Moscow will not forgive Turkey’s aiding and abetting terrorists but will stay friendly towards the Turkish people, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Italy’s Limes magazine, the news agency TASS reports.
Turkey’s denial of observation flight hinders efforts to overcome crisis Russia insists on closing Turkish-Syrian border — FM Syrian Foreign Ministry says Turkish artillery shelled Latakia’s outskirt in Syria Turkey gave no proof of alleged violation of its airspace by Russian warplane — general Russia waiting for explanation from NATO over shelling of Syrian territory from Turkey “We will not forgive this aiding and abetting terrorists,” he said. “But we have never put an equal mark between some of the current ruling establishment that bear direct responsibility for the death of our servicemens in Syria, and our old and reliable friends among the Turkish people.” The Russian top diplomat stressed that anti-terrorism efforts, as well as Syrian settlement are of principal importance for Russia.
“That is why the attack of the Turkish air force on the Russian bomber cannot change our approaches,” he said.
“If Turkey’s provocation was meant to achieve this goal, its inventors have obviously failed.” According to the Russian diplomat, after Turkey’s attack on the Russian Su-24 bomber in November a moment of truth arrived in the fight against terrorism. “Ankara’s move was an unprecedented challenge for the Russian Federation,” Lavrov said. “It is evident that such actions could not but impact the Russian-Turkish relations, and the confidence for Turkey as a partner has been seriously shattered,” Lavrov said.
Armenian National committee of America ANCA published Presidential Candidate Overview – 2016
Over the years, the ANCA has maintained records, to the extent available, of statements and actions taken by Presidential candidates on Armenian American concerns. The records of the 2016 Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates is provided below.
>> Do you have additional information about a candidate’s record on Armenian American concerns? We want to ensure we provide each candidate’s complete picture on Armenian American concerns. Please email us at election@anca.org.
>> Want to encourage the U.S. Presidential candidates to explain their platform positions on Armenian American concerns? Send them a free ANCA WebMail.
>Going to a Presidential candidate townhall or forum? Here are some sample questions on Armenian American concerns you may wish to ask. Please share any responses – or photos with the U.S. presidential candidates by emailing election@anca.org
Source: https://anca.org/elections/
Bernie Sanders urges raw vote count release from Iowa caucus after virtual tie with Clinton
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. © Mark Kauzlarich / Reuters
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has urged a raw vote count release from the Iowa caucus, after results showed Hillary Clinton beating him by just .4 percentage points.
Sanders spoke of an unfolding controversy at certain Iowa precincts which did not have enough Democratic party volunteers to report delegate totals.
He called on officials to reveal underlying voter totals, a strategy which is not not typically practiced in Iowa.
Only projections of how many Democrats turn out to each Iowa precinct are typically released. Candidates are awarded on a precinct-by-precinct basis, regardless of the state-wide vote for each person.
“I honestly don’t know what happened. I know there are some precincts that have still not reported. I can only hope and expect that the count will be honest,” he said, as quoted by the Guardian.
“I have no idea, did we win the popular vote? I don’t know, but as much information as possible should be made available,” he continued.
Sanders’ campaign director, Jeff Weaver, said he did not “anticipate we are going to contest” specific results, but hoped there would be an investigation into the situation.
There were six instances where a coin was tossed to determine the Iowa winner, and Clinton won all six.
Despite any possible controversy, Sanders expressed optimism on Monday night, saying: “Tonight shows the American people that this is a campaign that can win.”
Chilean activists: Massive protest against Turkish dictator Erdoğan’s arrival in Santiago
Chilean activists protested the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in front of the presidential palace in Santiago on Monday.
The protesters slammed the president, accusing him of being one with the radical terrorist group the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Protestors held signs that read “Erdoğan is ISIS [ISIL]” and “ISIS is the army of Erdoğan.”
The group also expressed solidarity with the Kurdish population in Turkey‘s Southeast by holding a sign that read “The Kurdish people are not alone.”
Some protesters were taken into custody during the demonstration.
US election: Texas senator Ted Cruz wins Iowa Republican vote
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has won the Iowa Republican caucuses, the first vote of the US 2016 presidential election,
“Tonight is a victory for courageous conservatives,” he declared, to great applause, as he railed against Washington, lobbyists and the media.
He took 28% of the Republican vote, beating his rival, the once frontrunner Donald Trump, and Marco Rubio.
Votes in the Democratic race are still being counted, and suggest a tight race between the two leading candidates.
With 85% of results in, frontrunner Hillary Clinton and self-proclaimed Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders are less than 1% apart.
As country music blared across the loud speaker, Mr Cruz, relishing his victory, took his time coming to the stage hugging supporters, family and staff.
