Author: Badalian Vardan

Azg: Azerbaijan has no opportunity to start war and win it

Saturday,
July 27

Azerbaijan by means of subversive groups is trying to keep the
situation tense at the border, Defense Minister of Nagorno Karabakh
Movses Hakobian said, according to `Azg’ paper. `The number of
provocations has declined this year. Two subversive sorties were
prevented, and the enemy was thrown back. The number of shots has
declined by two thousand,’ he noted.

In his words, in response to actions of Azerbaijani snipers, the
Armenian side caused serious losses to the enemy who `cannot yet
overcome stress’.

`Azerbaijan has no opportunity to start a war and win it. The fact of
that country’s armament is worrying, but we are doing respective work
in this direction,’ the minister said.

According to him, a new system of performing military duties has been
introduced. After coming off duty, servicemen rest for 4 hours instead
of previous 2 hours.

TODAY, 12:00

Aysor.am

Armenian PM, Russian Transport Minister meet in Yerevan

14:19 27.07.2013

Armenian Prime Minister, Co-Chair of the Armenian-Russian
Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation Tigran Sargsyan
received Russian Transport Minister, Co-Chair of the Commission, Maxim
Sokolov.

`A huge work has been done since our previous meeting, which is
yielding tangible results,’ the Armenian Prime Minister said, adding
that the main targets of cooperation are the diversification of
economic relations, reveling of new fields of cooperation.

The Russian Transport Minister noted that such meetings before the
sittings of the Intergovernmental Commission provide a good
opportunity to sum up the work done and discuss the future plans. He
thanked the Head of Armenian Government and the Armenian partners for
mutual understanding and effective work.

The interlocutors discussed a wide range of issues related to the
development of trade-economic relations. In this context reference was
made to the issues on the agenda of the forthcoming sitting of the
Intergovernmental Commission. The parties reached an agreement on
conducting the next sitting in Saint Petersburg this fall.

AL-QAEDA UNLEASHED AGAINST SYRIA AND IRAQ WITH ACCEPTANCE OF THE WEST

Pepe Escobar is the roving correspondent for Asia Times/Hong Kong,
an analyst for RT and TomDispatch, and a frequent contributor to
websites and radio shows ranging from the US to East Asia.

July 25, 2013
14:13 AFP Photo / Daniel Leal-Olivas AFP Photo / Daniel Leal-Olivas

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – the official denomination
of al-Qaeda in Iraq – does not even pretend to be not responsible for
the relentless bombing, political assassination and mostly sectarian
horror unleashed across Iraq during Ramadan.

But this is exactly what they’re doing, with relish; throwing arrays
of crude bombs made with fertilizer enhanced with ball bearings,
manipulating a small army of foreign suicide bombers. Most of these,
by the way, crossed the desert from Syria.

July has been a deadly month ; over 600 Iraqis killed up to July 25.

May was even worse; at least 963 civilians killed and more than 2,000
injured. And now comes the coup de grâce; the already notorious Abu
Ghraib jailbreak.

Abu Ghraib is charged with symbolism – indelibly linked with the
American occupier. When the Abu Ghraib scandal erupted in 2004 I was
on the road in the US. This is what I wrote at the time; in Texas
especially, everybody saw the routine humiliation of Iraqi prisoners
as the new normal.

To the Syriamobile !

Fast forward to 2013. The al-Maliki government insists anti-terrorist
forces are on top of everything going on in Baghdad. Not really. My
matchless source in Baghdad, Asseel Kamal, explains how the commander
of the 17th Army Division, General Abdul Naser al-Ghanam, apparently
did not resign; he fled, before advising al-Maliki that all hell would
break loose. The government was stunned by the veritable horde that
staged the double attack – on Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, and Taji
prison in the north of the city.

The siege of Abu Ghraib started with nine bombs thrown at the entrance,
and dozens of mortars, followed by a battle against the guards; a
group of suicide bombers attacked the walls while another group of
car bombers attacked the main entrance. And then the critical gambit,
when a series of car bombs exploded all along the main road up to
the bridge that links the prison to the highway leading to Baghdad,
cutting all its connections with the capital.

