17:43,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan has responded to the Turkish FM’s statements on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Sevres.
“The statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of Turkey on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Sevres once again demonstrates the inability of that country to face its past.
Surprisingly, the current authorities of Turkey, who never miss a chance to praise their Ottoman heritage, nervously react to the reference of the Treaty of Sevres which the same Ottoman Empire signed with a number of states including the Republic of Armenia.
The Treaty of Sevres has been and will remain a historical fact, which cannot be edited or wiped away.
While evading to face its past and urging others to “take lessons from history instead of animosity”, Turkey continues its traditional policy of justifying the Armenian Genocide and threatening the Armenian people with new atrocities.
Turkey’s steps towards undermining the peace and security in our region and its military posturing against Armenia are part of the expansionist policy of the Turkish Government which is aimed at destabilizing its neighboring regions.
Only the reconsideration of such policy and the capacity to face the past by Turkey will pave a way for genuine reconciliation between the peoples in our region”, Naghdalyan said in a statement.
An Armenian government delegation headed by Diaspora Commissioner Zareh Sinanyan met with Catholicos Aram I in Antelias on Aug. 9
In addition to sending the first humanitarian shipment of emergency aid to Lebanon, an Armenian government delegation also arrived in Beirut to become acquainted with the situation there following last week’s massive explosion that has rocked the country and forced the resignation of its government on Monday.
Heading the delegation is Armenia’s High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan, who is accompanied by chief of staff, Sara Anjargholian; Varag Siserian, the chief of staff of Deputy prime minister Tigran Avinyan; head of the Armenia-Lebanon Parliamentary Friendship group Hrachyan Hakobyan and director of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan.
Upon arriving in Lebanon on board the humanitarian flight, the delegation visited Antelias and attended a special mass officiated by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral.
Following the church services, Aram I met with the Armenian government delegation, which was briefed by the pontiff about the scope of the destruction and the damage to Armenian institutions and individual residences and businesses.
Community officials have reported that 13 Armenians died from last week’s blast that has leveled a swath of Beirut and has left hundreds of thousands homeless.
The Catholicos emphasized the importance of prioritizing the needs of the Armenian community and said that a commission involving all community institutions is working on this matter.
Sinanyan explained to the pontiff that he and the delegation were on the ground to evaluate and assess the situation and to meet with members of the Armenian community to gain first-hand information about its needs.
In his remarks, the Catholicos spoke about the need to strengthen the Diaspora as it has played a vital role in the strengthening of Armenia.
According to Sinanyan’s office, the sides reiterated that the homeland’s doors would always be open for Diaspora Armenians.
Sinanyan reiterated this sentiment during an interview on Monday with Radio Liberty in Beirut, highlighting the role Lebanon has played in the post-Genocide Armenian reality
“We are grateful to Lebanon for the humane treatment of the Armenian people after the Genocide. We are ready to help our compatriots no matter what decision they make,” Sinanyan said.
“We will help those who want to remain and will tell those who wish to come to Armenia that the homeland is waiting for all Armenians with open doors,” added Sinanyan, explaining that about 300 Lebanese Armenians had already returned to Armenia for permanent residence before the blast with 37 returning on the humanitarian flight.
The government delegation met with Armenian Catholic Catholicos-Patriarch His Beatitude Krikor Bedros XX.
The discussion of assisting the Lebanese-Armenian community continued during a meeting with Armenian Catholic Catholicos-Patriarch His Beatitude Krikor Bedros XX.
After hearing Krikor Bedros XX’s briefing, Sinanyan explained that Armenia is providing assistance to the Government of Lebanon, the brotherly people of Lebanon, as well as the Lebanese-Armenian community.
“The purpose of the visit is to have a deeper understanding on how we can assist our Lebanese-Armenian compatriots,” Sinanyan said.
In his remarks, the pontiff stressed that Armenians around the world “have two hearts – Armenia and the Diaspora,” and was happy to note that finally Armenians have a free and independent homeland.
High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan met with Armenia media representatives
He also emphasized the importance of the assistance that was received from the Government of Artsakh. “Our brothers are with us, and this was a very beautiful gesture,” he said.
Sinanyan mentioned that two more planeloads with humanitarian aid will be delivered to Lebanon from Armenia.
On Monday, Sinanyan met with representatives of media outlets in Lebanon, among them the Aztag, Zartonk, and Ararat newspapers, Radio Sevan, Voice of Van radio stations, and representatives from AGBU’s media department.
Armenia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Vahagn Atabekyan hosted the gathering at the Embassy where Sinanyan and the journalists discussed a wide range of issues, including strengthening Armenia-Diaspora relations, enhancing inter-community ties, activating communication networks. The state of the press in the aftermath of last week’s explosion, as well as prioritizing targeted areas of support for the Lebanese-Armenian community were also discussed.