“Iowa has sent notice that the republican nominee and the next president of the United States will not be chosen by the media, will not be chosen by the Washington establishment,” he said. “Tonight is a victory for courageous conservatives across Iowa and all across this great nation”.
Mr Trump congratulated the Texas senator and said he was “honoured” by the second-place finish.
Mr Rubio, who has struggled to gain traction in recent months, has performed far better than expected, and finished in third place – just one percentage point off of Mr Trump.
Armenian Assembly of America opposes $4 bln bailout for Azerbaijan
In a letter sent this week to Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) urged the U.S. to oppose any proposed bailout for Azerbaijan‘s corrupt and authoritarian regime, especially with U.S. taxpayer dollars.
According to recent media reports, the U.S.-backed International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank are contemplating a $4 billion bailout for Azerbaijan, while at the same time Standard and Poor’s downgraded Azerbaijan’s bond rating sending a warning to investors that they are considered speculative junk.
“Rather than reward one of the most corrupt dictatorships in the world, whose president, Ilham Aliyev, received the first ever Organized Crime and Corruption Person of the Year award, bestowed by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Azerbaijan should be urged to make much needed reforms and use its oil resources for the betterment of its people and not at the expense of Christian Armenians,” the Assembly letter stated. Further, the letter highlighted that “Azerbaijan’s president continues his policy of trying to resolve the dispute over Nagorno Karabakh by threatening to wipe Armenia off of the map.”
The Assembly’s response comes as 2015 saw the highest number of Armenian casualties of Azerbaijani snipers and heavy artillery fire since the 1994 ceasefire agreement, including the targeting of Armenian schools and other civilian areas along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact.
“The notion of bailing out a corrupt, foreign regime that continues to blockade and attack its Christian neighbor is out of step with America’s values,” stated Assembly Board Co-Chairmen Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian. “We urge the United States to use its considerable influence as a leading member of the IMF and World Bank to oppose any such bailout,” they continued.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues.
Russian Defense Ministry Denies Violation of Turkish Airspace by Su-34 “propaganda”
The Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday that no Russian aircraft had violated Turkish airspace, adding that neither Russian air defense in Syria, nor Syrian radards had detected violations of Turkish borders by a Russian Su-34 warplane as Ankara claimed earlier in the day.
Turkey’s reports of an alleged violation of Turkish airspace by a Russian Su-34 are unfounded and “propaganda,” the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.
“There were no violations of Turkish airspace by aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic. Turkish authorities’ statements of an alleged violation of Turkish airspace by a Russian Su-34 jet are naked propaganda,” Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.
The alleged incident involving a Su-34 fighter bomber took place on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said earlier in the day, adding that the plane had been warned by Turkish air radar units.
“None of these radars are able to establish the type and affiliation of an aircraft — whether it belongs to Russia or to the so-called US-led anti-ISIL [Daesh] coalition,” Konashenkov told reporters.
He emphasized that neither Russian air defense systems in Syria nor Syrian radar stations detected any violations of the Turkey-Syria border.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said earlier in the day it had summoned the Russian ambassador after an alleged incident involving a Su-34 fighter bomber. On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin after the incident.
© SPUTNIK/ ALEXEI DRUZHININ
Russia’s Reaction to Turkey Downing Su-24 ‘Is More Than Reserved’ – Putin
On November 24, a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board over Syria. Ankara claimed it had downed the Russian warplane as it had allegedly violated Turkish airspace. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command have confirmed that the Russian jet never crossed into Turkish airspace.
In response to Ankara’s “stab in the back,” as the incident has been described by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow imposed a number of economic measures on Turkey.
Armenia, will be in the first semifinal of Eurovision 2016 May 10 next in Stockholm (Sweden)
Armenia will be in the first semifinal of Eurovision-2016 on May 10 in Stockholm, Sweden. Armenia will be joined by Croatia, Finland, Moldova, Greece, Hungary, Russia, the Netherlands, San Marino, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Iceland, Austria, Sweden, and Spain. The other semifinal will take place on May 12 43 countries will participate in Eurovision 2016. It’s Iveta Mukuchyan will represent Armenia at Eurovision 2016.
Krikor Amirzayan
Armenian Genocide Committee Plans Rally for Justice on April 24
We call upon all segments of our community to join together in a RALLY FOR JUSTICE on Sunday, April 24, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights in Los Angeles in front of the Turkish Consulate as we continue to fight for a just resolution and against denial of the Armenian Genocide.
As we enter the second century of denial of the Armenian Genocide, and following the worldwide uprising of the Armenian People on the occasion of last year’s Centennial, including the 166,000 thousand who marched through the streets of Los Angeles, organizational leaders in Southern California call upon the Armenian-American community to remain vigilant and active as we continue to voice our collective demands for justice.