The numbers game is still a mess; everything from 500 to 1,000 and
even 1,400 escapees. Same for the official numbers of dead prisoners
(65), dead guards (28), injured prisoners (124) and injured guards
(43). Kamal quotes prisoners’ families saying prisoners who did not
manage to escape were brutally “interrogated”. And helicopters bombed
them mercilessly.

According to Hakim al Zamili, a member of Parliament who’s part of
the Committee for Defense and Security, this operation has been
prepared for at least two weeks – and plenty of guards were onto
it. Kamal reveals that at least 15 men dressed in military garb got
inside and “released” – as in escorted to freedom – selected al-Qaeda
princelings ; and left the rest to fend for themselves. Better yet :
this selected group – which includes a bunch of Jihad International
foreign fighters captured by the US military in 2006 and 2007 –
has fled to, where else, Syria.

It’s the occupation, stupid Al-Maliki’s government has closed Iraq’s
borders with Syria – to no avail; it’s desert on both sides, it’s
powerful Sunni tribal Sheikhs on both sides, it’s ‘family’ on both
sides. This proves once again that the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant – with its tactical alliance with jihadis of the Jabhat al-Nusra
kind – is already establishing the embryo of a beyond-borders Islamic
Emirate. They even have secured territory in northern Syria.

Most of the best commanders on the ground in Syria are Iraqis –
and have battleground experience of fighting the Americans. Their
long-term wishful thinking strategy is that once Bashar al-Assad’s
government falls, the next will be al-Maliki’s.

These jihadis see that fighting a secular, apostate, “infidel”
government in Syria – supported by Iran and Hezbollah – is the
equivalent of fighting an “apostate” government in Iraq enjoying close
relations with Iran. This – a ghastly sectarian war – was always the
plan since the bombing of Samarra’s golden shrine in 2006.

As much as Syrian civilians are caught in the crossfire of the proxy
war involving Western powers and Gulf petro-monarchies against the
support of Iran (and Russia) to Damascus, Iraqi civilians are now
caught in the resurgent civil war. Civilians in Baghdad do fear what
these escapees might unleash.

It’s always crucial to go back to the basics. With the invasion
and occupation of Iraq, the clueless Bush gang handed out a base to
al-Qaeda on a plate.

Yet when the Abu Ghraib scandal broke in 2004, the prisoners were not
al-Qaeda, but the Sunni resistance. When the Petraeus surge started
in 2007, the plan was to buy the leaders of the Sunni resistance to
fight al-Qaeda. The Sunni sheikhs took the money and decided to wait.

Al-Qaeda dissolved and regrouped.

Now, with Syria as the new magnet of global jihad – once again a
direct consequence of a US power play, via Barack “Assad must go”
Obama – al-Qaeda is resurgent on both fronts. Washington has already
destroyed the social fabric of Iraq. Now it’s helping to destroy
Syria’s. If Abu Ghraib was the new normal in 2004, the jailbreak
cannot but be the new new normal of 2013.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely
those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

ARTSAKH FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT MAINTAINED

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee
approved its Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 State, Foreign Operations
Appropriations Bill, which included specific report language regarding
Nagorno-Karabakh, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

The Senate report language recommended “assistance for victims of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in amounts consistent with prior years,
and for ongoing needs related to the conflict.” In addition, the
Committee urged “a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

“Continued assistance for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh remains
an important priority,” Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), who serves on the
Senate Appropriations Committee, told the Assembly.

In her letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara
Mikulski (D-MD), Assembly Board Member Annie Totah emphasized the
importance of U.S. aid to Armenia and Artsakh given the ongoing
Turkish and Azeri blockades.

