Month: April 2010

ROBERT FISK, KEN HACHIKIAN JOIN CANADIAN ARMENIANS FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATIONS

Asbarez
Apr 29th, 2010

TORONTO, ON – In commemoration of the 95th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, over one thousand members of the Canadian-Armenian community
of Toronto, joined by a number of prominent political and community
guests gathered at the Armenian Youth Centre on Sunday, April 25th.

Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism The Hon.

Jason Kenney conveyed the message of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Official Opposition delivered his
message to the community. Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic
Party of Canada was unable to attend but sent a message.

Keynote speaker Robert Fisk addresses the audience.The evening’s
keynote speaker was Middle Eastern Correspondent for The Independent,
Robert Fisk, who discussed Turkey’s denial campaign and stressed
the importance of worldwide recognition of the Armenian Holocaust,
as it is referred to in The Independent.

Fisk holds more British and International journalism awards than any
other foreign correspondent. In 2001, he was awarded the David Watt
Prize for “outstanding contributions towards the clarification of
political issues and the promotion of their greater understanding”
for his investigation into the Armenian Genocide. To watch Robert
Fisk’s televised interview on CTV on April 24th please visit
.

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian
was also a guest speaker at the event and discussed the current
state of House Resolution 252, the status of the Protocols as well
as President Obama’s statement regarding the Armenian Genocide and
Turkey’s continuous denial of this crime against humanity.

“For let there be no mistake, denial of the Armenian Genocide is
the denial of security to the Armenian nation. Armenia cannot,
today, be safe while the Turkish Republic remains on her border as
an unrepentant, antagonistic, and over-armed denier state.” stated
Hachikian.

Jivan Gasparyan Jr., famed Duduk player and grandson of the legendary
musician Jivan Gasparyan, performed a set of songs dedicated to the
one and a half million Armenians who were annihilated in 1915.

Additional dignitaries in attendance included David Caplan, Member of
Provincial Parliament for Don Valley East delivered a message from
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Frank Klees, Member of Provincial
Parliament for Newmarket-Aurora brought greetings from Progressive
Conservative Party of Ontario leader Tim Hudak. Michael Prue, Member
of Provincial Parliament for Beaches East York delivered the message
of the Ontario New Democratic Party and its leader Andrea Horwath.

Toronto Councilor Shelley Carroll, Ward 33 delivered Toronto Mayor
David Miller’s message. Jack Heath, Deputy Mayor of Markham brought a
message from Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. Toronto District School
Board Chairman Bruce Davis delivered a message on the importance of
genocide education.

Guest speaker, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian addresses the audience.

Also, in attendance were members of various levels of government
including: Senator Consiglio Di Nino (Ontario); Jim Karygiannis, MP
(Scarborough Agincourt); John McKay, MP (Scarborough-Guildwood); John
Cannis, MP (Scarborough Centre); Derek Lee, MP (Scarborough Rouge
River); Rob Oliphant, MP (Don Valley West); Borys Wrzesnewskyj, MP
(Etobicoke Centre); Paul Calandra, MP (Oak Ridges-Markham); Lois Brown,
MP (Newmarket-Aurora); Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Eric
Hoskins, MPP; Chair of Cabinet and Minister Responsible for Seniors
Gerry Phillips, MPP; Helena Jaczek, MPP (Oak Ridges-Markham); Toronto
City Councillors Adam Giambrone (Ward 18), Chin Lee (Ward 41), Mike Del
Grande (Ward 39) and Norm Kelly (Ward 40); York Regional Councillor
Gordon Landon (Town of Markham); Markham Councillor Logan Kanapathi
(Ward 7); Toronto District School Board Trustees Soo Wong (Ward 20)
and Michael Couteau (Ward 17).

Additionally, Toronto Mayoral candidates George Smitherman, Rocco
Rossi and Sarah Thomson attended.

The event was organized by the United Committee of Toronto for the
95th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, consisting of A.R.F
Soghoman Tehlirian Gomideh, S.D. Hnchagian Party Paramaz Chapter and
A.D.L. (Ramgavar) Yesayi Yaghoubian Chapter.

