Author: Badalian Vardan

NEW HEARING OF PERINcEK VS. SWITZERLAND ON JAN. 28

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 23 2015

Workers’ Party (Ä°P) Chairman Dogu Perincek. (Photo: Today’s Zaman)

January 23, 2015, Friday/ 17:58:52/ MULEYKE BARUTCU / ISTANBUL

The case of Workers’ Party (Ä°P) Chairman Dogu Perincek v. Switzerland,
which determined that calling the declaration of the mass killings
of Armenians during Ottoman rule in 1915 a genocide “an international
lie” cannot constitute a criminal offence in Switzerland, will again
be heard at the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) on Jan. 28.

The hearing comes after Switzerland’s objections were accepted by
the ECtHR. Switzerland is one of the countries that recognize the
1915 events that led to the mass killings of Armenian minorities of
the Ottoman Empire as genocide and accepted the law that legitimizes
its denial as crime. Perincek made statements during a lecture tour
in Switzerland in 2007 in the Swiss cities of Bern and Lozan calling
the Armenian genocide “an international lie.” A Swiss court charged
Perincek for violating the rules intentionally and sentenced him to
90 days imprisonment.

Turkey accepts that many Armenians died during World War I in Ottoman
Turkey in 1915 but denies that up to 1.5 million were killed and
that it constituted an act of genocide — a term used by many Western
historians, foreign parliaments and Armenians worldwide.

Perincek’s appeals against the Swiss judgment were rejected several
times, although later his sentence of imprisonment was replaced
with a fine. In 2008, Perincek appealed to the ECtHR claiming that
Switzerland was “limiting freedom of expression.” Perincek won the
case five years later on Dec. 17, 2013 when the ECtHR ruled against
Switzerland, determining that denying that the mass killings of
Armenians in 1915 amounted to a genocide was not a criminal offence.

In 2014, human rights organizations called for the Swiss government to
reject the ECtHR’s decision. In June of the same year Switzerland’s
appeal was accepted by the ECtHR, with a hearing date scheduled for
Jan. 28, 2015.

Eren Keskin, head of the Human Rights Association (Ä°HD), which will be
heard as a third-party intervention during the hearing, has said that
the issue is not whether the Armenian genocide should be recognized
legally but instead whether, “Perincek’s expressions pave the way to
racism and discrimination.”

IS THE LEADER OF DJAVAKHETI EXTREMISTS FORMING AN ARMED GROUP?

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Jan 23 2015

23 January 2015 – 11:27am

Giorgi Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

Karina Grigoryan, a former police officer, an Honor Decoration
holder, has made a sensational statement. She told the mass media
about the plans of the well-known figure Vaagan Chakhalyan to form in
Djavakheti (a region in southern Georgia where the Armenian population
dominates) an armed group for committing terrorist attacks. “According
to information of my source, Chakhalyan plans riots in the region. He
has already gathered an armed group (60-70 people) and sets ultimatums
to the current authorities,” Grigoryan says. According to her, “if
Chakhalyan fulfills his ideas in practice, I state that it will be
the fault of the current authorities due to their thoughtless steps;
they have been warned many times that Chakhalyan is a threat to the
region, and his release from jail would be a mistake.”

She is a significant figure, as well as Chakhalyan. One of the last
orders of former president Saakashvili was to award Karina Grigoryan
with the highest decoration of Georgia – the Honor Decoration. The
presidential administration quickly invited accredited journalists
to the great hall of the Ablabar Palace to “an important event.”

Saakashvili personally stated about a noble gesture by “a true citizen
of Georgia”, Karina Grigoryan – she resigned and left the Department
of Counterintelligence of the Interior Ministry in protest against
the release of Vaagan Chakhalyan from jail, according to a decision
of the new parliament.

The ruling Georgian Dream coalition came to power in October 2012
and amnestied two-thirds of all prisoners, including those who were
accused of extremism, espionage, and anti-government activities.

Later, the leaders of Georgian Dream explained that this was due to
the fact that Vaagan Chakhalyan was sentenced to jail for several
years not for separatism or formation of armed groups, but for a
fight in one of the Djavakheti state facilities, i.e. for hooliganism.

