Author: Badalian Vardan

TURQUIE
A Diyarbakir, Erdogan exhorte les Kurdes à soutenir le processus de paix

(AFP) – Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a exhorté la
communauté kurde de son pays à soutenir le processus de paix en
difficulté avec les rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan
(PKK), samedi à Diyarbakir devant le dirigeant kurde d’Irak Massoud
Barzani.

`Le processus de paix se développera avec le soutien de mes frères de
Diyarbakir`, a lancé M. Erdogan dans un discours prononcé devant
plusieurs dizaines de milliers de personnes réunies dans la grande
métropole kurde du sud-est de la Turquie.

Pendant plus d’une demi-heure, le chef du gouvernement a plaidé pour
la fin du conflit qui a fait plus de 45.000 victimes depuis 1984 et
assuré que les 12 à 15 millions de Kurdes de Turquie étaient tous des
`citoyens de première classe`.

`Comment le Turc et le Kurde ont-ils pu se déchirer ? Le Turc et le
Kurde ne doivent plus se déchirer, ils ne se déchireront plus`, a
déclaré M. Erdogan.

`Il n’y pas de place pour la discrimination dans la nouvelle Turquie
(…) les Kurdes, les Arabes, les Turcs, les Alevis, les Sunnites, les
Chiites, les femmes, qu’elles portent le foulard islamique ou pas,
sont tous des citoyens de première classe`, a-t-il poursuivi.

Avant le Premier ministre turc, M. Barzani s’est lui aussi adressé à
la foule, qui agitait des drapeaux kurdes, turcs ou aux couleurs du
parti islamo-conservateur de M. Erdogan, pour plaider une nouvelle
fois pour la réconciliation entre les deux peuples.

`Ma demande, de la part de mes frères kurdes et turcs, est de soutenir
le processus de paix. Je veux leur dire que nous soutenons le
processus de paix de toutes nos forces`, a déclaré le président de la
région autonome kurde d’Irak.

`Longue vie à l’amitié turco-kurde. Longue vie à la paix. Longue vie à
la liberté`, a lancé M. Barzani qui a prononcé quelques mots en turc à
la fin de son discours.

Engagés il y a un an, les pourparlers de paix entre Ankara et le chef
historique du PKK Abdullah Öcalan sont actuellement au point mort.

dimanche 17 novembre 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Canadian Museum of Human Rights, Canada
Nov 15 2013

>From The Ottoman Empire To Killarney, Manitoba: The Story Of An
Armenian Genocide Survivor

POSTED BY: Jack Garabed, Son of an Armenian genocide survivor (Guest
author), , Nov 15, 2013

During and after the First World War, the leaders of the Ottoman
Empire (the forerunner of the modern-day Republic of Turkey) made a
brutal attempt to destroy the empire’s entire Armenian population. The
victims were massacred or forced on death marches through the desert.
Approximately one and a half million Armenians perished between 1915
and 1923. Another half million found shelter abroad. Canada opened its
doors to some of the children orphaned in the Armenian genocide. One
of these orphans, Harry Garabed, found himself placed on a farm near
Killarney, Manitoba. Jack Garabed, Harry’s son, spoke at a recent news
conference where the CMHR signed an agreement with the Armenian
Genocide Museum Institute. Here is Harry’s story, in his son Jack’s
words.

Someone asked me once if it means something to me to have the Canadian
Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. The short answer is YES! Last
week, I had the honour of witnessing an important and historic
partnership between the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute of the
National Academy of Sciences and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
The Armenian Genocide is an important human rights story and I was
proud to share the story of my father at this event.

I am the son of an Armenian genocide orphan survivor. My father was
born `Garabed Haroutounian’ about 1906. His name was later changed to
Harry Garabed, for pronunciation reasons. Unfortunately, I have very
little information about my Dad’s early years, just what I remember
him telling me as a young boy, and young man.