The Armenian National Committee of Toronto is a chapter of the
Armenian National Committee of Canada, a grassroots organization that
was founded in 1965 to address the concerns of the Canadian Armenian
community on a broad range of issues.

———–

Awards

In 1991, Fisk won a Jacob’s Award for his RTÉ Radio coverage of the first Gulf War.^[24] He received Amnesty International UK Press Awards in 1998 for his reports from Algeria and again in 2000 for his articles on the NATO air campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999. In 1999 Fisk won the Orwell Prize for journalism.^[25] He received the British Press Awards’ International Journalist of the Year seven times, and twice won its “Reporter of the Year” award.^[26] In 2001, he was awarded the David Watt Prize for “outstanding contributions towards the clarification of political issues and the promotion of their greater understanding” for his investigation into the Armenian Genocide by the Turks in 1915.^[27] In 2002 he was the fourth recipient of the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. More recently, Fisk was awarded the 2006 Lannan Cultural Freedom Prize along with $350,000.^[28]

He was made an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of St Andrews on June 24, 2004. The Political and Social Sciences department of Ghent University (Belgium) awarded Fisk an honorary doctorate on March 24, 2006. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the American University of Beirut in June 2006. Trinity College Dublin awarded him a second, honorary, Doctorate in July 2008.^[29]

Fisk gave the 2005 Edward Said Memorial lecture at Adelaide University.^[30]

April 30, 2010
Authorities raid Deutsche Bank and 50 other firms

SUSPECTED TAX EVASION

AIDS ON DEUTSCHE BANK AND 50 OTHER FIRMS

BY MAX SCHNEIDER AND STEFAN ERNST

28.04.2010

The chief public prosecutor’s office searched more than 230 business premises across Germany – including those of international giant Deutsche Bank – as well as the homes of accused individuals.

More than 1,000 officials from the tax fraud investigation office, theFederal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and different police authorities took part in the raids.

Searches also took place simultaneously in other EU member states.

Around 150 people are under suspicion of VAT evasion over the trading of greenhouse gas emission permits.

Wednesday morning at 8.20am in Frankfurt: A large contingent of police and other officials arrived at Deutsche Bank. They pulled out their ID at the entrance and entered the building on Theodor Heuss Allee.

Shortly afterwards, a convoy of vehicles with investigators and specialists from the BKA turned up and pulled into the underground car park with blue lights flashing.

In response to an enquiry from BILD.de, a spokesman from the bank said: “We can confirm that we are one of the 230 entities which were searched. We are co-operating with the public prosecutor’s office.”

A spokesman for another major institution, Commerzbank, said it had not been involved in the raids.

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

The trick is called VAT carousel or missing trader fraud, and according to BILD’s information the current suspected cases add up to a lost revenue of around €1 billion for the German government.

HOW IT WORKS

Dealers in different EU countries buy and sell permits which allow industrial enterprises to release a certain amount of greenhouse gases.

On the sale from dealer A to dealer B across a state border, no VAT is due. Upon the resale of the permits by dealer B to dealer C within the same country (i.e. Germany), VAT does become owed which dealer C can then claim back from the tax office.

Dealer B owes the authorities 19 per cent in VAT – it doesn’t pay, but pockets the 19 per cent and disappears off the market.

The permit is passed along from dealer to dealer until it arrives back at dealer A, which starts a new chain or carousel.

The Bild

April 29, 2010
US Conflict Resolution Policy Backfires in Yerevan

April 27, 2010 05:00

By: Vladimir Socor

The US State Department seems disappointed, but not entirely surprised, by Yerevan’s April 22 suspension of Armenian-Turkish “normalization.” Assistant Secretary of State, Philip Gordon, in charge of this policy, finds solace in Armenian President, Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to suspend, rather than terminate the effort; and hopes that Yerevan would continue to cooperate with the US-driven process goal. Gordon as well as State Department Spokesman, Philip Crowley, argued that such normalization meets the interests of Armenia, Turkey, and other [unnamed] countries in the region (press releases cited by News.Az and Arminfo, April 23).

These statements, however, seem to ignore Azerbaijan’s view and the change in Turkey’s view. Inasmuch as the normalization focuses on opening the Turkish-Armenian border unconditionally, or no longer linked to a withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijan’s interior –Baku deemed it to be against its interests all along. Ankara had rallied to Baku’s view last December already.

