Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Center for Research on Globalization, Canada
March 20 2015

US Special Forces Caught Red-Handed inside Syria. US Guiding
Airstrikes against al-Assad Government in Support of Kurdish
Separatists

By Dr. Christof Lehmann

Evidence about the presence of U.S. special forces in the Syrian town
Ayn al-Arab a.k.a. Kobani emerged. Troops are guiding U.S. airstrikes
as part of U.S support for the Kurdish separatist group PYD and the
long-established plan to establish a Kurdish corridor.

A photo taken in Ayn al-Arab shows three U.S. soldiers. One of them
“Peter” is carrying a Bushnell laser rangefinder, an instrument
designed to mark targets for U.S. jets, reports Ceyhun Bozkurt for
Aydinlik Daily.

Photo courtesy of Aydinlik Daily.

The photo substantiated previous BBC interviews with U.S. soldiers who
are fighting alongside the Kurdish separatist group PYD in Syria.

The photo of the three U.S. troopers also substantiates a statement by
PYD spokesman Polat Can from October 14, 2014, reports Aydinlik Daily.
Can admitted that a special unit in Kobani provides Kurdish fighters
with the coordinates of targets which then would be relayed to
“coalition forces”.

News about the presence of U.S. and allied special forces is not a
novelty per se. In 2012 a senior British Whitehall official would leak
to The Daily Star that British SAS and other NATO member’s special
forces had been operating in Syria for months.

Also in 2012, nsnbc international obtained a copy of the U.S. Special
Forces training circular TC 18-01 entitled Special Forces
Unconventional Warfare.

A study of the document revealed that the wars on Libya, Syria and
Iraq follow a detailed U.S. strategy that outlines a step-by-step
subversion of a country from the assessment of a feasible, cooperative
opposition to guerrilla war and regime change.

The establishment of a Kurdish State with breathing straw access to
the Mediterranean. Map plottings by Major (r) Agha H. Amin.

In a 2013 interview retired Pakistani Major and security consultant
Agha H. Amin would note:

The strategic idea of NATO, is aiming at securing the northern borders
of Israel against Hezbollah and the southern borders against Hamas; to
eliminate the Russian naval base in the eastern Mediterranean, Syrian
city of Tartous. NATO is planning to create a western strategic
corridor to maintain energy-security in the case that oil supplies
through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted because of a war with Iran
or otherwise… One of the first steps toward the implementation of the
long-term strategic plan, is the partition of Turkey by creating
separate Kurdish areas, thereby providing NATO a direct access to
Russia’s soft underbelly in the Caucasus.

One of the objectives with unconventional warfare is “plausible
deniability”. That is, for the U.S. government as well as for the
Turkish AKP-led government with regard to its participation in the
Kurdish Corridor project.

U.S.special forces have long been known for playing an active role in
the invasion of Iraq with ISIS brigades.

Turkish special forces were caught red-handed, playing an active role
in Jabhat al-Nusrah’s invasion of the predominantly Armenian – Syrian
town of Kessab. The city is located inside the envisioned “Kurdish
Corridor”.

The final decision for the invasion of Iraq with the help of ISIS,
first to destabilize the country and then to justify the carving out
of a Kurdish Northern Iraq, was according to a witness known to nsnbc
international, made on the sidelines of the Atlantic Council’s Energy
Summit in Istanbul in November 2013.

The news about U.S. special forces in Syria is no novelty per se. The
emergence of a photo that is verifiable with the help of metadata and
corroborating testimony is, however, one of the first tangible pieces
of evidence that supports the notion that NATO’s “Kurdish Corridor
Project” is alive and kicking regardless how much the US government
and Turkish AKP government “posture and position” themselves as being
in disagreement.

