Monday 14 December 2015

Armenian News ... A Topalian ... AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE US IN JANUARY

horizon weekly.ca
AUSTRALIAN-ARMENIAN JOE HOCKEY TO BE APPOINTED 

AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE US IN JANUARY
December 9, 2015


Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia Julie Bishop has confirmed
Australian-Armenian Joe Hockey's nomination for Australia's ambassador
to the US, reports ABC, according to Hayern Aysor.

Let us remind that Joe Hockey had held the post of Minister
of Finance of Australia for two years until September 2015. The
Australian-Armenian minister is known in Australian politics for his
vast knowledge of economics and active ties with the U.S.

As Hayern Aysor had informed earlier, on December 4, Joe Hocky was
awarded with the Gold Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora during
the annual banquet of the Armenian National Committee of Australia
at Miramar Banquet Hall in Sydney.

Joe Hockey's father is Richard Hokeidonian, and his mother is an
Australian.

 
armenpress.am 
12 THOUSAND SYRIAN ARMENIANS GET ARMENIAN PASSPORTS 
WITHIN 4 YEARS
10 December, 2015


YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10. Currently, nearly 1700
Syrian-Armenians are in Armenia, 12 thousand Syrian-Armenians got
Armenian passports during the period of 2012-2015, 165 Syrian-Armenians
received a residence permit. 2200 Syrian Armenians applied to the
Ministry of Diaspora for finding a job. 85 Syrian-Armenians have
been financed by Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development
National Center of Armenia to launch economic activities. Over
500 Syrian-Armenians found jobs at small businesses belonging to
Syrian-Armenian entrepreneurs. At this moment over 1000 Syrian-Armenian
families receive house rental fees from different charitable
organizations. Syrian-Armenians have also been provided with health
and legal assistance. This data was introduced by Head of the staff
of the Armenian Diaspora Ministry Firdus Zakaryan on December 10.

As "Armenpress" was informed from the press service of the
Ministry of Diaspora, vigorous discussion over the problems of
Syrian-Armenians started at the Ministry. Director of the Armenian
Representation of the AGBU Hovik Yordekyan mentioned that in addition
to educational scholarships provided by the Armenian Government to
the Syrian-Armenians, financial assistance has been provided also by
AGBU and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, funding another two dozens
of students.

Summing up the session, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan mentioned
that those involved in the Inter-Agency Commission on the Coordination
of Syrian-Armenians' Issues have been responsible in their activities.

The Minister expressed deep gratitude to all the agencies, charity
foundations, NGOs and religious establishments for diligent work. The
Minister stated that the issue of housing and job remains the key
problem which must be overcome by joint efforts.


26 FORMER POLICE OFFICERS FACE TRIAL IN HRANT DINK 
MURDER
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 9 2015

A total of 26 former police officers may face trial as the indictment
in the nine-year-long investigation into negligence by public officials
in the assassination of prominent Armenian-Turkish journalistHrant
Dink has been approved by an Istanbul prosecutor's office, daily
Hurriyet has reported.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on Dec. 9 approved the
indictment prepared against 26 former officers, including police
chiefs, into "negligence on public duty" in the shooting death of
Dink, the editor-in-chief of weekly Agos, who was shot dead outside
his office in Istanbul's Å~^iÅ~_li district on Jan. 19, 2007.

The indictment prepared by prosecutor Gökalp Kökcu was presented to
the Istanbul 14th Court for Serious Crimes after it had been rejected
by deputy chief prosecutor Orhan Kapıcı twice.

The 26 former police officers could be tried on "negligence of public
duty" charges if the court recognizes the indictment. The court is
expected to announce its decision within 15 days.

Individuals facing prison sentences on charges of "forming and heading
a terrorist organization" were among the 26 suspects.

Having been rejected twice before, lawyers representing the Dink family
expressed the reaction against the indictment in the investigation
returning to Kökcu. The return means that cases will likely not be
opened against the suspects.

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office returned the indictment
to Kökcu in early November, arguing that "evidence of voluntary
manslaughter concerning some of the suspects was not revealed."

However, Hakan Bakırcıoglu, a Dink family lawyer, said on Nov. 4 that
not opening a case against former police chiefs Ahmet Ä°lhan Guler,
Celalettin Cerrah, ReÅ~_at Altay, Engin Dinc and other suspects,
would exclude their integral responsibility in Dink's murder.

Recalling the first two versions of the indictment, the latest
one drafted in late October, Bakırcıoglu said the two indictments
charged former police chiefs Ali Fuat Yılmazer, Ramazan Akyurek, Tamer
Bulent Demirel and Osman Gulbel each with "voluntary manslaughter,"
Engin Dinc, ReÅ~_at Altay and Ahmet Ä°lhan Guler each with "voluntary
manslaughter due to negligence" and Sabri Uzun and Celalettin Cerrah
each with "malpractice."

