Author: Kanayan Tamar

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Sept 21 2012

Turkish FM: “Turkey a Central Country rather than a Bridge”

Friday, 21 September 2012

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that Turkey was a
central country rather than a bridge.

Davutoglu, who is visiting Canada, delivered a conference titled
“Changing Turkey in a Changing World” at the Atlantic Council of
Canada in Toronto on Thursday.

Turkey was a central country where Chechens, Bosnians, Kosovars and
Kurds were also living, he said.

Turkey was a country in the middle of all political quakes which
changed the course of the world history, he said.

A human tragedy has been taking place in Syria, he said. “We told
Assad that whole nation cannot be terrorist and what he has done is
wrong. However Assad continues killing people,” he said.

Replying to a question on relations between Turkey and Canada,
Davutoglu said that Turkey was eager to have good and sound relations
with Canada based on respect and dignity. “We signed a protocol with
Armenia and we announced that we are ready to discuss all historical
events. I hope that one day the relations between Turkey and Armenia
would reach a perfect level and Turks and Armenians would be good
friends. We have very good relations with Canada as well,” he said.

Answering another question on Turkey-EU relations, Davutoglu said that
Turkey was a key country, not a burden for the EU. Turkey was a
country which can find solutions to all problems of the EU especially
economic crisis, he said. In 2011, 2 million Europeans lost their
jobs, but in Turkey 2 million people were employed in the same year,
he added.

Friday, 21 September 2012

Anadolu Agency

ITAR-TASS, Russia
September 20, 2012 Thursday 01:00 AM GMT+4

Russian, Armenian DMs discuss bilateral military cooperation

YEREVAN September 20

Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov met with his Armenian
counterpart Seyran Ohanyan on Wednesday, September 19, to discuss
bilateral military-to-military cooperation between the two countries.

“About 10 military compounds, which are being vacated as part of the
optimisation of the 102nd Russian Military Base, will be handed over
to Armenia,” Serdyukov said.

“The plan of cooperation between our ministries has been successfully
implemented in 2012. We pay a great deal of attention to the
improvement of the regulatory framework and solve questions pertaining
to operational planning and military-technical cooperation,” he said.

“We instructed experts to prepare with a month a plan of cooperation
between our ministries in 2013,” he added.

Serdyukov attended a joint military exercise of the Collective
Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) code-named Vzaimodeistviye-2012
(Cooperation-2012) that ended at the Marshal Baghramyan training
ground in Armenia on September 19.

The exercise involved about 2,000 troops from six CSTO countries:
Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The
participating troops will practice interoperability and use of
collective security system means in the Caucasus, with the support of
aviation and artillery units, including multiple rocket launchers.

The main stage of the manoeuvres on September 19 included a show for
foreign diplomats and foreign mass media as well as a special
operation to respond to a terrorist threat and deal with the
consequences of an emergency situation. Interior Ministry, Emergencies
Ministry and rescue service units will participate.

“The philosophy of the exercise is to respond to a situation quickly
and effectively using the smallest possible number of troops,”
Armenian Defence Ministry spokesperson Artsrun Oganesyan said.

The Russian contingent was represented by units of the 98th Airborne
Division stationed in Ivanovo. They have been provided with arms and
military equipment by the 102nd Russian Military Base which is
deployed in Armenia in accordance with an interstate treaty.

Armenia hosted the CSTO rapid reaction force exercise to show the
capability of the Armed Forces, secret services, emergencies
ministries, and police, and the high level of their interoperability
among the 7 CSTO member states, Security Council Secretary Artur
Bagdasaryan said earlier.

He reiterated that Armenia plans to increase the role of the
Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) as a key element of its
national defence.

“We plan to increase the role of the CSTO as one of the key elements
of Armenia’s security. The CSTO is evolving, and Armenia, as one of
the most active members of the organisation, is actively involved in
this process,” he said.

According to Bagdasaryan, “a new strategy and a new CSTO planning
concept … makes it possible to increase the role, weight and
importance of this international organisation for ensuring the
security of its member states.”

