Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIAN AMERICAN DELEGATION MEETS WITH STATE DEPT. ON KESSAB

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

The U.S. Department of State building in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON–The Armenian National Committee of America joined a
delegation of Armenian American community and religious representatives
to forcefully urge the U.S. government to take immediate action to end
the vicious onslaught on the historically Armenian town of Kessab,
Syria, which was overrun by al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists in an
attack launched from Turkey on March 21.

During a meeting with State Department officials earlier today,
community representatives stressed, in urgent and frank terms, that
“the United States has a unique responsibility to protect the citizens
of Kessab especially since a large proportion of them have American
families desperately seeking to provide protection and refuge for
them.” The delegation submitted a series of requests for prompt U.S.

action including:

* Publicly condemn both the vicious attack on an Armenian civilian
town by Al Qaeda-linked terrorists and Turkey’s assistance for and
cooperation in the attack.

* Demand an immediate withdrawal of the extremists, so that civilians
can return to their homes.

* Provide assurances of ongoing protection for the civilian population
and call the reinstatement of a demilitarized zone around Kessab and
the Turkish border.

* Provide targeted and need-based humanitarian assistance for the
displaced civilians from Kessab, who have found refuge in Latakia.

* Demand Turkey secure its border and not allow militants in Kessab
to be reinforced with supplies or be able to return to Turkey.

* Investigate Turkey’s assistance to US designated terrorist groups
such as Al Nusra and publish its findings.

* Facilitate the return of Armenians back to their homes.

* Assist Americans with missing family members to locate their
relatives and bring them to safety.

Earlier this week, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian sent a strongly worded
letter calling on President Obama to direct his Secretary of State,
the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and his Ambassador to the United Nations
to demand that Turkey halt the cross-border attacks on Kessab that
have forced the immediate civilian evacuation of the area and led to
the looting of properties and the desecration of churches.

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with
Turkey, Kessab had, until very recently, evaded major battles in
the Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in
recently years with the city serving as safe-haven for those fleeing
from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On the morning
of March 21st, extremist foreign fighters launched a vicious attack on
Kessab civilians, forcing them to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit.

FOUR ARMENIAN-AMERICANS ELECTED TO ENCINO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Clockwise from upper left: Talar Derderian, George Jawlakian, Varant
Majarian, and Anni Keusseyan

ENCINO, Calif.–On Sunday, March 16, four Armenian-American candidates
were successfully elected to the Encino Neighborhood Council. The
ANCA San Fernando Valley-West Chapter took a proactive role in
organizing the community’s support. The candidates running in this
election were incumbents Anni Keusseyan for Area One Representative,
Talar Derderian for Religious Organization Representative, George
Jawlakian for Volunteer Representative. Also running for his first
seat on the Encino Neighborhood Council was Varant Majarian for At
Large Representative.

All candidates were elected with an impressive number of votes. The
ANCA-SFW executed a grass roots campaign by canvassing neighborhoods,
mobilizing the community with a local get out the vote campaign,
and building coalitions with other organizations within Encino. These
election efforts proved successful when the final votes were tallied
Sunday evening after the election.

“We congratulate the candidates on their successful election to the
Council” remarked Nareg S. Kitsinian, Esq., Chairman of the ANCA-SFW
Chapter. “Encino has a diverse and rich history and the community’s
collective voice will continue to be heard with the election of these
candidates” concluded Kitsinian.

The Encino Neighborhood Council serves in an advisory capacity to
the Los Angeles City Council.

The Armenian National Committee of America, San Fernando Valley West
advances the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of
the area’s Armenian American community and promotes increased civic
participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.

