Greek Cypriots should ‘welcome Erdogan with flowers’

July 4, 2018 by administrator

Greek Cypriots should welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with flowers when he visits northern Cyprus next week, the head of the National Unity Party (UBP), Huseyin Ozgurgun has reportedly said.

According to Turkish Cypriot daily, Kibris, Ozgurgun on Wednesday, Ozgurgun said that if it were not for Turkey, the Greek Cypriots would not live on the island in peace and tranquillity.

Erdogan is set to visit the north on July 10, his first visit after bring sworn in again after his recent re-election.

In statements to Turkish Dogan news agency (DHA), Ozgurgun dismissed as ‘nonsense’ comments made by the Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis expressing the Republic of Cyprus’ disapproval of Erdogan’s visit.

“Mavroyiannis or the Greek Cypriot leadership should come to Ercan [Tymbou airport] holding flowers. If it was not for our Turkey, the Greek Cypriots also would not live on the island in peace and tranquillity. We, as Turkish Cypriots, are proud, happy. Our President, Mr Erdogan loves us, he loves the Turkish Cypriot people. If our Turkey did not exist, we would also not exist,” said Ozgurgun.

Commenting on references in Greek Cypriot social media that Erdogan should meet with President Anastasiades, Ozgurgun described them as “propaganda”. If Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visits the Turkish Cypriot leader, he said, then Erdogan will visit Anastasiades.

During his visit, according to reports, Erdogan will officially open the Hala Sultan mosque in Mia Milia.

Source: http://cyprus-mail.com/2018/07/04/greek-cypriots-should-welcome-erdogan-with-flowers/

G20 Wherever Erdogan goes Hell break lose, Hamburg Burning, 76 police officers injured

July 7, 2017 by administrator

76 police officers injured including two helicopter pilots blinded by laser during anti-G20 riots in Hamburg.

Thousands of demonstrators from across Europe descended on the port city ahead of the summit, attended by Donald Trump and Theresa May.

Several hundred hard-left activists called “Black Block” have been making headlines in Hamburg for clashes with police at the G20 summit. But the name represents less of an organized group and more of a protest tactic.

As the July 7-8 summit kicked off on Friday, demonstrators clad in black clothing, hats and face masks, joined in protests blocking streets and bridges. The night prior, the masked activists hurled beer bottles at security forces and set several cars on fire.

Hamburg police identified them as members of the so-called “Black Block” – the name given to a segment of protesters within a larger demonstration who conceal their identities with dark clothing – making it harder for authorities to identify individuals and to prosecute.

The “Black Block” generally comprises hard-left activists – autonomous anarchists who want to put an end to capitalism and seemingly replace it with a libertarian system where money and the state have no power.

The “Black Block” tactics of the movement rose to prominence in the 1980s during violent protests in West Germany against nuclear power plants and squatter evacuations.
Read more: Who’s who in Hamburg’s G20 protests

The term is also a catch-all title for protesters from different groups that have a range of aims and tactics and who come together to carry out a shared aim at the protest.

Although those who are involved in a “Black Block” section are united under the color of their clothing and a singular aim, the individual beliefs within the bloc can vary widely

Armenia’s Olympic team returns home to roaring welcome (video)

August 27, 2016 by administrator

armenian-olympic-welcom The plane carrying Armenia’s Olympic team landed in Yerevan on the early hours of Saturday, August 27, with Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, presidents of the National Olympic Committee Gagik Tsarukyan meeting the athletes at the Zvartnots airport.

Meeting wrestler Migran Arutyunyan, Tsarukyan took the silver medal off the athlete and bestowed upon him a gold one, stressing once more that Arutyunyan is the real champion.

Arutyunyan won Armenia’s second silver medal at the Olympic Games after judges took the biased decision to grant victory to Davor Štefanek of Serbia.

The airport was crowded, and a fireworks display awaited the Armenian Olympians outside. The sportsmen headed to the Republic Square in central Yerevan, where thousands of fans were already waiting for them.

Armnoc.am. Հայ օլիմպիականները վերադարձան հայրենիք

Greece: ‘Welcomed Like Superstar’: Putin Most Popular Politician in Greece’s Athos

May 29, 2016 by administrator

May 28, 2016. Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Mount Athos

Nowhere in Greece do people love Russia and its President Vladimir Putin so much as in the Orthodox monastic community in Holy Mount Athos, German magazine Spiegel Online wrote.