The CSTO is a military-political alliance of seven countries: Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
It was created on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty of the
May 15, 1992, which was turned into an international organisation on
May 14, 2002. The CSTO received the status of observer at the U.N.
General Assembly on December 2, 2004.

CBC News Canada
Sept 21 2012

Diplomat memorial stirs controversy

CBC News

A new monument dedicated to fallen diplomats is stirring up
controversy for its Turkish connections.

The bowl-shaped sculpture of wood and metal was unveiled Thursday at
the corner of Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and Island Park Drive.

It features more than 1,000 hand-crafted silver plates from Turkey and
it’s located close to where Turkish diplomat Atilla Altikat was
assassinated 30 years ago. Altikat was shot to death while he was
stopped at a red light on the parkway.

No arrests have ever been made in the case, but an Armenian terrorist
group claimed responsibility.

The assassination was one of three attacks in the 1980s that targeted
Turkish diplomats in Ottawa.

But the head of the Armenian National Committee in Ottawa, Michael
Iskedjian, is upset about the monument.

“It’s a hypocritical way of deflecting what Turkey does as a state
that abuses human rights, by focusing on one person, one act, that
happened 30 years ago,” he said.

The conflict between Armenians and Turks goes back nearly 100 years to
the First World War.

An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died in what the Canadian
government and others recognize as a genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Turks.

To this day Turkey denies the genocide, saying there was no systematic
campaign to kill Armenians.

Ozay Mehmet speaks for the Council of Turkish Canadians.

“I hope that they get over it,” Mehmet said. “We as Turkish Canadians
are open and waiting and ready for reconciliation here in Canada.”

Iskedjian said reconciliation will come once Turkey acknowledges the genocide.

“Only then will there be reconciliation,” he said.

View the news video at

Swedish MPs send letter to Hungarian Embassy on Safarov’s case

news.am
September 21, 2012 | 20:36

Members of different political parties in the Swedish Parliament sent
a letter to the Hungarian Ambassador in Sweden Gabor Szentivanyi
expressing concern by consequences of murderer Ramil Safarov’s
extradition and possible impact on the relations between Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

In a letter MPs joined the international condemnation of the
`glorification’ of the terrible crime which Safarov committed, the
Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden said.

`The conduct of Baku has been condemned by several international
instances, among others UN Secretary General, EU President, the
President of the European Parliament, the Chairman of the Council of
Europe as well as the governments of the permanent chairmen of the
OSCE Minsk Group, denouncing it as incompatible with the ongoing peace
process.

Mr. Ambassador, we as Member of the Parliament of Sweden wish to find
out how Your Government, a member of the European Union, will now
react to this breach of rules and agreements and demand Baku to honour
international laws according to which the extradition was performed.

News media and Hungarian opposition claim that Azeri financial
assurances to the Hungarian Government played a crucial role in the
extradition which has now harmed the peace process conducted by OSCE
Minsk Group.

We hope that the Hungarian Government can clarify this issue in a
proper manner. At the same time we hope that Your Government will
takes decisive measures for reprimanding Baku for their breach of
international laws, endangering the fragile peace process of
Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as for having dishonored the agreement made
between the Justice Departments of respective country,’ reads the
letter provided by the Union.

UAE President congratulate President of Armenia on Independence Day

armradio.am
20.09.2012 15:45

President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin
Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a congratulatory cable to President of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on the occasion of Armenia’s Independence Day,
Emirates News Agency reports.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has sent similar
letters to the President of Armenia.

President Hollande of France sends Independent Day greetings to Armenia

armradio.am
21.09.2012 18:18

President of the Republic of France Francoise Hollande sent
Independence Day greetings to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. The
message reads, in part:

`Honorable Mr. Presidnet,
I’m glad to convey my greetings to you and the Armenian people on the
occasion of your National Day and wish you happiness, prosperity and
success.

Armenia can be proud of the path it has passed ever since
independence. Your country has succeeded to move forward on the path
of democracy and prosperity, at the same time consolidating its
positions on the international arena.

