Author: Badalian Vardan

TURKEY WANTS ‘ISTANBUL’ MOSQUE IN CUBA: ERDOGAN

Agence France Presse
February 12, 2015 Thursday 10:15 AM GMT

Istanbul, Feb 12 2015

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled his ambitious plan
to build a major Ottoman-style mosque in Cuba, saying it should be
similar to a nineteenth century one on the Bosphorus in Istanbul,
the presidency said Thursday.

Erdogan acknowledged after holding talks with Cuban President Raul
Castro in Havana that Cuban officials had appeared to have already
made an agreement with Saudi Arabia for the construction of a mosque
in Havana.

But Erdogan, who caused astonishment last year by claiming Muslims
discovered the Americas before Columbus, said Turkey was pressing
for an Ottoman-style mosque in another city in Cuba.

“We have told them that we could build a similar one to Ortakoy
Mosque in another city, if you have promised to others for Havana,”
Erdogan said in the communist island, the second stop of his Latin
America tour.

The Ortakoy Mosque, designed by the Balyan family of Armenian
architects, was built in 1853 during the rule of the Ottoman sultan
Abdulmecid I.

The neo-Baroque edifice is a familiar sight on the shore near the
Bosphorus Bridge.

Erdogan said Turkey was not in search of a partner to build the mosque
as “our architecture is different from that of Saudi Arabia.”

“I have provided the Cuban officials with all the necessary
information…. so far they have not taken a negative approach to it,”
he was quoted as saying by the presidential website.

Erdogan, a pious Muslim who has been in power for more than a decade,
stirred controversy late last year by declaring that the Americas
were discovered by Muslims in the 12th century, nearly three centuries
before Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic.

Erdogan cited as evidence for his claim that “Columbus mentioned the
existence of a mosque on a hill on the Cuban coast” and offered to
build a mosque at the site mentioned by the Genoese explorer.

The president has repeatedly been ridiculed by critics for harking
back to Turkey’s past to even before the Ottoman Empire was established
in the fourteenth century.

DADYAN EMERGES FROM BENEATH BALYAN

Baruyr Kuyumciyan 02.04.2015 19:51SOCIETY

The gravestone rendered illegible because it was left beneath Garabet
Balyan’s gravestone has been identified as Simon Amira Dadyan’s. Both
gravestones have been taken into preservation at the Archaeological
Museum to be returned to the Armenian community.

In the past weeks, the gravestone of Garabet Balyan, had been
discovered at an Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality construction
site in Soganlık, Kartal; and now the gravestone of Simon Amira
Dadyan, a member of another important family of the period, has
been discovered beneath it. The gravestones, which were discovered
when they came to the attention of a watchful and sensitive father
and son who live in Kartal, are being kept at the Archaeological
Museum pending return to the Armenian community. The discovery of
Garabet Balyan’s gravestone had caused great interest and debate,
and the Metropolitan Municipality had assigned a special 24-hour
municipal police unit to protect the stones. Following the report
published in Agos, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the
Istanbul Provincial Cultural Directorate took action, and Istanbul
Archaeological Museum officials took the gravestones from Kartal
to the Museum upon the order of the Directorate. An investigation
regarding the gravestones has also been launched.

Board will investigate

Speaking to Agos, Istanbul Archaeological Museum officials stated
that the gravestones were ‘immovable cultural heritage assets’ and
that the Cultural Heritage Preservation Board would carry out an
official examination. The report on the stones will be discussed as
part of the agenda of the first meeting of the Istanbul 5th Cultural
Heritage Preservation Board. The decision of the board will determine
the fate of the gravestones.

Patriarchate involved

On the other hand, the fate of other gravestones at the site, which
do not have immovable cultural heritage status, remains unclear. The
Patriarchate has also become involved regarding the gravestones of the
two figures that occupy a highly significant place in the history
of Istanbul Armenians. Following the meeting of the architects
of the Armenian Architects and Engineers Association (HAYCAR),
which is closely following developments, the decision was taken to
prepare and submit a petition for the return of the gravestones from
the Council of Monuments. The most appropriate institution for the
return of the gravestones is considered to be the BeÃ…~_iktaÃ…~_ Surp
Asdvadzadin Armenian Church, to which the expropriated cemetery was
affiliated with.