Dr. Christof Lehmann is the founder and editor of nsnbc. He is a
psychologist and independent political consultant on conflict and
conflict resolution and a wide range of other political issues. His
work with traumatized victims of conflict has led him to also pursue
the work as political consultant. He is a lifelong activist for peace
and justice, human rights, Palestinians rights to self-determination
in Palestine, and he is working on the establishment of international
institutions for the prosecution of all war crimes, also those
committed by privileged nations. On 28 August 2011 he started his blog
nsnbc, appalled by misrepresentations of the aggression against Libya
and Syria. In March 2013 he turned nsnbc into a daily, independent,
international on-line newspaper. He can be contacted at nsnbc
international at [email protected]

France24
March 21 2015

THE INTERVIEW
Armenia slams Turkey over genocide centennial absence

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to change this
year’s Gallipoli commemoration to coincide with Armenia’s marking of
the 100th anniversary of the genocide was a “cynical act”.

On April 24, Armenia is set to commemorate the centennial of the
Armenian genocide, which saw the deportation and deaths of up to 1.5
million Armenians during World War I.

“Our intention was to commemorate the centennial together with the
Turkish people,” explained Sargsyan, noting that it was the reason his
government invited the Turkish leader to attend the commemorations.

Instead, Erdogan chose the same day to invite his Armenian counterpart
to the centennial of the Gallipoli campaign, which marked a major
World War I victory for the Ottoman forces against Allied troops,
mostly from Australian and New Zealand. The date of their landing —
known as “Anzac Day” — is marked on April 25 every year.

Turkey has long denied the mass deportation and killings of Armenian
subjects of the Ottoman empire constituted genocide, claiming instead
that they were the consequences of inter-ethnic violence inflamed
during wartime.

Erdogan’s decision to change the date of the Gallipoli ceremonies to
coincide with the Armenian centennial commemoration has drawn a sharp
rebuke from Sargsyan.

“Unfortunately, once again we find ourselves facing a negationist
approach and I’m sorry to use this expression, but it is a
particularly cynical act. The Battle of Gallipoli did not start of
April 24 [1915], nor did it end on April 24, it’s self-evident. This
is a way of injuring, of wounding the Armenian people and at the same
time, it is intended to set obstacles on the path to centennial
commemorations [of the Armenian genocide],” said Sargsyan.

The April 24 ceremonies will be attended by a number of world leaders,
including French President François Hollande and Russian President
Vladimir Putin.

By Marc PERELMAN
View the video at

Armenian PM introduced to construction of Armenian Center for
Excellence in Oncology

16:51, 21 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 21 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. On March 21, Prime Minister of the
Republic of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan visited the construction site for
the Armenian Center of Excellence in Oncology to become familiar with
the construction. Let us mention that the project is being carried out
in three stages, including production of radioisotopes, molecular
diagnosis, as well as the creation of radiation treatment and
chemotherapy and surgical centers providing services outside of
hospitals.

As the Department of Information and Public Relations of the
Government of the Republic of Armenia reports to “Armenpress”, during
the tour, the head of government was presented with details about the
past and future activities. It was mentioned that construction of the
center for the production of radioisotopes was almost over and that
IBA Molecular’s CYCLON 18/18 cyclotron accelerator had been installed
at the center on March 18. The Prime Minister attached importance to
the implementation of the planned activities with high quality and in
the fixed period and gave the heads of the corresponding government
agencies their corresponding assignments.

The Armenian Center for Excellence in Oncology will prevent
oncological diseases and identify them in advance. The Center will
have state-of-the-art equipment for radiological and radioisotope
diagnosis and will serve the people in Armenia, but in the region as
well.

