Author: Kajoyan Gevork

TOWARDS A TURKISH SPRING

Huffington Post
June 4 2013

by Bernard-Henri Levy, French philosopher and writer
Posted: 06/04/2013 11:24 am

Strange the way History hesitates, stutters, takes shape, speeds up
and, suddenly, crystalizes.

For the past ten years, we’ve put up with everything from Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

We tolerated the arrest of journalists and intellectuals, the reign of
the arbitrary, and terror as an everyday occurrence.

We tolerated the closing of bars on the pretext of concern for public
health and the condemnation of writers, humorists, and pianists for
blasphemy.

In the name of the “moderate Islamism” it was supposed to represent,
we tolerated a feverish upsurge in anti-Semitism and the obstinate,
almost crazy refusal to recognize the Armenian genocide, just months
before its centenary.

We looked the other way when Kurds and other minorities were subjected
to repression.

We refused to admit that, before Europe even reminded him of not only
the economic, but the political and moral conditions set down for any
candidate to join the EU, he, Erdogan, had already chosen to turn his
back on Europe and on the values it presupposes and embodies.

To paraphrase Henri IV*, Ankara was worth a sermon, and so the myth of
the “AKP model,” founded on a State Islamism, under control and thus
moderate, was created, one not dissimilar — oh, maybe a just the
slightest bit tougher — to a German or Italian Christian democracy.

NATO obliged (and also, one must mention, the future pipelines of
central Asia that would one day permit the capitals of Europe to
escape their dependence upon heavy-handed Moscow’s control over the
energy faucet, or so it was thought), we discreetly shut our eyes to
the suffocation of little Armenia next door, to the expansionism in
the Muslim republics of the former USSR, and to the unfailing and
unscrupulous support of all the local despots.

Turkish society itself, this Muslim society that thought it had
definitively exorcized the bad demons of radical Islam a century ago,
watched, powerless and apparently resigned — or perhaps unable to
really believe its eyes — the slow but methodical unraveling of the
Kemalist heritage and its beautiful conquests of civilization.

And now, suddenly, a real estate development project, a simple —
although Pharaonic — development project has set the spark to powder,
precipitating a revolt that has been smoldering in secret but had not
yet found the adequate words or the courage to assert itself.

Who are these demonstrators at Taksim Square and those who, in the
country’s other cities, have followed their lead?

Ecologists, mobilized to save century-old trees?

Secularists who know their city is already the site of some of the
most magnificent mosques in the world and can see no point in
constructing still another at this symbolic place, not only of
protest, but of Istanbul’s citizens’ capacity to get along together?

Kemalists, horrified to see the Ataturk Cultural Center that borders
on Gezi Park, of which they were so proud, replaced by this mosque,
along with a shopping center built exactly like an old Ottoman
barracks?

Alevis, who consider naming the future third bridge over the Bosphorus
after Selim I, the sultan responsible for the massacres that decimated
their people five centuries ago, one more provocation to add to so
many other humiliations and stigmatizations, crossing the threshold of
the intolerable?

Democrats who, in this commercial and religious center planned by a
new sultan fast becoming an Ottoman version of Putin, see the exact
image of the wheeling and dealing with an Islamist face that is at the
very heart, indeed, the signature of this regime?

Yes, of course, all that at once.

It’s as though a veil has been lifted, or a mask removed.

It is the truth of a State that, though it has benefited from the
exceptional economic growth that has made Turkey the world’s ninth
power, is bursting before our eyes after nearly eleven years of
increasingly suffocating power.

It is Erdogan, the emperor who is, indeed, nude, and the myth of his
Islamism with a smile that is crumbling like a mirage.

Arab springs are not the only ones.

There is, there will be, a Turkish spring, led by this same crowd of
students, intellectuals, representatives of liberal professions,
pro-Europeans, those who love their cities and democracy and who, six
years ago, after the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink,
demonstrated in the streets, shouting, “We are all Armenians.”

One day or another, Turkey will become part of Europe.

This will be a stroke of good luck for the country, as it will be for
a Europe that is sinking deeper into crisis.

But to do so, the country must return to the path of its stride
towards democracy.

Turkey must fully convert to respect for human rights and the rule of law.

And Erdogan is no longer — and in reality never was — the leader who
can accomplish this.

He was adequate for the chancelleries and the realpolitik of the West.