Dad talked about how his mom made Turkish rugs. They would bring bags
of wool already weighed, and she would hook them. He helped her after
school. She was allowed to keep a small amount of the wool when the
rug was done.

I remember Dad telling me of his parents’ demise, and about his
family. He was the oldest of six. He spoke of my grandfather being
taken away in the night, and murdered. They took Dad away and placed
him in a Turkish orphanage. He believed my grandmother escaped into
Egypt with some of the younger children. He was forced to change
religion against his will. God only knows what happened to my
grandmother and my Dad’s five other brothers and sisters.

Dad explained how he had been encouraged to sneak out of the orphanage
one night with an older friend, and how they ran, and then escaped
into the countryside. They existed by their wits, hand to mouth.

Dad was 17 when he started his journey. We really don’t know and I
don’t think he knew where he was going. My Dad went to England from
Greece and he sailed from Liverpool to Montreal.

The Salvation Army arranged to have three children in the orphanage,
including my father, transported to Canada. Dad left the other two
boys in Montreal and continued on to Manitoba. He was fascinated by
the train ride, and wanted to extend it as far as he could. He had
never seen one, and was intrigued. The train brought him to Winnipeg,
and from there he was placed with farmers in the Killarney area.

He told me how wonderful the people were to him, as he spoke almost no
English. He found out later they taught him cuss words, as it was
funny to hear them with his accent! He was very happy in his early
years in Canada. He never spoke of being lonely, or about the old
country, as he made so many new friends. He told me how he had made a
comb out of nails, in the early years, as he had no money, and his
hair was long. He worked hard, and eventually bought his own land and
farmed.

He served in the Canadian Army, overseas, for six years. Afterwards,
he was a local, respected politician for 30-plus years.

Dad fathered five children, one of whom is deceased. There are
numerous grandchildren, great, and great-great grandchildren – 65 in
total. Quite a dynasty from one little Armenian orphan! Most of us
still live in Killarney and southwestern Manitoba.

As he grew older, Dad always said he was so grateful to have been
blessed with coming to a free country like Canada. To his dying day,
he thanked God for the Salvation Army, his wonderful family, and for
Canada!

Flash Revolution Vs. Evolution Monster

Yesterday people employed by IT companies went on protest. The
quantity and especially the quality of the participants were
impressive. People working in this sphere are distinguished for their
thinking and values, sense of civic responsibility and are able and
ready to make Armenia a country that is in line with the values of the
civilization.

Their action of protest was against the law on mandatory funded
pension which will come into force from January 1. They are mainly
young people who are paid high salaries and pay their taxes. They are
trying to improve their lives and have a significant contribution to
the economy of our country and thus link their lives to the homeland.

The bill of the government actually harms them.

If the citizens of Armenia pay money to the funded pension system
knowing that in 35 years they will have secure old age, these people
link their future to their homeland, Prime Minister Sargsyan announced
at the parliament.

As always, the government is confused like in the story of chicken and
egg. The point is that the chief issue in the activities of the
government is confidence. Confidence and future are not abstract
notions. In order for one to link one’s future to the homeland, one
must have confidence in their future. They must see prospects for the
next 35 years, for example. But how should one see? What are the steps
to make them visible? Instead, the society is faced with the practice
of deceiving, stealing at every step that enriches some pockets with
money stolen from the public.

The government’s task at the moment is not to intervene and impede,
especially the IT and high-tech which have sufficient human and
intellectual potential and are able to establish a new quality of
state and public reality.

Otherwise, Armenia will be left with what is typical of a colony’s
economy with their customs, relations and traditions, in other words,
what we have today.

The Armenian government is always speaking about evolution. Meanwhile,
this evolutionary path has given birth to a monster that has blocked
the air and water of the country, depriving it of prospects.
Haik Aramyan
14:00 16/11/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

TURQUIE
La Turquie refuse de réduire davantage ses achats de brut iranien

La Turquie a considérablement réduit ses achats de brut iranien depuis
l’an dernier et ne peut en faire davantage, a déclaré vendredi son
ministre de l’Energie, Taner Yildiz.

