Author: Badalian Vardan

RUBEN SAFRASTYAN: THE FACT THAT PROTESTORS IN TURKEY ARE NOT AFRAID OF REPRESSIONS MAY TRANSFER TO AZERBAIJAN

Interview of Director of Oriental Studies Institute under Armenian
National Academy of Science Ruben Safrastyan with Arminfo news agency

by David Stepanyan

Thursday, June 20, 14:56

What are the main reasons of unrest in Turkey?

Certainly, the direct reason of unrest in Turkey was a decision
about liquidation of the Gesi Park in the center of Istanbul. The
decision to name the third bridge on Bosporus after Yavuz Sultan
Selim known for suppression of all Shiits and Turkish Alevits, in
particular, also had a certain effect. Prerequisites for the last
unrest in Turkey were accumulating for a long period of time. First
of all, one should separate the displeasure of certain layers of the
Turkish society with the policy conducted by Erdogan’s government in
the sphere of human rights, in particular, freedom of speech. About
100 Turkish journalists are either in prisons or are persecuted. Of
course, this causes displeasure of the society. Another reason of
unrest is displeasure of certain circles of the Istanbul and Ankara
society with the authoritarian person and the ruling ways of Erdogan,
he said and added that the Turkish premier is known for his inability
to listen to advices, and for doing what he wants. I don’t want to give
higher priority to that, however, there is also certain displeasure
with the policy of Turkey’s islamization.

Does it mean that islamization is not the key reason of unrest
in Turkey?

No, it does not. Nevertheless, it would be incorrect to say that
islamization was the main reason of unrest in Turkey, though it
plays some part. One should revise the reasons of unrest only in a
body. The key reason of unrest in all over the country was using of a
huge force by policemen against a small crowd of peaceful ecological
activists at Taksim. The unrest spread in all over the country since
the beginning of June.

Don’t you see tendencies for transferring of the unrest into “the
Turkish spring” similar to the “Arab spring”?

The ongoing unrest in Turkey is not ‘a Turkish spring,’ as Erdogan and
his government came to power in a legal and civilized way all the three
terms. The most organized forces among the Arab spring protesters were
Islamists. Therefore, Islamists have largely come to power as a result
of those protests. In Turkey, the situation is different. Nevertheless,
there is something that connects it with the Arab spring. I mean social
media, social networks, flash mobs that are organized to awaken certain
groups of the population and consolidate them around activists. .

It is not for nothing that Recep Erdogan called Twitter and Facebook
the key enemies of the Turkish public. By data of 2012, 32 out of
36 million Turkish users have Facebook accounts. In this context,
Twitter and Facebook – all that connects the Arab revolutions and
the unrest in Turkey.

By the way, what Turkey does the West need today? And does Erdogan’s
government suit the USA?

The availability of Erdogan’s government in Turkey suits the USA,
first of all, which own any levers of influence at the situation.

Washington is behind Erdogan, as just the AKP (Justice and Development
Party) was ensuring Turkey’s stability. Just Erdogan is, in general,
conducting the policy in the course of the American policy in the
Middle East. I think that just for this reason the USA has already
used its levers with a purpose of localization of the protesting
movement in Turkey. By the way, this a difference of the situation
between Turkey and the “Arab spring.

The opposition blames Erdogan for the attempts to Islamize Turkey
even more. There is a viewpoint according to which today the USA is
also interested in islamization of Turkey…

I would not sex up the interest of the USA in islamization of Turkey
and strengthening of the Sunit vector, taking into consideration
the fact that the USA does not own the levers which would allow
it to seriously promote enhancing of sunizm like a contradiction
to shiizm in Iran. The USA is simply interested in Erdogan like a
geo-political player, which in general is playing according to their
rules. As for Erdogan, he is directly interested in islamization of
Turkey. In fact, a new elite group has come to the power, in which
AKP is just a visible political part. Different muslims groups have
been functioning within the party, which were removed from the power
for a long period of time during the regime of Ataturkists in Turkey.

You said about the role of servicemen…

I think that in the political sense today’s role of servicemen is
nullified. And Erdogan’s policy directed at isolation of servicemen
from policy has brought its fruits.

The participation of Turkey in the events in Syria is considered to
be one of the main reasons of displeasure in the Turkish society. What
do you think?