The Senate action follows the House, which approved its version
yesterday. For its part, the House-approved language states, “within
the funds provided under this heading, the Secretary of State should
provide assistance for victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at
levels consistent with prior years, and for ongoing needs related to
the conflict.” The House Appropriations Bill also restated the six
customary exemptions for humanitarian and other assistance to Section
907 of the Freedom Support Act. Section 907 was enacted in 1992 and
requires the Government of Azerbaijan to take “demonstrable steps
to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force” against
Armenia and Artsakh.

Overall, the Senate Bill represents a 5 percent cut whereas the
House Bill represents a 19 percent reduction below the FY 2013
enacted levels.

“Given the ongoing needs in Artsakh, I was pleased that in working
with the Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, we were
able to craft language to ensure continued funding to Karabakh,”
House Appropriations Committee Member Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA)
told the Assembly.

Earlier this year, the Assembly, in its testimony highlighted
the importance of U.S. assistance to Artsakh as well as Armenia,
and much needed humanitarian assistance for Armenians in and those
fleeing Syria. Additionally, the Assembly’s testimony highlighted
the inexplicable pardon of an Azeri officer who brutally murdered an
Armenian officer at a NATO partnership for peace training exercise and
urged that the Subcommittee “cease military assistance to Azerbaijan.”

As the key Congressional panels approved U.S. foreign aid priorities
this week, the Assembly reported visiting over 125 Members of Congress
and hand-delivered the new 2013 Assembly Press Kit outlining funding
priorities for Armenia and Artsakh, including the Assembly’s new FACT
SHEET on Azerbaijan.

“We thank our House and Senate friends for ensuring that critical
assistance to Artsakh is upheld,” stated Assembly Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny. “We look forward to working with our friends in Congress
as the appropriations process continues,” he said.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan,
501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

12:32 26/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

AZERBAIJANIS TO FILE COMPLAINT TO UEFA OVER KARABAKH FLAG

July 26, 2013

Qarabag FK of Azerbaijan plans to file a complaint to the Union of
European Football Associations (UEFA).

The reason is because the Polish fans had taken the flag of
Nagorno-Karabakh to the pitch during the Piast Gliwice vs. Qarabag
return-leg match in the second qualifying round of the Europa League,
sports.ru reports making a reference to azerisport.com.

It is noted that this matter could be discussed at the UEFA
Disciplinary Committee.

TURQUIE : LA KCK PROPOSE UNE ALTERNATIVE A L’ETAT-NATION

Publie le : 26-07-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose cette information publiee sur le site des Amities kurdes de
Bretagne le 20 juillet 2013.

Amities kurdes de Bretagne

samedi 20 juillet 2013

Legende photo : photo Gaël Le Ny

KCK (Union des communautes du Kurdistan), une alternative a
l’Etat-nation

Le Congrès du Peuple du Kurdistan (Kongra Gele Kurdistan, KONGRA GEL),
dont le rôle politique est de definir des orientations, s’est reuni
en congrès durant 5 jours (30 juin/5juillet). Ses delegues venant des
4 parties du Kurdistan et de la diaspora ont reaffirme leur adhesion
au projet, elabore par A. Ocalan, d’une confederation democratique des
peuples du Moyen-Orient et renforcer l’organisation et les structures
de la KCK (Union des communautes du Kurdistan) dont on se souvient
qu’elle est l’element federateur de toutes les organisations kurdes,
qu’elles soient politiques, culturelles, religieuses, educatives,
economiques et militaires. Le fondateur du PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, reste
bien sûr president de la KCK. Il faut noter que le nouveau dispositif
conforte la place de la femme en instituant systematiquement des
co-responsabilites homme/femme. C’est une avancee qui merite d’etre
soulignee, unique au Moyen Orient et rare dans le monde ! Cemil
Bayik, l’un des membres fondateurs du PKK, et Bese Hozat ont ete
elus co-president[e]s du conseil executif de la KCK, Remzi Kartal
et Hacer Zagros co-president[e]s du Kongra Gel. Le nouveau conseil
presidentiel est compose de six vice presidents elus, trois femmes
et trois hommes : Cemil Bayik, Bese Hozat, Murat Karayilan, Mustafa
Karasu, Sozdar Avesta et Elif Pazarcik.

