Author: Kanayan Tamar

THE SUB-CONTRACTOR COUNTRY…
by Melih Asik

Milliyet
Dec 6 2011
Turkey

Why did US Vice President Joe Biden come to Turkey?

We will say that he came to reinforce Turkish-American friendship,
but…

We know that great states come not to give something, but to get
something…

Furthermore, Biden would be the last person to think of when speaking
of friendship… Just look at what retired diplomat Ugur Ergun says
in describing him:

“He is fanatically anti-Turkish. In order to curry favour with the
Greeks and the Armenians, he has always played a leading role in the
anti-Turkish activities conducted in the US Congress…”

It is obvious that Joe Biden came in order to convey the expectations
of the United States, and to persuade us on certain issues…

Uncle Sam wants us to carry out, free of charge, the business of
bringing down the [Bashar] Al-Asad regime in Syria…

And exploiting this opportunity, they will bring about a tussle
between Turkey and Iran…

In exchange, they are giving empty promises… The United States,
for example, will supposedly be at our side in the struggle against
the PKK…

Is [US President Barack] Obama now, after withdrawing all his troops,
going to provide the support that he did not give when he had 130,000
troops in Iraq?

Who would believe this lie?..

In the end, Turkey, rolling up its sleeves like an unpaid bouncer
in a bar, is going to defend the interests of the United States
and Israel…

And they will pat us on the back, saying “bravo!”, and praise the
government.

The government, in exchange for this service, will get support to stay
in power… And the people will gain nothing, but will only lose…

Indeed, Turkey is no longer a sound and reliable friend to its
neighbours… It is in the position of an agent country that sticks
it to its neighbours on behalf of the United States and houses their
[the Americans’] gangs. There is not a country left in the region
that is friendly towards us. And in the future, if the neighbouring
countries give shelter to the gangs and terrorists that attack Turkey,
there will no longer be anything left for us to say…

[translated from Turkish]

HRANT DINK TRIAL: “Your Court will go down in History”

BIAnet.org

Dec 6 2011
Turkey

The plaintiff lawyers presented their final speech at the 22nd hearing
of the trial on the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Repeatedly requested records of the Telecommunication Communication
Presidency were finally sent to court and will be investigated now.

IÅ~_ıl CÄ°NMEN [email protected] Istanbul – BÄ°A News Center06
December 2011, Tuesday The 22nd hearing of the trial related to the
assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was heard
before the BeÅ~_iktaÅ~_ (Istanbul) 14th High Criminal Court on Monday
(5 December). Dink, founder and then editor-in-chief of the Armenian
Agos newspaper, was shot in front of his office in Istanbul on 19
January 2007.

The hearing was attended by un-detained defendant Mustafa Ozturk
and detained key suspects Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel. The joint
attorneys of the Dink family presented their final plea to court.

The session began at 11.00 am and finished in the late afternoon at
5.00 pm. The plaintiff lawyers read out 73 pages of their final plea
in turns. Together with the attachment the attorneys’ speech comprised
a total of 106 pages.

The plea also referred to joint attorney Hakan Karadag who committed
suicide in the course of the trial.

Why was Hrant Dink murdered?

The text of the attorneys’ speech included detailed information on
the set up of the murder, its political and ideological basis, on who
Dink was and why he was killed. Accountabilities of the defendants
and public officials were depicted and requests related to the trial
were reiterated.

The lawyers emphasized that the council of the prosecution did not
attach sufficient importance on the background of the murder during
the four-year and ten-month trial period. Their speech started with
an explanation of who Hrant Dink actually was.

“Who was Hrant Dink and why was he killed?” was the heading of a
section on Dink’s life, his professional career and articles written
by the slain journalist.

The articles read out were for instance “The state of my soul is
like the restlessness of a dove” published in the Agos newspaper on
19 January 2007, the day of the murder, or “Why was I chosen as a
target?” (Agos, 12 January 2007).

The lawyers pointed to the article “The secret of Sabiha Hatun” about
Sabiha Gökcen, the world’s first female fighter pilot and one of
the adopted children of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, published in the Agos
daily on 6 February 2004. They concluded that the process which lead
to the murder was started when this article made the headlines in the
nation-wide Hurriyet newspaper on 21 February 2004. The following day,
the General Staff had announced that “This article was an offence
against the integrity of the state”, the lawyers mentioned.

“It is the prosecutor’s duty to launch investigations, not to write
articles” The attorneys’ speech included a detailed section on the
process leading to the murder. Negligence and accountabilities of
the media, police forces, public officials, the intelligence and the
judiciary were depicted one by one.

At the 20th hearing on 19 September 2011, the plaintiff lawyers had
left the court room under protest when Prosecutor Hikmet Usta insisted
on presenting his final plea. They criticized that his investigation
into the 86-page evaluation had not been finished and remained as an
“essay”. The lawyers reminded the fact that it was the duty of a
prosecutor to launch investigations.