As for Turkey’s participation in the events in Syria, we can notice
a certain link, but in this context, the displeasure of the Turkish
society finds room in the general displeasure with foreign policy
conducted by Erdogan. We were witnesses of demonstrations against
direct or even indirect participation of Turkey in the civil war in
Syria, in Istanbul and other Turkish towns especially the bordering
ones.

The official Baku has not yet reacted at the processes in Turkey. What
are the reasons of that?

The reason of the close-mouth approach of official Baku towards the
last domestic political processes in Turkey is the fear that Turkish
unrest may transfer to Azerbaijan especially on the threshold of
the presidential election in October. I think that one may expect
such impulses in the domestic political life of Azerbaijan. The
demonstrators in Turkey overcame the most important – the fear of state
and force using. This is for the first time that in Turkey the crowd
did not step back because of force using. And despite everything, the
people are at Taksim. And the absence of fear of force and repressions
may transfer to Azerbaijan and become a serious problem for its
authorities. And the authorities of Baku understand it very well.

Aliyev is again going to run for president and his wife has become
a deputy chairperson of “Ani Azerbaijan” party. This is evidence of
endlessness of the political course of the Aliyevs and Pashayevs…

Actually, there are no signs of changing and everything will
develop the way it used to develop for many years. It is obvious that
everything will develop according to the known scenario drawn out for
many years. And aggressive rhetoric of Baku’s leadership, which is
an indivisible part of their policy, will also continue the same way.

There are just several months before the election. Anyway, the
authorities will still hold out thanks to these slogans for that
period of time.

What are the most possible option of the scenario of further
development of events in Turkey?

I thought that immediately after returning from Africa, Erdogan will
call on his supporters to come to the square, but this did not happen
although there were all the signs for that. It is very much possible
that somebody managed to beguile him out of this spontaneous step,
as in case of an open confrontation between Erdogan’s supporters and
opponents, it will be hard to avoid split of Turkey. Nevertheless,
demonstrations will be held though not so much organized to avoid
clashes. The majority in Turkey are Erdogan’s supporters. For this
reason, he said he can easily gather a million of protestors. For
this reason, I think that the protest movement in Turkey will come
to nothing.

More or less progressive part of the Turkish society gathered at
Taksim. May a problem of the Armenian genocide recognition get a new
impulse at least in these layers of the Turkish society?

It is not ruled out. But stemming from a bitter historical experience,
the Armenians must not forget that the entire history of the Ottoman
empire and Turkey has taught the Armenian people that usually similar
events end in pogroms of the Armenians. At present, a known historian
Taner Akcham and other Turks have arrived from Europe and the USA to
Istanbul to take part in the last events. Akcham together with his
likeminded people have initiated to build a temporary monument to
the victims of the Armenian genocide at Taksim.

But other groups of the protesting movement were “against” it, saying
this may damage the whole movement.

REMNANT OF SAINT STEPHEN TO BE TAKEN TO NAMESAKE CHURCH IN ARMENIAN VILLAGE

June 20, 2013 | 12:49

Sunday is day of pilgrimage to Surb Stepanos (Saint Stephen) Church
of Chknagh village in Armenia’s Aragatsotn Region.

On this occasion, the remnant of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr,
which is kept at the museum of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
will be taken to Surb Stepanos Church.

During the Holy Liturgy at the church, the faithful will get an
opportunity to connect with the remnant of the saint and to receive
a blessing.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

WILL ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS BE SENT TO MALI?

The Armenian side discussed with Italy the details of the participation
of Armenian peacekeepers in UNIFIL under the Italian command. It
has been stated recently that Armenia agreed to take part in the
operations.

It was also noted that Armenia will send peacekeepers to Africa,
probably to Mali.

Armenian peacekeepers are involved in peacekeeping actions in
Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. As of now, thanks God, we have had no
victims; only an Armenian soldier was injured in Iran. But Mali is
different and Armenia needs to hold public hearings to decide whether
to send our troops to this country.

The violent conflict between the Tuareg and governmental troops
is going on there. The Tuareg fight for autonomy and say they are
discriminated for their white skin. The Islamists are also rampant
in the country, and the French troops are at war with them. France
intends to transfer the peacekeeping functions to the UN. The UN
plans to place in Mali a peacekeeping contingent of 12,000 troops
on the eve of the elections scheduled on July 28. Apparently, the
Armenian peacekeepers will be among them.

