Author: Arbi Tashjian

A Russian manufacturer has designed an advanced new system protecting any channels of telephone communication against wiretapping, media reports said on Thursday, Sputnik News reports.

“This is a very interesting solution and we hope there will be a great demand for it on the market,” Interstate Corporation of Development general director Ivan Polyakov said.

He added that components for the new system were produced directly at the company’s enterprises in Russia.

The ICD was prompted to develop the system by the need to ensure its own security.

Established in 2011, the Interstate Corporation of Development is engaged in scientific, industrial and high-tech cooperation in countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

It is one of the main designers and producers of protected systems of communication and control in the former Soviet Union.

 

Terror and Organized Crimes Prosecutor Gökalp Kökçü submitted on Tuesday an indictment over the Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink’s murder case to Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office requesting the arrests of 25 alleged suspects, for forming an organization to commit crimes, deliberate killing, and forgery on documents, reports.

Suspects include the former Chief of Istanbul Police Department, Celalettin Cerrah and former head of Istanbul Police Intelligence Department, Engin Dinç.

Dink, then editor-in-chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper, was shot dead by a teenager on Jan. 19, 2007 outside his office in Istanbul. Dink drew the ire of hardline Turkish nationalists in his lifetime, as he was one of the most outspoken voices calling for a debate to start on the controversial Armenian genocide issue. He received numerous death threats before his murder and faced several lawsuits for “denigrating Turkishness,” an act punishable with prison terms, for his articles and editorials on Armenian Genocide.

The role of police officers and public officials in the plot to kill the Dink had come to light as a new investigation focused on an alleged cover-up of the murder by officials linked to the Gülen Movement, which is accused of attempts to overthrow the government

On the sidelines of the 31st session of the Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Edward Nalbandian, Foreign Minister of Armenia, signed seven documents on the development of relations with the Foreign Ministers of six African states.

Memorandum of Understanding on Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of two states was signed with the Republic of Senegal.

Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations was signed between the Republic of Armenia and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Memorandum on Cultural Cooperation and Memorandum on Cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs were signed between Armenia and the Republic of Madagascar.

Memorandum on Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and Ministry of External Relations and Cooperation of the Comoro Islands.

Memorandum on Cooperation was also signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration of Togo.

Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Political Consultations was signed between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Côte d’Ivoire.

The Istanbul City Hall will pay 111 850 000 Turkish lira (about $37 280 000) to the Surp Agop  Armenian Hospital Foundation for the 4,474 sq km area belonging to the Armenian cemetery in Istanbul, Ermenihaber.am reports.

The Foundation had filed a suit two years ago. The First Instance Court of Istanbul obliged the City Hall to pay 111 850 000 Turkish lira, equal to the sum the area cost two years ago. The Court also ruled that some percentages of the sum should be paid to the Armenian foundation for the last two years.

According to Turkish cadastral records, an area of 41,430 sq km had been used as an Armenian cemetery since 1936. The land was seized by the state in 1971. The municipal authorities used 4.47 sq km of the land to build roads, underground passages and pavements.

Later on, under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to return the real estate belonging to national minorities to their rightful owners, the land was returned to the Surp Agop Armenian Hospital foundation without the 4.474 sq km piece used for roads and passages.

The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire 120 times last night, the NKR Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The rival fired more than 1, 500 shots from weapons of different caliber in the direction of the Armenian positions from artillery weapons of different caliber, as well as 60, 82 and 120mm mortars and HAN-17 grenades.

The adversary also used TR-107 reactive rocket launchers.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep control of the situation and confidently continue with their military duty.

 

 

 

Representatives of different structures came together at a conference titled “I remember and demand” to sum up the results of the events held within the framework of the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and to discuss the future steps.

According to Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, we have had serious achievements so far. “It’s enough to say that five more countries recognized the Armenian Genocide, bringing the total number to 24.”

The Deputy Minister said “of great importance was the US General Assembly Resolution proclaiming December 9 as the Day of Commemoration of All Genocides.” The bill was authored by Armenia and co-authored by 84 other countries.

Another significant step was the recognition of the genocide of Greeks and Assyrians by Armenia, Shavarsh Kocharyan said.

Vigen Sargsyan, Head of the President’s Staff, who coordinated the Armenian Gneocide centennial events, said that “the symbol of the centennial – the forget-me-not – served its purpose.”