Nous ne pouvons en faire davantage, nous avons fait le maximum, a
indiqué le ministre devant des journalistes, interrogé si la Turquie
pensait limiter encore plus ses importations de pétrole d’Iran, frappé
par des sanctions européennes et américaines en raison de son
programme nucléaire controversé.

Le ministre a expliqué que le principal importateur local, Tüpras, qui
a réduit après des pressions américaines en 2012 de 20% dans un
premier temps ses achats de ce pays par rapport à 2011 limitait ses
achats actuellement à 105.000 barils de pétrole iranien chaque jour
contre 140.000 l’an dernier.

Nous avons expliqué aux Etats-Unis notre situation et que nous ne
pouvions en faire davantage (…) Le pétrole iranien qui est de bonne
qualité revêt une importance stratégique pour la sécurité énergétique
de la Turquie, a ajouté M. Yildiz.

L’embargo visant le voisin iranien ne fait pas l’affaire de la
Turquie, qui achetait bon marché le pétrole iranien, et qui entretient
avec Téhéran des relations économiques et politiques assez étroites,
car leurs échanges ont été multipliés par 10 au cours de la dernière
décennie, s’établissant à plus de 16 milliards de dollars.

samedi 16 novembre 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

ARMENIE-HAUT KARABAGH
Le président arménien rend visite aux troupes arméniennes au front au
sud du Haut Karabagh

La visite de travail du président arménien Serge Sarkissian au Haut
Karabagh se poursuit. Le 14 novembre, en compagnie de son homologue de
la République du Haut Karabagh Bako Sahakian, le président arménien a
rendu visite à des unités militaires stationnées sur la ligne
frontalière au sud de le République du Haut Karabagh. Serge Sarkissian
s’est adressé aux soldats et officiers, notamment sur leurs conditions
de vie. Il a également visité de nouvelles casernes en construction.
Le président arménien a par ailleurs observé les militaires en
exercice. Puis à Stepanakert des rencontres se sont déroulés entre
membres du gouvernement d’Arménie et du Haut Karabagh. Après la visite
de trois jours au Haut Karabagh, Serge Sarkissian est rentré à Erévan.
photos news.am

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 16 novembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com
‘803

US SENATE HEARING ON EURASIAN PARTNERSHIP: WHAT TO DO WITH BELARUS AND AZERBAIJAN?

Azeri Report, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2013

By Alakbar Raufoglu, Turan News Agency

WASHINGTON, DC. November 15, 2013: The leading US lawmaker and the
Eurasian watchers on Thursday expressed their concerns over the future
of US/European dealing with countries like Belarus and Azerbaijan,
ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in
Vilnius later this month, TURAN’s Washington correspondent reports.

“Release the political prisoners!” Senator Chris Murphy, who leads
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations’ Subcommittee on European
Affairs, sent a surprise message to the Azeri government, adding that
it would be “a very positive step” in a wake of lots of questions
with respect to the elections in Azerbaijan.

Senator Murphy’s committee hosted top State Department officials and
Eurasia analysts at the hearing on “A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern
Partnership” to shed light on the countries in Eastern Europe and
the Caucasus that might someday possibly join the EU.

Discussions focused on some do’s and don’ts for partners in order to
get ‘treats’ at the summit, as the western diplomats work on in the
form of various agreements that may or may not be signed.

The testifiers of the hearing, — Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, Vice President of
Atlantic Council Damon Wilson, as well as the Heritage Foundation
analyst Ariel Cohen and Peterson Institute’s Anders Aslund raised their
concerns about the Russian movements before the summit as they put it,
Moscow “is doing everything possible to intimidate the countries to
keep them from signing new trade, economic, and political accords
with Brussels.”

“What does Armenia’s decision to join to the Customs Union mean for
the prospect of 2015 and sometimes after for Azerbaijan to initial
agreement with the EU?” senator Murphy asked suddenly.

