Category: News

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili will address the nation tonight, possibly announcing his resignation, Georgian national television reported.

Local media outlets indicated earlier Garibashvili planned to resign to lead the Georgian Dream coalition, which he chairs, campaign office.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has been tapped as his successor.

The Azerbaijani side fired more than 2,000 shots from artillery weapons of different caliber in the direction of the Armenian positions during clashes at the line of contact with the Karabakh forces last night.

The Azerbaijani side used Zu-23-2 missile units, 82mm mortars and HAN-17 grenades.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep full control of the situation at the frontline and confidently continue with their military duty all along the line of contact.

On 23 December President Bako Sahakyan received the Armenian Central Bank chairman Arthur Javadya, NKR President’s Press Office reported.

Different issues related to cooperation between the two Armenian states in the banking sphere were discussed during the meeting.

NKR prime-minister Arayik Harutyunyan partook in the meeting.

Armenian Premier League club FC Ararat Yerevan and the North American Soccer League champion New York Cosmos will play the Fresno Fuego in a pair of February exhibitions, the local Premier Development League franchise announced Tuesday, the reports.

The Fuego will host FC Ararat on Feb. 18 and the Cosmos on Feb. 24, with both matches set for 6:30 p.m. kickoffs at Chukchansi Park.

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Even the most uninformed person on earth is aware by now that Turkey is a major accomplice of ISIS. There have been countless news reports in the global media documenting Turkish complicity. Amazingly, there is one American diplomat who seems to be clueless about Turkey’s destructive role in the region, not only in Syria and Iraq, but also in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh)!

How could the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) be that ignorant to give a speech praising Turkey’s “valuable” role in the effort to settle the Artsakh conflict?

In his December 17 statement to OSCE’s Permanent Council, Ambassador Daniel B. Baer had the audacity to praise Turkey’s “constructive role as a Minsk Group member” in the Artsakh conflict. He went on to state that “Turkey has been a valuable member of the Minsk Group and has worked cooperatively with the Co-Chairs on finding a way forward in peace talks” between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Ambassador Baer expressed his disagreement with Alexander Lukashevich, Russia’s Ambassador to the OSCE, who had questioned two days earlier “Turkey’s constructiveness as a Minsk Group member.” The Russian Ambassador had criticized Turkey for siding with “one of the parties of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict [Azerbaijan],” and described Ankara’s position as “unacceptable” and “absolutely destructive.”

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian denounced Ambassador Baer’s statement, calling it “reckless.” Hachikian noted Turkey’s long list of staunchly pro-Azerbaijan policies: “The Erdogan government actively supports Aliyev’s virulent anti-Armenian positions, openly providing military aid and training to the Azerbaijani military, while, at the same time, blockading Armenia, contrary to international law, and seeking to isolate Yerevan in the international arena.”

The ANCA Chairman wondered why “U.S. officials allow themselves to be used as props in Erdogan’s farce, pretending that the Turkish government will — against all evidence — play the role of some sort of impartial mediator?” Hachikian concluded: “This Administration’s shameful legacy of endlessly caving in to Turkish threats — at the expense of our own values and interests as a nation — is truly a national disgrace — an embarrassment beneath the dignity of the American people.”

Several members of the U.S. Congress also condemned Ambassador Baer’s scandalous remarks. Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) said he was “troubled by the recent statement praising Turkey’s role in the Minsk Group peace process made by our U.S. Representative to the OSCE. Turkey’s active and overt support of Azerbaijan with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been apparent from the beginning. A statement like this will only serve to polarize the negotiations.”

House Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Democrat Adam Schiff of California stated unequivocally that “given Turkey’s behavior and longstanding support for Baku, they cannot be considered — in any way — a neutral broker in what has become an increasingly intense conflict along the Line of Contact.” Cong. Schiff further suggested that “instead of stacking the table against Nagorno Karabakh, all nations should insist upon the deployment of monitoring technology along the border, a step that Armenia has readily agreed to but has been resisted by Azerbaijan, doubtless because it would demonstrate their unprovoked aggression.”

This writer has yet to see a reaction from Armenia challenging Ambassador Baer’s ill-advised and inappropriate remarks. Silence would imply agreement with the U.S. Ambassador’s unfortunate words. In fact, Ambassador Baer should be severely criticized by everyone, Armenians and non-Armenians alike, for encouraging Turkey’s detrimental meddling in the Artsakh conflict. Instead of praising Turkey’s “constructive” and “valuable” role, the U.S. Ambassador should have followed the example of his Russian counterpart and lashed out at Ankara’s sinister and destructive efforts.

