Turkish press: Suffering of 1915 events manipulated for political gains: Altun

Turkey’s Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun speaks at the International Conference on the Events of 1915, in the capital Ankara, Turkey, . (AA Photo)

Suffering has been manipulated by international actors for their political agenda, Turkey’s communications director said Tuesday regarding the 1915 events.

Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also said that Turkey shares the pain and called on the historical facts to be revealed instead of a manipulated narrative for political goals.

In the opening session of the “International Conference on the Events of 1915” virtually organized by Turkey’s Directorate of Communications, Altun said that the previous century was an exceptional historical period that witnessed many breaking points in human history such as world wars, collapsing empires, changing borders and developing democracies.

“At the end of World War I, the Ottoman Empire, the Austria-Hungary Empire and Tsarist Russia were dissolved. In this first global war, millions of civilians and soldiers died. It caused trauma for every country that participated in the war,” he said, adding that some events were mythicized by distorting reality and others were ignored and lost their place in history.

“During this process, the Anatolian people, unfortunately, experienced some events that caused pain. While different nations in the Ottoman Empire were fighting against common enemies, some elements collaborated with the rival side.”

Altun noted that Armenian groups that collaborated with the enemy against the Ottomans were deported to Syria, adding that some undesirable incidents took place during the implementation of this security measure amid the war, and both sides experienced death and sorrow.

“This has constituted the basis of the current slander. We feel the pain of what happened during the deportation in our hearts,” he said and expressed Turkey’s condemnation of the manipulative narrative created by the distortion of the common history of the two nations who lived together in peace for centuries.

He said that the debate on what happened in 1915 still continues, despite occurring more than 100 years ago, because some actors insist on using the incident for their imperial goals by dragging the discussion into the political and ideological sphere.

He described politically motivated decisions based on the 1915 events as disrespectful of the victims and the suffering.

In recent years, the legislative bodies of some countries, including the U.S., France, Italy and the Netherlands, decided to recognize the 1915 events as “genocide.”

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution on Dec. 12, 2019, recognizing the so-called Armenian genocide. The resolution had been blocked several times in the Senate, but the Democratic-led House of Representatives passed the resolution by an overwhelming 405-11 in late October. The resolution asserts that it is U.S. policy to commemorate the 1915 events as “genocide.” The recognition of the 1915 events as “genocide” had stalled in Congress for decades, stymied by concerns over U.S.-Turkey relations.

Turkey objects to presenting the 1915 incidents as “genocide,” rather calling them a tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians suffered casualties in the heat of World War I.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Turkey and Armenia under the supervision of international experts to examine the issue.

Altun reiterated that Turkey has been calling for the truth and facts to be revealed, as a sign of its sincerity on the issue. He also noted that the most concrete steps about it have taken by the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Erdoğan last year offered condolences to the Patriarch of Turkey’s Armenian community, as he highlighted determination to ensure that no citizen would be discriminated against based on their faith or ethnic identity. “We have never let even one citizen be otherized or discriminated against for their beliefs or identity,” Erdoğan said in a letter sent to Patriarch Sahak Maşalyan.

“I remember with respect the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in the difficult conditions of World War I, which caused immense suffering for the people of the world, as I extend my condolences to their grandchildren,” the president said, adding that Turkey will not allow provocateurs to exploit history and spoil the unity of different people who have lived together in Anatolia for centuries.

Altun described the genocide allegations as lies feeding on political motives that do not have any connection to the truth or historical facts.

“Their concern is not about Ottoman Armenians or historical suffering. They turn pain in history into useful tools for their imperialist motives. The decisions taken by parliaments do not have any value for Turkey or truth.”

Birol Çetin, the chair of the Turkish Historical Society (TTK), also said that some international actors hide behind politics and try to manipulate parliamentary decisions by lobbying in various countries.

He reiterated Turkey’s call for historians to analyze the issue and that all archives should be opened, saying that all these calls have gone unanswered so far.

Turkey’s position on the 1915 events is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties, made worse by massacres conducted by militaries and militia groups from both sides. The mass arrests of prominent Ottoman Armenian politicians, intellectuals and other community members suspected of links with separatist groups, harboring nationalist sentiments and being hostile to the Ottoman rule were rounded up in then-capital Istanbul on April 24, 1915. The date is commemorated as the beginning of later atrocities.

Yerevan has demanded an apology and compensation, while Ankara officially refuted the Armenian allegations over the incidents, saying that although Armenians died during the relocation, many Turks also lost their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.

Newspaper: Armenia ex-President Kocharyan seeking first woman candidate on his electoral list

News.am, Armenia

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: [Ex-President] Robert Kocharyan is looking for the first woman candidate on the [electoral] list [of his for the snap parliamentary elections slated for June 20].

Although there was information that his daughter managed to write the name of her friend Arpine Hovhannisyan [former National Assembly vice speaker and ex-Minister of Justice] in that honorable place, Kocharyan prefers to include not so much a political but a cultural figure [in his electoral list].

