Author: Babajanian Karo

EXCLUSIVE: TURKISH NGO RECRUITING MUSLIM ALBANIANS FOR WAR IN SYRIA

TEHRAN (FNA)- Turkish charity organization, IHH, has recruited hundreds
of Muslim Albanians and sent them to Syria after military trainings
in Turkey to take part in the armed struggle against the Damascus
government, informed sources said.

“The IHH, which operates under the cover of relief and charity
activities and acts in full coordination with Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and extremist Saudi Wahhabi groups, has so
far recruited and transferred a number of 769 Albanians to Syria to
join the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA),” an informed source who
asked to remain anonymous for fear of his life, told FNA on Wednesday.

The source, who has defected the program after two weeks of war in
Syria, added that those recruited by the IHH “have been transfered
to Turkey via Tirana and undergone military trainings by retired US
officers stationed in Reyhanli military base in the Southern Turkish
province of Hatay”.

“The last one of these recruited groups comprised 90 Albanian nationals
who were flown to Istanbul from Tirana on Turkish Air flight no. 1078
on June 30, 2013,” he continued.

Asked about the cause of his defection, the source said, “Despite
IHH’s efforts to recruit the said people for the FSA, around 450 of
these Muslim Albanians have defected the FSA after a few weeks of
war and joined al-Qaeda-linked groups, specially the al-Nusra Front”
as al-Qaeda groups enjoy better supplies, backup and organization
and lead the war of insurgency in Syria.

The source said he returned to Albania after he had seen the war
crimes committed by the terrorist groups against civilians in Syria.

He said he did not meet his family after returning to Albania as
he was deeply fearful of the reaction of the Turkish intelligence
officers and their mercenaries in Albania, adding that his family
joined him only after escaping Tirana.

In June, tens of retired US Army officers accompanied by a military
cargo infiltrated into Syria through Turkey’s Hatay province.

“An American C-130 plane carrying a cargo of hi-tech telecommunications
equipment and devices and 57 retired US officers landed in Turkey’s
Hatay province this morning,” an informed source, speaking on condition
of anonymity, told FNA on June 23.

“The US officers crossed the border with Syria via Reyhanli (in Hatay
province) and their goal is to take charge of the central command of
all military activities of armed rebels in Syria,” added the source.

He mentioned that the military cargo, containing the telecommunications
equipment, left Reyhanli for the border crossing after the US officers
arrived at their destination in Northern Syria.

Also in June, a report said that the US spy agency was gearing up
to send weapons to insurgent groups in Syria through secret bases in
Turkey and Jordan.

“The bases are expected to begin conveying shipments of weapons and
ammunition within weeks,” the US daily, The Washington Post, reported
in June, quoting unnamed American officials as saying.

The IHH was established in Istanbul in 1991 by advocates of Turkey’s
Welfare Party founded by former Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin
Erbakan. It played a positive role in supporting Bosnian Muslims
during the Bosnia War (1992-1995).

Throughout the coming years, IHH distanced itself from Turkey’s Welfare
and Felicity Parties. After the outbreak of unrests in Syria in March
2011 it actively took part in helping the Syrian opposition groups.

IHH was supposed to provide humanitarian relief in case of outbreak
of war, earthquake, hunger or conflict. Current president of the IHH
is Fehmi Bulent Yildirim, but his deputy Osman Atalay is practically
in charge of IHH’s affairs.

Atalay acts in full coordination with Davutoglu, Salafis and Wahhabis,
and is engaged in humanitarian relief operations on the surface.

According to the Foundation of Islamic Brotherhood, there is
corroborative evidence that IHH (under the cover of humanitarian aid)
is providing the terrorists in Syria with heavy weaponry, including
anti-aircraft missiles and Turkish newspapers and western officials
in Syria have mentioned this help to the Syrian rebels.

In October, IHH sent heavy weaponry to Syrian rebels under the guise
of humanitarian relief aid.

“We have relationships today in Syria that we didn’t have six months
ago,” US President Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser
Benjamin J. Rhodes said during a White House briefing.

US officials announced in June that Obama had authorized sending
weapons to the militants in Syria ‘for the first time.’

In mid-June 2012, American newspaper USA Today quoted Christopher
Harmer, an analyst with the Institute for the Study of War, as saying
that the US is vetting to use Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base, which is
technically a NATO air base, as a hub for supplying militants in
Syria with weapons.

Reports had also earlier revealed that Turkish Air has been transiting
Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants from North Waziristan in Pakistan to
the Turkish borders with Syria.

“The Turkish intelligence agency sent 93 Al-Qaeda and Taliban
terrorists from Waziristan to Hatay province near the border with
Syria on a Turkish Air Airbus flight No. 709 on September 10, 2012
and via the Karachi-Istanbul flight route,” the source told FNA in
September, adding that the flight had a short stop in Istanbul.

The 93 terrorists transited to the Turkish border with Syria included
Al-Qaeda militants from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Pakistan,
Afghanistan and a group of Arabs residing in Waziristan, he added.

FNA dispatches from Pakistan said new al-Qaeda members were trained
in North Waziristan until a few days ago and then sent to Syria, but
now they are transferring their command center to the borders between
Turkey and Syria as a first step to be followed by a last move directly
into the restive parts of Syria on the other side of the border.

