Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

TURKEY, NAGORNO-KARABAKH AND THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

Today’s Zaman
Aug 28 2012
Turkey

At the end of last week, Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ~_lu was
quoted as saying he wanted Azerbaijan and Armenia to meet in Turkey
to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict because Ankara believes its
current policies, aimed at regional conflict settlement, have made
Turkey a leader in the region.

With the Syrian crisis and all the chaos that is presently going on
in the region, including the new wave of violence committed by the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), it seems a bit strange that DavutoÄ~_lu
would suddenly decide to raise the Karabakh issue. Furthermore,
the very suggestion is unrealistic and something of a non-starter,
simply because Turkey is not viewed as a neutral actor.

Therefore, the reaction from the deputy foreign minister of Armenia,
Shavarsh Kocharyan, came as little surprise. Kocharyan responded:
â~@~For the resolution of the conflict it would be productive if
Turkey could encourage Azerbaijan to negotiate with the real party to
the conflict, Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey at least should not continue
to support the everything-or-nothing position of Azerbaijan. If
the Turkish minister of foreign affairs truly wants to support the
settlement of the conflict, Turkey should not attempt to distort the
essence of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.â~@~]

While I would agree that Turkey cannot take on a role as mediator
because it supports Azerbaijan’s arguments, at the same time such a
response from Armenia would make one believe that Yerevan is working
around the clock to find a solution, which is clearly not the case.

Yerevan is not unhappy with the status quo. It continues to control the
internationally recognized Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh as
well as occupying a further seven surrounding provinces, with Yerevan
facing very little international criticism or external pressure. For
Azerbaijan, an independent Karabakh is not an option.

For Armenia, it is the only option. As the clocks ticks along,
the more entrenched the problem becomes, making the status quo more
difficult to change. This in turn leads to greater frustration in Baku
and more talk of taking back its lands by military force, which in
turn increases the siege mentality in Yerevan, locking the conflict
into a vicious circle. Turkey, being close to Azerbaijan and having
no diplomatic ties with Armenia, is far from well-placed to play a
mediating role in the conflict.

More broadly, Turkey would like to increase its influence in the
South Caucasus, a region of growing geostrategic importance and,
to this end, over the last few years, Turkey has strengthened ties
economically, politically and vis–vis security with both Azerbaijan
and Georgia. Ankara really stepped up efforts in the aftermath of the
August 2008 Russo-Georgia War, which shattered the political status
quo in the region. Turkey launched two initiatives that it hoped would
bring about greater regional stability as well as allowing Turkey to
play a larger role in regional conflicts, such as Nagorno-Karabakh.

The first was the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform and the
second a process of rapprochement with Armenia, with which Turkey has
had a closed border and no diplomatic ties since 1993. Both of these
initiatives also came at a time when Ankara’s relations with Russia
were witnessing a dramatic improvement. Indeed, Turkey’s foreign
policy in the South Caucasus will be considerably shaped by Ankara’s
relations with Russia and, to a lesser extent, the EU as it takes on
a great role there.

Alas, Ankara miscalculated and neither initiative bore fruit. The
failed rapprochement with Armenia — principally a consequence of
Turkey deciding to link it to progress over Karabakh — only served
to increase regional tensions and undermine international efforts
to resolve the Karabakh conflict, resulting in a stalling of peace
talks and increased cease-fire violations. Turkey underestimated the
reaction of Azerbaijan to rapprochement with Yerevan and the ability
of the Armenian diaspora to pressure Armenia’s leadership. Ankara’s
credibility was damaged, relations with Azerbaijan were shaken and
Armenia’s leadership declared Turkey dishonest and not to be trusted.

While Azerbaijan and Turkey repaired and even deepened their ties,
Yerevan went on to further increase security ties with Moscow, with
any new Turkish initiatives viewed more skeptically than ever.

As for the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform — aimed at
building confidence via the creation of a forum to establish dialogue
among the three countries of the South Caucasus, Turkey and Russia —
it never really got off the ground. Launched without much thought,
it received very little enthusiasm from most of those invited to join
and excluded important international actors such as the EU and US.

