VIENNA: Mayor Thierry Kovacs strengthens the bonds of his city with the Nagorno-Karabakh

October 31, 2016 By administrator

vienna-mayor-karabakh Thierry Kovacs, Mayor of Vienna, President of ViennAgglo and regional councilor, received officially at the Vienna City Hall on October 21, ahead of a conference at the MCA Vienna, Hovhannes Gevorkian, representative of the Republic of Karabakh in France, François Rochebloine, MP of the Loire and president of the friendship circle France-Karabakh and Loussiné Movsisyan, vice-consul of Armenia in Lyon, in the presence of representatives of the Viennese Armenian community.

On this occasion, Thierry Kovacs recalled the friendship between the City of Vienna and the Armenian people, fed by an old presence of Armenian survivors of the genocide in Vienna, and thus a common history that has contributed to the development and influence City and at the same time that the Viennese can remain indifferent today to all aspects of near or far to the Armenian cause.

This is so in respect of the fight karabaghtsi people’s right to live freely on their land, to exist as a sovereign nation and willing to build an exemplary democracy. A friendship charter had also been signed in February 2014 between Vienna and Hadrut in Karabakh in order to materialize this support Viennese residents of Karabakh.

This charter was challenged by the State representative in the department earlier this year and it was therefore ordered the Vienna mayor not to pursue this cooperation with the City of Hadrut.

On the occasion of this meeting with Mrs. Movsisyan, gentlemen Guevorkian and Rochebloine Thierry Kovacs has held in the name of friendship between Vienna and Armenia but also in terms of its numerous meetings with the French of Armenian origin as the Armenians of Armenia, to indicate that under no circumstances can be no question for him to yield to the dictates of the state and the French government.

Under what:

1 Thierry Kovacs announced that the Charter of friendship between the City of Vienna and Hadrut not only would not be removed but it is still relevant;

2 He officially requested the President Rochebloine who agreed to join the Friendship Circle France-Karabakh;

3 He said that during an upcoming trip to Goris, twin city of Vienna, he would visit the Nagorno Karabakh Hadrut and specifically to strengthen the bonds of friendship.

Monday, October 31, 2016,
Claire © armenews.com

Paris mayor visits Armenian Genocide Memorial

October 8, 2016 By administrator

paris-mayor-genocide YEREVAN. – Mayor Anne Hidalgo of Paris on Saturday paid a visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial, in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan.

The mayor of the French capital city paid tribute to the innocent victims of this tragedy, and placed flowers at the Eternal Flame.

Hidalgo, who arrived in Yerevan on Friday evening, also toured the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and signed its honorary guestbook.

“Truth, recollection of history shapes the future of humanity. With respects, Anne Hidalgo,” she wrote on the guestbook.

In addition, Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Director Hayk Demoyan presented a letter of thanks to the guest of honor, and for organizing an Armenian Genocide Centennial exhibition last year in Paris.

At the end of her visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Anne Hidalgo planted a fir at the Memory Alley of the memorial.

FRANCE: The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo leaves today for Yerevan

October 7, 2016 By administrator

The mayor of Paris leaves today for Yerevan where she will conduct a 3-day visit. Accompanied by a large delegation of elected officials and Paris, Anne Hidalgo will notably received by Serzh Sargsyan, President of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Taron Margaryan, Mayor of Yerevan. She will collect the genocide memorial and participate especially in the solemn ceremony of Erebuni-Yerevan 2798.

Friday, October 7, 2016,
Ara © armenews.com

Terrorist State of Turkey News District mayor from pro-Kurdish party detained

March 5, 2016 By administrator

Emine Esmer, the co-mayor of Şırnak’s Silopi district, who was elected on the ticket of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), was taken into custody by the police Friday morning, the Doğan news agency reported.

Esmer was detained, along with her driver Cemal Yiğit, while she was at the mayoral building. Esmer and Yiğit were taken to a police station. While the cause of the detention remains unknown, the pair had been briefly apprehended in late February on a number of charges such as being a member of an outlawed organization, malpractice and enabling an outlawed organization to utilize public property. They had both been released pending trial by a court.

