Armenian News...@...Earthquake hits Armenia...
3.7-POINT EARTHQUAKE HITS ARMENIA
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 24 2015
An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.7 points has been registered at
40.98 degrees north longitude and 44.21 degrees east latitude at a
depth of 10km. The magnitude at the epicenter of the earrthquake was
4-5 points, News.am reports.
The populations of Stepanavan, Urasar and Katnakhpyur could feel an
earthquake of 4-5 points, Lori-Berd and Amrakits 3-4 points.
armradio.am
ISTANBUL-BASED ARMENIAN CHURCH DAUBED WITH
HATE MESSAGES
25 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
The Surp Astuanzazh Armenian Church in Istanbul's Bakırköy
neighborhood was daubed with hate speech on Tuesday as "1915, blessed
year" was written on the side of the building in reference to the
massacre of more than 1 million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire
during World War I,Today's Zaman reports.
In addition to "1915, blessed year," further graffiti on the church
stated, "What does it matter if you are all Armenian when there is
already one Ogun Samast."
The message echoes a demonstration slogan that commemorated the murder
of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink who was assassinated in
2007 by then-17-year-old ultranationalist Samast. In the aftermath
of the murder, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to show
empathy for the slain journalist with signs reading "We are all Hrant,
we are all Armenian."
Today's Zaman visited the site on Wednesday morning and found that
the graffiti had been painted over. But an administrator at the
church said, "This type of thing happens all the time." The Armenian
Patriarchate of Istanbul refused to comment on the matter. No criminal
complaint has been filed.
The incident comes hot on the heels of another racist slur against
Armenians in Turkey. It was reported on Tuesday that Ankara Mayor
Melih Gökcek had filed a criminal complaint against Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hayko Bagdat on defamation charges after Bagdat posted
lighthearted tweets on his Twitter account referring to the mayor as
an Armenian after the March 2014 local elections.
Gökcek appears to believe it an insult to be called an Armenian
as his lawyer petitioned the Ankara Prosecutor's Office, saying,
"The statements [by Bagdat] are false and include insult and libel."
RFE/RL Report
Ohanian Visits Karabakh After Deadly Fighting
Sisak Gabrielian
23.03.2015
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian met with the commanders of
Nagorno-Karabakh's armed force and inspected the scene of their latest
deadly firefight with Azerbaijani forces during a weekend trip to the
territory.
Ohanian travelled to Karabakh on Saturday two days after three
Armenian soldiers were killed and four others wounded while reportedly
fighting back an Azerbaijani attack on their positions in the northern
Martakert district.
The Karabakh Defense Army claimed to have killed at least 10
Azerbaijani troops in what was the most serious instance of ceasefire
violation in the Karabakh conflict zone since August. The Azerbaijani
military denied launching commando raids or suffering any casualties
in the area on Thursday, however.
A statement by Armenia's Defense Ministry said Ohanian visited the
site of the 2-hour gun battle and was informed about its details by to
Karabakh Armenian servicemen involved in the incident. He went on to
meet the Defense Army top brass and discuss "issues related to
preventing enemy provocations and giving adequate responses," added
the statement. No other details of that meeting were reported.
"The Armenian side is prepared for any development," Ohanian said on
Thursday just hours after the deadly fighting. He insisted at the same
time that this and other truce violations are unlikely to degenerate
into a full-scale Armenian-Azerbaijani war.
In a separate development, a Karabakh Armenian soldier reportedly
deserted his unit and surrendered to Azerbaijani troops at another
section of "the line of contact" in mysterious circumstances on
Sunday. The military authorities in Stepanakert said that the
24-year-old contract soldier, Andranik Grigorian, crossed the heavily
militarized frontline without his weapons and ammunition.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released on Monday a short video that
shows Grigorian saying that he deserted because of being ill-treated
by his comrades. "I don't want to fight," he said. "I want to live."
The Karabakh Armenian army was quick to dismiss the videotaped
confession as a fraud. It said that Grigorian was forced to make such
claims.
In Yerevan, meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the International Committee
of the Red Cross (IRRC) told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am)
that the ICCR office in Baku has asked the Azerbaijani authorities to
give it access to the soldier.
25 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
The Surp Astuanzazh Armenian Church in Istanbul's Bakırköy
neighborhood was daubed with hate speech on Tuesday as "1915, blessed
year" was written on the side of the building in reference to the
massacre of more than 1 million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire
during World War I,Today's Zaman reports.
In addition to "1915, blessed year," further graffiti on the church
stated, "What does it matter if you are all Armenian when there is
already one Ogun Samast."