Since April 2009, US President, Barack Obama’s administration has pressed for opening Turkey’s border with Armenia unconditionally Thus, the October 2009 Zurich protocols, strongly backed by the US, required Turkey to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia and open the mutual border “without preconditions.”

Washington’s policy seems driven primarily by domestic politics. The administration hopes to remove the annual drama of Armenian genocide recognition from the center-stage of US politics. It seeks its way out of the dilemma of losing Turkey versus any loss of the US Armenian vote. “Normalization” of Turkish-Armenian relations, centered on the re-opening of that border, was offered as a substitute for the unfulfilled electoral-campaign promises to recognize an Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

Washington’s normalization concept, however, has also turned out to be unfulfilled. Tilting sharply in Armenia’s favor at Azerbaijan’s expense, it backfired first in Azerbaijan and shortly afterward in Turkey. Instead of de-aligning Ankara from Baku, as seemed briefly possible, it led Turkey and Azerbaijan to close ranks against an unconditional “normalization” of Turkish-Armenian relations, prior to a first-stage withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijan.

The US initiative seemed unrelated to any regional strategy in the South Caucasus. It actually coincided with an overall reduction of US engagement in that region, downgrading the earlier goals of conflict-resolution and promotion of energy projects. Moreover, it risked splitting its strategic partner Azerbaijan from Turkey, compromising the basis for a subsequent return to an active US policy in the region.

Previous US administrations had also proposed to open the Turkish-Armenian border, but never as a goal in itself, unconditionally, or by some deadline in the political calendar, as has most recently been the case. Moreover, those earlier discussions considered opening both the Turkish and Azeri borders with Armenia, as part of an overall settlement, without dividing Ankara and Baku from each other on that account. Those border-opening proposals were being discussed as one element in comprehensive negotiations toward stage-by-stage resolution of the Armenian-Azeri conflict, and in conditional linkage with Armenian troop withdrawal from inner-Azeri districts, again in contrast to Washington’s recent proposals.

Yet, there is an element of continuity between those earlier border-opening proposals and the latest one. That common element is the optimistic belief that open borders and freedom to trade are a prerequisite to resolution of conflict and durable peace. This carryover from Manchesterianism often colored US political debates about the possibility of opening the Azeri and Turkish borders with Armenia. Yet, the diplomatic process integrated this issue within the broader negotiations. It did not single it out from that context or allow it to become a currency of exchange in US domestic politics.

The logic of the administration’s initiative from 2009 to date has implied that Washington would “deliver” the re-opening of Turkey’s border with Armenia; while Turkey would in turn “deliver” Azerbaijan by opening the Turkish-Armenian border, without insisting on the withdrawal of Armenian troops from inner-Azeri territories. That conditionality is a long-established one in these negotiations. However, Washington currently insists that the two processes be separated and that Turkey opens that border unconditionally as per the October 2009 Zurich protocols.

Breaking that linkage would irreparably compromise the chances of a peaceful, stage-by-stage settlement of the Armenian-Azeri conflict. It would indefinitely prolong the Armenian military presence inside Azerbaijan, placing Russia in a commanding position to arbitrate the conflict, with unprecedented leverage on an Azerbaijan alienated from its strategic allies.

Washington had persuaded Ankara to break that conditionality in the October 2009 protocols, which came close to splitting Turkey from Azerbaijan. However, Turkey reinstated that conditionality unambiguously from December 2009 onward. Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared this repeatedly and publicly, contradicting Obama and the US State Department on this account at the December 2009 and April 2010 Washington summits and afterward. Following the latter event, Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, flew to Baku with reassurances that Turkey would only open the border with Armenia if Armenian troops withdrew from inner-Azeri districts. The assurances were the more significant after the US White House had demonstratively excluded Azerbaijan from the Washington summit (Anatolia News Agency, April 14, 18-20).

