Armenia marks Independence Day
Panorama.am, September 21, 2014, https://www.panorama.am/en/
On September 21, the Republic of Armenia marks the 22nd anniversary of Independence.
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Supreme Council of Armenia on August 23, 1990. Under the declaration, Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was renamed the Republic of Armenia.
A referendum on secession from the USSR and the establishment of independent statehood was held on September 21, 1991. 94.9% of the Armenian citizens voted for independence.
General News on Armenia
ISIS Destroys Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Der Zor
Armenianweekly.com, September 21, 2014, https://www.armenianweekly.com/
The reports surfaced as Armenia was celebrating the 23rd anniversary of its independence on Sept. 21.
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian issued a statement condemning the destruction of the church, which housed the remains of victims of the Armenian Genocide, calling it a “horrible barbarity.” Nalbandian called upon the international community to cut the Islamic State’s sources of supply, support, and financing, and eradicate what it referred to as a disease that “threatened civilized mankind.” The church was built in 1989-1990, and consecrated a year later. A genocide memorial and a museum housing remains of the victims of the genocide was also built in the church compound. Thousands of Armenians from Syria and neighboring countries gathered at the memorial every year on April 24 to commemorate the genocide.
Eurasian Vistas: Economic, security reasons cited for Armenia’s integration with Russia-led bloc
Armenianow.com, September 22, 2014, https://www.armenianow.com/
On September 21, when Armenia marked the 23rd anniversary of its independence, the presidents of Armenia and Russia once again stated about Armenia’s impending integration into the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). And although President Serzh Sargsyan gave assurances that Armenia is not going to lose its political independence, while getting economic benefits, many experts expect that life in Armenia after the entry into the EEU will only get more difficult, and there will be less independence for the South Caucasus nation.
Neither Sargsyan, nor his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who sent a congratulatory message to him on the occasion, would provide a specific timeframe for Armenia’s accession to the Union. Sargsyan said it was going to happen in “the foreseeable future”, which is a rather vague concept. Earlier, some officials in “Eurasian” space mentioned October 9 or 10 as possible dates for Armenia’s joining the EEU (the emerging Union’s summit is scheduled to be held in Minsk, Belarus, during these days). However, there are some indications that not all issues have been agreed upon yet. The pro-opposition Armenian newspaper, Haykakan Zhamanak, for example, cites its sources as saying that the Kazakh Foreign Ministry is not ready for signing the agreement and it has already informed its Armenian and Russian counterparts that they need a little more time.
President of Armenia gives interview to Italian “Corriere dela sera”
Armenpress.am, September 21, 2014,https://armenpress.am/eng/
In its September 21 issue the Italian leading daily “Corriere dela sera” has posted an interview with President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. The interview entitled “In case of collision of Russia and West, Armenia points out the third way” refers to Armenia’s position in the context of Russia-West relations, Middle East crisis, as well as to Nagorno Karabakh and Armenian Genocide relations.
“Armenpress” news agency presents the part of the interview.
Roof of St. Minas Armenian Church collapses in Georgian capital
Panarmenian.net, September 20, 2014, https://www.panarmenian.net/
The roof of the Armenian Church of St. Minas collapsed in Tbilisi over lack of repair on Sept 19, an expert at the agency of cultural heritage of Georgia Gia Sosanidze told Civilnet.
The St. Minas Church, built in 1790 in Tbilisi’s Armenian Havlabar district was in poor condition. Inside the half-dilapidated church almost nothing reminded of its former magnificent self. The residents of the neighboring houses were using the church as a storage area.
“Parliamentary 3” rally will not discuss Armenia’s EaEU accession process
News.am, September 20, 2014, https://news.am/eng/news/
The four non-government National Assembly factions (Armenian National Congress, Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Heritage) do not speak about foreign policy issues amongst themselves, so as to solve the main problem, and not the derivatives.
Opposition Heritage Party Executive Board Vice-Chairman Armen Martirosyan told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.
He noted that from the beginning, when this collaboration had begun among these four parliamentary forces, an agreement was reached on tackling exclusively domestic policy issues.
“Armenia’s problems are not conditioned on the external domain, but the domestic because all the external problems come from the domestic problems. In order for us [Armenia] to have a normal [political] policy, you need to have legitimate authorities who are accountable before the people.
General News on Karabakh
220 Azeri ceasefire violations reported on week of Sept 14-20
Panarmenian.net, September 20, 2014, https://www.panarmenian.net/
220 ceasefire violations by Azeri side were reported at the line of contact between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces from September 14-20.
Azerbaijan fired over 900 shots from various caliber weapons towards the positions of Karabakh defense army, which retains full control of the situation and takes retaliatory measures only in case of necessity.
