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Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office, UK

Arms to Azerbaijan Dealer Jailed

20 July 2012 16:50

An international arms dealer has been jailed for three and a half

years today for attempting to sell surface to air missiles to Azerbaijan

against a strict arms embargo, following an investigation by HM

Revenue & Customs.

Michael Ranger, 65, from Hertfordshire, is an arms dealer with 30 years’

experience in the industry. He ran Imperial Defence Services Ltd (IDS)

 but secretly attempted to broker two separate deals to supply surface to

air missiles and Beretta pistols to Azerbaijan.

Peter Millroy, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigations in HMRC, said:

“Ranger was an experienced arms dealer who knew what he was doing.

He knew about the arms embargo, he knew he would be refused

permission to ship the arms to Azerbaijan but was prepared to go ahead

anyway out of sheer greed. HMRC will not stand by whilst people like

Ranger break the law to line their own pocket. This sentence sends a clear

message – we will find you and we will see justice done.”

In early 2010, Ranger began his attempt to source the missiles from a

clandestine contact in North Korea via a secret email account held in a

false name. Ranger also attempted to source Beretta pistols direct from

the manufacturer which he intended to sell to the Azerbaijan government.

He set up a company in Hong Kong to make the deals and hide his

involvement from the UK authorities.

The businessman was arrested in March 2011 by HMRC officers at

Stansted airport when he returned to the UK from a lengthy business trip

overseas.

Ranger had no intention of applying for a trade control license and had

not contacted the UK authorities despite his many years in the arms trade.

The deal to supply the missiles fell through when Ranger and his North

Korean contact couldn’t agree terms.

Turkish government shelling out to repair churches and synagogues

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Göksel Bozkurt

July/23/2012

A total of 69 churches and synagogues have been restored since 2002,

costing a total of 18 million Turkish Liras, a senior government

member has announced. The restoration of two synagogues and eight

churches are still ongoing in different parts of the country, Deputy

Prime Minister Bekir BozdaÄ? said.

BozdaÄ? discussed the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP)

record with regard to its assistance to the religious services of

non-Muslims, in a response to a parliamentary question from Mehmet

Å?andır, deputy parliamentary group leader of the Nationalist Movement

Party (MHP).

An allocation of 17,726,301 liras since 2002 has been granted by the

government, which has helped complete the renovation of 69 churches

and synagogues, BozdaÄ? stressed. The government also paid all the

costs of cleaning and lighting the churches, a total of nearly 70,000

liras over the last ten years. In the same period, 10 churches that

ceased their activities long ago have again begun giving religious

services after being fully renovated.

According to information provided by the General Directorate of

Foundations, renovated churches as of the end of 2011 are the

Çanakkale Gökçeada St. Nicholas Church, Hatay Ä°skenderun Syrian

Catholic Church, Hatay Ä°skenderun Greek Catholic Church, Diyarbakir

Armenian Protestant Church, and the Diyarbakır Armenian Catholic

Church.

The renovation of the Edirne Central Synagogue, known as the Big

Synagogue, is still ongoing. Those which are still planned to be

restored are the Ayvalık Cunda Taksiyarhis (St. Nicholas) Church,

Gaziantep Nizip Fevkani Church, Gökçeada Yıldız Village Monastery,

Gökçeada Ayia Marina Greek Orthodox Church, Gaziantep Å?ahinbey

Synagogue, Kilis Central Synagogue, and the Hatay YayladaÄ?ı Greek

Orthodox Church.

The government is frequently criticized for being unwilling to improve

the conditions of worship for non-Muslims living in Turkey. Reports

from the European Union and the United States urge the government to

do more to address the freedom of religion of non-Muslims.

Today's Zaman,

July 22 2012

Elections in Nagorno-Karabakh Deteriorate Turkish-Armenian Ties

Sunday, 22 July 2012 10:56 

(what ties?)  .

Armenia has lambasted an official statement from Turkey criticizing

Thursday's so-called presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, a

disputed territory between Azerbaijan and Armenia whose status has not

been determined in terms of international law, in a move further

deteriorating already soured relations between the two neighboring

countries.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan responded harshly

to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday, election

day in the de facto independent region which is only recognized by

Armenia, saying that Turkey has no right to declare any opinion over

the region, the status of which is still undetermined under the

mandate of international initiatives, including the UN Security

Council and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe

(OSCE).

`If Turkey really cares about Azerbaijan's interests, it should teach

Azerbaijan how democratic elections are held and how a democracy

should be constituted in Nagorno-Karabakh,' Kocharyan stated in an

official statement released on Thursday. He further deplored Turkey

for its policy on the Cyprus issue, stating, `Instead of giving us

lessons [on international law], Turkey should withdraw its military

mission from North Cyprus under Turkish occupation.'

In an official statement on Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry

maintained that such elections would be a clear violation of UN

Security Council resolutions and OSCE principles, asserting that these

are `just another new example of efforts to unilaterally legitimize

the status quo going against international law' in the disputed

region.

`Being undeterred in continuing its efforts for a ... normalization in

the region in parallel to the maintenance of initiatives to resolve

the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute on different platforms, Turkey deplores

this action [the elections], which means a new sort of violation of

Azerbaijan's political independence, sovereignty and territorial

integrity,' the statement further emphasized.

Meanwhile, the EU also has not hesitated in repudiating the so-called

`presidential elections' in the disputed region.

`These `elections' should not prejudice the determination of the

future status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiated general framework

of the peaceful settlement of the conflict. I recall the EU's firm

support for the OSCE Minsk Group ... aimed at a peaceful resolution of

the conflict,' Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, said

in an official statement released on Thursday.

