Armenian News
CNN International to feature Armenia as part of its On the Road
series
10 Dec 2014
CNN International is featuring Armenia as part of its On the Road
10 Dec 2014
CNN International is featuring Armenia as part of its On the Road
series in December. Producer Robert Howell (Atlanta) and crew captures
the essence and energy of Armenia’s drive forward by crediting the
innovative brainpower of its young people as Armenia’s greatest resource.
The documentary showcases the Birthright Armenia experience as an
underlying theme of their segment.
The show airs on CNN International only, which is also made available
artsakhpress.am
Cross-stone in memory of King Levon VI and Armenian Genocide
times.am
Azerbaijani sniper wounds Armenian citizen
13 / 12 / 2014
As Times.am was informed by head of the Berqaber village Arthur
Madatyan, the incident took place early in the morning.The Azerbaijani
snipers shot and wounded the 33-year-old young man on his both legs.
The young man is now in hospital, in Ijevan town. His life is out of danger.
Another resident of the village was also under target of the enemy's
sniper but he managed to escape.
The situation in the village is under control.
ARMENIA RANKED 3RD MOST MILITARIZED COUNTRY IN WORLD
MINA - Macedonia Online
Dec 11 2014
Armenia became the third most militarized country in the world in
2014, the Armenpress news agency reported Wednesday, citing global
militarization index 2014.
According to index issued by Bonn International Center for Conversion
on Tuesday, Armenia is only behind Israel and Singapore in the ranking.
The index reveals the weight and importance of the military apparatus
of a state with respect to society as a whole. It considers, in
particular, the ratio of military spending to gross domestic product
and to health expenditure, as well as the ratio of the number of
heavy weapons to the total population.
In 2013, Armenia ranked fourth in the index.
aysor.am
Mahcupyan: Turkey not to open border without Karabakh problem
The truth is that choosing membership in the EEU over an association
Populism aside, Armenia sits between two sworn enemies, one which
But, despite the fact that Armenia has a defense budget that’s dismal
Moreover, Armenia has been historically reliant on Russia to defend
By contrast, Armenia’s potential path to EU membership, by way of the
Beyond its security needs, Armenia has other reasons to prefer
Membership in the EEU will also help Armenians working in Russia,
Further, accession to the Eurasian Economic Union will guarantee
However, as attractive as all of these qualities may be, simply
The show airs on CNN International only, which is also made available
on some cable systems in the US. Sections of the show should appear
on the CNN “On the Road” website as well.
Click on the video embedded in this article.
|
artsakhpress.am
Cross-stone in memory of King Levon VI and Armenian Genocide
victims
to be placed in Lusignan
December 12, 2014
On December 13, Armenia's Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan will
pay a working visit to France to participate in the opening ceremony
of a cross-stone dedicated to the memory of Armenian King Levon VI,
ex-French-Armenian fighters and the victims of the Armenian Genocide
in Lusignan.
STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 12: As "ArmenPress" reports, the
cross-stone is being placed through the combined efforts of the
Lusignan Municipality, the Ararat Association, the "Association of
Former French-Armenian Fighters and Resistance Fighters" and the
Commission Coordinating the Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide in France. During the visit, Armenia's
Minister of Diaspora will have meetings with members of the France
Regional Committee in charge of Coordinating the Events Dedicated to
the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, as well as members of
community organizations.
to be placed in Lusignan
December 12, 2014
On December 13, Armenia's Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan will
pay a working visit to France to participate in the opening ceremony
of a cross-stone dedicated to the memory of Armenian King Levon VI,
ex-French-Armenian fighters and the victims of the Armenian Genocide
in Lusignan.
STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 12: As "ArmenPress" reports, the
cross-stone is being placed through the combined efforts of the
Lusignan Municipality, the Ararat Association, the "Association of
Former French-Armenian Fighters and Resistance Fighters" and the
Commission Coordinating the Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide in France. During the visit, Armenia's
Minister of Diaspora will have meetings with members of the France
Regional Committee in charge of Coordinating the Events Dedicated to
the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, as well as members of
community organizations.
times.am
Azerbaijani sniper wounds Armenian citizen
13 / 12 / 2014
As Times.am was informed by head of the Berqaber village Arthur
Madatyan, the incident took place early in the morning.The Azerbaijani
snipers shot and wounded the 33-year-old young man on his both legs.
