Watch Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan Speech at the UN General Assembly
Nikol Pashinyan delivers speech at NATO summit
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech at the NATO summit, PM’s adviser Arsen Kharatyan wrote on his Facebook page.
“Before and after the speech, Nikol Pashinyan had meetings with Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance Jens Stoltenberg, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite.”
Barzani releases statement on independence referendum
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani released a statement regarding the independence referendum and the right to self-determination.
In the statement, Barzani said, “Self-determination is a natural right that cannot be denied.”
“In the past few days a number of local politicians and officials from regional countries made false and unfair statements about the rights of Kurdish people,” he continued.
The President also said that the existence of a Kurdish state in the Middle East is a reality, that can determine its rights.
“Self-determination is a natural right granted by God; this right should not be denied or prevented under any pretext or justification,” Barzani said.
“If the people of Kurdistan wait for others to grant them the right to independence, it will never be achieved,” he stated.
Referring to Sykes-Picot Agreement, Barzani said that dividing the Middle East without considering the original people of the region was a failed policy. “The rights of Kurdish people should not be sacrificed for political interests,” he added.
The President also said that the time has come and the opportunity is ideal for the people of Kurdistan to determine their future through a referendum.
“The referendum will be held through peaceful dialogue and understanding,” Barzani stated.
Additionally, he mentioned that the Kurdistan Region has never been a threat to anyone and neither will independence.
Barzani concluded that the referendum does not mean an immediate declaration of independence, rather for the people of Kurdistan to determine their will. Likewise, he said that it is an opportunity for the political leadership in Kurdistan to implement people’s will.
Armenia PM: We cannot but build a good country
Prior to his working visit to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh), Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on Friday met with the leaders of Syunik province communities in the town of Goris.
The PM noted that the main objective of the meeting is to discuss the issues and development prospects of the province. “We must all realize one simple truth: We and only we will build our country, our house, our theatre and our village; we shouldn’t wait for someone to come and change the situation for better. We will speak openly and frankly, and besides presenting the issues it is necessary to propose solutions and note which part of the solution will be taken up by the province, considering all its resources, and what is expected from the government,” Karapetyan noted.
Thereafter, Governor of Syunik, Vahe Hakobyan, presented the programs planned to be implemented in the province in different areas. He also noted that the main efforts will be aimed at the proportional development of the province. It was reported that the development strategy of Syunik has already been drawn out, aiming to ensure new quality of life there. In this context, in the future it is planned to establish Syunik Development Investment Fund, which will deal with promotion of investment programs in different areas and creation of workplaces.
New emergency restoration services will be provided in five towns of the province in the future, which will ensure new workplaces. Work aimed at establishing rubber material processing and pipe manufacturing plants in Kapan is also underway, this also ensureing several dozens of workplaces. Apart from this, the program “I was born in Syunik”has kicked off, which aims to support Syunik residents, who have achieved success in different areas abroad, to implement projects in the province. Moreover, negotiations are held with the Iranian side on exporting meat products and processed wool. It was also noted that public and youth councils will operate adjunct to the Governor’s Office, which will enable the public to present their proposals and issues of concern.
Besides, reference was made to the issues of education, agriculture, health and problems existing in other areas. Underscoring the importance of education, Karapetyan noted that the education system is a primary issue for Armenia.
Referring to the agriculture development, the PM said that the state must help successful farmers, who have potential, so that the others can seek to achieve their standards. “Our first target is the workplace, that is helping the working man,” he stressed.
According to Karapetyan, it is necessary to value the existing potential and come up with different initiatives and programs. Considering their efficiency, the state will provide support for their implementation. “If you don’t have an idea what city and community you want, you have no way to achieve your goals. Be sure that we cannot but build a good country. But each of us should take part in this,” the PM stressed.
Issues related to road construction, gas and water supply, as well as infrastructure development were also discussed at the meeting.
VEDIO: His Holiness Pope Francis clearly and explicitly referenced the Armenian Genocide in yerevan
His Holiness Pope Francis clearly and explicitly referenced the Armenian Genocide during remarks offered alongside Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, ending unfounded international speculation about his willingness to unambiguously condemn this crime.
EU: Hate speech, media crackdown cause concern in Azerbaijan
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on Tuesday, June 7 published its new report on Azerbaijan, the Council of Europe said.
According to the report, the continued use of hate speech, a crackdown on independent civil society and media, prejudice against LGBT people and discrimination against religious minorities give rise to concern.
“As a result, vulnerable groups can no longer turn to NGOs for assistance in cases of racism, hate speech and discrimination,” the Commission said.
