Author: Kanayan Tamar

SHARMAZANOV RESPONDS TO LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S ADDRESS

18:48, 24 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 24 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly
of the Republic of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov has responded to First
President of the Republic of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s address to
the international community on the occasion of the Centennial of the
Armenian Genocide. In his speech during the hour of announcements at
the National Assembly, Sharmazanov reminded that the international
recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the international
recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide are the two
major cornerstones in the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia.

“As we approach the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, more and
more countries and organizations are condemning the Armenian Genocide.

Brilliant evidence of that are the resolutions that four European
organizations, including the European People’s Party, EURONEST
Parliamentary Assembly, the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation
Committee and the European Parliament have adopted over the past ten
days alone, strictly condemning the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by
Ottoman Turkey. But as we can see, there is a figure who has held a
high office, has been the first president of my country and is now
issuing an address that we can’t refer to as an address that serves
for the interests of the Armenian State, even if we really want it
to,”Sharmazanov mentioned, as “Armenpress” reports.

Sharmazanov emphasized that he had been introduced to Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s address and underscored the fact that he would refer
to it as an address that “buries” the claims of the Armenians. He
also stressed the fact that one of the major objectives for Armenia
is claims, and as a result, several countries are not only condemning
the Armenian Genocide, but are also passing laws against denial.

EVENT IN LEBANON DEDICATED TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

13:20, 23 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

On March 20, a conference on the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide was organized with joint efforts of leadership of “Notre Dame”
University and Lebanese Centennial Central body, in cooperation with
the Embassy of Armenia in Lebanon.

Ministers, parliamentarians, clergymen, leaders of political
parties, intelligentsia, journalists and students participated at
the conference, live streamed on Lebanese “OTV” TV channel.

In her remarks, Dr. Nata Saat Saper at “Notre Dame” University
mentioned that this year marks 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, and that Turkey continues denial policy, despite undeniable
historical facts and evidence.

Chairperson of Lebanese Centennial Central Body Seda Khtshyan briefed
about history of the Armenian Genocide. She mentioned that this event
is organized not only to commemorate the victims, but also to celebrate
victory, expression of power and will to life of our people.

Summarizing her speech, Chairperson noted, that the Armenian people
is to continue to restore justice and truth, creating and passing
down its rich history on the world.

Vice-President of the University Souhail Matar reflected on history of
the Armenian people and Armenian Genocide, speaking about massacres
committed in the Ottoman Empire, stressing the policy pursued by
Young Turks, and then by Ataturk. Dr. Matar summarized his speech
with following words, “Let the 100th anniversary open new doors to
the Armenian people for peace and justice.”

In his remarks, Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan
touched upon rich culture and history of the Armenian people, the
people, that having endured numerous deprivations and losses, always
fought for preservation of language, religion and values. Ambassador
thoroughly presented history of cross-stones, that are of great
historic value, as well as facts of genocide of culture against
historic-cultural values of the Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire
and in Azerbaijan.

He attached importance to the Pan-Armenian Declaration on the
100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide – the result of unity
and consolidation of the Armenian people. Ambassador highlighted,
that the Armenian people, walking heroic and glorious path of rebirth
and liberation, celebrates victory of life over death. Summarizing,
Ambassador mentioned that the Armenian people will continue fight
for restoration of justice, international recognition, condemnation
and elimination of all the consequences of the Genocide.

After the official speeches participants of the conference attended
cross-stone (dedicated to the Centennial) installation ceremony in
the garden of the University.

Sponsor, initiator of cross-stone installation, Sargis Budaqyan
mentioned that patriotism and loyalty for the Homeland united all
the people working on the initiative. He stressed that cross-stone
is gratitude expressed by the Armenians to the Lebanese people who
received with open arms and lent helping hand to the Armenian refugees.

TODAY’S ZAMAN: TURKEY’S POLITICIZATION OF GALLIPOLI HURTS NATIONAL LEGACY

13:01, 23 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Turkish government’s move this year to invite political leaders
from around the world to commemorate World War I’s Gallipoli Campaign
on April 24-25, a date chosen to compete with Armenia’s centennial
commemoration of the Genocide, has only served to politicize the
Gallipoli legacy, which should be a source of pride for the Turkish
nation, Today’s Zaman writes.

Turkey traditionally commemorates its fallen soldiers in the Gallipoli
Campaign – also known as the Battle of Canakkale – on March 18. Only
two years ago, then-President Abdullah Gul marked the 98th anniversary
of the battle on that date. No one in Turkey at the time suggested
that it should be remembered on April 24. Turkey has commemorated the
battle – one of the bloodiest of World War I – on March 18 to coincide
with the day Britain started its bombardment of the Dardanelles.