The young man is now in hospital, in Ijevan town. His life is out of danger.
Another resident of the village was also under target of the enemy's
sniper but he managed to escape.
The situation in the village is under control.
ARMENIA RANKED 3RD MOST MILITARIZED COUNTRY IN WORLD
MINA - Macedonia Online
Dec 11 2014
Armenia became the third most militarized country in the world in
2014, the Armenpress news agency reported Wednesday, citing global
militarization index 2014.
According to index issued by Bonn International Center for Conversion
on Tuesday, Armenia is only behind Israel and Singapore in the ranking.
The index reveals the weight and importance of the military apparatus
of a state with respect to society as a whole. It considers, in
particular, the ratio of military spending to gross domestic product
and to health expenditure, as well as the ratio of the number of
heavy weapons to the total population.
In 2013, Armenia ranked fourth in the index.
aysor.am
Mahcupyan: Turkey not to open border without Karabakh problem
solution
The Senior Advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Etienne Mahcupyan said
the Turkey-Armenia border can open only in case of a package
settlement, Argumeti.ru said.
The matter concerns both the Turkish-Armenian and Azerbaijani-Armenian
relations, he noted.
Mahcupyan said that April 24, 2015 is a very symbolic date and the
approach of this date increases radicalism in the Armenian society
that takes an uncompromising approach to this issue.
The senior advisor said that he doesn't believe Turkey will take steps
in accordance with the demands of the Armenian side.
Turkey's making concessions in the issues of the Armenian Genocide and
opening of borders is impossible with such an approach of the Armenian
side, Mahcupyan said.
However, Turkey can take steps in this matter only a year later after
tensions ease, he added.
'The Armenite'
Why Armenia Chose the Eurasian Economic Union
By Mher Almasian | Dec 3, 2014 Armenia , Nation
On January 1, 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will go into
The Senior Advisor to Turkish Prime Minister Etienne Mahcupyan said
the Turkey-Armenia border can open only in case of a package
settlement, Argumeti.ru said.
The matter concerns both the Turkish-Armenian and Azerbaijani-Armenian
relations, he noted.
Mahcupyan said that April 24, 2015 is a very symbolic date and the
approach of this date increases radicalism in the Armenian society
that takes an uncompromising approach to this issue.
The senior advisor said that he doesn't believe Turkey will take steps
in accordance with the demands of the Armenian side.
Turkey's making concessions in the issues of the Armenian Genocide and
opening of borders is impossible with such an approach of the Armenian
side, Mahcupyan said.
However, Turkey can take steps in this matter only a year later after
tensions ease, he added.
'The Armenite'
Why Armenia Chose the Eurasian Economic Union
By Mher Almasian | Dec 3, 2014 Armenia , Nation
On January 1, 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will go into
effect and alongside Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Russia will be Armenia
as one of its four founding members.
When President Serzh Sargsyan announced that Armenia would be
When President Serzh Sargsyan announced that Armenia would be
joining the Eurasian Customs Union more than a year ago, the decision
was met with skepticism in some circles. Now that Armenia is officially
a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, as of October 10, 2014,
that skepticism still exists.
“Why the EEU and not the European Union?” critics asked. Some
“Why the EEU and not the European Union?” critics asked. Some
suggested that Russia used Armenia’s dependence on its energy and
security to influence the decision. Others raised questions about
potential customs checkpoints being implemented at the Artsakh border.
The truth is that choosing membership in the EEU over an association
agreement with the EU is much more logical. For starters, the majority
of Armenian citizens support an EEU membership. According to a Gallup
International poll that was conducted in October of last year, 64 percent
of Armenians favored membership into the union.
