The recent meeting of the defense ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey in Batumi marked the beginning of a promising military alliance in trilateral format.
The defense ministers of the three countries discussed issues of strengthening security of their countries and stability in the region as a whole. Following the meeting, the parties agreed on the creation of a new format of interaction between the General Staffs of the armed forces of the three countries in parallel with the existing format of trilateral cooperation at the level of heads of the defense ministries.
Obviously, this cooperation causes negative reaction in neighboring Armenia, which has started talking about the threat to its national security that allegedly comes from each of the three countries.
Azerbaijan’s political scientist Fikrat Sadikhov, commenting on the issue, noted that the new military alliance between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia intend to act as the unifying union against separatism and international terrorism for the security of their borders and the region as a whole.
“I believe that for occupant Armenia this fact should be alarming and a real message from its neighbors, for territories of which Armenia groundlessly claims many years. Armenia pursues a policy of aggression and seizure to expand the geography of its living space,” Sadikhov noted.
On the other hand, the alliance does not aim to assign someone else's territory and does not intend to threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia, notes the expert.
“The coalition is aimed at preserving and restoring the territorial integrity of these countries, particularly Azerbaijan, as well as at improving the military and defense potential of these countries to protect their national interests,” Sadikhov said.
“Of course, appropriate plans for the prevention of various threats of terrorism, religious extremism will be outlined; therefore Armenia must draw conclusions from the current geopolitical situation, the new realities, and not irritate neighboring countries,” Sadikhov noted.
The political scientist added that Armenia’s leadership should weigh the pros and cons and realize that it is perceived in the region as an aggressor country and and the whole world community is aware of that.
The format of Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey cooperation already yields results and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars projects are examples of this cooperation, the assistant to Azerbaijan’s president for foreign policy issues, Novruz Mammadov, said on Monday, APA reported.
He noted that this cooperation has great prospects and should be continued.
According to Mammadov, the Azerbaijan-Russia-Iran cooperation format, which was established two years ago in connection with the South-North corridor, has a great future.
“These formats are effective as the national, economic and political interests coincide with one another. Azerbaijan has taken its stance in the international arena,” he said.
The president’s assistant said that Turkey’s NATO membership and Georgia’s signing of an association agreement with the European Union do not impede the development of this cooperation.
“On the contrary, it contributes to the regional security, stability and sustainable development and is not directed against other countries. It is obvious that the Southern Caucasus is a significant region which needs regional security, stability and sustainable development even more. Trilateral cooperation is very important for the countries of this cooperation,” he added.
Mammadov stressed that Armenia’s territorial and geopolitical claims deprive it of cooperation prospects.
“Some countries face sanctions in relation to certain issues, however, for some reason it becomes difficult to demonstrate a fair position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” he said.
The president’s assistant noted that the reason of the current situation in the world is that after the Treaty of Warsaw, the parties that consider themselves leaders have failed to observe the principle of justice.
“If there is no justice in international relations, it is abnormal to talk about other values,” he said.
Oksana Altunyan, who has joined the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Platform, called on all who wish peace between the two nations to join the Peace Platform, APA reported.
Oksana Altunyan decided to share her opinion with the public through a video interview with co-coordinator of Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Platform Orkhan Nabiyev.
During the interview, Oksana Altunyan noted the absence of ethnic, religious conflicts and persecutions during her stay in Baku. On the contrary, Oksana Altunyan noted the existence of friendship and mutual respect between the two nations at that time.
Oksana Altunyan also expressed her support for the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Platform, and called upon all who want peace between the two nations, to join the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Platform.
For the purpose of contributing to a peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace was established on December 6, 2016. The Platform is an initiative of the citizens of Azerbaijan and Armenia who wish to contribute to the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
The initiative on the creation of the Platform has generated the interest of the international community as well as attracted the high level of public attention in both conflicting states. A large number of well-known experts highly appreciated this initiative and stressed the very special role of the above-mentioned peacekeeping initiative in the process of the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict entered its modern phase when the Armenian SRR made territorial claims against the Azerbaijani SSR in 1988.
A fierce war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. As a result of the war, Armenian armed forces occupied some 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory which includes Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts (Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan), and over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people.
