Author: nina hovnanian

The Australian
May 10 2013

Turkey furious at massacre motion

BY:MARK COULTAN, NSW POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT From: The Australian May
11, 2013 12:00AM

PREMIER Barry O’Farrell has been drawn into a diplomatic row after the
NSW parliament condemned a Turkish massacre of Armenians, Greeks and
Assyrians during World War I and claimed Anzac prisoners of war
witnessed the genocide.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry furiously condemned the upper house
motion, calling it “hate speech” and said it was “in no way compatible
with historic facts”. It also threatened to withhold permission for
proponents of the motion to attend Gallipoli commemorations.

A slightly edited version of the motion, without reference to Anzac
POWs, was moved in the lower house by Mr O’Farrell and supported by
Opposition Leader John Robertson.

The Turkish government disputes the use of the term genocide for
events starting in 1915 when hundreds of thousands of Armenians,
Assyrian and Greeks were killed or sent on death marches.

The motion, which was initially moved by upper house Christian
Democrat Fred Nile, had been passed through the NSW parliament when
many MPs were not there, and was presented as a fait accompli by a
“local politician, whose antagonism to Turkey . . . is well known”, a
statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry read.

“Proponents of such initiatives aimed at dealing a blow to the very
special relations that exist between our peoples will doubtlessly be
deprived of the hospitality and friendship that we will never withhold
from the people of Australia.

“These persons who try to damage the spirit of Canakkale/Gallipoli
will also not have their place in the Canakkale ceremonies where we
commemorate together our sons lying side by side in our soil.”

Turkish consul-general Gulseren Celik wrote to the parliament saying
Australia had nothing to gain by keeping historically controversial
events alive or “dragging the past along to places where it does not
belong”.

“This approach will only sow the seeds of hatred among the
multi-ethic, multicultural communities of which Australia is so
proud,” she said.

She said only 67 prisoners captured at Gallipoli were imprisoned in
western Anatolia and they could not have witnessed such events. Such
statements were an attempt to hijack the bonds between Australia and
Turkey.

“This will severely damage Turkish-Australian relations,” she wrote.

Unlike Reverend Nile’s motion, the Premier’s motion did not call on
the Australian government to condemn the genocides.

It also omitted claims that Anzacs witnessed the massacres but said
Anzacs helped survivors.

Reverend Nile said his motion referred to the Ottoman Empire and not
the modern state of Turkey.

He said he had friendly relations with the Turkish community and was
regularly invited to their functions.

Assyrian International News Agency AINA
May 10 2013

NSW Parliament Recognises Assyrian, Greek, Armenian Genocides

Posted GMT 5-10-2013 4:52:44

A motion recognising the Greek, Assyrian and Armenian genocide was
passed unanimously by the Parliament of NSW Legislative Council, after
the request of the Assyrian Universal Alliance, the Australian
Hellenic Council and the Armenian National Committee. While in 1997
the NSW Parliament passed a motion recognising the genocide of the
Armenians, on Wednesday 1 May the House recognised that between
1914-1923, Greeks and Assyrians were subjected to qualitatively
similar genocides by the then Ottoman Government.

The motion passed reads that the NSW Parliament “condemns the
genocides of the Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks, and all other acts
of genocide as the ultimate act of intolerance”. The motion also
called on the Commonwealth Government to condemn the genocides of the
Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks.

“This recognition will act as a powerful counter to those, especially
in present-day Turkey, who still ignore or deny outright the genocides
of the Ottoman Christian minorities,” said Mr Hermiz Shahen, the
Deputy Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance. In his
announcement, Mr Shahen thanked the Australian Hellenic Council and
the Armenian National Committee, whose cooperation on the issue was
crowned with Wednesday’s genocide recognition by the NSW Parliament.

According to Assyria Times, the member of the NSW Legislative Council
and President of the Australian Christian Party Fred Nile, was
responsible for moving the motion on 30 April and the rectification of
the historical injustice. Mr Nile also demanded that the State of
Turkey recognises and apologises for the Genocide.

