Targeted News Service Tuesday 8:00 AM EST Sen. Reed Issues Statement on 103rd Anniversary of Armenian Genocide WASHINGTON Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on April 23, on the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian genocide: Mr. President, this week we solemnly observe the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Over a century ago, one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century began when the Young Turk leaders of the Ottoman Empire executed more than 200 prominent Armenians. What followed was an 8-year systematic campaign of oppression and massacre. By 1923, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed, and over a half a million survivors were exiled. These atrocities affected the lives of every Armenian living in Asia Minor and, indeed, across the globe. The U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during this dark time, Henry Morgenthau, Sr., unsuccessfully pleaded with President Wilson to take action and later remembered the events of the genocide, saying, "I am confident that the whole history of the human race contains no such horrible episode as this. The great massacres and persecutions of the past seem almost insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian race in 1915." Clearly, the suffering of the Armenian people must never be forgotten. The survivors of the Armenian genocide, however, persevered due to their unbreakable spirit and steadfast resolve and went on to greatly contribute to the lands in which they found new homes and communities, including the United States. That is why we not only commemorate this grave tragedy each year, but we also take this moment to celebrate the traditions, the contributions, as well as the bright future of the Armenian people. Indeed, my home State of Rhode Island continues to be enriched by our strong and vibrant Armenian-American community. This genocide has been denied for far too long. To honor the memory of this tragedy, I have joined with several of my colleagues on resolutions over the years to encourage the U.S. to officially recognize the Armenian genocide. As we remember the past, we remain committed to forging a brighter future. We must continue to guard against hatred and oppression so that we can prevent such crimes against humanity. As ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I remain committed to supporting assistance to Armenia to strengthen security, promote economic growth, and foster democratic reforms and development. We must find a way to come together to recognize the truth of what happened and to provide unwavering support and assistance to those facing persecution today.
Author: Boshkezenian Garik
Governor Brown Issues Proclamation Declaring Remembrance Day of Armenian Genocide
Targeted News Service Tuesday 6:50 AM EST Governor Brown Issues Proclamation Declaring Remembrance Day of Armenian Genocide SACRAMENTO, California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., D-California, issued the following proclamation: Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued a proclamation declaring as "A Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide" in the State of California. The text of the proclamation is below: PROCLAMATION Between 1915 and 1923, Armenians were subjected to torture, starvation, mass murder and exile from their historic homeland. 1.5 million lost their lives. The Armenian Genocide, also known as the "First Genocide of the Twentieth Century," represented a deliberate attempt by the Ottoman Empire to eliminate all traces of a thriving, noble civilization. Armenian communities all over the world commemorate this tragedy on April 24. On this day, we honor the victims and survivors of the genocide, and reaffirm our commitment to preventing future atrocities from being committed against any people. NOW THEREFORE I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim , as "Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide." IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 23rd day of April 2018. EDMUND G. BROWN JR. Governor of California
Yerevan Municipality urges rally participants to refrain from steps on arbitrarily moving and damaging city property
Category
Society
The Yerevan Municipality urges rally organizers and participants to refrain from steps on arbitrarily moving and damaging the city’s property.
“During the ongoing rallies in the capital cases of arbitrarilly moving and damaging the city’s property, including the garbage bins and benches, have been recorded. At the same time numerous complaints and alerts were received from citizens according to which the rally participants obstruct the normal operation of public transport.
Taking into account the aforementioned, we call on the rally organizers and participants to refrain from steps on arbitrarily moving and damaging the city’s property, as well as hindering the operation of public transport”, the statement said.
5 Armenian citizens die while conducting works in manhole in Russian city of Ufa
Category
World
The representative of the Armenian emergency situations ministry’s Rescue Service in Russia informed that 5 Armenian citizens died while conducting works in the manhole in the Russian city of Ufa.
One of the citizens has been hospitalized to Ufa’s medical center.
Doctors assessed his health condition as fair.
Turkey’s Erdogan warns "nobody can discipline us with exchange rates"
Intellinews
Thursday
Turkey’s Erdogan warns “nobody can discipline us with exchange rates”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on April 12 kept up his attack on conspiratorial outside forces he claims are trying to use exchange rates to knock Turkey off its economic path.
With the Turkish lira (TRY) taking a breather from five straight days of devaluation that on April 11 pushed it to an all-time low of 4.1944 to the dollar-by around 18:30 Istanbul time on April 12 it stood at 4.0981-the populist president lashed out at international investors, saying: “Do not worry, Turkey will stay on its path with determined steps, nobody can discipline us based on exchange rates.”