It seems Karina Grigoryan as an employee of the special services
knew about the activities of Chakhalyan in detail, dealt with him,
and that’s why she decided to resign. Former president Saakashvili,
who had only nominal power by that time (at least he could award
people), decided to mark the patriotic deed by a citizen who “rose
above ethnic nationalism”, as he said when he awarded Karina Grigoryan
with the highest decoration.

Then Saakashvili and Chakhalyan’s roads crossed. When the president
visited Akhalkalaki, the administrative center of Djavakheti,
Chakhalyan came to him (we admit that he is a very bold person)
together with a group of supporters and began to ask him rhetorical
questions about “an unfair trial,” “dictatorship,” and “violation of
Armenians’ rights in Djavakheti.”He spoke in Georgian, even though
he didn’t speak the language before his arrest. He studied the state
language in jail; and his teachers were other prisoners.

“Why don’t you return our churches? Why do you blow them up?”

Chakhalyan asked the president of Georgia. The guard didn’t stop him,
as Saakashvili gave them a sign not to interfere in “the dialogue”.

Then the communicators began to speak Russian. The dialogue ended with
a blow-up. “Do you think it’s you who should judge me?” Saakashvili
attacked. “I will listen to all citizens, but I won’t let such people
as you teach me morality.” In the end, Chakhalyan ran away, shouting
“Misha, go to Turkey! Misha – to Turkey!”

Is it realistic that Chakhalyan manages to form a group of 60-70
people for an armed struggle aimed at the separation of Djavakheti
from Georgia? The Interior Ministry of the country states that the
situation in the region is under control, and there are no threats
of any incidents, let alone armed riots. Djavakheti hasn’t seen
demonstrations with political slogans for a long time, it is true.

However, journalists don’t know where Chakhalyan is or what he is
doing. They couldn’t find him after the sensational statement by
Karina Grigoryan. We hope that the law-enforcement agencies are aware
of his activities and the place where he is located.

TURKEY’S PAST AND FUTURE COLLIDE: WHY 2015 IS A CRITICAL YEAR

CBC News, Canada
Jan 23 2015

ISIS, Syrian refugees and Kurdish unrest all factors in the year ahead

By Nil Koksal, CBC News

Turkey’s past and possible future seem to be picking a fight once
again.

Istanbul and Ankara saw major gatherings this week that show the kind
of year 2015 will be in Turkey, and why it matters.

In the nation’s capital on Monday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan did something
a Turkish president hasn’t done in 15 years. He held a meeting with
cabinet – an eight-and-a-half hour one at that.

This is big news here, because it is usually the prime minister, not
the president in his largely ceremonial role, who meets with ministers.

There were assurances Erdogan would not be making a habit of this. But
tell that to those who are concerned the president is tightening his
grip on power.

The governing AK (Justice & Development) Party puts this under the
banner of what it calls a “New Turkey.” Critics aren’t convinced.

They point to ongoing media censorship as one example of Erdogan’s
style of rule. Just this week, members of his party presented a new
bill that, if passed, would allow the government to shut down any
website it wants for “protection of public order.”

Turkey’s Twitter ban lifted after top court shoots it down

They are concerned Erdogan’s vision is far too reminiscent of Turkey’s
Ottoman past – a time of conquests, empire and single-leader rule.

Remembering the past

Part of that past once again reverberated through the streets of
Istanbul this week, where thousands gathered to remember Hrant Dink.

In 2007, the Armenian-Turkish newspaper editor was murdered outside
the paper’s Istanbul offices by a teenager now serving a 22-year
sentence. It is believed he didn’t act alone, but there is still no
clear picture of who helped orchestrate the crime.

As Dink mourners marched on the eighth anniversary of his death,
authorities announced the arrest of the former chief of intelligence
for the Trabzon police, who allegedly, along with other authorities,
ignored evidence of an imminent threat to the editor.

The arrest is not enough for Armenian Turks, however, who demand
answers not just for Dink’s murder, but for deaths that occurred 100
years ago.

This year marks the centenary of the killings of Armenian Turks
in 1915. In recent years, the Turkish government has taken steps
to improve relations with Armenia. It offered formal condolences,
but will not use the word genocide.

Armenian genocide: Conciliatory statement from Turkey PM rejected

Canada is among several countries that do, however, and Armenian
Turks demand the same of the country they still call home. As the
April anniversary of the massacres approaches, those demands are
likely to become louder.

