Turkic Organizations Sign Joint Action Strategy (Ottoman Empire in Rendering Mode)
ANKARA—Organizational leaders from member countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States met in Ankara and signed a joint action strategy agreement to coordinate activities, reported the Azeri Trend news agency on Wednesday.
The second such gathering, the meeting was chaired by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag, who is charged with representing Turks living abroad, was attended by the heads of Turkic organizations in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee, Valekh Hajiyev, represented Azerbaijan at the meeting.
The meeting stressed the importance of a “Strategy of joint activities of ‘Diaspora’ organizations of Turkic states”. The head of the Department for Turks abroad and related communities Kemal Yurtnac highlighted the importance of the meeting claiming that its results will become apparent in the coming years.
“In particular, we believe it is very important to take this step along with all the Turkic countries. I believe that Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will join us,” Yurtnac said.
In his speech, Valekh Hajiyev stressed the importance of combining the Turkic peoples as one “diaspora” to solve “problems of the Turkic world.”
Joint activities of the peoples will give them confidence, contribute to their promotion and help the Turkic peoples to take a different position in the future.
Hajiyev said the first Forum of Heads of Diaspora Organizations of Member Countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States was held in Baku as Azerbaijan also considers the issue important.
Bozdag, stressing the importance of the meeting, said the joint activities of communities abroad play an important role in resolution of many problems.
He noted that the Turkic Republics should make inter-republic relations productive, calling to base the joint work on a common culture.
“As a government, we will do our best to support the work in this direction,” Bozdag said.
Then, the member countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States signed a joint actions strategy agreement.
The program of the first Forum of Heads of Diaspora Organizations of Member Countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, which will be held on June 21 in Baku, was also discussed within the meeting. It was decided that the panel discussions in three directions – America, Canada; Europe; Asia and the CIS will be organized within the forum along with the general session.
Amnesty International: Azerbaijan criminalizes free speech online ahead of elections
The Azerbaijani authorities must not use the upcoming presidential election as a pretext to silence critical voices and meaningful debate, Amnesty International said following a move to extend criminal defamation laws to the internet.
On 14 May, the Azerbaijani Parliament approved an amendment to the country’s defamation law to impose hefty fines and prison sentences for anyone convicted of online slander or insults. The new legislation constitutes a further attack of freedom of expression in Azerbaijan.
According to the state news agency APA, those found guilty of slander face a fine of up to 500 Azeri manat (US$637), corrective labour of up to one year or jail time of up to six months. The punishment for an online “insult” is even harsher – fines of up to 1,000 Azeri manat, one year of corrective labour or imprisonment of up to six months.
This is just the latest in ever-more restrictive measures – including actions to muzzle mainstream media outlets and the introduction of harsher punishment for peaceful protesters – ahead of October’s election.
“The Azerbaijani authorities’ fear of critical voices has already led them to attempt to keep peaceful protesters off the streets and to muzzle the mainstream media. This new law aims to shut down one of the few last resorts of legitimate protest – the internet,” said David Diaz-Jogeix, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Europe and Central Asia Programme.
“It’s clear from the timing of these ever-more restrictive measures that the authorities want to prevent any critical voices or meaningful political debate from taking place ahead of October’s election.”
“The high fines proposed under this law will have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, leading to self-censorship among independent voices and activists.”
The government of Ilham Aliyev – who has been in power for the past decade, following a decade of his father being in power – has been keeping a tight grasp on the public opinion by restricting severely freedom of expression in Azerbaijan ahead of October’s presidential election.
In addition to the legislative measures introduced in recent months, opposition candidates have been violently attacked, activists have frequently been detained during anti-government protests, and independent journalists have been attacked or prevented from carrying out their work.
Even before the recent defamation laws, criticism of the President’s family has often provoked a swift and harsh response from the authorities. In March 2012 two musicians were arrested and tortured after they insulted the President’s late mother during a public performance.
Mining industry developing in Artsakh
On May 15, President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan visited the southern wing of the Kashatagh province to inspect on site the implementation of several socioeconomic projects.
President Sahakyan met with the residents of Kovsakan town, voicing confidence that the existing problems will remain in the focus of the authorities’ attention.
He further visited the Tondirget gold mine and stressed the importance of the mining industry plant for Kashatagh province and the republic in general.
Visits to the Araks branch of the Hadrout Agroeconomy CJSC and the military units located in the south of the republic were also on President Sahakyan’s agenda. He noted that the existence of Hadrout Agroeconomy CJSC will contribute to the agricultural development of the area, Central Information Department at the Artsakh President’s Office reported.
Armenia, Germany to intensify economic relations
German delegation led by Executive Director of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations Rainer Lindner visited Armenia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as part of official visit to Armenia.
Head of the chamber Arayik Vardanyan briefed the guests on the current level of Armenian-German trade turnover and the country’s potential in the field.
German ambassador to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt, Mr. Lindner, executive director of Cronimet Corporation and RA consul in Baden-Württemberg Günter Pilarsky stressed the need to activate economic relations in Armenian provinces, particularly in the joint production of agriculture cars. The necessity to hold regular meetings was mutually stressed, the press service of Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported.
Kansas military officials hail cooperation with Armenia
PanARMENIAN.Net – The Kansas adjutant general and top officials with the Armenian Ministry of Defense say a 10-year relationship between the state and Armenia has yielded benefits for both groups, El Dorado Times reported.
Delegations from Kansas and Armenia have worked since 2003 to forge ties within their military, government, business and legal communities.
Sergey Abrahamyan, a defense ministry official, said Wednesday, May 16, Armenia has learned a lot from Kansas that it is using in its new democracy. His visit this week was a follow up to a recent delegation visit to view the American legal system.
