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BigCaucasus about how Armenian volunteers defeated Chechen mercenaries in Karabakh who fought for Azerbaijan

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“The president of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has recently made a rather interesting statement. Kadyrov has declared that the Chechen mercenaries have been involved in hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh,” reads the article in the “BigCaucasus”, which also contains Kadyrov’s record on the LiveJournal’s service: “The Chechen mercenaries were involved in the armed forces of both sides (of the conflict) in Nagorno-Karabakh war.”

g_image.php23The “BigCaucasus” notes that immediately after the statement of the president of Chechnya, the MFA of Nagorno Karabakh gave a rather deployed comment on the situation. “The statements that Chechen mercenaries fought for the Karabakh Armenians are absolutely untrue. Unlike Azerbaijan, no mercenaries of any nationality have ever fought on the NKR side,” the statement of the MFA of NKR read.

“Numerous facts testify that in 1992-1993, about 3.000 Afghan mojahedins, as well as Chechen detachments headed by Shamil Basayev fought against the Karabakh Army. In early July 1992, the Chechen mercenaries in Nagorno Karabakh amounted to about 300. In July 1993, Chechen-Press Agency reported about Chechens՛ participation in the military activities in Nagorno Karabakh, which was confirmed by the first losses among them,” the MFA of Nagorno Karabakh reports.

Maj. Gen. Astvatsatur Petrosyan the commander of the “Eagles bombers” squad told the “BigCaucasus” about the details of participation of Chechen squads in the Karabakh war. “Chechens fought in Karabakh, but not on the Armenians’ side. When they were taken hostage they presented themselves as Russians or representatives of other nationalities. They would not have fought for the Christians,” the general said.

He also noted that a detachment of Cossacks from Transnistria fought on the Armenians’ side for a short time, but losing 7 people in one of the battles in September 1992, they confessed that it was very difficult to fight in Karabakh.

There were moments during the fighting in Karabakh when the Armenian and Chechen troops were to fight against one another.
“During the fight of 1992, we saw about 70 militants at Karmaravan city, who were fighting for Azerbaijan. They stood out by the black uniform that they were wearing on. When we shot down their armor and took some of them as captives, it turned out that those were Chechen mercenaries who were fighting in Karabakh for the Azerbaijani Armed Forces,” he said.

The captivated Chechens confessed that they were promised to be given salary at a rate of 15 thousand rubles, with the prospect of rising to 40,000.

Petrossian is one of the three generals who have developed and successfully carried out an operation to free the fortress city of Shushi. He leads a simple life; he speaks of war only when the journalists ask him to do.

The general reminded that the Azerbaijani side also used the Russian and Tatar militants to carry out sabotage in the rear of the Armenian forces. “During the war, a detachment of 15 people, mostly Russian and Tatar, had, reportedly, expressed desire to fight on our side. However, we quickly figured out that this was a well trained team sent by Baku aimed at carrying out sabotage in the rear of our troops. We have figured out and quickly neutralized them,” the general said.

As A. Petrosyan told, Shamil Basayev was in Karabakh twice – in 1992 and 1994. “Both Basayev and Dudayev were professional soldiers, who had finished the school of the General Staff of the USSR. Basayev participated in the Karabakh not just as an envoy of Soviet KGB. This structure functioned against the Armenians during the war. Basayev was in Azerbaijani training center. He was well trained; he was involved in coaching and training the troops of Azerbaijani AF. He was not involved in the fights personally,” said the general, noting that in 1992 the Armenian units surrounded, and then occupied the Azerbaijani training center, and Basayev managed to move to Georgia.

As stated in the material, in those days the media wrote that the Chechen rebels had left the war stage after suffering significant losses. In 2000, Basayev gave an interview to ANS Azerbaijani TV Company, admitting his involvement in the Karabakh war: “We came to fight in Karabakh not for trophies, but for the idea of jihad“. However, Basayev told, “when we arrived at the scene and saw the situation, we realized that there was no sign of jihad”.

Source: Panorama.am

Armenian flag raised outside Strasburg City Hall

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May 17, 2013 – 20:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian flag hoisting ceremony took place outside Strasburg City Hall on May 16. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Andorra Gilbert Saboya Sunyé, ambassadors accredited in Strasburg and 158679representatives of Armenian community attended the event.