He is very meticulous in the matter of compiling his list, and he might not include some of his once comrades-in-arms in the list. More accurately, some of them will end up on [Homeland Party leader]] Artur Vanetsyan’s list.

The thing is that although they do not see a Kocharyan-Vanetsyan bloc as expedient, believing that they will be targeted by their opponents as the criminal case against Kocharyan was initiated when Vanetsyan was the director of the NSS [National Security Service], they believe that the 2 political forces are fighting for the same purpose and can form a post-election bloc.

Criminal case of Turkey-backed terrorists submitted to court – Over 30 mercenaries declared wanted

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 17:51, 13 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. The indictment of the case of Muhrab Muhammad al-Shkheri and Yousef Alabet al-Hajji, citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic, who participated in the aggressive war against the Republic of Artsakh as a mercenary terrorist, has been upheld and sent to the Court of General Jurisdiction of Syunik Province, head of the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia Arevik Khachatryan told ARMENPRESS, adding that the trial will start in the upcoming two weeks.

Khachatryan informed that a number of war crimes committed by them and over 30 other mercenaries have been proved.

The law enforcers have also identified the leader of one of the international terrorist groups that had been involved in Artsakh war. ‘’The identity of head of ‘’Sultan Suleyman Shah’’ terrorist organization Muhammad al-Ghasim, aka Abu Hamsha, an Arab national of the Syrian Arab Republic, has been revealed’’, Khachatryan said, adding that they have been declared defendants and detention has been chosen as precautionary measure. ‘’Works are done to discover them and bring them to justice’’, she concluded.

Muhrab Muhammad al-Shkheri and Yousef Alabet al-Hajji, not being a citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, not permanently residing in its territory, not being a member of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, but being citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic, who were not sent by the Armed Forces of the Syrian Republic or any other state in order to perform official duties, in exchange for material compensation, they took part in the aggressive war unleashed by the military-political leadership of the Republic of Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020, during which their actions were aimed at killing or causing serious bodily harm to civilians or persons not directly involved in the military operations aimed at intimidating them pursuing the goal to destabilize the domestic situation in Artsakh and Armenia.

Armenia, Russia, France and the USA, as well as numerous international organizations have confirmed the participation of Turkey-backed mercenary-terrorists in the war against Artsakh unleashed by Azerbaijan in September, 2020. The Azerbaijani aggression was supported by Turkey bothy militarily and politically.




Speaker Mirzoyan heads to St. Petersburg for CIS IPA meeting

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 10:26,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13 ,ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan will visit St. Petersburg, Russia on April 13 to take part in the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Council meeting.

Mirzoyan will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event, namely with his Russian counterpart Valentina Matviyenko, as well as the speakers of parliament of the other CIS member countries.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Russian, Azerbaijani military in close dialogue over debris of Iskander missiles — Kremlin

TASS, Russia
On April 2, the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action demonstrated debris of tactical missiles Iskander, which, Azerbaijan argues, were used by Armenia during hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh in the autumn of 2020
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. The issue of Baku’s claims that some debris of Iskander-M missiles have been found in Nagorno-Karabakh is being closely discussed by the Russian and Azerbaijani military, Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told the media on Tuesday.

Peskov answered in the negative, when asked if Putin and Aliyev discussed Russian helicopter Mi-24 that was shot down over Armenia near the border with Azerbaijan in November.

Aliyev said that on April 1 he discussed with the Russian president the reported discovery of debris of Iskander-M missiles in the city of Shusha. Also, he said that on April 4 Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry sent an official query on the issue to Russian counterparts.

On April 2, the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action demonstrated debris of tactical missiles Iskander, which, Azerbaijan argues, were used by Armenia during hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh in the autumn of 2020. On the same day, the Russian presidential spokesman said that Iskander missiles were not used during the escalation of the conflict in the region in the autumn of 2020.

Arshak Karapetyan appointed Armenia’s First Deputy Chief of General Staff with the force of law

Aysor, Armenia

On April 7 Armenia’s Prime Minister submitted to the president of the republic Armen Sarkissian a motion to appoint Arshak Karapetyan as first deputy chief of General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces.

The president did not sign the motion in the set period of time neither did he return it with objections.

“Based on Part 3 of Article 139 of the Constitution with the force of law Arshak Karapetyan is considered appointed in the post of the first deputy chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces from ,” government’s administration said in a statement.

Armenian weightlifters return home to hero’s welcome

Public Radio of Armenia

Armenian weightlifters returned home today to a hero’s welcome. The Armenian athletes won eight medals at the European Weightlifting Championships held in Moscow, Russia.

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Vahram Dumanyan said the results were satisfying.

“The Olympic Games are ahead, and we have championship expectations,” he said.

Deputy Minister Karen Giloyan noted that the results indicate Armenia can well be one of the strongest in the world in two or three years.

World and European Champion Simon Martirosyan (109 kg), who won a small gold in the snatch, but failed all three attempts in the clean and jerk, pledged to be in a better shape ahead of the Olympic Games.