OFFICIAL YEREVAN DOES NOT DENY THAT DAVUTOgLU HAD BROUGHT A LETTER TO SERZH SARGSYAN ON DECEMBER

March 27 2014

The response of the Press Secretary of the President of Armenia
to Aravot.am question At the international conference on “NATO’s
Partnerships and the South Caucasus: A Strategic Approach to Regional
Security” held in Yerevan on March 20, David Shahnazaryan, the head
of the RA Nationals Security Service for the period of 1994-1995, the
Special Envoy of the President of Armenia for the period of 1992-1995,
speaking on the topic of Armenia-Turkey relations and about Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s visit to Armenia on December,
noted, “Davutoglu had brought a letter to the President of Armenia
from the Turkish prime minister. I consider the fact itself important,
even though according to my information there was nothing special in
the content of the letter…,” said Shahnazaryan, adding that both
Armenia and the Turkish authorities are maintaining confidentiality
of the letter. To this respect, Aravot.am referred a question to the
Press Secretary of the President of Armenia, Arman Saghatelyan, what
was written in the letter conveyed to the RA President Serzh Sargsyan
by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, and why the official
Yerevan is keeping the existence of the letter secret. Shortly before,
Aravot.am received the following response from Arman Saghatelyan:
The response of the Press Secretary of the President of Armenia, Arman
Saghatelyan, to the question of Aravot journalist Emma Gabrielyan “The
President of Armenia is getting a lot of letters and messages, which
are published pursuant to the appropriateness and mutually consent.

Pertaining to the views and approaches presented by Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on behalf of his country’s leadership during
his visit to Yerevan last December, Armenia’s Foreign Minister had in
due time referred to them.” Press Secretary of the President of Armenia

Emma GABRIELYAN

Read more at:

ARMENIA’S FOOD SAFETY SERVICE SUSPENDS PRODUCTION OF SOME BAKED GOODS AND MEAT PRODUCTS

YEREVAN, March 27. /ARKA/. Armenia’s food safety service has suspended
production of a number of products from Pghik Ltd. (Small Elephant)
and Khamadam, the press office of the service reported.

In particular, production of “Gata” pastry from Pghik company has been
stopped under a decree of the head of the service Abram Bakhchagulyan
due to noncompliance with hygienic norms.

The decree suspends manufacturing of pelmeni (potstickers) due
to availability of mesophilic and aerobic bacteria and facultative
anaerobes, as well as of chicken cutlets (fungus found) at the factory
of Khamadam.

Both companies were instructed to study the causes and normalize the
production process, according to the report. -0–

– See more at:

ENP PROGRESS REPORT: ARMENIA AND EU REMAIN COMMITTED TO FURTHER COOPERATION

19:36 27.03.2014

“Political dialogue with the Armenian Government was intensive in
2013. The EU and Armenia completed negotiations on an Association
Agreement (AA), including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
(DCFTA), in July 2013, but could not proceed with its initialing,
following Armenia’s decision to apply to join the Customs Union
with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Armenia and the EU remained
nevertheless committed to further cooperation as they jointly stated
in the margins of the Vilnius Summit,” the EU said in the ENP Progress
Report on Armenia.

Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements were both ratified
in 2013 and entered into force on 1 January 2014. While Armenia
continued to address issues related to human rights and fundamental
freedoms, further work remains necessary, especially as regards
the implementation and enforcement of legislation. The February
2013 presidential elections were generally well-administrated
notwithstanding concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

Despite ongoing reforms, public mistrust of the judicial system
remained high and there was a lack of convincing results in the fight
against corruption, including in police and judiciary. Allegations
of use of torture and ill-treatment in police custody were reported.

Armenia addressed some of the key recommendations contained in last
year’s ENP progress report. It notably adopted a law on equal rights
and opportunities for men and women which, however, lacks a mechanism
for complaints. There were limited developments regarding reforms
in the public administration and in the judiciary. Nevertheless,
preparatory works were undertaken to proceed with reforms about the
electoral legislation, the fight against corruption and the Human
Rights protection.