The gravestone of Garabet Balyan, the architect of many important
architectural monuments in Istanbul including the Dolmabahce Palace,
has been transferred to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum for
preservation. The gravestones were found placed above each other at
the Kartal construction site, and the inscription on Garabet Balyan’s
gravestone could easily be read because it was at the top of the pile.

In addition to Balyan’s gravestone, another gravestone and column
pieces were also discovered. When the gravestone was transported to
the Archaeological Museum, the inscription of the other gravestone
could also be partially deciphered, revealing that it belonged
to Simon Amira Dadyan, the Head of the Gunpowder Factory of the
Ottoman Empire. Although the part featuring his name was damaged,
the inscription on the gravestone of Dadyan, who passed away on 12
March 1832, and was buried at the BeÃ…~_iktaÃ…~_ Armenian Cemetery,
could be read to the extent that it was proved to belong to him.

Historian Elmon Hancer managed to determine both from the word
‘varotabed’, meaning ‘gunpowder factory head’ and the date of death
that the gravestone belonged to Simon Amira Dadyan, and stated that
the Dadyan Family was a very important family that had initiated
industrial development in the Ottoman Empire. Hancer added that both
gravestones featured a very special type of calligraphy, and that
they were valuable pieces reflecting the aesthetic of the period.

Lost since the 1950s

The cemetery had become derelict over the years after Sultan Abdul
Hamid II had ordered the demolition of its walls and its transformation
into a garden, and that meant no new burials took place. The cemetery
area had been completely sequestrated in the 1950s, and various
buildings and the Yıldız intersection that connects to the Bosphorus
Bridge are located on the plot today.

Although there aren’t many photographs of the expropriated cemetery, it
is known that Garabed Balyan and Simon Amira Dadyan, whose gravestones
have been retrieved, were buried here. The gravestones in question
have once again shed light on these two Armenian families who had
took on important roles in the Ottoman Empire.

Who is Simon Amira Dadyan?

Simon Amira Dadyan, the brother of Hovannes Bey Dadyan, who received
the title ‘Bey’ because of his role in the Crimean War, is also known
as the founder of the YeÅ~_ilköy Armenian Church. Simon Amira was
appointed as the head of the Ottoman Gunpowder Factory following the
death in 1812 of his father Dad Arakel who had founded the institution,
and remained in this position until his death. The inscription on his
gravestone also mentions his close friendship with Sultan Mahmud II,
and Simon Amira also developed, with his brother Hovannes Dadyan,
important inventions used at the factory, the expansion of which he
oversaw. The two brothers are also known as the founder of the carpet
factories in Hereke. Simon Amira Dadyan was also awarded the ‘Murassa’
[‘bejewelled’] medal by Sultan Mahmud II, and had earned the privilege
of dressing like Muslims. Simon Amira served during the period when
Kazaz Artin Amira Bezciyan was in charge of the Ottoman Royal Mint, and
he is known to have developed a number of inventions used at the Mint.

ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENT EARMARKS AMD 601.5 MILLION TO SUPPORT EXPORTERS

YEREVAN, February 12. /ARKA/. Armenia’s government decided Thursday
to allocate AMD 601.5 million in 2015 to support exporters. Economy
Minister Karen Chshmarityan, presenting the draft decision to the
Cabinet ministers, said that the support includes at least four
conferences focused on industry and trade.

The government will assist Armenian companies in participation in
foreign exhibitions by paying 50% of the amount they have to pay for
leasing pavilions.

UNEXPECTED RISK FOR ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Society – 12 February 2015, 15:10

The State Migration Service informed that its head Gagik Yeganyan is
on a business trip to Moscow to try to facilitate the entry of 50-60
thousand citizens of Armenia to Russia.

According to the message, this many citizens cannot visit Russia due
to tougher migration legislation.

The Armenian government has to face the fact. They were trying their
hardest for months on to persuade that membership to the EEU would
unify the labor market, and the citizens of Armenia would leave to
work in Russia more easily. Thereby an attempt was made to legitimize
the act against sovereignty.

After the act it was clear that the public had been deceived, or at
least the part of the public who trusted and expected that labor
migration to Russia would thus be facilitated. It turned out that
50-60 thousand people were left “out”, i.e. left in Armenia.

In fact, this is the most serious and to some extent also the tragic
aspect of the issue when the citizens demand that the government help
them leave the country instead of employment and dignity in their
own country.