At the end of his official visit to the country, the Russian leader made a pilgrimage to the holy place, where he was met with excitement and admiration.

“As Putin, completing his visit to Greece, reached Athos this Saturday, the monks welcomed him as a superstar, and even more: as the defender of their faith and a loyal ally of Greece,” Spiegel Online wrote.

The local residents were very happy to welcome the Russian leader, even if his arrival brought chaos to their otherwise peaceful lives. While port police boats patrolled the water, employees of the Russian Security Service wearing glasses and suits carefully watched every street in the area.

“Putin is the only true leader in the world,” says one of the monks, father Efraimos, cited by the magazine. “Whom should he be compared to? Obama? Merkel? There is simply no comparison,” he added.

An episode that occurred later during a liturgy serves as more proof of Putin’s popularity in the local community. The church where the worship took place had only one throne, and it was reserved for the “Russian guest of honor,” even despite the fact that Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos also attended the service.

“For the Greek President there was only a place in the “pew next to mere mortals,” the article said. “Pavlopoulos’ crew tried to persuade the monks to put a second throne next to Putin’s seat, but in vain: in the autonomous republic of Mount Athos these are monks who set the tone and they made it clear whom they consider their favorite guest,” the magazine concluded.

The Russian leader came to Athos for the second time. This time, he visited the holy place to commemorate the millennial anniversary since the first Russian settlement on the Holy Mount Athos.

Despite numerous posters critical of Putin that were seen on the streets of Athens, relations between Greece and Russia remain traditionally good. According to social surveys, the Russian president is far ahead of European politicians in terms of Greek citizens’ feelings towards him.

Canadian PM welcomes Syrian refugees, including Armenian family, in Toronto airport

December 11, 2015 by administrator

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has welcomed the first plane of Syrian refugees as they arrived in Toronto, the Daily Mail reports.
The country is pushing forward with a pledge to resettle 25,000 Syrians fleeing conflict by the end of February.
In contrast, the United States plan to take in just 10,000 over the next year, and even that is provoking opposition.
It comes as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump caused a worldwide uproar with a proposal to temporarily block Muslims from entering the U.S.
Protests erupted around the country against Donald Trump in the wake of his controversial remarks.
Crowds gathered outside his midtown hotel in New York and opposite a New Hampshire venue where he was speaking on Thursday to condemn his comments.
Meanwhile, Trudeau welcomed 163 refugees as they arrived on a military plane.
The flight from Jordan arrived just before midnight carrying the first of two large groups of
Syrian refugees to arrive in the country by government aircraft.
Trudeau greeted some of the families to come through processing. The first family was Kevork Jamkossian, a Syrian-Armenian gynecologist from Aleppo, his wife Georgina Zires, a lab technician, and their 16-month-old daughter Madeleine.
“We really would like to thank you for all this hospitality and the warm welcome,” the father said to Trudeau through an interpreter. “We felt ourselves at home.”
“You are home. Welcome home,” Trudeau responded.
“We suffered a lot. Now, we feel as if we got out of hell and we came to paradise,’ Jamkossian said later.
Families were given teddy bears and winter clothing. Trudeau earlier thanked staff and volunteers who were processing the refugees.
“This is a wonderful night, where we get to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada is all about, we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily difficult situations,” Trudeau said.
All 10 of Canada’s provincial premiers support taking in the refugees and members of the opposition, including the Conservative party, attended the welcoming late Thursday. Trudeau was also joined by the ministers of immigration, health and defense, as well as Ontario’s premier and Toronto’s mayor.
In the US, several Republican governors have tried to stop the arrival of Syrian refugees in their states in the wake of the deadly attacks blamed on Islamic extremists in Paris and California.

https://www.facebook.com/ShaamNetwork.Arabic/videos/1081982545185652/

Baghdad says would welcomes Russia strikes in Iraq

October 1, 2015 by administrator

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (AFP Photo)

Shortly after Russia launched airstrikes against militants in Syria, Iraq announces that it would also welcome any such military measures by Moscow on its soil.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told France 24 television on Thursday that he had been receiving “massive information” from both Syria and Russia on the Daesh Takfiri militant group.

When asked if he had discussed with Russia airstrikes in his country, Abadi said, “Not yet,” adding, “It is a possibility. If we get the offer we will consider it and I would welcome it.”