The change in date of this year’s commemorations has been widely
perceived as a crude attempt to distract attention from Armenian
commemorations of the 1915 massacres and forced deportations which
decimated the Ottoman Armenian population, which Armenians commemorate
on April 24.

“The game TR gov’t is playing with Gallipoli – politicizing it to
compete with Armenian Genocide commemorations – is utterly disgusting,
in my opinion,” Alex Christie-Miller, an Istanbul-based journalist
working for The Times, Newsweek Europe and the Christian Science
Monitor, posted on his Twitter account on March 19.

Joost Lagendijk, a former Green Party deputy in the European Parliament
who also served as the co-chairman of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary
Committee, also criticized Turkey’s move to commemorate the Gallipoli
Campaign on the same day as the Armenian commemorations, calling
it a “shameless and all-too-transparent effort” to try and distract
attention from the Armenian “Genocide” in his Today’s Zaman column
on March 17. Lagendijk said that shifting the 100th anniversary
of the Gallipoli Campaign to the same day “won’t work and it will
unnecessarily discredit Turkey.”

Turkey’s move also offended Turkish citizens of Armenian descent.

Speaking to Agos ­- a Turkish-Armenian weekly formerly edited
by murder victim Hrant Dink — after Erdogan’s invitation, many
Turkish citizens of Armenian descent reacted strongly to Erdogan’s
invitation to Sargsyan, calling it a “joke” and an “ill-mannered”
act, and further criticizing it as a “political maneuver.”

Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), an
independent think tank in Yerevan, said the timing of the Gallipoli
invitation could not have been worse. In an email to Sunday’s Zaman
in late January, Giragosian stated that Erdogan’s move had triggered
an intense negative reaction in Armenia and tended to confirm the
perception of Turkey as an “insincere and unreliable interlocutor.”

Speaking to France 24, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said
“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to change this
year’s Gallipoli commemoration to coincide with Armenia’s marking of
the 100th anniversary of the genocide was a cynical act.”

AZERBAIDJAN. LES AUTORITES DOIVENT LIBERER IMMEDIATEMENT LE RESPONSABLE DE L’OPPOSITION

AZERBAIDJAN

Le gouvernement d’Azerbaïdjan doit repondre favorablement aux demandes
de la communaute internationale et liberer immediatement le dirigeant
d’opposition de premier plan Ilgar Mammadov, en faveur duquel le Comite
des ministres du Conseil de l’Europe vient de lancer un deuxième
appel, a declare Amnesty International. Cet homme a ete condamne,
il y a plus d’un an, a sept ans de prison sur des accusations forgees
de toutes pièces et motivees par des considerations politiques.

Les autorites azerbaïdjanaises ont ignore plusieurs demandes du
Conseil de l’Europe appelant a sa liberation a la suite d’un arret
de la Cour europeenne des droits de l’homme, qui a conclu qu’Ilgar
Mammadov avait ete arrete sans preuve et que le veritable objectif
de son incarceration etait de le reduire au silence ou de le punir
pour avoir critique le gouvernement.

>, a declare Denis Krivosheev, directeur
adjoint du programme Europe et Asie centrale d’Amnesty International.

>

L’avocat d’Ilgar Mammadov a recemment declare a Amnesty International
que son client subissait une pression permanente des autorites
penitentiaires, qui veulent lui faire signer des > dans
lesquels il demanderait une grâce au president Ilham Aliyev afin d’etre
libere. Il refuse de le faire car cela reviendrait a admettre sa >. L’avocat a ajoute que la sante d’Ilgar Mammadov se
degradait car il est detenu dans une cellule surpeuplee et enfumee,
avec 20 autres prisonniers.

Complement d’information

Ilgar Mammadov a ete arrete le 4 fevrier 2013 et inculpe d’incitation
a des violences de grande ampleur après s’etre rendu, pour temoigner
de la situation, sur les lieux d’emeutes qui avaient eclate la veille
dans le nord-ouest du pays.

Il a ete condamne a sept ans de prison par le tribunal de Sheki,
a Bakou, en mars 2014. En mai 2014, la Cour europeenne des droits de
l’homme a estime que son arrestation etait contraire a la Convention
europeenne des droits de l’homme. Cet arret a ete definitivement
confirme le 13 octobre 2014 lorsque la Cour de Strasbourg a rejete
le recours forme par le gouvernement azerbaïdjanais. Le 4 decembre
2014, le Comite des ministres du Conseil de l’Europe a exige qu’Ilgar
Mammadov soit libere >, mais sa demande est restee
lettre morte.