11:26 20/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

SYRIAN REBELS REPORTEDLY GET FIRST HEAVY WEAPONS

June 20, 2013 – 13:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The first new heavy weapons have arrived on Syria’s
front lines following President Barack Obama’s decision to put Western
military might behind the official opposition, rebels have told The
Daily Telegraph.

Rebel sources said Russian-made Konkurs anti-tank missiles had been
supplied by America’s key Gulf ally, Saudi Arabia. They have already
been used to destructive effect and may have held up a promised
assault on Aleppo.

A handful of the missiles were already in use and in high demand
after opposition forces looted them from captured bases, The Daily
Telegraph says.

More have now arrived, confirming reports that the White House has
lifted an unofficial embargo on its Gulf allies sending heavy weapons
to the rebels.

Last week, the White House stated it would send military support to
Syria’s opposition after concluding that President Bashar al-Assad’s
forces had used chemical agents against them.

Unlike rocket-propelled grenades, the Konkurs – Contest in English –
can penetrate the Assad’s most advanced tanks, Russian-made T72s.

“We now have supplies from Saudi Arabia,” a rebel source said. “We have
been told more weapons are on their way, even higher-end missiles.”

At the G8 this week Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, condemned
the West’s attempts to send arms to the opposition, even though he
did not rule out fulfilling existing arms contracts with the regime.

Meanwhile, on Syria’s front lines, rebels are already using Russian
missiles to destroy the regime’s Russian tanks.

168 HOURS: FOR NOW, INVESTIGATION SAYS NOTHING ABOUT WHETHER FORMER SYUNIK GOVERNOR’S ARMS ARE LEGAL

11:32 20/06/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

The Investigation Service of Armenian Defense Ministry cannot say
yet whether the arms seized from the home of former Syunik governor
are legal, Mary Sargsyan, senior officer of the Public Relations
Department of the Investigation Service, has told 168 Hours daily.

“An expertise is underway, relevant information is being obtained,
an investigation is being carried out. For this moment, we have
nothing to say,” she added.

Source: Panorama.am

CONFERENCE A L’OCCASION DU 90E ANNIVERSAIRE DU TRAITE DE LAUSANNE

La salle du Conseil communal a Lausanne accueille samedi après-midi
une conference a l’occasion du 90e anniversaire du Traite de Lausanne,
qui scella les frontières de la Turquie moderne. Le depute kurde Altan
Tan et Mithat Sancar, professeur de droit a l’Universite d’Ankara,
seront presents.

Signe le 24 juillet 1923, le Traite de Lausanne a faconne les
frontières du Moyen-Orient. Il a enterre pour longtemps le reve des
Kurdes d’avoir leur propre Etat autonome.

Les intervenants, en provenance de Suisse, de France et de Turquie,
debattront des consequences de ce Traite dans une perspective de
changements en Turquie et au Moyen-Orient. Ils debattront aussi de
l’actualite politique de la Turquie, a annonce l’Association pour le
Fonds Kurde Ismet Cherif Vanly (AFKICV), qui organise la conference.

Ne a Damas, Ismet Cherif Vanly a vecu a Lausanne de 1948 jusqu’a sa
mort en 2011. Il a preside le premier Parlement kurde en exil. Cet
ecrivain, historien et homme d’actions a legue a la Bibliothèque
cantonale et universitaire vaudoise (BCU) un important Fonds – plus
de 3500 documents -, que l’AFKICV entend valoriser.

jeudi 20 juin 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LES JEUNES D’ARMENIE SUR LA TRACE DE MONTE MELKONIAN – PHOTOS

Le dimanche 16 juin a Erevan, le vingtième anniversaire de la
tragique disparition de Monte Melkonian, figure de proue de la lutte
armee contre l’Etat turc dans les annees 1980 et l’un des eminents
combattants de la guerre de liberation du Karabagh, a occasionne
une journee complète de commemoration par la nouvelle generation
des activistes d’Armenie integres dans des mouvements citoyens de
contestation, en collaboration avec le Fonds Monte Melkonian. Cette
journee de commemoration a commence avec une messe de requiem
a l’eglise Zoravor, en presence de celle qui fut sa femme (Seta
Melkonian) et de bon nombre de ses ex-camarades de combat (aussi bien
ceux avec qui il avait commence son action en diaspora qu’avec ceux
du Karabagh).