The military operations finally came to an end when Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in Bishkek in 1994.
Dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the OSCE Minsk Group, which was created after the meeting of the CSCE (OSCE after the Budapest summit held in December 1994) Ministerial Council in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. The Group’s members include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland and Sweden.
Besides, the OSCE Minsk Group has a co-chairmanship institution, comprised of Russian, the US and French co-chairs, which began operating in 1996.
Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the UN Security Council, which were passed in short intervals in 1993, and other resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly, PACE, OSCE, OIC, and other organizations require Armenia to unconditionally withdraw its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.
Monday, June 5, 2017
Karabakh Army Chief Expects More Truce Violations
. Hovannes Movsisian
Nagorno-Karabakh - General Levon Mnatsakanian, commander of the
Karabakh Armenian army, addresses military personnel, 10Dec2016.
Azerbaijan will likely ratchet up tensions along "the line of contact"
around Nagorno-Karabakh in the months ahead, the commander of
Karabakh's Armenian-backed army claimed over the weekend.
"Azerbaijan will certainly do everything keep up tensions on the
frontline," Lieutenant General Levon Mnatsakanian told reporters in
Stepanakert. "It will increasingly seek to inflict damage on us, while
we will do everything to respond accordingly and, if need be, if we
find it expedient, deal a final blow."
Mnatsakanian said that in the past several months truce violations
around Karabakh have been much less serious than they were last year,
which saw heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in
April known as "the four-day war."
Over the past year the Karabakh Armenian army has reinforced its
frontline positions with new defense fortifications, more weapons as
well as special equipment such as night-vision surveillance
devices. The latter helped it fight back in late February two
Azerbaijani commando raids that left at least five Azerbaijani
soldiers dead.
In Mnatsakanian's words, Azerbaijani special forces have not attempted
more such incursions since then. "As regards gunshots fired from
various weapons, they have decreased sharply since 2016," added the
general.
Truce violations on the Karabakh frontlines have periodically
intensified this year. In the most recent escalation, Azerbaijani
forces fired guided missiles at an air-defense system of Karabakh's
Defense Army on May 16. The latter retaliated with mortar fire
targeting Azerbaijani military facilities.
The U.S., Russian and French mediators co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group
condemned the "significant violations of the ceasefire." In a May 18
statement, they urged the parties to "take all necessary measures to
prevent any further escalation in the conflict zone."
A senior official in Stepanakert insisted on Friday that continuing
armed incidents are unlikely to escalate into a full-scale war.
Ombudsman Deplores Prison Health Care In Armenia
. Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia - An ambulances leaves a prison hospital in Yerevan 6Mar2017.
People serving prison sentences in Armenia often lack access to
adequate health services and have to turn to their cellmates for
medical assistance, the country's human rights ombudsman said on
Monday.
Arman Tatoyan drew this conclusion in a special report based on
interviews that were conducted by representatives of his office as
well as civic activists in various Armenian prisons last year.
The report paints a grim picture of prison healthcare with concrete
examples of unnamed inmates who claimed to have lacked proper
treatment and medication for their illnesses and disabilities. One of
them, a visually impaired person, is said to have been discharged from
a prison hospital in Yerevan and sent back to jail despite being able
to move around unaided.
According to the report, another prisoner underwent only X-ray
screening when he was hospitalized after suffering a broken leg. He
subsequently relied on cellmates, rather than doctors or other prison
staff, to meet his basic needs.
"These practices are unacceptable," says the report. It also says that
convicts in need of medical aid are not always transferred to prison
or civilian hospitals in violation of European conventions and norms
adopted by Armenia. It also cites cases of sick prisoners not being
provided with necessary medicines.
According to Tatoyan, law-enforcement authorities blame this on a lack
of public funding for medical care in the penitentiary system. The
ombudsman dismissed this explanation.
Almost 3,900 persons served prison sentences or were under pre-trial
arrest in Armenia as of September 2015, up from around 3,000 in 2005.
According to the Council of Europe's Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE)
released in March, 38 inmates died in Armenian prisons in
2014. Activists monitoring prison conditions in the country say such
deaths primarily result from a lack of adequate and quick medical aid.