(L-R) Amalya Yeghoyan (Ex. Director, GITC), Gayane Ghandilyan Arakelyan (CEO, Digital Pomegranate), … [+]
A. Yeghoyan, G. G. Arakelyan, M. L. Papazian
Nestled between Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, the landlocked Republic of Armenia’s thriving technology sector reached $250 million in 2018 while the country of three-million peacefully overthrew an oligarchic regime. As the world’s next tech hub, Armenia’s tech sector has enjoyed double-digit annual growth rates employing some 20,000 workers–30 percent of whom are women. Armenia is also the global leader for the “Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality” action coalition of the UN-led Generation Equality Forum.
“Tech is the new culture in Armenia,” says Amalya Yeghoyan, executive director of Armenia’s second largest city, Gyumri IT Center (GITC) and Project Manager at Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) where 70 percent of employees are women. A former Deputy Minister of IT, Yeghoyan previously managed the Gyumri Technology Center (GTC).
EIF is conducting the “Empowering Females through Capacity Building to promote technology in non-technology sectors” program delivered by IFC/World Bank Group in partnership with the UK Government’s Good Governance Fund. With investment, growth, and job creation among Armenia’s female entrepreneurs through capacity building, investor connection and access to global business networks, intensive bootcamps and acceleration programs will be held in Yerevan, Gyumri, and Vanadzor–Armenia’s capital city, second and third largest cities, respectively.
“While globally, the average share of women employed in IT doesn’t exceed 20 percent, in Armenia it’s 30 percent,” underscores Senior Analyst, Wireless 20/20 consultant, former Yankee Group CEO, Berge Ayvazian. He is an angel investor and one of the Diasporan co-founders of the Armenian High-Tech Council of America (Armtech), instrumental in attracting investments and acquisitions by such companies as Synopsys, National Instruments, Mentor Graphics, VMware among others.
Even before the 2018 bloodless “Velvet Revolution” captured world attention, Armenia’s tech industry was on over-drive, building upon the Soviet-era ecosystem when Armenia (the smallest of the former republics) manufactured 40 percent of the mainframe computers for the Soviet military. Fast forward to independent Armenia, home to over 900 ICT companies where start-ups enjoy 10 percent income tax and where 50-60 percent of applicants at the university IT departments are women.
PROMOTED
(L-R) Gayane Gasparyan (Co-founder/CTO, Forge Fiction), Yeva Hyusyan (Co-founder-CEO, SoloLearn) … [+]
G. Gasparyan, Y. Hyusyan, S. Papoyan
Armenia is ground zero for award-winning, globally recognized technology start-ups–many led by women, some 30 years old or under, or hailing high percentage of women employees including among the extensive list:
(L-R) Nare Gevorgyan (Co-founder and Chief Design Officer, Embry Tech), Rima Sargsyan (Deputy CEO, … [+]
Nare Gevorgyan – Rima Sargsyan
“Women are really essential in the tech sector as they are bringing a complementary strength and point of view,” says Nare Gevorgyan of Embry Tech. “I’m proud to see our numbers are growing in Armenia.”
Papoyan of GIT-Armenia explains how Armenia’s intergenerational women are readily quitting their day jobs to participate full-time in tech intensive courses. “We had a lady in her 60s register for our introduction to programming course–and was one of our top graduates who was immediately employed.”
Seda Papoyan with participants of #Teens4Change program, which offers technology and business skills … [+]
Girls in Tech, Armenia
Inspiring school children to jump on the fast-paced tech sector, GIT-Armenia’s LikeAGirl in Gyumri offered tech programs for youth, and UNFPA in Armenia supported #Teens4Change that offered technology and business skills to youth 15-18 in the northern city of Ijevan to generate innovative technical business solutions to meet local communities’ needs. Final student projects, presented at the UN offices in Armenia, included plastic recycling, tourism, and an anti-café and led to local authorities designating space for the youth to expand on their ideas. Amidst the pandemic all programs are now offered online.
The CoderDojo Armenia–joining the global movement of volunteer-led, community-based free coding clubs for youth ages 7-17, also provides young programmers mentoring opportunities. Supported by Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (ISTC) which hosts weekend DoJo’s, over 500 Armenian children have participated in the CoderDoJos which are on hold due to Covid-19 as Papoyan and her team seek private funding and sponsorships to remain sustainable. The team’s post-Covid-19 programming will focus on Armenia’s regions and on the science behind the technology to better understand Covid-19 pandemic. They will continue to up-skill girls and women with online courses on basic literacy, digital marketing and recently had the US embassy approval of “STEMpowered girls Armenia” to help create a network of STEM girl ambassadors across all regions in Armenia.