He added in a speech in Ankara: “The rise in exchange rates has no reasonable, logical or by-the-book explanation.” According to Bloomberg, Erdogan also referred to actors on the business and financial markets waging “economic terror”, adding: “Those playing an active role in the economy, those within the financial system, if you are attempting to wage economic terror against our country by using developments [linked to the conflict] in Syria as a pretext, you’ll be making a mistake. When the time comes, you’ll be held accountable and pay the price.”
Although Turkey is facing stubborn double-digit inflation, currently at 10.2%, and devaluation that has seen the TRY lose 8% against the dollar so far this year-one of the worst performances of emerging market currencies-Erdogan continues to push for lower interest rates, when the consensus of analysts and economists is that the Turkish economy is overdue for some substantial monetary tightening.
Anxieties have grown that the president’s `Erdonomics’ are fatally undermining the independence of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) and analysts are having to question whether the Turkish economy could even be on course for a meltdown, especially with reports that debt problems in the corporate sector are likely to keep the lira under pressure over coming weeks.
Hike despite the heat On April 11, Capital Economics said that despite the political heat it was pencilling in a 100bp hike that it predicts will be introduced in the central bank’s late liquidity lending rate at the April 25 meeting of its monetary policy committee (MPC).
“Admittedly, the government is starting to exert pressure on the central bank not to raise interest rates,” Capital Economics’ senior emerging markets economist William Jackson said in an April 11 note to investors. He added: “The authorities seem to have shifted their focus to maintaining strong rates of growth in the economy. And earlier this week, President Erdogan talked of the need to lower interest rates to boost investment. Nonetheless, this isn’t necessarily a barrier to rate hikes. Indeed, policymakers at the central bank faced similar pressures before they raised interest rates in early 2014 and again in early 2017.”
CBRT governor Murat Cetinkaya on April 12 reassured the markets that the central bank is following developments in inflation and will tighten monetary policy if it is thought necessary. His comments may have helped give the TRY a small shot in the arm.
The lira’s difficulties are partially tied to geopolitical tensions such as the spat between the US and Russia over the alleged chemical attack in Syria and Donald Trump’s threats of missile strikes in response, while the currency is also exposed to Fed rate hikes that seem likely to occur in coming months. But investors say most of Turkey’s problems are home-grown. They are wary of overheating in an economy that is experiencing debt-fuelled `warp-speed’ growth.
Economists question how sustainable the pace of growth is given the widening current account deficit at towards 6% of GDP, the double digit inflation, which stands at double the central bank target, and the large external financing gap amounting to $220bn, or 25% of GDP, and double the FX reserves.
Armenian President highlights Russia’s key role in Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
Categories
Artsakh
Politics
Region
World
Russia plays a key role in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, new President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian said in an interview to TASS.
“Eventually, all regional conflicts find their settlement, they are quite surmountable. History has seen conflicts no less cruel and dramatic”, the President said.
“For more than 25 years talks on the conflict settlement have been held in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group, on the basis of the settlement principles and elements suggested by the co-chairs – Russia, the US and France. Russia plays a key role in the process of the Karabakh settlement as a co-chair of the Minsk Group”, the Armenian President noted.
President Sarkissian recalled that “a three-party ceasefire in Karabakh was achieved 23 years ago exactly due to Russia’s mediation”. “We highly value these mediatory efforts in the search for a peaceful political solution to the problem”, the President added. “It is obvious that political will to achieve peace and accord is necessary for the settlement of the problem. Armenia, for its part, is doing everything it can to achieve peace and expects the same moves from the Azerbaijani side”, the Armenian leader said.
Azerbaijani electoral commission refuses to release income, property declarations of presidential candidates
Category
Region
The Azerbaijani Movement for Democracy and Prosperity has demanded from the country’s central electoral commission to release the property and income declarations of presidential candidates for the upcoming snap elections, which incumbent President Ilham Aliyev ordered to take place April 11, Azerbaijan’s Turan News Agency reported.
The Movement For Democracy and Prosperity said it will sue the commission if the latter fails to respond, because the declarations must be released under Azerbaijani laws.
Turan said that income and property declarations of presidential candidates are kept secret during all elections.
“This is a deliberate step to conceal facts on massive widespread corruption”, Turan said.
Eurovision: Eurovision 2018: Armenia’s Sevak Khanagyan to perform 16th in Second Semi-Final
Public Radio of Armenia
April 3 2018
16:33, 03 Apr 2018
Armenia’s Sevak Khanagyan will perform 16th in the first Semi-Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon.
The running order for the two shows was decided by the producers and was approved by EBU Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand and the Chairman of the Reference Group, Dr. Frank Dieter Freiling.