But he has become the enemy of a civil society that will not easily
allow the noble part of its memory to be confiscated, one that, today,
is telling him, “You too, Erdogan — beat it! ”

*Henri IV converted to Catholicism in order to become king of France
in 1593 and is said to have remarked, “Paris is worth a Mass.”

Z. POSTANJYAN REGARDING S. KHACHATRYAN’S CASE: “ONE OF THE FIRST TO BE BLAMED IS HIS SUPPORTER SERZH SARGSYAN”

June 4 2013

“The applied method is not absolutely equivalent to what happened”,- to
the question of Aravot.am whether the method applied to Syunik Governor
Suren Khachatryan is equivalent before completion of investigation,
termination of powers, taking into account what has been done”, – this
was the reply of Zarouhi Postanjyan, MP of “Heritage” faction. She
noted that S. Khachatryan has stored a huge quantity of arms and
ammunition, so he must be accused, also taking into account his
interview. Moreover, S. Khachatryan says that he has a sufficient
quantity of ammunition, because he lives in a region where there is
a threat of restarting the war. Z. Postanjyan sees here a conflict
with the law and details, – “We have victims, mandatory accusation
should be run in the atmosphere of fear and repression, in cases of
crime related to violence, and those responsible should be put under
arrest. Meanwhile, the main author of the crime, the top government
official of Armenia who has a sound biography to be a criminal in the
context of criminal, definitely a criminal persecution should be acted
to this person, because that was not just it. We must note that this
person was not a citizen by chance. This evidences the fact that the
high-ranking officials in Armenia are just criminal persons. And once
when I made a statement that a thug of the neighborhood is involved
in the proxy of the Republican Party, our partners were feeling bad
from me saying that I should not offend.

But, in fact, from the lowest level of the thug of the neighborhood
to the top official, are not just only hooligans of the small
neighborhood, but a criminal with years of experience. Now in the
presence of dissemination of information on the Internet, it is
very difficult to hide.” Mentioning S. Khachaturian’s words that
“it’s good I was asleep, otherwise I would have released 20 bullets
on his head,” – said Mrs. Postanjyan. “Those words, the facts of
discovered ammunition, murdering and the injured person are crimes
connected with each other. Therefore, such person is a threat to
the society because he has already raised the potential threat. He
remains as a threat and an obstacle for the society and the body
implementing proceedings, because he can influence on the actions
of body implementing proceedings. The fact that he is an interested
party, he has not even concealed it. And if he was not arrested and no
charges were brought forward, then such person is under the patronage
of Serge Sargsyan.

And the person to be guilty is not only Suren Khachatryan, the system,
but the one of the first persons to be guilty is his employer and
supporter Serge Sargsyan”. Regarding the same issue, the representative
of the Supreme Body of Armenia ARF Armen Roustamyan said the following,
– “It is not yet clear. The investigation will show what has happened
and adequate punishment will be given. No investigation was complete
and it is difficult to say in advance that everything will be
complete. We always hope that it will be so, but it always happens
what happens. It is the manifestation of reproductive system of the
power, and this is the entire reason and everything is generated from
this. In our country people should have impunity that the government
has a chance to be reproduced. That’s it, there is no other reason to
be more profound. If people in the marzes have worked for this system,
it seems to them that they have a crown of impunity.

The reason is that the government in our country has never been
changed since independence, even through the elections. Therein we
see the results.” Tatev Harutyunyan

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

PRESIDENT: AZERI POLITICAL, ECONOMIC LANDMINES TO EXPLODE SOON

June 5, 2013 – 21:39 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – President Serzh Sargsyan commented on Armenia’s
economic development at the National Security Council sitting.

According to the President, Armenia’s economic development rate
exceeded those of neighboring countries despite many difficulties the
country is facing. “In 2012, Armenia posted economic growth of 7,2%,
with the result to continue into 2013, while the inflation rates will
remain relatively low and manageable,” he noted.

The president stressed the importance of growth in all sectors of
economy in overcoming the crisis, with economy diversification having
yielded positive results.

He further urged for initiation of new projects and economy
modernization, with anti-hail systems to be created along with
overcoming the consequences of the devastating hail.

The Armenian leader predicted serious regional changes within 3-4
years.

President Sargsyan slammed Azeri policy of hatred, noting that
political and economic landmines in the country will soon explode.

“The country’s poor planning in the face of dwindling oil and gas
production will inevitably lead to a fiasco, while Azeri youth will
speak up against the social injustice in the country,” he said.

