Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Sept 18 2011

Erdoðan visits Arab nations amid tension with Israel

18 September 2011, Sunday / ,

The much expected visit from the Turkish prime minister to the
rebuilding nations of the Arab Spring — Egypt, Libya and Tunisia —
took place last week, a time that was particularly significant as it
followed recent crises between Israel and its last remaining friends
in the region, Turkey and Egypt.

Erdoðan’s first stop was Egypt, where he received a hero’s welcome on
Monday. At least 20,000 Egyptians holding posters of Erdoðan and
chanting slogans welcomed Erdoðan at Cairo International Airport. On
Tuesday, Erdoðan delivered a speech at a meeting of the Arab League in
Cairo, where he called on Arab countries and Turkey to close their
ranks so tightly that “even daylight could not pass between [us].” His
speech was interrupted by storms of applause from Arab foreign
ministers supporting Turkey’s call for solidarity in the region. “It
is time for us to take responsibility for our common future,” Erdoðan
said, and added, “we are entitled to meet the righteous demands of our
people using any legitimate means.” Erdoðan also reiterated criticism
of Israel and called on Arab countries to support a Palestinian bid
for statehood recognition at the UN General Assembly later this month.

Erdoðan moved to Tunisia on Thursday. In Tunisia, he reiterated his
criticism of Israel, saying Turkish frigates and gunboats might be
sent to the eastern Mediterranean at any time to ensure freedom of
navigation. “Israel will not be able to move in the eastern
Mediterranean as it wishes,” he said at a joint press conference with
Tunisian interim Prime Minister Beji Caid el Sebsi on Thursday.

Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador earlier this month in a row
over an Israeli raid last year that killed nine Turks on a flotilla
bound for Gaza, the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas and under
blockade by Israel.

——————————————————————————–
Sept. 11 Sunday
A religious ceremony was held at the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross
on the island of Akdamar in the eastern province of Van. This was the
first such ceremony since the historic one of Sept. 19, 2010, which
was the first on the site since 1915.

Representatives from various nongovernmental organizations and
political parties gathered in the Kadýköy district of Ýstanbul to
condemn the Sept. 12 military coup on the coup’s 31st anniversary.

A policeman, Nadir Özgen, was kidnapped in the Çatak district of Van
province by three members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK).

Five people, including a policeman, a gendarme and three civilians
were killed, and 10 people, including seven gendarmes, were injured in
PKK attacks against a gendarmerie command building and the Þemdinli
Police Department building in Hakkari.

Sept. 12 Monday

Turkey was the world’s fastest-growing economy in the first six months
of this year, driven by intensive investment from the private sector,
data from the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat) revealed.
Turkey’s gross domestic product (GDP) saw 8.8 percent growth in the
second quarter of this year compared to the same period a year ago.

The 2011-2012 school year started for kindergarteners and first
graders. During their first week at school, the children will take
part in an orientation program designed to help them adapt to school.

An Ýstanbul court began hearing the trial of 22 suspects in a case
regarding the establishment of several websites that allegedly ran
propaganda campaigns against civilian groups and the government on
behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The case was merged with the
ongoing case of a separate military plot targeting the government last
month at the request of Ýstanbul Public Prosecutor Cihan Kansýz, after
arrest warrants were issued for 14 suspects, including seven senior
generals, in the website investigation.

Gürsel Tekin, deputy chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP),
said Aziz Yýldýrým, the chairman of the Fenerbahçe sports club, who is
currently jailed over alleged involvement in match-fixing, asked the
CHP for support in changing the laws dealing with sports crimes when
he (Tekin) visited Yýldýrým at Metris Prison. Tekin said he
consciously chose Sept. 12 for the date of the visit, as a reminder of
the Sept. 12, 1980 military coup. “I have great respect for those who
lost their lives and paid heavy costs in the fight for democracy. I
condemn the people responsible for Sept. 12. Metris Prison is a
notorious place in which many suffered,” Tekin said.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan was greeted by tens of thousands
of Egyptians who flocked to Cairo airport to welcome the Turkish prime
minister, while Cairo’s streets were decorated with posters of
Erdoðan. At least 20,000 Egyptians holding posters of Erdoðan and
chanting slogans welcomed the prime minister at Cairo airport.

