Author: Babajanian Karo

US Says Renewed Effort Needed to Resolve Karabakh Conflict

Friday, July 25th, 2014

U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar

BAKU–“We need a renewed effort to once and for all resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” said US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Richard
Morningstar, at a farewell event on July 24.

“Peace would bring substantial benefits to people across the region
and ensure Azerbaijan’s prosperity into the future,” said the
Ambassador.

He stated that the United States would continue to work to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“Obviously we and Azerbaijan sometimes look at these issues
differently,” the Ambassador said.

“But as with any partner, continued dialogue is important. We can have
disagreements, but we need to keep talking,” Morningstar said.

Richard Morningstar expressed regret of any kind of hostilities,
casualties and tragedies at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“I know that the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs are very concerned about
the conflict along the line of contact and that just again goes to
show how this terrible conflict must be resolved,” Ambassador
Morningstar said.

“The Nagorno Karabakh settlement should be a priority,” US Co-Chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick said in a Twitter post.

“I reminded OSCE representatives that a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement
should be a priority, even with many global concerns,” Warlick said.

The Co-Chairs met with representatives of the Minsk Group countries to
brief them about the status of peace negotiations.

Armenian inscriptions added to signboards in Artamed, Van

16:45 25.07.2014

Armenian inscriptions have been added to the signboards placed in the
streets of the city of Artamed (Edremit) in Van Province in Turkey,
eremenihaber.com reports.

The initiative aims to stop hostile perceptions of Armenians and
create sympathy towards them, said Mayor of Artamed Sevil Rojbin
Cetin, member of the Party of Democratic Regions.

“The Kurdish people have historical-cultural similarities with the
Armenian people. Van and Artamed were densely populated by Armenians
before 1915. The Kurds and Armenians have lived side by side in Van
for centuries. Therefore, we’ll not allow the state to erase the
Armenian history and destroy the Armenian culture. We have made this
step as a sign of respect for Armenians,” the Mayor told Haber 7
website.

Seyran Ohanyan: Armenia has been putting in place ‘engineering
facilities’ along with other measures to prevent attempts by
Azerbaijani sabotage groups to infiltrate into its territory

by Marianna Lazarian

ARMINFO
Friday, July 25, 12:10

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) on
Thursday Ohanian acknowledged, however, that advanced systems are not
available at all sections of the border with Azerbaijan, especially in
the areas where they would be exposed to enemy fire.

Installing such expensive security equipment at sections exposed to
constant ceasefire violations is simply not expedient, the minister
explained.

But there is an opportunity to install security systems “where there
is no immediate aggressiveness of the enemy and where the positions of
the sides are far apart” so as to also ensure the expensive equipment
does not get damaged or destroyed, he added.

Concerns over the possibility of Azerbaijani commando units’ or
sabotage groups’ infiltrating into Armenian territory increased in
Armenia in the last couple of weeks amid a major incursion reported
near Nagorno-Karabakh.

The self-proclaimed republic’s authorities said last week a group of
Azerbaijanis had been arrested in the region on suspicion of espionage
and subversive activities. The Nagorno-Karabakh police force said the
group members had killed one military serviceman and severely wounded
a civilian. Another local teenager, it said, had been kidnapped and
then brutally murdered by the alleged Azerbaijani saboteurs.

Still last week Minister Ohanian emphasized that none of the
Azerbaijanis who had managed to infiltrate into the Kelbajar district
near Nagorno-Karabakh, could cross into Armenia.

Speaking about the use of new technologies, the minister said that to
make them more affordable for the purpose of securing the border,
efforts are underway to ensure the availability of locally produced
types of such devices. Some of which, he added, are at the stage of
testing at present.

“We certainly cooperate with all the organizations that either make
offers or work on our request. We particularly cooperate with
enterprises working in the information technology sector,” Ohanian
said.

Armenian Government’s “Latest Perversion”: Opposition MP on Selling
Nairit to Cover Vorotan HPP Debts

07.25.2014 12:22 epress.am

The decision to repay Vorotan Hydro Cascade’s debts by providing a
46.73% share in Nairit-2 CJSC is the Armenian government’s “latest
perversion,” said Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction secretary
Aram Manukyan, in conversation with Epress.am.