Ilgar Mammadov est l’un des 22 prisonniers d’opinion, au moins, qui
sont incarceres en Azerbaïdjan pour des raisons politiques et dont il
est question dans le dernier rapport d’Amnesty International intitule
Guilty of Defending Rights : Azerbaijan’s human rights defenders and
activists behind bars.

lundi 23 mars 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : LE PRESIDENT SARKISSIAN DENONCE LE NEGATIONNISME D’ERDOGAN

FRANCE

Dans une interview exclusive accordee a France 24, le president
armenien Serge Sarkissian a regrette le choix de son homologue turc de
commemorer la bataille de Gallipoli le jour des ceremonies entourant
le 100e anniversaire du genocide armenien.

À un mois des commemorations du 100e anniversaire du genocide armenien
de 1915, le president Serge Sarkissian a denonce le “negationnisme”
du president turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, dans une interview exclusive
a France 24. Il affirme que la decision d’Erdogan d’organiser en
Turquie des commemorations de la bataille de Gallipoli, le jour meme
des commemorations du genocide, est une “provocation”.

“Nous n’avons pas l’intention de faire de ces manifestations une sorte
d’hysterie anti-turque. L’un de nos objectifs est de faire un appel a
l’humanite toute entière pour lutter contre les genocides”, a affirme
le president armenien. “Nous voudrions commemorer le genocide armenien
en commun avec le peuple turc. C’est cet objectif qui etait a la base
des protocoles signes en 2009 pour le retablissement des relations. Un
objectif que je visais aussi avec mon invitation a la Turquie de se
rendre au Memorial en Armenie, le 24 avril. Malheureusement, nous nous
sommes heurtes a une demarche negationniste qui a trouve – pardon de
le dire ainsi Рune expression particuli̬rement cynique cette annee.

La bataille de Gallipoli n’a pas commence et s’est encore moins
achevee le 24 avril. C’est une sorte de blessure adressee au peuple
armenien. En meme temps, il est evident que c’est une demarche qui
vise a creer des obstacles a la commemoration du genocide armenien”,
a-t-il regrette.

Les ceremonies du 24 avril en Armenie, auxquelles assisteront Francois
Hollande et Vladimir Poutine notamment, doivent etre l’occasion
de dire non aux crimes contre l’humanite. Le president Sarkissian
regrette que la Turquie prefere “saboter” ce moment de solidarite
plutot que de s’y joindre.

Le chef d’Etat armenien a egalement souligne “avoir peur” d’une
nouvelle guerre contre l’Azerbaïdjan a propos de la region disputee
du Haut-Karabakh, où les tensions se sont accentuees ces derniers mois.

Mais il a affirme que l’Armenie etait “prete a se battre” s’il
le fallait.

Enfin, le president Sarkissian a dit craindre une “nouvelle guerre
froide” entre la Russie et l’Occident, tout en affirmant avoir de
“très bonnes relations” avec Vladimir Poutine. Le chef d’Etat armenien
a souligne ne pas craindre que son homologue russe ait des vues sur
les ex-republiques sovietiques comme l’Armenie.

voir la video

lundi 23 mars 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN SUDDENLY DIES

11:18 * 23.03.15

Serviceman Hayk T. Margaryan (born 1992) died suddenly at one of the
military units of the Defense Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR), at about 5:15pm, on Sunday.

An investigation has been launched.

The NKR Ministry of Defense offers its condolences to the serviceman’s
family and friends.

A forensic examination has been scheduled.

THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WILL REMAIN IN ALL ARCHIVES AROUND THE WORLD: DEPUTY HEAD OF RUSSIAN STATE ARCHIVES

12:33, 23 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 23 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Russian version of the book “The
Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire: Testimonies of Survivors:
Collection of Documents” was presented during an event held at the
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Russian Federation on March
19. As the Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia reports to
“Armenpress”, among the participants of the event were Ambassador
of the Republic of Armenia to the Russian Federation Oleg Yesayan,
members of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation I.

Chernishenko and Zh. Ivanova, Deputies of the Russian State Duma I.

Fakhritdinov and O. Arshbay, Deputy Head of the 4thDepartment for
the CIS at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation A.

Gromiko, member of the Public Council of the Russian Federation,
leaders of Russia’s public and scientific circles and Armenian
community organizations of Moscow, public and political figures, as
well as diplomats and journalists. The Russian version of the book
was published with the support of VAN NGO.