Previous Kansas delegations to Armenia have helped establish a noncommissioned officer program in the military and emergency medical services.
Australian politician speaks on Western Armenia visit
PanARMENIAN.Net – Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, Walt Secord, who is also the Deputy Co-Chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Armenian Group, delivered a powerful speech in Parliament recounting his recent visit to Western Armenia, armenia.com.au reports.
Secord made history in 2011 by becoming the first Australian politician to visit the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. And in December 2012, Secord returned to Armenia to take part in an expedition to Western Armenia and visit towns and cities, which were completely emptied during the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
The tour, which commenced in Yerevan, took Secord north through Gyumri, into the heavily Armenian populated region of Javakhk in Georgia, and then onto the cities of Kars, Van, Ani, Idgir and Akhtamar.
Upon his return to Australia, Secord remarked: “My visit to western Armenia was the most interesting study tour I have undertaken in my life.”
The seven-day visit, which was organized and partially funded by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), allowed Secord to continue his “exploration of the Armenian genocide”, and allowed him to “see modern Turkey within the context of the interaction between Islam and the West”.
The trip put into perspective the extensive destruction of the Armenian populated regions during the Armenian genocide.
In his speech in Parliament, Secord said: “Of course, official denial is a vital component of oppression and genocide. This is why I will never apologise for my inquiry into the Armenian story or my support for the Armenian community. As I have said in Yerevan, in the Parliament of New South Wales and on many other occasions, it is repugnant for Turkey to deny the deaths of the 1.5 million Armenians.”
Executive Director of ANC Australia, Vache Kahramanian thanked Secord for his continued support to ensure the recognition of the Armenian genocide and for his continued support of the Armenian-Australian community.
“We are grateful for Mr. Secord’s continued efforts in ensuring the just recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” Kahramanian said.
“This trip allowed for the Honourable Member to experience first hand the destruction that fell upon the Armenian people nearly a century ago. Mr. Secord is a dear friend of the Armenian-Australian community and a true champion of human rights.”
Walt Secord will again visit Armenia as part of the New South Wales Parliamentary Friends of Armenian Group delegation in July this year.
Kılıçdaroğlu: Durring CHP’s meeting with EU Socialist group (very little difference between Erdoğan and al-Assad)
BRUSSELS
Kılıçdaroğlu told a group of Turkish reporters that there was very little difference between Erdoğan and al-Assad in terms of democracy. “Between al-Assad and Erdoğan there is only a difference of shades. Both are oppressive, both have special courts and prosecutors. Media bosses call and ask which journalist is to be put [in jail]. Instructions are given to media. What difference do they have in terms of democracy?”
Turkey’s state-run TPAO joins with Exxon, Iraqi Kurds in oil exploration ( Iraq war dividend to Turkey???)
Day by day it is clear who was behind Iraqi WAR. Was Turkish Government behind distraction of IRAQ?
After Iraqi war day by day Turkish Government taking full control of northern Iraqi resource, in-fact almost 60% of all Kurdish region economy is under Turkish government control. Turkish economy in year 2002 before Iraqi war it was less than $200 Billion after the war today Turkish economy is $1.2 Trillion. How much will Syrian destruction bring to Turkey?
Comment by: www.gagrule.net
ANKARA – Reuters
Turkish state oil company Turkish Petroleum (TPAO) is partnering with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Exxon Mobil to carry out oil exploration in northern Iraq, Turkey’s prime minister said on Tuesday, taking Turkey’s cooperation with Iraqi Kurds on energy one step further.
Exxon, a global oil company based in Texas, was the first to sign up for exploration deals with the KRG. Others including Chevron, Total and Russia’s Gazprom Neft have followed.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan said an agreement was in place for a Turkish company to become a partner with Exxon and the KRG and that details would be clearer after his U.S. visit.
“Our oil company already has an agreement with Exxon Mobil in place … This is a step with the KRG on exploration work,” Erdoğan told reporters at Ankara airport before heading to the United States for an official visit. He is due to meet U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday.
Until now, resource-hungry Turkey has been a customer and a transportation outlet for oil exports from the Kurdish region. With this agreement, the Turks would play an active role in exploiting Iraqi Kurdistan’s rich hydrocarbon resources.
Washington, wary of the divisions between Baghdad and the Kurdish region, has urged passage of a long-delayed national oil law to resolve the standoff, which has intensified since the last U.S. troops left in December 2011.
“We will develop our steps after this visit,” Erdoğan said, referring to the plans for northern Iraq, without specifying what the agreement would involve.
The Turkish company will take equity stakes in a partnership with Exxon and KRG and would become part of the production-sharing agreement, an Ankara-based energy source said.
Another energy official in Ankara said any contracts would be in the form of commercial agreements signed between companies, not an agreement between governments.
During his U.S. visit, Erdoğan will seek Obama’s support for further energy deals that Turkish companies are hoping to strike in northern Iraq.
Students protest Turkish Foreign Ministry
ANKARA – Doğan News Agency
A group of university students attempting to march on the Turkish Foreign Ministry to protest against the Reyhanlı bombings and the government’s policies on Syria has been raided by security forces today.
Police intervened in the demonstration by Middle East Technical University (METU) students with gas bombs before the students had even left their campuses.
Another group of 20 students from the Ankara University started their protest in front of the Foreign Ministry and called on Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to resign.
Police did not allow the group’s attempt to make press statement. Then the students staged a sit-in protest but police intervened to prevent it. Some 15 students were detained and a student was wounded when a gas bomb capsule hit her in the eye.