Minister Nalbandian noted Strasbourg as a seat of the Council of Europe, symbol of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

“Strasbourg represents European diversity with its cultural heritage and architectural diversity. RA chairmanship will enable Strasbourg residents to familiarize themselves with Armenia and Armenian heritage,” he said.

Resolution on Genocide introduced in U.S. House of Representatives

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May 17, 2013 – 09:18 AMT

Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Michael Grimm (R-NY), along with David Valadao (R-CA) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), introduced a bipartisan House Resolution recognizing and commemorating the Armenian Genocide in the House of Representatives, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

g_image.php123The resolution calls upon the President to work toward equitable, constructive, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkey’s full acknowledgement of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution of this crime against humanity.

“The facts of history are well-settled – 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children were deliberately murdered in the first genocide of the 20th Century,” Rep. Schiff said. “With each passing day, we lose a few more of the dwindling number of survivors. We should all feel a powerful sense of urgency, and the profound call of moral duty to recognize the Armenian Genocide unequivocally and without delay.”

“Almost a century ago, over a million Armenian men, women, and innocent children were mercilessly put to death by forces of the Ottoman Empire in a horrifying attempt to wipe them from the face of the earth,” said Rep. Grimm. “The U.S. has tirelessly defended justice and human rights throughout the world, and we have a solemn duty to recognize, once and for all, the injustices of the Armenian Genocide. On behalf of the Armenian community in New York City, I am proud to join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in introducing Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Act.”

Congressman Valadao stated, “Many of those able to flee during the genocide immigrated to the United States and settled in California. Today, their families continue to grow, thrive, and instill their cultural heritage in their adopted communities. However, the sense of loss as a result of these horrific acts runs deep as many Armenian-Americans in my district personally know a friend or family member who was unable to escape the genocide. We must ensure that the United States government properly acknowledges what so many already know to be true.”

“The time for the U.S. to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide is long overdue,” said Congressman Frank Pallone, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. “Armenia stands as a resilient ally of the United States and a nation dedicated to democracy and regional stability, and the Resolution introduced today shows that we will not stand idly by when the truth of this genocide is distorted by the Turkish government.”

Greek and Armenian Americans urge for conditions on Turkey trade deal

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May 17, 2013 – 20:58 AMT

As Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan continues his visit to Washington, DC, the leaders of the Greek American and Armenian American communities have joined together in formally calling upon the White House to set strict legal conditions on any new trade agreements involving Turkey, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

158761The Turkish government has, in the months leading up to this week’s Obama-Erdogan summit, aggressively pushed for Turkey’s inclusion in a far-ranging Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and the European Union, as well as for its own bilateral free trade agreement with the United States. The American Hellenic Institute (AHI), the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), and the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), in May 10th testimony submitted to the U.S. Trade Representatives, argued forcefully for any such agreements to “require, as a statutory precondition, that the Turkish government fully withdraw its unlawful and brutal military occupation of Cyprus, where human rights and religious freedom are routinely violated, unconditionally lift its illegal economic blockade of Armenia, and immediately end all obstacles to trade, investment, and other forms of commerce it currently imposes on Cyprus and Armenia.”

While welcoming, as a general principle, the U.S. Trade Representative’s commitment to the growth of international trading relations based upon the rule of law, the three organizations stressed that, “in the case of Turkey, we would not advance our national interests, further our economic prosperity, or promote our core values by rewarding a nation that so egregiously and flagrantly undermines the integrity of the global trading system by occupying a European Union member state and refusing to end its two decade blockade of landlocked Armenia.”

Turkic Organizations Sign Joint Action Strategy (Ottoman Empire in Rendering Mode)

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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 turk_diasporaabroad, 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

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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 amnesty-international-1-620x300anyone 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

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May 16, 2013 – 14:03 AMT

On May 15, President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan visited the southern wing of the Kashatagh province to inspect on site the 158462implementation 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

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May 16, 2013 – 15:23 AMT

German delegation led by Executive Director of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations Rainer Lindner visited Armenia’s Chamber of 158476Commerce 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

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May 16, 2013 – 15:18 AMT

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.