Author: Kajoyan Gevork

TURKEY BEGINS RETRIAL OVER MURDER OF ARMENIAN JOURNALIST

Agence France Presse — English
September 17, 2013 Tuesday 3:47 PM GMT

ISTANBUL, Sept 17 2013

A court in Istanbul began a retrial on Tuesday over the murder of an
ethnic Armenian journalist, a case that has gripped the nation for
years and sparked accusations of state conspiracy.

Hrant Dink, who incurred the wrath of Turkish nationalists for calling
the World War I massacre of Armenians a genocide, was shot dead in
broad daylight in 2007 outside the offices of his bilingual weekly
newspaper Agos.

The killing of the 52-year-old sent shock waves across Turkey and
triggered a wider scandal after reports that state security forces
had known of the murder plot but failed to act.

An Istanbul court in 2011 sentenced Dink’s self-confessed killer Ogun
Samast to 23 years in jail. He was tried as a juvenile as he was only
17 at the time of the murder.

A year later, the court sentenced the so-called mastermind of the
murder, Yasin Hayal, to life in prison for inciting the killing but
acquitted 18 other defendants, ruling that there was no conspiracy.

In May, Turkey’s appeals court partially overturned the 2012 verdict.

It upheld the conviction for Hayal but ordered a retrial to look
into whether he and another 18 acquitted defendants belonged to a
criminal network.

Hayal and another seven of the defendants were being retried.

Hayal, who was the only defendant to attend Tuesday’s hearing,
criticised the appeals court’s decision. “I did not found or head a
criminal organisation,” he said.

>From the outset, Dink’s lawyers had demanded a new investigation
and a retrial to determine if there was a conspiracy behind the
journalist’s killing.

The appeals court in May stopped short of launching a deeper
investigation into the potential involvement of Turkey’s powerful
institutions.

Dink’s lawyers and human rights defenders believe that those behind
the murder were protected by the state because Dink had received
threats for a long time before he was killed, often writing about
them in his columns in Agos.

At Tuesday’s first hearing Dink’s lawyers called on the judges
to especially look into the possible implication of police and
paramilitary police.

“If you follow the ruling of the highest appeals court, all these
blanks in the investigation must be looked at,” said lawyer Bahri
Bayram Belen.

The names of the seven other suspects were not known to the public.

The next hearing will be held on December 3 giving all suspects time
to comment on the appeals court decision.

At the request of the prosecution the court on Tuesday ordered the
re-arrest of one of the acquitted suspects, Erhan Tuncel. He had
told the court during his earlier trial that he was an informer of
the paramilitary police.

Prosecutors now say they have new evidence in his case.

“Hrant Dink was killed… with instructions from public agents. The
state will continue to protect those public agents,” Gulten Kaya of
the Association of Friends of Hrant Dink said outside the courthouse.

‘We are all Armenians’

“The picture is clear… It is possible that the instigator and
its comrades will be sentenced for forming a gang,” she said while
claiming that the real conspirators behind the murder would get away
with the crime and even get promoted.

“The trial… will bring no justice.”

Dink’s family said they would no longer attend any hearings as the
court “spurns legal rights, fairness and honesty”.

A crowd of about 150 people, including three MPs from the pro-Kurdish
Peace and Democracy Party and two opposition Social Democratic
deputies, gathered outside the courthouse, chanting: “We are all Hrant,
we are all Armenians”, “For Hrant, for Justice” and “Stop this mock
trial, try those really responsible”.

Every year since Dink’s murder on January 19, 2007, thousands have
gathered outside Agos offices on that date to remember the journalist,
whose life-long campaign for reconciliation between Turks and Armenians
won him as many enemies as admirers.

Turkish nationalists especially resented that he qualified the
massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenians in the final years
of the Ottoman empire, Turkey’s precursor, a genocide, a term Ankara
has always rejected.

nc-fo/gk/lc

ANIE IN ARMENIA!