Populism aside, Armenia sits between two sworn enemies, one which
regularly fires upon it. When making political decisions, its foremost
concern is, and must be, security. Today, Armenia’s security fundamentally
depends on its military alliance with Russia, which was formed in 1997
and extended in 2010. As part of this agreement, Armenia receives
discounted and advanced military hardware as well as security provided
by Russian soldiers at the Turkish and Iranian borders. In return, Russia
maintains a stronghold in the strategic South Caucasus among other
regional powers like Iran and Turkey.
Armenia has become even more dependent on Russia as a result of
Armenia has become even more dependent on Russia as a result of
the extraordinary increase in military spending by Azerbaijan. Due to the
country’s massive oil revenue, Azerbaijan has used its new wealth to
increase its defense budget by nearly 500 percent. According to the
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI,) Azerbaijan
allocated $3.44 billion for defense in 2013 while Armenia spent a
meagre $427 million in comparison.
But, despite the fact that Armenia has a defense budget that’s dismal
compared to its enemy’s, the country has successfully maintained a
military balance, prevented a potentially devastating war, and avoided
any territorial losses. Russia often plays both sides, although, for lack
of an alternative, Armenia has put in its lot and the alliance has proven
fruitful in many regards.
Moreover, Armenia has been historically reliant on Russia to defend
against its more traditional foe: Turkey. During the Artsakh War, and
before the establishment of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO,) a significant portion of Armenia’s military resources were kept
in Armenia proper rather than Artsakh due to fear of a potential invasion
by Turkey. If not for the presence of Russian soldiers at the
Turkish-Armenian border, it’s likely Turkey would have invaded once the
tide of the war turned for Azerbaijan.
It is this self-interested Russian support that Armenian authorities are
It is this self-interested Russian support that Armenian authorities are
cautious not to endanger; any erosion in this relationship could prove
fatal to Armenia and to the Artsakh Republic.
By contrast, Armenia’s potential path to EU membership, by way of the
European Union Association Agreement, would provide no security
guarantee and would risk alienating the country’s sole security guarantor,
Russia. If the EU Association Agreement was signed, not only would
Russia decrease its level of support as a consequence, the sacrifice
would be in the name of future benefits that may never actually
materialize.
The EU’s impotence in cases of international enmity is on display in
The EU’s impotence in cases of international enmity is on display in
Cyprus. For all its economic might, the European Union has been
unable to apply any meaningful pressure on Turkey for the return of
occupied territories in Cyprus, one of its member states.
When it concerns Armenia, the European Commission — the
When it concerns Armenia, the European Commission — the
executive body of the European Union — has previously questioned
the presence of Russian soldiers on Armenian soil and it’s been
suggested that the existence of a Russian military base in the country
impedes Westernization and reform in Armenia. But despite these
critiques, the EU has failed to suggest how Armenia can otherwise
ensure its security.
Beyond its security needs, Armenia has other reasons to prefer
membership in the EEU. By opting into the EEU, Armenia will reap
notable monetary benefits, like a massive share in annual tariff
revenue. According to an International Monetary Fund (IMF)
representative in Armenia, the country’s membership in the union
will bring in about $250 million a year in customs revenue. Russia
is already a big trading partner with Armenia, but entry into the EEU
will give Armenia additional opportunities to build export relationships.
As an added bonus, Armenia will secure privileges for 752 products
in the first five years, meaning that EEU taxes won’t apply to the
country during this time due to its union membership.
Membership in the EEU will also help Armenians working in Russia,
as well as the families they subsequently support back in their
homeland. Today, hundreds of thousands of Armenians who work in
Russia contribute more than $1.5 billion annually to Armenia’s economy
in the form of remittances. Many of these Armenians are seasonal
workers who often don’t have legal status in the country and risk illegal
work conditions and deportation. Being a part of the Eurasian Economic
Union will undoubtedly help facilitate better labor conditions across
member states, which will improve the quality of life for these workers
and ensure stability for the Armenian economy dependent on their
support.
Further, accession to the Eurasian Economic Union will guarantee
Armenia’s stability in the energy market and secure preferential rates
for the future. This is particularly important considering Armenia is fully
reliant on Russia for its gas supply. As part of the negotiations for
membership in the EEU, Armenia has been able to guarantee preferential
gas rates that will be upheld until 2018.
