Author: nina hovnanian

SHOTS IN GYUMRI. NA MP’S GODFATHER TAKEN TO HOSPITAL

2013-04-23 14:47:10

As shamshyan.com reports, a little earlier shots were fired in Gyumri.

In critical condition two were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds-
famous in Gyumri named Sheko and Godfather Harut.

Photojournalist reports that Godfather Harut is deputy of the
National Assembly of RA Martun Grigoryan’s godfather. According
to some reports, shots were fired by former Mayor of Gyumri Vardan
Ghukasyan’s relatives.

At the moment, police officers are going to Gyumri, led by the head
of the regional department Karen Babakehyan, Police Chief of Gyumri
Sarkis Martirosyan and head of the investigation department of Shirak
region Albert Yeritsyan.

ZHOGHOVURD: SERZH SARGSYAN’S INAUGURATION COST $67,000?

08:55 ~U 23.04.13

Serzh Sargsyan’s inauguration for a second term is said to have cost
the Armenian citizens 28.67 million Drams, which is equivalent to
about 67,300 US Dollars.

The paper says, citing its sources, that the Presidential Office
paid 5.8 million Drams ($14,000) for buying only a stair-carpet,
with the reception of the foreign delegations costing more than 17
million Drams (over $40,000).

A noteworthy fact, according to the paper, is that the events were
organized by the Loma Sistema company, which is registered in the
city of Artik (Shirak region).

“We, the taxpayers, thus turn out to have paid huge sums from our
pockets, having over 30 percent of Armenia’s population living in
poverty. It is worth mentioning, by the way, that the 28 million Drams
were paid from Armenia’s State Budget. As to how much was spent as a
matter of fact – thanks to donations by oligarchs – remains only to
be assumed,” comments the paper.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ISRAEL’S KNESSET TO MARK 98TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

April 23, 2013 | 12:08

The Knesset (Parliament) of Israel will hold a ceremony Tuesday to
mark the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide that was
committed in Ottoman Turkey 98 years ago.

The Turkish authorities refuse to use the term “genocide” to describe
this event and, also, they threaten with certain actions those
countries that use this term, Israel National News reports.

Against the backdrop of the talks to restore relations between
Israel and Turkey, Knesset former Speaker MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud)
specifically said as follows:

“As human beings and as Jews, we must not ignore the catastrophe of
another nation for any reason, including diplomatic considerations,
important as they may be. We will mark the annual memorial day for
the massacre of the Armenian people regardless of the relations with
today’s Turkey, which is an ally.”

YEREVAN TO HOST EXHIBITION-SALE OF FRENCH ARMENIAN PAINTERS’ WORKS (PHOTOS)

April 22, 2013 | 23:25

YEREVAN. – An exhibition and a sale of the creations of renowned French
Armenian painters will be held in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan from
Saturday to May 7.

This event provides a unique opportunity to get familiar with the
real masterpieces of the French Armenian art of painting.

Unique paintings, which include around sixty works, will be displayed
during the exhibition-sale.

GENOCIDE IS OUR SHARED GRIEF – TURKISH BLOGGER

11:53 ~U 23.04.13

As April 24 is drawing near again, many politicians would wish US
President Barack Obama not to say Armenian Genocide to describe the
tragedy, a blogger of the Turkish Radikal has said in recent article.

Dogan Ozcan believes that Obama’s failure to pronounce the word would
help many sigh with relief and think that the 1.5 million Armenians
who were deprived of life in the WWI-era tragic killings, died a
natural death.

“Have you ever argued with your friends over the Armenian Genocide?

Such disputes normally begin with a denial, the subsequent remarks
sounding like, ‘they were the first to provoke it’. Did the Ottoman
Empire resort to self-protection by killing hundreds and thousands
of people, [including] children?

The Armenian massacre which became the first ever Genocide known
to history was pre-arranged, and long work was carried out in that
direction. The Ottoman Empire provoked the Armenian armed groups,
and later launched operations for ‘defense’,” he says.

Dwelling on the topic, the Ozcan says that the Turkish state later
claimed responsibility from the civilian population, deporting them
from homes.