TURKEYS COMING HOME TO ROOST?

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013

The crowd at Taksim Square (AP Photo by Kostas Tsironis)

BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

The parallels seem deliciously endless in number and category. A
week’s worth of unrest in Turkey, spreading from Constantinople (Bolis)
to other cities, could go to unpredictable places, both good and bad.

Already, I’ve heard that the AKP’s (ruling party) youth wing is
tussling with others. What does this suggest? Is it an indicator that
the party feels threatened and is unleashing its thugs? Contradicting
this is the reality that Erdogan left the country for a couple of
days. This is an indication of confidence, although it could just be
another manifestation of his renowned arrogance.

The first thing that came to mind when I heard about these goings-on
is “are the Islamists (Gulenjees, perhaps) and the secularists
(Ataturkjees) butting heads in what could be the beginning of something
big?” This was reinforced by the opinion I read that the situation
could devolve into civil war.

Imagine, something that started as simply as a protest to save Gezi
Park (evidently the only remaining green space in Bolis), could spark
huge changes. Here, we have a parallel with the successful struggle to
save Yerevan’s Mashdotz Park. This also speaks to how fundamentally
important environmental issues are to life. The police overreacted,
using water cannons and tear gas- and here we have the parallel to
the Egyptian government’s overreaction to the demonstrations in Cairo
during the “Arab Spring” just over two years ago.

Ultimately, the government stood down, and I saw pictures of
the demonstrators cleaning up the mess, not the authorities! And
here’s another parallel, to the “occupy” movement that establish
self-governing mini-communities throughout the U.S. In fact, I even
saw “Occupy Gezi Park” thrown out as a term/name.

Various “man on the street” interviews portrayed this outpouring
as a reaction to Prime Minister Erdogan’s increasingly repressive
government. Interestingly, he attributed this outpouring to the
political opposition and “foreign” ties. The latter accusation is
particularly ironic given Turkey’s involvement in “promoting” the
Arab Spring actions as part of its grand, neo-Ottoman delusions, er,
excuse me, designs, on the Middle East. Turkey meddled in Libya, and
is the main conduit for supplies going to the rebel forces fighting
the Syrian government. Given this history, it would be no surprise
if other countries have decided to “return the favor” by stirring
the pot in Turkey. The three most likely countries are Syria, Iran,
and Russia, all of whom have every reason to desire revenge against
Turkey for its international shenanigans, particularly the murderous
outcome we’re seeing in Syria. It is also a way for these countries
(and perhaps others, too) to tell the U.S. and Europe to “back off”
after the mess they’ve created in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Finally, what is very intriguing is a hit piece on Turkey that
already appeared in a Jewish publication (The Tablet). This struck
me as odd since it seemed to me relations between Turkey and Israel
were on the mend. Perhaps there’s more going on in the background
in this relationship. Otherwise, it’s just plain weird that such a
strongly anti-Turkey piece should appear so soon after the protests
in Turkey started.

Keep a very close eye on this. Perhaps this is indeed a “Turkish
Spring” in the making. If so, we should strive to also make it an
Armenian, Assyrian, Greek, and Kurdish Spring, simultaneously.

LET RUSSIAN TAXPAYERS PAY SALARY OF MINISTER OF ENERGY

The gas price in Armenia is not an economic issue. It is a political
issue which is not determined by the Public Services Regulatory
Commission or by the Ministry of Energy.

Then it is unclear why it is necessary to pretend that there is
“nothing personal, only business”. Civil activists understand this
very well and protest in front of the embassy of Russia. Though, first
of all it is necessary to express no confidence to the officials who
pledge Russia to deceive the Armenian society.

The new Russian ambassador to Armenia Nikolai Volinkin has not
answered any of the questions of the Armenian society. There are
at least two questions: why Gasprom reduces the price for European
consumers from 402 to 378 USD for 1000 cubic meters and increases the
price for Armenia, and whether those are right who accuse Russia of
not allowing Armenia to buy cheaper gas from Iran.

The minister of energy or even the prime minister will be unable to
answer these questions. Each answer of the minister complicates the
“gas affair” even more.

Only a competent authority of Russia can answer these questions.

Armenian officials should stop playing games, deceiving the society
and covering up Russia’s political ambitions. It would be more honest
to raise their hands up and not to ask them such questions.