Armenia-Turkey
'New Turkey' is scary place, says Dink award winner
Todayszaman.com, September 19, 2014, https://www.todayszaman.com/
The Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) oft-quoted promise of a “new Turkey” is a scary place, where rights violations and threats against opponents are common, according to Şebnem Korur Fincancı, the winner of the International Hrant Dink Award and head of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TİHV).
In an interview with Today's Zaman, Fincancı shared her opinions about the government's new slogan -- "new Turkey.” She said: “The new Turkey rhetoric is very scary. This means new violations and more threats, and we are already seeing the signs of this. We know about the actions of this government that promotes the new Turkey. The new Turkey is about having crowds jeer at the mention of a mother who has lost her son.”
Turkey must condemn terrorist act against Der ez-Zor Armenian church - official
Tert.am, September 22, 2014, https://www.tert.am/en/news/
If Turkey has no complicity in the terrorist act against the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church of Der ez-Zor, it must take immediate action towards condemning its destruction, says the head of the Presidential Staff in Facebook post. Noting that the incident coincided with the 23rd anniversary of Armenia’s independence, Vigen Sargsyan calls for an official statement by the country to criticise the monument’s blowup.
“On September 21, which marks Armenia’s independence day, ISIS insurgents mined and blew up the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Der ez-Zor. Der ez-Zor is a desert which became a path to death for the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed in the 1915 Armenian Genocide, plotted and committed by the Ottoman Empire. That’s yet another proof that a crime of genocide continues as long as it remains unrecognized and not fully punished. If Turkey has nothing to do with the terrorist act against the Holy Martyrs’ Church of Der ez-Zor, it must urgently issue a statement condemning the incident,” reads his post.
Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group Publishes Final Report
Asbarez.com, September 19, 2014, https://asbarez.com/127137/
The Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group (AGRSG) has just completed its final report, “Resolution with Justice – Reparations for the Armenian Genocide.” The report offers an unprecedented comprehensive analysis of the legal, historical, political, and ethical dimensions of the question of reparations for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923, including specific recommendations for the components of a complete reparations package.
Prior to formation of the AGRSG in 2007, the limited discourse on reparations for the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide included abstract notions of territorial return, consideration of particular aspects such as insurance lawsuits, academic and other works focused on a specific part of the overall topic, and sometimes valuable short works treating the issue but without comprehensive or detailed analysis.
Catholicosate of Cilicia to Sue Turkey over Historic Headquarters in Sis
Armenianweekly.com, September 19, 2014, https://www.armenianweekly.com/
Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church said the Holy See was preparing to initiate legal claims against Turkey to regain ownership of the historic headquarters of the Catholicosate of Sis. “The Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia will soon present its legal claims to Turkey’s Constitutional Court, demanding the return of its historic seat, the Sis Catholicosate, to its rightful owners—the Armenian Church and the Armenian people,” said His Holiness.
News from International Sources
Armenia Hopes to Become Glittering Gateway for Russian Diamonds
Eurasianet.org, September 19, 2014, https://www.eurasianet.org/
A diamond deal that gives Armenia duty-free access to rough diamonds from Russia could offer Alrosa, the semi-government-owned Russian diamond company that provides roughly 27 percent of the world’s rough-diamond supplies, a dodge from potential European-Unionsanctions, Armenian diamond-industry professionals believe.
About half of Alrosa’s yearly sales occur through the international diamond market in Antwerp, Belgium, a member of the EU. Although the company, which accounts for the bulk of Russia’s diamond mining, does not yet feature on a sanctions list for Russian actions in Ukraine, it has stated that it has begun to work “out some options for reducing this risk;” namely, by increasing sales to clients “in other jurisdictions.”
News from Azerbaijani Sources
Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu completes official visit to Azerbaijan
Today.az, September 20, 2014, https://www.today.az/news/
Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu has today ended his official visit to Azerbaijan.“I`m proud of Azerbaijan`s rapid development that I see each time I visit the country,” said the Turkish Premier, who is on an official visit to Baku. “Only two issues have remained unchanged amid the crises of recent years. First, Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood has remained unchanged. Second, there has been no delay in the development of either Azerbaijan or Turkey. Our countries are developing at a rapid place.”
Mr. Davutoglu said that as the prime minister he paid his first visit to Azerbaijan, adding he had spared no efforts to serve the people of Turkey and Azerbaijan regardless of his post.
He touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying Turkey “has always backed Azerbaijan`s just stance”.
“Settlement of the problem, restoration of brotherly Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity is important to Turkey as much as it is important to Azerbaijan.”