What will be after the problem is resolved? It is not hard to
forecast. Once the problem of entry of 50-60 thousand citizens of
Armenia to Russia is resolved, they will not only work to earn money
but will also work to get Russian citizenship to avoid trouble and
deception.

It goes without saying the resolving the problem of entry is in the
government’s interest. The so-called revolution resource is leaving
and eating mouths get fewer. “To stay here to do a revolution?” the
ex-prime minister said.

MANE SHPP PROJECT LACKS DATA IMPORTANT FOR EXPERTISE

14:52 February 11, 2015

EcoLur

“Mane” SHPP construction project is undergoing environmental
expertise. Under the environmental substantiation of the project,
“Mane” SHPP will be constructed on the Vorotan River, Syunik Region.

The environmental substantiation doesn’t describe SHPP structures, the
most important of which is fish passway from environmental viewpoint.

It even doesn’t mention the environmental flow planned for SHPP
operation, the hydrological description of the Vorotan, fish species
in the Vorotan River, the impact of the project on the fish species,
annual production of electricity, SHPP project affected communities,
the amount of harmful substances emitted into environment during
construction etc. That is, all the data needed for environmental
expertise are missing. The document, as such, comprises of evaluations
and conclusions. According to these evaluations, the negative
impact of “Mane” SHPP on nature will be almost zero, as an already
existing water scheme will be used. The project also says that as an
alternative mean “Mane” SHPP will promote emissions polluting air in
Armenia, which is explained in the document as follows: “In parallel
with SHPP electricity production decreases electricity production by
thermal power plants, and consequently, the amount of toxic emissions
generating from gas combustion.” The project outlines in case of
“Mane” SHPP construction, the new constructed thermal power plant
in Yerevan won’t annually burn 1446 tons of fuel and won’t emit into
environment 12.5 kg of carbon dioxide, 15350 kg of nitrogen oxide.

Hrazdan TPP won’t annually burn 2892 tons of fuel and wont’ emit into
environment 15.0 kg of carbon dioxide and 13 tons of nitrogen oxide.

A question arises here: whether there is arrangement with thermal
power plant to reduce their production in parallel with the increase
of SHPP number?

“The material was developed in the frames of “Supporting reforms in the
sector of small hydro power plants through enabling a dialogue between
civil society and the Ministry of Nature Protection for sustainable
use of river ecosystems” supported by UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme”.

GYURMI PROTEST PARTICIPANT CHARGED WITH HOOLIGANISM

02.12.2015 17:03 epress.am

The prosecutor of Shirak marz has charged 22-year old Sarnaghpyur
resident Mnatsakan Aleksanyan with hooliganism, based on the RA
Criminal Code article 25.4, said Aleksanyan’s lawyer Hayk Harutyunyan
to Epress.am. According to him, they found out about the charge today,
when Aleksanyan was called to the investigative unit and was given
the corresponding documents. They also demanded a testimony from
Aleksanyan about the incidents, however the latter found it right to
refuse giving testimony.

Recall, that Aleksanyan was the only one arrested in the framework
of a criminal case initiated over the clashes with police during the
protests on January 15, with articles of hooliganism and violence
against representatives of the authorities. Thousands of people
demonstrated on the day in front the Shirak’s Prosecutor’s office
demanding that the murder suspect of the 7 members of the Avetisyan
family Russian soldier Valery Permyakov be transferred and tried by
Armenian law enforcement. Many witnesses from Gyurmi, Yerevan, and
other provinces to the framework of the case related to the protest
have been examined.

Aleksanyan was called in to be questioned as a witness on January 17.

On February 4 he was called in again as a witness to the investigative
unit but was arrested on the spot . After around two days in custody,
Aleksanyan was released with the assurance that he’d stay in the
country.

U.S. POINTED TO WAY OF WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN BASE

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 12 February 2015, 11:42

The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs
Eric Rubin said that a Russian military presence in Armenia should
restrain neither the Armenian nor the American sides. Rubin announced
that the United States intends to strengthen bilateral relations in
these spheres because Armenia and the South Caucasus are very close
to the world’s most dangerous spots. Rubin said they therefore intend
to deepen relations with the Armenian government, the military and
security agencies.