Two years ago, when he was sworn in as envoy to OSCE, Ambassador Baer released a video in which he cheerfully announced: “My partner, Brian, and I, are excited to live in Vienna, along with our greyhound, Cleo. We look forward to exploring a wonderful city, and going skiing and hiking in Austria, and to traveling around the OSCE region.”

Ambassador Baer seems more interested in tourism at US taxpayers’ expense than engaging in serious diplomatic work. If that is the case, President Obama should relieve the Ambassador of his duties, so he can continue his sightseeing tour of Europe at his own expense!

President of Armenia, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Yerevan State University Serzh Sargsyan participated today at the meeting of the YSU Board of Trustees which was held at the Scientific Council Hall of the University.

At the end of the year meeting, the members of the Board discussed and approved the report of the Rector on the main areas of activities of the YSU in the 2014-2015 academic year. The results of the University activities were assessed as satisfactory.

At the meeting approved was the strategic plan of development for 2016-2020, a preliminary budget of the University for 2016 fiscal year, structure and the manning table of the YSU.

In the framework of the agenda, Rector Aram Simonian presented to the members of the Board the report on the revenues and expenditure for year 2015 (January-November) which was taken note of by the participants of the meeting. At the meeting a decision was adopted to choose an auditor to conduct in 2016 the audit of the YSU financial activities and financial reports. By the same decision specified were functions of the auditor. The report of Rector Aram Simonian on the activities of the University in 2014-2015 academic year contained references to the areas of education, science and research, international cooperation, publications, public relations and information systems, social policies, activities involving students and alumni, as well as information on the work of the Ijevan branch of the University, which, according to the Rector, was organized and carried out in accordance with the tasks and priorities set by the strategic plan of development of the YSU.

Rector of the Yerevan State University presented to the participants of the meeting the strategic plan of the University. According to the plan, activities of the YSU are directed at the implementation of the programs in the areas of the Armenian Studies, physical sciences, social and economic, humanitarian sciences, technical disciplines, different cultural programs, as well as programs in the fundamental sciences and applied scientific research.

Among other issues, the Board of Trustees of the Yerevan State University discussed and adopted a decision on the establishment of the Student Services Ltd and the charter of the company.

Before the meeting, at the fifth floor of the main building of the University, the President of Armenia familiarized with the books published in the last two years in the framework of the 95th anniversary of the YSU publishing house, and with the publications dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

At the conclusion of the meeting, President Sargsyan responded to the questions raised by the members of the YSU Board of Trustees.

The battle to drive so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters out of the centre of Ramadi is entering its second day as Iraqi special forces fight the militants street by street, the BBC reports.

Officials are optimistic that the city will be recaptured by the weekend.

But a spokesman for the US-led coalition has been more cautious, saying a tough fight is in prospect.

Iraqi forces are heading towards the main government complex, and have come up against snipers and suicide bombers.

Ramadi fell to IS in May in an embarrassing defeat for the Iraqi army.

By Miriam Kairey

2015 marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.  While many of us have heard about this tragedy, few are aware of what happened and how it foreshadowed the calamity that was to virtually destroy the Jews of Europe less than 25 years later.

The Armenian people have lived in the Northeastern portion of Asia Minor (now Turkey) for thousands of years.  They also inhabited Northern Syria.  In ancient times they were pagans who in time adopted the Christian religion, while their neighbors, the Turks and Kurds, became Muslims.  Up until their near extermination in 1915 they were an industrious and successful people who lived in comfortable villages.  They looked to their intellectual upper class for leadership.  Armenia was, for centuries, ruled by the Ottoman Turks.  They were loyal subjects who paid a special tax for being non-Muslims, the same way the Jews of the Ottoman Empire did.

By the late 1800’s the Ottoman Empire was in decline.  While many factors can be pointed to as the cause, Industrialization in Europe moved manufacturing westward and money began to drain from the Ottoman east.  The already precarious situation of the Armenians became more dangerous as the Turks looked to grab the possessions of their relatively successful subjects.  Using the rallying cry “Turkey for the Turks” the Ottomans periodically incited pogroms against the Armenians.  Turks and Kurds raided their villages, stole what they could and burned their churches.

