forced to eat
their own body parts. Tens of thousands of Armenians were sent to the
desert to starve.

Armenian Christians today are at the forefront in speaking up for
their Syrian and Iraqi sisters and brothers suffering at the hands of
terrorists who murder in God’s name. Their Christian compassion
springs from the searing memories of their own horrific experiences.
They know what can happen when Christians are abandoned and forgotten
while surrounded by neighbors who hate them simply because of their
faith. We are so blessed with many precious freedoms here in America.
People of all faiths in America need also to offer more vigorous
support for the persecuted Christians. We cannot blindly look the
other way while our dear sisters and brothers are suffering.

Armenians formed the first Christian-led kingdom on earth. Yet their
contributions to the world’s artistic and intellectual riches across
three millennia have been largely forgotten. Today’s Turkish
government has sought to erase Armenians from the pages of their
history, yet these ghosts and legacies will not quietly vanish. Why do
we tolerate our government’s tepid unwillingness to confront these
bigoted genocide denialists?

Before becoming president, Sen. Obama publicly pledged that, if
elected, he would recognize as fact the 1915 killing of 1.5 million
Armenian Christians as an act of genocide. President Obama has yet to
keep this promise. The Turkish government, to this day, has denied
that a genocide took place. Now is the time for the United States to
join dozens of other nations (France, Canada, etc.) who have
acknowledged the Armenian genocide. It is the morally right thing to
do.
The facts of history should not become political footballs to be
rationalized away by those who deny these killings as a byproduct of
war among rivals when, in fact, it was a war of extermination. Why
does our nation prevaricate in the face of Turkish denials of these
hellish atrocities? Because Turkey is a major American military ally
who hosts a huge air force base in Turkey.

None of us can solve all of the nightmarish problems of the world, but
each of us can make some concrete contribution for change. All of us
can pray and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Write, call or email your representatives as well as Obama. Support
organizations are helping persecuted believers worldwide — and
especially the plights of Christians, Yazidis and the Baha’i — who are
suffering and dying for their faiths in Syria, Iraq and other
Muslim-majority nations. Remember the genocide of 1.5 million Armenian
Christians and insist that those who deny the grim facts of their
genocidal history are held to account. Do something. As Theodore
Roosevelt challenged, “Do what you can where you are with what you
have.”

From: Baghdasarian

New book about Adana Massacre has been released in Turkey

15:09, 14 February, 2015

YEREVAN, 14 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. The book “1909 Adana Massacre: Three
Reports” has been published in Turkey. The book is about the massacres
of more than 20,000 Armenians that began in Adana in 1909 and
continued in Zeytun and in Kilis.

As “Armenpress” reports, citing the Turkish T24 website, Ari Shekerian
translated the book from Ottoman Turkish, edited and printed it with
Aras Publishing House. The Ottoman Turkish version of the book was
based on real life stories told by eyewitnesses. Turkish readers now
have the chance to become familiar with the memoirs of those who
survived the Armenian massacres. The preface for the Turkish version
of the book was written by famous Turkish historian Taner Akçam.

Different versions of murder of Armenian in Germany are circulating

14:19, 14 February, 2015

YEREVAN, 14 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. German media are circulating
versions about the circumstances behind the death of 36-year old
member of the cultural council of the Armenian community in Bilifeld,
Grigor Grigoryan. As “Armenpress” reports, citing its own sources, the
German Neue Westfallische newspaper reported that the participants of
the incident were residents of the former Yugoslavia, a 39-year old
Serb and a 36-year old Caucasian, who had escaped from the scene of
the crime right after committal of the crime. Police are working on
clarifying the motives behind the murder and identifying the
criminals.

Die Welt newspaper reports that based on the data provided by the
police, on February 10, three men got into a dispute at a furniture
store on February 10 at 19:35. One of the men shot Grigoryan, who died
a couple of hours after hospitalization.