Ensuite, exhibant des drapeaux tricolores et chantant des chansons
patriotiques, plusieurs dizaines de jeunes (et des moins jeunes)
ont marche de l’entree du pantheon militaire de Yèraplour jusqu’a la
tombe de Monte. La, Seta Melkonian, Alec Yenikomèchyan (ex-camarade de
combat de Monte et actuel directeur du Fonds Monte Melkonian), ainsi
que Yèghia Nersisyan (activiste du mouvement ecologique pan-armenien
et du Pre- Parlement) ont brièvement pris la parole pour souligner
l’humanisme, la droiture, le souci ecologique ainsi que les aptitudes
militaires de Monte Melkonian. Après quoi les jeunes ont rejoint le
centre-ville et se sont rendus a pied par les rues de la capitale
jusqu’a la salle où devait se tenir la soiree commemorative, au
Theâtre de marionnettes de l’avenue Sayat Nova.

Cette soiree, qui etait animee par Tigrane Khezmalian (cineaste et
membre du Pre-Parlement), a dure plus de deux heures. Elle a ete
ponctuee par les discours de Seta Melkonian et de Vahan Batasyan
(camarade de combat de Monte au Karabagh), par la projection d’un
court metrage retracant le parcours de Monte Melkonian, et par un
volet artistique constitue par les prestations du groupe de danses
traditionnelles Karine, de la chorale de chants patriotiques Koussan
Haygazoun, et du chanteur Arsen Ghamparyan. La soiree s’est poursuivie
avec un discours memorable d’Alec Yenikomèchyan exhortant la jeunesse
d’Armenie et de la Diaspora a suivre l’exemple de Monte afin de pouvoir
realiser ses ideaux. Le mot de la fin est revenu a Yèghia Nersisyan,
le jeune porte parole du Mouvement ecologique pan armenien : ” Tout
a ete dit. Il reste a travailler et croire a ce que l’on fait…Je
suis sûr qu’aujourd’hui l’âme de Monte et celle de ses compagnons
etaient parmi nous et qu’elles nous ont parle. Cette soiree sera a
jamais gravee dans l’esprit de chacun d’entre nous “.

Avec cette journee, c’est le passage de flambeau a la jeune generation
qu’on a vu se derouler sous nos yeux. Et la lutte continue…

Schanth Vosgueritchian (Erevan)

jeudi 20 juin 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

ZHOGHOVURD: GOVERNMENT SPENT 1 MILLION AMD IN RESTAURANT

Wednesday,
June 19

“Zhoghovurd” paper says that the feast organized in Old Jrvezh
Restaurant in early June by Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
cost the state budget almost 1 million AMD.

The government paid 920 thousand drams. “It is unknown who the guests
were. There was no information on the government’s official website
about a reception of foreign delegations or guests at that time. Did
the prime minister dine with his friends only? “the paper asks,
noting that in addition, 800 thousand AMD was spent on catering of
government guests.

TODAY, 12:13

Aysor.am

JOSTLING FOR SUCCESSOR?: PRIME MINISTER IN THE BALANCE AS STRUGGLE FOR GEOPOLITICAL ORIENTATION, FUTURE PRESIDENT ON IN ARMENIA

POLITICS | 19.06.13 | 10:46

Photo:

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

Several domestic political scandals fraught with high-profile
resignations are arising in Armenia. Despite the fact that the country
has no tradition of resignations based on violations or alleged
violations of ethical and legal norms and standards, recent media
disclosures of offshore accounts could cost Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan his position considering other undercurrent processes.

Online newspaper Hetq conducted a journalist investigation and last
month published an article suggesting that Sargsyan is a stakeholder
of a Cyprus-registered company involved in some ‘murky dealings’.

While the prime minister is trying to prove that he was not aware
of the company being registered in his name, on Tuesday businessman
Ashot Sukiasyan, whose name also figured in the article in connection
with the deals, admitted that he registered the company in Sargsyan’s
name without the prime minister’s knowledge. Earlier, Sargsyan asked
the Prosecutor-General’s Office to inquire into who had registered
Wlispera Holdings Limited and how his name appeared in the list of
its shareholders. Recently, a case was opened against Sukiasyan,
whose whereabouts are apparently not known, and he was put on the
‘wanted’ list.

However, the opposition political parties, in particular, the Armenian
National Congress and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, actively
raise questions and doubt the innocence of the prime minister.