He announced that they intend to deepen cooperation and implement new
bilateral projects in this sphere. As to the Russian military presence,
Rubin said the Russian military presence is reality conditioned on
the current situation in Armenia and is not a hindrance.

In other words, Rubin hints that the situation must be changed to
change the reality. This is not an easy task, considering that this
situation has formed for decades. This change is a must for Armenia
because withdrawing Armenia from dominance of Russia, full dependence
on Russia stems from the national interests and sovereignty of Armenia.

In this sense, the United States is an important partner to Armenia,
there is harmony of interests which opens up opportunities that
should be used. Security is a primary sphere, it is the basis for
relationship, cooperation, partnership. Efficient and long-term
relations in other spheres depend on it. Here the spectrum is
broad, ranging from methodological support to technological and arms
assistance. In this regard, the United States which is an undisputable
leader of the security system in Armenia is a key partner to Armenia.

The problem is limited to opportunities to promote cooperation.

Russia is jealous. But perhaps jealousy is overestimated, and as Rubin
hints, everything depends on the situation: once situation changes,
risks related to jealousy will decrease.

In this sense, practical expressions of cooperation over security
are important to change stereotypes that affect the situation in
Armenia considerably and are regularly manipulated by Russia and
certain Armenian governmental and non-government circles serving
its interests in Armenia. The stereotype that Russia is the “only
deliberator” must be destroyed. The Armenian public has been made
believe that only Russia can protect Armenia from danger. In addition,
dangerous manipulations are in place, which produce a deep effect
not only on information and propaganda but also fundamental social
and national psychology.

The problem is that Armenia is a security consumer in the
Armenian-Russian security relationship. In other words, Armenia itself
is not capable of anything, and only Russia generously protects us.

And in return for this “generosity” the opinion is spread that even if
Armenia is not noticed, is ignored, hit or steps are taken behind its
back which infringe on its interests, Armenia must tolerate everything
for the sake of “generous imperialistic security.”

Meanwhile, Armenia has a different objective and must: change public
psychology by busting stereotypes and, instead of instilling the
psychology of security consumer develop Armenia into a subject of
international security system. It means methodological assistance
besides direct assistance to defense, which lies at the basis
of the U.S.-Armenia cooperation. This cooperation is aimed at the
modernization of the defense system in Armenia, reforms of methodology
and values and structures.

Security in the modern world is a broad and multi-component notion,
it is strong in the wholeness of its system. The United States offers
Armenia the model of systemic security, when Armenia is not under
someone’s strong care but becomes part of the international modern
security system. This is the change of situation in which case the
Russian military base in Armenia automatically loses its mythical
importance because it has lost its practical importance or has never
had such importance from the point of view of the interests of Armenia.

In other words, the problem is to withdraw Armenia from the Russian
military base.

ARMENIA RANKED 78TH IN 2015 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

14:03, 12 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Armenia is ranked 78th out in 180 countries in the 2015 World Press
Freedom Index with a score of 28.43.

Top of the list, as so often, are three Scandinavian countries:
Finland, which has been in first place for five years in succession,
followed by Norway and Denmark.

At the other end of the scale, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea,
in last place, were the worst performers.

Other countries in the region are placed as follows: Russia – 152nd,
Georgia – 69th, Turkey – 149th, Azerbaijan – 162nd, Iran – 173rd.

The 2015 World Press Freedom Index highlights the worldwide
deterioration in freedom of information in 2014. Beset by wars,
the growing threat from non-state operatives, violence during
demonstrations and the economic crisis, media freedom is in retreat
on all five continents.

The World Press Freedom Index has been published ever year since 2002
by Reporters Without Borders, an international nonprofit organization
registered in France that defends freedom of information and has
consultative status with the United Nations and UNESCO.

The aim of the index is to measure freedom of information in 180
countries. It reflects the degree of freedom that journalists, news
media and netizens (Internet citizens) enjoy in each country, and
the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect
for this freedom.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN LANCE UN APPEL A L’ARMENIE POUR UN NOUVEL EXAMEN DES EVENEMENTS DE 1915

en voyage en COLOMBIE

Le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a appelé l’Arménie a examiner
les événements de 1915 a travers le prisme de la ” science,
pas de la politique,” critiquant le rejet de l’invitation d’Ankara
aux représentants de tous les pays d’assister aux cérémonies de
commémoration de la guerre en Turquie.