Kurdish Mayor of Igdir Installs ‘Welcome’ Sign in Armenian

September 23, 2015 By administrator

The newly-installed signs welcome visitors to Tuzluca in Turkish, Kurdish, English, and Armenian (Source: Public Radio of Armenia)

IGDIR, Turkey (Combined Sources)—A sign near the entrance to the town of Tuzluca (Koghb) in Turkey’s Igdir province welcomes visitors in four languages, including Armenian.

Mehmet Gultekin, Mayor of Tuzluca and a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, said that the word “Welcome” was written on the sign in Armenian because the town borders Armenia and used to be inhabited by Armenians, who called it Koghb.

Gultekin stressed that although the names of many places in Turkey have been renamed, people continue to call them by their Armenian names.

“Before the establishment of the Turkish Republic, Tuzluca had been an Armenian-populated area. An Armenian cemetery has been preserved, which is called [the] Armenian cemetery [by] people. Armenians lived here; they created this region and wrote history. We treated all this with respect and wrote ‘Welcome’ in Armenian. We don’t feel uncomfortable writing in Armenian. On the contrary, we are very happy. We’ll again make friends with Armenia, trade together and develop tourism. Armenians are our brothers and nothing will hinder our plans,” Gultekin said.

Meanwhile, ermenihaber.am reports that the so-called “Turkish Organization for Fighting Against Baseless Armenian Allegations” (ASIMDER) has demanded the removal of the Armenian sign at the entry and exit of Tuzluca.

As a sign of protest, ASIMDER has reportedly raised a six-meter long Azerbaijani flag in front of the organization’s office in Igdir. The organization said they have sent an official note to the government and the governor’s office, demanding that the sign be taken down.

Turkish city Mayor honors memory of Armenian Genocide victims

April 18, 2015 By administrator

During the Municipality Assembly session of the Turkish Van city, the attendees honored the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide and Anfal campaign (slaughter of Kurds in Iraq).

At the beginning of the 3rd Municipality Assembly session, the Assembly Deputy Chairman Cahit Bozbay and press-secretary of Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Ramazan Alver made a statement on Armenian Genocide and Anfal campaign, Van city municipality official website reports.

Cahit Bozbay, the Van city Municipality Assembly Deputy Chairman, stated that they condemn the Armenian Genocide and Anfal campaign and honor the memory of the victims. In his remarks, Bozbay noted that the society should confront the past genocides and massacres. In his turn, Ramazan Alver stated that what happened to Armenians in 1915 is a human tragedy, which lies at the core of genocide. He said that DBP recognized the 1915 events as genocide, noting that the Pope’s statement was the precise definition of the events. “Although 100 years have passed, this human tragedy is still fresh, and the government is trying to paper it over,” the Democratic Regions Party press-secretary noted.

Gökçek questions origins of German-Turkish politician over ‘genocide’ remarks

March 18, 2015 By administrator

Genocide denier, Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek. (Photo: DHA)

Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek on Tuesday asked if the leader of Germany‘s Greens, German-Turkish politician Cem Özdemir, is Armenian due to Özdemir’s remarks calling on Turkey to recognize as genocide the killings of Armenians during the last years of the Ottoman Empire.

“I am asking the deputy of German Greens Party just out of curiosity… Please answer, Cem Özdemir… Are you of Armenian origin?” Gökçek asked in remarks posted on Twitter.

Gökçek then shared a two-minute video about the countries that accuse Turkey of committing genocide and said “Those who blame us for genocide should accept these genocides first.”

The video, apparently a part of a documentary aired on state-run TRT, lists the countries’ previous acts that, the video said, amounted to genocide.

In his recent remarks during an interview with the Armenian Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Özdemir said Ankara should normalize bilateral relations with Yerevan and open the closed border with its easterly neighbor ahead of the upcoming centennial commemoration of the 1915 events and that Turkey “will eventually recognize the [1915 events as] genocide.”

Gökçek also accused Germany on Wednesday of practicing double standards. He shared an online news portal website link that reports Germany describing as chaos the anti-austerity protests ahead of the inauguration ceremony for the European Central Bank’s new headquarters in Frankfurt. The news portal also claims that Germany supported nationwide Gezi Park protests in Turkey in the summer of 2013 by using the common slogan during the Gezi Park protests, “Do not surrender.”