The special relations between Armenia and France are rooted deep into
history and are remarkable for the friendship between the Armenian and
French peoples. I’m willing to continue the mission launched 20 years
ago to build rich and reliable relations in all spheres without
exception.

I avail myself of the opportunity to welcome your willingness to
continue the negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. As co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, France attaches great
importance to this.

I’m looking forward to hosting you in Paris in the near future and I’m
glad for another chance to continue our discussions.

Please, accept, Mr. President, the assurance of my highest consideration.”

USA is willing to support the economic and democratic development of
Armenia. Barack Obama

17:45, 21 September, 2012

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: USA President Barack Obama had
issued a special message to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the
Republic of Armenia’s National Day. As Armenpress was informed from
the presidential press office it was mainly noted in the message

`I am sending my best wishes to Armenian nation and to You on the
occasion of Independence day. Armenia is stepping into the 22nd year
of its independence which is evaluated by our nations. United States
of America is willing to support Armenia in the development of its
economic and democracy and we hope to deepen our relations in near
future. Besides our cooperation in the development of democracy and
economic our collaboration includes bilateral effort to face
challenges and we deeply appreciate the participation of Armenia in
security missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo.

America has flourished also with the investments of Armenian
American’s investments and today, on this occasion we celebrate
long-standing ties of friendship between our nations. On behalf of all
Americans, I am sending my sincere congratulations on this important
occasion”.

Taliban infiltration report false – Armenia’s National Security Service

September 19, 2012 – 16:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – National Security Service (NSS) refuted Haykakan
Zhamakan daily’s report of Taliban terrorist group penetration into
Armenia.As the daily reported earlier, NSS spokesman Artsvin
Baghramyan refused to comment on the rumor.

`I won’t comment on the information. NSS aims to counter terrorism. No
need to worry,’ Baghramyan told the paper’s reporter.

However, according to NSS, Baghramyan slammed the daily for distorting
his remarks. `The country’s stability is much more important than
rumour-mongering, only aiming to boost the paper’s sales.’

Wisconsin fundraiser supports SOAR’s outreach to Armenia orphanages

Published: Wednesday September 19, 2012

Bob Bergum, former Detroit Lions football player and now teacher in
Armenia, talks about Armenia’s orphanages.

Delafield, – The third annual “Day on the Blue” Armenian orphanage
fundraiser at Lake Nagawicka, drew over 130 Armenians and their
friends, who gathered on the patio at the home of Dr. Chuck and Mary
Kay Hajinian here to raise money for the most disadvantaged children
of Armenia.

The August 4 fundraiser, sponsored by the SOAR Wisconsin chapter,
brought in close to $14,000 in cash contributions plus about $4000 in
donated items. This was the third annual “Day on the Blue” event, and
by far the most successful to date. Successful orphan fundraisers were
also held in 2010 and 2011.

100% of the funds raised in 2012 will be allocated to three
institutions in Armenia all of which care for children with special
needs-the Kharberd orphanage, the Vardashen orphanage, and the Sisters
of Charity Bethlehem orphanage. The donation will provide winter
clothing, blankets, and other needed items for some of Armenia’s most
disadvantaged children.

Orphanages date from the dark days of the Armenian Genocide a century
ago, when several were established to aid destitute refugees in Near
Eastern countries. A huge orphan city was established in Alexandrapol
(now Gyumri, Armenia) by the American Near East Relief. This
institution played a key role in rescuing an entire generation of
children who later contributed to rebuilding Armenia during the Soviet
period. When the 1988 earthquake destroyed the same city, orphanages
again became the means to rescue Armenian children who had been left
without homes and parents.

Even though the earthquake orphans are now grown, orphanages have
become permanent institutions as difficult economic conditions in
Armenia persist. In addition, a few specialized institutions exist for
disabled children and those with special needs.

