Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ANCA’S ARAM HAMPARIAN INTERVIEWED BY JOURNALIST ARIS NALCI OF TURKEY’S T24

02/02/2015 ANC-NEWS

Question #1) What is the Armenian lobby in the US?

Hamparian: The Armenian lobby is – at its heart – an American lobby,
driven by US citizens of Armenian heritage and supported by our fellow
citizens who believe that US interests and American values are advanced
by policies that prevent genocide, promote human rights, advance
self-determination, and strengthen bilateral ties with Armenia. The
Armenian Lobby is, conceptually, a concerted effort to leverage our
community’s civic resources, within our democratic system, to align
US policy with shared American and Armenian values.

Question #2) Why are Armenians lobbying? Why is this lobbying needed?

Hamparian: The North Star of the Armenian Lobby is the survival and
long-term viability of the Armenian nation. We provide a 360 degree
defense against regional interests threatening our homeland, while
a the same time building up Armenia and Artsakh.

Question #3) Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Cavusoglu and
others often mention that the Armenian lobby cooperates with the
Gulen movement in US? Is this true? If so, at which levels?

Hamparian: We frequently find ourselves fighting against the Gulen
movement’s anti-Armenian attacks, including their efforts to block
truth and justice for the Armenian Genocide or to oppose freedom
for Karabakh.

Question #4) Do you have contacts and relations with Turkish and
Kurdish politicians? If yes, What are your demands from them?

Hamparian: We have meaningful ties with the HDP, including with
their Washington, DC office. We have a productive discourse on a
broad range of issues, including efforts toward a just resolution –
in Turkey and internationally – for the Armenian Genocide.

Ermeni lobisi yoneticisi: Sýk sýk Gulen hareketinin anti-Ermeni
saldýrýlarýyla karþýlaþýyoruz Ermeni lobisi Turkiye dýþ politikasýnýn
korkulu ruyalarýndan biri.

Belki de en buyuðu. 2015’te Turkiye’nin dýþ politikasýnda attýðý
adýmlara bakýlýrsa da hukumetin en gozde hedeflerinden biri. Son
donemlerde de ‘paralel yapýyla’ baðladýlar iliþkileri.

“Hepimiz Hrant’ýz hepimiz Ermeniyiz” sloganý icin “Bizim milliyetcilik
damarýmýza dokunmasýnlar” diyen Deniz Baykal, AÝHM’ye giden Ermeni
vakýflarý icin “Yargý yolu kapanmýþsa yolunuz AÝHM’dir” diyen
yolsuzluktan ‘temizlenen’ Egemen Baðýþ’ýn her fýrsatta Ermenileri
hedef gosterircesine saldýran Doðu Perincek’in arkasýnda Strazburg’da
sýralarýný almalarý Turkiye’nin de en az diðer lobiler kadar lobiciliði
sevdiðini anlatýyor bir yandan da.

Peki kim bu Ermeni lobisi?

Ne iþ yapar?

Gulen Cemaati ile gercekten de bu kadar icli dýþlý mýdýr?

Sorularýmýzýn cevaplarýný en basit þekilde ve doðrudan ABD’deki
‘Ermeni lobi’si “Armenian National Comitee of America” (ANCA)
yoneticisi Aram Hamparian verdi.

Ermeni lobisi?

Ermeni lobisi deyince akla ilk olarak ‘ocu’ geliyor Turkiye’de.

1960’lardan bugune ic siyasette korkutucu bir oðe olarak kullanýlan
lobiler aslýnda Turkiye’de olmasa da dunyada siyaset yapan/satan
þirketler.

– Ermeni lobisi – adý da ustunde- bir Amerikan lobisidir. Ermeni
mirasýna sahip olan ABD vatandaþlarý tarafýndan yurutulen, Bileþik
Devletler’in ve Amerikan deðerlerinin soykýrýmcý politikalara engel
olmasý, insan haklarýna desteklemesi, oz yonetime sahip cýkmasý ve
Ermenistan’la ikili iliþkilerin kurulmasýný amaclayan bir Amerikan
lobisidir.

Ermeni lobisi, kavramsal olarak, toplumumuzun sivil
kaynaklarýný,demokratik sistemimiz icerisinde, bir kaldýrac olarak
kullanmaya cabalayan, paylaþýlan Amerikan ve Ermeni kulturleri ýþýðýnda
ABD siyasetine yon vermeye calýþan bir kurum Ermeniler neden lobi
yapýyor? Neden gerekli?