The US administration’s policy has now backfired on all sides, Yerevan being the last to abandon it after the policy had failed to “deliver” Ankara and Baku. The Obama administration can now be expected to revert to a balanced approach by taking Azeri and Turkish views more carefully into account.

https://jamestown.org/program/us-conflict-resolution-policy-backfires-in-yerevan/

April 29, 2010

Message from the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism

kanada gundem gurubundan dagitilmisdir

From: Mehmet Bor, President Canada Turk Federation
Subject: Message from the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism

Arkadaslar, bu yil elde ettigimiz en onemli basari iste bu bence. Bu iletide gizli bir kac anlam yukludur saniyorum. Oncelikle bu, Kanada hukumetinin 1915 olaylari konusunda gayri-resmi (unofficial) bir politika degisikliginin sinyalidir. Ayrica Kanada Federal hukumetinin, bence artik Turk tezlerine daha olculu ve tarafsizca yaklasmaktan yana oldugunun bir isaretidir bu. J.K. bu tavir degisikliginin bu yazi ile sozcusu olmasindan ote, kesinlikle bu tavir degisikliginde en etken kisidir.

Boyle onemli bir tavir degisikligi elbetteki bir tek sebebe baglanamaz. Son bir yilda, Kanadanin Turk-Ermeni sorunu konusundaki dis politikasini gozden gecirmesine neden olacak bir cok siyasi degisimler oldu tabiiki. Ancak, J.K’nin bu tavir degisikliginde ve yolladigimiz davetiye mektubuna Basbakan ve kendi adina yanit yollamasinda yakin gecmisteki bir olayin cok buyuk bir etkisi oldugundan eminim. Yani 4-5 ay onceki Missisauga toplantimizdan bahsediyorum. Orada sadece Federasyon YK’nu degil, 250 milyonluk Turk dunyasinin dunyanin cesitli bolgelerinden gelmis olan tum temsilcilerini kendisine tanittik. Boyle buyuk bir kaynaktan beslenen ve ayni masada birlikte toplanip, dayanisma icinde, iyi ve kotu gunde gerekirse birlikte hareket edebilecegimizi gordu. Daha en az 20 yil politik yasami olan akilli bir politikaci icin uzun vadede zamanin bizim lehimize calistigini gormesi ve boyle bir secmen kitlesi ile dost gecinmenin geregini kabul etmesi beklenen bir sey tabii.

Yani dogru yoldayiz arkadaslar. Ancak, sureklilik, tutarlilik ve kararlilik gormeden kimse bu tur gosterileri uzun vadede ciddiye almaz. Yani dogru baslangic yaptik demek daha dogru olur. Sureklilik icin tum toplumun destegi ile daha cok caba ve zaman harcamak gerekecek. Bilmis olun. Turk toplumunun buradaki gorunurlugunu artiran 23 Nisan benzeri etkinlikleri Federasyon olarak desteklemeye devam edecegiz en azindan.

Simdi J.K’den hic degilse 23 Nisan’in Kanadada gelenek haline gelmesi icin aciktan destek isteyebiliriz sanirim. Ermeni sorununu onunla konusmanin artik hic bir geregi bile yok bence. Kendisinin bu konudaki bize en buyuk katkisi 23 Nisan’in Kanadada bir bayram olarak kutlanmasini desteklemek ve saglamaktir. Elbetteki bunlari oturup hep birlikte tartisarak gerekli politikalari birlikte belirleyecegiz.

Bu basarida katkisi olan herkese tesekkurler.

M.Bor
_________________________________________________________________
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 07:33:20 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Message from the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism

Dear All,

Please find the attached, on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, greetings from the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Hon Jason Kenny’s message to the FCTA.

Regards,

Huseyin Nurgel

Secretary- FCTA

Greetings from the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism

I would like to extend my warmest greetings to all those celebrating April 23 – International Children’s Day. On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, I would like to thank the Turkish Culture and Folklore Society of Canada for your steadfast commitment to building the Canada we all love – a strong, united and pluralistic society.

In Turkey, this very special day is celebrated as National Sovereignty and Children’s Day. It marks the anniversary of the first meeting of the Grand National Assembly, on April 23, 1920, during the Turkish War of Independence. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, dedicated April 23 to the children of the country in recognition of the fact that they represented the future of the new nation.

Here in Canada, Turkish Canadians have continued this great tradition, inviting all Canadians to experience the great joy of living in a multicultural society, by sharing in the celebration of this beautiful annual event. As Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated: “Canadians can be proud to live in a society where we can celebrate our tremendous diversity while, at the same time, always taking pride in our country’s unique heritage.”