This is the opposite of what Armenia can expect as a former Soviet
This is the opposite of what Armenia can expect as a former Soviet
republic in the European Union’s sphere of influence. Russia has a
history of imposing retaliatory energy policies on Eastern European
countries that have drifted toward the West. In fact, the five countries
with the highest gas rates are all former Eastern Bloc members that
are now EU members or candidates. At the moment, Armenia receives
the second-lowest rate for Russian gas in all of Europe, after Belarus.
In spite of all these indisputable facts, there are potential advantages
In spite of all these indisputable facts, there are potential advantages
that the Association Agreement could have provided. Perhaps the
most important of these is the prerequisite of better business and
government regulatory laws that are in line with EU standards. These
regulations are intended to lead to a more independent judiciary, a
freer economy, and improved civil society.
However, as attractive as all of these qualities may be, simply
agreeing to the Association Agreement will not lead to reform in a
culture that’s been developed under centuries of corrupt Ottoman
and Soviet occupation. This can be seen in many former Eastern
Bloc EU members, like Bulgaria and Croatia, where corruption is
rampant and the respective economies continue to underperform.
More importantly, there is no reason to believe that any of the
More importantly, there is no reason to believe that any of the
potential benefits promised under the Association Agreement cannot
be achieved from within Armenian society and without external pressure.
If Armenia is to transform into a more open and just society, it will be up
to the citizenry of the republic and not a technocrat posted in Brussels.
Another potential benefit of the Association Agreement was the
Another potential benefit of the Association Agreement was the
opportunity to increase trade with the European Union, as part of the
mutual and gradual tariff elimination. The European Union offers a
market of about 500 million people as well as the world’s biggest
collective economy, which together trump the economic breadth of
the Eurasian Union.
But along with a highly developed economy comes a high level of
But along with a highly developed economy comes a high level of
competition. Even with reduced tariffs, it’s unrealistic to expect
Armenian goods to be competitive in such an aggressive market.
At the moment, most of Armenia’s exports are raw materials rather
than produced goods. The low level of tariffs will not change the fact
that Armenia’s economy has a long way to develop. On the other
hand, the markets of the EEU are much less developed and
competitive, meaning Armenian companies will have a better chance
to create a demand for their goods in this more realistic marketplace.
Doing business with less corrupt and more economically potent
Doing business with less corrupt and more economically potent
nations will not improve Armenia simply by association any more than
doing business with the United States or Europe makes Saudi Arabia
more democratic or less misogynistic. Any potential long-term benefits
provided by the European Union are attainable by Armenia if there is
an internal understanding of the importance of such improvements.
Given Armenia’s current geopolitical realities, the Eurasian Union is
a pragmatic decision with returns that will ensure the stability of
Armenia in the near future while creating new opportunities for the
country’s economy.
LAWYER SAYS RECENT TESTIMONY OF DINK MURDER HITMAN
LAWYER SAYS RECENT TESTIMONY OF DINK MURDER HITMAN
IS PART OF PLOT
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Dec 12 2014
by YAKUP CETÝN / ISTANBUL
The lawyer of Erhan Tuncel, an informant for the Trabzon Police
Department who was accused of initiating the effort to have
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink murdered in 2007, has said
that the recent testimony of the hitman who killed Dink, Ogun Samast,
is part of a plot designed to link the faith-based Hizmet movement
with the murder.
Tuncel's lawyer, Erdoðan Soruklu, told the press that they had heard
earlier that a plot was being designed regarding the Dink assassination
and that someone was attempting to convince Samast, who was sentenced
to 21 years and six months in prison in 2011 for assassinating Dink,
to speak "as desired." "We had heard about a plot, but we were not sure
whether Ogun [Samast] was convinced or not. The testimony [recently
provided by Samast] has shown that he was convinced," Soruklu said.