Prosecutor Usta on the other hand reiterated his opinion on the final
plea and claimed that there was no need for a new investigation.

Under the section “The process of preparation of the murder”, the
plaintiff lawyers drew attention to former Istanbul Deputy Governor
Ergun Gungör who called Dink to a meeting into his office that
was also attended by two intelligence officers. This was after the
‘Sabiha Gökcen news’ had been published. The lawyers also pointed
to some provocative news and articles in the media and threats made
by the Ulku Ocakları (affiliated to the Grey Wolves).

“It is up to the court” The section entitled “Investigation Period”
listed negligence and mistakes made by the judiciary and the police. It
concluded, “The state had the obligation to protect one of its citizens
from this avoidable catastrophe”. The lawyers stated that in the
course of this trial the “state’s tradition” of political murders
and hostility against Armenian had been continued.

Examples were given for political murders by the state and hostility
against Armenians starting from the beginning of the 20th century.

The joint attorneys addressed Court President Rustem Eryılmaz,
“Your court will go down in history in any case. It will either be
the court that is going to re-establish confidence in a judiciary that
breaks this tradition; or it will be the court that carries on with the
tradition of political murders and hostility… It is up to the court”.

The second part of the attorneys’ speech on technical details
comprising more than a hundred pages is going to be read at the 23rd
hearing on 26 December.

TÄ°B records sent to court but not investigated yet The telephone
records of the area around the scene of crime were eventually sent to
court by the Telecommunication Communication Presidency (TÄ°B). The
lawyers of both parties requested additional time for the investigation
of the records that were only obtained on 2 December.

The hearing was observed by Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy
Chair Sezgin Tanrıkulu and Bar Association Presidents from seven
provinces, namely lawyers Halil Hulki Ozel (Mersin), Mehmet Cemal
Acar (Siirt), Enis Gul (Bitlis), NuÅ~_irevan Elci (Å~^ırnak), Azad
Yıldırım (Mardin), Heval Sinan Aras (Agrı) and Erdal Aydemir
(Bingöl).

The trial was postponed to 26 December 2011.

Court President Eryılmaz ruled to keep detained defendants Yasin
Hayal and Erhan Tuncel in detention. They are tried under allegations
of “membership of a terrorist organization and assisting a terrorist
organization” according to Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK);
Article 314/2 on “armed illegal organization” and Article 82 of the
Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) on “premeditated murder”. (IC)

TURKISH FM THINKS THAT THE WORK OF OSCE MINSK GROUP NEEDS TO BE ACTIVATED

Mediamax
Dec 6 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated
today that the work of OSCE Minsk Group needs to be activated.

He said this during the OSCE Ministerial Council in Vilnius, Mediamax
reports.

“A number of initiatives taken by the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group
in order to give a boost to the settlement process of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict have so far not produced the long awaited result.

While recognizing these commendable initiatives we believe that the
work of the Minsk Group needs to be reinvigorated with the active
contributions of the members of the Group to the settlement process”,
stated Ahmet Davutoglu.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN CLARIFIES ITS NEXT 4-YEAR ACTIVITY

news.am
Dec 6 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenian parliamentary opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun
Party’s conference was held in Beirut, Lebanon, between December 3
and 4, during which the ARF Bureau presented its past 5-month activity
report. The latter also represented the Party’s next 4-year activity.

The conference participants discussed Armenia’s domestic politics,
socioeconomic situation, and the National Assembly elections to be
held next spring.

Against the background of geopolitics, and at the threshold of the
Armenian Genocide’s next commemoration, the attendees also examined
the activities of the Armenian Cause.

The participants also specifically underscored the need to step up
efforts in resettling Karabakh.

The conference also looked into the current challenges which the
Armenians living in the Middle East are facing, ARF Bureau informed
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN VILNIUS

Vestnik Kavkaza
Dec 6 2011
Russia

Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Edward Nalbandian and
Elmar Mammadyarov met in Vilnius, press secretary of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan said, NEWS.am reports.

The meeting was held with co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard
Fassier, Igor Popov and Robert Bradtke, new French co-chair Jacques
Faure and personal representative of OSCE chairman Andrzej Kasprzyk.

The sides discussed peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. The OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers that has opened today
may have a declaration passed on Nagorno-Karabakh. .

ARMENIAN DIRECTOR RUBEN GINI OFFERS A NEW HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
By Alena Rasi

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

“Armenia – The Great Chinese Journey”

radio86.com

China’s ties with the western civilization has long been a topic for
debate. A documentary film by a 26-year-old Armenian director offers
a new perspective. Will it prove to be a sensation?

Based exclusively on scientific research, the latest archaeological
findings and archival data, “Armenia – The Great Chinese Journey”
is a new documentary that promises to present previously unknown
historical artefacts.