“Even though no violent hate crime based on ethnic affiliation has been registered in Azerbaijan during the last five years, political leaders, educational institutions and media have continued spreading hate speech. The pardon, release and promotion in 2012 of Ramil Safarov, who had been sentenced in Budapest to life imprisonment for the murder of an Armenian army officer, contributes to a sense of impunity for the perpetrators of racist crime. The report recommends that authorities put an end to the constant, use of hate speech, and rather promote mutual understanding and confidence.”
The report goes on to suggest that Azerbaijan has not enacted comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and there is no institution responsible for preventing and combating racism and discrimination in the private sector. ECRI also deplores a considerable number of violent attacks against LGBT persons, many committed by family members. The Law on Freedom of Religious Belief is not in line with international standards. Various religious minorities have been subject to harsh restrictions and discrimination, including police raids, detention, closure of places of worship, the ban on praying outside mosques, censorship of religious literature and heavy penalties. In practice, there are no alternatives to military service in Azerbaijan.
Kurdish MP Delivers Fiery Speech in Turkish Parliament
BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN
In recent days, scathing speeches by Armenian and Kurdish deputies in the Turkish Parliament have been circulating on the internet. Last week, I presented the bold speech by Armenian MP Garo Paylan, delivered in April on the Armenian Genocide. This week, I would like to share with readers another fearless speech by Kurdish MP Gultan Kisanak. Even though this video was recently posted on the internet, her remarks were delivered in January 2012, shortly after the massacre of 35 young Kurdish civilians by the Turkish military in Roboski village, in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan!
Here are excerpts from her remarkable speech:
“…Those who don’t feel grief or shame for this situation and call themselves Muslim; those who don’t account for this situation, I question their humanity, their Islamic religion, and beliefs. Everyone is aware of what happened there. Is this how blinded your conscience has become? Is this your definition of humanity? …How do you manage to be so reckless and careless about the massacre of 35 people? How do you manage to be so inhumane? First, you are going to stand up and apologize; get upset. That is if you’re a human being as you claim to be. If you have a conscience! But you are not doing any of these things and instead acting as if a fly or a couple of chickens died by an ‘accidental operation.’ Shame on you! …For 90 years, this country has been using the terrorism excuse and committing many massacres…. You are trying to exterminate the Kurdish people! There is no terrorism! … The Military Chief of Staff of this country said: ‘We killed 40,000 people. We bombed the mountains many times. But still this issue does not end.’ You still cannot understand this truth! There are people there; and these people have rights! There are people there whose identity is being denied. There is a Kurdish issue. There is no terror issue….”
Using even harsher language, the Kurdish MP continued: “We are going to make you pay for this! Those who committed this massacre in broad daylight against these civilians and their mules, under the watchful eyes of the police, and those who think they can go around massacring 35 people and threaten the Kurds, will soon realize that they are the losers in these massacres! No one is afraid of death! Is there anything more than death? … How dare you impose your superiority on us! What more do you have over us? What do Turks have more than Kurds? What did Germans have more than Jews? …As equal citizens of this country, everyone is going to freely have their citizen’s rights with their true identity. Living side by side as free citizens with honor, we will never accept to be dishonored. Never! Even if you commit a thousand massacres, we will never accept it.”
When a pro-government MP tried to interrupt her speech, the Kurdish deputy shot back firmly: “Shut up! You have not even shown the strength to condemn the massacre. Shut up!”
Kisanak, who is now the co-Mayor of Diyarbekir, resumed her remarks: “Someone [Erdogan] is saying: ‘We’re not going to allow them [Kurds] to settle down in those areas.’ What ‘settling down?’ We have been here longer than a thousand years. We are deeply-rooted in those cliffs, rocks, Mount Cudi, Mount Gabar, Mount Agri [Ararat], and Mount Munzur. We are in their depths. We are here and have been here since the beginning of history and we are going to be here till the end! What ‘settling down’? We have been rooted here since the beginning. Our ancestors, grandfathers, and graves are all here. Our language, culture is here. What ‘settling down’ are you talking about? …They want to assimilate and annihilate the Kurdish population that has been living here for over thousands of years.”
Calling the killing of 35 young Kurds by the Turkish military “a crime against humanity,” Kisanak continued: “We are not going to let it go — till the end! We will be using all possible international human rights to make them account for their crimes. All those who commanded it, gave the orders, bombarded the place, shredded the bodies of those young children, will give an account to the community for it. Someone said, ‘there was no intent, there is no apology,’ but, ‘there is compensation.’ Be ashamed of yourselves. You know what they call this in our [Kurdish] culture? Blood money! If I have the money, I can commit a crime and pay the money to cover it up. So you think you can kill, then pay and then try to cover it up? Be ashamed of yourselves….”