On the basis of this year’s report and with a view to sustained
implementation of the ENP Action Plan in 2014, Armenia is invited to:

cooperate with and protect civil society; investigate the cases of
attacks and intimidation of human rights defenders and ensure that
the perpetrators are brought to justice; implement the OSCE/ODIHR
recommendations concerning elections, in particular ensure a level
playing field for all candidates and avoid the use of administrative
resources for electoral purposes. Moreover, ensure pluralism in
the broadcasting media; fully investigate the deaths that occurred
during clashes following the March 2008 presidential elections and
the allegations of ill-treatment in police custody; finalise the
draft Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religion; ensure respect
for the principle of non-discrimination and adopt comprehensive
anti-discrimination legislation; continue the reform of public
administration; especially intensify the prevention of and the fight
against corruption; intensify the reform of the judiciary and the law
enforcement; strengthen the implementation of governance reforms; work
towards the earliest possible closure of the Medzamor nuclear power
plant as well as speed up the implementation of the roadmap on energy
efficiency and the target of 30 % of generated energy from renewable
sources; step up efforts towards agreement on the Madrid Principles,
as a basis for peace, in accordance with the commitments undertaken
by the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan within the Minsk Group;
refrain from actions and statements that could heighten tension and
undermine the peace process; promote an environment conducive to
progress in the conflict settlement, encourage and support related
peace-building activities; ensure unimpeded access for representatives
of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions in support of
conflict transformation activities in full complementarity with the
efforts of the Minsk Group.

Reforms initiated, carried out or delayed during 2013 in the different
areas of cooperation between the EU and Armenia are described in the
annual country report. Some of the issues reported deserve special
attention.

Despite ongoing progress in the justice sector, delivered with
support from the EU, the influence of the executive over judicial
nominations remains a concern. More reforms are necessary in terms
of access to justice

Freedoms of association and assembly were generally respected.

However, in 2013 there was an increase in reports of violence against
civil activists and human rights defenders, as well as of undue
pressure on peaceful demonstrators. Media independence remained
insufficient and there were no developments regarding pluralism in
the broadcasting media. Armenia has not developed an anti-corruption
strategy, and although the government has mentioned plans for sectorial
measures, there were no concrete developments.

The concluding round of negotiations on a DCFTA took place in July.

However, in September the President of Armenia officially announced
that Armenia would join the Russian-led Customs Union which is
incompatible with the provisions of the DCFTA. Implementation
of the EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership continued. The EU-Armenia
Readmission Agreement was signed in April and was ratified by the
Armenian National Assembly in November, together with the already
signed Visa Facilitation Agreement. Both agreements entered into
force on 1 January 2014.

The stalemate in the Minsk Process aiming at settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continued for most of 2013. However,
the Presidents of the two countries reconvened in November 2013 for
the first time since January 2012 in a summit in Vienna, mediated
by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, at which they agreed to advance
negotiations towards a peaceful settlement and to meet again in the
months ahead. An upsurge of violence along the line of contact was
nevertheless witnessed early 2014. The EU continued to give its full
support to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in their work to facilitate
a lasting settlement.

DEMOKRAT HABER: LOOTERS OF ARMENIAN HOUSES IN KESSAB SPOKE TURKISH

14:40 27/03/2014 ” SOCIETY

Opposition Turkish media actively cover the events in the
Armenian-populated town of Kessab in Syria neighboring with the
Turkish province of Hatay and in nearby districts.

Citing information received from Syrian Armenians, Demokrat Haber
reports that looters of Armenian houses in Kessab speak Turkish.

When Kessab resident Ani Boymushakyan called the office of the
Armenian Evangelical Church in Kessab, jihadists fighting against
Assad answered in Turkish. According to another Armenian, when he
called his apartment after moving to Latakia, rebels answered, who
he said also spoke Turkish.

On March 21, the Armenian-populated town of Kessab in Syria was
attacked by armed bands from three points in Turkey. The Armenian
residents were forced to abandon the town and were evacuated to
neighboring Latakia.

TURKEY SHUTS OFF YOUTUBE AFTER ‘SYRIA INVASION PLAN’ LEAK

Published time: March 27, 2014 15:00
Edited time: March 27, 2014 17:40

Reuters / Eric Gaillard

Access to YouTube has been cut off in Turkey after an explosive leak
of audiotapes that appeared to show ministers talking about provoking
military intervention in Syria. Other social media have already been
blocked ahead of tumultuous local elections.