"Despite resistance and barriers in front of the interrogation and
investigation of public servants who took part in Dink's murder,
they were interrogated and investigated by the prosecutor [in charge
of the case]," Bakırcıoglu said.

All the names of the suspects implicated in the investigation were
reported to have been on duty in police departments in Istanbul, Ankara
and the Black Sea province of Trabzon at the time of Dink's murder.

Dink was shot dead outside his office building in Istanbul's Å~^iÅ~_li
district on Jan. 19, 2007, by 17-year-old Ogun Samast.

Relatives and followers of the case have claimed government
officials, police, military personnel and members of Turkey's National
Intelligence Agency (MÄ°T) played a role in Dink's murder by neglecting
their duty to protect the journalist.


armradio.am
TURKEY IGNORES OWN HISTORY AS IT ACCUSES RUSSIA OF 
ETHNIC CLEANSING IN SYRIA
10 Dec 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan


As Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu accuses Russia of "ethnic
cleansing" in northern Syria, an article by Kurt Nimmo published by
infowars.com reminds Turkey about its own history.

"Russia is trying to make ethnic cleansing in northern Latakia to force
(out) all Turkmen and Sunni population who do not have good relations
with the regime," Davutoglu said during a news conference in Istanbul.

"They want to expel them, they want to ethnically cleanse this area
so that the regime [of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] and Russian
bases in Latakia and Tartus are protected," he added.

Davutoglu also said targeting the supplies lines of Turkish supported
jihadi groups will benefit the Islamic State.

"Davutoglu's accusation ignores the fact the Ottoman Empire and later
Turkey more or less pioneered modern genocide and ethnic cleansing
in 1915 when it slaughtered between 800,000 and 1.5 million Armenians.

The state rounded up and massacred able-bodied males, deported
women and children, forced the elderly and infirm to participate in
death marches into the Syrian desert, and starved, robbed and raped
Turkish Armenians. Christian ethnic groups such as the Assyrians
and the Ottoman Greeks were also targeted for extermination," the
author writes.

"The Turkish government has denied it is responsible for the Armenian
Genocide. It insists the extermination was the result of deportations
during World War One despite the fact the genocide continued until
1923, years after the end of the war," the article reads.

The author notes that Turkey is also accused of ethnically cleansing
Kurds in the 1980s and 1990s. It forcibly emigrated over two million
people and destroyed approximately 6,000 Kurdish villages.

"Considering the track record of Turkey in regard to the genocide
of Armenians and later the Kurds, Davutoglu's remarks are at best
disingenuous," the author concludes.


armenpress.am 
FIRST CENTER FOR ARMENIAN STUDIES OPENS IN CHINA
10 December, 2015


YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10. The opening of the first center for
Armenian studies was held in Dalian University of Foreign Languages
on December 9. The latter became possible thanks to the cooperation
between Dalian University of Foreign Languages and Yerevan Brusov
State University of Languages and Social Sciences. As "Armenpress" was
informed by the Department of Press, Information and Public Relations
of Armenian Foreign Ministry, the opening ceremony was attended by
Armenia Ambassador to China Armen Sargsyan, the delegation of Yerevan
Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences headed by
Rector Gayane Gasparyan, representatives of Dalian University of
Foreign Languages, Dalian Municipality and mass media.

Armenia Ambassador to China Armen Sargsyan, the director of the
center for Armenian studies, the heads of the two universities gave
welcoming speeches. During his speech, the Ambassador emphasized
the importance of opening the first center of this kind which will
become a specific platform to discuss a number of issues related to
Armenian-Chinese bilateral relations. Ambassador Sargsyan expressed
confidence that the centre will contribute to the expansion of
scientific and cultural cooperation between the two universities,
as well as establishment of new ties between the education systems
of the two countries, thus becoming a brilliant example of centuries'
friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Armenia and China.


RFE/RL Report 
World Bank Approves Another Budgetary Loan To Armenia
10.12.2015


The World Bank has disbursed a fresh $50 million loan to Armenia which
will help the Armenian government finance the state budget deficit
projected to grow next year.

The bank's executive board in Washington approved the allocation late
on Wednesday hours after the government pushed its 2016 budget
proposal through parliament.

The budget envisages a more than 5 percent rise in public spending and
a slight drop in state revenue reflecting sluggish economic growth
anticipated next year. This is expected to translate into a deficit
equivalent to 3.5 percent of Armenia's Gross Domestic Product, the
highest level in years.

In a statement, the World Bank said the low-interest loan repayable in
25 years will support the implementation of "a wide range of reforms"
promised by the authorities in Yerevan. Those include further measures
to improve the country's business environment and, in particular, the
passage of a new Armenian Tax Code.

"The new Tax Code will address issues related to complex, unsystematic
and occasionally contradictory regulations reducing voluntary tax
compliance, distorting the horizontal equity of taxation and creating
uncertainty for businesses and households," said the statement. This
will expand the tax base and close "major loopholes in the current tax
legislation," it said.