Radio86 interviewed director Ruben Gini to find out more What makes
it unique?

“It is not a story of one nation. My purpose is to make the documentary
equally interesting for a broad audience, from different countries,
and also for different ages, from respected scholars to schoolboys,”
explained Gini.

The history of the ancient East still retains many secrets. What
century saw the first contact between the East and the West? Who was
the first Westerner to reach Tibet? Who was the first Chinese person
to travel westwards and visit Rome? The answers to these questions
are buried in time.

“However, in our new documentary “Armenia – the Great Chinese Journey ”
we will try to find the answers by relying on the latest archaeological
data, international publications and interviews with Western and
Asian experts. This is what makes it unique,” said Gini.

The documentary uses three periods to explore the history of
Chinese-Armenian relations, beginning with antiquity and the Middle
Ages, then the 20th century and finally the modern age and the Shanghai
2010 Expo.

Viewers will head on an exciting and educating journey back in
time to see major historical events with their own eyes and make
new discoveries.

Accessing archives: Mission possible A couple of decades ago,
accessing Chinese archive materials would have been an impossible
mission. However, today, all the doors are open to this young film
director.

Working on the documentary script, he felt like a detective
investigating the mysteries of the past: “I think that now is a
convenient time to work with archives in China because, after 100
years of communism, this country is open again. Now a Westerner can
get access to these unstudied historical records and resources.”

“The script is mostly ready but we are constantly receiving new data
and making final changes. For the shooting, we are planning to visit
five countries and 14 cities, such as Shanghai, Harbin, Lhasa (Tibet),
Samarkand, Singapore, Macao and Hong Kong,” said the director.

Truth or legend?

Ruben Gini was born in Erevan, Armenia, and studied film directing at
the All-Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK). He moved
to China in 2004 to work as a creative director in an advertisement
company. Now at age 26, he communicates in four languages: Russian,
Armenian English and Chinese.

China could not but arouse his curiosity, which soon evolved into deep
interest and passion: “The experience I got in China was as valuable
as gold,” admitted Gini. Being fond of history and archaeology,
he participated in several scientific expeditions in Armenia and China.

“What intrigued me most was the fact that Chinese history is so
different and closely intertwined with legend. Sometimes it’s not
easy to define truth from the legend,” observes Gini.

Unknown artefacts Contemporary archaeological research shows that China
and Armenia were in contact in the second century BCE. To prove this,
the documentary will feature convincing artefacts, such as ancient
Armenian coins found in China and an image of the Chinese dragon on
Armenian engravings.

Armenia is important in this respect due to its geographical location
on the crossroads of cultures and trading routes. Gini says, that
Chinese-Armenian relations have not been studied very extensively.

For example, not many of us know that Armenian costume served as
a sort of pass to the Eastern trade routes: “Europeans disguised
themselves in Armenian clothes to see the wonders of China,” says Gini.

“It’s important to understand that the first contacts with the East
were the first steps towards globalisation, a process which began in
ancient times and is continuing to the present day and to the future…

So the film intends to show these connections,” concluded Ruben Gini.

The film will be released during 2012.

SHARMAZANOV CONSIDERS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION ISSUE NOT A HISTORICAL, BUT A POLITICAL ONE

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 6, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: The issue on Armenian Genocide
recognition is not a historical, but a political one, Secretary of RPA
faction Eduard Sharmazanov said, referring to the recent statement of
deputy chairman of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party
Haluk Ipek, which he voiced during a meeting with US Ambassador in that
country. Ipek said that Turkey is ready to open the historical archives
and discuss the Armenian Genocide issue within a historical platform.

Sharmazanov qualified those statements as senseless. “I inform that
42 out of 50 US states have recognized the Armenian Genocide. The
court of the same Ottoman Empire has sentenced the organizers of the
Armenian Genocide to death. All the advanced humanity has recognized
the Armenian Genocide,” said Sharmazanov.

EVACUATION AND RESCUE EXERCISES IN CASE OF EARTHQUAKE TO BE HELD IN VAYOTS DZOR IN ARMENIA

/ARKA/
DECEMBER 6, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 6. /ARKA/. Armenian office of British organization
Oxfam and NGO “Support to communities” will organize in Vayots Dzor
in Armenia exercises on the topic “Implementation of evacuation and
rescue activities in case of earthquake”.

The exercises will take place in the communities Arpi and Chiva on
December 7 and 9 under the terms of the program “Reduction of impact
of disasters in Armenia”.

Press-service of the Armenian office Oxfam informed to News
Agency “Novosti-Armenia” that the goal of these activities is to
improve the skills of community group on reacting to disasters in
organization and implementation of the activities on the protection
of population in case of nature disasters, strengthen cooperation
between community group on reacting to the disaster and schools,
community administration, regional rescue management and regional
administration in case of extraordinary situations.