Clearly, he added, Azerbaijan has “a long way to go, especially
with recent reports on the quality of this last election… But
the country, especially with their energy resources, will be a very
important partner.”

Answering the question, Damon Wilson stated that the Vilnius summit
would be about the next chapter of the European integration and
“that’s not going to include Belarus and Azerbaijan in this particular
chapter.”

“We don’t force the countries into the Euro Atlantic institutions — it
doesn’t reflect our principles. Both decisions reflect the societies,
the countries and their leaders,” he said, adding, it’s clear that
Belarus’ Lukashenko “is not the leader that will take his country
to Europe.”

“We need to do what we can to support the democratic opposition,
in very difficult circumstances.”

In Azerbaijan, he added, “there is quite strong interest in the
relationship with the west.”

“It’s important to figure out how we’ll be able to engage the right
way, without sacrificing our values and concerns about the development
of democracy there.”

In the meantime, the analyst sad, while talking about the long-term
diplomacy, the EU “needs to think about Belarus and Azerbaijan not
as being left out in Vilnius”.

“Average Azeris and Belarusians think that their country is in a way
that is not very different from where the Ukraine is today. We need
to keep that perspective,” he emphasized.

Ariel Cohen, in his part, said the situation “is complicated” with
Azerbaijan as the country, being a Shi’a secular in the region,
is trying to pursue the western policy with its energy supplies.

“The problem with the initialing of the association agreement between
Azerbaijan and EU was the reluctance of the EU of recognizing the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and concerns about the presidential
elections,” he claimed adding, if Azeris and Europeans are willing to
work on these differences out and if there is a progress in terms of
the rule of law and democracy, it will be in the interest of the EU,
Azerbaijan and USA that the association agreement will be moving
forward.

In her speech, Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland said, while the
six Eastern Partnership countries have responded in various ways to
the EU’s offer to integrate into Europe’s common structures, the US
“strongly supports the process as a key ingredient in our effort to
cement a “Europe whole and free and at peace” – a shared policy goal
of the US and EU member states since the Berlin Wall fell almost 25
years ago.”

Washington supports the sovereign right of these countries to choose
their own future, and we welcome their closer relationship with the EU.

“I would note in this regard that any form of pressure to prevent
sovereign states from pursuing greater integration with the EU, or any
organization of their choosing, would contravene obligations under the
OSCE Helsinki Principles and the Charter of Paris. The message we are
sending in the neighborhood is that all countries benefit when their
neighbors open their markets and become more stable and prosperous,”
she said.

On Armenia, although President Sarkisian announced that his country
would join the Eurasian Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan, and
Belarus, “which is incompatible with signing an Association Agreement”
however both the EU and Armenia remain committed to pursuing a deeper
relationship, and they are examining ways to continue this partnership.

“The US will also continue broad engagement with Armenia on
Euro-Atlantic integration, including in the economic sphere.”

As for Azerbaijan, it is currently negotiating the contours of its
own partnership track with the EU, and the US “continues to encourage
Azerbaijan to build the democratic and economic institutions and
conduct the reforms necessary for a deeper relationship with the
Euro-Atlantic community.”

“We recognize that a democratic, prosperous and secure Azerbaijan
will benefit not only the Azerbaijani people but also its neighbors,”
she added. –0–

MESSAGE FROM THE UNITED STATES TO THE CHP [REPUBLICAN PEOPLE’S PARTY]

Cumhuriyet, Turkey
Nov 13 2013

by by Utku Cakirozer

‘Gezi Is Turning Point for Erdogan’

CHP [Republican People’s Party] leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu will go
to Washington at the end of the month. Before the visit, CHP Deputy
Chairman Erdogan Toprak went to the US capital and took the pulse of
the decision makers in the United States. Upon his return we received
information from him regarding his talks with 25 people consisting
of representatives of the US Administration, Congress officials,
and representatives of think tanks.