In the opposition MP’s opinion, when a loss of money is discovered,
instead of launching a case with the Special Investigation Service,
the Government of the Republic of Armenia decides to cover the losses
on account of another property. According to Manukyan, the Vorotan
debt became known only after he contacted the general prosecutor about
the sale of the hydro complex.

“There are two main violations in the Vorotan issue. The transaction
for sale is contrary to the laws of Armenia, since such a strategic
object cannot be sold. Second, it is sold at a price significantly
below cost. I contacted the prosecutor regarding these issues; there
is yet no response,” he said.

According to him, the government, in fact, not only is not fulfilling
the demands of the four non-ruling parties in parliament (in
particular, the demand not to sell the Vorotan Hydroelectric Power
Plant Complex), but also made another illegal decision on the Vorotan
issue.

Tariffs on 800 types of imports may remain unchanged after accession
of Armenia in Eurasian Economic Union

YEREVAN, July 25. /áòëá/. Armenia has already singled out 800 types of
goods on which it wants to continue levying the current import duties
that are significantly lower than those set by the Eurasian Economic
Union, Economy Minister Karen Chshmarityan on Thursday.

He told journalists that there were no new proposals so far,
Novosti-Armenia reports referring to RIA Novosti.

Chshmarityan didn’t mention any date of accession of Armenia to the
Eurasian Economic Union.

If Armenia join the union on the conditions put forward by the union,
this will trigger up-to-20-percent price hikes in the country.

Experts say Armenia is dragging its fit in joining the union for this
very reason.

In April, the then economy minister Vahram Avanesyan, said that the
Armenian government had composed a list of 800 types of goods,
including cars, medicaments and other goods of social significance.

On May 29, at a session of Eurasian Economic Council in Astana,
Kazakhstan, the Armenian president expressed Yerevan’s intention to
join the Eurasian Economic Union agreement until June 15. However,
appropriate papers have not been signed so far.

On July 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a meeting of
Russian diplomats, said Armenian will become a full member of the
union very soon.

A little later, media outlets quoted Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan
Idrisov as saying that the agreement between Armenia and Eurasian
Economic Union is likely to be signed in October 2014 at a regular
meeting of Eurasian Economic Union countries’ presidents in Minsk.
–0—-

– See more at:

FRANCE
Kurdes assassinées à Paris : les familles demandent l’arrestation de
responsables turcs

Les proches des militantes kurdes assassinées à Paris en 2013 ont
demandé à la justice des mandats d’arrêt contre quatre responsables
turcs qu’ils soupçonnent d’avoir commandité ce crime, a indiqué
vendredi à l’AFP une source proche du dossier.

Sakine Cansiz, Fidan Dogan et Leyla Saylemez avaient été tuées de
plusieurs balles dans la tête, en plein jour le 9 janvier 2013, dans
les locaux du Centre d’information du Kurdistan (CIK), dans le Xe
arrondissement, un crime qui avait bouleversé la communauté kurde.

Arrêté quelques jours plus tard, le Turc Ömer Güney avait été mis en
examen pour assassinat. Si diverses pistes avaient initialement été
évoquées quant aux commanditaires, l’implication des services secrets
turcs (MIT) -ou d’une de ses branches- ne fait aujourd’hui aucun doute
pour les proches des victimes.

Ils ont donc demandé ces derniers jours à la juge d’instruction Jeanne
Duyé, qui conduit l’enquête, de délivrer des mandats d’arrêt à
diffusion internationale contre quatre Turcs susceptibles d’être mis
en cause pour complicité d’assassinat, a précisé la source proche du
dossier.

Ces quatre personnes -O. Yüret, U.K. Ayik, S. Asal et H. Özcan-
apparaissaient comme les signataires d’un document confidentiel publié
le 14 janvier 2014 par la presse turque. Elle le présentait comme une
note du MIT de novembre 2012 rédigée comme un “ordre de mission” pour
Ömer Güney.