Gökçek, known for his controversial remarks, claimed in January that Israeli intelligence Mossad is behind the deadly Paris attacks that took place on Jan. 7 and Jan. 9.

Paris: 100 roses for Armenian women and the centenary with Mayor Anne Hidalgo

March 9, 2015 By administrator

The tribute of Anne Hidalgo mayor of Paris to Armenian women

Sunday in the spring sunshine of March 8 in the Garden of Yerevan on the occasion of the International Day of Women’s Rights, the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo inaugurated, in partnership with Blue Cross of Armenians in France, an audience 100 roses in honor of Armenian women and to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide (1915-2015).

In the presence of the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in France Vigen Tchitetchian, elected officials, including the member René Rouquet Levon Sayan, Alexis Govciyan Ara Toranian, Harout Mardirossian, Antoine Bagdikian, Robert Kéchichian … more assistants the Mayor of Paris and Patrick Klugman, International Relations and Francophonie, the mayor of the 8th arrondissement of Paris, Madame Jeanne of Hautesserre paid tribute to Armenian women victims of genocide, showing “solidarity of the Republic to Armenians and which will see French meditate and reflect on what was the genocide of Armenians in the humanity of history and perpetuate the memory of having these innocent victims. »

Beatrice Ananyan, President of Blue Cross Armenians of France will point specifically “the rights violated, robbed” of Armenian women, “first target of the plan to exterminate the Armenians. Thousands of women murdered, deported, disappeared. Thousands of women stolen, raped, married to their executioners. Thousands of women abandoned, forgotten. “But women, who among the survivors overcoming despair, will engage in Armenia’s liberation struggle in 1918.” They have found the courage to transmit life and memory. For them, we women of Armenian origin, in France today, we wanted to include this legacy forever in the Earth, trees or roses, symbols of our amputated genealogy of life and rebirth and our roots in the host country that was France. »

The Ambassador of Armenia Viguen Tchitetchian, has congratulated his side and thanked Blue Cross for his action in this symbolic year of the Armenian genocide. He also thanked the mayor of the 8th arrondissement with special attention for Anne Hidalgo accompanying, as Mayor of the capital, the events related to the genocide centennial. For the ambassador, March 8 will “unforgettable”. “A great demonstration in the struggle for human dignity. Beauty roses against barbarism. Memory roses against denial. Goodness of roses against intolerance on the other. “He has said. Then quoting one of the outstanding thoughts of comedian Pierre Dac (1893-1975), he said: “If the gray matter was more pink, the world would be less dark thoughts.”

Anne Hidalgo, this is, as always, “intense moments when we recall the memory.” She warmly thank Blue Cross Armenian de France behind this wonderful idea to plant a hundred roses in honor of Armenian women who have died in the genocide of Armenians “, recalling that Paris would be extremely engaged in this cycle of commemorations. Speaking of Armenian roots planted in Paris and in France, metaphor to that of roses, Anne Hidalgo say that they “gave good fruit and beautiful flowers. They gave a highly engaged community of women and men. Committed to the values of the Republic. Values that resonate from Paris to Yerevan and beyond […] A community is a source of pride for all and we all […] We share this idea that to build a country in which your ancestors planted their roots, found refuge, found protection; must be built with pride in its origins. She adds she completes the identity of this beautiful beautiful people of France that we build together. »

The Mayor of Paris expressed his admiration for the Armenian community bringing these values and this story with energy, gently but determination. This inauguration in honor of women who have died in the genocide of the Armenians is for her iconic. Because the first victims of crimes of barbarism of war, is often women and children. In that “this day is symbolic for the start of the Armenian genocide commemorations honoring the women,” she said.

“We came to say that this genocide, the first genocide of the twentieth century, unfortunately, gruesomely inspired other genocides of the twentieth century. “Evoking the Holocaust and the genocide in Rwanda, Anne Hidalgo says,” I know you are very present in this memory of peoples and very present without causing memories of competition.