“In remembering these events, we do not seek to apportion blame. This
is a matter of history, and history must neither be erased nor
forgotten.”

“People of our great state donated generously to save the lives of
those who had reached sanctuary in Greece, French Syria, British Iraq
and British Palestine. The story of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek
Genocides are a part of the Australian story and deserve their
rightful place in that narrative,” Fred Nile said in his adjournment
speech.

“When the Anzacs landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, there were Greek
people living there, tilling the soil and fishing the waters. There
were also Turkish tax collectors, police and soldiers. The non-Turks
are the people who were deported; these are the people who were
massacred during World War I and after,” Nile said.

In his speech, Fred Nile referred specifically to Dr Panayiotis
Diamadis and Mr Vicken Babkenian, Directors of the Australian
Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, whose pioneering
research into the Australia’s relationship to the Armenian, Greeks and
Assyrian Genocides has returned to the light of day this issue for the
people of New South Wales.

“Recognition of historical events, and above all the recognition of
genocide, is a human right issue and is very much a part of the
Australian story. It’s not a foreign problem that has been brought to
this country. For our community, it’s recognition of some of the
pioneers of the community who came here directly from Pontos and Asia
Minor, especially in Victoria. It’s recognition of their heritage and
it’s a very important step politically for our community, in showing
that these issues are not just a hundred years old problems that we
can forget about, but are very much current because of the impact they
have on generations later. These are not historic issues, but issues
of international law and human rights essentially,” Panayiotis
Diamadis, director of the Australian Institute for Holocaust and
Genocide Studies told Neos Kosmos.

Dr Diamadis said it took long time to convince political parties and
conduct a research that would prove the genocide was not a matter of
foreign policy, but an Australian story, with Australian own
servicemen witnessing the suffering of Assyrians, Armenians and
Greeks.

“This is why the Australian Institute of Genocide studies specifically
focuses on the Australian relationship – Australian eye witnesses,
Australian aid activists who helped rebuild refugees’ lives, making it
part of Australian story. We now want to bring it to Australian
curriculum of the history for schools, as part of the existing
subjects.”

For Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, it has been a “great honour” to contribute
to the research and the recognition of the Genocide in the NSW
Parliament.

“It’s another step forward. Our ultimate goal is to have a similar
resolution in Federal Parliament. We have been working towards it for
years – we believe the support is growing, but there are still
especially political concerns to get over. We believe that with
education we can educate our parliamentarians to see that this is not
just a foreign policy issue, it’s a human rights issue, it’s a legal
issue, and very much it’s part of the Australian story,” Dr Diamandis
said.

New South Wales Parliament became the second Australian state to
recognise the Greek, Assyrian and Armenian Genocide.The parliament of
South Australia became the first legislative body in the world to
recognise the genocide of the Assyrians and Greeks in 2009.

By Maja Jovic

ARMENIE
La compagnie des chemins de fer du Sud Caucase a transporté 201,2
millions de tonnes de marchandises en janvier 2013

En janvier 2013, la compagnie des chemins de fer du Sud Caucase a
transporté 201,2 millions de tonnes de fret qui soit 4,8% de plus que
les prévisions.

En janvier les exportations ferroviaires ont atteint 27,5 millions de
tonnes, soit une hausse de 32,2% par rapport aux prévisions.

Les importations de fret ferroviaire étaient de 71,1 millions de
tonnes, soit 1,9% de plus que le niveau prévu.

Quelques 102,6 millions de tonnes de marchandises ont été transportées
au niveau local.

« Le chemin de fer augmente progressivement ses indicateurs clés de
performance, y compris le volume du trafic de marchandises » se
félicite un rapport de la société.

samedi 11 mai 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

ARMENIE
639 000 abonnés d’ArmRosGazprom en Arménie

A la date du 1er Février 2013, 639 335 habitants d’Arménie étaient
abonnés au réseau de gaz naturel d’ArmRosGazprom.