Therefore, it never really got off the starting block. If Turkey is
really serious about being a credible regional player, it needs to
find a way of getting its rapprochement with Armenia back on track
and without making any link to Nagorno-Karabakh, given that it has
been duly recognized that Ankara has no role to play in the solution
of this conflict.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY’S EU MINISTER ADVISES FRANCE NOT TO PLACE NONSENSICAL INFORMATION IN SCHOOL BOOKS

Anadolu Agency
Aug 27 2012
Turkey

France ANKARA (AA) – August 27, 2012 – Turkish Minister of EU
Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis on Monday advised not to
place nonsensical information in their school books. France Bagis’s
comments came in reaction to ‘s inclusion of Armenian allegations
pertaining to the incidents of 1915 in their school books during a
ceremony organized by the Turkish International Cooperation Agency
(TIKA) for the TIKA Academy and Internship Program in Ankara.

“Instead of placing nonsensical information in their school books,
we advise the French not to redefine their understanding of liberte
(liberty), egalite (equality) and fraternite (fraternity). We also
advise them to end the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia as
the co-chair of the Minsk Group,” Bagis stressed.

“The French are occupied with efforts to distract humans and how they
can help younger generations grow with hatred. We do hope that they
would turn back from their mistake very soon,” Bagis also said.

From: Baghdasarian

BAGIS REMINDS FRANCE OF ITS NATIONAL MOTTO

Turkish Press
Aug 28 2012

Turkey’s EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis has strongly
criticized the introduction of the alleged Armenian genocide into
history textbooks in France.

Speaking at a ceremony organized by the Turkish Cooperation and
Coordination Agency (TIKA) for the TIKA Academy and Internship Program
in Ankara, Bagis urged France to reexamine its understanding of their
own national motto based on the worthy precepts of liberty, equality
and fraternity.

“I hope they will soon realize this mistake and correct it,” Bagis
said, adding, “Turkey does not know what genocide is. Turkey knows
the phrase ‘peace at home, peace in the world,’ as the founder of
our republic [Mustafa Kemal] Ataturk said. We try to provide peace
all around the world; we try to give love. There was no colonial
system in the places where we had been before. There had always been
prosperity and tolerance the places that we went. Instead of placing
nonsensical information in their school books, we advise the French
not to redefine their understanding of liberte (liberty), egalite
(equality) and fraternite (fraternity). We also advise them to end
the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia as the co-chair of the
Minsk Group. We hope that Turkey will be a means for the European
Union to get out of the mental abyss it has fallen into.”

From: Baghdasarian

SOCIETY HONORS THOSE WHO PRESERVE THE PAST
By Joyce Rudolph

Glendale News Press
,0,4752220.story
Aug 28 2012
CA

The Glendale Historical Society recognized those who have made strides
in preserving the treasured past of the city during a summer meeting
Aug. 18 at the Alex Theatre. President Greg Grammer presented the
awards.

The Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles, Seeley’s Building and four
historic districts received preservation awards while Society Immediate
Past President John LoCascio received an award for his accomplishments
made during his three-year term. LoCascio played a major role in
Glendale’s adoption of its Historic District Overlay Zone Ordinance,
which established the process for the creation of historic districts.

The award to the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Los
Angeles recognized outstanding achievement in historic preservation
for architecturally sensitive additions and good stewardship of
its 1934 Spanish Colonial Revival building at 346 N. Central Ave.,
in Glendale. Consul General Grigor Hovhannissian accepted the award.

George Seeley Jr. received an award for the outstanding rehabilitation
work at the historic Seeley’s Furniture Building. Awards were also
given to each of the four Historic District Overlay Zones established
in Glendale in the past several years: Royal Boulevard Historic
District, Cottage Grove Historic District, Ard Eevin Highlands Historic
District and Rossmoyne Historic District.

From: Baghdasarian

ANC CANADA ANGERED OVER QUESTIONABLE MONUMENT

asbarez
Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

Armenian National Committee of Canada

OTTAWA-According to media reports and following months of unexplained
secrecy, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Ottawa’s National
Capital Commission have allowed the installation of a monument
reportedly commemorating the 30th anniversary of the killing of an
official of the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa.

Terrorism must be condemned, especially by countries and organizations
that work toward social justice and human rights. All Armenian-Canadian
organizations have and continue to condemn terrorism, be it terrorism
that is state-sponsored or terrorism committed by individuals or
groups.