En février, l’hebdomadaire allemand Der Spiegel rapportait que ces
quatre noms étaient bien ceux de membres des services turcs
travaillant sur la question kurde et évoquait des sources au sein des
services de sécurité allemands concluant à l’authenticité du document.

Sa publication était intervenue peu après la diffusion de
l’enregistrement d’une conversation antérieure aux assassinats entre
un homme, qui pourrait être Ömer Güney, et deux agents turcs.

Ömer Güney, qui nie les accusations dont il est l’objet, a réfuté
devant la juge être un des hommes parlant sur cette bande. Selon une
source proche de l’enquête, l’expertise scientifique n’a pas permis
d’authentifier sa voix avec une certitude absolue. Mais des personnes
le connaissant, interrogées par l’AFP, se sont dites convaincues qu’il
s’agissait de sa voix.

“Aller jusqu’au bout” –

Sakine Cansiz était une figure du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan
(PKK), considérée comme proche de son chef historique Abdullah Öcalan.
Fidan Dogan, elle, était une militante kurde très connue au sein de la
classe politique européenne.

“Dans les assassinats politiques, on sait toujours quel peut être
l’Etat commanditaire, mais on n’a jamais de preuve précise. Or ici, on
a la chance d’en avoir”, a déclaré à l’AFP Antoine Comte, un avocat
des proches des victimes.

“Il faut aller jusqu’au bout et mettre en cause les commanditaires
dont les noms apparaissent dans +l’ordre de mission+”, a-t-il ajouté.

Le MIT a déjà démenti toute implication dans ce crime. Dans un
discours préélectoral en mars, le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip
Erdogan l’avait attribué au mouvement de Fethullah Gülen -son ex-allié
devenu son ennemi- qu’il soupçonne d’avoir infiltré les organes de
sécurité turcs.

Dans leur demande d’acte, à laquelle la juge est tenue de répondre
sous un mois, les familles lui enjoignent à nouveau d’interroger les
renseignements français sur ce qu’ils pouvaient savoir d’Ömer Güney,
selon la source proche du dossier. La magistrate avait rejeté en
septembre 2013 une requête similaire.

Elles s’interrogent notamment sur un mail adressé à la préfecture de
police de Paris le 20 janvier 2013, deux jours après le placement en
garde à vue du suspect.

Ce courriel anonyme dénonçant Ömer Güney contenait des éléments
extrêmement précis -tel le voyage en Turquie du suspect en décembre
2012- qui se sont plus tard avérés exacts selon cette source, qui
indique que ce message a été adressé d’un ordinateur dont le
fournisseur d’accès se trouve à Téhéran.

Le Parlement turc a voté début juillet un projet de loi destiné à
relancer le processus de paix entamé fin 2012 avec les rebelles kurdes
en Turquie et actuellement au point mort. Le conflit kurde en Turquie
a fait plus de 45.000 morts depuis 1984.

vendredi 25 juillet 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

Possible U.S.-Turkey Arrangement

Igor Muradyan, Political Analyst
Comments – 24 July 2014, 19:30

The Ukrainian developments have introduced corrections in the revision
of goals of interested great powers relating to the Black Sea. First
of all, the point is about problems relating to the U.S.-Turkey
relations. If earlier Turkey objected to intensification of the U.S.
influence and presence in the Black Sea, currently there are signs
that this region has very specific agreements.

Turkey has to assume a much more reserved position and agree to
increased military and logistical presence of the United States
without Turkey’s participation, relying on other states: Romania (key
U.S. partner in the region), Bulgaria, Georgia and to some extent
Ukraine. Obviously, this scenario does not match Turkey’s interests,
and the proposals that the United States made to Turkey in the sphere
of military-technical and political assistance does not compensate for
its current miserable situation.

Turkey tried to bid for and achieve more active participation in the
U.S. plans on the Black Sea but the Americans have brought some
arguments that did not allow Turks achieve their intentions. The
United States has justified the distance it keeps between Turkey and
its plans on the Black Sea by reluctance to irritate Russia and the
necessity for more active participation of the countries of the Black
Sea region. This does not look like sound but the Americans did not
bother themselves about soundness.