It is our belief that our voices are most loudly and effectively heard when they are unified, and to that end, we proudly announce the continued cooperation of community organizations to organize and execute the commemorative activities for this year under the banner of the newly formed Armenian Genocide Committee (“AGC”) consisting of the organizations and entities listed below.
Further details will be forthcoming in the coming weeks.
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMITTEE
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Catholic Church of North America
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Social Democratic Hunchakian Party
Armenian General Benevolent Union – Western District
Armenian Relief Society – Western USA
Armenian Youth Federation
Armenian Assembly of America
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
Armenian Council of America
Armenian Rights Council
Armenian Bar Association
Organization of Istanbul Armenians
Did US VP Biden Guarantee Turkey annexion of Mosul, Trouble Brewing in Syria Preparing for Advance?
US Vice President Joe Biden’s recent visit to Turkey indicates that Washington is not inclined to pressure Ankara into halting its anti-Kurdish crackdown nor its military deployments near the rich Iraqi oilfields of Mosul, F. William Engdahl notes.
On January 24 US Vice President Joseph Biden held intensive meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
F. William Engdahl, American-German researcher, historian and strategic risk consultant, believes that the Obama administration manipulates both the ambitious Turkish President Erdogan and the impulsive Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, indulging their militarism and greed.
“The Washington game seems to be to give the Saudi-Turkish duo enough rope to hang themselves in a mad power grab of Syrian and Iraqi oil riches and perhaps, if they are really mad enough, of Iran’s oilfields too,” the researcher remarks in his article for New Eastern Outlook.
Anyway, Biden’s visit has indicated clearly that Washington still supports the Erdogan regime and is turning a blind eye to the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Turkish and Syrian Kurds by Ankara “thinly veiled” as a war against PKK (the Kurdistan Worker’s Party) and de facto occupation of Iraqi territories near Mosul by Turkey’s military.
Remarkably, Ankara has no scruples about equating the Syrian leadership, Kurdish PKK and YPG (People’s Defense Units), fighting terrorists in Syria, to Daesh (Islamic State/ISIL) and al-Qaeda’s affiliate al-Nusra Front.
According to Turkish PM Davutoglu, there are three threats in Syria: “One is the regime [of Bashar al-Assad], another is Daesh, and the third is the YPG,” he said as cited by Hurriyet, Turkey’s mainstream liberal media outlet.
“Turkey sees no difference between terrorists groups such as Daesh, PKK, DHKP-C [the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front] or al-Nusra,” Davutoglu added.
As for Turkey’s military deployments near the rich oilfields of Mosul, Deniz Zeyrek of Hurriyet reported Monday that during Joe Biden’s visit the Turkish side proposed a project to Washington “to calm Iraq’s unease.”
“According to the project, which found support from the US, NATO and the US anti-ISIL coalition will jointly operate at the training base in Bashiqa [a town in the Mosul District]. Nonetheless, no logistical change will be made at the base other than a sign showing that an international force is deployed there. The Iraqi army will be allowed to have a representative as part of the international coalition,” Zeyrek wrote, citing sources with the knowledge of the matter.
It seems that there are little if any contradictions between Ankara’s foreign policy in the region and Washington’s Middle Eastern agenda.
“In fact, Biden discussed US military support, unspecified, for a Turkish military move to take the oilfields of Mosul,” Engdahl notes.
“Further, the US Vice President apparently said not a word about the continuing illegal smuggling of Iraqi and Syrian oil by ISIS [Daesh] into Turkey where Erdogan’s son ships it to world markets, financing the ISIS terror inside Syria Biden claims to oppose,” he adds.
The researcher calls attention to the fact that Biden signaled that the United States and Turkey are ready to seek a military solution in Syria if the diplomatic Geneva talks fail.
“We do know that it would be better if we can reach a political solution but we are prepared — we are prepared if that’s not possible — to have a military solution to this operation in taking out Daesh,” Biden stated.
Interestingly enough, the statement came after US Defense Secretary Ashton’s announcement of the Pentagon’s new strategy in Syria that envisages more boots on the ground in the region. Furthermore, rumors are still simmering regarding the US increasing military deployments at the Syrian Rmeilan airfield.
Engdahl stresses that at the same time Turkey has gained more influence in the region.
“In March this year, as a result of collusion between the Saudi monarchy of Salman and Erdogan, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was coerced to hand over a vital political post to Erdogan,” he notes, explaining that Erdogan will soon lead the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a powerful and influential organization regarded by many as the Muslim ‘UN.’
According to the researcher, the ongoing preparations signal “something very big and very dramatic in the coming few months in the Middle East.”
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