Law-enforcement authorities are silent. President Serzh Sargsyan does
not express his position either.

While the offshore scandal was unfolding, another one emerged
as the Control Chamber published its report on violations and
abuse of government funds revealed in 2012. In particular, it
said that building organizations were often spending budget funds
inappropriately, sometimes paying for material ten times as much
as the market price. Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, a senior
member of President Sargsyan’s Republican Party, was quick to blame
the government, lashing out at “plunderers’ of public money.

The Armenian media have already branded this process a campaign against
the prime minister. Despite the validity of the charges and the lack
of counterarguments on the part of Tigran Sargsyan, the course of the
scandals suggests that there might be forces that consistently work
for Sargsyan’s resignation. There could be lots of forces interested
in that, first of all Russia and advocates of the pro-Russian course
in Armenia, as well as the forces that challenge Tigran Sargsyan’s
‘leadership’ within the Republican Party.

The current prime minister is considered to be perhaps the only
apologist of the pro-European course of development and the signing
of the Association Agreement with the European Union within Armenia’s
establishment. He also acts as mouthpiece when it comes to rejecting
persistent offers from Russian about accession to the Customs Union
and the Eurasian Union – Kremlin-advocated integration projects for
ex-Soviet states. And the closer it draws to November, when Armenia
is due to initial its Association Agreement with the EU, the stronger
becomes the pressure on the prime minister.

Add to this the fact that technocrat Sargsyan is deemed to be
the most likely candidate for presidency in Armenia in 2018. The
Constitution bars incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan from seeking a
third consecutive term and the jostle for the successor has already
started within the ruling party. In this regard, the ‘conservative’
or rather ‘oligarchic’ wing of the Republican Party led by Hovik
Abrahamyan appears to have launched a crusade against Tigran Sargsyan.

It is unlikely to be a coincidence that recently reports appeared in
the media that the Prosperous Armenia Party could again become part
of the governing coalition and its leader, tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan,
who is in-laws with Abrahamyan, could be appointed prime minister.

Considering this, the prospect of Prime Minister Sargsyan’s
resignation becomes real, and now everyone is waiting for President
Serzh Sargsyan’s word. But everyone clearly understands that the issue
is not only about Tigran Sargsyan, but rather about Armenia’s future
geopolitical orientation and president.

MARSEILLE A RENDU HOMMAGE A LA CULTURE ARMENIENNE

Dans le cadre de la Semaine de l’excellence Franco-Armenienne, un
” Hommage a la Culture ” a ete rendu le 18 juin devant le khatchkar
armenien au Parc Borely de Marseille (8e). En presence de S.E.

L’Ambassadeur d’Armenie en France, Viguen Tchitetchian, Levon
Davdyan vice-consul d’Armenie a Marseille, Ohan Hekimian, Chevalier
des Hospitaliers de Saint-Lazare de Jerusalem et representant de
la region du Lori (Armenie) en France, Didier Parakian, Adjoint au
Maire de Marseille, representant le senateur maire Jean-Claude Gaudin,
Arthur Nalbandian, gouverneur de la region de Lori (Armenie). D’autres
personnalites du monde politique et des representants d’associations
etaient egalement presentes. Après le ” Haïr Mer ” (Notre Père
en armenien) avec la presence de la chorale Sahak Mesrop dirigee
par Khatchig Yilmazian, Ohan Hekimian presenta l’objectif de la
manifestation culturelle dediee a l’amitie franco-armenienne. Puis
Patrick Donabedian, Maître de Conference a l’Universite d’Aix-Marseille
fit un bref rappel de la culture armenienne et des liens historiques
entre la France et l’Armenie.

Puis Didier Parakian, Adjoint au Maire, delegue au developpement
des entreprises marseillaises a l’exportation et President-delegue
de Marseille-Armenie, presenta les relations entre Marseille et
l’Armenie, deux villes liees depuis trente ans deja par un accord
de cooperation. Didier Parakian a egalement rappele le cadre de
Marseille, capitale europeenne de la Culture ne 2013 avec la Semaine
de l’excellence franco-armenienne. Des manifestations qui se deroulent
au Pavillon M dont Didier Parakian a la charge, a quelques pas de la
Mairie de Marseille.

Krikor Amirzayan a Marseille, texte et reportage-photo

mercredi 19 juin 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com