“All those massacres were, as a matter of fact, arranged by the armed
groups throughout the deportation, with the disaster assuming larger
scales,” the Turkish blogger says, characterizing the Armenian Genocide
as the best organized crime targeting an ethnic group.

“Even if the state fails to consider it genocide, it is aware at
least that numerous Armenians were killed during the deportation. The
Armenian people began commemorating the Genocide much later. The
nation’s intellectual class were either killed or jailed. Unlike
other genocides, most intellectuals didn’t manage to take flight.

It was not until 1965, the Soviet period, that the Armenians first
managed to organize [commemoration] events.

Nationalism, which has nowadays turned into a political tool, is
seeking to undermine that reality. By saying ‘They were the first to
provoke it’ and finding excuses, we look like a child who shifts the
blame on a friend whom he or she has beaten. But it is time to start
growing up now. Because if we, as members of the society, manage to
do that, it will not turn into political tricks, and a nation’s grief
will not be used as a ‘[propaganda] machine’ upon being brought on the
agenda. We must prevent it becoming a topic of a political blackmail,”
Ozcan continues.

He notes further that Armenians accounted for 35% of Anatolia’s
population before the tragic events, their number reducing to 5%
after the tragic events. “What else could have been its cause if not
Genocide? It is necessary to think about that, setting aside all the
political concerns,” he says, urging for efforts to avoid continuing
the Turkish ancestors’ genocidal policies.

He calls upon the Turks to gather on the squares on April 24 “to make
the brotherhood real”.

Armenian News – Tert.am

FOREIGN ALPINISTS PREFER CLIMBING MOUNT ARAGATS

09:50, 23 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The tourists, who arrive in Armenia for
mountaineering, prefer climbing the mount Aragats. In a conversation
with “Armenpress” the Chairman of the Mountaineering and Mountain
Tourism Federation of the Republic of Armenia Suren Danielyan stated
that the number of visits of alpinists to Armenia has palpably
increased during the recent years. Among other things Suren Danielyan
noted: “Those who prefer active rest and people interested in Armenia
full of mountain passes come here. Armenia is a comfortable country
for everyone, who is fond of mountaineering.”

Suren Danielyan laid a heavy emphasis on the fact that tourists
keep visiting Armenia both in summer and winter. Summer is a good
time for mountaineering, and winter for skyruninng. Also Danielyan
underscored that 40-50 individuals attend mountaineering classes and
receive Alpinist’s Diploma. Notwithstanding the number of amateurs
exceeds them.

LE CHEF DE LA POLICE D’EREVAN LICENCIE

Les quotidiens annoncent le licenciement, par decision du chef de
la Police, Vladimir Gasparian, du responsable de la police d’Erevan,
Nersès Nazarian. Alors que la Police n’a donne aucune explication a
ce licenciement, les quotidiens, citant leurs sources, avancent des
hypothèses. Si RFE/RL estime que Vladimir Gasparian aurait en voulu
a M. Nazarian de ne pas avoir su gerer la manifestation de Raffi
Hovhannisian, le 9 avril, suivie d’un accrochage, Haykakan Jamanak et
Hraparak expliquent son licenciement par sa possible implication dans
des machinations financières a grande echelle. Selon Haykakan Jamanak,
aurait ete devoilee une ” pyramide ” dirigee par des fonctionnaires
haut places de la Police, qui aurait detourne l’argent des citoyens.

D’après ce quotidien, le licenciement imminent d’autres policiers de
haut rang ne serait pas exclu dans le cadre de cette affaire. Les
quotidiens rappellent que M. Nazarian possède de vastes interets
economiques, dont un reseau de supermarche.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 16 avril 2013

mardi 23 avril 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

JOHN KERRY REITÈRE SES APPELS EN VUE D’UNE CONTRIBUTION TURQUE AU PROCESSUS DE PAIX AU KARABAGH

Le secretaire d’Etat americain John Kerry est favorable a une
implication plus active de la Turquie dans le processus de règlement du
conflit du Karabagh. Il l’avait laisse entendre lors de sa rencontre
avec son homologue turc Ahmed Davutoglu a Istanbul, au debut du
mois. Il l’a clairement affirme lors des discussions relatives au
budget des affaires etrangères 2014 au sein du Comite des affaires
etrangères de la Chambre des Representants du Congrès des Etats-Unis.