Sarkisian Confronted By Protesters In Yerevan
. Narine Ghalechian
Armenia -- President Serzh Sarkisian speaks to protest#rs in Yerevan,
5June, 2017.
President Serzh Sarkisian was confronted on Monday by about a dozen
angry people dispossessed by a government-backed private construction
company that demolished their homes in Yerevan years ago.
The protesters are former residents of an old neighborhood in the city
center that was due to be redeveloped by the now bankrupt company,
Glendale Hills. The latter signed in 2007 contracts with over 100
owners of local houses who agreed to cede their land and properties in
return for its formal pledge to give them new homes in apartment
buildings which were due to be constructed in the area. The
redeveloped project was never implemented.
Around half of those families have still not received apartments or
financial compensation. Some of those people gathered outside
Sarkisian's residence early in the morning in the hope of speaking to
the president and asking him to intervene. They waited for more than
two hours before the presidential motorcade emerged from the secluded
compound and stopped just outside it.
"Mr. President, we have been homeless for ten years," one woman told
Sarkisian after he got out of his limousine and approached the small
crowd. "We have been badly mistreated, just like street dogs."
"Mr. President, I had personally appealed to you," complained another
woman. "You said you will see to it that my problem is urgently
solved. We have still not received an answer."
"Is it you who brought the journalists here?" replied a visibly
irritated Sarkisian. "Why are they hindering us?" "They are not,"
retorted one of the women.
"Alright, [officials] will come and look into the matter in the next
two days," the president said before leaving the scene.
The protesters argue that the Armenian government was a party to their
2007 contracts with Glendale Hills and must therefore help make sure
that they are implemented. As one of them put it: "If the company is
now liquidated, it means that the state must address the issue."
Either they must pay us or give us apartments."
Some displaced residents fear that they will only be offered rundown
apartments in the city outskirts in breach of the developer's
contractual obligations.
Hundreds of Yerevan families were displaced in the 2000s during a
massive redevelopment of parts of the city center. Many of them were
forced out of their mostly old homes after refusing financial
compensation which they believe was set well below the market value of
their properties because of government corruption.
Some appealed to the European Court of Human Rights after having their
lawsuits against the government rejected by Armenian courts. The
Strasbourg-based court has ordered the Armenian authorities to pay
additional compensations to dozens of such families.
Press Review
(Saturday, June 3)
"Hayots Ashkhar" is critical of a report by the International Crisis
Group which claims that Armenia and Azerbaijan are closer to a renewed
war for Nagorno-Karabakh than ever before. The paper notes that the
report comes ahead of international mediators' fresh visit to the
conflict zone and "seems to be somewhat depreciating" their efforts to
step up the difficult search for a compromise peace formula.
"Zhamanak" says that Armenian politics is increasingly dominated by
the question of what President Serzh Sarkisian will do after
completing his second and final term in office in April next year. The
paper complains that it has overshadowed other important issues. "The
only issue on the political agenda in Armenia is government infighting
and its likely outcome," it says. "The public has become a mere
spectator in this process."
"168 Zham" notes that official photographs of Sarkisian's meetings
held with some government ministers in recent weeks exposed books in
the Armenian and foreign languages that seem to have been
demonstratively placed on the presidential desk. In a written response
to the paper, Sarkisian said: "The books on my desk are both gifts
from various individuals and books which I read or re-read when I have
time. By being surrounded by books in my office, I feel protected and
insured by the power of books and knowledge. As regards my literary
preferences, I am currently re-reading Niall Ferguson's `Politics' and
Helmut Schoeck's `Envy' as well as works of [Armenian poet] Yeghishe
Charents."
"Hraparak" looks at structural changes within the Armenian government
that are mandated by the country's amended constitution. The paper
says that as part of those changes Armenia's police and National
Security Service (NSS) may be merged into a single ministry of
internal affairs. Alternatively, it says, the police may be merged
with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. There are already rumors
that the national police chief, Vladimir Gasparian, might be sacked as
a result, according to the paper.