A new strategy abroad

On the home front, Turkey is also grappling with a resurgence of
Kurdish violence in the southeast, the threat of the Islamic State
in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) at its border and a Syrian refugee crisis.

At the same time, Turkey continues to assert itself abroad.

Prime Minister (and former foreign minister) Ahmet Davutoglu looks
increasingly comfortable on the world stage. He is currently at
the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, ending Erdogan’s
long-standing boycott of the summit, which helps pave the way for
the G20 summit, which Turkey is hosting this year.

Earlier this week, Davutoglu met with British Prime Minister David
Cameron as well as British Muslim leaders to tackle the issue of
growing Islamophobia in Europe.

President Erdogan confronted concerns over ISIS in an address
to international Muslim leaders in Istanbul on Wednesday, asking
rhetorically where these extremists are “getting the authority” to
commit murder in the name of Islam, given that the Muslim faith does
not support such acts.

Charlie Hebdo attack: Hayat Boumeddiene may be in Syria Turkey denies
deal reached with U.S. on airbase use in ISIS fight

There has been criticism from the West that Turkey hasn’t said or
done enough to stem the rise of ISIS. Turkish officials say the vast
900-kilometre southern border separating the country from ISIS-held
areas in Syria is a clear example of how difficult stopping the
Islamic extremists, and preserving Turkey’s own security, can be.

A poll from Istanbul’s Kadir Has University found that 93.2 per cent
of Turks surveyed view ISIS as a terror organization, and 82.3 per
cent see ISIS as a serious threat to Turkey.

Turkish authorities say they’ve stopped thousands of potential
threats from getting through. Yet among the threats Turkey says it
has identified, the world is concerned with the ones that may have
gotten away.

Turkey has always been wedged tightly in a temperamental region,
but this space is now more volatile than ever. How well the country
navigates domestic challenges and the dangers on its doorstep, and how
it balances planning its future while addressing its past, will define
the year ahead. The entire region’s security may well depend on it.

MONOPOLIZATION OF ECONOMY INTENSIFIES, FORMER ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS

January 23, 2015 14:21

Former President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Former President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said
that current Armenian economy gives no cause for optimism.

Robert Kocharyan stated it in an interview with 2rd.am website
commenting on the December devaluation of national currency (dram)
and the overall economic situation.

“There should not be such correlation of dram and the Russian ruble.

However, given the moods and downbeat expectations, even the minor
speculations might result in panic among people and play a critical
role, irrespective of the seemingly stable financial situation.

Pro forma, the Central Bank of Armenia is accountable for the dynamics
of the national currency and it committed a series of efforts to
stabilize dram within its areas of competence. However, the December
situation showed that those efforts were apparently insufficient –
urgent and coordinated measures of all governmental institutions as
well as employment of monetary, fiscal and administrative tools to
address the situation were required. Judging by the results, those
measures were piecemeal and late”, said the former Armenian President.

He noted that “dram rate reflects Armenia’s overall economic situation
and balance of payments”.

“Their deterioration will depreciate dram, while their improvement
will enhance it. Dram cannot exist all by itself in isolation from
the economy. In any case, sharp currency fluctuations putting the
country’s financial system in jeopardy, undermining trust to the
national currency and hitting our citizens in their pockets are
inadmissible”, said Robert Kocharyan.

He noted that the “downgrade of Armenia’s sovereign rating by Moody’s
will lead to an increase in the external borrowing cost, especially
considering that the external debt has already gone off-scale”.

“The EEU economy will be in recess in the mid-term, which means it
will be harder to occupy a significant niche in it. The strongly
cheapened ruble will considerably change the trade structure with
Russia but not in favor of our goods. Serious Russian investments are
less likely – the sanctions have caused them to face issues related to
the refinancing of Western loans. Our EEU membership has made us less
attractive for Western companies. It’s yet not clear what will happen
with our trade volumes with Iran. World market prices on non-ferrous
metals are predicted not to grow, rather on the contrary. The
recent tighter regulations for Armenian banks will result in rise
in the cost of borrowed money, thus loans to businesses will also
go up. The monopolization of economy intensifies, the investment
volumes constantly decline and the investment activity degrades”,
said Robert Kocharyan.