The al-Qaeda, backed by Turkey, the US and its regional Arab allies,
had set up a new camp in Northern Waziristan in Pakistan to train
Salafi and Jihadi terrorists and dispatched them to Syria via Turkish
borders.

“A new Al-Qaeda has been created in the region through the financial
and logistical backup of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and a number of
western states, specially the US,” a source told FNA in September.

Ali Mahdian told FNA that the US and the British governments have
been playing with the al-Qaeda through their Arab proxy regimes in
the region in a bid to materialize their goals, specially in Syria.

He said the Saudi and Qatari regimes serve as interlocutors
to facilitate the CIA and MI6 plans in Syria through instigating
terrorist operations by Salafi and Arab Jihadi groups, adding that
the terrorists do not know that they actually exercise the US plans.

“Turkey has also been misusing extremist Salafis and Al-Qaeda
terrorists to intensify the crisis in Syria and it has recently
augmented its efforts in this regard by helping the new Al-Qaeda branch
set up a camp in Northern Waziristan in Pakistan to train Al-Qaeda
and Taliban members as well as Turkish Salafis and Arab Jihadis who
are later sent to Syria for terrorist operations,” said the source.

He said the camp in Waziristan is not just a training center, but a
command center for terrorist operations against Syria.

Yet, the source said the US and Britain are looking at the new Al-Qaeda
force as an instrument to attain their goals and do not intend to
support them to ascend to power, “because if Salafi elements in
Syria ascend to power, they will create many problems for the US,
the Western states and Turkey in future”.

“Thus, the US, Britain and Turkey are looking at the Al-Qaeda as
a tactical instrument,” he said, and warned of the regional and
global repercussions of the US and Turkish aid to the Al-Qaeda and
Salafi groups.

“Unfortunately, these group of countries have just focused on the
short-term benefits that the Salafis and the Al-Qaeda can provide for
them and ignore the perils of this support in the long run,” he said.

“At present, the western countries, specially Britain which hosts and
controls the Jihadi Salafi groups throughout the world are paving
the ground for these extremists to leave their homes – mostly in
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
as well as those who live in Europe and the US – for Waziristan,”
the source added.

SYRIA’S WAR HAS EXPOSED THE HYPOCRISY OF WESTERN POWERS

The conflict has become an ugly proxy battle between innumerable
outside forces. If the Australian government is so worried about
terrorism, it should stop backing it in Syria

By Antony Loewenstein

August 14, 2013 “Information Clearing House – “The Guardian” – Syrian
president Bashar al-Assad wasn’t supposed to survive. Since the
uprising began in 2011, it’s been long presumed in western political
and media circles that he would be deposed or killed and that a new,
more US-friendly autocrat would be installed. This hasn’t happened.

We know Russia and America have vastly different interests in the
conflict. As for Australia, foreign minister Bob Carr predictably
parroted the Washington line in October 2012 when he said, “this sounds
brutal and callous, perhaps an assassination [of Assad] combined with
a major defection, taking a large part of its military, is what is
required to get … a ceasefire and two, political negotiations”.

Carr was rightly condemned for his comments, yet he ignored another
harsh reality: when it comes to Syria, the US and its Saudi Arabian
and Qatari allies are backing Islamic fundamentalism under the guise
of defeating the west’s key Middle East villain, Iran. Al-Qaida is
now thriving, and the number of beheadings and other assorted acts
of extreme sectarian violence have been steadily rising. It’s like
the funding of the Mujahideen in Afghanistan never happened, or that
the lessons learned after the west armed what became al-Qaida under
Osama Bin Laden were wiped from the record.

By June this year, Carr accepted the necessary presence of Assad in any
successful peace negotiations. Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman
Julie Bishop urged for a “negotiated settlement” in February, but
refused to condemn the role of western-backed jihadis.

Meanwhile, foreign fighters are flooding into Syria – and they’ve
become some of the fiercest and most successful insurgents against the
Assad regime. US officials talk of the country becoming an extremist
haven. Blue-eyed jihadists from Europe recently told Foreign Policy
that they were committed to establishing an Islamic state inside the
nation. Abu Salman (not his real name) said that, “They [the United
States] only give weapons to the worst groups … These groups operate
inside the Free Syrian Army, but they even don’t fight for democracy,
they just steal money”.

At least a few hundred Australians are involved, causing growing
sectarianism in Sydney between Sunni and Shia communities. I’ve spoken
to many local Muslims who say the blindness being displayed on both
sides – Assad backers ignoring the vast crimes perpetuated by his
forces and rebel backers denying the extent of hardline Islamist
support – is fuelling resentment and violence on the streets and
online.

I’ve attended events where the estimated death toll of over 100,000
Syrians and immense refugee crisis engulfing neighbouring countries
is mostly forgotten amidst the conflicting visions of a future Syria
without war. The Syrian diaspora is fragmenting along lines that their
birth country never experienced. Syrians pushing for the overthrow
of Assad are often as belligerent as his loudest advocates, willing
to ignore the war crimes committed by their own side. Like we see
daily in Iraq, rampant sectarianism fuelled by outside forces only
leads to chaos.