Meanwhile, senior Russian foreign ministry official Ilya Rogachev said that his country would consider launching the strikes if it gets “such a request from the Iraqi government or a Security Council resolution that depends decisively on the will of the Iraq government.”

In summer 2014, Daesh expanded its militancy from Syria to Iraq by capturing some key urban areas in north and later in the west of the country.

The Iraqi army has managed to push back the group from some northern territories, including from Tikrit, the capital of the Salahuddin province. Military operations are under way to purge the militants from Ramadi and Mosul, two major bastions of Daesh in west and north.

Moscow announced earlier in the day that it has appointed Lieutenant General Sergei Kuralenko to represent Russia at a joint intelligence task force in Baghdad, which also includes Iran and Syria.

Rogachyov also ruled out Russia joining a US-led coalition purportedly targeting Daesh positions in the Iraq.

“Theoretically, it would look nice (to join the US-led coalition) from a political point of view, but I think that we have difficulty understanding the principles on which the coalition is acting,” Rogachyov said, adding, “On the basis that the coalition currently exists, we are unlikely to join.”

Russian defense ministry announced that it had sent more than 50 military aircraft as well as marines, paratroopers and special forces into Syria. It came just one day after it started to pound positions of Daesh across Syria.

Turkey ‘concerned’

Turkey’s foreign minister expressed concerns over Russia’s air strikes in Syria.

“We are very much concerned at reports that yesterday’s air operation by Russia is not targeting Daesh but some opposition positions and civilian casualties have also occurred during these operations,” said Feridun Sinirlioğlu.

He said the Russian attacks will “lead to further escalation and this is the last thing we need in this very tragic and caustic situation in Syria.”

“This will add up to the problems in Syria, not will be helpful or finding solution to this now long overdue suffering of the Syrian people,” said Sinirlioğlu.

Turkey is among countries suspected of supporting the Daesh militants operating inside Syria.

Source: presstv

Armenians of America welcome Pope Francis in Washington and New York

September 25, 2015 by administrator

Armenians of America welcomed Pope Francis with a “thank you” posters on the streets of Washington and New York.

Posters with an inscription “Thank you Pope Francis for Condemning the Denial of Armenian Genocide” appeared on the streets of New York, his second stop during U.S. trip, the Armenian National Committee of America reported.

Earlier Pope was welcomed by the Armenians of Washington who were carrying the signs outside the Capitol.

As reported earlier, the Armenians of Philadelphia thanked Pope Francis for recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

“Thank you Pope Francis for Recognizing Armenian Genocide. #NeverForget 2015” posters appeared on the streets of Philadelphia,

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.

Video Vancouver: Thousands Rally Welcome Refugees and remembering “Kurdish boy Alan Kurdi”

September 6, 2015 by administrator

Vancouver, welcome refugees Rally

Thousands have turned out in Downtown Vancouver to lend their voices to world-wide calls of support for Syrian refugees fleeing the crisis in their homeland.

The Syrian refugee crisis became personal for many last week when a moving photograph of a drowned Syrian boy face down in the sand of a Turkish beach circulated on social media.

On Sunday, the Pope pledged that each parish in the Vatican would take in a refugee family and called on European Catholic parishes and other religious institutions to do the same. Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said last week the government has already resettled nearly 2,300 Syrians and 22,000 Iraqis and has further plans to accept 23,000 Iraqi and 11,300 Syrian refugees.

The rally in Vancouver is one of several happening across the country this weekend.

Greece PM SYRIZA: WE WELCOME THE BIG SUCCESS OF HDP IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

June 8, 2015 by administrator

by hdpenglish

SYRIZA is monitoring the very important developments for the future of Turkey with great interest, wishing to underline that political stability and democracy in Turkey is of special importance both for our relations and for the wider region.

In parallel, we welcome the big success of HDP in yesterday’s parliamentary elections in Turkey.

The people of Turkey are increasingly choosing to defend diversity, human rights, diversity in beliefs and personal life, to build a society without authoritarianism and discrimination based on origin, language, gender and religion.

The increase of the electoral percentage of the nationalists of MHP may be a concern and highlight the contradictions of our times, but we are confident that the dynamic entrance of HDP in the Turkish National Assembly will help to deepen democracy, combat nationalism and fundamentalism of all kinds, promote the peace process and strengthen the current rise of leftist and democratic forces in the Mediterranean and Europe as a whole.

Athens, 8 June 2015
SYRIZA Press Office