« Le nombre d’utilisateurs du gaz naturel d’ArmRosGazprom a augmenté
de 784 en janvier 2013 » a indiqué l’entreprise.

ArmRosGazprom est la seule entreprise en charge de l’importation et de
la distribution du gaz naturel russe en Arménie via la Géorgie. Il a
été créé en 1997. Ses actionnaires sont la société russe Gazprom et le
gouvernement d’Arménie.

samedi 11 mai 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

ARMENIE
Un nouveau Gouvernement sans grand changement

Lors d’une réunion du Conseil suprême du parti Républicain, le PM
Tigran Sarkissian a présenté son nouveau gouvernement dont seuls 3
portefeuilles changent. Les nouveaux Ministres seront officiellement
nommés par le chef de l’Etat ce mercredi. Rappelons que les Ministres
des AE et de la Défense, Edouard Nalbandian et Seyran Ohanian, avaient
été récemment reconduits dans leurs fonctions.

Sont donc remplacés les Ministres des Finances, de l’Economie et des
Sports. Vatché Gabrielian (jusqu’à présent Ministre des Finances) et
Davit Sarkissian (actuel chef de cabinet du Premier Ministre)
échangeront leurs emplois. Vahram Avanessian, qui a occupé plusieurs
postes ministériels dans les années 1990, sera nommé Ministre de
l’Economie en remplacement de Tigran Davtian, qui représentera
désormais l’Arménie auprès de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce.
Yuri Vardanian, champion olympique de 1980 en haltérophilie et
conseiller du Président, recevra le portefeuille des Sports et de la
jeunesse.

Le nouveau Gouvernement est fondé sur une coalition entre le parti
Républicain et Etat de droit, qui conserve trois portefeuilles, ceux
de l’Agriculture, de l’Urbanisme et des Situations d’urgence.

Haykakan Jamanak qualifie ces changements de « cosmétiques »,
s’étonnant de la reconduction d’un Gouvernement qui pendant son
premier mandat a enregistré une récession économique de 15%, a triplé
la dette extérieure, a augmenté le taux de la pauvreté de 30% et
conduit 12% de la population à émigrer… « Serge Sarkissian a opté
pour la voie de la stagnation. Les pouvoirs politique et économique
maintiendront leur emprise et s’exempteront de tout risque. Les
oligarques garderont l’économie entre leurs mains, les autorités
politiques continueront de s’appuyer sur les éléments criminels, les
riches deviendront plus riches et les pauvres s’appauvriront davantage
», brocarde Haykakan Jamanak.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Arménie en
date du 8 mai 2013

samedi 11 mai 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

March precedes Pre-parliament’s rally in Gyumri (photos, video)

17:51 – 09.05.13

A protest rally has been conducted before the rally to be organized by
the Pre-parliament in Gyumri Theatrical Square, Galatv.am reports.

It says the people divided into groups and moved in different parts of
Gyumri to inform residents about the rally and programs of
Pre-parliament.

`With this Pre-parliament starts the implementation of concrete
programs – creation of new authorities and shadow government. The
launch is given from Gyumri as according to the members of the
organization Gyumri is the center of revolution, and the change of
power has started from Gyumri as a result of February 18 elections
when the ruling party candidate defeated,’ Galatv.am reports.

Completion of A Giant Scenario

A new middle class has formed in the Arab states over the past 30
years. `New’ means deep westernization and post-modernization of the
Arab and Islamic society. The aristocratic and bureaucratic regimes
are replaced by diversified social `delegates’ who are trying to
self-accomplish at the junction of historical and political
developments, extend their power not only on local or national but
also trans-national structures.

Strangely, the Muslim Brothers and all kinds of Tariqahs are a
comfortable environment for strengthening and establishing the new
middle class. The new middle class has an economic and educational
potential, is interested in dynamic stability but, most importantly,
successful economic and social development.

The Islamic model of economy is just a decoration of social capitalism
but not more. The new middle class of the Islamic world has studied
all the economic and social schools and reported to the leaders of
their countries on the chances for development under different
conditions. The choice has been made, and policy is carried out, and
nobody can offer an alternative.