Tammam Sulaiman, the former Syrian ambassador to Australia, now
Damascus-based senior member of Assad’s foreign ministry and soon to
be head of mission at the Syrian embassy in Pyongyang in North Korea,
told me last week in an exclusive interview that he didn’t understand
why the west remained silent when “rebel terrorism” was committed. He
acknowledged that the regime had made “mistakes”, but stressed his
government was determined to win. “Our general impression is that
the battle will not finish soon”, he said.

I pushed him on human rights reports that found regime forces were
slaughtering civilians. “The US talks about collateral damage”, he
argued. “The US coined that term and what we’re doing is the same. We
don’t want to kill civilians. They started the war.”

In fact, I told Sulaiman, there were peaceful protests in Daraa in
March 2011, and these were brutally crushed by Assad forces. How
could the regime talk about democracy when civilians were tortured
and killed by pro-government soldiers?

Sulaiman had little to say about this question. And yet, he correctly
said, the war in Syria has exposed the hypocrisy of the western
powers. “Those western officials, including in Australia, don’t say
anything because they’ll upset their allies in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

I recently said to a representative from the Vatican here in Damascus,
‘I can’t understand why Catholic Europe is standing up behind Saudi
Arabia, and yet no Christian can stand in Riyadh with a beer. The
Vatican man smiled and responded by saying nothing'”.

This is the kind of ugly truth the western media is too keen to ignore,
rushing to repeat US, UK and Australian talking points about a regime
that for decades has refused to bow to western dictates – the ultimate
sin of which Tehran is also guilty of.

The war in Syria has become an ugly proxy battle between innumerable
outside forces, and virtually none of them care about the plight of
the Syrian people. The announcement by the Assad regime that private
security firms can now operate inside the nation is yet another
ominous sign that unaccountable terror will be roaming the streets.

Australia can play a small but significant part by looking clearly at
the failures of western policy towards Syria since the first rumblings
of major public dissent against the regime. Canberra should urge all
parties to de-escalate the fighting and not arm, train or fund either
side. If the Australian government is so worried about terrorism on
its shores, it should stop backing it in Syria.

© 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited

RUSSIA, AZERBAIJAN AGREE ON OIL, GAS PROJECT AS PUTIN VISITS BAKU

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Aug 14 2013

14 August 2013

The Russian and Azerbaijani state oil companies on Tuesday agreed to
establish a joint venture on a parity basis to prospect and produce
oil and gas in Russia and Azerbaijan and in other countries as Russian
President Vladimir Putin paid a one-day working visit to Baku.

Energy Cooperation

During Putin’s visit – designed to discuss a wide range of
bilateral issues, including trade, energy, transportation and the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – Rosneft reported that it had also agreed
with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) to jointly
use some pipelines and terminals to optimize supplies to consumers.

A cooperation agreement was signed by Rosneft and SOCAR respective
chiefs, Igor Sechin and Rovnag Abdullayev, in the presence of Putin
and Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev. The two oil giants also said they
would cooperate in marketing and sales of oil, gas and oil products.

Rosneft has shown interest in joining the development of the Apsheron
gas field in the Caspian Sea, whereas Russia’s largest privately
held oil company, LUKoil, is participating in the development of
the Shah Deniz gas field in the Caspian Sea and owns a network of
gasoline-filling stations in Azerbaijan.

LUKoil CEO Vagit Alekperov is accompanying Putin on his visit to
Azerbaijan, just as Rosneft chief Sechin is.

Last year, Azerbaijan delivered 1.55 billion cubic meters of natural
gas to Russia.

Bilateral interaction is set to be expanded in the military and
technical sphere, and border activities and between the two countries’
emergencies ministries. Experts polled by RIA Novosti have said Moscow
has yet failed to make Baku its ally rather than partner.

Military and Emergencies Cooperation

Azerbaijani President Aliyev told reporters after a meeting with
Putin that Moscow and Baku planned to continue military and technical
collaboration.

According to Aliyev, his country’s defense industry cooperation with
Russia is worth $4 billion and keeps growing. Azerbaijan is among
the top buyers of Russian arms and other military equipment, which,
Aliyev said, is considered the best in the world.

The two countries’ emergencies ministries signed a cooperation plan
for 2013-2015, and a new program to train Azerbaijani emergencies
staff will soon be worked out, a Russian ministry spokeswoman said.

Nagorno-Karabakh

Putin and Aliyev also touched upon the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been strained for over
two decades, since the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly
ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988. The region then claimed
independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

“During the talks we touched upon urgent international issues,
including, of course, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,” Putin said. “Russia
has been actively contributing to the soonest settlement of the
conflict, which is only possible through political means.”

Aliyev said the conflict may only be solved on the basis of
international law.

More than 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides
between 1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorno-Karabakh
has remained in Armenian control, and tensions between Azerbaijan
and Armenia have persisted.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group,
which comprises the United States, Russia and France.

14 August 2013

2 ARMENIAN WRESTLERS WIN GOLD AT WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BULGARIA

Focus News, Bulgaria
Aug 14 2013

14 August 2013 | 09:41 | FOCUS News Agency

Sofia. Armenian Greco-Roman wrestlers won two gold medals on the
first day of World Junior Wrestling Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria,
the PanARMENIAN online news edition informed.