– Ermeni lobisinin Kuzey Yýldýzý, Ermeni ulusunun uzun vadede
hayatta kalmasýný ve yaþayabilirliðini artýrmak. Anayurdumuzu
cevreleyen bolgesel tehditlerle ilgili 360 derece savunma ihtiyacýný
karþýlýyoruz. Ayný zamanda da Ermenistan ve Artsakh’ta (Daðlýk Karabað)
gelecek inþâsýný destekliyoruz.

Dýþiþleri Bakaný Mevlut Cavuþoðlu ve bircok Turkiyeli siyasetci Ermeni
lobilerinin Gulen hareketi ile baðlantýsý uzerine vurgu yapýyor sýk
sýk. Bu konuda ne duþunuyorsunuz? Baðlantýnýz var mý? Varsa hangi
boyutta?

– Sýk sýk kendimizi Gulen Hareketi’nin anti-Ermeni saldýrýlarýyla
karþýlaþýyoruz.

Ermeni soykýrýmý konusunda adaletin saðlanmasýna engel olmak ve
Karabað’ýn baðýmsýzlýðýna karþý cýktýklarý zamanlarda ozellikle.

Turk ve Kurt siyasetcilerle goruþuyor musunuz?

– HDP ile, Ermeni soykýrýmý ile ilgili konularda ve onlarýn cabalarý
ile ilgili uretken bir soylem icerisinde bazý konularda temasýmýz var.

Aris Nalcý

EXPERT: THE LINK USA-TURKEY-ISRAEL IS THE KEY THREAT TO ARMENIA’S SECURITY

by Ashot Safaryan

Tuesday, February 3, 16:57

The link USA-Turkey-Israel is the key threat to Armenia’s
security, political expert, Sergey Shakaryants, said at today’s
press-conference. He also added that just the above mentioned “three”
is trying at present at any cost to level significance and influence of
the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

‘And the statement by Israel’s foreign minister, that Israel does
not recognize the Armenian genocide, was not accidental. If Tel-Aviv
makes such sharp anti-Armenian statements, it expresses not only its
own position, but also the position of its key sponsor and strategical
partner – Washington. These two countries are not going to recognize
the genocide, as it is not beneficial to them”, – Shakaryants said.

He also added that he will not be surprised if the leadership of
the USA as well as the leaders of the other Western countries will
not arrive in Armenia to take part in the memorial events, but will
visit Turkey to celebrate the so-called “Gallipoli victory”.

The expert thinks that the rumors on worsening of relations between
Tel-Aviv and Ankara are a myth, as a true level and quality of
relations is determined not by the diplomatic rhetoric, but economic
cooperation. “Look, what huge investments Israel is making in the
Turkish economy, agriculture, defense industry and many other key
sectors. Against the background of such a close cooperation, all
the rest political statements simply lose their relevance”, – the
expert said.

To recall, the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide will be
marked on 24 April 2015. Official Ankara does not recognize the
genocide which was recognized in 24 countries of the world. There
are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey and the 330
km long border between these countries has been shut down since 1993
according to Ankara’s initiative.

AMERICAN EXPERT: STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF AZERBAIJAN FOR UNITED STATES IS REDUCED

18:41 03/02/2015 >> POLITICS

The strategic importance of Azerbaijan for the United States
is reduced, and the official Baku does not show much interest in
strengthening relations with the United States, Wayne Merry, the Senior
Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council,
stated during an interview with the “Voice of America,” Azerbaijani
information agency “Turan” reports.

“From the side it is difficult to characterize the motives of those
who determine the policy in Baku. But the fact is that in recent
months Azerbaijan has more and more refused to show even minimal
respect for the feelings of America and has resorted to such steps
that irritate not only the US government and President Obama, but
also important people in Congress. Maybe in Baku they do not attach
importance to this, because they are always talking about how important
Azerbaijan is, etc. But for such power as the United States discontent
accumulates, and at some point it’s time to “off the account.” The
United States attaches great importance to Azerbaijan as a transit
point in the northern transportation network to Afghanistan.

However, due to the reduction of America’s role in Afghanistan the
role of Azerbaijan is also reducing. Amid growing tensions in the US
relations with Russia, the value of what is happening in the regions
of the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea is moving to the
background for Washington.