Sept. 13 Tuesday

Turkey said that its military may launch a ground offensive against
terrorist PKK targets in northern Iraq at any time, in accordance with
ongoing talks with Iraqi Kurdish officials, as part of a plan to
cooperate against the PKK. Interior Minister Ýdris Naim Þahin said in
response to questions from reporters as to whether Turkey is pondering
a ground operation in northern Iraq that talks with the Kurdish
regional administration in northern Iraq are still under way and that
a cross-border ground offensive could be launched at any time, as
could aerial strikes.

Minister of Family and Social Policy Fatma Þahin met with the
presidents of bar associations from 16 metropolitan provinces in
Turkey to exchange views on a draft law that aims to reduce violence
against women. The meeting took place at the conference hall of the
Ministry of the Family and Social Policy in Ankara.

The Ýstanbul Police Department’s financial crimes unit detained dozens
of people as part of an investigation into alleged corruption
involving the municipal government of Avcýlar Municipality.

Kýrýkkale Mayor Veli Korkmaz, who stands accused of warning suspects
in a fraud investigation about a possible police search of their
offices prior to the raid, testified to prosecutors carrying out the
Deniz Feneri probe.

At an Arab League meeting in Cairo Turkish Prime Minister Erdoðan
called for the Arab countries and Turkey to close their ranks so
tightly that “even daylight shall not pass between.” The Turkish
leader’s speech was interrupted by applause from Arab foreign
ministers supporting Turkey’s call for solidarity in the region. “We
are living through a turning point in history, and we are called upon
to cooperate more closely than ever,” Erdoðan said.

Terrorists from the PKK killed two police officers when they attacked
a police car in the southern province of Kahramanmaraþ.

Sept. 14 Wednesday

The Constitutional Court re-elected Haþim Kýlýç as its president, with
13 of the 17 justices voting in favor of the current president. The
top court held the vote to elect its president as Kýlýç’s four-year
term had come to an end.

A court arrested four active duty army officers and released a staff
colonel as part of the widening Sledgehammer probe. The 13th Ýstanbul
High Criminal Court arrested Adm. Abdullah Can Erenoðlu, Gen. Mustafa
Ýlhan and staff colonels Ender Kahya and Önder Çelebi on charges of
coup plot.

Turkey and US officials signed a memorandum on the deployment of US
radar as part of a NATO-backed missile defense system designed to
protect European members of the alliance from missile threats.
According to the memorandum, the X-band radar system will be deployed
at a military base in the eastern province of Malatya.

Prime Minister Erdoðan met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in
Cairo where the Turkish leader declared that it was time to raise the
Palestinian flag at the UN.

President Abdullah Gül warned against Islamophobia in Europe and said
he considers a modern state a multicultural one. Gül said in a joint
interview with Turkey’s Zaman daily and Germany’s Die Zeit, prior to
his scheduled visit to Germany, that it was Europe where the modern
state developed, characterized by democratic principles and the rule
of law, and that he finds it contradictory to see Islamophobia on the
continent.

Kayseri’s First High Criminal Court rejected a request from the
lawyers of former military prosecutor Ahmet Zeki Üçok, who stands
accused of using torture on three noncommissioned officers in the
province of Kayseri, to have his case transferred to a military court.
The court ruled that only military crimes can be referred to military
courts and that engaging in torture is not a military crime.

Trabzonspor’s Ondrej Celustka struck 14 minutes from time to stun 2010
winners Inter Milan and clinch a 1-0 away win in the Turkish side’s
Champions League group stage debut.

Sept. 15 Thursday

Ankara’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation
into a recently published voice recording that allegedly reveals
secret talks between representatives of the Turkish government and the
outlawed PKK in Oslo.

Former police chief and politician Mehmet Aðar was sentenced to five
years in prison on charges of establishing a criminal organization, in
a trial concerning a car accident in 1996 that exposed links between
the Turkish state, the criminal underworld and Turkish security
forces. Aðar, who served as a police chief shortly before the
incident, was standing trial for his role in an unlikely arrangement
between a famous mafia boss, a member of the security forces and a
politician. The prosecutor argued that Aðar had established an
organization with the purpose of committing crimes.