Quand les luttes turques et kurdes pour la democratie se rejoignent

La KCK ne propose rien moins qu’une alternative a l’Etat-nation,
” une organisation de la societe puisee aux sources d’une lutte
quotidienne pour la defense des libertes “. La Turquie, kemaliste
et islamiste, ne s’y est pas trompee : c’est la raison pour laquelle
elle a emprisonne des milliers de cadres politiques et associatifs,
d’elus et de militants, de journalistes et d’avocats, et declenche,
avec son appareil d’Etat politico judiciaire, une serie de procès
au motif que tous ces presumes coupables sont, ou pretendus etre,
membres de la KCK consideree comme la vitrine politique du PKK,
et qu’a ce titre ils sont militants ou sympathisants d’un mouvement
illegal et terroriste.

Les gaz lacrymogènes ont paradoxalement ouvert les yeux des
contestataires de la place Taksim. Laure Marchand, co-auteur avec
Guillaume Perrier du livre ” La Turquie et le fantôme armenien “,
temoigne dans Le Nouvel Observateur (N°2541) (” Les irreductibles
d’Istanbul “).

” En une semaine, la majorite turque et sunnite a compris le fascisme
que ne subissaient, jusque la, dans ce pays, que les Kurdes et les
Alevis. Nous assistons a un reveil de la societe civile […] contre
toute attente, les tirs tendus de grenades lacrymogènes contre les
manifestations [de la place Taksim] semblent egalement avoir fait
voler en eclats les prejuges a l’egard des Kurdes. En subissant la
violence des forces de l’ordre, en constatant qu’elle n’etait pas
relayee par les medias aux ordres d’Ankara, les manifestants ont
pris conscience du sort de leurs 15 millions de concitoyens kurdes,
parias de la Republique […] Le regard a change, les gens ont enfin
compris que les Kurdes n’etaient pas des terroristes […] Je pense
que c’est le gain le plus important de ce mouvement “.

Le PKK lance un ” dernier avertissement ”

Idris Baluken, depute de Bingol, avait interpelle durement le
Premier ministre turc au nom du parti kurde BDP, ne dissimulant
pas son impatience que l’attitude attentiste du gouvernement islamo
conservateur de Turquie alimente au fur et a mesure que les jours
passent : des mots ! Ca suffit ! Des actes maintenant.

C’est au tour du PKK de se faire menacant, pret a interrompre son
retrait du territoire turc et a reprendre la lutte armee : ” En tant
que mouvement, nous lancons un dernier avertissement au gouvernement
AKP [de Turquie]. S’il ne prend pas des mesures concrètes au plus vite
dans les domaines definis par notre peuple et l’opinion publique,
le processus ne progressera plus et (il) en sera responsable “,
” Il est clair que le gouvernement de l’AKP (le Parti de la justice
et du developpement, islamo-conservateur, au pouvoir, ndlr) mène des
actions pour saboter le processus “.

Dans le cadre de ce processus, les rebelles kurdes ont declare un
cessez-le-feu en mars et commence en mai a se retirer du territoire
turc. Ils reclament en contrepartie des gestes du gouvernement en
faveur de la minorite kurde de Turquie.

La Turquie met en garde les Kurdes de Syrie

Mercredi, les combattants kurdes syriens avaient inflige une cuisante
defaite a Al-Nosra et a l’Etat islamique en Irak et au Levant (EIIL),
deux groupes affilies a Al-Qaïda, en les chassant de la localite de
Ras Al-Aïn.

Après de violents combats, les forces kurdes se sont egalement
emparees mercredi du village de Qasrouq, situe dans la meme region,
a indique L’Observatoire syrien des droits de l’homme (OSDH). Le
chef de la diplomatie turque Ahmet Davutoglu a reagi vivement en
denoncant a l’avance toute velleite autonomiste et les ” graves
risques ” qu’elle peut engendrer : ” toute volonte autonomiste des
combattant kurdes du Parti de l’union democratique (PYD), considere
comme la branche syrienne des rebelles kurdes de Turquie du Parti des
travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), qui contrôlent desormais Ras Al-Aïn,
juste en face de la Turquie, aura pour effet d’envenimer les combats,
et d’approfondir la situation intenable en Syrie “.