In his welcome speech, Ambassador Yesayan, on behalf of the embassy and
the All-Russian Committee on Coordination of the events dedicated to
the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, expressed gratitude to the
gathered for participating in the event and supporting the efforts
of the Committee. The Armenian Ambassador also attached importance to
the significance of the publication of the Russian version and noted
that it would help raise awareness of the Russian society about the
Armenian Genocide.

Author of the book, Director of the National Archives of Armenia
Amatuni Virabyan mentioned that the Russian version of the book was
an addition to the Armenian, English and Turkish versions of the book,
which is of pivotal significance for presenting the irrefutable facts
about the Armenian Genocide to the international community.

In her speech at the event, Deputy Head of the State Archive of
the Russian Federation Larisa Rogovaya mentioned that the Armenian
Genocide is one of the tragedies in history that the international
community will always remember the Armenian Genocide and that it will
remain in archives around the world.

Member of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation and the
Armenian-Russian inter-parliamentary cooperation committee Igor
Chernishenko emphasized that the international community is focused on
two epochal events this year, that is, the Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide and the 70thanniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic
War. According to him, these two major events bring the Armenians
and Russians together in the fight for the restoration of historical
justice and against crimes against humanity.

The speakers cited irrefutable facts about the Ottoman Empire’s
anti-Armenian policy and the Armenian Genocide and attached importance
to the modernity of the Russian version of the collection of documents
in the fight against the policy of denial, frequent misinformation,
as well as reprinting and distortion of history.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 21 2015

Armenian opposition voices clutch prospect of being heard in Parliament

Preliminary Armenian candidates for the upcoming general election who
are supported by Nor Zartonk gathered for a press conference on
Wednesday in Ä°stanbul. (Photo: Sunday’s Zaman)

March 21, 2015, Saturday/ 17:00:00/ ZEYNEP KARATAÃ…? / ISTANBUL

The upcoming general election on June 7 will mark Turkey’s 24th
election for members of Parliament, and this year brings exciting
milestones for minority representation in Turkey. On Wednesday, three
more candidates presented their bid for nomination for the upcoming
general election on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)
ticket.

Filor Uluk, Murad Mıhçı and Diren Cevahir Å?en, representatives for the
Nor Zartonk Initiative — a civil society group representing Turkey’s
Armenian community, have now joined Garo Paylan and Nıvart BakırcıoÄ?lu
in the running for positions in Parliament as members of the HDP. In
addition to the HDP candidates, Talin ErgüneÅ? has also announced her
candidacy for nomination on the Republican People’s Party (CHP)
ticket.

In a press conference held in Ä°stanbul, it became clear that the three
most recent candidates are capable of presenting issues that matter to
all peoples living in the Turkish Republic, not only the
Turkish-Armenian community. Ã…?en, for example, began her career as a
lawyer in 2009 and has represented issues of women’s rights and
ecological rights. She also provided pro bono support for doctors who
were tried for providing medical care to protesters during the Gezi
Park protests in 2013. In addition to being an active member of the
HDP and Nor Zartonk since both were founded, she also takes part in
the Socialist Feminist Collective.

`Right now there is a party in power that is oppressing people who
have already been oppressed. First of all, the ruling party is not
counting women. That’s why in the upcoming elections we find it
important to represent all peoples,’ she stated during a press
conference held at the Armenian Culture and Solidarity Association
Center in Ä°stanbul on Wednesday.

Uluk also stressed the importance of representing minority rights in
Turkey with her HDP candidacy, not only to support Kurds and Armenians
but to speak on behalf of all oppressed parties. Uluk was born in 1960
in Samatya, a predominantly Armenian neighborhood of Ä°stanbul.
Throughout the 1990s, she was an active member of organizations
including the People’s Labor Party (HEP), the Social Democratic
People’s Party (SHP) and the Freedom and Solidarity Party (Ã-DP).

`We are a group living in a society where patriarchy is the model
presented to us. As Armenians, beyond being oppressed, we are the
women whose voices go unheard — voices of a people that have closed
ourselves off under suppression. We are first represented by our
fathers, then by our husbands after we are married, for the most
part,’ stated Uluk at the same conference.

`Granting women [rights] is the first step for a people to be freed,
and a guarantee that cannot be missed. Therefore, it is important that
I take advantage of this historic political moment by representing my
community,’ she added.

Armenian representation in Turkey

`Armenians now have a growing voice, and we hope this voice continues
to grow. Parliament is an important place for this voice to
reverberate, these elections will be an important opportunity to be
heard. But this alone is not enough, because [we the] opposition are
also on the streets,’ Ã…?en further commented on Wednesday.