American experts who are not well-aware of the situation in the Black
Sea cannot understand the core issue well enough. In other words, to
what extent the United States and Turkey agreed actions and positions
in the region of the Black Sea. At the same time, according to
experts, distance between Turkey and Russia is growing, and this may
be caused by not only normalization of the U.S.-Turkish relations but
also deterioration of the Turkish-Russian relations.

According to British diplomats, Russia is reluctant to make a
geopolitical compromise in the relations of Turkey, as well as
elaboration of specific pipeline projects. Turkey would not like to
put off resolution of a number of issues in the relations with Russia
for an indefinite period and is set to resolve them now, which Russia
cannot afford.

Experts say Russia was up for partnership with Turkey with prospects
of cooperation for ousting the United States from several regions
which would not be acceptable to Turkey. At the same time, Turkey
tried to strengthen its influence and presence in the region of the
Black Sea and the South Caucasus, as well as intended to boost its
positions in Central Asia.

During Turkish-Russian negotiations Turkey put forth a lot of
objectives on the Black Sea and the South Caucasus, which was
unacceptable for Russia. These experts suggest that the United States
has not made a final decision on the plans on the Black Sea region,
and most probably more limited increase of the American presence is
expected than it had been supposed earlier. Security of the logistical
system rather than advance deployment will be used, which suggests a
more modest format of presence.

It is possible that this circumstance had a significant role in
Turkey’s calmer attitude to these plans of the United States which do
not correct the balance of forces in the Black and do not reduce
Turkey’s role in the region. No significant changes are taking place
in the region of the Black Sea, and for the time being there is no
reason to claim that Turkey and the United States have achieved any
special agreement on the Black Sea but most probably during different
negotiations the sides were able to reach one arrangement or another
on the region concerned.

Most probably, these arrangements are agreements in character which
are not many among NATO allies. Experts think it looks like Turkey has
accepted some of the U.S. demands to refrain from new political
initiatives on the Black Sea and the South Caucasus. At the same time,
this region is not a priority in the U.S.-Turkey agenda and it should
not be focused on much.

In fact, given the increasingly broader arrangements between the
United States and Turkey on regional politics, the question of the
Black Sea and the South Caucasus may be resolved in a “routine
manner”.

Highly estimating the opinion that the problems of the Black Sea and
the South Caucasus in the U.S.-Turkish relations should be viewed in
the framework of wider and more principled agreements, and they cannot
refrain from resolving the problems relating to the interests of NATO
member states. No doubt the United States and Turkey agreed on the
problems of the Black Sea and the South Caucasus more thoroughly.

The experts whose interests are far from the Black Sea and the South
Caucasus suggest that now the relations between the United States and
Turkey regarding the regions are far from full agreement but both
sides have had thorough negotiations on all the other regions, and the
Black Sea and the South Caucasus cannot be an exception.

At the same time, the United States and NATO are currently boosting
their military presence in the Black Sea in regard to the developments
in Ukraine, and in this situation Turkey does not have relevant
arguments for objections to implementation of these plans and tasks.
Turkey has appeared in a miserable situation regarding the occupation
of Crimea by Russia, and the complicated situation requires that
Ankara revise its attitude to the Black Sea.

Crime is not so very important a problem for Turkey to put up with the
presence of the navy of NATO member states in this basis because it
plays down Turkey’s role not only in the Black Sea and the coastal
regions but also in more important geopolitical terms. At the same
time, the previous arrangements between Turkey and the United States
and new arguments bind Turkey and do not allow it to complain,
especially that Russia has actually let Turkey down regarding this
regional matter.

– See more at:

Citizen beaten by his neighbours dies in hospital (video)

19:10 | July 24,2014 | Social

Vardan Tumanyan, a 54-year-old citizen of Yerevan’s Nor Nork district,
who was severely beaten by the residents of a neighboring building,
died in hospital two days later.

A criminal case has been instituted in connection with the brutal
beating under Article 112 of Criminal Code.

For more details watch the video of the police.