The Iranian ambassador to Armenia noted that the price of the Iranian
gas is not higher than the Russian gas while the minister of energy
Armen Movsisyan stated something else. He hinted that the two prices
are interrelated, which means that after the increase of the Russian
gas price Iran will have to boost it too, so Armenia will have to
supply more electricity to Iran to pay for the gas.

The ambassador said that the width of the Iranian gas pipeline is
enough for Armenia’s demand, just like the amount of gas in Iran
while the Armenian minister was saying the opposite.

Whose interests are the Armenian minister of energy and other
officials protecting – Gazprom’s or Putin’s? So in that case let
Russian taxpayers pay their salaries.

Naira Hayrumyan 16:30 05/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

LET’S KEEP THE CAMERAS ON THEM

June 5 2013

“Hey, listen, it’s enough to keep cameras on us, you drank our blood.”

As you guess, a humble laborer of the land, a violinist of a symphonic
orchestra or a junior scientific worker can not talk like this. The
“bodyguard” of “Harsnaqar” restaurant Garik Markaryan speaks like
that, who is sitting in the chair of the defendant and accuses the
visitors to the restaurant for a brutality and sadism beating, so
that one of them had died. When they attacked people with their pack
and tortured them, the “bodyguards ‘and waiters would probably not
realized that they will be answering before the law, and the cameras
will be focused on them. Thus, people who are accused for shedding
blood, instead of burning with shame, blame the journalists for
taking pictures and thus for “drinking their blood”. And the mother,
who brought up such a “glorious” son dishonors the reporter covering
the trial. I am absolutely not going to insist that the reporters are
right under all circumstances. In all disputable cases, I am only
defending the reporters to whom I have no doubts concerning their
discreet, decent and professional conduct. This is precisely the case.

In general, I think that from the prospective of society benefits,
even disputable cases (excluding personal), it is more appropriate
that the reporters focus their attention on this or that phenomenon
rather than to hide the phenomenon or the event. More the trial in
“Harsnaqar” is covered, less is likelihood that those responsible for
a brutal beating and killing will get their deserved punishment. More
we remember the criminal of the neighborhood impeding the reporters
during the elections, less the characters, including “Turbo” will
have the chance to hide themselves in their concealments. More we
write about shootings in Gyumri or Goris, more the obscenity of local
‘princelings’ will be limited. Whenever we become less consistent,
tired, forgetting, etc., the government finds the opportunity to
‘conceal’ the cases. The same refers to the issue that was raised
by our colleagues from “Hetq”. It refers to the document, according
to which the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and the Ararat Diocese
Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan were correlated to the enterprise
registered at the offshore zone and created obstacles in the business
of another businessman. Whether the information is accurate or
not, I do not know. The Prime Minister, however, has applied to the
Prosecutor’s Office. But if we are not interested in what happened to
the application on daily base, the prosecution is very likely to ‘hide’
the case. So, dear colleagues, when the officials, their “bodyguards”
and, which is almost the same, the “neighborhood thugs’ say ‘take
your camera away from here”, do not listen to them. Aram ABRAHAMYAN

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

ANC MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: “I DID NOT SIGN UNDER THE INITIATIVE OF COMPENSATING THE HEIRS OF THE VICTIMS ON MARCH 1

June 4 2013

“I have not supported. Nichol, out of politeness, did not write my
name. But his initiative was based on women’s signature, under which I
did not sign because it was offensive for me that Heghineh Bisharyan,
Margarita Essayan, Zaruhi Postanjyan were to sign, and only then it
was turned to me. Why should I be the last to know that a member of
our faction has initiated such a thing and that my signature is not
the first to appear underneath? I told him that and I think he
realized it”, – said ANC MP Lyudmila Sargsyan to Aravot.am, explaining
why ANC faction has not supported Nichol Pashinyan in the legislative
initiative of compensating the relatives of victims on March 1. To our
question whether this legislative initiative was not put into
circulation due to internal disagreements and ambitions, Ms. Sargsyan
said,- “It is a subject of debate within the faction, which I do not
think I have the right to disclose. It is not a matter ambition, of
course. The faction was against not to the compensation, but the
problem comes from the fact that the committee of “March 1â~@³ was in the
stage of establishment. In any case we hope that it will be
established and, as a result, the compensation will be not over the
years, but as a lump sum amount of $ 1 million. Should we have
accepted the initiative, we would not expect that a committee would be
established and, as a result, all the victims will receive a lump sum
amount of money. I think Nichol should not have discussed it with all
factions, and then with ANC. That was his mistake and it was
unacceptable for the faction. And as he preferred discussing it with
everybody, and in the end notifying the faction, he can not deserve
understanding and in the result our steps could not be agreed upon.”