As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I would like to thank Turkish Canadians for your remarkable contributions to Canada and to wish you great success in your future endeavours.

Best wishes for a wonderful celebration.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Jason Kenney, PC, MP

Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism

From: Burlacu.Alex
Sent: April 23, 2010 4:32 PM
To: ‘[email protected]’
Cc: Bhagat.Melissa; Levesque.Sarah
Subject: Message from the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism

Good Afternoon,

Minister Kenney would like to extend his warmest greetings to all those celebrating April 23 – International Children’s Day.

Please find attached a greeting message.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Burlacu
Public Events Coordinator | Coordonnateur d’événements publics
NHQ – Strategic Policy and Priorities Sector | AC – Politique et priorités stratégiques
Citizenship and Immigration Canada | Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada
365 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa ON K1A 1L1 | 365, avenue Laurier Ouest Ottawa ON K1A 1L1
Office | Bureau JETS B2140
[email protected]
Telephone | Téléphone 613-954-3825
Facsimile | Télécopieur 613-952-5906
Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada

April 29, 2010

NYC 95th Commemoration of The Armenian Genocide April 25th 2010

Ermenilerin 25 nisan Newyork gosterisinden sahneler

Kendilerini destekleyen senatorler, Newyork valisinin temsilcisi , milletvekilleride konusmakda

[email protected]
Subject: [ARMENIANTURKISHFRIENDSHIP] NYC 95th Commemoration of The Armenian Genocide April 25th 2010

Harut Sassounian

Sen. Charles Schumer

Sen. Robert Menendez

Cong. Frank Pallone

Cong. Robert Wiener

Cong. Carolyn Maloney

John Liu, NYC Controller

Galen Kirkland, Governor of New York rep.

Curtis Sliwa

Curtis Sliwa part 2

Mark Giragos Esq.

Ani Chaglasian – ANCA

Hilda Haroutunian -ADL

Dikran Nalbandian –Armenian Council of America

Natalie Gabrelian -ABGU

Van Krikorian Esq. – Arm. Assembly of America

Haig Deranian – Grand Commander KoV

Melene Ouzounian- Grand matron DoV

Shakeh Kadehjian

Nanor Haroutunian –American National Anthem

Ani Djerdjerian- Armenian National Anthem

Hayrenikis Hed Concert Diocese April 23, 2010

April 29, 2010
Armenian Genocide Bill Again On Israel Parliament Agenda

Israel – Knesset building, undated

28.04.2010

Artyom Chernamorian

Israel’s parliament agreed on Wednesday to again consider a draft resolution recognizing the World War One-era mass killings and deportations of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide.

The Knesset decided by 12 votes to 8, with one abstention, that one of its standing committees will discuss the resolution and determine whether it should be put to a full parliament vote.

Speaker Reuven Rivlin was among those who voted for the decision. Significantly, a representative of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also backed a parliament debate on the bill drafted by Haim Oron, the leader of the left-wing opposition Meretz party.

Most of the lawmakers voting against its inclusion on the parliament agenda were from the Yisrael Beiteinu party, a junior partner in Netanyahu’s coalition government that mainly represents Jewish immigrants from Soviet republics and Azerbaijan in particular. One of them, the Baku-born Yosef Shagal, said Israel should not pass judgment on what he described as a Turkish-Armenian dispute.

It is not yet clear which Knesset committee will pick up the measure. Oron wants it to be debated by the Education Committee, having failed to push similar bills through the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in 2009 and 2008. But both Rivlin and Netanyahu’s representative said that the latter panel should again deal with the matter.

The Defense Committee did not even vote on the Armenian genocide resolutions in the past, despite clearance from the Knesset. It thus highlighted successive Israeli governments’ reluctance to antagonize Turkey, a rare Muslim partner of the Jewish state.

The Netanyahu government did not back a parliament debate on Armenian genocide recognition on the previous occasion, in May 2009. Commentators might link the apparent shift in its position on the highly sensitive issue to recent months’ worsening of Turkish-Israeli relations.

https://www.azatutyun.am/a/2027278.html

April 28, 2010