This stratum has only one more or less adequate partner – the Western
community – which supports middle class political groups to come to
power under any form, including in the form of moderate Islamists.

There is no problem or question on which the new social-political
corporation of Arab states and other Islamic countries could not agree
with the West. Radical Islamism has been defeated, and it has not
managed to bring up a new generation of politicians and entrepreneurs
who would lead the Arab revolution and be ready to set up Islamic
democracy in their countries.

Analysts and projectors of the Western community are increasingly
trying to project a model of moderate Islamism and understand that it
is possible to use the experience of Iran without any references to
it.

One wonders who benefitted from this absolutely brutal and risky
scenario of radical Islamism (understanding that it is an ambiguous
notion). Anyone but the Western community or the Islamic world.
Strangely, China and the Confucian-Buddhist civilization benefitted.

There are no other arguments to question the positive results of this
giant experiment for China. Strangely, Russia has left the `fight’
with the Islamists with results which were not so bad. They could have
been far worse. Here is an interesting turn, notably radical Islamism
is replaced by Islamic geopolitics and an effort is made to take it
under control. Of course, geopolitical aspirations mostly level the
alternative – the non-conventional asymmetrical fight. In other words,
the main goal is to relocate the pretensions of Islamic centers of
power to the level of agreed and binding conditions and rules.

Most probably, full or partial withdrawal of NATO troops from
Afghanistan supposes such a state of things. An expansionist state
will be set up in Afghanistan which will have territorial and
political claims to Pakistan, Iran and Central Asia, as well as they
will carry out the function of containment of China towards the West.

A similar goal was supposed for Iraq but apparently it failed. The
Arab states will increasingly be mobilized against Turkey and Iran, as
well as oppose Chinese economic expansion. Modern Islamic radicalism
will drown in the triangle Turkey-Iran-Arab states.

Given the Kurdish component of this geopolitical fight, such a
potential underlies this geopolitical game.

One should keep in mind that this `triangle’ could affect differently
the situation in the South Caucasus and other regions. One way or
another, this region will be involved not only in the geopolitical
projects of the Western community and Russia but also the Near East.
The countries which will be ready for such risks and threats will
handle trouble successfully, as well as gain better positions.

A lot will depend on the political and economic presence in the Near
East but the main factor will be the ability to gain partners and
allies. An example is the meaningless and not so well-off existence of
most states of the Baltic and Black Sea regions which have consciously
rejected an active foreign policy and have practically appeared on the
list of the second category of partners. These mistakes should not be
repeated.

Igor Muradyan
14:47 09/05/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

International Delegation Commemorates Genocide Anniversary in Istanbul

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, INTERNATIONAL NEWS, NEWS, TURKEY | MAY 9, 2013 12:53 PM

More than 2,000 people gathered at Istanbul’s Taksim Square for the
international joint commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, an
unprecedented event organized by AGBU Europe, Turkish group DurDe! and
EGAM.
ISTANBUL – An unprecedented joint delegation of the Armenian General
Benevolent Union (AGBU) Europe and European Grassroots Antiracist
Movement (EGAM) comprising 20 people from 15 European countries,
gathered here to commemorate the Armenian Genocide of 1915. They were
invited by DurDe! (Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism), a Turkish
organization that has been commemorating the Armenian Genocide for the
past four years.

On April 24, symbolically at 19:15, up to 2,000 Turks, Armenians and
others peacefully gathered at Taksim Square in an emotional moment of
mourning, commemoration and solidarity. Earlier in the day, they also
gathered outside the former Sultanahmed Prison (now a museum), where
Armenian intellectuals, professionals and others arrested on April 24,
1915, were first jailed, before being taken away and murdered.

A strong police presence kept watch as a small gathering of protesters
shouted nationalist slogans nearby.

These events were organized by DurDe! and IHD, a Turkish Human Rights
Association. The international delegation, organized and led by EGAM
and AGBU Europe, included leading European activists against racism as
well as young Armenian leaders.