These were apparently the basic messages conveyed by the US decision
makers.

– The antidemocratic stance displayed by the AKP [Justice and
Development Party] during the Gezi Park incidents constitutes a
critical turning point in terms of the government and Turkey.

– The AKP government is unable to get good marks on the subject of
human rights and freedoms.

Perception of ‘Unreliable Ally’

– We are disturbed by the government’s efforts to pull the
United States into Syria. We are concerned that radical terrorist
organizations like Al-Qa’idah are acting with ease in Syria.

– With its preference for Chinese missiles, Turkey has turned into an
“unreliable ally.”

– We wish to see a Turkey that is stable with its neighbours.

– We find Erdogan’s declarations regarding Egypt excessive.

Two Negative Development Signals

– Two negative developments may be experienced in Turkish-US relations
in 2014 because of the reaction against the Erdogan government.

– The first is the possibility that the Congress will pass another
Armenian resolution.

– The second is that Turkey may be excluded from the free trade
agreement talks to be held between the United States and the EU.

What the United States Would Like To Know: How Would the CHP Have
Governed?

As much as their own views, influential actors in the decision-making
mechanism of the US Administration would like to know what the CHP
leader will say. All the people who conveyed their views to the CHP
officials expressed the expectation -as though in agreement with
one another -“to hear what steps Kilicdaroglu will take in domestic
and foreign policy if the CHP comes to power.” Toprak, for his part,
apparently responded with the following messages:

– In domestic policy, we are in favour of full democracy and freedom
for everyone. Democratization cannot be achieved through packages,
in instalments.

– Our fundamental difference from the AKP government in foreign policy
is that we are in favour of a Turkey whose face is turned towards
the West, and not the East. Such a Turkey can contribute more to its
region as well as to world peace and stability.

– We want a Turkey that establishes good relations with its neighbours
and with the regional countries, without interfering in their internal
affairs.

– It was the CHP that first proposed to resolve the Syrian crisis
through diplomacy and not with the use of weapons (Deputy Chairman
Faruk Logoglu’s proposal in 2012 to hold an international meeting).

The Geneva meeting, which the whole world is now embracing, overlaps
with the CHP’s proposal.

– The doors that closed on Turkey are opening because of the
CHP. The latest concrete example is the amelioration experienced
in Turkish-Iraqi relations in the aftermath of Kilicdaroglu’s visit
to Baghdad.

Celik’s Objection to ‘Vote’ Assessment

In this column last week I used AKP Deputy Chairman Huseyin Celik’s
statement that “the public will give me votes accordingly,” which he
made in connection with the debate on girls and boys sharing homes
on a television programme we attended together, as the basis for my
thesis that the ruling party will use this debate in order to get
votes. The AKP spokesman objected to this assessment and drew our
attention to the context in which the statement was made. Celik’s
remarks in the relevant section are as follows: “(a~@¦) Is democracy
not a system that allows different preferences and enables and prepares
the ground for these preferences, a system in which we can defend
our different preferences and values and in which we face the public
with these preferences? I can come and say at any time: Dear friend,
this is what my morality consists of, this is what it should or should
not be. The public, in turn, will grade me accordingly and vote for
me accordingly. This is not a matter of votes. I repeat: The prime
minister said, and a while ago I said the same thing; I said that
I would not want my daughter who is studying at the university to
live in the same apartment as another man, I would not allow this,
and I would certainly not approve of it. If, however, some others
find it right and say this is what they choose, if the parents say
they approve of this, the state cannot tell them what to do because
this is a state of law, a democratic state, and a secular statea~@¦”

[Translated from Turkish]

BARRY O’FARRELL SLAMS TURKEY’S THREAT OF GALLIPOLI BAN AS CENTENARY BALLOT OPENS

Yahoo News, Australia
Nov 16 2013

November 16, 2013, 8:37 am

The New South Wales Government has reacted harshly to reports the
Turkish speaker of parliament has threatened to ban MPs from attending
the centenary commemorations of the Gallipoli landing.