“Enlevons les événements de 1915 de la région de la politique et
référons-nous a la science et aux scientifiques”, a déclaré Erdogan
lors d’un colloque sur le sujet, co-organisé par l’Université
Externado de Bogota et l’Université d’Ankara. Il assistait a
l’événement dans le cadre de sa visite officielle en Colombie le
10 février.

“Qu’est-ce que les Arméniens ont fait contre les Turcs et ce que
les Turcs ont fait contre les Arméniens il y a 100 ans n’a pas été
correctement examiné,” a déclaré M. Erdogan.

“Nous avons fait un effort pour fixer les relations avec l’Arménie
et ouvrir une nouvelle page. Malheureusement, notre main de la paix
a toujours été rejetée par l’influence de la diaspora arménienne
“, a-t-il ajouté.

En Janvier, le président turc a envoyé des lettres d’invitation a
plus de 100 dirigeants, dont le président arménien Serge Sarkissian,
afin de participer aux cérémonies du 24 Avril marquant le centenaire
de la bataille de Gallipoli a Canakkale.

La Turquie a fixé les cérémonies a Canakkale cette année pour les
faire coïncider avec la commémoration du génocide arménien de 1915.

Serge Sarkissian avait dénoncé l’invitation d’Erdogan comme une
tentative “a courte vue” d’éclipser le 100e anniversaire des massacres
des Arméniens.

” Nous aimerions qu’il vienne et soit a Canakkale le 24 Avril, de
respirer dans cette atmosphère et essayer de comprendre ce qui est
arrivé parmi nos centaines de milliers de martyrs. Mais ils ne le
feront pas “, a déclaré M. Erdogan.

“Ils ont a nouveau bloquée la paix et le dialogue avec leur
déclaration, qui a violé les protocoles de courtoisie ”, a-t-il
ajouté, tout en promettant de “ne pas abandonner nos efforts pour
la paix et le dialogue.”

“Nous allons continuer d’aborder cette question a la lumière de
l’histoire et de la science, pas de la propagande, des jeux de
perception ou de la laide politique internationale” a-t-il souligné.

” Cette année est le 100e anniversaire. Nous réitérons toujours
notre appel sincère ”, a ajouté Erdogan.

jeudi 12 février 2015, Stéphane ©armenews.com

SEFILYAN: AUTOMOBILE MARCH TOWARDS KARABAKH AIMED TO RAISE AWARENESS, NOT CREATE TENSIONS

POLITICS | 11.02.15 | 15:53

Alina Nikoghosyan
ArmeniaNow intern

Despite opinions that the plans of a radical opposition group, Founding
Parliament, to stage an automobile march towards Nagorno-Karabakh
was aimed at creating tensions there, leader of the movement seeking
a change of regime in Armenia before the “Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide” Zhirayr Sefilyan insists on the opposite, emphasizing that
their aim was to keep Karabakh residents “aware” of their campaign.

On January 31, dozens of Founding Parliament activists took part
in the march as part of their campaigns. They were met by Karabakh
police and plainclothes men on the Goris-Stepanakert highway near
Berdzor and were turned away. A number of activists were beaten up
and about two dozen of their vehicles were damaged.

“We were not going to Artsakh for no reason, as we evaluate the
situation very critical, we could not but go and tell the people
about our concerns, especially after Armenia became a member of the
Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) Artsakh completely appeared in the air,
in an indefinite status, and if we do not point at the danger from
today on and if the people are not aware of the danger, we will lose
Artsakh,” Sefilyan, one of the prominent veterans of the Karabakh war,
told reporters Wednesday, on his first public appearance since the
day of the incident in which he was among those activists who were
injured in the violence.

The Founding Parliament spread a statement, urging the public to take
to the streets on April 24 and win over the regime. On the same day,
April 24, Armenians in Yerevan and elsewhere in Armenia and abroad
will be marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

“That day we invite everyone to the street with an aim to not return
home until we get rid of the regime. There were misunderstandings
regarding that day, many think that we will be trying to confuse
people, that is not true, we will take part in the ceremonies as well,
but we will not be satisfied with that only, we will start a process
which will enable us to get rid of this system,” Sefilyan said.

Sefilyan expressed confidence that in the near future Armenia will
finally get rid of today’s government and it will be replaced by
“clever and young forces”.