Controversy and pressure continue to build with the approach of the
hotly contested centennial celebrations of the Ottoman Empire’s
systematic extermination of 1.5 million Armenians that began on April
24, 1915. `In short, we believe that this is beyond just the symbolism
of entering Parliament 100 years after the Armenian genocide. We
believe we will be able to share our voices and concerns there,’ Ã…?en
concluded.

Activist and spokesperson for Nor Zartonk, Sayat Tekir also commented
on Wednesday about the historic progress made by members of the
Turkish-Armenian community and how, despite the bitter past,
Armenians’ voices are gaining volume, though leaders in power, such as
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an, still use the term `Armenian’ as an
insult.

`We [the Armenian community] have lived through times when we were
referred to as `evil Armenians’ and `Armenian dogs’ in headlines, as
we were at the end of the 1970s and during the 1980s. Of course we
have been a community that has closed itself off after having lived
through events such as the Sept. 6-7 [pogroms of 1955]. Perhaps the
person who first broke down that door was Hrant Dink with the
publication of Agos.’

Tekir’s allusion to the events of Sept. 6-7 is a reference to when
homes and stores belonging to Greeks, Jews and Armenians in the city
were targeted in a pogrom triggered by news, which was later proved to
be false, that the house in Thessaloniki, Greece, where Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk was born in 1881 had been bombed. It was through
Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink that the Armenian community gained a
voice as he published the Agos weekly newspaper in both Turkish and
Armenian.

`While we are able to express ourselves more freely, there are still
people who use the word `Armenian’ as an insult. There are still those
who say, `Excuse me, but they called me Armenian.’ ‘

In this comment, Tekir refers to controversial remarks made in August
by President ErdoÄ?an, who was prime minister at the time, when he
said: `You wouldn’t believe the things they have said about me. They
have said I am Georgian. ¦they have said even uglier things — they
have called me Armenian, but I am Turkish.’

TURQUIE
Un député demande devant le Parlement turc de faire face au génocide
des Arméniens

Le 18 Mars, le président du parlement turc, Cemil Cicek, a prononcé
une allocution lors de la session extraordinaire de la Grande
Assemblée nationale turque commémorant le centenaire de la bataille de
Canakkale, suivie par les discours des autres parlementaires.

Le député du Parti démocratique populaire pro-kurde Abdullah Levent
Tüzel a fait une déclaration au sujet des Arméniens qui a scandalisé
ses collègues députés.

“Nos compatriotes arméniens d’Anatolie se battaient courageusement à
Canakkale, cependant, les intellectuels arméniens ont été exilés
d’Istanbul la même année. Si nous reconnaissons notre patrimoine de la
bataille de Canakkale, alors nous devrions sans hésiter reconnaître
que les Arméniens ont été exilés ou massacrés pendant le génocide.
Nous devrions analyser en profondeur la politique qui a finalement
abouti à l’assassinat de Hrant Dink “, a dit Tuzler.

samedi 21 mars 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

France 24
Sarkissian : Le négationnisme d’Erdogan

Dans une interview exclusive accordée à France 24, le président
arménien Serge Sarkissian a regretté le choix de son homologue turc de
commémorer la bataille de Gallipoli le jour des cérémonies entourant
le 100e anniversaire du génocide arménien.

À un mois des commémorations du 100e anniversaire du génocide arménien
de 1915, le président Serge Sarkissian a dénoncé le “négationnisme” du
president turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, dans une interview exclusive à
France 24. Il affirme que la décision d’Erdogan d’organiser en Turquie
des commémorations de la bataille de Gallipoli, le jour même des
commémorations du génocide, est une “provocation”.

“Nous n’avons pas l’intention de faire de ces manifestations une sorte
d’hystérie anti-turque. L’un de nos objectifs est de faire un appel à
l’humanité toute entière pour lutter contre les génocides”, a affirmé
le président arménien. “Nous voudrions commémorer le génocide arménien
en commun avec le peuple turc. C’est cet objectif qui était à la base
des protocoles signés en 2009 pour le rétablissement des relations. Un
objectif que je visais aussi avec mon invitation à la Turquie de se
rendre au Mémorial en Arménie, le 24 avril. Malheureusement, nous nous
sommes heurtés à une démarche négationniste qui a trouvé – pardon de
le dire ainsi Рune expression particuli̬rement cynique cette ann̩e.
La bataille de Gallipoli n’a pas commencé et s’est encore moins
achevée le 24 avril. C’est une sorte de blessure adressée au peuple
arménien. En même temps, il est évident que c’est une démarche qui
vise à créer des obstacles à la commémoration du génocide arménien”,
a-t-il regretté.

Lire la suite et visionner la vidéo, voir lien plus bas

dimanche 22 mars 2015,
Jean Eckian (c)armenews.com