Tension between the NSW Parliament and Turkish authorities first
erupted in May, when MPs passed a motion recognising the Armenian
genocide.

Genocide scholars say that from 1915 to 1923 more than 1 million
Armenians lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman empire.

Turkey has long disputed it was genocide.

The Turkish speaker of parliament, Cemil Cicek, has reportedly called
on the State Government to withdraw its resolution.

He says NSW MPs could be banned from attending the 2015 Anzac centenary
at Gallipoli if action is not taken.

In a statement, Premier Barry O’Farrell said anyone associated with
the Turkish government should not use the centenary for political
purposes and labelled the comments “deplorable”.

It comes after the ABC revealed that one of the world’s most vocal .

The address, titled “What happened during 1915-1923”, will be given
by Professor Justin McCarthy, an American history professor whom many
Armenians view with the same disdain as Jews view Holocaust denier
David Irving.

Ballot opens for Gallipoli centenary tickets

The escalation of tensions between NSW and Turkey comes as the
ballot for Australians hoping to attend the 2015 Anzac centenary at
Gallipoli opens.

A total of 6,000 tickets will be available to the general public,
and another 2,000 will be reserved for direct descendents of World
War One veterans, veterans of other wars and school children.

The Federal Government will extend personal invitations to the 160
surviving widows of World War I veterans.

The ballot will close at the end of January and the Government expects
to announce the results in March.

Veterans Affairs Minister Senator Michael Ronaldson says Prime Minister
Tony Abbott will attend the event and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten
will also be invited.

But he says the remaining official delegation will be small to ensure
as many members of the public can attend.

He says that although attending Anzac Day commemorations in 2015 would
be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, if unsuccessful in the ballot,
visitors could also consider visiting Gallipoli at another time during
the centenary year.

“The Gallipoli campaign lasted eight months from April to December
1915,” he said.

“I encourage those who may not be successful in the ballot to consider
visiting Gallipoli at another time in 2015.”

The ballot .

PLAN FOR AN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIER TO AIR VIEWS IN PARLIAMENT HOUSE OUTRAGES ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

ABC, Australia
Nov 15 2013

Updated 8 hours 24 minutes ago

Armenian Australians are outraged that one of the worlds most strident
Armenian genocide deniers, Professor Justin McCarthy, will be allowed
to present his views next week in Parliament House.

Michael Brissenden

TRANSCRIPT

STEVE CANNANE, PRESENTER: The Government hopes to give as many
Australians as possible the chance to win access to the Gallipoli
Peninsula on the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day in 2015 and has
announced the ballot for places will open this weekend.

But the parliament is also hosting an event that many believe will
deny an even bigger historical tragedy, the Armenian genocide that
began just before Australian troops landed at Anzac Cove.

Defence correspondent Michael Brissenden reports.

MICHAEL BRISSENDEN, REPORTER: It’s become the defining moment of
Australian legend. A national mythology forged on the beaches of
Gallipoli.

What few Australians realise is that this day coincides with another
even more tragic anniversary. For Armenians, April 2015 marks the
centenary of the start of the darkest chapter of their history.

Genocide scholars say that from 1915 to 1923, more than a million
Armenians lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

The Turks have long denied the charge and only recently pledged to
ban NSW politicians entirely from the Gallipoli celebrations after
the NSW Parliament passed a motion recognising the Armenian genocide.

>From time to time there have also been calls from the Federal
Parliament to do the same.

(EXTRACT FROM PARLIAMENT NOVEMBER 21, 2011)

MALCOLM TURNBULL, FMR SHADOW MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: The
elimination, the execution, the murder of hundreds of thousands of
millions of people for no reason other than that they were different,
in this case that they were not Turks, just as the Jews were eliminated
because they were not Germans.