European nations intervened to stop these vicious pogroms.  However, with the outbreak of WWI in 1914, these countries were too preoccupied to concern themselves with the Armenians.  Germany was allied with Turkey and certainly was not going to stop the genocide that was to come.  Turkey, taking advantage of the chaos of war, set about destroying the Armenian nation in a calculated and systematic way.  First, Armenian intellectuals were rounded up and killed.  Then the villagers were disarmed:  all guns were confiscated.  All military-aged males were supposedly  “drafted” but in fact they were taken to labor camps or killed. The Armenians left in the villages were the least able to resist.  The Turks emptied the villages and marched these unfortunate people eastward, giving them no food or water.

It is estimated that at least 1.5 million Armenians died this way.  Those who could get away swarmed into the towns of northern Syria, including Aleppo.   In Aleppo those who were not dying in the streets were hunted by the Turks.  Yet there is ample evidence that some made an effort to help these unfortunate refugees.  Orphanages, hospitals and refugee camps were set up around that area.

The forced marches the Armenians were subjected to were called “moving concentration camps”   by the author Franz Werfel, an Austrian Jew, in his book Forty Days of Musa Dagh.  This book was written in German and published in 1933.  Franz travelled in Syria in the late 1920’s.  It was here that he encountered Armenian survivors, malnourished orphans working in a carpet factory.  They told him the story of Musa Dagh, which means Mt Moses in Armenian — a story of resistance and survival. The hero of the story was Gabriel Bagradian (a pseudonym) who, just prior to the genocide, returns to his Armenia village from Paris with his French wife and son.

Gabriel feels the hatred of the Turks, and understands that the Turks seek nothing less than the total destruction of his people.  Under his leadership his fellow townspeople secretly stock nearby Mt. Moses with supplies, including guns that they had carefully hidden.  One night the five thousand villagers quietly took what they could carry and went to the top of mountain, which had a plateau.  Of course the Turkish army came after them, but remarkably they were able to hold off the Turks long enough to be rescued by the French navy.

Writing Musa Dagh probably saved Werfel’s life.  When Hitler ordered Werfels books burned, Franz understood what would happen next.  He escaped through Spain and wound up in California.

The story of Musa Dagh disappeared into obscurity thanks to the efforts of the Turkish government, which to this day denies the facts of the Armenian genocide.  The book was translated into English and became best-seller in the USA in 1934.  The movie rights were purchased by Louis B. Mayer of MGM who wished to turn this story into a major motion picture with Clark Gable in the starring role.  He resisted the objections of the Turks, which were full of anti-Semitic accusations against Mayer.  He finally caved in to pressure by the US government, who needed the cooperation of the Turks to build military bases there.

Today there are some 2 million Armenians living in 15% of the area of what used to be Armenia.  They never recovered from their calamity, and the loss of their intellectual class.  History, in general, is written by the victors.  It is up to us to pluck from obscurity stories such as this one, and learn their valuable lessons.

Miriam Kairey is a professional genealogist.  She holds a BA in History from Rutgers College.

Photo: Sputnik/ Ramil Sitdikov

 

Russia and Armenia signed an agreement on establishing the Combined Regional Air Defense System in the Caucasian Collective Security Region on Wednesday, TASS reports.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and his Armenian counterpart Seyran Ohanyan put their signatures to the document. The agreement was signed after the ministers’ bilateral meeting.

The two defense ministries also signed a cooperation plan for 2016.

Mutual cooperation plans for 2016 also were signed with other defense ministers, with whom Sergey Shoigu met in bilateral meetings – Kyrgyz General Staff Chief Colonel Zhanybek Kaparov, Tajik Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Sherali Mirzo, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Col. Gen. Zakir Gasanov and Kazakh Defense Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov. The meeting of the Russian and Azeri defense ministers was held under the closed doors.

“We have approved for 2016 a plan of work of the Defense Ministers’ Council of the CIS countries and a plan of common steps on the joint air defense system,” Shoigu said summing up the results of the meeting.

At the meeting, the ministers revised a cooperation plan for troops of the joint air defense system and the documents regulating the work of the coordination committee on the air defense issues at the CIS Defense Ministers’ Council.

A number of bilateral meetings were also held, Shoigu said. “During the talks, we discussed a broad range of issues of cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres. The plans of bilateral cooperation of the defense ministries were signed for the next year,” he said.

The participants of the meeting confirmed plans to further develop partnership based on the balance of common, regional and national interests.