The Speaker of the Parliament turned off the courageous Kurdish MP’s microphone, forcing her to end her speech!
Was Brussels Attack another Turkish False Flag Operation? “Erdogan Gallipoli Speech”
In the following article from last Friday (3/19), Erdogan warned Europe that “Brussels could fall victim to terror.” Speaking at a ceremony to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli in the coastal town of Canakkale, Erdogan said, “there is no reason why the bomb that exploded in Ankara cannot explode in Brussels, in any other European city.” “The snakes you are sleeping with can bite you any time,” he added.
It seems to me that, given the explosions in Brussels today and the number of false flag attacks that occur in Turkey and Europe that Turkey itself may have had something to do with these attacks and is the very snake to which Erdogan refers.
Turkey has been wracked by conflict in mainly Kurdish areas of the southeast and suffered a string of attacks, including two on its capital that were claimed by an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
Brussels and Washington, like Ankara, list the PKK as a terrorist organization. But the West supports Syrian Kurdish groups that Turkey considers as affiliates of the PKK and a threat to its national security.
http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/2e8f57b804da4056b7d69ec7d7e09c6e/EU–Turkey
Video – ‘Murderer!’ Asesino Female protesters interrupt Erdogan’s speech in Ecuador
Ecuador has summoned the Turkish ambassador in Quito to formally protest the treatment of three of its citizens who were forcibly removed after demonstrating against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when he was speaking at an event. The three women were removed from Quito’s Centre for Higher National Studies on Thursday by Erdogan’s security personnel when they interrupted his speech. Local media were also prevented from filming the altercation
From #Ecuador to #Syria #Iraq everone aware #Erdogan is Murderer Asesino, all His audience are his body guards. pic.twitter.com/stttxoKG7e
— Wally Sarkeesian (@gagrulenet) February 6, 2016
Karabakh FM delivers speech in U.S. Congress
WASHINGTON. – Karabakh FM Karen Mirzoyan today had separate meetings in Washington with members of the U.S. Congress, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Frank Pallone and Robert Dold, as well as Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. On the same day, accompanied by Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America Ken Khachikian and Kate Nahapetian, who is responsible for the Committee’s relations with the U.S. Government, Karen Mirzoyan met with U.S. Senator, member of the Appropriations Committee Mark Kirk.
During the meeting, a range of issues related to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement process, provocations on the Line of Contact by Azerbaijan, as well as the U.S. humanitarian assistance rendered to Karabakh were discussed.
On the same day, the Karabakh FM took part in a traditional event dedicated to the anniversary of Artsakh’s independence held in the U.S. Congress. The event was organized under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the U.S. Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and through the joint efforts of the Armenian National Committee of America, the Armenian Assembly of America, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the USA, and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Permanent Representation to the USA.
The event, which started with the prayer of blessing by the Armenian Church’s North American Eastern Diocese Legate, Archbishop Vigen Haykazian, was attended by representatives of the American Armenian organizations and communities, staff members of Congressmen’s Offices, experts, and journalists.
A number of Congressmen attended the event and delivered speeches, including Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Frank Pallone and Robert Dold, Congressman Adam Schiff, and others. The Congressmen expressed their support for the NKR’s independence and democratic development and underlined their readiness to continue to focus on the issues related to Artsakh. The speakers also stressed the necessity of taking immediate steps for reducing the tensions on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
RA Ambassador to the U.S. Tigran Sargsyan also welcomed the participants of the event with his address.
The Karabakh FM briefed on the state-building process in the NKR, stressing that the path that Artsakh people have gone through serves as a proof that it is impossible to limit the strive of people to decide their own future and fate.
Mirzoyan also expressed his gratitude to the Congressmen for their continued support in the issues related to the NKR.
Apart from this, he touched upon the current stage of the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Karabakh and briefed on the situation on the Line of Contact aggravated due to Azerbaijan’s provocative policy.
The Minister stressed that Karabakh is an established state with all the attributes and institutions of statehood, its Constitution, an active civil society and a vibrant economy.
Artsakh is also an important geopolitical factor in the region, which contributes to the stability and peace. Throughout its independence, Karabakh has proven to be a reliable, predictable, and responsible partner for the international community and is consistent in its actions aimed at maintaining regional peace and stability.
At the end of his speech, Karen Mirzoyan expressed confidence that the time had come for the international community to accept the reality and to recognize the free and democratic Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.