The gracious hosts for the event were Dr. Chuck and Mary Kay Hajinian,
who opened their home to the guests. Organizers from the local
community included Dr. Levon and Shirley Saryan and family, Dr. Gary,
Nancy and William Seabrook, Mike and Lori Bode, AJ and Sarah Bianchi,
Harry Aghjian and family, Dr. David and Eddi Schmitt. Support was also
provided by Mark Khatchatourian, Ara Cherchian, Dr. Stacy and Steve
Michels, and Danny and Kari D’Acquisto.

This year, for the first time, live Armenian dance music was provided
by Vahan Kamalian, Kai Kazarian, and Michael Kamalian. Dr. Ani Saryan
provided instruction in Armenian line dancing on the patio, enjoyed by
Armenian and non-Armenian guests alike. A remarkable acrobatic water
ski performance was mounted by Harrison Aghjian and friends from the
Pewaukee Waterski Club. Party guests enjoyed light refreshments
including homemade Armenian pastries.

A vigorous silent auction included a number of exceptional donated
items, including an original framed example of Armenian needlework, an
oriental carpet, medieval Armenian coins, original artwork, golf
vacations, jewelry, Armenian brandy, wine, and other items.

When asked why he was organizing this effort, Dr Hajinian replied:
“Look into the eyes of these orphan children. These were the eyes of
my grandmother who grew up in an orphanage along with a hundred
thousand others from 1915. In the words of Jesus, `as you have done so
unto them, you have done so unto me.’ This event is a big party, we
Armenians now party with a purpose. Join us next year, we are looking
for helpers, or for more information, send your email to
[email protected]”

SOAR-the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief-was established a few
years ago to provide financial and moral support for Armenian
orphanages and to address their unique needs. Headquartered in
Philadelphia, SOAR now has more than 25 chapters around the world.

Contributions to SOAR-Wisconsin by check are still being gratefully
accepted c/o Dr. Levon Saryan, treasurer, at P. O. Box 210313,
Milwaukee, WI 53221-8006. And a big Armenian hug and thank you to
everyone who contributed large or small to the success of this year’s
event! –L. A. Saryan

Real or `Imaginary’ Taliban?

Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:57:12 – 19/09/2012

The rumors on terrorist threat and appearance of Taliban
representatives in Armenia excited everyone. Everyone remembered that
after the assassination of the U.S. ambassador in Benghazi Armenia was
listed among the countries where the U.S. diplomats were warned about
possible terrorist attacks. Then, there were assumptions that the U.S.
has some information on possible terrorist attacks.

The information that the Armenian nuclear plant stops until December
caused even more concerns. And though they stated that the stoppage is
for annual maintenance, evidently the NPP is one of the most
vulnerable facilities of Armenia. Experts even argue that the NPP is a
peculiar aegis for Armenia against foreign aggression. Neighboring
countries, Turkey and Azerbaijan, will think 100 times before
attacking a nuclear state.

Today, the French Le Monde published an article that Armenians, like
the Christians of the Middle East, are facing threat of death.
Although Armenia has friendly relations with Shiites of Iran and
Sunnis of Arab and Middle East states, it remains a Christian country
which has hostile relations with its Muslim neighbors Turkey and
Azerbaijan.

Is the information about Taliban members in Armenia true? The National
Security Service must tell the society about possible danger. Even if
it causes a panic, it is better than to put people to sleep and be
unable to prevent a catastrophe.

It would be even better if the Armenian border guards ensure the
defense of the national borders of Armenia instead of foreign guards.
No matter how friendly Armenia and Russia are, it is evident that
Armenia is not provided with full information about developments at
the border and does not control the situation.

The question of who and how entered Armenia is not just an internal
question but a subject of `international negotiations’. The Russian
border guards should provide full information to their Armenian
colleagues.

Besides, it is also necessary to find out where the information
leakage happened. Perhaps, someone misinformed people on purpose or
someone needs to test the efficiency of the anti-terroristic forces.
Moreover, the CSTO CRRF exercise is underway in Armenia. So, it is not
ruled out that there is an `imaginary enemy’.