The latest leaked audio recording, which reportedly led to the ban,
appears to show top government officials discussing a potential attack
on the tomb of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the founder of the
Ottoman Empire.

The tomb is in Syrian territory, but protected by Turkish soldiers.

On the tape, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is heard to
say that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sees any attack as an
“opportunity” to increase Turkish presence in Syria, where it has
staunchly supported the anti-Assad rebels. Security chief Hakan Fidan
then goes one step further, and suggests staging a fake attack to
give Turkey a casus belli to intervene in the conflict.

Turkish officials have recently vowed to protect the tomb as its
“national soil.”

The Foreign Ministry in Ankara reacted to the tape by issuing a
statement, calling the leak a “wretched attack” on national security.

It also claims the tape was “partially manipulated.”

“These treacherous gangs are the enemies of our state and people. The
perpetrators of this attack targeting the security of our state and
people will be uncovered in the shortest time and will be handed over
to justice to be given the heaviest penalty,” the ministry said.

A source inside the office of President Abdullah Gul, who has taken
a softer line than Erdogan over the series of government leaks,
told Reuters that access to YouTube may be restored if the sensitive
content is removed, even though the original video has been deleted.

Invoking national security and privacy concerns has been the
government’s tactic in fighting off a stream of leaks showing top
officials engaging in unsavory or downright illegal practices.

Erdogan has also repeatedly claimed that most of the audio recordings
are fakes. He labeled the latest audio revelation “villainous” during
a stump speech in Diyabakir.

Twitter, another popular source for leaks, has already been shut down
in Turkey since March 20, after a court order.

Since then, the California-based social network and organizations have
fought in several courts to have the decision reversed, calling it
“disproportionate and illegal.”

A court ruling in Ankara on Wednesday supported the appeal, but
the country’s regulator has a month to unblock Twitter, leading
to speculation that any such move would only take place after the
election.

The incumbent party also enjoys the benefit of robust privacy
legislation passed last month, which makes it easy to cut off any
website even before any violation has been legally proven.

The US has led the chorus of international condemnation, calling
the government’s moves”censorship” tantamount to “21st century
book-burning.”

LE MEDIATEUR AMERICAIN EST OPTIMISTE SUITE A CES RENCONTRES AVEC LES CHEFS DE LA DIPLOMATIE ARMENIENNE ET AZERIE

USA

Le co-president americain du Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE James Warlick
a parle de > qu’il a eues dimanche avec les
ministres des Affaires etrangères de l’Armenie et de l’Azerbaïdjan,
Edouard Nalbandian et Elmar Mammadyarov.

Le mediateur americain a fait cette annonce via son compte Twitter
plus tard le meme jour.

Auparavant, il avait tweete qu’il etait impatient d’avoir une reunion
aussi avec les presidents de l’Armenie et de l’Azerbaïdjan a la Haye,
qui est le lieu de l’ouverture du Sommet sur la securite nucleaire.

Remarquablement, Warlick a aussi laisse un autre tweet lie :

SARKISSIAN REPOND AUX PREOCCUPATIONS DE SÛRETE NUCLEAIRE SOULEVEES PAR ALIEV

Energie

L’Armenie coopère etroitement avec l’Agence internationale d’energie
atomique (AIEA) pour assurer la securite de sa centrale nucleaire
a travers la mise en oeuvre coherente des exigences fixees par
l’organisme, a declare mardi le president Serge Sarkissian, en reponse
aux preoccupations exprimees par son homologue azerbaïdjanais.

Dans sa declaration au Sommet sur la securite nucleaire a La Haye,
le leader armenien a egalement aborde les allegations au sujet des
problèmes lies aux dechets radioactifs.