Since 2013 the producers decide upon the running order of the shows in order to create a more exciting television show and ensure that each song stands out.
At the request of Italian broadcaster RAI, Italy will broadcast and vote in the Second Semi-Final on Thursday 10th May. The request was approved by the Reference Group. France and Germany were drawn to vote in the second Semi-Final. Spain, the United Kingdom and Portugal will vote in the first Semi-Final.
Sports: Armenian team reveal squad ahead of friendly matches
Panorama, Armenia
Sport 21:02 16/03/2018
Head coach Artur Petrosyan has announced the squad, as the national team is set to hold a training camp ahead of friendly two planned matches in Yerevan.
As Panorama.am learnt from the website of the Football Federation, the list includes 13 names from international leagues, Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Arsenal, Gaël Andonian from Olympic Marseille, Edgar Malakyan from Stal Ukriane, Varazdat Haroyan from Ural, Russia, among them.
Marcos Pizzelli will miss the training camp as he recovers from a knee injury.
To remind, Armenian national team will play two friendly matches in Yerevan with on Estonia on March 24 and Lithuania on March 27.
Figurehead of Fake Country to Get Fake Award at U.S. Capitol
Modern Diplomacy
The U.S. Congress is about to get embarrassed by letting itself be used to create fake news and lend legitimacy to a controversial situation.
On Wednesday, Bako Sahakyan, the self-proclaimed president of a fictional country known as “Artsakh” has scheduled an event at the U.S. Capitol to speak and receive an unidentified award. The event’s invitation bills it as a “Congressional reception” and, though no actual Members are listed, the invitation says they are “invited to offer remarks.”
Here are the facts: “Artsakh” is actually the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan that Armenia seized in a 1988-1994 war. The Nagorno-Karabakh region and nearby territories have belonged to Azerbaijan since antiquity. In 1988, Armenia attacked. Six years later when a ceasefire was declared, the region – which accounts for 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s land mass – was in the hands of Armenians and Armenian-backed separatists.
Armenian has repeatedly violated a ceasefire in the region and refuses to negotiate an acceptable end to what has been called a “frozen conflict” that would return the territory to Azerbaijan. During the long war, 30,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, 50,000 more were wounded and a shocking 724,000 were turned into refugees, as Armenia drove them out of their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh, engaging in what many called ethnic cleansing.
“Artsakh,” which also calls itself the “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,” is not recognized by a single nation on earth. Every international body from the United Nations on down agrees that Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan and was illegally seized by Armenia, which continues to run the region.
If Armenia cannot make a factual case that “Artsakh” is a legitimate country, its only remaining strategy is to blur the facts. Like a child or a politician that believes repeating a lie enough times makes it true, Armenia thinks that if it peddles the fiction of an “Artsakh” nation enough it will eventually become fact.
Wednesday’s event with Sahakyan at the Capitol is the latest attempt to build that fiction. This time, organizers of the event appear to be trying to co-opt the power – or at least the image – of the world’s most important deliberative body, the U.S. Congress.
Artsakh may be a fictional country, but its self-styled president, Bako Sahakyan, is a real obstacle to any peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia and has a real history of blood.
During the worst part of the Nagorno-Karabakh War from 1991 to 1994, Sahakyan was the deputy commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Committee of Defense Forces. This made him the No. 2 to Monte Melkonian, who commanded Armenian forces against Azerbaijan. Sahakyan is clearly committed to retaining Azerbaijan’s illegally seized Nagorno-Karabakh territory and has shown he will resort to deadly force to do so.
Armenia has become a virtual puppet state of Russia, key to President Vladimir Putin’s plan to restore the former geopolitical influence and regional footprint of the defunct Soviet Union. Armenia has a joint-defense pact with Russia and has been the only country allowed to have nuclear-capable Russian Iskander missiles. According to press accounts, Sahakyan was given Russia’s prestigious “Peter the Great” award.
Any pretense that Artsakh is an independent country with an agenda of its own is undermined by the invitation to Wednesday’s fake-news event. RSVPs are directed to the Embassy of Armenia and its major front groups in the U.S., the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America.
Thanks to the internet, we live in an era when any actors can create fake-news events that carry an air of legitimacy, spread rapidly around the world and can have real consequences. It’s uncertain so far what governments and countries can do to stop this tide of lies. But one thing that can be done is to deny these bad actors access to the sacred symbols of democracy and legitimacy they seek to co-opt.
No matter how influential the Armenian lobby may be, the U.S. Congress should not allow bogus politicians and their fake-news events to occur under its roof and patronage.
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2018/03/11/figurehead-of-fake-country-to-get-fake-award-at-u-s-capitol/