Answering the question on ways to overcome this situation, the former
President said:

“First off, the authorities should admit there are fundamental issues
and should dispose themselves to a frank dialog with the society
and business on the current situation in the country and ways to
overcome the crisis. Trust is the most important condition for the
success of any action of the authorities, and it is virtually absent
today. The country needs shakedown and for sure, it does not refer
to the constitutional reforms. I will not list the set of overt and
necessary steps. In my opinion, there are enough people in Armenia,
and in the government as well, who at least understand what should
be done in the first place. The biggest obstacle to success will be
the conflict of the political elite’s economic interests with the
country’s long-term interests”.

LA PRESENCE POLICIERE A GYUMRI RENFORCEE

ARMENIE

La police armenienne a renforce la securite autour des bâtiments
gouvernementaux cles et des installations russes a Gyumri dans le
cadre d’une anticipation apparente de nouvelles manifestations contre
le massacre d’une famille impute a un soldat russe.

Plusieurs dizaines de cars de la police speciale sont entres dans la
ville armenienne peu de temps avant et après l’annonce officielle de
la mort de Seryozha Avetisian, 6 mois la septième victime du bain de
sang du 12 janvier. Les renforts de police sont arrives après une
reunion a Gyumri de responsables gouvernementaux et de la securite
superieure. Elle etait presidee par Vladimir Gasparian, le chef
de la police nationale. Le Colonel Andrey Ruzinsky, le commandant
d’une base militaire russe dont le siège est dans la ville, etait
egalement present. Aucun des participants n’a fait de declaration
publique après la reunion.

Un porte-parole de la police a Erevan a nie que les forces de securite
etoffaient leur presence a Gyumri. Parlant au service armenien de RFE /
RL (Azatutyun.am), il a decrit l’envoi d’unites de police comme une
simple rotation du personnel.

La securite dans la ville avait deja ete renforcee après que des
manifestants en colère aient affronte la police anti-emeute près du
consulat russe a Gyumri. Un plus grand nombre de residents locaux
marcha sur la base russe exigeant que le soldat russe accuse d’avoir
tue les membres de la famille Avetisian soit remis aux organes
repressifs armeniens.

La police a augmente le nombre d’agents qui gardaient le consulat,
la base russe et le complexe residentiel des officiers russes et de
leurs familles.

Lundi, le gouverneur de la province du Shirak, dont Gumri est la
capitale, a ajoute sa voix aux appels de plus en plus nombreux pour
que Permyakov soit juge par un tribunal armenien, plutôt qu’un tribunal
militaire russe. > a declare Felix Tsolakian au service
armenien de RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am).

> a declare Tsolakian. > a-t-il ajoute.

vendredi 23 janvier 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

AKUNQ VILLAGE LANDLORD DEPRIVED OF OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART IN TSARASAR GOLD MINE HEARINGS

17:07 January 22, 2015

EcoLur

On 16 January 2015 the public hearings on the environmental impact
assessment of Tsarasar gold mining project were held at Akunq Rural
Municipality submitted by “Armenian International Gold” LLC.

Tsarasar gold mine is located in the drainage basin of Lake Sevan,
which is located in the upper streams of the Masrik River.

“The main concerns of the residents are connected with the springs
of drinking water, but it turned out during the hearings that these
springs are not related to the area,” Nature Protection Ministry
“Environmental Expertise” SNCO expert Heriqnaz Lazarian said in
her telephone conversation with EcoLur. “There are no leased areas,
these are community areas and the community head provides them to
the company for investigations,” Heriqnaz Lazarian said.

EcoLur spoke with the residents and found out from Papin Hambardzumyan
that “International Gold” Company owned by an Avetiq Arzoyan has
already intruded into the land areas he leases causing pecuniary
damage. Papin Hambardzumyan was not informed about the public
hearings held on 16 January, and consequently, he didn’t take part
in the hearings and didn’t read any official document: “The village
head said that area was prospected in the Soviet period and is under
Avetiq Arzoyan’s discretion, all in all – 360 ha, nothing about my land
areas,” Papin Hambardzumyan said and added he will find out whether
or not the aforementioned company is going to operate in his area.

Under the prospecting of Tsarasar reserves, the concentration of
Tsarasar gold in one ton makes up several dozens grams.