In the days leading up to the April 24 commemoration in Istanbul,
delegation members held numerous meetings, a press conference and a
conference at Sehir University to explain their views and actions, as
well as to learn about developments in Turkey relating to the
recognition of the Genocide and the treatment of minorities.

EGAM President Benjamin Abtan said his visit was intended primarily as
an expression of support for those in Turkey who are fighting against
racism. `Genocide is the worst expression of racism,’ he said.
`Genocide denial is a continuation of the crime of genocide.’

On April 25, at the invitation of AGBU-Armenia, a small group of
delegates travelled to Yerevan to commemorate the Armenian Genocide
together and share their experience in Istanbul with the Armenian
public. The delegation members – EGAM’s Abtan, AGBU Europe Board
Member Nicolas Tavitian and DurDe! Representative Yildiz Önen – laid a
wreath at the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan and met with Armenian
Genocide Museum-Institute Director Hayk Demoyan. They also held a
press conference and met with representatives of non-governmental
organizations involved in Armenia-Turkish relations at the AGBU
Armenia offices.

The Delegation’s activities in Istanbul and Yerevan received ample
coverage in the Turkish, Armenian and European press. An appeal,
issued by the organizers and signed by well-known figures in Europe,
was published in the European press shortly before April 24. Tatevik
Baghdasaryan (left), host of Armnews talk show Manramasner,
interviewed DurDe! Representative Yildiz Onen and AGBU Europe Board
Member Nicolas Tavitian. The interview can be seen at:

AGBU Europe Board Member Nicolas Tavitian said, `After the
assassination of Hrant Dink in 2007, many Turks realized that the
Armenian Genocide continues to kill, and that its continued denial is
toxic for Turkish democracy.’ He added, `Courageous people have
started to push in the right direction, and their numbers are growing.
But their struggle is not over and they need all the support they can
get. That is why we were in Istanbul, and why we look forward to many
more joining us next year.’

For her part, the AGBU Yerevan Office Director Arpi Vartanian said,
`It was important for representatives of AGBU Europe, DurDe and EGAM
to visit Yerevan and present in person their initiatives and
impressions in Turkey. The people in Armenia are interested in
learning about Genocide recognition events outside Armenia, and
especially in Turkey,’ she said. `The opportunity to discuss and share
with the press and members of civil society here was important. These
types of events and initiatives – both in Turkey and in Armenia – make
a huge impact on civil society.’

D. Jamalian: Karabakh war still goes on

Thursday,
May 09

`I would like to congratulate first of all those servicemen who stand
today at the border, thanks to whom we celebrate May 9 in time of
peace,’ military expert David Jamalian stated at the meeting with
reporters today.

`On 9 May 1992 the Armenians showed they are victors, exploding the
myth that the Turks are invincible’, D. Jamalian said.

In his words, 21 years ago the Armenian people coerced the enemy to
peace. The military expert at the same time noted that the Karabakh
war is still going on.

`The peace today is relative. To be more precise, it is a stage of the
war, a cease-fire stage. Of course, Artsakh is ours and we take great
pride in this, but we should take into account the fact that if
necessary we must demonstrate once again that the Armenians can win,’
Jamalian said.

TODAY, 18:43
Aysor.am

Ter-Petrosyan calls for continuing fight against gang rule

16:25 – 09.05.13

Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who became a major
opposition leader following the 2008 presidential election, has called
for continuing fight against what he calls the corrupt regime.

Speaking to reporters in Yerevan’s Victory Park, where he had visited
to commemorate the heroes of the Great Patriotic and the
Nagorno-Karabakh Liberation Wars, Ter-Petrosyan said his opposition
Armenian National Congress will not give up its struggle for justice.

`We have been saying for five years that it is necessary to get rid of
thieves and gangsters. This is not the pledge, but rather the
objective and the purpose. If you don’t think they are thieves and
gangsters, live with them in peace … if you do … , then it is
necessary to get rid of them; there’s no other choice,’ he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am