It is, however, disappointing that the Turkish Government’s propaganda
and rhetoric directly and indirectly insinuates and associates the
said act with Armenians. No culprit has been apprehended for the act.

Nevertheless, Turkish authorities continue to make unfounded
accusations, and pressure Canadian authorities to focus unjustified
investigations on Armenian-Canadians that are an integral part of
the Canadian community.

Dr. Girair Basmadjian, President of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada expressed his concerns, stating: “We hope that this monument,
imported from Turkey in undue secrecy, does not create tensions
between communities in Canada. I question the intentions of the
sponsors. Considering that the monument was made and imported from
Turkey it would have been appropriate to have included the dedication
to victims of state sponsored terrorism.” Dr. Basmadjian added, “as
part of its decades-old tactics of denial of the Armenian Genocide,
Turkey continues to find ways of creating opportunities to deflect the
focus of attention from its responsibility as a Genocide perpetrator
and human rights abuser.”

The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range
of issues.

From: Baghdasarian

VIOLENTE CRITIQUE DE LA TURQUIE ENVERS LA FRANCE … QUI SAME LA HAINE
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mardi 28 aout 2012

Nabi Avci, president de la Commission de l’Education Nationale,
de la Culture, de la Jeunesse et des Sports, parlant au cours d’une
session parlementaire

Hollande inclut le ” Genocide Armenien ” (suite)

27 août 2012 / Ali Aslan Kilic, Ankara

Le president de la puissante commission de l’education a accuse le
gouvernement francais de semer le grain de la haine avec sa decision
d’inclure le soi-disant ” Genocide Armenien ” dans les livres
d’histoire-geographie de l’enseignement secondaire de France.

Navi Avci, president de la Commission de l’Education Nationale,
de la Jeunesse et des Sports, a dit ce lundi a ToDay’s Zaman dans
une interview telephonique que ” l’erosion de la culture francaise
” et le mouvement vers la droite radicale de la politique francaise
engagee par [l’ex-president] Sarkozy continue a influencer negativement
le système educatif francais. ”

” J’espère seulement que les intellectuels francais senses vont elever
la voix contre ce genre d’initiative qui sème les graines de la haine
dans les cerveaux des jeunes gens en France, ” a-t-il ajoute.

Un quotidien turc avait rapporte lundi que le Ministère de l’Education
francais avait decide d’inclure des chapitres sur le soi-disant
” Genocide Armenien ” dans les livres d’histoire et geographie en
usage dans les ecoles secondaires francaises – une initiative qui
pourrait une nouvelle fois affecter les relations avec la Turquie,
qui esperait que les liens tendus avec Paris pourraient etre changes
a la suite de l’election du nouveau president Francois Hollande.

Les etudiants francais etudiant l’histoire mondiale depuis 1910
liront egalement un chapitre appele ” Le Genocide Armenien “. Hollande
avait dit le mois precedent qu’il tiendrait sa promesse de campagne
electorale de rendre illegale la negation que le massacre des Armeniens
par les Turcs ottomans en 1915 soit un genocide.

Le degel des relations entre Paris et Ankara a commence après la
decision de la cour constitutionnelle de la France d’annuler la loi de
negation du genocide comme etant contraire a la liberte d’expression.

La Turquie avait annule toutes les reunions economiques, politiques
et militaires avec la France en decembre, après que le Parlement
francais ait vote en faveur du projet de loi. Lors d’une conference de
presse commune au debut du mois de juillet, le Ministre des Affaires
Etrangères Laurent Fabius a dit qu’il etait improbable qu’elle ne
soit ressuscitee et le Ministre des Affaires Etrangères turc Ahmet
Davutoglu avait salue l’ouverture d’une phase de rechauffement des
relations avec la France.

L’Armenie, soutenue par beaucoup d’historiens, dit qu’environ 1,5
million d’Armeniens ont ete tues dans l’est de la Turquie d’aujourd’hui
au cours de la Première Guerre Mondiale a la suite d’une politique
deliberee de genocide ordonnee par le gouvernement ottoman.