UN AUTRE MILITANT ATTAQUE A EREVAN

ARMENIE

Un autre militant très critique du pouvoir en Armenie a ete battu et
hospitalise a Erevan durant le week-end dernier dans une attaque dont
il a accuse les autorites. Vilen Gabrielian, blogueur et militant
possedant son franc-parler, a dit qu’il a ete attaque par quatre
hommes masques dans le centre-ville samedi soir. Il a indique qu’ils
n’ont rien dit et l’ont frappe avec leurs poings et des bâtons en bois.

Vilen Gabrielian, qui est connu sous le nom de “Navak Chochogh”
(Bateau Rocker) sur les reseaux sociaux en ligne, a subi une commotion
cerebrale et de nombreuses blessures au visage et a la tete. Ses
entailles profondes ont ete recousues par les medecins dans un hôpital
Erevan où il a ete emmene peu de temps après l’agression.

La police armenienne a interroge Vilen Gabrielian, mais n’a pas ouvert
d’enquete penale. Elle n’a pas identifier les suspects dans l’attaque.

Vilen Gabrielian a attribue la violence a ses commentaires
anti-gouvernementaux diffusees regulièrement sur Internet. Il avait
pointe dans ses attaques verbales recentes Vladimir Gasparian, le
chef de la police nationale, en disant qu’il a declenche la violence
et d’un certain Artur Kirakosian dont les menaces verbales figurent
sur Facebook.

> a-t-elle affirme.

vendredi 23 janvier 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

EURO 26-MILLION ENPARD PROGRAM LAUNCHED TODAY IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, January 23. /ARKA/. ENPARD (European Neighborhood Program
for Rural Development Armenia) was launched today in Armenia.

Over a period of implementation of this three-year program run by the
European Union and the Austrian Development Agency, EURO 20 million
will be provided to the Armenian government as budgetary assistance
for sustainable and comprehensive development of rural communities.

Another EURO 5 million will be provided to the agriculture ministry
for supporting farming. In addition, the Austrian government will
provide EURO 1 million for implementing this program in Shirak,
Lori and Tavush provinces.

Armenian Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan
told journalists at the official ceremony.

In his words, this program is very important for Armenia’s agriculture
since it is mostly focused on strengthening capacity, establishing
cooperative farms, improving consultation system and enhancing food
safety, and income of the people working in the agriculture sector
will grow thanks to it.

Karapetyan said.

Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Ambassador Traian Hristea,
on his side, said that the European Union is pleased to provide
important financial assistance to Armenia’s agriculture, since it
is an important component of the country’s economy and residents of
rural areas are employed here.

He said food safety and availability of loans are top-priority
focuses. The EURO 20-milling budgetary assistance will be transferred
in three tranches – EURO 6 million in 2015, EURO 7 million in 2016
and EURO 7 million in 2017.

The program beneficiaries are rural communities, farms and
members of groups producing agricultural products. —0—–

DECLARATIONS DU PATRIARCHE LATIN DE JERUSALEM CONTRE LE NEGATIONNISME CONCERNANT LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

Selon l’agence de presse Fides une delegation d’Eveques et de pretres
de differentes Eglises de Jerusalem s’est rendue le 21 janvier en
visite au siège du Patriarcat armenien de Jerusalem afin de presenter
au Patriarche Narhoun Manoogian ses voeux pour Noël et le debut de
l’annee 2015, qui verra la commemoration du centenaire du Genocide
armenien. A Jerusalem, les armeniens celèbrent Noël et le Bapteme de
Notre Seigneur le 19 janvier.

Dans un bref salut, diffuse par les moyens de communication officiels
du Patriarcat latin de Jerusalem, le Patriarche de Jerusalem des
Latins, S.B. Fouad Twal, a souligne l’importance de l’evenement que
les armeniens s’appretent a commemorer dans le monde entier.

DOCTORS STRUGGLING TO SAVE THE LIFE OF INJURED SOLDIER

14:20, 23 Jan 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Doctors at Berd Hospital are struggling for the life of private
Hovhannes Avanesyan wounded in clashes with Azerbaijani forces this
morning, Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan
said in a Facebook post.

Two Armenians were killed, several others were wounded, as Azerbaijani
forces undertook a fresh intrusion attempt in the direction of Berd
(Tavush region).