Author: Babajanian Karo

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM PROJECT WAS LAUNCHED IN URUGUAY

MONTEVIDEO (Diario ARMENIA).- The presentation of the project of
Armenian Genocide Museum in Uruguay was launched on Wednesday July 17.

The project was organized by the authorities of the Ministry of
Education and Culture and Centennial Commemoration Commission of
Armenian Genocide of the Armenian Community Organizations of Uruguay.

The Museum will be the first one created by initiative of a State
outside the territory of Armenia.

Uruguayan Undersecretary of Education, Oscar Gomez, said that the
initiative “ratifies the Uruguayan policy of defense of human rights”.

Gomez recalled that Uruguay was the first country in the world to
recognize the Genocide in 1965.

“The Museum will not only refer to the Armenian Genocide, but also to
the defense of human rights in general and the recognition of other
genocides, such as the Holocaust or the Africans genocide during
slavery”, he added.

Oficina de Prensa del Diario ARMENIA // Press Office of Diario ARMENIA
Armenia 1366, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina Tel. (5411) 4775-7595
[email protected]

FROZEN CONFLICTS IN CAUCASUS ARE MAIN PROBLEM FOR CREATION OF CAUCASUS STABILITY – AHMET DAVUTOGLU

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
July 18 2013

18 July 2013, 13:45 (GMT+05:00)

The establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states
was the initiative of Turkey and Azerbaijan. The countries could
expand the partnership in Central Asia, by creating a trilateral
format of cooperation, for example, on the basis of Azerbaijan-
Turkey-Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan-Turkey-Turkmenistan, Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in an interview with Trend news agency.

“Turkey aims to strengthen the relations with all regions – whether
the Middle East, or the Caucasus or the Central Asia,” Davutoglu said.

“Ankara’s objective is to intensify the diplomatic and economic
relations, as well as to expand the cultural relations with these
regions,” he stressed. “These are the main goals, but their realization
in each region has its own difficulties and peculiarities.”

“For instance, the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform was
established in the Caucasus at Turkey’s initiative in 2008.The purpose
of the platform is to create unity among the Caucasian countries.

However, the desired results have not obtained in this issue.

“The frozen conflicts in the Caucasus are the main problem in the
creation of the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform. First of
all, this is the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia, and the
issue of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the Southern Caucasus. These
problems pose obstacles to the full cooperation in the Caucasus.

“That’s why, Turkey intends to maximally expand the cooperation
in possible directions of cooperation such as the trilateral and
bilateral cooperation in the Caucasus,” he said.

“A striking example of the trilateral cooperation is the cooperation
between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia through such energy and
transportation projects as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline,
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

Moreover, Turkey is successfully expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan
and this is an important example of bilateral cooperation,” Davutoglu
said.

“The relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are based on fraternal
relations and “One nation – two states” slogan which are unique in
the world,” he said.

“Moreover, the Georgian-Turkish cooperation can be cited as an
example of successful bilateral cooperation in the Caucasus. Ankara
and Tbilisi have agreed not only to abolish visas, but refused to
show passports when crossing the border.”

“Turkey has no problems with any neighbor in the Caucasus except
Armenia,” Davutoglu emphasized. “The problems between Turkey and
Armenia are primarily connected with the occupation of Azerbaijani
lands. We hope that Armenia will abandon its wrong policy and cease
occupying Azerbaijani lands. Only in this case, it will be possible
to normalize the relations with Yerevan.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

Turkey’s accession to the EU

Davutoglu said that at present the EU has no reason to reject Turkey’s
membership bid,

“Turkey has undertaken important reforms for the EU accession,”
he said. “The Turkish economy is one of the rapidly developing and
strongest in the world today. The Turkish economy is stronger than
the economy of some European countries taken together. The same can
be said about the democratic reforms in Turkey. Thus, the EU has no
reason to reject Turkey’s membership.”

According to Davutoglu, Turkey’s accession to the EU requires a desire
of both sides, not only Ankara’s. “It might seem that there are all
opportunities for Turkey’s accession to the EU, but Turkey actually
faces the EU-created barrier.”

“First of all, this barrier is connected with the Cypriot issue,”
he said. “There are some countries, which try to prevent Turkey to
join the EU, using the Cypriot issue, as well as pointing out the
cultural difference as a reason. Spread of Islamophobia in Europe is
one of the reasons of Turkey’s failure to become an EU full member.”