Et il devait le rappeler le 19* avril a Istanbul, où il rencontrait
les responsables turcs en marge d’une reunion des Amis de la Syrie.

Devant les Representants americains, J. Kerry a designe la Turquie
comme un acteur majeur de la scène regionale, exaltant son rôle
constructif dans le processus de paix au Moyen-Orient, dans la crise
qui secoue la Syrie, la querstion chypriote et aussi le règlement
du conflit du Karabagh. ” A la faveur de discussions regulières
a Washington, Ankara nous apporte son concours dans le processus
de règlement de deux conflits geles, celui du Haut Karabagh [entre
l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan] et la question chypriote. Je pense que
la Turquie jouera un rôle constructif concernant ces sujets et nous
nous efforcons de preserver une relation constructive avec Ankara
“, a indique J. Kerry en repondant a des questions posees par des
membres du Congrès.

La proposition de J. Kerry concernant une eventuelle mediation turque
dans le conflit du Karabagh a suscite les plus grandes reserves de la
part des amis de l’Armenie au Congrès americain. En raison des liens
etroits qui la lient a l’Azerbaïdjan, la Turquie ne peut en effet etre
tenue comme une partie neutre dans le processus de negociations, et M.

Davutoglu l’a encore rappele en evoquant devant J. Kerry la necessite
de ” liberer les territoires occupes de l’Azerbaïdjan “. Il est
vrai que J. Kerry a juge utile de menager les susceptibilites de
son allie turc, alors qu’il devait recommander au premier ministre
Erdogan, quelques jours après, de reporter la visite qu’il avait
prevu d’efefctuer a Gaza debut mai. Tout en s’engageant en faveur
d’une mediation turque dans le processus de paix du Karabagh, les
Americains se retractent dans le dossier concernant la mediation
turque dans le processus de paix israelo-palestinien, qu’ils avaient
semble encourager en obtenant il y a quelques semaines que ses allies
israelien et turc s’engagent sur la voie d’une normalisation de leurs
relations. Mais devant le refus d’Israël de permettre toute mediation
turque dans le probleme palestinien, Washington a prefere se montrer
plus discret sur cette question.

mardi 23 avril 2013, Gari ©armenews.com

SO-CALLED “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” EXHIBITION TO BE HELD AT USAID-SUPPORTED CENTER IN AKHALTSIKHE

APA
April 22 2013
Azerbaijan

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. Armenians will hold an exhibition on
the so-called “Armenian genocide” in Akhaltsikhe region of Georgia.

APA reports quoting Armenia media that the exhibition will open at
the USAID-supported Democratic Inclusion Center on April 23. The
organizer of the exhibition is Zoriya Zoryan Youth Foundation.

The organizers will try to describe the events that took place in the
Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century as the “Armenian genocide”.

Representatives of local authorities and public organizations,
as well as Armenian ambassador to Georgia Hovhannes Manoukian are
expected to attend the event.

PROFESSOR YUSUF HALACOGLU: 8,500 ARMENIANS DIED DURING RELOCATION

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
April 22 2013

The Armenian lobby has been working hard to establish tomorrow, April
24, as a day of international remembrance of the forced relocation
of Armenians. It has also been mobilizing international pressures
against Turkey. So says Professor Yusuf Halacoglu while discussing
Turkey’s role in addressing the relocation.

In an interview with Today’s Zaman, Halacoglu talks about what Turkey
can do to come to terms with the Armenian issue of 1915. He estimates
that a “maximum of 8,500 people died,” mostly “due to attacks from
Kurdish and Arab clans.”

Disagreeing with intellectual and professor Taner Akcam, who suggests
that Turkey should focus on a “Turkish” issue instead of an Armenian
one, Halacoglu says, “Hidden Armenians are slowly starting to show up,
and Turkey should be on alert for them.”

How many Armenians in the Ottoman territories faced forced relocation
in 1915?