“Memory of Ararat: 100 years of the most forgotten genocide” book is
presented in Spain

11:22 – 14 / 02 / 2015

Event dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide was held in Aleppo
Newly-appointed US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills hands over his
credentials to President
Italian Senate accepts a bill to ban denial of Genocides
Newly-appointed Ambassador of the USA hands copies of credentials to
E. Nalbandian
Belgian MEP files a bill to recognize the Armenian genocide by Turkey

On February 11, presentation of the book, titled “Memory of Ararat:
100 years of the most forgotten genocide” was organized in Madrid. The
author of the book, Xavier Moret, is a well-known writer, journalist,
author of a range of books, articles and TV shows, won the Grandes
Viajeros (Great Travelers) Award for his book “Islandia, la isla
secreta” (Iceland, the secret island) in 2002. Press and information
department of the RA Foreign Ministry informs about this.

The book “Memory of Ararat: 100 years of the most forgotten genocide”
is comprised of 270 pages. The book is not just a list of historical
events. In the story, written in traveler’s note style, the author
presents to the reader his and his photographer friend’ trip to
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Stressing that the memories of the Armenian Genocide are found in
almost every Armenian family the author expresses his admiration for
the ability of Armenian people, despite endured inhumane sufferings,
to rebirth, establish independent statehood and preserve its rich
spiritual heritage both in Armenia and in Diaspora. In the epilogue
the author mentions, “Yes, it is rather difficult to find yet another
nation in the World, that is spread this much, but, this much united
and sticking to its roots. It is true saying then, that wherever an
Armenian meets an Armenian they create their own Armenia”.

U.S. New Role for Armenia

Igor Muradyan, Political Analyst
Comments – 14 February 2015, 14:12

Russia finds that it has lost a lot of the Caucasian policy in the war
in Ossetia and is trying to rearrange its steps and priorities in the
region.

The United States fully controls Georgia and Azerbaijan, primarily
their system of communications, and Russia has practically isolated
itself in the region.

Different groups of politicians and policy makers have formed in
Moscow who handle the interests of Russia and its companies in the
South Caucasus in the context of group and corporate interests, not
national interests. It certainly supposes strengthening of Russia’s
activities in the Azerbaijani direction.

The Russian political leadership is trying to change the nature of the
Russian-Azerbaijani relations and settle down in Azerbaijan through
changes in geo-economic projects, preventing its involvement in
anti-Russian policy of certain world centers of power.

At the same time, Russia understands very well in what a deadlocked
and vulnerable situation Azerbaijan has appeared, and perceives its
“new policy” as forced steps determined by Baku’s frustration.

It would be a mistake to link Azerbaijan’s goals and objectives on
building new relations with Russia with the settlement of the Karabakh
issue. The Azerbaijani elite understands that in the existing
international situation Russia cannot be a director of the Caucasian
policy and is no longer capable of handing Karabakh to Azerbaijan.

Russia’s attempts to put the Karabakh issue onto its track of politics
have always failed, strengthening the doubts of Armenia and the
Armenian society about Russia’s reliability as a partner.

Even the present government of Armenia is not capable of providing
such services to Moscow. Of course, the Karabakh issue remains among
Azerbaijan’s priorities but relations with Russia which Azerbaijan is
allegedly trying to revise must be viewed as an argument in the
general chart of Baku’s foreign policy.

At this stage Russia is focused on its priorities relating to the
Karabakh theme and the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. This scheme and
logic are very simply, and apparently the specific activities are not
going to be complicated.

Russia is ready to develop relations with Azerbaijan in different
spheres but to the extent that Armenia will remain its partner in the
current format. The scheme drafted by the jugglers of Muscovite
politics has no alternative.

Apparently, Armenia has underestimated the circumstance how concerned
Moscow is with attempts to normalize Armenian-Turkish relations. It
may not understand this logic, as well as the extent of lack of
confidence of Russian politicians in Turkey and Azerbaijan in
political matters.

Russia is not worried that Armenia may appear in the orbit of Turkish
politics and economy, nor is it worried that the United States, not
Russia becomes the leading guarantor of security of Armenia against
Turkish threats.