Democracy & Freedom Watch
July 22 2014

Ombudsman asks for effective investigation of Armenian church attack

by DFWatch staff | Jul 22, 2014

TBILISI, DFWatch-The Georgian ombudsman addresses law enforcement
bodies to properly and effectively investigate the attack on priests
at an Armenian church on July 19.

On Saturday, about 50 people attacked Surb Etchmiadzin Church in
Tbilisi. The Armenian Diocese says the attack was motivated by
religious and ethnic prejudice, but the Interior Ministry denies the
incident was a case of discrimination.

The ombudsman’s statement on Monday says that considering the context
in which the incident took place it is important that the
investigation is launched with proper qualification in order to avoid
further tension in the situation.

The investigation is based on section 125 of the criminal code, about
beating, but employees of the Ombudsman’s Office have questioned
witnesses and studied footage taken on the day of the attack and
concluded that another types of crime might have taken place: It could
be hooliganism, organized group violence, or damaging someone’s
health.

“It is important that law enforcement bodies collect and carefully
study all the evidence which can indicate that the crime might have
been committed on ethnic motives,” the statement reads.

The ombudsman writes that there is a background of religious and
ethnic intolerance in the country and therefore the government and
society must do its best to rapidly give clear answers to the incident
which took place on July 19.

“It is necessary that the government, civil society and media make
efforts not to let a new wave of intolerance take place in the
country.”

On Sunday, the Armenian ambassador to Georgia told journalists that
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia sent a note to Georgia
about the incident at Surb Etchmiadzin Church.

He said the Armenian government knows what has happened and why the
disagreement started, but at this stage they cannot say that it
happened deliberately.

The ambassador says that law enforcement bodies will find out what happened.

Patriarchate’s Foreign Affairs Department and a bishop of Armenian
Church met Tuesday to discuss what happened on Saturday, according to
a statement by the Georgian Orthodox Church.

“The Georgian Church condemns the incident and calls on participants
in the confrontation to make peace,” the statement reads. “The Church
as usual will help to solve the problem and to create peaceful
coexistence of religious confessions in the country.”

Al-Akhbar, Lebanon
July 24 2014

Christian leaders express shock at world silence after ISIS expels
Iraqi Christians

by Asad Abu Khalil

The patriarchal residence in the town of Atchanah in Lebanon’s Metn
region brought together yesterday representatives of the churches of
Mosul five days after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
forced Iraqi Christians out of the city. This is the first time that
Mosul’s Christian population has been driven out of the city and is
the largest forced displacement since the Armenian genocide.
Nevertheless, there are people who still believe in returning despite
a Western and Arab failure to act.

About 10,000 Christians left Mosul. Nothing like this has happened
since the Armenian genocide in Turkey about a hundred years ago.Until
last week, ISIS was just a “joke” or a “boogieman created by the
Syrian regime to scare minorities and keep them by its side.” That is
why kidnapping the two bishops, Boulos al-Yazigi and Youhana Ibrahim,
near Aleppo a year and a half ago did not serve as an adequate warning
of how serious and extremist these fundamentalist movements are. The
occupation of Maaloula and the burning of its churches did not change
anything in the Syrian scene and the kidnapping of the nuns was not
met with a response proportional to the crime. All this passed in
absolute lightness as some Lebanese politicians scoffed at the
fundamentalist danger: this is the people’s revolution.

Last February, ISIS issued a decree similar to Mosul’s decree in the
Syrian city of al-Raqqa, asking Christians to pay a religious levy in
gold and minimize the appearances of any of their religious
paraphernalia. Then they began carrying out judgements based on
“Islamic law” from lashes to killing, crucifixions and stoning. But it
is that same old lightness – intentional perhaps – that drove some to
say “there are people extending the life of the regime by fabricating
news and videos and misleading journalists and foreign news agencies.”
That is why it took ISIS crossing the Syrian border towards Iraq for
some people to become conscious of the danger… and recognize it, if
only to avoid embarrassment.

Last Saturday was the deadline that ISIS gave Christians in Mosul to
either convert to Islam, pay a religious levy, leave the city or die
by the sword. As a result, about 10,000 Christians left Mosul. Nothing
like this has happened since the Armenian genocide in Turkey about a
hundred years ago.