“But despite all EU-created barriers, Turkey is determined to continue
the policy of joining the EU and will never give up this policy,”
Davutoglu said.

“At present, the EU shows its indecisiveness,” he said. “One day,
when the EU understands Turkey’s importance, Ankara will have an
opportunity to join the EU.”

“While intensifying the partnership with other international
organizations and associations, Turkey is not looking for an
alternative to the EU,” he said. “The policy of rapprochement with
any region or an organization does not mean Turkey’s alienation from
the EU.”

“Even if Turkey becomes an EU full member, the cooperation with the
Central Asian region will remain one of the priorities for Turkey’s
foreign policy,” Davutoglu said.

The official negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the EU started in
2005. The parties have not commenced considering any new technical
item for the last three years. At present, Turkey was able to finish
the negotiations only on one of the items.

Situation in Egypt

Egypt’s military coup at the beginning of the month is not a solution
to the country’s problems, on the contrary, it will bring more
confusion into the country, Davutoglu said.

“After the elections were held in Egypt and Mohamed Morsi was elected
president, Turkey supported him,” he said.

“Turkey would support anyone who would have been elected in Egypt,
because we support people’s will, rather than a certain person,”
he said. “Only democratically elected political leader is entitled
to represent people.”

“Turkey has done much to normalize the situation in the countries that
have suffered from the revolutions,” he said. “Around $2 billion were
allocated only to Egypt.”

“Egypt is an important country, because the situation will not
stabilize in the entire region without establishing stability in
Egypt,” Davutoglu added.

Clashes between supporters and opponents of President Mohamed Morsi
have been continuing after the Egyptian military suspended the
constitution of Egypt and ousted Morsi from power on July 3.

Egyptian Islamists do not recognize these decisions and demand the
legally elected president to return to power.

On July 10 Egypt’s Prosecutor General’s Office issued a decree to
arrest the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood movement. “As for Syria,
the situation there is even more complicated, as the death toll in
Syria exceeds 100,000 people,” Davutoglu said.

“Many victims of the Syrian events were killed as a result of air
strikes,” he said. “Everybody knows that all this was committed by
the Syrian regime as the Syrian opposition does not have such weapons.”

“Initially, the Syrian opposition held peaceful demonstrations without
violence,” he said. “The opposition demanded to hold the democratic
elections and to conduct reforms, but the Syrian regime did not meet
the people’s requirements.”

“There are about 500,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey today,” Davutoglu
added. “Turkey has allocated $1.5 billion to the refugees.”

The clashes between the government forces and armed opposition
have been continuing in Syria for over two years. According to UN
statistics, the total number of victims of the conflict in Syria is
more than 100,000 people. The Syrian authorities say they are opposed
by well-armed militants.

“THE STATEMENT ON REMOVING THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR FROM YEREVAN WAS MADE BY IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE”

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
July 18 2013

18 July 2013 – 9:49am

Interview by Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

In Yerevan a protest action took place in front of the Russian
embassy. Its participants are dissatisfied with the incarceration
conditions of Grachya Arutyunyan, who is accused of a traffic accident
near Podolsk, in which 18 people died. They demanded respect for the
accused, who appeared in the court dressed in a woman’s nightgown
(the only clothes which doctors could find) and suggested that the
Russian ambassador Ivan Volynkin wear a nightgown and leave Armenia.

Vestnik Kavkaza asked Armenian political scientist David Petrosyan
to comment on the situation.

– The traffic accident in Novaya Moscow caused a protest action. What
is the reason for the tension between Moscow and Yerevan?

– Three aspects of Armenian-Russian relations appeared almost at
one and the same time. First of all, there is the increase in gas
prices. Officially the new price was adopted on July 7th, while the
talks took a lot of time, and in reality the gas price was increased
earlier, but the Armenian authorities hid this for political reasons,
i.e. because of the elections. The deal on increasing gas prices,
as always, was semi-transparent, i.e. society wasn’t informed in
advance; moreover, top officials stated ahead of the elections that
it wasn’t true.

Secondly, a commercial deal for a billion dollars on selling Russian
arms was signed between Moscow and Baku.

Thirdly, while public opinion still hadn’t recovered from the deals
mentioned, a traffic accident with 18 victims took place, and the
only guilty person was recognized driver Gracya Arutynyan; and the
Russian online media emphasized his nationality.