Prime Minister Erdoðan, visiting Tunisia on the second stop of his
North African tour, reiterated his criticism of Israel, saying Turkish
frigates and assault boats might be sent to the Eastern Mediterranean
at any time to ensure freedom of navigation. “Israel will not be able
to move in the Eastern Mediterranean in any way that it wishes. It
will see our determination in this regard,” he said at a joint press
conference with Tunisian interim Prime Minister Beji Caid el Sebsi.

Turkey’s unemployment rate continued to fall with the country’s
unemployment rate at 9.2 percent in June 2011, according to data
released by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat). TurkStat said
the unemployment rate fell from 10.5 percent in the same period of
last year. According to TurkStat’s data, the number of people
unemployed in the country now stands at 2.53 million and the number of
those employed at 24.90 million.

Five police were injured when a member of the terrorist Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) attacked a minibus carrying police from a police
academy in the southeastern province of Diyarbakýr

In a celebration featuring the unlikely trio of a pop singer, an
actress and the German minister of state, the German Embassy
commemorated 50 years of Turkish immigration to Germany at the Pera
Museum.

Sept. 16 Friday

Three individuals believed to be foreigners were killed in an armed
attack in broad daylight in Ýstanbul’s Zeytinburnu neighborhood.

The trial of seven defendants, including former Kayseri Gendarmerie
Commander Col. Cemal Temizöz, who is charged with killing Ramazan Elçi
in 1994 along with dozens of others while he was the commander of the
gendarmerie in the southeastern district of Cizre between 1993 and
1995, and former Cizre Mayor Kamil Atað, suspected of at least 20
unsolved murders in the Southeast during the 1990s, continued at
Diyarbakýr’s 6th High Criminal Court.

Speaking in Libya, Prime Minister Erdoðan declared that “the time for
autocracies is over,” and the autocratic regime in Syria will collapse
just like those in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

The International Hrant Dink Award was presented for the third time
on Hrant Dink’s birthday, Sept. 15, to Taraf’s Editor-in-Chief Ahmet
Altan and Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho.

Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 17 2011

Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh will be discussed at the 66th session of
UN General Assembly
[17.09.2011 09:35]
Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 17 /Trend corr. E. Aliyev/

“Situation in occupied territories of Azerbaijan” and “Continuous
conflicts in GUAM and their influence on an international peace,
safety and development” paragraphs are included in the agenda of the
66th session of UN General Assembly , Permament mission of Azerbaijan
to United Nations told Trend. Hearing of these paragraphs are planned
to realize at “Preservation of international peace and security”
meeting at plenary session of Assembly.

An Armenian representative having a speech on regulation of meeting
expressed disagreement of his country to include “the Situation in
occupied territories of Azerbaijan” paragraph in the agenda. However,
Armenia as the only state not supporting this paragraph showed
aggressive and nonconstructive policy once again.

“The observer status of Parliamentary Assembly Turk-speaking countries
in the General Assembly”, suggested by Azerbaijan, and “The observer
status of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries in
General Assembly”, suggested by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and
Turkey also were included in the agenda of the 66th session of the UN
General Assembly. Hearings of these paragraphs are considered to
realize under paragraph of “Organizational, administrative and other
questions” at the Sixth Committee of the Assembly.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

National Post , Canada
September 16, 2011 Friday
National Edition

Coming to terms with genocide; A charge that Nova Scotia settlers
targeted Mi’kmaqs has historians debating terminology

by Kathryn Blaze Carlson, National Post

There is a Conspiracy of Silence hidden safely in the Archives of
Canada, a long denied fact: European settlers, inspired by White
Supremacism, sought the “out and out genocide” of the Mi’kmaq people
in Nova Scotia. Such, at least, is the claim – complete with
capitalization – of Halifax historian, Daniel Paul, published this
month in the Settler Colonial Studies journal.

“The dispossessing of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas by
Europeans, and the near extermination of them in the process, is the
greatest inhuman barbarity that this World has ever known,” Mr. Paul,
who could not be reached on Thursday, wrote in his paper, The Hidden
History of the Americas.

But his use of the term has rankled fellow historians, and has
resurrected the debate over when, exactly, it is appropriate to deploy
such a powerful word. “Genocide” refers to the most vile of human
aggressions, defined explicitly by the United Nations as acts
“committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
national, ethnic, racial or religious group.”