Although there have been efforts to resolve the dispute through the

Minsk Group, an OSCE initiative that was established in 1992 to help

resolve the dispute, no progress from the group's efforts has been

reported so far. The territory is internationally recognized as part

of Azerbaijan, but it is under the control of a de facto independent,

but unrecognized, Armenia-backed government. The Nagorno-Karabakh

dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan turned into a war after the

Armenian invasion in 1991. A cease-fire that persists to this day was

declared in 1994. Supporting its strategic ally Azerbaijan, Turkey

closed its borders with Armenia in an effort to pressure Armenia to

respect the borders of its neighbors.

Turkey also has its own long-standing bilateral problems with Armenia

over its claims that the 1915 killings of Armenians during World War I

at the hands of the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide. The issue

resurfaced after the administration of former French President Nicolas

Sarkozy issued a bill to make it a crime to deny the Armenian claims

of genocide, which was later deemed unconstitutional by the French

Constitutional Council.

One more Syrian Armenian died in Damascus

13:09, 21 July, 2012

YEREVAN, JULY 21, ARMENPRESS: Syrian citizen of Armenian origin died

in Syrian capital Damascus on July 20. In the briefing with Armenpress

Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Tigran Balayan told the

causes of death are yet unknown.

The victim is 48-year-old Andranik Arzvaljyan, jeweler by profession.

In accordance with the data provided by Syrian Human Rights

Organization, 17 thousand 192 people died in the course of 16  months

ongoing clashes .In accordance with Arab media , 11 thousand 897

peaceful citizens and 4348 security officers became the victim.

There were 6 Armenians among the victims, 2 out of which -servicemen.

A large number of Syrians are leaving the country, acquiring refugee

status. Recently Armenian Community representatives are also quitting

the borders of teh state. The applications handed over by them aimed

at either receiving refugee status or permanent shelter are  being

discussed by accelerated procedure, within ten days.

Attempt of Turkey to repackage Armenian issue likely to fall short

 15:38, 21 July, 2012

YEREVAN, JULY 21, ARMENPRESS: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu

recently spoke of  ''just memory" regarding the Armenian issue in a

chat with journalists, reports Armenpress citing Al Monitor.  He did

not say that nothing happened in 1915, but he did say, "I wouldn't

classify the events as a genocide, and I believe that the usage of

this term is a matter of personal preference. However, we need to

develop new language about this issue. We understand your pain, we are

not denying it.  Come, let's do whatever needs to be done together.

but not with a one-sided sheet of charges." Davutoglu further

elaborated on what he means by the concept of  ''just memory:''  ''We

are not like Germans. Our history does not have a record of ethnic

cleansing or ghettoization. In 1915 there were losses and worries

regarding the Muslims in the Balkans and in the Caucuses as well.

These incidents led to paranoia on the Turkish side. The Turks were

terrified at the idea that they would be forced to move out of

Anatolia. This paranoia led Turks to act in the way they did. There

was never any intention to wipe out a whole race. This psychology

cannot be compared to the Nazis. You can not represent the Turks as a

murderous race. We cannot accept a one-sided sheet of charges against

Turkey.'' Drawing upon these statements, how can we evaluate this new

concept of  ''just memory''?

First of all, it is a good move on Davutoglu's part to introduce this

new way of thinking at a time when there is not yet any crisis with

the West on this issue. We should appreciate Davutoglu broaching the

subject at this time. Usually, the genocide issue is only brought up

in Turkish public opinion when proposals are made regarding it or when

it is discussed in the US congress or French parliament. The potential

for rational discussion is always then hampered by an angry,

reactionary and nationalist campaign, when what the issue really needs

is to be handled in a strategically sound manner.

Hence, given that there is currently no pressure coming from the West,

the steps Davutoglu has taken to introduce discussion on the issue are

timely. Turkey needs to discuss this issue on its own timetable and

within its own dynamics, away from the pressure that would be imposed

from the West. This pressure will be especially strong in 2015, on the

event's 100th anniversary.

''Just memory'' is looking to strike a balance by saying that there

was indeed a tragedy, but that it was not limited to the Armenians.

Millions of Turks and Muslims were also massacred and forced to leave

their land. The events represent a common pain and tragedy for all of

us.

Although this seems reasonable for Turkey, it will have no positive

effects in Armenia or within the Armenian diaspora. You can't simply

expect the Armenians to empathize with our grief. Armenia and the

Armenians were not responsible for the tragedies that befell the

Ottomans in the Balkans, at Gallipoli or in the Middle East.

Explaining why the 1915 incidents took place is indeed crucial for

academic purposes. However if the aim is to reconcile with Armenia and

the Armenians before 2015, this kind of academic analysis dilutes the

effects of a heartfelt apology. The Armenians expect an apology, or at

least a deep empathy, for what they went through.

We should feel the pain of those who also died in the Balkans,

Gallipoli and Yemen. However it is not realistic to expect Armenians

to feel this pain, because it was neither Armenians nor Armenia that

were responsible for the tragedies suffered by the Ottomans in these

places.

Turkish court considers threats against Armenian `freedom of speech'

news.am

July 20, 2012 | 13:14

ANKARA. - Another funny verdict cast by the Turkish court surprised

even the local media.

Head of the Union for the Protection of Animal Rights in Turkey Anna

Eva Aksoy [of Armenian descent] back in 2009 turned to the court

complaining that the former head of the Union Mehmet Ali Ozarikci had

voiced threats against her for many years, Turkish Haberturk reports.

She stated that Ozarikci has been threatening and insulting her for 8

years claiming that `his country [Turkey] is too narrow for Anna,' or

calls Anna `to go to Yerevan,' considers her `an Armenia spy.'

The Prosecution instigated a case against Ozarikci for insult and

threat, however, the court cast a verdict saying his statements are

within the freedom of speech.