– How can protests in Yerevan influence the relations between our
countries? For example, some social activists state that the Russian
ambassador should be removed from Armenia.

– The first reports in the Russian mass media, especially in Olga
Sabeyev’s reports, emphasised the nationality of the driver, but that
wasn’t what stirred up the Armenian society. The society was indignant
that the driver was taken to the court in a woman’s nightgown. It
was considered mockery. Remembering the emphasis on his nationality,
it was considered mockery of all Armenians, i.e. Armenia perceived
it as a clear anti-Armenian trend. Granted the deals mentioned,
it led to protests in front of the Russian embassy.

The statement on removing the Russian ambassador from Yerevan was
made by irresponsible people. But there were no such statements at
the demonstration. The statement won’t lead to any problems because
it was voiced by unserious people.

In fact a painful thing has happened, but it has happened because
the Russian state structures are not interested in public opinion
in Armenia. The Armenian authorities are not interested in public
opinion either. Both the Russian and Armenian authorities think that
Armenian-Russian relations are relations between leaderships. However,
these relations are first of all between societies.

– What should be done to take the heat off?

– First of all, we should calm down and analyze the situation. There
are no completely independent mass media or television either in
Russia or in Armenia, and their policy is determined by the state. So,
they should meet and mutually determine the policy, as they think
Russian-Armenian relations are between the authorities only.

‘FACTS SHOULD DRIVE’ GENOCIDE ANALYSIS, SAYS POWER

Thursday, July 18th, 2013

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
and Ranking Republican Robert Corker (R-TN) with U.S. Ambassador to
the UN nominee Samantha Power (AP Photo)

WASHINGTON-UN Ambassador-nominee Samantha Power said during her
confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Wednesday that “facts should drive” analysis of Genocide.

This came in response to a series of questions from committee chairman,
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who was probing Power’s position on
Genocide, given her past record of being an advocate for Armenian
Genocide recognition.

Power played an instrumental role in getting Sen. Obama to issue
a strongly-worded statement on the Armenian Genocide and Armenian
issues in general during Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. She also
made a videoin which she recounted Sen. Obama’s outstanding record
on issues of special concern to Armenian Americans, including his
“very forthright statement on the Armenian Genocide; his support for
the Senate Resolution acknowledging the Genocide; his willingness as
President to commemorate it and call a ‘spade a spade’; and to speak
the truth about it.”

Power failed to deliver-just as the Obama Administration-on her pledge
to get US recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

“Is genocide, genocide when all of the facts that we observe would
lead to a conclusion that a genocide has taken place, or is that only
when it is convenient to acknowledge it as genocide?” asked Menendez.

“The former, the facts should drive the analysis,” responded Power.

“And if the facts drive the analysis, then we should call that set
of actions-whether historical in nature or present, god forbid-in
reality a genocide,” queried Menendez.

“I believe so, yes,” said Power.

“Is violation of human rights a violation of human rights depending
upon where it takes place, or is it universal?” asked Menendez,
to which Power responded: “Universal, sir.”

“I think you understand why I asked you those questions. And I
hope that your past history in this regard-even in the context of
understanding the new role that you’ll play-will not diminish your
fire for making the case internally why genocide should be called
genocide when the historical facts attain themselves to that standard,”
Menendez told Power, who had no response to the statement.

Menendez told Power that he is “incredibly appreciative of the
principled position you’ve taken on the Armenian Genocide.”

At the start of the highly anticipated and widely broadcast hearing,
Chairman Menendez noted that, “You have been an unrelenting, principled
voice when it comes to human rights and crimes against humanity –
and I know that voice will be heard around the world – should you
be confirmed,” adding: “Personally, I am incredibly appreciative of
the principled position you’ve taken on the Armenian Genocide. In
2007, you wrote in Time Magazine – ‘a stable, fruitful, 21st century
relationship’ [with Turkey] cannot be built on a lie,’ and I completely
agree,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

The New Jersey Democrat also stressed that, “Your belief that we should
use the lessons of what clearly was an atrocity of historic proportions
to prevent future crimes against humanity is a view consistent with my
own and which is supported by your role on the President’s Atrocities
Prevention Board. I agree that we must acknowledge and study the past,
understand how and why atrocities happen, to put-into-practice and
giving meaning to the phrase, “never again.”

Watch the video of the opening remarks by Chairman Menendez.