[…]

Traduction Gilbert Beguian pour Armenews

From: Baghdasarian

La Voix du Nord, France
mercredi 22 août 2012

La pianiste Varduhi Yeritsyan joue le « Carnaval de Schumann » à la
plage, pour les enfants

Montreuil – Un ciel bleu azur, strié de nuages blancs, cotonneux. Une
plage, déserte. Les vagues roulent sur elles-mêmes avec fracas. Les
mouettes plongent, nagent et s’envolent avec des cris suraigus. Au
beau milieu de ce vacarme, les premières notes d’un instrument à
cordes résonnent. Le pianiste joue de toute ses forces, de toute son
me, face à l’étendue d’eau salée et… Stop. Cette description c’est
le rêve que poursuit Yvan Offroy, directeur du festival des « Piano
Folies ». « C’est ça que je veux », martèle-t-il en montrant la
photographie d’un virtuose, assis au piano, sur le sable. Pourtant,
aujourd’hui, le souhait d’Yvan Offroy frôle la réalité. Les « Piano
Folies » seront (presque) sur la plage.

Loin de la pression des grandes salles De 11 heures à 17 heures,
pianistes et violonistes se produiront à la base nautique sud, face à
la mer. « L’idée, c’était de faire un programme varié pour cette
journée, tout en jouant dans un cadre original », explique Varduhi
Yeritsyan, pianiste et concertiste arménienne, dans un français
parfait. Née en Arménie, dans une famille de musiciens, la jeune femme
a découvert le piano à 5 ans. Et n’en a plus lché les touches noires
et blanches. C’est la troisième fois qu’elle participe aux « Pianos
Folies » : « J’ai eu un coup de coeur pour la station, on est bien
accueilli, et surtout loin de la pression des grandes salles »,
estime-t-elle.

Pantalon et Colombine Aujourd’hui, elle jouera pour un public
hétéroclite et démontrera que la musique classique est aussi réservée
aux plus jeunes. « Je vais jouer et en même temps expliquer aux
enfants le concert ». C’est le Carnaval de Schuman, oeuvre
emblématique du romantisme, qui a été choisi. Ses personnages, Pierrot
et Arlequin, Pantalon et Colombine, sont retranscrits par la musique.
Animée d’une volonté de fer, Varduhi Yeritsyan fera tout pour
conquérir les coeurs enfantins. Elle se désole, pourtant : « C’est
dommage que le grand public n’ait pas accès à la musique classique,
moi ça me désespère… Peut-être que les gens ont peur que ça soit
trop compliqué pour eux. Le secret, c’est d’y aller par étape, il faut
en faire un langage d’émotion qui soit compréhensible »MATHILDE
DONDEYNE Concerts à la plage, dans le cadre des « Pianos Folies » , à
la base nautique sud de 11 h à 17 h. Gratuit. Renseignements au 03 21
06 72 00 ou sur le site web :

From: Baghdasarian

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Aug 26 2012

`Iran running out of alternate routes to bypass sanctions’

26 August 2012 / GÃ-ZDE NUR DONAT , ANKARA

The Iranian regime is running out of alternative routes to ease the
pressure of the sanctions upon it, even though it is trying very hard
to expand its banking foothold in ally countries, most significantly
Armenia and Iraq, and to make behind-the-curtain deals on its
petroleum and natural gas with many international actors, according to
Middle East experts.

Talks between Iran and the P5+1 (five permanent members of the UN
Security Council, the United States, Russia, China, Britain and
France, as well as Germany) in Moscow in June failed to end the
standoff over Tehran’s nuclear activities, including its enrichment of
uranium, which Western nations fear is part of a bid for nuclear
weapons capability.

Iran is trying to conceal payments to and from foreign clients and
deceive Western intelligence agencies trying to prevent it from
expanding its nuclear and missile programs through its banking and
trade relations, especially in Armenia and Iraq, international media
outlets reported.

Arif Keskin, a prominent Iran analyst, has told Sunday’s Zaman that
trying to bypass sanctions via Armenia and Iraq will not give any
advantage to Iran, considering its ever-deteriorating economic
situation.

`If Iran could withstand the sanctions, its inflation rate would not
rise that much. The crisis situation is worsening every day in the
country,’ Keskin claimed. He maintained that the rate of inflation in
the country has risen to 200 percent, while the announced rate of
inflation is only 44 percent.