The message echoes a demonstration slogan that commemorated the murder
of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink who was assassinated in
2007 by then-17-year-old ultranationalist Samast. In the aftermath
of the murder, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to show
empathy for the slain journalist with signs reading "We are all Hrant,
we are all Armenian."
Today's Zaman visited the site on Wednesday morning and found that
the graffiti had been painted over. But an administrator at the
church said, "This type of thing happens all the time." The Armenian
Patriarchate of Istanbul refused to comment on the matter. No criminal
complaint has been filed.
The incident comes hot on the heels of another racist slur against
Armenians in Turkey. It was reported on Tuesday that Ankara Mayor
Melih Gökcek had filed a criminal complaint against Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hayko Bagdat on defamation charges after Bagdat posted
lighthearted tweets on his Twitter account referring to the mayor as
an Armenian after the March 2014 local elections.
Gökcek appears to believe it an insult to be called an Armenian
as his lawyer petitioned the Ankara Prosecutor's Office, saying,
"The statements [by Bagdat] are false and include insult and libel."
RFE/RL Report
Ohanian Visits Karabakh After Deadly Fighting
Sisak Gabrielian
23.03.2015
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian met with the commanders of
Nagorno-Karabakh's armed force and inspected the scene of their latest
deadly firefight with Azerbaijani forces during a weekend trip to the
territory.
Ohanian travelled to Karabakh on Saturday two days after three
Armenian soldiers were killed and four others wounded while reportedly
fighting back an Azerbaijani attack on their positions in the northern
Martakert district.
The Karabakh Defense Army claimed to have killed at least 10
Azerbaijani troops in what was the most serious instance of ceasefire
violation in the Karabakh conflict zone since August. The Azerbaijani
military denied launching commando raids or suffering any casualties
in the area on Thursday, however.
A statement by Armenia's Defense Ministry said Ohanian visited the
site of the 2-hour gun battle and was informed about its details by to
Karabakh Armenian servicemen involved in the incident. He went on to
meet the Defense Army top brass and discuss "issues related to
preventing enemy provocations and giving adequate responses," added
the statement. No other details of that meeting were reported.
"The Armenian side is prepared for any development," Ohanian said on
Thursday just hours after the deadly fighting. He insisted at the same
time that this and other truce violations are unlikely to degenerate
into a full-scale Armenian-Azerbaijani war.
In a separate development, a Karabakh Armenian soldier reportedly
deserted his unit and surrendered to Azerbaijani troops at another
section of "the line of contact" in mysterious circumstances on
Sunday. The military authorities in Stepanakert said that the
24-year-old contract soldier, Andranik Grigorian, crossed the heavily
militarized frontline without his weapons and ammunition.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released on Monday a short video that
shows Grigorian saying that he deserted because of being ill-treated
by his comrades. "I don't want to fight," he said. "I want to live."
The Karabakh Armenian army was quick to dismiss the videotaped
confession as a fraud. It said that Grigorian was forced to make such
claims.
In Yerevan, meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the International Committee
of the Red Cross (IRRC) told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am)
that the ICCR office in Baku has asked the Azerbaijani authorities to
give it access to the soldier.
ARMENIAN SOLDIER REVEALS REASONS FOR SURRENDERING
TO AZERBAIJANI SIDE
Cihan News Agency (CNA), Turkey
March 23, 2015 Monday
BAKU (CÄ°HAN)- The identity of the Armenian serviceman, who voluntarily
surrendered to the Azerbaijani side on Mar.22, has been established,
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on March 23.
He is Andranik Grigoryan, born in 1991, according to the ministry.
During the interrogation, Grigoryan said he surrendered to the
Azerbaijani side because he feared a senseless death. The Armenian
soldier also said that several servicemen were also planning to
surrender to the Azerbaijani side, but he did it before them.
"I don't know anything about the fate of the others," he said.
Grigoryan also talked about the terrible situation prevailing in the
units of the Armenian armed forces, the lack of weapons and food,
and conflicts among the servicemen.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Cihan News Agency (CNA), Turkey
March 23, 2015 Monday
BAKU (CÄ°HAN)- The identity of the Armenian serviceman, who voluntarily
surrendered to the Azerbaijani side on Mar.22, has been established,
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on March 23.
He is Andranik Grigoryan, born in 1991, according to the ministry.
During the interrogation, Grigoryan said he surrendered to the
Azerbaijani side because he feared a senseless death. The Armenian
soldier also said that several servicemen were also planning to
surrender to the Azerbaijani side, but he did it before them.
"I don't know anything about the fate of the others," he said.
Grigoryan also talked about the terrible situation prevailing in the
units of the Armenian armed forces, the lack of weapons and food,
and conflicts among the servicemen.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
No comments:
Post a Comment