Watch the hearing

In 2003, Power received the Pulitzer Prize in literature for the best
general non-fiction book was awarded to Samantha Power for her book
“A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide.”

Power’s book revisited the Armenian Genocide-the Holocaust-Cambodia’s
Khmer Rouge-Iraqi attacks on Kurdish populations-Rwanda-and
Bosnian ethnic cleansing. Power makes a compelling argument that US
intervention in all these instances of genocide has been inadequate.

ARMENIAN DIASPORA MINISTER HOSTED BRITISH AMBASSADOR

19:56, 18 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS: Diaspora Minister of the Republic
of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan hosted ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary of Great Britain to Armenia Catherine Jane Leach.

“Armenpress” was informed from press service of the ministry that at
the meeting had been present president of public organization “Center
coordinating problems of Syrian Armenians” Lena Halajyan. Diaspora
minister introduced to the ambassador the problems of the Syrian
Armenians, position of Armenian authorities and implemented programs.

In her speech Hranush Hakobyan mentioned:”In Armenian-British relations
great contribution has Armenian community in Great Britain. We have
Armenians who perform themselves very actively and brightly in social,
political and business life of England. During our meeting I wish to
discuss the issue of Syrian Armenians which is very important and
urgent. Today Syrian Armenians among other issues have more urgent
problem- it is the problem of having habitation. On this occasion
Armenian government has decided to provide territory in Ashtarak region
to found district called “New Aleppo”. 300 Armenains are already in
turn for living there. But it is not possible to cover all the costs
only with the help of Government.

We know that European Union spends millions of dollars for Syrians
who left for Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan but Armenia has not received
any help form international organizations. Second support I expect
from authorities of Great Britain who also can help us to implement
the foundation of that district. I hope my call will not stay
withoutreaction”.

In her speech Catherine Jane Leach mentioned: “I am grateful for
reception. I think that what does Armenian government is important.

Governments of some European countries have supported Syrians and
Syrian Armenians living in Armenia also need such help. I hope we
will be able to help them”.

KURDS, AL-NUSRA CLASH AT TURKEY’S SYRIAN BORDER

16:32 18/07/2013 ” SOCIETY

People’s Defense Units (YPG) and an al-Qaeda-linked group engaged
in a fierce fight near the Turkish border town of Ceylanpınar in
the southeastern province of Å~^anlıurfa, according to Hurriyet
Daily News.

The YPG, the militant wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD)
allegedly linked to Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), reportedly took
control of the Ras al-Ayn-Ceylanpınar border gate amid other clashes
between the YPG and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front that have been
continuing since July 16.

Turkey, meanwhile, returned fire into Syrian territory after shots
fired from the Syrian side during the PYD-al-Nusra battle struck
Ceylanpınar.

Kurdish fighters “have taken near-total control of Ras al-Ayn after
fierce battles that have raged since [July 16] evening, pitting
[Kurds] against the al-Nusra Front, the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria and other groups,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The clashes between Kurdish fighters and jihadists broke out after
al-Nusra attacked a convoy of Kurdish women fighters, said observatory
director Rami Abdel Rahman. Nine jihadists and two Kurdish fighters
have been killed since battles erupted in the town on July 16, he said.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said the parties to the clash were the
“separatist terrorist organization” and “opponents.” There are also
some reports claiming that the PYD is fighting the Free Syrian Army
(FSA), the armed wing of the Syrian opposition.

Meanwhile, two people were killed by stray bullets fired from Syrian
side in border town Ceylanpınar.

Source: Panorama.am

STOP THE FAKE MONUMENT

PETITION
Time is of the essence, participate

July 16, 2013

Prime Minister’s Office
Hon. Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Premier of Ontario
Mayor of Brantford
TVO

Following the installation of the misleading Turkish monument in
Ottawa last August, the Turkish Embassy of Canada is now planning
to erect a monument at the Brantford Mount Hope Veterans’ Cemetery
(Ontario) in memory of the “Turkish” internees who were sent from
Brantford to northern Ontario during WWI.

Although the internees were Alevis and Kurds, and the single Turk
buried at the cemetery died two years before the start of the war,
the Turkish embassy is willfully manipulating the evidence and is
depicting the internees as Turks. According to reports, TVO television
network, which is owned by the province of Ontario, is planning a
documentary about the “Turkish” internees and the phoney monument at
the Brantford cemetery.