In my opinion, the day will come when the US will see less importance
of Azerbaijan for Washington than it now seems,” the expert noted
answering the question whether there was a link between the crackdowns
on the civil society activists in Azerbaijan and the US-funded
offices in Baku, and the possible reorientation of Baku’s foreign
policy towards rapprochement with Russia.

As a response to the question about the importance of the West for
Azerbaijan, Merry said that the growing oil revenues in Azerbaijan
in recent years have opened the way for large-scale corruption and
corrosion, the article states. On the other hand, Azerbaijan’s
President Ilham Aliyev and his entourage deal with the internal
situation and increasingly lose their view of the outside world.

“Finally, at the global level Azerbaijan considers itself an extremely
important player, though, in the priorities of the West and the US,
it has no such significance. US should clarify to Azerbaijan that,
in comparison with what was 5-10 years ago, the role of Azerbaijan
in the priorities of America is not so great. The changing energy
market and reduction of America’s military presence in Afghanistan
belittle its role. This trend will probably continue to fall and the
importance of Azerbaijan will fall, too,” he stressed.

The expert also noted that if Azerbaijan wants to withdraw from
a course on authoritarianism based on the power of oil, then yes,
it needs the West. It is for this reason that the West reached out
to Azerbaijan after the collapse of the USSR. But if the political
leaders of Azerbaijan believe that they are so rich and independent
and there is no need to consider the interests of the West and America,
then they can go their own way.

“However, this is a relatively small country caught in the midst
between Iran and Russia, and there may come a time when it will have
a need for strong friends. And then it will turn out that it does
not have such friends,” concluded Merry.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT: “THE ARMENIAN MASSACRE WAS THE GREATEST CRIME”

February 2, 2015

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in his letter to Cleveland Hoadley
Dodge on May 11, 1918

“The Armenian massacre was the greatest crime of the war, and the
failure to act against Turkey is to condone it… the failure to deal
radically with the Turkish horror means that all talk of guaranteeing
the future peace of the world is mischievous nonsense.”

U.S.-ARMENIAN DEFENSE COOPERATION WAS DISCUSSED

Lragir.am
Politics – 03 February 2015, 14:15

On February 2 the first deputy minister of defense Davit Tonoyan met
with the delegation of the United States European Command headed by
the Brigadier General McNeilly. The delegation was accompanied by
the U.S. Charge d’Affaires Clark Price.

During the meeting issues relating to the U.S.-Armenian cooperation
in the sphere of defense were discussed. The sides highlighted the
importance of maintaining the dynamics of development of cooperation
and cooperation in new spheres, the RA MoD informed.

FOREST FIRES IN ARMENIA TEND TO GET MORE

14:02 February 02, 2015

EcoLur

In recent years the number of forest fires has increased in Armenia.

As “National Policy on Fire Management in Forest Land Areas, Specially
Protected Areas of Nature, Agricultural Land Areas and Grass-Covered
Residential Areas and Its Implementation Strategy”, if the average
number of forest fires for 2001-2009 is 7, this indicator for 2010-2011
is 50.

The annual average number of fires recorded in grass-covered areas
for 2010-2011 increased about 5 times as compared with the average
indicator for 2004-2009.

Under the National Statistical Service of Armenia, the damage caused
to forests with fires for 2005-2010 accounted for 504 million AMD,
out of which 500.2 million AMD was caused only in 2006.

The main cause of fires in grass-covered areas is burning down
the remainders of dry plants in fields and pastures, from where
uncontrollable fire spreads to nearby forests.

The highest number of fires was recorded during the heatwaves from
July to September. As compared with 1948-1980, the number of heatwaves
for 1980-2012 increased annually by 40%.

BLAZE AT A BUILDING IN YEREVAN CENTER PUT DOWN

YEREVAN, February 3. /ARKA/. Firefighters have put down the blaze in
one of the buildings in the center of Yerevan, Novosti-Armenia reports.

The blaze started in the ventilation pipe of Pandok Yerevan restaurant
in Amiryan street near the Republican Square.

Residents of the house living above the restaurant noticed the heady
smoke coming out of the pipe around 14:00.

A squad that arrived at the scene contained the fire in 20 minutes.