” Aujourd’hui, le president de l’Azerbaïdjan a souleve la question
de la securite de la centrale nucleaire armenienne de Metsamor. Je
tiens a souligner que nous travaillons en etroite collaboration avec
l’AIEA pour assurer la securite de la centrale nucleaire armenienne
par la mise en oeuvre coherente des exigences prevues par le document
technique de l’Agence. Les resultats de la mission OSART le confirme
“, a souligne Sarkissian.

” Se referer aux rumeurs selon lesquelles nous avons eu des problèmes
lies aux dechets radioactifs, est tout d’abord un mensonge, mais
avant tout une manifestation de non – confiance envers les structures
internationales, puisque nous coordonnons tous nos programmes avec
l’AIEA. ”

Dans son discours lors du meme sommet, le president azerbaïdjanais
Ilham Aliev a declare que la centrale nucleaire d’Armenie etait situee
dans une zone sismique active et etait deja use ce qui, selon lui,
est une source de grave menace pour l’ensemble de la region.

Dans sa declaration a La Haye diffusee par le service de presse
presidentiel, Sarkissian a egalement declare : ” L’Armenie est
activement engagee dans les processus internationaux pour trouver
des solutions aux questions de securite nucleaire. À la suite
du Sommet de Seoul, l’Armenie a pris des mesures pour la mise en
oeuvre des objectifs convenus. En mai 2013, l’Armenie a ratifie
l’amendement de 2005 de la Convention sur la protection physique
des matières nucleaires et la Convention commune sur la sûrete de la
gestion du combustible use et sur la sûrete de la gestion des dechets
radioactifs. Les instruments de ratification de ces deux conventions
ont ete deposes auprès de l’AIEA. En outre, nous avons consolide les
outils juridiques pour la comptabilite et le contrôle des matières
nucleaires par la modification de la loi sur l’exploitation sûre de
l’energie nucleaire a des fins pacifiques “.

Le leader armenien a egalement indique que, pour neutraliser la menace
du terrorisme nucleaire, un laboratoire nucleaire et radiologique
criminalistique a ete cree en Armenie avec l’aide des Etats-Unis
en janvier 2013. Le laboratoire, selon lui, a contribue de manière
significative a l’amelioration de la capacite de l’Armenie a repondre
a la menace de la contrebande nucleaire transnationale.

” Je crois que la cooperation regionale est essentielle en
matière de prevention. En juin 2012, nous avons mene un exercice
transfrontalier commun avec notre voisin, la Georgie, sur la lutte
contre la proliferation des armes de destruction massive “, a declare
Sarkissian. ” L’Armenie a entrepris l’elaboration d’un plan d’action
national sur la mise en oeuvre de la Resolution 1540 du Conseil de
securite de l’ONU avec la participation de l’OSCE, d’experts de la
resolution 1540 du Comite du Conseil de securite des Nations unies
et de l’Union europeenne. ”

jeudi 27 mars 2014, Claire (c)armenews.com

CANADA CONCERNED BY ATTACKS ON ARMENIAN TOWN IN SYRIA

Government of Canada
March 25 2014

March 25, 2014 – Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious
Freedom, today issued the following statement:

“Canada is deeply concerned by the recent attacks by al Qaeda
affiliated armed groups on the ancient Armenian town of Kessab in
the Latakia district of northern Syria during which Armenian churches
were reportedly desecrated and Armenians driven from their homes.

“The continued attacks against Christians, including Armenian Apostolic
Orthodox Christians and Armenian Catholics, in Syria are unacceptable.

“We stand determined that the perpetrators be brought to justice for
such acts and to stem the rising tide of sectarian violence.

“Canada remains deeply concerned by the suffering of the Syrian people
from all communities and by widespread reports of violations of human
rights, including reports of churches and mosques being destroyed or
used for military purposes.

“Canada stands by the Syrian people and will continue to push for
pluralistic, democratic development that protects the rights of all
Syrians, regardless of faith, allowing them to live in peace.”

– 30 –

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Media Relations Office Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
613-995-1874 [email protected] Twitter: @FreedomReligion and
@DFATDCanada Facebook: Canada’s Office of Religious Freedom