(Artur Papian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org
The U.S. President Donald Trump has congratulated the Georgian prime minister on the Independence Day.“Since independence, Georgia has emerged as a democratic leader and a contributor to global security,” the letter runs.“In a region that faces insecurity and outside pressure, Georgia has shown courage and determination in charting its own future. We will continue to support that choice, as Georgian independence and democracy remain an inspiration to the world. The United States also remains steadfast in supporting Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders,” Donald Trump states in the letter. There was a time when Armenia was a democratic leader or “island” in the region. In addition, this opinion was expressed in the first years following the independence of Armenia, during the war. Armenia and Artsakh won the war despite a lot of hardship because their fight was for democracy, sovereignty and human rights, in line with the development of the civilization, which was an important achievement of international security in our region. It was the victory of the new and progressive against the regressive and anti-human system and was therefore possible and legitimate. In those years Georgia was in chaos and anarchy and sovereignty and democracy were out of discussion. Georgia was losing everything. Years went by, Armenia lost everything that was the result of the heroism and faith in the future. After the victory the country was surrendered to the military oligarchy, then the criminal oligarchy. In domestic life, gradually nothing was left of freedom, human rights and civilization. The constitutional order was destroyed, and most importantly, people’s faith and motivation was destroyed, which is the basis of all progress. Currently Armenia has appeared on the anti-civilization camp while Georgia has leaped to escape tis system. Georgia has thus appeared in the side which is building the new world order with the ensuing preferences in security and economy. And on the contrary, Armenia has appeared on the side which is going to be the “object” for the creation of the new world order with the ensuing consequences. Armenia is already experiencing the consequences in the sphere of economy and security. Trump’s letter to Georgia should be a warning for Armenia which has been pushed back by external pressure and chosen a system which is outside international security and sovereignty.
Jesse Wray-McCann and Blair Corless, Monash Leader
June 5, 2017 10:33am
UPDATE: MONASH Council is distancing itself from the furore that has erupted over several councillors looking at plans to discuss officially recognising the controversial Armenian genocide with the Mayor saying their actions were “regrettable’.’
The Monash Leader reported that councillors Josh Fergeus and Theo Zographos wanted to debate the issue.
But Mayor Rebecca Paterson said she was disappointed they had raised events which happened 100 years ago.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Should the council debate the issue? Tell us below
“Of course, this is not a matter for Monash Council or for any other local council,’’ she said.
“Focusing on issues like this sends all the wrong messages to the Monash and wider Victorian community, especially when it relates to issues which have absolutely nothing to do with our responsibilities as a local council.’’
Many readers said it was not the role of the council to discuss whether or not there had been a genocide.
“I have spoken to a majority of my colleagues and we feel this is an inappropriate matter for consideration in our council chamber,’’ Cr Paterson said.
“We neither support nor oppose recognition of these events as a genocide. None of us are experts in such matters. It is not relevant to anything which Monash Council is responsible for.
“But most unfortunately, it seeks to pit one part of our multicultural community against other parts.
“This matter may be appropriate to be debated in the Australian Parliament, but it is not appropriate for the council chamber. It is regrettable that their actions are impacting on our community and the way in which Monash Council is viewed.”
Cr Josh Fergeus says the issue demands detailed community consultation. Picture: SuppliedChan Cheah of Monash Ratepayers says the council should drop the debate.
The council looked set to debate the issue at a recent meeting, but the motion was withdrawn just before the agenda was finalised.
However, Cr Josh Fergeus said the debate “remains a live issue” for the council that will require “detailed consultations” with the community.
The term Armenian genocide refers to events from 1915 to 1923 between the Ottoman Empire and Armenian and Greek subjects.
The empire’s successor, the government of Turkey, rejects the use of the term genocide, saying the number of deaths is inflated.
But Monash Ratepayers acting president Chan Cheah said the council should drop the genocide debate because it happened a century ago on the other side of the world.
And the Australian Turkish Advocacy Alliance wrote to councillors on Friday morning (May 26) imploring them not to support any motion that gives recognition to the atrocities as a genocide.
The alliance’s secretary Baris Atayman said such a move would cause “division, hate and racial disharmony” in Monash.
“This is a divisive move that is in direct contrast with the multicultural values we affirm as sacred in Australia,” Mr Atayman said.