MARSEILLE-100ème ANNIVERSAIRE DU GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS
A l’abbaye Saint-Victor de Marseille le coeur Sahak-Mesrop a rendu un
tr̬s bel hommage aux victimes du g̩nocide des Arm̩niens РPhotos

Vendredi 20 mars à 20h30, plus de 400 personnes étaient présentes
l’Abbaye Saint-Victor de Marseille (7e) pour le concert du choeur
arménien Sahak-Mesrop de Marseille, sous la direction de maître
Khatchig Yilmazian. Le concert était à la mémoire des martyrs du
Génocide des Arméniens de 1915. De très nombreuses personnalités
étaient également venues pour ce concert exceptionnel. Un programme
riche, spécialement préparé par Khatchig Yilmazian pour le centenaire
du génocide des Arméniens. De l’oratorio d’Ara Bartévian, aux
compositions d’Arno Babadjanian, Alexandre Haroutiounian, Edgard
Hovanessian, Gabriel Fauré et Franz Schubert.

Dans ce site exceptionnel de l’Abbaye Saint-Victor, le concert du
choeur Sahak-Mesrop magistralement dirigé par Khatchig Yilmazian donna
un ton particulier à cet hommage solennel aux victimes du génocide en
ce centième anniversaire.

Un grand moment de recueillement et de mémoire saisit le public durant
près de deux heures lors de ce concert du choeur Sahak-Mesrop dans
cette ville de Marseille qui tient une place particulière au coeur de
chaque Arménien. Marseille qui vit débarquer sur ses quais l’arrivée
des réfugiés du génocide. 100 ans après le drame, Marseille s’est
souvenue. Tout en gardant dans les esprits la flamme d’une injustice
qui dure depuis un siècle déjà ! Le choeur Sahak-Mesrop a rendu un bel
hommage à cette mémoire arménienne intacte et éternelle. Le
standing-ovation par le public ébloui par la qualité de la prestation
et ému par l’instant de la mémoire des innocentes victimes du génocide
de 1915 donna à la soirée une touche particulière. Photos : Isahak
AKkayan

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 21 mars 2015,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

Lukashenko Explained Why Serzh Sargsyan Hadn’t Been Invited

Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
Comments – 22 March 2015, 01:07

On these days the Armenian political circles and media are discussing
the meeting of the presidents of the Eurasian troika Russia, Belarus
and Kazakhstan during which economic issues and the common currency
were discussed.

Although Armenia is officially a member of the Eurasian Economic
Union, Serzh Sargsyan had not been invited. Moreover, in their
statements Putin, Nazarbayev and Lukashenko “forgot” about Armenia.
Vladimir Putin, for example, announced that it is time Russia, Belarus
and Kazakhstan set to negotiate the creation of a common currency.

This circumstance is now being widely discussed, and is interesting
indeed. In fact, the members of the EEU are discussing common issues
without Armenia and without mentioning Armenia. The opinions are
different, ranging from ignoring of Armenia to de facto Armenia is not
a member of the EEU.

By the way, Serzh Sargsyan has not been invited to the next meeting of
the troika in Moscow on May 8.

Of course, the best thing would be if they forgot about Armenia, and
our country had not been a member of this union either de factor, or
de jure. Armenia joined the EEU on January 2 but during these months
it has already experienced its negative, let alone disastrous
consequences in the financial, economic, security and other spheres.

However, the problem is more complicated and dangerous than the
amnesia of the Eurasian dictators. The problem is that de facto
Armenia is not an EEU member but is tied to this organization with
binding documents. In other words, Armenia has no right to vote but
has to fulfill its obligations. And this is more dangerous than the
membership itself.

At the beginning of the process of membership to the EEU many people
in Armenia warned about this situation. It was clear from the very
beginning that Armenia would not be allowed to be a founding, that is
an equal member. In both international organizations and the EEU,
Russia needs Armenia as an “extra vote” to promote its interests, to
which Minsk and Astana were resisting actively. Eventually they
reached their goal, and Armenia, despite the efforts of the
government, did not become a founding member.

However, Russia did not make any efforts in this direction. Russia did
not need Armenia as an equal member of the EEU, its goals relating to
Armenia are different, namely to cut Armenia from the world, isolate
it and prevent diversification of its foreign political, economic and
security spheres. The point is that Russia and Armenia have different,
contradictory interests, and the independent policy of Armenia would
lead to not only a clash of interests but also weakening of Russia’s
positions in the region.