To our observation that ultimately the Committee was not established,
Ms. Sargsyan continued,- “The establishment of the Committee was more
realistic than implementation of the initiative. Realizing that this
initiative, one way or another, will not pass, it could interfere with
the establishment of the Committee … I do not exclude that we will
come up with other and similar initiative. But you need to understand
how to implement the initiative. Again to initiate something which
will be voted against. But let’s see if this opportunity is available,
ANC will act with similar initiative.” She also added that the Members
of Parliament, who signed under the initiative of N. Pashinyan,
clearly realized that it will fail to be a reality. “I do not exclude
the possibility that they consulted with their factions. And it is the
majority. They might have calculated their signatures that it should
lead to hamper the establishment of the Committee, and the case will
not get to NA for discussion, in the result of which the Republican
Party appeared in a stupid situation, it broke its promise. And once
again proved that there is a deficit of political will. ” Arpine
Simonyan

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

TER’NGEE

The Armenian political thought and lack of political will have
constantly accompanied our state. There is an illustrative episode in
the Armenian film The Orchestra Guys. Amid the waltz of pro-Western
officers the Mauserman intrudes into the hall, shoots in the air and
shouts: “Ter’nghee, ter’nghee…” [Ter’nghee is an ethnic Armenian
dance.]

Nearly the same is happening in the Armenian political field where
pro-Western guys and warlords questioned the future of Armenia,
circulating useless thesis drafted beforehand at lower levels of
intelligence which became the pillars of latent propaganda.

1. The capital of oligarchs exposes and hinders good governance,
or public administration is faulty and hinders development of business.

These two opposite clauses have one common purpose – divide the
unaware society to PRO-OLIGARCHIC AND ANTI-OLIGARCHIC and cause them
to clash. In the noise from this provoked fight the state budget is
embezzled and wasted, we are running out of our resources. Who cares
how this capital is wasted, whether by way of public procurement
schemes, monopolies, tax avoidance, kickbacks. What matters is that
these two artificial segments are maliciously emptying Armenia,
while a group of analysts and political scientists are instructed to
discuss who steals more and prepare the platform for future usurpation
of power, it does not matter by who.

2. The Russian Red Army/ NATO missiles, Saudi Arabia sheiks, Persian
mullahs, Timur Lang’s cavalry are trying to save Armenia but the
government, wicked oligarchs, Turkish spies, Romanian dancers hinder
these honest intentions… The legends about the foreign bias Armenia
do not differ anyhow from the above phrases, their ultimate goal has
nothing to do with real foreign bias, their only purpose is shaded
deals, efforts of corruption with forces which handle dishonest
economic levers. Remember the transformation of the pro-Western ANC
to understand that most political forces together with the government
have got down to the glorious task of encashment of foreign bias.

Being deprived of the state experience of independent thinking,
our public thought swallows the bait, dancing waltz and Ter’ngee
intermittently and wondering why such dance diversity changes nothing
in their lives. The reason is that dance and music are not ours,
only the feet belong to us…

By the way, at the end of the film, while people are dancing,
Bolshevists invade Armenia. Ter’ngee.

Artur Remyan 14:14 05/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

SECRETARY KERRY TO VISIT ARMENIA THIS YEAR

12:41 05.06.2013

US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Armenia this year. He
accepted Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian’s invitation and
said he would like to organize the visit in the current year, Press
and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and US Secretary of State
John Kerry had a meeting in Washington on June 4.

POPE FRANCIS REITERATES HIS EARLIER RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

June 05, 2013 | 11:43

Pope Francis, during a meeting Monday with a delegation led by Nerses
Bedros XIX, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholics
at the Vatican reiterated his earlier recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, Asbarez reported quoting Diario Armenia.

Meeting one of the descendants of the Armenian Genocide victim,
Pope said “the first genocide of the 20th Century was that of the
Armenians.”

Earlier he made similar statement when he headed the Catholic Church
in Buenos Aires as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio

Seven years ago, during events marking the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide in Buenos Aires, then Archbishop of Buenos Aires
Jorge Mario Bergoglio urged Turkey to recognize the Genocide as the
“gravest crime of Ottoman Turkey against the Armenian people and the
entire humanity.”

News from Armenia – NEWS.am