He also mentioned that Iran’s prominent place in the Organization of
the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has also deteriorated to a
significant degree, with Iraqi oil exports now ranking highest after
Saudi Arabia, displacing Iran. `As major purchasers of Iranian oil
Japan and China had to decrease their trade with Iran, the help of its
smaller buyers and its allies could not save the country from the drop
in demand,’ Keskin stated.

Turkish oil and natural gas imports from Iran are also at a
significant level, but Turkey has recently exerted efforts to
diversify its oil trade, approaching countries such as Libya and Saudi
Arabia. Turkey purchased more than 50 percent of its crude oil and 18
percent of its natural gas from Iran, according to 2011 figures. But a
report by the Energy Market Regulatory Agency (EPDK) in June showed
that the Turkish crude oil purchases from Iran have decreased by 22
percent.

The United States has been trying to cease most of its trade with Iran
since 1996 with a series of sanctions, intending to respond to Iran’s
nuclear program and its support for Hezbollah and Hamas. Observers say
the Iranian people have had a modest standard of living for years,
including forgoing luxury goods, due to those sanctions.

However, the latest round of sanctions targeting the petroleum sector
seems to have stricken the country in the heart. Rampant inflation,
price hikes on food and the drop in foreign currency have rendered
officials and the people helpless. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei recently announced a `war economy’ in the country due to
the dire economic situation.

Regarding Iran’s trade with Armenia, an important ally for the mullah
regime in the Caucasus, it includes an oil pipeline that Armenian news
reports say should be finished in 2014 and requires some form of
cross-border banking. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said
that Iran’s annual trade with Armenia is around $1 billion, according
to Iranian news reports.

Iran has used Iraqi banks to move large amounts of cash into the
international banking system, prompting private US protests to
Baghdad.

Measures approved by the US Congress on Aug. 1 build on oil trade
sanctions signed into law by President Barack Obama in December, which
have prompted Japan, South Korea, India and others to slash purchases
of Iranian oil.

Also, the White House has issued a written statement mentioning an
important step to hold accountable the institutions insisting on
making financial transfers for Iranian banks under sanctions. The
statement noted that US Department of the Treasury has singled out the
Iraqi Elaf Islamic Bank and Chinese Kunlun Bank as part of a network
of financial institutions and oil-smuggling operations, banning US
firms from doing business with those banks.

Iranian accounts in many Turkish banks have also been frozen since
early 2012 due to those sanctions.

Also in remarks to Sunday’s Zaman, Assistant Professor Süleyman Elik,
who teaches international relations at Ä°stanbul’s Medeniyet
University, emphasized that Turkey’s trade relations with Iran have
also been harmed due to the conflicting positions of the two countries
on the Syrian crisis. `Eighty percent of the Iranian economy is in the
hands of Revolutionary Guards. Actually those However these relations
have been damaged to a significant degree due to tense relations with
Turkey because of the Syrian crisis,’ Elik said.

Engaging in transactions with Iranian banks is not a violation of
international sanctions as long as it is not linked to Iran’s nuclear
or missile programs or companies or individuals under US, EU or UN
sanctions.

US diplomats also say that Iran has been trying to develop financial
channels focusing on countries like Malaysia, China, India and Brazil.

In remarks to Sunday’s Zaman, Necdet Pamir, an energy policy expert
and World Energy Council Turkish National Committee board member,
stated that Iran is a country that has survived decades of sanctions.
`Even though the US and EU are implementing their sanctions overtly,
many other countries including Norway, China and others are looking
out for their trade and long-term interests there. None of them have
an interest in bringing the Iranian regime to heel,’ Pamir said.

From: Baghdasarian

News of Father’s Death Fails to Deter ARS Stalwart

by Tom Vartabedian

August 26, 2012 Obituaries

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – It wasn’t always business as usual at the 92nd
annual ARS Convention.

Talin Daghlian ponders the next chapter in her already-active ARS
life. (Tom Vartabedian photo)
News of a death in the community sent a shockwave through the
delegation of 41 members and executive mainstays who had convened that
morning.

Talin Daghlian, a 33-year member of the organization and prominent
leader, had lost her father.

With her hands buried in her face, she rose to acknowledge the gesture.

Thomas Nakashian was 86 and enjoyed the beauty of 7 children, 16
grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren while living in New York. He
was employed as a chauffeur and worked diligently to ensure the higher
education of his family. Nakashian was also a Gomideh member in Syria
and belonged to the Homenetmen and Soorp Sarkis Church.