Cabrini College Loquitur
Sept 18 2013

I am so thankful and blessed to have had the incredible opportunity
to spend my summer in a place I could call home, Armenia. Through
an organization called the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGB),
I was able to spend six weeks in the land of my ancestors with 28
other interns where we lived together, took Armenian language lessons
together, danced, sang, ate and experienced our culture together in a
way we hadn’t before. We stayed in the city of Yerevan where we each
were placed by AGBU to intern during the week. I am so grateful to
have been placed to intern at the Yerevan Zoo, as I realized it is
very special in the way that it is not like other zoos.

Before the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural
Assets (FPWC) was established in 2002, the zoo was instituted in 1940
by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Armenia. Unfortunately at
this time, the animals were not well taken care of. When the FPWC
took over, a lot of work was done to make changes for the animals’
well being with the aim to raise local and international awareness for
the preservation of Armenia’s unique natural heritage. It implements
environmental projects with the help of professionals in the fields of
ecology, environmental law, film making as well tourism and regional
development.

Armenia is part of the Caucasus Biodiversity Hotspot, making it
one of 34 regions worldwide defined by Conservation International
as outstandingly important for the protection of the globe’s
biodiversity. These 34 hotspots have lost at least 70% of its original
natural vegetation and are under threat to lose what is left. Over 50
percent of the world’s plant species and 42 percent of all terrestrial
vertebrate species are endemic to these hotspots, therefore, the
protection of Armenia’s nature is of vital importance (FPWC).

When the hands of the zoo were left to the FPWC, the animals were
in poor condition and could neither be given to other zoos for care,
because no paperwork had been kept, nor be sent back to their natural
habitats because they would not survive. The FPWC kept the zoo, making
major adjustments in order to provide the animals with appropriate
enclosures and habitats, as well as providing them with proper medical
care needed. The FPWC also changed the overall atmosphere of the zoo
from looking down on the animals and treating them as disposable to
educating visitors about how to properly care for them and of their
importance to human life and to the Earth. The FPWC provides this
through environmental education to children and youth, organizing
environmental festivals and campaigns as well as other projects such
as the production of documentaries on nature.

I was very proud to work in a place where it was evident that everyone
was doing their best to meet each animal’s needs and make a big impact
in their lives. My job was simple, but a powerful experience. Each
morning I cut up a variety of fruits and vegetables in order to make
feeding rounds later in the day. I had the opportunity to feed llamas,
alpacas, camels, a variety of goats, deer, horses, ponies, and the
zebra. These animals helped me realize how close we are to them by
allowing me to enter into their space, feed and even pet them! I will
never forget the first time I walked into the llama enclosure.

They all ran to me! At first I felt a little overwhelmed because I
had never experienced being with non-domesticated animals like this,
but my partner gave me the O.K. and I suddenly dropped any fear I
had and was filled with excitement and happiness. They were happy
to see me! They brushed up against me and curiously looked at me,
brushing up against my face. After this, I was on a mission to pet
every animal I could, which I did! I was able to pet every animal I
fed, except the zebra, who was a little more timid and shy. However,
towards the end of the six weeks, he would come up closer to me as I
filled his food bowl and I have to say, I am extremely proud of his
courage! I know if I had been able to stay a little longer, he would
have opened up to me and let me pet him. The act of petting animals,
for me, is extremely special. The animals know we are very different
and don’t necessarily know my intentions; however, through patience,
persistence, and kindness, they become open to me and allow me to
connect with them in a very personal way. This is incredible. I
can’t say I fully understand my friends at the zoo, but I can say we
connected and certainly built a kind of friendship, the way I think
God intended for His creation to have.

I hope to incorporate some of what I learned through this wonderful
experience in my Animal Lover Activist club and I am excited to see
what we can learn, the changes we can make, and hopefully, impacts
we can make as well.

FIKRET SADYKHOV AND ALEXANDER ISKANDARYAN: WHO SHOULD MAKE THE FIRST STEP IN RESOLVING NAGORNO -KARABAKH CONFLICT?