Ignatius Aphrem II, patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Antioch
and All the East, said that most of the Christian families fled to
Kurdistan and the Nineveh Plains while others went to Jordan, Syria
and Lebanon. Remarkably, Aphrem II said that some families insisted on
staying in Mosul, adding: “we lost contact with them.” Until now,
“there is no information whatsoever about the fate of these families,”
he confirmed.

Yesterday Aphrem II headed a meeting at the patriarchal residence in
Atchanah – Bikfaya, five days after the “war crime,” as he called it
in his message, that included representatives of the five churches
found in Mosul to discuss the situation of Christians in the city. The
ecclesiastic gathering was large, it included patriarchal vicar of the
Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Diocese, Youhanna Jihad Battah, Chaldean
bishop of Lebanon, Michel Kasarji, priest of the Assyrian Church of
the East in Lebanon, Fr. Yathroun Koulianos, general secretary of the
Middle East Council of Churches, Fr. Michel Jalkh, Fr. Carlo Yeshuah,
associate secretaries of the Middle East Council of Churches, Deacon
Jimmy Danho and Mr. Elias Halabi, bishops of the Syriac Orthodox
Church in Lebanon, president of the Syriac League, Habib Afram in
addition to the Iraqi cleric Abdel Rahim al-Musawi, Iraq’s Ambassador
in Lebanon Dr. Raad al-Alousi and Iraq’s consul in Lebanon, Dr. Walid
Abdel Qader al-Issa.

In his message, Patriarch Aphrem II condemned incidents “considered
barbaric and unprecedented in the history of Christian-Muslim
relations in this region. ISIS systematically forced Christians out of
the city of Mosul labeling them with racist signs and symbols,
humiliating and luting them.” He called on Muslims and their leaders
to “take a clear stance,” expressing astonishment at the prevailing
silence “except for some Muslim religious leaders and civil
dignitaries.” He went on to say that injustices such as “burning
churches and taking over holy sites will not compel us to ask for
Western protection or help.”

He declared however: “We are going to address the United Nations (UN)
and the highest international and human rights fora to hold them
accountable to the Bill of Rights they claim to support.” He called on
the Iraqi government and “Kurdish brothers” to protect Christians. He
also said that an urgent meeting will be convened soon with the
patriarchs of the East and a Christian delegation from the East will
be formed to take this issue before the UN and other international
platforms.

“Mosul deserves a united news bulletin like Gaza.”In response to a
question on whether the church is in contact with Iraqi authorities,
Ephram II said there is no direct coordination with any of the civil
or political authorities in Iraq but the bishops are in contact with
Kurdish authorities to “secure a decent living for our children.” The
patriarch asserted that “these terrorist parties are supported by
states.” At the same time, he held the Iraqi government responsible
for the security and safety of Iraqi Christians.

Sheikh Abdel Rahim al-Musawi described what is happening as “ethnic
cleansing. It is our moral, national and religious duty to stand in
solidarity. Not just stand in solidarity but we should go a lot
further than that, we should go to the highest international
organizations in the world to put a stop to this abuse of people’s
lives, blood and property.”

The conference, which was broadcast live on a number of TV stations,
did not last more than half an hour. However, as expected, its
resonance ended with the end of the broadcast. Iraq’s Christians were
forcibly displaced from their homes in 2003 and now they are going
through the same experience again after 11 years amid a lethal Western
and Arab silence. One of the churches of Mosul, built 1,500 years ago,
was burned and crosses have been removed from other churches.

Mosul’s Christian families have fled to relatively safe areas in Iraq.
Most of them today are housed in schools or are simply out on the
sidewalks as they wait for refugee camps to be built or to be
transferred to decent housing. According to those present, there are
no armed Christian groups except those guarding villages and cities.

This is the first time that Mosul is emptied of its Christians amid
fear that ISIS might reach other areas in the Nineveh province.
Patriarch Aphrem II and the heads of other churches are trying as much
as possible to put pressure on relevant parties, for “we still believe
in returning.” In the end, they issued a message to the Lebanese
media: “Mosul deserves a united news bulletin like Gaza.”

This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.

Roula Ibrahim