Seven years after the murder, Samast suddenly decided to testify as
a witness on Dec. 5 to Prosecutor Yusuf Hakký Doðan. Samast's latest
testimony differs from what he said back in 2010. Most recently he
claimed that while at Tuncel's house he heard a conversation between
two people who were talking about Ramazan Akyurek, the former head
of the intelligence unit of the National Police Department, and a
police chief named Fuat.
Samast said that when he asked Yasin Hayal -- another suspect in the
case who was sentenced to life in prison for inciting Samast to commit
the murder -- about the names he overheard, he was told that Tuncel
knew these people and that they were fully behind the plot to kill
Dink. The testimony contradicts Samast's 2010 deposition that led to
his conviction. He had earlier claimed that he never knew Tuncel and
that Hayal was acting as a liaison to Tuncel.
Pro-government media outlets, such as the Sabah daily, used Samast's
testimony to report on an alleged link between the Dink murder and
the Hizmet movement, which is inspired by the teachings of Turkish
Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen. Their reports implied that Hizmet
members were the ones behind the assassination.
Soruklu said Samast's testimony is contradictory, adding that it
would be very easy to expose these contradictions.
Soruklu says evidence in Dink trial destroyed
The lawyer also said that the location where Dink was attacked is one
where there are security cameras everywhere, but just one recording
was provided as evidence. "We believe that almost all the evidence
and video collected from the security cameras was destroyed," he said.
Hakan Bakýrcýoðlu, a lawyer representing the Dink family, filed a
complaint against police inspector Selim Kutkan, who was the head of
the Ýstanbul Police Department's anti-terrorism unit when Dink's murder
took place on Jan. 19, 2007, for playing a role in the destruction of
security camera footage from an ATM on the street where Dink was shot
and killed. Bakýrcýoðlu had said Kutkan was a lackey of Workers' Party
(ÝP) leader Doðu Perincek, who was given life without parole in August
of 2013 in the trial against the Ergenekon terrorist organization,
but was then released in March of this year.
Dink was assassinated in broad daylight outside the office of his Agos
newspaper by an ultranationalist teenager in January 2007. Samast and
18 others were brought to trial. During the process, the lawyers for
the Dink family and the co-plaintiffs in the case presented evidence
indicating that Samast did not act alone.
Tuncel, who was the man accused of initiating the effort to have
Dink murdered, was acquitted of all charges related to the killing
of Dink, but then rearrested during the retrial of the murder case
early in 2014. He was released again in March of 2014 as part of a
bill reducing the maximum period of arrest to five years.
Deputy governor confirms Dink 'warned' over Sabiha Gokcen reports
In recent years, there have been claims in the media that former
Ýstanbul Deputy Governor Ergun Gungor and National Intelligence
Organization (MÝT) members invited Dink to the Ýstanbul Governor's
Office to warn him of "possible danger if he continues to make
controversial statements."
Testifying for the Ýstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on Dec. 9
as a suspect in the trial into the Dink murder, Gungor reportedly told
the prosecutors that his meeting with Dink at the governor's office
took place "on an order from MÝT." Confirming MÝT's role during his
testimony, Gungor also stated that Dink was warned that his report
about Sabiha Gokcen, the adopted daughter of the founder of the
Turkish Republic, "might be manipulated by someone or some segments"
during the conversation at the governor's office.
It was claimed that Gungor had summoned Dink to his office on Feb. 24,
2004, where two MÝT agents warned the journalist to be "more careful"
about what he wrote. The meeting came a week after Dink had suggested
that Gokcen was in fact an Armenian orphan. During the conversation,
the deputy governor and the two MÝT officials threatened Dink by
saying things like, "We know who you are, but society may not" and
"We are concerned that society might not be able to understand things
like this."
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Dec 12 2014
by YAKUP CETÝN / ISTANBUL
The lawyer of Erhan Tuncel, an informant for the Trabzon Police
Department who was accused of initiating the effort to have
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink murdered in 2007, has said
that the recent testimony of the hitman who killed Dink, Ogun Samast,
is part of a plot designed to link the faith-based Hizmet movement
with the murder.