The decision to relocate Armenians was taken on May 25 or 26, 1915. On
June 16, relocation started from various parts of Anatolia, excluding
Van and Kars because these provinces were under occupation. Therefore,
Armenians in the eastern provinces were not relocated. They went to
Russia if they wanted to. About 500,000 Armenians from other regions
were relocated to Syria. Some migrated on their own. About 600,000
Armenians were relocated in total.

How many people died during the relocation?

A convoy would consist of 500 to 2,000 people. Due to attacks from
Kurdish and Arab clans, a maximum of 8,500 people died. But this is
just an estimate.

How did these deaths occur?

Deaths occurred mostly because of attacks on convoys. As a measure,
the state assigned gendarmes for their protection. Therefore, the
deaths did not escalate.

Do you believe there was a genocide in 1915? Why?

For the 1915 incidents to be defined as genocide, the state must
have killed the people from these convoys intentionally. Rather,
since the fall of 1915, 1,673 people had been court-martialed upon
order of Talat PaÅ~_a for conducting those attacks and stealing the
goods of Armenians. They were penalized. The trial of these people
ended in February and May 1916, and 67 were sentenced to death, 68
to penal servitude and 524 to prison for two to five years. That is,
the offenders were tried and punished by the state. Therefore, it is
impossible to call it genocide.

Contrary to the claims, Turks did not intentionally meddle with
Armenians. On the other hand, German archives note: “If the Turkish
army had not protected them, Armenians would have been killed by
Kurds.” This indicates that the Turkish army, i.e., the Turkish state,
protected Armenians.

Were 1.5 million Armenians killed, as the Armenians claim? According
to the documents of the League of Nations, the precursor to the United
Nations, there were 288,000 Armenians in 1922. About 100,000 Armenians
converted to Islam and 17,873 Armenians migrated to other countries.

Therefore, it is documented that there were 1,002,000 Armenians alive.

As a comparison, the Armenian population during World War I was
250,000 to 300,000. According to these records, 190,000 Armenians
were outside Turkey’s borders, i.e., in Russia; 160,000 Armenians in
Etchmiadzin and 30,000 Armenians in Akhalkalaki died of cholera.

Therefore, there was no massacre. These figures represent those who
died of diseases and hunger. The number of Armenians who were killed
by some groups in Turkey is about 8,000. It is a big lie to say that
the Armenians faced genocide.

What do you think about the Armenians’ killing Turks?

This matter was better recorded. The number of Turks and Muslims
who were killed by Armenians during the one year before late-1915
is 128,000. Van was invaded by Russian-led Armenians. The city
surrendered on May 17. About 80,000 people were killed in Van, and
this occurred before the relocation. Therefore, it is wrong to say
that the Armenians killed Turks to avenge their relocation. After the
relocation, Armenians gangs killed 518,000 people during World War I.

How can the Armenian issue be settled?

This issue will apparently not be settled in the academic
sphere. This is because the Armenians never agree to discuss it on
academic platforms. Turkey’s proposal to set up a joint commission of
historians to examine the incidents is not accepted by the Armenians
and European countries whose parliaments passed Armenian genocide
bills. The issue has become highly politicized; so it will be settled
through political channels.

It must be noted that Article 11 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights enshrines the right of defense by prohibiting trial or
sentencing of any person without defense. As they pass those bills,
European parliaments did not grant Turkey any right of defense. They
didn’t try Turkey as well. Parliaments are not courts or tribunals.

They act not on compliance with the declaration they prepared and
ratified.

What we must do is to invite European parliamentarians to Turkey and
explain the situation to them. Turkey may make the following call on
the countries that passed genocide bills: Come and convince us and make
us accept your case. Otherwise, we will assume that you pursue hostile
attitudes against us and we will change our relations accordingly.

What do you expect to happen in 2015 on the 100th anniversary of the
forced relocation?

Hidden Armenians are slowly starting to show up. Turkey should be on
alert for them. For instance, the immovable property matter will be
brought to the agenda. Here, those who are at the helm of the state
must be on alert. Some government officials have suggested that
Armenians abroad may return to Turkey. But the Treaty of Lausanne
makes it clear that the Armenians cannot return. The state must
refrain from such seemingly humanitarian calls. You cannot govern a
state with good faith. You must verify if your interlocutors assume
good attitudes as well.