Cr Theo Zographos said the issue should be debated because Armenian, Assyrian and Greek people had made a major contribution to Melbourne.Baris Atayman of the Australian Turkish Advocacy Alliance says recognising the killings as a genocide would only stir division.
“Local councils in our country are not the platforms for delivering judgments over history or making up Australia’s foreign policy.”
The Australian Government does not recognise the events as a genocide.
Dr Cheah said council resources should not be wasted on the issue.
“I know a lot of the councillors are in political parties, so if they want to pursue such agendas, they should do it on their own instead of using council resources,” he said.
“There are a lot of planning issues going on they should be spending their time on, rather than pursuing individual, politically exciting issues.”
Cr Fergeus said the council had been having internal discussions about the issue and he had been approached by members of the Greek and Armenian communities in Monash.
Cr Fergeus admitted the “vast majority” of people in Monash would not benefit from the council recognising the genocide but said the symbolic gesture would be important to local Greeks and Armenians.
Cr Theo Zographos said he wanted to discuss the issue in a civil and fair way.
“I look forward to having the opportunity to do that over the coming months in relation to the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek communities,’’ he said.
“They have played a large role in making our city what it is today. We need to honour those lives lost along with those who are survivors and their ancestors among our community today.”
Cr Zographos said discussions would not come at a cost to ratepayers.
It appears that Armenians might be the only survived nation tradition, mythology and language of which kept the significance and meanings of forgotten Sumer, Mesopotamia and Egypt cultures.
Hardly preserved, scarred fragments of the ancient Armenian culture can serve as a bridge to understanding the historical experience and values of the said cultures.
In the culture of Ancient Egypt we can find quite a few fragments and traces of the once influential Armenian presence. As Robac wrote: “Around 3600 BC people of a different physical type appeared in Egypt: more squat, broad-leaved and more heavy-weight in appearance.
They were possibly Armenoids who came in small groups from Syria and Palestine. Most likely, they were ones who brought metalworking skills with them, because after 3600 static agricultural communities began to develop.”
It was with their help the reign of the first pharaohs began, the very first of which was Mina (Man, Menes, Minas). The Egyptian Copts still use “Ara”, which means father, lord, as a way of respectful addressing.
“Heiress of the throne, beneficent, the embodiment of beauty, the sweetness of love, Lady of North and South, beloved of Aten in flesh, the first wife of the pharaoh, beloved master of both lands, great in love and forever living Nefertiti…”
Neferneferuaten Nefertiti was born in 1370 BC, but Egyptologists still are unable to come to a final conclusion on where and in what family she was born.
Many believed that the very name of the queen conceals the secret of her origin. From Egyptian Nefertiti is translated as “arrival of the beauty”, which might mean she came to Egypt from another region. Parents raised her in the traditions of the monotheistic Aryan religion which worships the sun as the only deity.
Nefertiti was probably sent by her father to Egypt as a gift to Pharaoh Amenhotep IV in the “House of Ornaments” (harem) and became one of hundreds of foreign princesses brought to give birth sons of the lord.
Armenia MFA: Lack of international community’s proper reaction to Lapshin’s extradition to Azerbaijan has inspired Baku
13:45, 05.06.2017
The lack of international community’s proper reaction to blogger Alexander Lapshin’s arrest and subsequent extradition to Azerbaijan has inspired Baku.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia, Tigran Balayan, wrote about the aforementioned on his Twitter account.
He noted this reflecting on the statement by Maja Kocijančič, Spokesperson for the European Union External Action Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, regarding “the reported abduction and illegal detention of Azerbaijani nationals residing in Georgia.”
“The lack of proper reaction by international community on Lapshin’s arrest & extradition to Azerbaijan inspired Baku,” Balayan tweeted and posted Kocijančič’s statement.
Turkish FM tells his German counterpart Incirlik is close for German
19:30, 05.06.2017
After the meeting with German FM Sigmar Gabriel, who is on an official visit to Ankara, his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated that Turkey doesn’t consider it appropriate to allow the German deputies to visit the troops stationed at German Incirlik military base.
In particular, Çavuşoğlu stated that currently the German deputies can only visit the servicemen of Konya air base.
“If Germany takes friendly steps in the future, the German deputies will be allowed to visit Incirlik base,” he noted.