Tuncel's lawyer, Erdoðan Soruklu, told the press that they had heard
earlier that a plot was being designed regarding the Dink assassination
and that someone was attempting to convince Samast, who was sentenced
to 21 years and six months in prison in 2011 for assassinating Dink,
to speak "as desired." "We had heard about a plot, but we were not sure
whether Ogun [Samast] was convinced or not. The testimony [recently
provided by Samast] has shown that he was convinced," Soruklu said.
Seven years after the murder, Samast suddenly decided to testify as
a witness on Dec. 5 to Prosecutor Yusuf Hakký Doðan. Samast's latest
testimony differs from what he said back in 2010. Most recently he
claimed that while at Tuncel's house he heard a conversation between
two people who were talking about Ramazan Akyurek, the former head
of the intelligence unit of the National Police Department, and a
police chief named Fuat.
Samast said that when he asked Yasin Hayal -- another suspect in the
case who was sentenced to life in prison for inciting Samast to commit
the murder -- about the names he overheard, he was told that Tuncel
knew these people and that they were fully behind the plot to kill
Dink. The testimony contradicts Samast's 2010 deposition that led to
his conviction. He had earlier claimed that he never knew Tuncel and
that Hayal was acting as a liaison to Tuncel.
Pro-government media outlets, such as the Sabah daily, used Samast's
testimony to report on an alleged link between the Dink murder and
the Hizmet movement, which is inspired by the teachings of Turkish
Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen. Their reports implied that Hizmet
members were the ones behind the assassination.
Soruklu said Samast's testimony is contradictory, adding that it
would be very easy to expose these contradictions.
Soruklu says evidence in Dink trial destroyed
The lawyer also said that the location where Dink was attacked is one
where there are security cameras everywhere, but just one recording
was provided as evidence. "We believe that almost all the evidence
and video collected from the security cameras was destroyed," he said.
Hakan Bakýrcýoðlu, a lawyer representing the Dink family, filed a
complaint against police inspector Selim Kutkan, who was the head of
the Ýstanbul Police Department's anti-terrorism unit when Dink's murder
took place on Jan. 19, 2007, for playing a role in the destruction of
security camera footage from an ATM on the street where Dink was shot
and killed. Bakýrcýoðlu had said Kutkan was a lackey of Workers' Party
(ÝP) leader Doðu Perincek, who was given life without parole in August
of 2013 in the trial against the Ergenekon terrorist organization,
but was then released in March of this year.
Dink was assassinated in broad daylight outside the office of his Agos
newspaper by an ultranationalist teenager in January 2007. Samast and
18 others were brought to trial. During the process, the lawyers for
the Dink family and the co-plaintiffs in the case presented evidence
indicating that Samast did not act alone.
Tuncel, who was the man accused of initiating the effort to have
Dink murdered, was acquitted of all charges related to the killing
of Dink, but then rearrested during the retrial of the murder case
early in 2014. He was released again in March of 2014 as part of a
bill reducing the maximum period of arrest to five years.
Deputy governor confirms Dink 'warned' over Sabiha Gokcen reports
In recent years, there have been claims in the media that former
Ýstanbul Deputy Governor Ergun Gungor and National Intelligence
Organization (MÝT) members invited Dink to the Ýstanbul Governor's
Office to warn him of "possible danger if he continues to make
controversial statements."
Testifying for the Ýstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on Dec. 9
as a suspect in the trial into the Dink murder, Gungor reportedly told
the prosecutors that his meeting with Dink at the governor's office
took place "on an order from MÝT." Confirming MÝT's role during his
testimony, Gungor also stated that Dink was warned that his report
about Sabiha Gokcen, the adopted daughter of the founder of the
Turkish Republic, "might be manipulated by someone or some segments"
during the conversation at the governor's office.
It was claimed that Gungor had summoned Dink to his office on Feb. 24,
2004, where two MÝT agents warned the journalist to be "more careful"
about what he wrote. The meeting came a week after Dink had suggested
that Gokcen was in fact an Armenian orphan. During the conversation,
the deputy governor and the two MÝT officials threatened Dink by
saying things like, "We know who you are, but society may not" and
"We are concerned that society might not be able to understand things
like this."
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