“I believe [genocide] is essentially a 20th century term, and I’m not
sure that it’s the best way to understand 18th century realities,”
said John Reid, a history professor at Saint Mary’s University in
Halifax. “What happened in the 18th century is a process of imperial
expansion that was ruthless at times, that cost lives…. But to my
mind, you can’t just transfer concepts between centuries.”

Some human rights experts argue that there has been only one genocide
in modern history – against the Jews during the Holocaust. Some say
there have been three more: Against the Armenians by Ottoman Turks,
against the Hutus in Rwanda, and in Bosnia in 1995.

“It’s a divisive term, and all you need to do is look at the Canadian
Human Rights Museum to see that that’s true,” said Kyle Matthews, the
lead researcher at the Montreal Institute For Genocide and Human
Rights Studies. “You can see differ-ent cultural communities in Canada
wanting their collective human suffering recognized with the same
weight as others.”

In his 15-page paper, Mr. Paul, a Mi’kmaq elder, refers to
Lieutenant-General Edward Cornwallis’ socalled Scalp Proclamation of
1749 as evidence that his people should be on the list – that the
British colonial authorities wanted to hunt every Mi’kmaq man, woman
and child in the province.

“His Majesty’s Council do hereby authorize and command all Officers
Civil and Military, and all his Majesty’s Subjects of others to annoy,
distress, take or destroy the Savage commonly called the Micmac,
wherever they are found,” the proclamation read. “[And] promise a
reward of ten Guineas for ever Indian Micmac taken or killed, to be
paid upon producing such Savage taken or his scalp.”

Mr. Matthews said those words may indicate “some genocidal intent,”
but said he, like Prof. Reid, would not deploy the term “genocide” for
both practical and profound reasons.

“From a legal perspective, it’s bet-ter to use the term ‘crimes
against humanity’ because the scope of proof is far broader,” he said.

Beyond that, though, is what he called the problematic “overuse” of
the word, which inevitably saps it of its power.

Mr. Paul’s argument has riled emotions in Halifax, where Cornwallis
Junior High was just this summer stripped of its name – thanks, in
part, to the efforts of Mr. Paul himself, and to Kirk Arsenault, the
first Mi’kmaq representative on the Halifax Region School Board.

“Genocide is trying to wipe out a race of people, and that’s what
Cornwallis tried to do,” Mr. Arsenault said. “What other word are we
going to use? Should we sugar-coat it? I’m sure we could find a word
that’s less severe than genocide. But should we?”

Mr. Arsenault acknowledged that the Mi’kmaq were at war with the
colonial forces, and that they, too, had issued bounties on English
scalps and wanted the enemy dead. But he said Cornwallis’ proclamation
is different in one key, and damning, sense.

“If he had made a proclamation of 10 guinea for every Mi’kmaq warrior,
then that would be another thing,” he said. “But if you’re trying to
kill every man, woman and child, isn’t that genocide?”

Despite opposing Mr. Paul’s use of the term, Prof. Reid said he
supports his efforts to educate Canadians on a sullied past.

“I agree that we need to confront some very dark historical realities
– that empire in the 18th century was not a clean, peaceful process,”
he said.

[email protected]

news.am, Armenia
Sept 17 2011

Armenian to represent Glendale at Miss California 2012

September 17, 2011 | 18:36

Violet Kanian, Armenian by origin, will represent Glendale at the Miss
California USA 2012 pageant.

A 24-year-old girl is a reporter for red carpet events and celebrity
interviews for Hollyscoop, Examiner.com, and Yerevan Magazine. She is
also involved in charity work coordinating a toy drive for
underprivileged and hospitalized children, Examiner.com reports.

If crowned, Violet would be the first ever Armenian to represent
California in the Miss USA pageant.

Tehran Times, Iran
Sept 17 2011

Armenia hails Iran’s stance on Nagorno-Karabakh issue

The Armenian foreign minister also said that his country is keen to
increase cooperation with Iran in all areas and expressed satisfaction
with the process of the implementation of the joint transportation
projects.

Nalbandian also thanked Iran for its stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue, which has dragged on since ethnic Armenian forces took control
of the region during a war in the early 1990s.

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 17 2011

Armenia and Argentina to hold agricultural cooperate

Armenian Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan received
Argentinean delegation headed by Deputy Agriculture Minister Lorenso
Basso, press service of AM reported.