His wife Zabel had been a 50-year member of the ARS before passing
just short of their 60th wedding anniversary.

`After losing my mother, he had some heart issues,’ Daghlian revealed.
`A woman from Armenia was caring for him, along with a daughter.’

Distraught and visibly shaken, Daghlian held her post as a special
guest and carried out her responsibilities dutifully, knowing the
situation was in good hands back home with her family. An immediate
flight home might have also been a rigmarole.

`My dad would have wanted me to remain,’ Daghlian said. `He was very
proud of my ARS work and always encouraged me to continue working for
this fine organization. If I had left the convention, I feel as if I
would have let him down.’

The solace and comfort she received from her ARS sisters, and her
focus on the work ahead, was just the right panacea for the woman to
combat her grief.

But it was déjà vu for Daghlian. She recalled the past with deep sentiment.

`When I was ill with breast cancer in 2005, my ARS sisters were there
for me,’ she said. `They sent me cards, made telephone calls, and sent
messages of support. I’d get 100 e-mails a day. It was shocking, yet
stimulating. And, once again, they came to my side in this moment of
distress. The gratitude I share cannot be measured.’

Daghlian resides in Old Tappan, N.J., and is a member of the `Agnouni’
Chapter. She served as chairwoman and treasurer, attending this
conclave as a guest of the Regional Board, taking a seat next to
Agnouni Award winner Muriel Parseghian from Lowell, Mass.

She and husband Zohrab have three daughters, all AYF pedigrees. The
two have been married 40 years.

Talin Daghlian is a graduate of the American University in Beirut with
a nursing degree, which she used before becoming a full-time mom.
After arriving here from Syria in 1972, she became involved with the
Armenian community and served as co-director of the Sunday School at
St. Vartanantz Church.

Among her pet projects was – and still is – the ACAA raffle.

`I was with my father just before I left for the convention,’ Daghlian
said wistfully. `He was happy I was attending. My husband broke the
news to me on my cell and I shared it with my ungerouhis. I was angry
and disappointed I couldn’t be home. On the other hand, my father’s
pride at me being here would have been diminished. We had three
delegates from our chapter and I didn’t want to let them down,
either.’

Daghlian remained at her seat throughout Saturday and took a flight
home Sunday, just before the convention adjourned. Over that time, she
was vocal and embodied the true spirit of her organization as if the
weight had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders.

`It’s very comforting to be surrounded by your ungerouhis in a moment
of sadness,’ she admitted. `It was the place to be at a time like
this.’

Daghlian described her dad as a very religious man who regularly
attended events in New York and New Jersey.

`He’s someone who went the extra mile to serve his church and
community,’ said Daghlian.

Those close to the scene say Talin Daghlian has been an exemplary
member of the ARS who has never shunned an opportunity to enhance the
organization. She helped inspire such projects as Walk Armenia and the
auction.

`Without the ARS, my life would be empty,’ she confessed. `Hopefully,
I’ve been able to give something back with my service. When I see all
the assistance we’re rendering throughout the world with our many
projects, it gives us every reason to continue. I’ll always do my best
to help.’

From: Baghdasarian

Caucasus and Central Asia to get 8 million from disaster preparedness program

news.am
August 26, 2012 | 10:47

The Caucasus region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) and Central Asia
(Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) have
been allocated 8 million from the European Commission’s
Disaster-Preparedness Programme (DIPECHO) to help people at risk from
natural disasters.

`Building up the resilience of people who face the forces of nature is
a central plank of our humanitarian aid policy,’ said Kristalina
Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation,
Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, enpi-info.eu informs.

`Experience shows that simple measures for disaster-preparedness like
early warning alerts, elevated homes or providing boats can make all
the difference between saving and losing lives, homes and livelihoods.
We see disaster risk reduction as an investment, not as a cost: in
fact a euro spent on preparing for disasters saves 7 responding to
them.’

The DIPECHO programme seeks to reduce the impact of natural disasters
including floods, hurricanes, droughts, earthquakes, tidal
waves/tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, forest fires and storms by
strengthening the response capacity of local communities and national
authorities. The projects include reinforcing infrastructure,
training, awareness-raising, establishing or improving local early
warning systems and contingency planning.

From: Baghdasarian