Another goal of this event is to increase outreach of the community
about the role and responsibilities of the community group on reacting
to nature disasters and detect the weaknesses of the community in
reacting to extraordinary situations.

Exercises will be organized in close cooperation with Vayots Dzor
administration, local self-governance bodies and regional rescue
management body with active participation of local schools and NGOs.

Representatives of the Armenian Ministry of Extraordinary Situations,
local and international organizations will participate in the event.

The program “Reduction of impact of disasters in Armenia” is
implemented by the Armenian office of British organization Oxfam and
NGO “Support to communities” in 10 rural communities of Armenia. The
program is funded by the Department of Humanitarian Aid of European
Commission (DIPECHO).

AMBASSADOR: GERMANY IS READY TO COOPERATE WITH ARMENIA IN THE SPHERE OF “GREEN ECONOMY”

/ARKA/
DECEMBER 6, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 6. /ARKA/. Germany is ready to cooperate with Armenia
in the issues of support to the development of “Green economy” in the
country, said Ambassador of Germany in Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt
in the conference on the topic “Green economy”.

International conference on the topic “Green economy” dedicated to
the issues of combining economic interests and maintenance of the
environment in the country is taking place in Yerevan by the support of
German Embassy in Armenia, German Association on technical cooperation
(GTZ), as well as Government of Armenia.

“Government of Armenia has shown a serious interest in the
implementation of a number of projects in the frames of “Green
economy”. It is pleasant to note that in case of Trchkan waterfall
leadership of the country met halfway the citizens and allowed
continuation of construction works in this territory”, said Schmidt.

He said that economy development in the country does not exclude
maintenance of the environment. “Everything depends on how you
understand development of economy. Experience of many countries
shows that development of economy to the detriment of ecology and
environment will result in devastating effects”, he said.

The head of Armenian office of GTZ James Macbeth said that principles
of “Green economy” operate in Germany for many years and continue
to develop, and “German side is ready to share its experience with
Armenia”.

“This event has a great importance for the Government of Germany and
the Government of Armenia. Bilateral cooperation in the sphere of
“Green economy” has a serious meaning in the process of economy
development”, said Macbeth.

Vice-Premier of Armenia, Minister of territorial Administration Armen
Gevorgyan welcomed the participants of the conference.

“We have always followed international tendencies in economy and
despite the existing problems of close borders in 21st century with
our neighbor countries, it does not hinder us to develop our economy”,
he said.

Government of Armenia in 2008 has developed a project of stable
economic development, where “green economy” had its firm place.

“For us maintenance of ecology is a priority issue, and participation
of the citizens in this process and support of international
organizations is very important for us”, said Gevorgyan.

In the conference, four working groups will be formed which will
discuss issues of implementation of “green” projects in a number of
spheres of Armenian economy.

ARMENIA REFUSED TURKEY
Naira Hayrumian

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:44:02 – 07/12/2011

The session of the Council for Nuclear Energy Security was held
yesterday in Yerevan during which Serzh Sargsyan made several
noteworthy statements.

It was evident that Turkey would try to push Armenia to close
the Nuclear Power Plant. Moreover, the closure of the plant was
Turkey~Rs precondition for the ratification of the Armenian and
Turkish protocols.

Serzh Sargsyan expressed a clear position. Armenia will close the
NPP only after the construction of the new plant. He referred to the
opinion of international experts who affirm that it is possible to
build a NPP in Armenia, and the existing one is safe.

At the same time, Serzh Sargsyan actually called on the international
community to invest in the security of the existing Armenian NPP
or in the construction of the new plant. He even admitted that the
employees of the Armenian NPP receive a much lower salary than their
colleagues in the region.

It became clear from Serzh Sargsyan~Rs speech that the government has
not succeeded to raise money for the construction of the NPP. But it
has already received proposals for provision of equipment from Russia
and France. But it is not clear where this equipment will be located.

Armenia is the only country in the region which has a nuclear power
plant. It gives the country a number of political dividends including
the fact that statements of other countries to launch hostilities
against a country with an NPP receive a tougher reaction in the world.
Besides, membership of the club of nuclear powers is an issue of
political prestige. Turkey has been trying to enter this club, but
its efforts to build an NPP fail, it does not receive any support
from either the West or Arab states. Only Russia gave a preliminary
approval regarding the construction of an NPP in Turkey.

Turkey is concerned about the existence of the Armenian Nuclear Power
Plant, and it apparently succeeds in bringing its worries onto the
international agenda. This is the reason why Armenia had to make
the statement at the presidential level that our country will not
take seriously the Turkish provocations, and if the international
community wants to meet Turkey~Rs caprices, it must invest money in
the construction of a new NPP in Armenia. The international community
has not responded yet but earlier experts believed the existence of
the NPP in Armenia does not pose danger to the region.