Karen Aslanyan (60kg) won the competition in his weight category,
defeating Basar Enes of Turkey 7:0 in the final. Karapet Chalyan
(74kg) beat Andrey Antonyuk of Ukraine with a 3:0 score.

RUSSIA AND AZERBAIJAN ON A ‘NEW PAGE OF COOPERATION’

Russia & India Report
Aug 14 2013

August 14, 2013 Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra, specially for RIR

Moscow and Baku move towards closer ties as Putin dispels fear of
Russian support to Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Baku on August 13 after
seven years has naturally raised mixed reactions around the world. A
closer analysis reveals that the visit reflects a pragmatic approach
of Russia in a post-Cold War world in which relations evolve with
each player’s changing perceptions and interests.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, three countries emerged
on the scene of the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia –
all the three countries undergoing transitional nation-building pangs
with problems ranging from territorial disputes and a power vacuum
left by the collapse. The strategic location of the region between
Europe and Russia and the energy resources particularly of Azerbaijan
made these countries pawns in the ‘grand chess board.’ While Armenia
apparently moved closer to Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan followed a
pro-Western policy, though not always consistent, and particularly
under the partnership of NATO’s peace program veered more towards
this alliance.

This ethnically diverse region too witnessed implosion of conflicts
within these states with Armenia and Azerbaijan embroiled in
territorial dispute in Nagorno-Karabakh, and Georgia with troubles in
South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Adjara (the first two declared separation
in 2008).

In this complex background, the relations between Russia and
Azerbaijan followed a topsy-turvy path. While the majority Muslim
country owed a lot to Soviet Union in terms of its development, its
leaders waved as to which exact path to embrace in developing its
foreign policy. Haider Aliyev the first President of Azerbaijan and
his son Ilham Aliyev, President since 2003, are perceived closer to
the West. The differences between Russia and Azerbaijan on the use
of a radar station further contributed to such a perception. Ilham
sought to dispel this perception and argued after his meeting with
the Russian president that bilateral relations are in good stead. He
stated, “We are happy about progress seen in our political relations.

We are cooperating in international organizations, we support each
other and we will continue pursuing a policy of mutual support in
international organizations.”

Among various agreements signed during the visit, agreement on
oil and gas, on cooperation among emergency ministries and on
humanitarian sphere are noteworthy. The head of Roseneft, Igor Sechin
who accompanied Putin stated, both the countries “plan to cooperate
on a number of issues including crude swap operations, a joint use
of infrastructure.”

Russia has emerged as a major arms supplier to Azerbaijan which
has increased its defence budget in past few years, enabled by
its petrodollars. Ilham pointed out, “The information, not always
in line with reality, regarding the volumes of the military and
technical cooperation appears in mass media occasionally. As of now,
the volume of the military and technical cooperation between Russia
and Azerbaijan amounts to $4 billion and has a tendency to grow.”

Azerbaijan has received T-90 tanks, heavy flame systems and Msta
self-propelled artillery mounts from Russia. As per a report, the
supply of BTR-82 armored vehicles is about to begin soon. There are
also reports that the South Caucasian country is interested in S-300
missile system from Russia. Azerbaijan has apparently enhanced its
defense preparedness as a possible counter offensive against its
rival Armenia. Both the countries had gone to war after the collapse
of the Soviet Union, in which Azerbaijan had lost, further weakening
its position in Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave within its territory
but controlled by Armenia.

Russia’s position on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan will
be definitively a key issue for Azerbaijan. Ilham pointed out, “The
fastest settlement of the conflict (in Nagorno-Karabakh) will lead
to stability, predictability and cooperation in the region.” Putin
during his visit to Baku dispelled Azeri fears of any Russian
support to Armenia on the issue, or any support for the resolution
of the conflict by force. Putin told the press, “During the talks
we touched upon pressing international issues including, of course,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russia is actively contributing to the
soonest resolution of the conflict which is possible only by peaceful
means.” He further observed, “Russia is providing active assistance to
the settlement (of the conflict), which is possible only by political
means.” This must be soothing to the Azeri leadership which has long
perceived Russia as tilting the balance in favour of its rival.

One major area of deliberation that factored during meeting was
cooperation in energy. Azerbaijan has about reserve of one trillion
cubic meters of natural gas, which has made it a cynosure for energy
hungry countries. Though both the countries have cooperated in this
sector, it is considered not very significant. Last year Azerbaijan
supplied Russia 1.55 billion of cubic meters of natural gas to Russia.

Among the Russian companies, Lukoil has invested in Shah Deniz gas
field. Russian oil major Roseneft is interested to further explore
the Azrei gas fields. Reportedly it is interested to have a stake
in the Absheron gas project. At present Azeri state energy company
SOCAR and the French company Total are the partners in the project.

Putin also argued on developing a common agenda among the Caspian Sea
countries to address issues such as security, border delimitation,
and conservation of biological diversity. In the increasing globalized
world problems particularly those of global commons often transcend
boundaries of nation states. Russia, which is the largest Caspian Sea
littoral state, has played a role in bringing the states together
to tackle common issues. Putin stated before the press after the
meeting, “We want this region to become a region of peace, stability
and cooperation.” He further added, “It is in our national interests
to ensure that all of these problems are tackled with the interests
of all Caspian states taken into account.”