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 16 2013

16 September 2013 – 6:35pm

The first week of the new co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group,
James Warlick, who delivered President Barack Obama’s call for
direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, resulted in another
deterioration of the situation associated with visits by citizens of
the European Union to the occupied territories of Nagorno-Karabakh. On
Friday, Bundestag deputy Jurgen Klimke visited Karabakh, his actions
have already been condemned by the ruling German CDU/CSU faction.

In a situation where the contradictions are growing, VK asked experts
from Azerbaijan and Armenia, Professor Fikret Sadykhov and director
of the Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan, to talk about who
in the present situation should make the first step towards resolving
the conflict.

Sadykhov primarily emphasized that Azerbaijan has repeatedly
demonstrated its willingness to cooperate constructively by adopting
the principles of the agreements and negotiations in Prague
and Madrid. “There are the updated “Madrid principles”. What is
their essence? The problem is solved in two stages. At first, the
occupied Azerbaijani territories are freed. At the second stage of
the negotiation process, refugees return to their homes, and the
negotiation process on the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict is conducted
on the basis of te norms and principles of international law,” the
expert reminded of the existing diplomatic conditions for a peaceful
settlement of the conflict.

Iskandaryan, in turn, drew attention to the fact that a peaceful
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will move forward only
when both sides are willing to make concessions. “You know, it depends
what you call a settlement. Naturally, if tomorrow somebody proposed
that the whole of Karabakh is deported, and everything is free, and
Azerbaijanis can have the land, of course, Azerbaijan would agree. Or
if somebody was to offer Armenia that the independence of Karabakh is
proclaimed and recognized by Azerbaijan, Armenia would also agree. But
it’s not serious, nobody will make such an offer. A settlement entails
real concessions from both sides. There will be losses. Azerbaijan
is not ready for the extent of losses that Azerbaijan would suffer,
Armenia is not ready for the extent of losses that Armenia would
suffer. The same applies to Karabakh. Accordingly, any real settlement
does not seem likely today,” the analyst explained his opinion.

MARKARIAN DISCUSSES CUSTOM’S UNION, HOVHANESSIAN AMBASSADORSHIP

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013
Hrant Markarian

BY VARAK KETSEMANIAN
>From The Armenian Weekly

In a recent interview on the “Yerkrin Hartse” television program in
Armenia, Hrant Markarian, the chairperson of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Bureau, presented the ARF’s stance on various issues
concerning the Armenian Republic today.

Since Sept. 3, he said, when Armenia decided to join the Russian-led
Custom’s Union, most of the discussions and debates in the country
have revolved around this issue. The public reaction against the
move has been strong, since it was seen as an unexpected and unusual
declaration by the government.

It is not a secret, Markarian explained, that our defense structure is
based on a Russian system. This is why changing it will require a lot
of time. This problem is independent of our will, he said. However,
if we take into consideration that the main problem in Armenia is that
of energy, we can easily see which possibility or option is in our
best interest. Thus, our position is not driven by our desire; we must
take into consideration what is possible. If we are to consider this
issue from a sentimental perspective, and ignore the fact that we are
still in a war, or ignore the geographical location of Armenia and the
features of our defense system, it would be easy to choose Europe over
Russia. But addressing this problem from such a viewpoint is wrong.

The primary concern for us is not the sentimental aspect of the
problem, but rather the responsibility with which we should deal
with it. Yet, he went on, the shortcoming of this decision was the
fact that the Armenian authorities did not create possibilities for
establishing a unified government position on this issue, which is
why the public and the other political parties were all surprised.

Regarding the negotiations with the European Union, Markarian stated
that the whole process was not useless. Adopting European values
and making our country conform to them is the main goal that we
should pursue, he said. In other words, we must seek European values
without necessarily joining the European Union. We believe in the
right of the people to choose their representatives, he explained,
and therefore we do not need the intervention of the Europeans in
establishing democracy in Armenia. By not refusing Europe completely
on the one hand, and choosing the Russian direction on the other,
we have brought relief to our people, soldiers, and army, he said.