The purpose of Moscow’s policy is to rule out this situation, and it
is possible only if Armenia stops being a subject. For this purpose,
all the Russian agents, political parties, political scientists and
experts were deployed in Armenia.

Besides, the interests of Russia are in line with the interests of
Turkey and Azerbaijan which also participated in the process of
eliminating Armenia as a subject through military escalation and
threats to Armenia and Artsakh.

Russia has hung Armenia in the air to be able to implement its plans.
In addition, Russia has “insurance” in case the EEU fails. Armenia
stopped being a subject after the Armenian-Russian agreements signed
in Yerevan on 2 December 2013.

This is the situation, and it is obviously dangerous for Armenia. As
to forgetting about Armenia, Lukashenko has explained the case and the
background more than clearly. He stated at the meeting in Astana that
the decisions of the founding members must be mandatory for the new
members. The new members must implement the decisions of the troika.

The situation is complicated but not fatal. Armenia has nothing to do
in the Eurasian concentration camp indeed. This union threatens the
security and sovereignty of Armenia. The Eurasian Union is one of the
havens of the Turkic geopolitics where Armenia has no prospects.

Now the public and political thought of Armenia must work towards the
technology of withdrawing Armenia from Russian-Eurasian projects. This
is a complicated issue not only in terms of technology but also
because there is no such though in Armenia. And those who are
considered such are mostly Russian agents.

Nevertheless, the situation is not hopeless, considering that the
logic of international developments favors this process.

Currently there are signs of change of the situation, and politics
rules out unilateral things. Hence, it is possible that Armenia does
not want to attend the Eurasian events. The problem is that Armenia
must realize its value and importance.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 21 2015

Armenian President congratulates Iranian people on Novruz holiday

21 March 2015 – 6:55pm

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan congratulated Iranian President
Hassan Rouhani and leader of the Islamic Revolution Seyyed Ali
Khamenei on Novruz, the press service of the Armenian leader reports.

In his message, Serzh Sargsyan expressed confidence that the spring
awakening will be marked by new developments for Iran, and the
traditional friendly and warm relations between Armenia and Iran, as
well as strong interstate relations, will continue to expand further.

German KfW bank may provide Armenia with 205 million euro loans in
next few years to finance a variety of projects

YEREVAN, March 19. / ARKA /. The government of Armenian has okayed
today the signing of a draft package deal with the German
government-owned KfW bank under which the latter will provide Armenia
with 205 million worth loans in the next few years for the
implementation of various projects.

According to the draft agreement, Armenia will get a 100 million euro
to build a transmission line from Armenia to Georgia as part of the
“Caucasus Power Line” project.

The loan agreement for this project in the amount of 85.2 million
euros was signed with KfW in 2014 December. The KfW loan will be
provided in two tranches -75 million and 10.2 million euros. The first
is repayable in 15 years with a five-year grace period and the second
is provided for a period of 40 years at 0.75% interest rate. This
project is expected to enable Armenia and Georgia to integrate their
power grids and contribute to their economic development.

Under the draft package Armenia may also obtain from KfW a 50 million
euro loan for management of water resources of the border Akhurian
River, a 15 million euro loan for energy-efficient renovation of
schools, up to a 20 million euro to enhance efficient use of energy by
small and medium-sized businesses and another 20 million euro loan for
boosting local real estate market.-0-

North Jersey, NJ
March 22 2015

Woman’s love for tennis influences Fort Lee co-op purchase

March 22, 2015
By DONNA ROLANDO

Since the age of 7, when she took up tennis in her native Armenia,
Arletta Asatrian has found her life shaped by the game, right down to
her recent real estate purchase in Fort Lee.

>From the balcony of her Mediterranean Towers West co-op, which she
purchased in late February, the 44-year-old Asatrian shows why this
purchase fit her lifestyle so perfectly: Within sight are the tennis
courts, one of many amenities at the 507-unit complex on North Avenue.