The disbursement raised to $2.2 billion the total amount of World Bank
funding received by Armenia since 1993. The figure is equivalent to
almost half of the country's current foreign debt.


regionalissues.weebly.com
A NEW BEGINNING, OR THE LAST NAIL IN ARMENIAS COFFIN?
Regional Issues
Dec 7 2015


Russia and NATO ally - Turkey, once again at war. Who will benefit
from this, who will not? Looking back at history from the Armenians'
eyes, it is déja vu all over again. 100 years ago Russia and Turkey
had a very similar situation of conflict. A war started but who became
victims in that war, who suffered from that war, who benefited from
that war, who lost lands and all gained lands due to that war?

Following economic sanctions placed on Turkey by Russia, the topic of
allowing Armenians to liberate western Armenian territories occupied
currently by Turkey has been circling inside Russian politics. The
question is why now? Why have the Russians waited for 100 years to pass
and now bring up the topic of liberating and allowing Armenians to
liberate Western Armenian lands? Well, plainly, it's just to agitate
Turkey more on top of the sanctions placed on them.

Now let's say a war does break loose in the region between Russia
and Turkey. What does that say for neighboring Armenia? If we look at
history, Armenians have been promised good things from both sides. In
1915, leaders of the Armenian community in the Ottoman Empire were
lied to by the Young Turks and at the same time they were promised
good things by the Russian side. But as history shows we were lied
to by the Russians as well. History is repeating itself today and
what are our Armenian leaders doing about it? Are they going to take
sides just like 1915?

Considering Turkey is a NATO ally it is safe to say that we can compare
NATO to the Young Turks of yesteryear and Russia to the Bolsheviks
of the past. It is very disturbing and very sad to see today that
Armenians are yet again divided in their ideologies of who to support,
why to support, and what is the outcome? Just like in 1915, Armenians
are being divided; one side is saying we should unite and support
NATO (Young Turks) and the other side is saying we should unite and
support Russia (Bolsheviks). Just like 1915 we are being lied to and
we are being led into choosing the West or the East but in reality we
are going to become the victims yet again. In 1915 the Young Turks
(Tallat Pasha) had promised and made deals with Krikor Zorab. He
had promised him to give Armenians lands from the crumbling Ottoman
Empire. But Tallat Pasha stabbed him in the back. The Bolsheviks had
promised lands and liberty to Armenians, but Armenians were yet again
stabbed in the back and Bolsheviks sent our Armenian leaders (Nzdhe)
to prison or they forced them to leave Armenia (Andranik). So the
question is what is next? What do Armenians have to gain from this
Russian Turkish war? What do we have to lose?

What Armenians really need is to rely on themselves, depend on
themselves, protect themselves and each other, and not to rely on and
trust foreigners, whether it's East or West, to protect us. We have
been lied to throughout our history. It is time for the Armenians
to unite and depend on each other and not East or West or other
foreign influences. Nzdheakan ideology and pro Armenian orientation
must be taught to our children in order for us to be united and to
depend on each other. We don't have to look to our sides and ask
help from East or West only to find out at the end of the day we
have been used, abused, and slaughtered. No one in this world and
no country in this world cares for our nation or for our people as
much as we do; this is just common sense so why should we rely on
foreign powers and other countries to protect us and to keep us under
their umbrella? Armenians need to create our own umbrella so we won't
have to stand under someone else's and in doing so, following their
rules. Nzdheakan ideology must be taught in every Armenian house.

Recently Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu made remarks regarding
their full support and the liberation of what he called Azerbaijani
lands occupied by Armenia. He clearly stated that Turkey's number one
goal is to help Azerbaijan liberate so-called Azeri lands occupied
by Armenia. Is this Turkey's way of trying to agitate or intimidate
Russia by expressing that it is ready to destabilize one of Russia's
little partners (Armenia) via Azerbaijan-Armenia war? One thing is
certain that Armenia is facing threats from the Azeri side and Turkish
side and at the same time we are being used as pawns and threatening
tactics against Turkey by Russia. At the same time, we are also being
used as pawns and threatening tactics against Turkey by USA. It is a
dangerous time for Armenians in geopolitics. We need true pro Armenian
leaders to lead us through these crucial difficult times that are ahead
of us. The current leaders of Armenia have remained silent regarding
the Turkish Prime Minister's statements where he said Turkey's number
one goal is to help Azerbaijan liberate there lands.

Question is why have they stood silent? Who are they waiting for
to respond appropriately? This is yet again proof that the current
leaders of Armenia have sided with the Russians (Bolsheviks of today)
and the Russian side is not allowing Armenia to make any comments. It
is obvious that the current leaders of Armenia have showed their
allegiance to the Russian Bolsheviks side with their silence and are
taking orders from those Bolsheviks on what to do and what not to do.

Is this not déja vu 1915 all over again? Is this not the last nail
in the coffin for Armenia's future?

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