Cette mise en garde n’est pas pour surprendre les Kurdes ”
Le soutien de la Turquie aux groupes lies a Al-Qaida et a
l’armee syrienne libre (ASL) n’est plus un secret, au moins
pour les kurdes. L’annee dernière, un combattant turc avait ete
tue et deux ambulances, une turque et une francaise, avaient
ete saisies a Serekaniye par l’YPG (forces armees du PYD) ”

Andre Metayer

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Amities kurdes de Bretagne

UNE DELEGATION DE L’ETAT AUSTRALIEN DE NOUVELLE GALLES DU SUD AU HK

ARMENIE

Les membres de la delegation, dont des parlementaires et des
representants de la communaute armenienne, ont ete recus par le ”
President ” du Haut Karabagh, Bako Sahakian, qui leur a exprime, au
nom du peuple et des ” autorites ” de l’Artsakh, sa gratitude pour
la reconnaissance de l’independance du Karabagh par cet Etat. Il a
qualifie ce pas d’important d’un point de vue moral et politique. Les
membres de la delegation ont discute des moyens de promouvoir la
cooperation entre l’Etat australien de Nouvelle Galles du Sud et le
HK. / Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 19 juillet 2013

vendredi 26 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

L’ARMENIE EST LIBRE DANS LE BRAS DE FER ENTRE L’UNION DOUANIERE ET DE L’UE SELON UN EXPERT

ARMENIE

Alexander Iskandarian, directeur de l’Institut du Caucase base a
Erevan, a declare que l’Armenie est libre dans la confrontation entre
l’union douanière dirigee par la Russie qui implique egalement le
Belarus et le Kazakhstan et l’Union europeenne.

Il a dit qu’un problème se poserait si l’Armenie avait ete invite
d’une part a se joindre a l’Union europeenne et d’autre part a
l’Union douanière, parce que l’appartenance a l’une de ces alliances
est un moyen de transfert d’une partie des pouvoirs par un pays a un
organisme supranational.

S’exprimant lors d’une conference de presse Alexander Iskandarian
a dit que l’Armenie n’a pas ete invitee a se joindre a l’une des
alliances. Selon lui, les formats de cooperation avec l’Armenie sont
tout a fait compatibles.

Alexander Iskandaryan a fait valoir que l’adhesion de l’Armenie
a l’Union douanière signifierait un changement radical dans sa
cooperation transfrontalière avec la Georgie et l’Iran.

vendredi 26 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

ARMENIE
L’AUGMENTATION DES TARIFS ” SUSPENDUE ” A EREVAN

Taron Markarian, maire d’Erevan, est revenu jeudi sur sa decision
controversee d’augmenter considerablement le prix des transports
publics dans la capitale armenienne, cedant aux pressions de la
plupart des jeunes militants qui manifestaient contre elle depuis
presque une semaine.

Dans un discours ecrit pour les residents de la ville, Taron Markarian
a annonce qu’il mettra en place une commission ad hoc qui examinera
la mesure impopulaire “au cours des prochains mois.” “En attendant,
je vais suspendre l’entree en vigueur de cette decision” a-t-il dit.

L’annonce fait suite a une reunion d’urgence de Taron Markarian avec
les representants des trois partis politiques representes au conseil
municipal d’Erevan qui l’a elu maire d’Erevan. L’un d’eux, Anahit
Bakhshian du parti Zharangutyun, a dit au service armenien de RFE /RL
(Azatutyun.am) après que Taron Markarian ait refuse d’abandonner les
tarifs eleves et s’est dit pret a offrir des rabais aux residents a
faible revenu.