The live streaming on April 22-24 allowed 1.3 billion people worldwide to follow the centennial events. Most prestigious media provided coverage of the events, which enabled us to convey the messages we wanted to convey to the world.

“Although it’s still early to sum up the results of the passing years, serious progress is apparent with regard to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide on the political level and the cultural events, which continue to raise awareness about the Genocide,” Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute Hayk Demoyan told reporters.

“We do not aim to discredit Turks, we want the propaganda to influence the Turkish society so that they at least start thinking of what happened,” he said.

“The most inspiring is that the number of Turkish visitors to the Museum is increasing day by day,” he said. He added that their silence at the Museum is the most impressive.

Waiving the tolls on bridges and highways during Islamic holidays should be extended to other religious holidays, as Turkey doesn’t only have Muslim citizens, but also citizens of many other faith groups whose holidays should be likewise celebrated, a member of parliament has said an filed a motion, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Each year, during the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, citizens use bridges and highways free of charge as “a holiday gesture,” Armenian Garo Paylan of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) recalled on July 15, while also underlining he favors the practice because he believes the use of public goods and infrastructure should be free for citizens.

“However, this practice should not make us forget the reality that there are Christian, Jewish and Yazidi citizens and citizens from other religions in Turkey. These ancient peoples living in these territories are not solely celebrating Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, but are also celebrating religious holidays like Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashanah and Çarşemba Sor. However, these ancient holidays being celebrated in Anatolia for thousands of years are today ignored by the state,” Paylan said in a written statement.

“According to the constitution and universal democratic norms, the state should approach every religion and each of its citizens equally,” Paylan said, adding the practice concerning the free use of bridges and highways should be extended to citizens from other religions too.

The HDP Istanbul deputy filed a related motion to parliament, noting that he would shortly introduce a bill too.

Peace of Art, Inc. is completing its Armenian Genocide Awareness Billboard Campaign, “100 Billboards for 100 Years of Genocide,” with one more billboard. Located on Route 1, at the junction with Route 27 in Sharon, this billboard displays a message of gratitude, and reads, “Thank You, Pope Francis, for Commemorating the Armenian Genocide Centennial,” the reports.

In April 2015, at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis called the Armenian Genocide “the first genocide of the 20th century.” The event was unprecedented because, for the first time in history, the Pope mentioned the Armenian Genocide in his liturgy. “Pope Francis called on all states’ leadership, international organizations, and world peace-loving communities, to recognize the truth and to oppose such offenses,” said Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, the founding president of Peace of Art, Inc. “Such a brave statement by the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, definitely deserves high respect and appreciation.”

In January 2015, Peace of Art, Inc. launched the Armenian Genocide Awareness Billboard Campaign. Throughout the United States and Canada, Peace of Art, Inc. has displayed large electronic and stationary billboards dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and in honor of the victims of all genocides of the last 100 years.

Chairwoman of the Russian Council of Federation Valentina Matvienko hopes the situation in Armenia will be resolved peacefully.

“We are closely following the developments and hope that the issue will be solved in a peaceful way through negotiations between the authorities and the protesters,” Matvienko told reporters today.

She voiced hope that the “Armenian authorities will handle the situation, which is an internal affair of Armenia.”

The Speaker stressed that Armenia is a friendly country of Russia, a member of the Eurasian Economic Union and “Russia cannot stay indifferent to the developments in Armenia.”

A plaque honoring the late William Saroyan has been stolen from his last residence,  reports.

The new owners say they noticed the plaque was taken along with tools in the garage this week.

The plaque has been on the front of the house for 25 years and details some of the work the Pulitzer Prize winning author did the last 17 years of his life in the house.

Neighbor Ernie Baca lives next door and knew Saroyan as a kid.

“He gave me my first book when I was five years old and he signed it to read to my little sister,” Garza said.

Few neighbors on West Griffith Way have such fond memories of the home. They know it for going into foreclosure, attracting squatters and falling into disrepair.

“We’ve been broken into. Everyone has been broken into. It’s the times. Everyone is down on their luck,” Deborah Robles said.

The new owners say they just want the plaque returned. They are in the process of selling the house to a nonprofit which plans to restore the house and make it a historical place.

“That would be nice if they could do something with that house and raise the property values that would be wonderful. That is the worst house in the neighborhood,” Robles said.

Many have speculated it was stolen for the metal. But Baca says it is a piece of Armenian Heritage and Fresno History.

“If the person is watching who took this it should mean nothing to them. You can bring it to my house and put it on the porch,” he said.