For a tennis player who competed for the Armenian national team and
has coached around the world for the International Tennis Federation,
the proximity to these courts spoke to her like a dream. It was
something she only imagined when she first came to New Jersey 12 years
ago and worked directly across from Mediterranean Towers West at the
Fort Lee Racquet Club.

“It was such a huge building,” she said, “and so many people living here.”

But her real estate journey in the United States started in Tenafly,
where she bought a home and then sold it in 2014, moving to Florham
Park in Morris County as a coach-in-residence for a tennis program.

“When I moved to Florham Park, I knew I was going to come back,”
Asatrian said. What was important to her about Fort Lee was that it’s
just 20 minutes by car to see her older daughter at college in New
York City. In addition, she has tennis students in the Bergen County
area.

When she felt it was time to pursue her own home again, Asatrian
looked at co-ops and condos, but she found condo prices steeper than
Mediterranean Towers West’s, as is often the case with co-ops. She
also relished having so many amenities under one roof at the Towers,
like the playroom for 4-year-old daughter Nina, the swimming pool and
fitness center, doorman security, a mini market and a hair salon.

First, though, Asatrian had to be approved by the co-op board — a
feat, she said, would never have been realized without the help of her
sales agent, Frances Kosier of Century 21 Calabrese Realty in
Englewood Cliffs.

“The thing people don’t understand is that just because they’re
willing to pay cash doesn’t mean they can buy a co-op. They still need
co-op board approval, and there’s an application,” Kosier said.

Applicants must demonstrate through financial documentation
significant income to not only buy the co-op but also to pay a monthly
maintenance fee, Kosier said.

The board makes sure upfront that each buyer’s income is four times
what his or her expenses will be, she said, including the monthly
maintenance charge that varies by unit. For Asatrian, she said, that
came to slightly more than $1,200.

As a result of the process, there are very few co-op foreclosures.

This maintenance fee is higher than that charged at most condos, but
that’s because it includes property taxes, all utilities (except for
cable and telephone), and any home repairs that might be needed, said
Kosier, who also lives at Mediterranean Towers West and has walked a
number of buyers through the co-op board process.

“If something breaks, I tell them in the morning and I come home and
it’s fixed,” Kosier said.

Asatrian’s application package received approval in three to four
weeks for a Feb. 25 closing on a two-bedroom home she purchased for
$160,000.

“The [application] package is the big thing,” Kosier said. “Every
single thing they have to show.”

When dealing with a co-op, Asatrian said, it’s important to get a
sales agent who understands the application process.

“I thought I would never be able to get in,” said Asatrian, happy to
be able to offer her daughters such a complete lifestyle.

COMMUNAUTE-VALENCE
Salle comble pour > pour la soirée consacrée au organisait une
conférence projection sur a tout
d’abord remercié le public très nombreux qui avait répondu à
l’invitation d’> ainsi que les personnalités. Les élus
-Marlène Mourier Maire de Bourg-Lès-Valence, Aurélien Esprit adjoint à
Bourg-Lès-Valence, Kévork Rastklan élu municipal à Valence- et les
représentants des associations arméniennes de Valence. Parmi ces
derniers, Elisabeth Alachian (président de la section > de
Valence de la Croix Bleue des Arméniens de France), Vartkés Vartanian
(président de l’UCFAF Valence), Georges Erétzian (président l’ACFOA
Drôme-Ardèche), Khosrov Iliozer (président de l’Amicale des Arméniens
de Malatia), Georges Kevork Ishacian (représentant de la FRA Valence
et responsable associatif), Nazo Alain Jinbachian (président de la
Maison de la Culture Arménienne de Valence), Bédig Ohanian
(représentant de l’ADL-Ramgavar de Valence), Chorig Jabourian (Mission
2015 Drôme-Ardèche).