Markarian also talked about Armenian foreign policy and explained that
while the ARF’s problem with the Armenian authorities is internal,
it shouldn’t come at the expense of Karabagh, or the right of
future generations, or the campaign for genocide recognition. That
which strengthens our state and economy must not be a victim in this
internal conflict, he underscored. Regarding ARF Bureau member Vahan
Hovhannesian’s ambassadorship, Markarian made it clear that it does not
mean the ARF is sympathetic to the foreign policy of Armenia; rather,
Hovhannesian was the best candidate they had. Markarian believes that
this is a positive if rare move on the part of the authorities, for the
ARF, and for Hovhannesian himself. He made it clear that Hovhanessian
is the kind of political figure who would resign immediately if he
were made to work against his principles and beliefs.

Markarian stated that Hovhannesian will be sent to Germany, and
that he is looking forward to the strengthening of Armenian-German
relations, especially before the centenary of the Armenian Genocide,
which would counter-balance the Turkish lobby there. The Armenian
authorities assigned a political mission to Hovhannesian, he said.

He concluded by emphasizing that just because the ARF opposes the
current president of Armenia, it does not prevent the party from
accepting offers that would benefit the Republic in general. The
ARF clearly differentiates where the homeland begins and where the
government does, and where statehood and homeland end, he said.

ARMENIA’S VICE-PREMIER RECEIVES GERMAN DELEGATION

18:41 ~U 18.09.13

Armenia’s Vice-Premier, Minister of Territorial Administration Armen
Gevorgyan received on Wednesday a delegation of the Federal Ministry
for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, German Development
Bank KfW and German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Participating in the meeting were also Deputy Minister of Territorial
Administration Vache Terteryan and Head of the State Committee for
Water System Andranik Andreasyan.

The German delegation has arrived in Armenia to inspect the
implementation of programs sponsored by the German government and
discuss new cooperation programs with relevant agencies.

“A number of programs are successfully being implemented with
the German government’s sponsorship. I would like to point out
infrastructure development programs in the regions,” Gevorgyan said.

Armenia’s vice-premier welcomes the KfW’s willingness to render
assistance to Armenia in hard waste reclamation and improvement of
management of water supply and drainage systems in more than 500
communities.

Vice-Premier Gevorgyan pointed out efficient implementation of the
GIZ-sponsored community development project in the South Caucasus
and soil erosion control in the South Caucasus project.

The German delegation expressed their satisfaction with consistent
implementation of the programs.

ARGENTINEAN BUSINESSPEOPLE DUE TO VISIT ARMENIA IN OCTOBER

YEREVAN, September 12. / ARKA /. Representatives of twenty Argentinean
companies, representing pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, information
technology, food processing, agricultural machinery, wine-making
equipment, textile industry and tourism sectors, will visit Armenia
October 17-18 for meetings with local businessmen, Argentina’s
ambassador to Armenia, Diego Alvarez Rivera, told in an interview
with ARKA.

“The anticipated business meeting is expected to support the deepening
of economic ties between the two countries and enhance bilateral
trade capacities,” said Rivera.

The ambassador noted the increase in bilateral trade in recent years,
saying to the best of his knowledge the positive growth trend is to
continue throughout this year as well.

In 2012 Argentina was the third country in terms of direct investments
in Armenia, which amounted to $55 million, a 5 percent rise from 2011.

Armenian-Argentinean trade in 2012 amounted to $5.76 million, a
two-fold rise from 2004. -0-

16:45 18.09.2013

SERZH SARGSYAN SENT A LETTER OF CONDOLENCES TO BARACK OBAMA

19:05, 18 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS: President of the Republic of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a letter of condolences to President of
United States of America Barack Obama on the tragedy in U.S. Navy
command complex.

“Honorable Mr. President,

I am deeply shocked by the news of tragedy in result of shooting in
U.S. Navy command complex. I strictly condemn that terrible act which
took lives of more than 10 innocent people leaving incurable wound in
the lives of their relatives and witnesses. I express deep condolences
to You, relatives of victims and friendly nation of United States
wishing fortitude and valor and to the wounded people speedy recovery,”
is mentioned in the letter of condolences, reports “Armenpress”.