About Eastern Christians massacred in the name of ideology, it says that “the East is no longer the East. The East is what it is because there are minorities, including Christians of the East.

They are alive

In tribute “to women who could not see their children grow up, those who died in the terrible suffering and those who passed this memory, we say, with roses, this March 8, International Women’s Day, you are with us and you are alive. Evidence that those who committed the genocide could not get their way. In this city that has universal values that resonate with the values of our country. In this city, today we say to all women who could not see the beautiful sunrise in the aftermath of the genocide, we tell them that through you, through us, through the values that are ours, and through this beautiful garden and the roses, they very much alive in the heart of our city and our heart. »

In the interview, Anne Hidalgo condemned Holocaust denial and support the attitude of the President “who is firmly engaged with the Armenians, including international justice to condemn Holocaust denial. Besides a part of Turkish civil society also accompanies this movement for memory and truth. Without truth, it is difficult to project into the future. We see that there is this desire to deny. It’s a way to kill even those who have died and those who survived. This is not acceptable. Humanity needs to watch what she was capable of generating lucidly, that is the worst barbarities. We need to deconstruct the process that still yielding groups of countries to want to wipe out humanity of other groups and other countries. I think as you Christians of the East. They are one of the essential elements of the balance of the East. we must deconstruct this barbarity, deconstruct these terrorists processes, the processes that deny the value and dignity of man. »

Jean Eckian + Photos

Turkish Mayor a ” perfect candidate for international war crimes” Calls Armenian Massacres Heroism

February 21, 2015 By administrator

Mayor of Bayburt, Turkey, Mete Memis

BAYBURT, Turkey—The mayor of Bayburt, Turkey (historically Baberd), Mete Memis, called the deeds of Turkish soldiers who massacred Armenians a hundred years ago “heroism.”

Memis made a congratulatory statement on the 97th anniversary of Bayburt’s sacking and capture from its historically Armenian residents, who were massacred and exiled as part of the Armenian Genocide, and claimed that 97 years ago, the Turkish soldiers in Bayburt had “written their name in history” for defending the “homeland,” reported Haberler.

The Turkish mayor claimed that in February of 1918, Turkish soldiers had acted heroically and had “liberated” Bayburt from the Armenians.

Turkish Mayor Apologizing to the ARMENIANS, Assyrians, Yezidis

December 16, 2014 By administrator

December 16, 2014

During an event held in Sweden, the mayor of the Turkish city of Mardin, Ahmet Turk apologize to the Armenians, the Assyrians and the Yezidies for the fact that certain Kurdish ahirets had been accomplices during the Genocide of 1915, report the Turkish Demokrathaber.net report “Armenpress”.

“Unfortunately, the Kurds, who implemented and executed the government’s decision taken in 1914-1915, were overtly used under the name of Islam. We now feel the bitterness about the participation of our fathers and forefathers in those Massacres as their children and grandchildren,” Ahmet Turk mentioned, adding that the Kurds will never forget the pain that those nations experienced, “We as Armenians and Assyrians and our Yezidi brothers to forgive us, “the Mayor of Mardin Said.

Armenian Genocide

In 1915, leaders of the Turkish government set in motion a plan to expel and massacre Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. Though reports vary, most sources agree that there were about 2 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the time of the massacre. By the early 1920s, when the massacres and deportations finally ended, some 1.5 million of Turkey’s Armenians were dead, with many more forcibly removed from the country. Today, most historians call this event a genocide–a premeditated and systematic campaign to exterminate an entire people. However, the Turkish government does not acknowledge the enormity or scope of these events. Despite pressure from Armenians and social justice advocates throughout the world, it is still illegal in Turkey to talk about what happened to Armenians during this era.

THE ROOTS OF GENOCIDE: THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

The Armenian people have made their home in the Caucasus region of Eurasia for some 3,000 years. For some of that time, the kingdom of Armenia was an independent entity–at the beginning of the 4th century AD, for instance, it became the first nation in the world to make Christianity its official religion–but for the most part, control of the region shifted from one empire to another. During the 15th century, Armenia was absorbed into the mighty Ottoman Empire.