Setting up new relations in the South Caucasus mostly determined the
new role of the United States for Armenia, transformation of Armenia
to a new Israel when the “Armenian factor” of pressure on Turkey will
be strengthened. In addition, the role of Armenia will become
significant in thwarting the plans of forming any Turkish-Russian
alliance.

Moscow thinks the plans to maintain control over the Black Sea and the
South Caucasus are possible only through deepening partnership with
Turkey. In other words, Moscow views this region as an area which
Russia and Turkey must divide.

These two states have appeared in international isolation initiated
and organized by its partners in the Unites States and NATO, with the
participation of Arab states and Iran. Now the question is which
states of the Black Sea-Caucasus and the Balkans are ready to
participate in this strategy in one way or another.

Some states are fully ready but on one condition – to what extent is
the Euro-Atlantic community ready for the long-term policy of collapse
of Turkey and Russia?

Azerbaijan has overcome hatred, allowing an Armenian football player enter Baku

15:17, 14 February, 2015

YEREVAN, 14 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. An unprecedented event has taken
place in Azerbaijan, which has declared all Armenians as enemies.
Armenian member of the S-17 Russian national football team David
Ghazaryan has been allowed to participate in the match to be held in
Baku. This is what secretary of the Football Federation of Azerbaijan
Elkhan Mammadov told journalists today, mentioning that “that football
player was substantially investigated”, as “Armenpress” reports,
citing the Azerbaijani faktxeber.com.

“He is Armenian, but he is a citizen of Russia. We appealed to the
corresponding bodies. There won’t be any problem with that,” he said,
mentioning that the necessary measures will be taken to ensure the
Armenian football player’s safety in Baku.

Sargis Avetisyan: The worst is yet to come

15:23 | February 14,2015 | Politics

The events taking place in Armenia today may lead to the repetition of
the Ukrainian Maidan, Chairman of the “Solidarity” Party Sargis
Avetisyan said on Saturday in connection with the strained relations
between the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and opposition
Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK).

“We are witnessing the same ignorant talks and casual attitude towards
people. The Maidan events also started from talks when the authorities
offended the opposition using foul language and addressing them by
their nicknames. If talks continue in the same tone, we shall witness
Maidan here, in Armenia,” he said.

Sargis Avetisyan did not expect this kind of behavior from the
Republicans and says the worst is yet to come. He sees early elections
as salvation in the given situation.

“Serzh Sargsyan should not listen to his teammates. He is to make the
first step and say that he is ready to resign. The way they are
talking to the opposition today is unacceptable. You cannot rule the
country with threats,” he said.

Asked why the Republicans targeted at BHK Leader Gagik Tsarukyan, Mr
Avetisyan said, “Republicans eventually yielded to pressure and came
out against Tsarukyan. They see that 99 percent of people support the
popular movement initiated by the non-governing forces in parliament.”

Speaking about the possible return of [Armenia’s second President]
Robert Kocharyan, Sargis Avetisyan said, “Why not? Let people who can
take the country of this state run for presidency.”

Nver Beglaryan. “Wehib Pasha refuted the myth of Turkish victory in Gallipoli”

February 14 2015

Resident of Voskepar village, Tavush marz, a historian by profession
Never Beglaryan says that the Gallipoli victory, about which Erdogan
invites visiting Turkey on April 24, actually was not the victory of
Turks but the consequence of treachery of Britons. He mentions that in
1927, the Commander General of the Turkish troops in the Battle of
Gallipoli Wehib Pasha being in exile has met with Ruben Ter-Minasyan,
whom he knew long ago. Ruben has cited in his book Wehib Pasha’s words
said during their conversation. “The Englishmen did not want to enter
Tartanel and Constantinople with ironclads. It was them to dicide why
to conquer Tartanel as Constantinople and the gulfs were promised to
Russia, with which their sacrifice would serve for Russia’s domain.”
(Ruben, “Memoirs of an Armenian Revolutionary”, Volume 6, page 259).
Wehib has even suspected the allies fighting against the Turks in
crime, saing to Ruben, “The allies were found foolish, or if they were
not foolish, they became conscious criminals to their troops.” (Ruben,
“Memoirs of an Armenian Revolutionary”, Volume 6, page 258). Wehib
also said that if the allies would seriously want to conquer the
Dardanelles, “instead of sacrificing 20-30 thousand people every day
in the Gallipoli peninsula, they would have provided these troops to
attack the neck and top of the peninsula from Seros Gulf. In this
case, sending our troops there and supplying would be impossible and
the gulfs would be opened. But the main goal of the English was not
occupying the gulfs, but keeping us engaged and wasted in the gulfs.
We noticed it and were sure of it” (in the same volume, p. 258). Queen
of England Elizabeth II and the prime minister of Australia expressed
their willingness to attend the celebration of Gallipoli Battle in
April 24, 2015. N. Beglayan considers that their move is descerating
the memory of hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers deceased in
Gallipoli.