The retinue of Russian president also adds to the importance Russia
attached to the visit. Besides Putin, the delegation included foreign
minister, defense minister, energy minister, minister of economic
development, transportation minister and top officials. It also
indicates Putin’s increasing interest in the South Caucasus, which may
not be welcomed by countries like Georgia which has been embroiled
in bitter conflict with Russia. Putin’s success in Azerbaijan, even
if in a smaller scale, will certainly impact politics of the region.

Dr. Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra is an Indian commentator. His areas
of interests include conflict, terrorism, peace and development,
Kashmir, South Asia, and strategic aspects of Eurasian politics.

ICRC BAKU OFFICE HAS NOT BEEN GRANTED AN ACCESS TO THE ARMENIAN CITIZEN

On the night of August 8th, the citizen of the Republic of Armenia
Hakob Gevorg Injighulyan who lost his bearings on the terrain and
inadvertently crossed the Line of Contact was subsequently found in the
area of protection of Azerbaijani troops and captured by the latter.

As of today ICRC Baku office has not been granted an access to the
Armenian citizen kept in Azerbaijani captivity which we find at least
perplexing given the mandate and prestige of ICRC.

Moreover we would like to inform you that the Azerbaijani media outlet
“Haqqin.az” uploaded and disseminated on the Internet Hakob Gevorg
Injighulyan’s “interview” with an Azerbaijani information agency
(). In this footage as it was later confirmed
cynically by Eldar Sabiroghlu, Press Secretary of the Ministry of
Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan in his interview on August 13th,
Hakob Injighulyan was dressed in Azerbaijani uniform “to understand
the difference between the Armenian and Azerbaijani uniforms” which
was aimed to put moral and phycological pressure on him and abuse
his dignity.

This comes in violation of numerous provisions of Geneva Conventions:

Particularly, Article 13 of the Geneva Conventions. (III) constitutes
that POWs “…must at all times be protected, particularly against acts
of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity”
by the detaining power. In other words, the detaining power has to
keep a Person under the protection from the curiosity of media and
has to prevent the publication of images and videos in which this
person can be recognized.

Further, the commentary of Article 27 Geneva Convention (III) states
that “…Prisoners may in no case be obliged to wear the uniform of the
Detaining Power if they consider that their honor does not so permit”
().

Article 7, Geneva Convention (III) says that persons under protection
“… in no circumstances renounce in part or in entirety the rights
secured to them by the present Convention…”.

The Armenian authorities have been informed by the ICRC that its
Baku office is pursuing its efforts to visit Hakob Gevorg Injighulyan
through its on-going dialogue with the detaining power. Hopefully the
ICRC will succeed preventing any unwanted consequences. Outrageous
deaths of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia Gor Manasaryan and
Manvel Saribekyan captured in 2008 and 2010 and killed while being
under the protection of the detaining power whom the ICRC failed to
visit and the fact that none of the perpetrators of these fearsome
crimes has been punished as of today are tragic precedents. These
kind of crimes should be condemned and prevented by all means.

Thereby, the Armenian Commission on POWs, Detainees and missing in
action express their concern about the situation and asks the ICRC
to strengthen its efforts to visit Hakob Gevorg Injighulyan.

Once again it is reiterated plea to ICRC to assure Hakob Injighulyan
that the case will bear no legal consequences for him despite the
recent footage on Azerbaijani media outlets and to facilitate the
secure and prompt repatriation of the citizen of Armenia should the
Azerbaijani side show willingness.

17:11 14/08/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

GEORGIA BUYS THE WHOLE LIVE FISH EXPORTED FROM ARMENIA

18:52, 14 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS: The volume of live fish export from
the Republic of Armenia in the first half of 2013 increased by 5
percent compared to the same period of the last year.

In accordance with data of State Revenue Committee in the first
half of 2013 from Armenia was exported 9.8 tones of live fish and
the whole volume was exported to Georgia. “Armenpress” reports that
in the same period of last year was exported 9.3 tones of live fish
and again totally to Georgia.

In 2012 from Armenia were exported 16.9 tones of live fish compared
with 13 tones of 2011. It is worthy to mention that Georgia bought
the whole volume of live fish exported from Armenia in 2012.

TWO ARMENIAN WRESTLERS WIN GOLD AT WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

August 14, 2013 – 10:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Greco-Roman wrestlers won two gold medals
on the first day of World Junior Wrestling Championships in Sofia,
Bulgaria.

Karen Aslanyan (60kg) won the competition in his weight category,
defeating Basar Enes of Turkey 7:0 in the final. Karapet Chalyan
(74kg) beat Andrey Antonyuk of Ukraine with a 3:0 score.