JOE HOCKEY, FORMER SHADOW TREASURER: This is not an issue of
discussion, it’s not an issue of definition. Any systematic eradication
of a race is genocide regardless of the political or social unease
it may bring.

MICHAEL BRISSENDEN: But it seems it will be an issue for discussion
here in Parliament House next week.

This flier is an invitation to a presentation in one of these committee
rooms booked by the Labor member, Laurie Ferguson. The presentation
will be delivered by one of the world’s most strident genocide deniers.

The special presentation will be delivered by Dr Jennifer Lawless from
the NSW Education Department’s Board of Studies and Professor Justin
McCarthy, an American history academic. When it comes to genocide
denial, McCarthy is considered by Armenians to be what David Irving
is to the Jewish Holocaust.

McCarthy holds a number of honorary Turkish doctorates and campaigns
against the recognition of the Armenian genocide.

As this clip from a conference in Germany shows, his views are
unequivocal.

(EXTRACT FROM CONFERENCE)

PROFESSOR JUSTIN MCCARTHY: They have no evidence, no facts, no proof
that says that the Turks wanted to act this way. What is said is
based on emotion and in this case and a desire to prove that there
is a genocide instead of first looking at the facts.

MICHAEL BRISSENDEN: Although it’s known as the Armenian genocide,
thousands of Assyrians and Pontian Greeks were also killed.

Genocide scholar Panayiotis Diamadis says all three communities will be
alarmed that such an address is being held in the Federal Parliament.

PANAYIOTIS DIAMADIS, GENOCIDE SCHOLAR: Anger, disgust that an official
forum – such an official forum as Federal Parliament is being given
to a man who denies the memory of the victims, who denies that this
genocide occurred.

MICHAEL BRISSENDEN: Lateline contacted Laurie Ferguson’s office for
a comment. So far none has been forthcoming.

As we’ve seen, Joe Hockey, Malcolm Turnbull and a number of other
Federal politicians have raised the issue of the Armenian genocide
in parliament in the past. None of those contacted by the ABC wanted
to add to what they’ve already said.

Clearly, the sensitivity surrounding our relationship with Turkey
is in even more focus as we head towards the Gallipoli anniversary,
although it’s understood another attempt will be made to get the
Federal Parliament to recognise the genocide after April 2015.

Michael Brissenden, Lateline.

Watch video at

ARFD: HHK PROVED IT HAS NO SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO GENERATIONS

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Friday,November 15

The political majority, boycotting the National Assembly’s special
session and taking an irresponsible attitude, played down once again
the role and importance of the parliament. The majority presented
everyone with a fait accompli, proving that it has no sense of
responsibility to future generations. Deputy of ARFD faction Artsvik
Minasian expressed such an opinion at a meeting with reporters today.

In his words, the activists protesting against the introduction of
the compulsory accumulative pension system showed a higher intellect
than many political figures, including the political majority. “They
not only made reasonable demands, but also put forward an idea of
efficient discussion,” he noted.

Minasian said the behavior of the parliamentary majority was a bit
unexpected to them as there was solidarity during the discussion of
the draft budget on the previous day. “We thought it was a move of
solidarity in order to ensure the promised quorum today, but they
are intolerant. By that step, not only did they show that they are
not concerned about the people’s future, but they don’t also think
about the future of their children and grandchildren,” the deputy said.

In his opinion, the introduction of the compulsory accumulative pension
system does not stem from the interests of the Armenian people and
the state and may have vicious consequences for the current and
next generations.

Let us remind you that today’s special session of the Armenian
parliament on the postponement of the compulsory accumulative pension
system’s introduction until 2015 didn’t take place due to lack of
quorum. The session was initiated by BHK, HAK, Heritage and ARFD
factions.

The introduction of the compulsory accumulative pension system is
envisaged by the 2010 Law on Accumulative Pensions, under which a
voluntary accumulative system has been used since 2011, while the
compulsory component will be introduced in January 1, 2014.