Voskan SARGSYAN
Read more at:

Russian pundit: Moscow cannot back oligarchs in Armenia – 168.am

11:09 * 14.02.15

The Armenian news website 168.am has interviewed Modest Kolerov, a
Moscow-based analyst and the editor in chief of the news agency
Regnum.

Mr Kolerov, in a surprise move yesterday (Feb 12), Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan lashed out against Gagik Tsarukyan, the Prosperous
Armenia party’s leader. Some believe there is nothing strange about
such a way to address Tsarukyan’s activities after his visit to
Moscow. Do you think it is worth looking for such a connection?

I think Mr Tsarukyan tried to put the cart before the horse by
arriving in Moscow to conduct meetings in . What Serzh Sargsyan did
was not a response but rather, probably, observations planned long
before. People more or less familiar with the political situation in
Armenia know that a large share of the problems in Armenia have to do
with the oligarchs, so to say, their non-transparent activity and tax
and custom failures. That’s to say, Armenia’s entire population pays
for those people’s welfare and political weight.

Can Gagik Tsaarukyan enjoy the Kremlin’s backing?

No, he cannot. If the person in question was a respected political
figure, a benefactor or businessman, there would be no problem. But if
that person creates an opposition, he must to notify – clearly and in
detail – what alternative he proposes with his candidacy. We haven’t
heard the answer to that question from him. And if there is no
alternative, nobody will receive backing from Moscow. If the
opposition says it supports the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty
Organzization)s, the EEU (European Economic Union) and special
relations with Russia, while at the same time maintaining ties with
oligarchs, what do we get? Nothing new.

Asian Development Bank to provide $500 million assistance to Armenia
in next five years

YEREVAN, February 9. / ARKA /. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has
approved a new country partnership strategy with Armenia which
includes targeted support for infrastructure, urban development, and
energy to underpin more resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth.

“ADB plans to provide financial assistance of around $500 million over
the next five years to support improved transport links, to upgrade
secondary towns where poverty is highest, and to strengthen energy
security,” David Dole, ADB’s Country Director for Armenia, is quoted
as saying in a press release.

While ADB will continue financing infrastructure, it will aim to
gradually shift its focus to catalyzing support from the private
sector, and providing knowledge products and services. Given ADB’s
limited resources and assistance from other development partners, ADB
won’t be significantly involved in the finance, health, and education
sectors.

In the transport sector, ADB will continue to support improving the
north-south road corridor, and strengthening transport links between
and within secondary towns, especially those with the highest poverty
rates. To promote regional cooperation and integration, ADB will
coordinate with Georgia to help improve roads linking Armenia and
Georgia.

ADB will support urban development in towns with the highest poverty
rates by helping local governments prepare integrated urban
development plans, and financing needed infrastructure investments,
including in water supply, urban roads, and solid waste management.

Armenia’s aging electricity infrastructure and heavy dependence on
imported fuels weaken its energy security. ADB will help address this
issue by supporting the development of renewable energy resources and
helping to rehabilitate and upgrade energy infrastructure.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the
Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable
growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by
67 members – 48 from the region. In 2013, ADB assistance totaled $21.0
billion, including co-financing of $6.6 billion. Armenia joined ADB in
2005.-0-