PRESS RELEASE
Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Fresno
2226 Ventura Street
Fresno, CA 93721
Contact: Barbara Mortanian
Tele: 559-486-1141
Fax: 559-486-1939
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Some 2000 people attended the 100th Anniversary Celebration of
Grape Blessing, Picnic and Festivities in Fresno

On Sunday, August 11, 2013, the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church
and the Fresno Armenian Community celebrated the Centennial
Anniversary of Grape Blessing Picnic and Festival in Fresno County,
preserving centuries of tradition that has been carried out by the
Armenians since ancient times. On this 100th anniversary picnic, His
Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America celebrated the
Divine Liturgy followed by the Blessing of the Grapes. The event was
held at the beautiful grounds of the California Armenian Home located
at 6720 E. Kings Canyon Road in Fresno. It was widely covered by the
local print media, TV stations and National Public Radio. From the
community some 2,000 people attended the picnic.

The Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian celebrated
the Holy Badarak (Divine Liturgy), followed by the traditional
blessing of the grapes. His Eminence provided a spiritually moving
sermon to the Fresno Armenian Community by saying: ?The importance of
tradition cannot be overstated. Traditions such as this distinguish us
as a people; they bridge us to our rich and ancient heritage they
impart a sense of belonging. Along with our language, our age-old
customs are our identifying marks. It is not an easy feat for this
community to continue this tradition for the past one hundred years.
The fact that we are celebrating the centennial of the grape blessing
and festival speaks volumes about this community’s love and reverence
for our religious and national heritage and your commitment to
carrying on the unique traditions that contribute to who we are.? The
text of the Prelate?s sermon in its entirety is attached.

Archbishop Mardirossian emphasized that ?The reason we are here today
celebrating this centennial is because the first settlers, recognizing
the great value of such customs, passed on the tradition to their
children, who in turn passed it down to their children, and so on.?
The Prelate took this opportunity to thank the American people for
providing a safe haven to those earliest Armenians who fled
persecution and Genocide in our ancestral homeland and found refuge in
this great land we are proud to call home. ?We pray for God to bless
the United States of America, this nation of liberty, equality, and
opportunity; to bless this land, the laborers, and the harvest we
offer today in thanksgiving,? said His Eminence.

The day progressed with festivities where families and friends enjoyed
listening and dancing to lively Armenian music provided by Richard
Hagopian and his band, and to play their favorite pastime board and
card games. This annual event has become an opportunity for friends
and relatives to visit each other and enjoy a great fellowship in a
park like environment. The Holy Trinity Church Men?s Society arranged
the BBQ, and the Ladies? Guild members prepared a variety of freshly
cooked Armenian foods and pastries. The Church, which reportedly is
famous for having the best pilaf served in California, also offered
the visitors an abundance of newly harvested fruits and vegetables at
its Farmer?s Market that were packaged for sale and supplied by
devoted church members. ?Our goal is to keep the Armenian Apostolic
Church tradition alive,? said Richard Bedoian, Chairman of the Holy
Trinity Church Men?s Society. ?We thank everyone, including our
growers who helped us put this event together.?

In the Armenian culture, the grape is considered to be the ?Queen of
all fruits.? In ancient Armenia, mid-August was the beginning of the
harvest and a time of rebirth and regeneration, where a solemn
ceremony took place in the vineyards. The priest would ask God to
bless the vines on which the grapes ripened and beseech God to save
the vineyards from evil in the form of natural disasters, such as
hail, frost, drought, high winds, and harmful insects. Now in the US,
through the ceremony the Armenian priest extends this blessing beyond
the grapes to all the fruits and vegetables that the farmers in the
San Joaquin Valley produce and supply to the world.

?We are thrilled to witness that our faith and culture are bringing
together the 4th and 5th generation American -Armenians to celebrate
this century?s old tradition,? said Varoujan Der Simonian, Chairman of
the Board of Trustees of the Holy Trinity Church. Der Simonian added
that the agricultural base of Fresno County has contributed greatly in
keeping this tradition alive.

?Once again the Fresno community came forward and attended our annual
picnic,? commented Levon Baladjanian, Holy Trinity board member and
treasurer of the Men?s Society. ?It keeps our church staying strong
while serving our parishioners and the community.?

Serving the spiritual needs of the Fresno Armenian Community since
1895, the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church located in the heart
of old Armenian Town in downtown Fresno is listed in the National
Registry of Historic Places. Three major Armenian-American newspapers,
including the Asbarez, the California Courier, and Nor Or were founded
in old Armenia Town. Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church continues
to be a thriving force and a major attraction for spiritual and
cultural activities of the Armenian community in Central California.

THE SERMON
On the 100th anniversary of the Blessing of the Grapes and Picnic, His
Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America provided the
following sermon that is providing below in its entirety.

“Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of
all your increase” (Proverbs 3:9)

Dear faithful members of Holy Trinity Church and parish community,

?On this sixth Sunday of the Transfiguration and the Eve of the Feast
of the Assumption, we are gathered here in these beautiful
surroundings to honor our Lord and give thanks to Almighty God as we
offer the first fruits of the harvest on this 100th anniversary of the
grape blessing and festival in Fresno.
Next Sunday the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption
of the Holy Mother of God, one of the greatest exemplars of our
Christian faith. The virtues of purity, humility, loyalty, and
devotion the Virgin Mary was imbued with, have been an inspiration and
an example for Christian women to emulate for centuries. Indeed the
Holy Mother of God remains the ideal model of staunch faith, selfless
service to God, maternal love, and graciousness, virtues which have
earned her the eternal and supreme love and reverence of all Christian
women, including our Armenian faithful.