“I’m not justifying myself, I just did not get what I went to the championship for. I did not get in good shape due to my injury, but I do not despair. We know the reason for this failure, and we are heading for Tokyo Olympics, in which we will participate 200% fit,” he said.

The Armenian weightlifters won two gold, two silver and four bronze medals at the European Championships. The Armenian team was third in the overall standing.

ARARAT legendary Armenian brandy presents premiere of ‘Under One Sky’ film

Panorama, Armenia
April 8 2021

ARARAT legendary Armenian brandy celebrates its redesign and presents “Under One Sky” movie. By this new artistic form, the brand illustrates its genuineness and eternal values, that continue to inspire. “Under One Sky” directed by Alexander Hant will be released on April 8.

Four parallel stories about main human values are happening in different countries with different heroes, who are experiencing the most important and the brightest moments of their lives. One of the main ideas of the film is the superiority and importance of sincere human connections in the light of which all the barriers between generations and conditionality of borders are faded out. As ARARAT always accompanies us during the most important moments of our lives.

This cross-cultural project unites such stars as Emmanuil Vitorgan, Khoren Levonyan, Maxim Matveev, Nerses Avetisyan as well as actors from Kazakhstan Sanjar Madi, Karlagish Mukhamedjanova, brand’s friends in Belarus Anna Bond, Elizaveta Battalova and true masters of Yerevan Brandy Company.

Seven minutes of screen time show the heroes in different life situations and reveals all those things, which are reflected in the legendary Armenian brandy – true human values, which are passed from generation to generation and unite people, cities and countries across the globe.

“Under One Sky” is the collaboration of the brand with filmmaker Alexader Hant, who despite his young age has already won significant international awards such us “Nika” and prize at KVIFF (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival). The partnership became possible mostly because mutually shared values.

“We are living in difficult times, when people are again drawing the borders. Our stories are to show that despite those borders we all live under the same sky,” Alexander Hant told reporters on Wednesday.

ARARAT export manager Vardges Hoveyan noted that they were not looking for an advertising director, but for a director who makes powerful films, because they did not want to make a commercial, as the factory does not need it, but real human values had to be revisited through a story.

According to Hoveyan, the time of the film screening was not chosen by chance. The film is launched in a very meaningful time, when almost each of us deeply realize the true importance of human connections.

With very refine brand integration this movie has been designed as a story about values – their importance and universality. Here the main human values are symbolically presented in the form of а guiding star, the light of which will always bring to the right decisions.

“What does unite people when the borders of many countries remain closed? Genuine beauty, moments of inspiration, the joy of creative work, and, above all, the stories, which brings closer generations and hearts. The new project of ARARAT “Under One Sky” is far more than just a movie. It is the first cinematographic project of the brand, that became possible in the result of ARARAT teams’ efforts in Eastern Europe. It is a unique, contemporary and emotional way to show all these things that unite us around ARARAT despite difference in generations and countries we live in. And of course, it is an unusual way to support the new range of ARARAT and demonstrate the uniqueness of duet of contemporary shape and values, that remain unchanging,” said Karine Madelrieu, Marketing Director of Pernod Ricard Eastern Europe.

“Under One Sky” is the first big project of ARARAT after its redesign. Earlier this year ARARAT changed its look, but the brand’s philosophy and values remain the same. True love to the work you do, mastery, respect of the traditions, hospitality, audacity on the way to the triumph and, most importantly,  the irreplaceability of the sincere human connections – all the ARARAT values are unique and universal at the same time. Year by year they unite more and more people, which illustrates one very important truth – value is a something, the power of which gets stronger ones you share it with others.

One of the important roles of the movie is embodied by ARARAT. Thus, one episode shows how Hamlet Antonyan, the real production director of the Yerevan Brandy Company, is tasting the spirit from one of the thousand barrels kept in the ageing cellars and symbolically talks to the previous generations of masters. This dialogue of times also ensures that the inherited values will also be transferred to the generations to come. This bright episode is important not only from the dramaturgic aspect, but also comes to showcase the real world of ARARAT the beauty of which is beyond any cinematographic lenses.

Prior to the film shootings, all the actors were tested for coronavirus.

“Everyone’s tests came back negative. It was very important for us. The production director of Yerevan Brandy Company has acted in the move and he must not lose smell. Throughout its history, even during World War II, the factory has never suspended its operations. It would be awful if it had happened because of this movie. But we succeeded,” Hoveyan said.

The world premiere of the film will take place on April 8, at 8pm Yerevan Time (GMT +4) on the specially created platform www.underonesky.araratbrandy.com .

The choice of the channel allows to enjoy the movie despite geographic locations and underlines the combination of classic cinema and modern trends, which are inviting to reveal new facets for each generation.

“Under One Sky” is a movie which overcomes the space and borders, a movie which will stick you to the gadget screens for a couple of minutes, where almost everyone will find some familiar feelings and which will make you to look at the sky.

More photos at the link below