Les precedents tarifs des transports – 100 drams (35 cents americains)
pour les autobus et les minibus et 50 drams pour les trolleybus – ont
ete restaures, quelques heures après que le Premier ministre Tigran
Sarkissian ait exprime sa sympathie pour la campagne de protestations.

Des centaines d’Armeniens, des jeunes surtout, la plupart d’entre
eux n’etant affilie a aucun groupe, ont proteste a travers Erevan sur
une base quotidienne depuis samedi dernier, exhortant les passagers
des autobus a ne pas payer plus pour leur transport. Beaucoup de gens
ont ecoute ces appels.

Des dizaines d’artistes armeniens, animateurs de television et
d’autres celebrites ont soutenu la campagne plus tôt cette semaine,
offrant aux gens ordinaires des tours gratuits dans leurs voitures.

Plus de 200 autres automobilistes auraient rejoint l’initiative de
voiture libre promu par Facebook.

Taron Markarian a egalement salue la campagne dans sa declaration. ”
Je suis heureux de la chaleur qui existe encore aujourd’hui entre
les residents Erevan en termes d’aide et d’etre plus solidaire les
uns envers les autres “, a-t-il dit. “Cette chaleur est une valeur
que nous devons etre en mesure de preserver pour faire des choses
grandes et durables.”

Taron Markarian a en meme temps deplore ce qu’il a appele “les laides
attitudes” vis-a-vis de certains chauffeurs de bus.

Un chauffeur de minibus aurait ete jeudi poignarde et blesse dans un
litige avec un banlieusard. L’identite et les motivations de l’homme
n’etaient pas immediatement connues, et la police armenienne n’a fait
aucune declaration sur l’incident. Dans un communique, les dirigeants
de la campagne contre les hausses de tarifs ont condamne la violence
et ont dit qu’ils prefèrent les methodes pacifiques pour leur lutte.

L’annonce de Taron Markarian a declenche des scènes de joie parmi les
militants. Des centaines d’entre eux ont defile dans le centre-ville
d’Erevan, scandant “Victoire !” et felicitant les passants.

vendredi 26 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

ARTISTS, SCHOLARS CONDEMN GEZI CRACKDOWN IN LETTER TO TURKISH PM

14:58 25/07/2013 ” SOCIETY

A group of internationally renowned artists and scholars condemned the
Turkish authorities’ heavy-handed crackdown on the Gezi Park protests
in a full-page letter published July 24 in the British broadsheet
The Times, addressed to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The signatories, including figures known for their activism such as
Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Ben Kingsley and movie director David Lynch,
described the Turkish government as “a dictatorial rule” and slammed
Erdogan’s uncompromising stance regarding the protesters’ demands.

The prime minister’s orders “led to the deaths of five innocent
youths,” the letter said, adding that he might be called to render
account to the European Court of Human Rights for the police’s
violence.

They also compared the counter-rallies organized by the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) to the annual Nuremberg rallies organized
by the Nazis.

“Only days after clearing Taksim Square and Gezi Park relying on
untold brutal force, you held a meeting in Istanbul, reminiscent of
the Nuremberg Rally, with total disregard for the five dead whose
only crime was to oppose your dictatorial rule,” the letter said.

It also emphasized that more journalists were imprisoned in Turkey
than in Iran and China combined. “Moreover, you described these
protesters as tramps, looters and hooligans, even alleging they were
foreign-led terrorists. Whereas, in reality, they were nothing but
youngsters wanting Turkey to remain a Secular Republic as designed
by its founder Kemal Ataturk,” the letter added.

Andrew Mango, the biographer of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Fazıl
Say, the Turkish pianist who was recently sentenced for blasphemy
after tweeting several lines attributed to a poet, were also among
the signatories.

Other signatories included: Irish novelist Edna O’Brien, British
Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, British actress Vanessa Redgrave, British film
director of Turkish origin Fuad Kavur, Hungarian Cinematographer Vilmos
Zsigmond and American freelance journalist and writer Claire Berlinski.

Source: Panorama.am