Welcoming the quests, Sergo Karapetyan underlined Argentina’s
successes in agriculture and pointed out those aspects where the two
states could have cooperation.

`Armenia and Argentina have common climatic congenialities, thus can
cooperate almost in all the aspects,’ Minister Karapetyan said.

National Assembly, Armenia

Sept 17 2011

RA NA Speaker Receives Charges d’Affaires of Lebanon to RA Ziad Atallah

On September 16 the RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan
received the newly appointed Charges d’Affaires of Lebanon to the
Republic of Armenia Ziad Atallah.

Congratulating the diplomat on the occasion of the appointment the NA
Speaker expressed hope that the period of his tenure would promote the
development of bilateral relations. Hovik Abrahamyan highly
appreciated the Armenian-Lebanese inner-state relations and the ties
of the two peoples, and the evidence of which was also the warm
reception shown during the official visit paid to Lebanon in 2010.
Hovik Abrahamyan expressed conviction that the official visit of Nabih
Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, to Armenia planned in
October would promote the strengthening of relations and ties between
the countries and once again would promote that the Armenian-Lebanese
political relations were at a high level, there was full understanding
between the countries and peoples.

Mr Atallah thanked for the reception excellently appreciating the
Armenian-Lebanese relations and expressed confidence that after the
visit of the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament the cooperation would
more develop and strengthen.

The interlocutors also discussed other issues of bilateral interest.

Edward Nalbandyan: Armenia highly appraises Iran’s balanced policy
toward NK conflict

19:55, 17 September, 2011

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: Armenia highly appraises Iran’s
balanced policy toward Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandyan said today after the meeting with Foreign
Minister of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi, expressing hope that Iran will
maintain its position, Armenpress reports, citing the Iranian “IRNA”.

In his turn the Iranian Foreign Minister stressed that during the
whole history of Armenian-Iranian relations the peaceful coexistence
and cooperation have been laid in the basis of relations of the two
countries. “Iran perceives its neighbor Armenia as a friend country,
and Iran’s people treat Armenians with respect,” Akbar Salehi added.

Foreign ministers of the two countries referred to economic relations.
Edward Nalbandyan noted that serious programs are implemented between
Iran and Armenia in the sphere of energy and transport.

The parties discussed a number of issues concerning regional
developments as well.

Events dedicated to 20th anniversary of Armenia in a number of
European countries

20:45, 17 September, 2011

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: In the upcoming months events
dedicated to 20th anniversary of Armenia will be held in a number of
European countries. An official from the Armenian National Committee
of Europe told Armenpress that celebrations will be organized in
France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece and other countries.

In the Netherlands the celebrations will be conducted under the
patronage of the Armenian Embassy in that country. First Armenia’s
youth orchestra, headed by conductor Sergey Smbatyan, will perform.
And on September 24 the Armenian community will gather at the Armenian
House of Holland, where holiday and ethnographic songs will sound, and
the guests will have an opportunity to taste a traditional barbeque.
The same orchestra will give a concert in Brussels, capital of
Belgium, where the celebrations are sponsored by Armenian Embassy in
Belgium, RA missions at EU and NATO.

As Armenpress reported earlier, on September 25 singer Nune Yesayan
will give a concert in Paris dedicated to 20th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence.

In German Stuttgart city the events dedicated to independence of RA
and NKR will be conducted on September 22.

A soiree will be held in Greece on September 25, during which singer
Arsen Grigoryan will perform. “Nairi” and “Nanor” dance ensembles will
take part in it, and Ambassador to Greece Gagik Ghalachyan will
deliver a welcoming speech.

U.S. increase financing to Armenia’s economy, social sectors

September 17, 2011 – 14:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On September 17, Armenian Economy Minister Tigran
Davtyan and USAID Armenia Mission Director Jatinder Cheema singed
agreements on `Assistance for More Competitive and Diversified Private
Sector’ and `Assistance for Improving Healthcare and Social Services
Effectiveness’.

USD 8,3 and 8,8 mln respectively will be allocated to implement the
agreements above.

The agreements aim at increase of financing volumes in the framework
of existing programs on assistance to private sector, addressing macro
economy, social and healthcare issues.