A former Navy reservist Alexis Aaron killed at least 12 people on
September 16 in a mass shooting in of US Navy military bases.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

PUTIN URGES ARMS MANUFACTURERS TO PRODUCE BETTER WEAPONS

September 18, 2013 – 22:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russian President Vladimir Putin urged his country’s
arms manufacturers on Wednesday, Sept 18, to produce weapons that
are superior to those of possible adversaries, RIA Novosti reported.

“Our past successes are no reason to sit back and relax,” he said
during a visit to the Kalashnikov gun maker. “We must constantly
strive to stay on top of current demands.”

He added that many of Russia’s legendary weapons were “no longer able
to make the grade.”

He urged the Defense Ministry and weapons makers to redouble their
efforts to develop new models of arms and military equipment,
especially precision weaponry and fire-control systems.

Putin’s remarks came soon after a senior Defense Ministry official
said Russia’s defense industry technology was largely outdated,
lagging decades behind competitors.

Lt. Gen. Alexander Shevchenko said earlier in September that many
defense firms were still not ready for mass production of high-tech
weapons systems and many military technologies were still at 1980s
levels.

There has been a disturbing decline in the quality of weapon
production, he said, adding that this was mainly due to obsolete
equipment and an extremely low pace of modernization.

The Russian government has reportedly allocated 20 trillion rubles
($640 billion) for the comprehensive rearmament of the country’s Armed
Forces. The measure is expected to make the share of modern weaponry
rise to 30 percent by 2015, and exceed 70 percent by 2020.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday that Russia
would spend $650 billion for the rearmament and modernization of its
armed forces through 2020.

FARE RISE ON AGENDA AGAIN

14:49 18.09.13

The issue of fare rise is again on the agenda of the Yerevan
Municipality.

Head of the Public Relations Department, Yerevan Municipality, Artur
Gevorgyan told Tert.am that the relevant commission is expected to
make proposals.

A source at the Yerevan Municipality told ArmInfo news agency that
the fare rise will be announced after September 21. Specifically,
the bus fare may reach AMD 250 (AMD 100 now), fixed-run taxi fare
AMD 200 (AMD 100 now) and trolleybus fare AMD 100 (AMD 50 now).

The source also said that protests will not produce any result this
time as the decision has been approved by President Serzh Sargsyan.

Tert.am reported earlier that Yerevan’s City Council was to hold
public hearing of the fare issue.

In its Wednesday issue the Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper addressed the
problem as well.

The No Fare Rise movement member Karen Harutyunyan told Tert.am that
Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan’s decision raising the fares was expected
to be suspended and revised.

“The commission’s aim is to justify the fare rise and to think of
the ways of struggling against the people,” Harutyunyan said.

ARMENIAN CONTINGENT READY FOR CSTO COOPERATION 2013 MILITARY EXERCISES

09:40, 18 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS: Armenia will participate in the
joint military exercises Cooperation 2013 of the Rapid Reaction Forces
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization with 50 officers and
servicemen. This was reported to Armenpress by the Spokesperson of the
Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan.

“The military exercises will be held on September 18-27 in Belarus”, –
stated Artsrun Hovhannisyan emphasizing that the Armenian subdivisions
are ready for the exercises.

The participation in such exercises raises the efficiency of any army.

The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia
noted that Armenia is always ready to take part in the exercises
and considers it to be quite important. “We are participating in
different military trainings every year and it will be continuative”,
– clarified Artsrun Hovhannisyan.

The joint military exercises Cooperation 2013 of the Rapid Reaction
Forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization will be held
in the Republic of Belarus. The exercises will be attended by the
contingents from the Republic of Armenia, Belarus, the Russian
Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

In 2012 the Cooperation 2012 was held in Armenia. The event was
attended by the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, the Minister of
Defense of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan, the head of the operative and
combat training department of the CSTO united staff Vladimir Ustinov,
other senior servicemen and the representatives of CSTO secretariat.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization was signed in 1992, May
15. Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan are among the CSTO member states.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am