The Feast of Assumption is doubly significant this year in light of
the “Year of the Armenian Mother” proclamation of His Holiness
Catholicos Aram I. In his Pontifical message, His Holiness states that
“Throughout our history, mothers have become not only a role model for
the Armenian people, reflecting the sacred spiritual, moral, and
national values and virtues in her life; not only the steady pillar of
the family and the dedicated educator of her children, but also a
person deserving the utmost respect for her committed participation in
the sacred mission of protecting and defending the Christian faith,
and strengthening the nation and homeland, by her exemplary behavior,
solid attitude, and infinite sacrifice in the most crucial moments of
our history.”

Inspired by the life of the Virgin Mary, throughout the centuries our
mothers have indeed proven to be great examples of self-sacrifice,
loyalty, love and service. We thank all the mothers for their
irreplaceable role in maintaining the sanctity of our families, and we
pray for the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary to guide them in
fulfillment of their sacred mission. May God bless you and your
families.

Today we honor the Holy Mother of God and conduct the traditional
Blessing of Grapes, a ceremony rich in symbolism and tradition. This
ancient custom has been held since the Old Testament times, to render
to God the first and best fruits of the harvest as sacrificial
thanksgiving. With the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the dedication
of the first fruit took on new meaning. The Virgin Mary gave birth to
Jesus Christ, the first fruit, Who was offered to God in the temple.
Christ gave His blood so that we may have eternal life. Every time we
receive Holy Communion, we receive His sacrificial blood as
represented by the sacramental wine. Thus, we bless and offer the
queen of the fruits of the earth, the grapes from which the wine is
made, in thanksgiving for His gifts, especially the gift of eternal
life.

The core of the service is our belief that God is the source and
author of everything. Whatever we receive, achieve or become in this
life can only be through the grace of God. Jesus said, ?I am the vine,
you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Thus, through
the Blessing of Grapes, we recall the greatness of God’s providence,
the enormity of his love, the privilege of our calling to be children
of God, and the joy of committing ourselves and all that we have to
our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our ancestors embodied this spirit by bringing the first fruits of the
harvest to church in faith and gratitude for His abundant harvest.
That we have gathered here in a land thousands of miles from our
ancestral homeland, conducting the same ceremony as our forefathers
did thousands of years ago, is truly an occasion to rejoice in.

The importance of tradition cannot be overstated. Traditions such as
this distinguish us as a people; they bridge us to our rich and
ancient heritage they impart a sense of belonging. Along with our
language, our age-old customs are our identifying marks. It is not an
easy feat for this community to continue this tradition for the past
one hundred years. The fact that we are celebrating the centennial of
the grape blessing and festival speaks volumes about this community’s
love and reverence for our religious and national heritage and your
commitment to carrying on the unique traditions that contribute to who
we are.

The reason we are here today celebrating this centennial is because
the first settlers, recognizing the great value of such customs,
passed on the tradition to their children, who in turn passed it down
to their children, and so on. We take this opportunity to thank the
American people for providing a safe haven to those earliest Armenians
who fled persecution and Genocide in our ancestral homeland and found
refuge in this great land we are proud to call home. We pray for God
to bless the United States of America, this nation of liberty,
equality, and opportunity; to bless this land, the laborers, and the
harvest we offer today in thanksgiving.

To ensure that those who come after us will continue this tradition
for generations more to come, we must today pledge that we will commit
ourselves to the instruction of the younger generations and make every
effort to impart to them that which makes us Armenian; our faith, our
language, our history, our literature, our age-old customs. This
ceremony today is a wonderful opportunity to teach our youth the
importance of maintaining traditions and cultivating love and respect
in their hearts and souls for our time-honored feasts and ceremonies
so that they feel a stronger sense of belonging and the joy and pride
of being Armenian Christians.

We commend and convey our appreciation to the Holy Trinity Church
greater family for their commitment to carrying on this truly
beautiful and meaningful tradition. We praise the Lord for all His
gifts, above all for the gift of salvation granted by our Savior Jesus
Christ.?

Lord, as we make this offering to Thine Altar we ask for Your blessing
of these first fruits, for the remission of sins and for the spiritual
and physical well-being of all who partake of this blessed offering
with faith. Bless also the vineyards and vine stocks and make them
fruitful like fertile fields. Through Thy bountiful mercy may we be
deserving of sharing the product of Thy vine stock at Thy Father’s
heavenly table, and to glorify the Holy Trinity, the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever unto the ages of ages. Amen.

May God bless you and your loved ones.

Osservatorio Balcani e Caucasus, 14 August 2013

Armenian homophobia

Onnik Krikorian

Proposals to introduce legislation to ban the promotion of `non-traditional
sexual relations’ in Armenia has concerned human rights activists in the
small former Soviet republic. The bill, posted on the website of the
Armenian Police, came a little over a month after Russian President
Vladimir Putin signed into force similar legislation to prohibit
`propaganda’ that might cause the `distorted understanding’ that gay and
heterosexual relations are `socially equivalent.’ Fines of
up to $4,000 for
`propagating non-traditional sexual relationships’ in order to protect the
`traditional Armenian family’ against `phenomena alien to national
identity’ were included.