The Turkish embassy is deliberately politicizing the internees’
incident to force the Canadian government to apologize for interning
“Turks”. It is also intruding into Canadian domestic affairs by
installing an Ankara-envisioned monument in a Canadian cemetery. The
underhanded Turkish strategy is to use the hoped-for Canadian apology
to neutralize the Canadian government’s condemnation of the Genocide of
the Armenians by Turkey, especially in light of the upcoming centenary
of the Genocide.

We condemn the Turkish ambassador’s interference into Canadian
domestic affairs, its attempt to blackmail our government, and
exploitation of the memory of the non-Turkish internees for Ankara’s
propaganda purposes. We also call for the CANCELLATION of the fake
monument’s construction, and censure the Turkish government and its
representatives in Canada.

Reference:

For the Benefit of the Turkish Ambassador Turkish Consul General
Exploits Internee Suffering

Citizenship Doesn’t Identify Ethnicity

If you wish to add your name to the list please forward your
particulars (name, title/profession, city, province/state,
country and a traceable e-mail address) to Dr. Dikran Abrahamian at
[email protected] by return e-mail. You may insert your comments
in the relevant section below, following the list.

VETERANS OF KARABAKH WAR CONTINUE SIT-DOWN STRIKE IN LIBERTY SQUARE
by Marianna Lazarian

Thursday, July 18, 16:56

A group of veterans of the Karabakh war continue a sit-down strike
in Liberty Square.

Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Khachik Avetisyan went on a hunger strike
five days ago to show his moral support for his comrades who have
been trying to draw the Government’s attention for already two months.

On July 17 Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with them but said that
the Government had no money for providing Karaabkh war veterans with
houses, free medical care and other benefits. He just promised to
meet again.

The action started in May 2013 by Reserve Colonel Volodya Avetisyan,
who urged the Government to pay attention to the hard social conditions
of those who once liberated Nagorno-Karabakh.

The veterans are going to sit in the square until their demands
are satisfied.

IT IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THAT NOTHING IS LOST

A recognized leader of Armenian political scientists, a prominent
political researcher and our friend Hmayak Hovhannisyan who is
distinguished for his ability to set up dialogues with Russian
political and expert community says that the relations of Armenia
and Russia are not lost, and it is possible to correct the situation.

Hmayak Hovhannisyan’s intuition has always saved the Armenian society
which is lost in conjectures and deliberations on whether Russia
is our strategic partner. Currently Armenia has very diverse moods,
and apparently “historical time” is needed for a full understanding
of what has happened, whereas nothing new has happened, in fact.

In the modern world the phrase and notion of “strategic partner” has
lost its value. One can list dozens of absurd examples of relations
between states which are labeled “strategic partner”. Moreover,
the states with such conventional relations prefer more frequently
to let their partners down.

In Europe it happened during the thirty-year and seven-year war, and
the fundamental alliance of strategic partners – the Antante – was an
example of collapse under the influence of the Russian revolution. In
the modern world such a lasting alliance of strategic partners as
that of the United States and Israel is questioned.

As to Russia, it is clear that its foreign policy cannot be the
continuation of the policy of USSR. It does not fit the stylistics
and cardinal position of the present Russian society and elite. Since
the collapse of the USSR it is stated endlessly that Russia betrayed
its strategic and other partners North Korea, Serbia, Cuba, Syria,
Iraq and finally Armenia.

Russia has not betrayed anything and anyone. Simply these states with
their geopolitical functions and positions used to be partners of
the USSR. Russia’s attempts to gain new positions in Latin America,
as well as in Southeast Asia and the Near East are funny, and the
Moscow elite has understood this without any likelihood to expose
the national security of their country.

The way Russia put forth the issue of Armenia is understood. Does
Armenia remain a sovereign state? If not, it must accept the condition
of waiving the right to conduct a foreign policy and claims to
the territories of historical land. Every act of refusal of this
circumstance is hypocrisy and lie. The Armenian society has no doubts
that some politicians would agree with this.

Russia remains a great and independent power but it cannot be a
guarantee of security of their partners and support them at the
critical minimum of their interests. Despite the problems with Turkey,
Russia continues to establish closer partnership with it, which
will definitely lead to attempts at serious concessions relating
to Armenia’s interests. There is sufficient information on such
attempts during the past decade. (The Russians apparently think that
the Armenians are badly informed, and most probably they are right
but not all Armenians.)