Krikor Amirzayan, a présenté au public Jean-Luc Huard, professeur
d’histoire et auteur de plusieurs livres sur les Arméniens de Valence
et de Rhône-Alpes. Durant plus d’une heure, Jean-Luc Huard a présenté
les routes de l’exil des Arméniens rescapés du génocide. Une
présentation soutenue par la projection de très nombreux documents,
photos sur les villes et villages d’Arménie occidentale avant le
génocide, les rescapés ou refugiés Arméniens lors de leur installation
en France. Ainsi le public découvrit ces réfugiés du génocide arrivés
en France et rebtissant les structures de la communauté avec les
écoles, églises, associations culturelles, compatriotiques, politiques
ou sportives. De nombreux documents d’archives sur les Arméniens de
Valence furent présentés par Jean-Luc Huard face à un public passionné
et qui découvrait à travers ces documents et photographies, une part
de l’histoire de leurs parents.

En cette année de 100ème anniversaire du génocide des Arméniens, cette
plongée dans le passé de ces survivants du drame permit de se souvenir
des épreuves traversées par le peuple arménien jeté sur les routes de
l’exil. En fin de soirée, le public fut invité par > de se
divertir autour d’un buffet. A noter que cette soirée d’>
était au profit du Secours Populaire Français.

Krikor Amirzayan

Krikor Amirzayan (président d'”Arménia” présente Jean-Luc Huard)
Krikor Amirzayan et Jean-Luc Huard
Krikor Amirzayan face au public venu en grand nombre
Parmi le public au premier rang Marlène Mourier, Maire de Bourg-Lès-Valence
Jean-Luc Huard (à droie) présente la conférence sur la route de l’exil
Le public
Le public
Un large public venu à la soirée d'”Arménia”
Krikor Amirzayan et Jean-Luc Huard
Krikor Amirzayan (président d'”Arménia”) présente Jean-Luc Huard
Au premier rang Marlène Mourier, Maire de Bourg-Lès-Valence venue à la
soirée d'”Arménia”
Jean-Luc Huard (à droite) présente la soirée
La projection
Georges Ishacian et Nazo Alain Jinbachian
Jean-Luc Huard présente la conférence “Génocide arménien, les routes de l’exil”
Georges Kevork Rastklan, Georges Kevork Ishacian, Nazo Alain Jinbachian
Le public a suivi passonnément la soirée d'”Arménia” consacrée au
“Génocide arménien, les routes de l’exil”
Parmi les personnalités, au premier rang Aurélien Esprit, Adjoint au
Maire de Bourg-Lès-Valence

samedi 21 mars 2015,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

Hraparak: ARF-D to join coalition after April 24

11:11 * 21.03.15

The opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun (ARF-D)
is expected to join the governing coalition after the April 24
Genocide Remembrance Day, the paper says, citing sources close to the
party.

The same sources have reportedly said that an agreement was reached
over giving ARF-D three cabinet portfolios, the Ministries of
Diaspora, Labor and Social Affairs, and Foreign Affairs. But at the
foreign ministry, only a deputy minister’s post is going to be
reserved for an ARF-D member. “The rest will be clear after the
[amended] Constitution is adopted,” the source said, adding that Levon
Lazarian, a former education minister, is a potential candidate to
hold the office.

But the paper claims that Lazarian’s name is also circulated as the
future minister of diaspora. As for Hranush Hakobyan, the incumbent
minister, she will, in most likelihood, go to Russia, a plan which the
paper claims is her crystal dream as a former secretary of Komsomol
(All-Union Leninist Young Communist League of which Hakobyan was the
First Secretary from 1985 until 1990). As for the Ministry of Labor
and Social Affairs, the paper says it will be headed by either Artsvik
Minasyan, a member of the ARF-D faction in parliament, or Sergey
Lokyan, an advisor to the prime minister.

As for Aghvan Vardanyan, a former social affairs minister, the paper
says he will be in charge of the political front, the ARF-D’s Supreme
Body, with the perspective to make Istanbul a “sea of blood”.