`We live in Russia’s shadow,’ Mamikon Hovsepian, head of the PINK Armenia
NGO was quoted by media as saying.

A few days later, Radio Free Europe reported that the bill was withdrawn by
the police due to undisclosed `shortcomings’ and because such issues are
`not a priority’ for them at present. Others, such as prolific Armenian
LGBT blogger Mika Artyan, were not convinced. `I didn’t even manage to
write a post on the already withdrawn gay propaganda bill, but will do so
post factum as this is not the end of story,’ he tweeted. He also told
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso that he believes only international media
coverage of the proposed legislation, as well as domestic ridicule,
prevented it from being taken further.

Alarming level of homophobia

Of concern to Artyan and other LGBT activists in Armenia is the alarming
level of homophobia in the country and the wider region. According to a
2011 household survey by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) as
quoted by local media, 96 percent of Armenian respondents said they did not
approve of homosexuality. In neighboring Azerbaijan and Georgia that figure
was 84 and 87 percent respectively. But given events in Tbilisi, Georgia,
on 17 May when thousands of Orthodox believers disrupted an LGBT event to
mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), that
will hardly come as any comfort.

Taken as a whole, the South Caucasus remains highly intolerant and
inherently homophobic.
But at least Georgian LGBT activists did attempt to hold such an event in
downtown Tbilisi. In Armenia, on the same day, a small group of activists
from PINK Armenia gathered in a park on the periphery of the city center to
release rainbow-colored balloons into the air. Photographs were posted on
their Facebook page only after the short flash mob was over, and likely for
good reason. A year earlier, although marking the 21 May International Day
for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, nationalists disrupted
an event staged by PINK Armenia and the Women’s Resource Center in
downtown
Yerevan.

Endorsing anti-gay violence: the DIY issue

Police intervened, but did not prevent the counter-protesters, who alleged
the march was a cover for LGBT rights, from later heading for a
gay-friendly bar firebombed weeks earlier to wreck what little of the
premises remained. D.I.Y., a small basement bar, had been a relaxed hangout
for heterosexual and homosexual citizens and foreigners alike, but its
owner, Punk Rocker Tsomak Oganesova, had irked nationalists in Armenia
after attending a gay pride rally in Istanbul, Turkey. The firebombers,
caught in the act on CCTV, were bailed out by MPs from the nationalist
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF-D). The government also appeared to
support the crime.

`As an Armenian citizen and member of a national-conservative party, I find
the rebellion of the two young Armenian people against homosexuals, who
have created a den of perversion in our country and have a goal of
alienating society from its moral values, completely right and justified,’
ruling Republican Party Spokesperson and Vice President of the Armenian
National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov told journalists. Despite endangering
the lives of residents of the apartment building above the bar, the
firebombers received moderate suspended sentences in July this year. =80=9CNow
you know it’s ok to attack gays and gay-friendly venues in Armenia,’ Artyan
wrote on his blog.

Alarmingly, none of this is likely to concern most citizens. In 2011, Pink
Armenia held its own poll and discovered that 71.5 percent of respondents
in Armenia supported the idea of the government actively campaigning
against homosexuality. In the same survey, 78.1 and 71.8 percent of
respondents also said they would cease from communicating with friends and
relatives if they discovered they were gay. Nearly 90 percent said they
wouldn’t even use the same crockery if they suspected it had been used by a
member of the LGBT community beforehand. Education and raising awareness
might be key to changing perceptions, but even there the environment is
hostile.

No Parada in Armenia

In October last year, plans by the German Embassy to screen Parada, a film
about gay rights by Serbian film director SrÄ`an DragojeviÄ=87, were
cancelled
following protests. Those behind the demonstration had also organized the
disruption of last year’s diversity march as well as International
Women’s
Day events in previous years. This time, another target was Ruben Babayan,
Artistic Director of the Puppet Theatre, a venue for the film screening.
`This is a feature film, which has been shown at many festivals,’ Babayan
told the media in response.

`By the same logic, I think you can ban the showing of films by Sergei
Parajanov [an ethnic Armenian cultural icon who was convicted of
homosexuality in the Soviet era],’ he continued. `One should […] decide –
either we turn this country into Iran and feel happy about that, or we just
come to the realization that there are things like tolerance, feature
films, and the arts.’

But although the Constitution provides for the protection of sexual
minorities, with homosexuality decriminalized in 2003 and the government
signing the United Nationals Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity five years later, there is no legislation that specifically
prohibits hate speech or protects members of the LGBT community from
discrimination. Indeed, argue activists such as Artyan, playing on the
phobias of the population can be convenient for the government in
distracting attention away from other problems. The proposed legislation
came in the wake of successful public protests to prevent a rise in bus
fares.

`Armenia decriminalized gay male sex only because of that requirement by
the Council of Europe,’ he told Osservatorio, `but it was the last South
Caucasus state to do so even if the first to sign some other groundbreaking
documents in support of LGBT rights. The potential is there, […] but change
will depend on the development of democracy and human rights in general.’

—