[Look for Part 2 of Armenia’s women in tech-coming tomorrow]
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western U.S.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western United States Central Committee expresses its solidarity with our community in Beirut and all of Lebanon and offers its sincere condolences to the families of the victims. The massive explosion that rocked Beirut on August 4 naturally has impacted the large Armenian community in the city as well as the entire country. The blast also has had its ripple effects here in the Western United States, where many American Armenians have family and relatives residing in Lebanon.
The toll that this tragedy has taken on the lives of individual Lebanese Armenians who have been injured, have lost family members or have seen their homes and businesses turn into rubble in a matter of seconds, as well as the unforeseen health consequences of the spread of dust and chemicals from the blast.
Reports indicate that many of our community centers and institutions have sustained damage, specifically the Shaghzoyan Center in Bourdj Hammoud, which houses the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau and Central Committee offices, editorial offices of the Aztag Daily Newspaper, and the Armenian National Committee of Middle East. Also impacted by the blast was the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and many other religious, cultural and educational institutions.
The explosion in Beirut comes as our community in Lebanon has been enduring months hardship from the unparalleled financial collapse of Lebanon’s economy, coupled with the difficulties posed by the global coronavirus pandemic.
We have been in contact with our counterparts in Lebanon from the first moments of the crisis and have pledged our unconditional support to assist in any way possible in efforts to aid and assist the community and rebuild the critical structures. As has been the case in the past, the ARF Western U.S. Central Committee will spare no effort to mobilize its rank and file, our affiliate organizations and institutions, as well as the American community at large to help our fellow Armenians living in Lebanon in their time of need.
Turkey’s defense minister and his Qatari counterpart on July 20 met in the capital Ankara to discuss bilateral security cooperation as well as regional issues.
In the meeting, Hulusi Akar and Khalid bin Mohammed el-Atiye stressed the strategic partnership between the two countries.
On security cooperation, Akar said Turkey appreciates Qatar’s efforts to promote stability in Libya.
Last weekend, Akar visited Qatar and met with Qatari officials.
Libya has been torn by a civil war since the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Its new government, headed by premier Fayez al-Sarraj, was founded in 2015 under a U.N.-led agreement.
Efforts for a long-term political settlement, however, have so far failed due to an ongoing military offensive by warlord Khalifa Haftar. In recent months, the Libyan Army has made significant gains against Haftar.
Turkey supports the country’s legitimate government, while Haftar has support from Russia, Egypt, the UAE, and France.
‘Turkey will continue to stand with Azerbaijan’
Meanwhile, in the wake of aggression by Armenia, Turkey will continue to stand with its Azerbaijani brothers in the face of military attacks and other challenges, said Akar on July 20.
Akar made the remarks in the capital Ankara when receiving Ramiz Tahirov, Azerbaijan’s deputy defense minister, and Kerem Mustafayev, army chief of the Nakhichivan Autonomous Republic, an exclave of Azerbaijan bordering Armenia, Turkey, and Iran.
At the meeting, also attended by Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler and other top ministry officials, Akar and Azerbaijani officials stressed the brotherhood between the two countries.
Akar stressed, against the backdrop of the attacks by neighboring Armenia, that Turkey will always stand with its Azerbaijani brothers.On the security of Azerbaijan and the region, Akar said Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces will continue to do what they have to do, adding: “No one should doubt that.”
After killing a dozen Azerbaijani soldiers since June 12, Armenian forces, suffering losses from Azerbaijani retaliation, have withdrawn.
Azerbaijan has blasted Armenia’s “provocative” actions, with Turkey supporting Baku and warning Yerevan that it will not hesitate to stand against any attack on its eastern neighbor.
Since 1991 the Armenian military has illegally occupied the Upper Karabakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) region, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.
Four U.N. Security Council and two U.N. General Assembly resolutions, as well as decisions by many international organizations, decry the illegal occupation and demand the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Upper Karabakh and
seven other occupied regions of Azerbaijan.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 18
Trend:
On July 18, at the initiative of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, a phone conversation was held with the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, Trend reports citing Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry.
During the phone conversation, the parties emphasized the successful development of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, which is based on friendship, mutual trust, and good-neighborly relations.
The ministers, noting the high level of military cooperation between the two countries, discussed the prospects for the development of military and military-technical cooperation.
The ministers also held a broad exchange of views on regional security issues, as well as other issues of mutual interest.
During the telephone conversation, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu has informed Colonel General Zakir Hasanov about the sudden checks of the combat readiness of the Russian Armed Forces.
Sergei Shoigu emphasized that this event is planned and has nothing to do with the events that happened on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Ahval
David Phillips
July 8, 2020
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is pursuing a neo-Ottoman
agenda to expand Turkey’s borders, attacking Iraqi Kurdistan and the
Kurds in northern Syria under the guise of fighting terrorism.