Russia’s influence is being increasingly limited in different aspects.

In addition, not only the great powers of the West but also the states
of Western Asia and the Far East are limiting it. Russia can hardly
contain foreign expansion in different directions and has not been
able to interest a sufficiently big number of states to join CSTO.

Domestic policy and social factors also determine greatly Russia’s
“imperial ambitions”. The key prejudicial factor for Russia was
the loss of “imperial” elite and more or less politically ambitious
circles. Different politicians and commentators who cherish illusions
that Russia is still an “empire” are just clowns.

Armenia and any other state that looks at Russia as a partner is doomed
to big disappointment, to put it mildly. Russia must earn money on
sale of weapon and betrayal of its partners. It will always be so.

It is necessary to understand that nothing is lost, Russia has never
been and could have never been a “strategic partner”.

Such a small state as Armenia cannot enter into “strategic partnership”
with such a big state as Russia. Armenia cannot lose anything, it
remains in close and diverse relations with Russia but it is funny
to consider “strategic partnership”.

The ethno-demographic and foreign political conditions of Russia
cannot allow it to view Armenia’s interests as the interests of a
partner state. Russia cannot build its relations with Armenia without
taking into consideration the position and interests of Turkey and
Azerbaijan. The relations with these two states will be increasingly
important to Russia. (Russians are mindful of Turkey’s reaction in
their attitude to the monument established by Armenians in the North
Caucasus.) Russia demonstratively discriminates the Lezgi and Avar
people, citizens of its own country, in favor of Azerbaijan.

Currently, the Armenian political leadership lacking experience
has understood that if the issue of getting over foreign political
isolation and maximum withdrawal of the country from dependence
on Russia is not attended in the present stage, Armenia will lose
its sovereignty both formally and actually. Moscow does not have a
single political and research center without a well-paid group of
“sympathizers” of Turkey and Azerbaijan. It costs nothing to buy any
political, information or expert group. Everything is sold and bought.

Hence, it is now meaningless to discuss with the Russian community.

In Armenia there are a number of pro-Russian layers although it
is hard to define pro-Russian moods. One can understand why. These
people have no ability and perspective to receive a “place under this
sun” except by working for Russia’s interests. They have no hope to
become somebody or keep their place in the society. They have made
the right choice because these people are not people beyond the
Russian linguistic-logical space. However, they also perform very
useful functions because they have occupied an interesting niche
where there is no place for more or less serious opponents.

Russia could have made initiatives on resuming war in the South
Caucasus, primarily between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Its sympathizers
in Armenia will continue to justify the Russian policy, it is
a clinical case but it is what it is. There is no need to try to
explain everything. Everything has been explained.

The Armenian “political opposition” which has grown up on spread of
radical anti-Russian moods has not lost its ability to talk and voice
altogether because it thinks that “the worse, the better”. Moscow
certainly received information about what is going on in Armenia and
understand that pro-Russian actors in Armenia are clowns that lack
information and all they can do is foolish talks.

One way or another, the pro-Russian figures will be called to order,
including by way of criminal responsibility. Therefore, the visits of
Russian politicians or other intellectuals to Yerevan and participation
of the Armenian Association of Political Scientists which is headed
by our friend Hmayak Hovhannisyan in it is so important to the
Armenian-Russian relations. It is necessary to talk more, a lot has
to be told, there is still time till the last feast of the empire.

Igor Muradyan 16:57 18/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

INFORMATION ON ARMENIAN PAST OF GEZI PARK REMOVED FROM WIKIPEDIA’S GERMAN SECTION

14:56, 18 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS: A part of the historical information
on the Gezi Park of Istanbul, where it was noted that an Armenian
cemetery was located on that territory, has been removed from the
German section of the Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. As reported by
Armenpress, the Turkish users of the Wikipedia tried to prove that
the Armenian cemetery was not on the territory of the Gezi Park.

The Armenian cemetery St. Jacob of Istanbul functioned in 1551- 1939.

In the end of 1930s the Turkish authorities built the Gezi Park, the
Hilton and Hyatt Hotel, as well as the TRT Radio Company building on
the territory of the Armenian cemetery.

During the anti-governmental demonstrations held in Turkey the issue
of the destruction of the Armenian cemetery decade ago was also
raised. During the construction works held in Taksim 16tombstones of
the Armenian cemetery were found.