High temperatures inside the pipe made the fat accumulated within
the tube blaze, said Gevorg Mnatsakanayn, the deputy head of the
prompt response department of the rescue service at the ministry of
emergencies. -0–

TEXTILE INDUSTRY ABLE TO OFFER ABOUT 15,000 NEW JOBS IN ARMENIA – COMPANY HEAD

YEREVAN, February 3. /ARKA/. If favorable conditions are created,
the textile industry can ensure a 10-15-time growth of production
and exports and at least 15,000 new jobs in Armenia, co-chairman of
the country’s Union of Light Industry Employers, director of Tosp
knitwear factory Suren Bekirski said.

Bekirski said favorable conditions imply government support, cheap
loans, investments of $7-8 million with a payback period of 10 years,
tax burden easing or at least equal conditions.

If exports do not develop, Armenian companies will fail to grow and
be competitive.

According to co-chairman of Union of Light Industry Employers Hovsep
Poghosyan, the officialdom’s unwillingness to perform and lack of
affordable loans and individual approach to companies are the main
problems in the sector.

Earlier, the minister of economy Karen Chshmarityan said light
industry output rose by 12% in Armenia in 10 months of 2014 to about 7
billion drams. The minister said the industry recorded growth in both
production and exports in the period. The country’s exports hiked 25%
to 3 billion drams. ($1- 476.74 drams). -0–

YEREM SARGSYAN TO REPRESENT SLAIN GIUMRY FAMILY SUCCESSORS IN COURT

YEREVAN, February 3. /ARKA/. Barrister Yerem Sargsyan will be defending
the interests of the two successors of the Giumry tragedy victims,
Lusine Avetisyan and Yegor Adamyan, in the court, the official facebook
page of Armenia’s Investigative Committee says.

Sargsyan submitted the respective power of attorney to the inquest
body dealing with the investigation, says the report.

On January 12 a local family of seven was killed near the Russian
military base in Giumry, including a six-month infant that succumbed
to severe wound a week later. A Russian conscript valery Permyakpv
has been charged with the crime, as per article 104 of Armenia’s
criminal code (murdering of two and more people). -0–

SDA – Suisse
vendredi 30 janvier 2015 5:34 PM CET

Massacre d’Arméniens: prête à en “payer le prix” si coupable

Istanbul

La Turquie est prête à “payer le prix” si elle est reconnue par des
historiens indépendants coupable des massacres d’Arméniens commis à
partir de 1915, a assuré Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Le président turc a
rejeté à nouveau leur qualification en “génocide”.

“Si les résultats des recherches devaient révéler que nous avons
commis un crime, si nous devons en payer le prix, nous prendrons les
mesures nécessaires”, a déclaré M. Erdogan lors d’un entretien
télévisé diffusé jeudi soir sur la chaîne publique TRT.

Les autorités turques nient catégoriquement que l’Empire ottoman ait
organisé le massacre systématique de sa population arménienne pendant
la Première guerre mondiale.

Ankara reconnaît la mort d’environ 500’000 Arméniens, qui s’étaient
rangés du côté de son ennemie la Russie, lors de combats ou à cause de
famines. Les Arméniens évoquent à l’inverse le génocide d’environ 1,5
million d’entre eux.

En avril 2014, le président Erdogan, alors premier ministre, avait
offert des condoléances sans précédent pour les victimes arméniennes,
parlant d’une “douleur commune”. Mais il écarté l’idée de reconnaître
un génocide à l’occasion du centième anniversaire, cette année, des
événements de 1915.

L’heure de “briser des tabous”

“Nous ne sommes pas obligés de reconnaître le soi-disant génocide
arménien sur les ordres de quelqu’un”, a-t-il souligné jeudi soir,
“nous ne pouvons pas accepter une chose pareille”.

La veille, le président français François Hollande a appelé la Turquie
à faire un “effort de vérité” sur ces événements, estimant qu’il était
l’heure de “briser des tabous”. Le chef de l’Etat islamo-conservateur
turc a appelé les hommes politiques à laisser cette question aux
historiens.

“Si vous êtes vraiment sincères, laissez les historiens faire leur
travail”, a-t-il dit. “Nous avons ouvert nos archives et mis plus d’un
million de documents à disposition. Si l’Arménie dispose aussi
d’archives, elle doit les ouvrir également. Ensuite nous pourrons nous
asseoir et parler entre dirigeants politiques”, a conclu M. Erdogan.