Turkey’s actions are also intended to undermine U.S.-mediated
reconciliation talks between Kurdish factions. Erdoğan opposes Kurdish
unity and has vowed to strangle Kurdish peace and progress lest they
challenge Turkey’s hegemonic interests.
The United States should strongly condemn Turkey’s aggression,
including the recent incursion by Turkish forces into Iraqi Kurdistan.
Erdoğan should be held responsible for violating Iraqi sovereignty, as
well as war crimes by Turkey and its jihadist proxies. It is, however
unlikely that U.S. President Donald Trump will criticise one of his
favourite dictators.
The Kurds must document Turkey’s war crimes, making the case for
accountability to a future U.S. administration. Columbia University’s
research team has collected data on incursions by Turkey in Iraqi
Kurdistan in 2020. The following is a partial account of Turkey’s
crimes:
January 7: A Turkish air strike kills two people in the Gara
region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
February 29: Six people are killed during air strikes in the
Metina and Gara regions.
March 9: Halide Tari, a leader of the women's branch of the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), killed in Qandil.
March 13: War planes strike the Bradost region of Sidekan, bombing
Khalifa and Geli Reş villages.
March 26: The Turkish Defence Ministry reports killing eight PKK
members in the Haftanin region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
April 15: Galya Bekir, a top leader of the PKK, assassinated by
Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency (MİT).
April 17: A Turkish drone strike against the Makhmour refugee camp
east of Mosul kills two female refugees.
May 4: War planes bomb Sinine village in the Bradost region,
destroying the road leading to the village.
May 26. A cross-border action by the TSK in Duhok province wounds
a 13-year-old girl.
May 27: Turkish war planes target a vehicle, killing five people
in Mawat town, north of Suleimani province.
May 30: Turkish airstrikes kill 60-year-old Jalal Nuradin and his
32-year-old son Ahmed, and wounding one person in the village of
Hetuta on the outskirts of Amedi district.
June 7: Turkish bombardments cause huge fires in mountainous areas
in northern parts of the Kurdistan Region, near the villages of Siran
and Meragarsh in Erbil's Soran district.
June 15: Turkish war planes attack several locations in the
Shingal district, and other locations close to the Makhmour refugee
camp, which is hosting Kurdish refugees from Turkey. Eighteen Turkish
planes targeted Shingal, Makhmour, Gwer, and Erbil, reaching the
Sharqat district nearly 200 km from the Turkish border.
June 19: Four civilians killed in a Turkish airstrike on Sheladize
district in Duhok province.
June 21: Turkish air strikes in Duhok province land 1 km away from
Christian community of Bersv and three Yezidi camps, causing extensive
property damage.
June 25: Air strikes in the Bradost sub-district in northern Erbil
province hit communities near Mount Zararan, causing widespread fires.
June 25: Air strikes target Sidakan areas in Erbil’s Soran district
and Kuna-Massi, a picnic area in Sharbazher district in Sulaimani
province, killing and wounding family members on holiday.
Turkey justifies it aggression as counter-terrorism against the PKK.
On May 25, Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar boasted that 1,458
PKK militants had been killed in cross-border operations since the
beginning of 2020.
In reality, civilians bear the brunt of Turkey’s aggression. Hundreds
of civilians have been killed and at least 115 border villages have
been evacuated.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has condemned
Turkey’s attacks. Its chair Gayle Manchin has called on Turkey “to
immediately cease its brutal air strikes in Sinjar, Iraq and to
withdraw any ground troops - who represent a dangerous escalation of
violence in an already-fragile area.”
Rep. Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
concurred on Twitter: “I strongly condemn the Turkish air strikes &
ground operations near Kurdish and Yazidi civilian areas...This type
of reckless endangerment of civilian lives is unacceptable, especially
for a NATO ally.”
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo responded by parroting Turkish
propaganda, calling on Turkey, Iraq and the Kurds to work together in
the fight against terrorism.
The Iraqi government ignored Pompeo, protesting Turkey’s violations of
its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Former Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd, warned in a Twitter post:
“The recent Turkish military incursion into Iraqi Kurdistan in the
Zakho region is a very serious geopolitical development. The intensity
of the attack is alarming. Calls by Turkish leaders to revive
historical claims of Mosul province are even far more disturbing.”
Kurds are not the only victims. Many Christian villages in Zakho and
Yazidis in Sinjar fled Turkey’s attacks. Women and children have been
Turkey’s primary victims in Makhmour.
Turkey should face a reckoning for its crimes. Fighting so-called
terrorism does not entitle Turkey to slaughter civilians.