Turkish Forum

Category: Southern Caucasus

  • 1st INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON GENOCIDES OF HISTORY: FACTS, REALITIES, FALSIFICATIONS

    1st INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON GENOCIDES OF HISTORY: FACTS, REALITIES, FALSIFICATIONS

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    1st INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON GENOCIDES OF HISTORY: FACTS, REALITIES, FALSIFICATIONS

     

    2-3 April 2015

     

    Baku, Azerbaijan

     

    MIRAS Social Organization in Support of Studying of Cultural Heritage will hold 1st International Symposium on Genocides of History in Baku city of Azerbaijan.
    Information. In the history there are rather many people claiming to be exposed to genocide and demanding their rights. What is genocide? Which tragedies and massacres can be considered as genocides? In the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: “genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; forcibly transferring children of the group to another group”. It is recognized in the preamble of the Convention that “all periods of history genocide has inflicted great losses on humanity”.
    Goal. The symposium aims at bringing together historians and researchers from the various world countries who write articles, study and discuss crime of genocide. Many reasonable and groundless claims on the issue exist over the history. Views of the scientific community will be learnt on methods of researches of these claims, the done analyses and the results obtained and to be printed. It is expected to publish materials of new studies and archives within the symposium. Symposium is intended to be held as range of events to follow new researches in the future.
    Main topics:
    – What is genocide? Juridical solution of the problem;
    – Methods of research of genocide history;
    – Genocides of pre-20th century;
    – Genocide acts on eve of 1st World War;
    – Genocide acts on eve of 2nd World War;
    – Political systems and genocides committed;
    – Genocides in Azerbaijani history.
    Deadline of call for abstracts: 10 March, 2015
    Notifications of acceptance of abstracts: 15 March, 2015.
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.miras.az

    SOURCE: Jafar Mansimi

  • 1st International Youth Forum of Cultural Heritage and Tourism 1-2 February 2015 Baku, Azerbaijan

    1st International Youth Forum of Cultural Heritage and Tourism 1-2 February 2015 Baku, Azerbaijan

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    MIRAS Social Organization in Support of Studying of Cultural Heritage announces 1st International Youth Forum of Cultural Heritage and Tourism.

    Information. Forum will be held under slogan “Explore, Protect and Promote!”. Youth of the age till 35 from different countries will forward new ideas in the line of study, protection and promotion of cultural heritage. In the end speakers and participants will be granted certificates.

    Purpose. The Forum aims at maintaining collaboration perspectives in the direction of protection and study of cultural heritage, tourism and new fields of tourism by gathering youth among the countries, achieving wide application of exchange of new ideas and successful practices.

    For this purpose:
    – brings together young people from different countries; helps widening of cultural and tourism relations among those countries;
    – displays the role of youth in exploration, protection and promotion of cultural heritage;
    – tries to study culture, tourism, traditions of different countries;
    – promotes traditions, rich history, culture and tourism of our country among youth of various world countries;
    – gives “peace and unity” message to the world;
    – listens to the youth’s ideas and initiatives and on its basis adoption of Declaration.

    Terms of participation: Youth of 16-35 ages having cultural heritage and tourism activities, wishing to have new relations are invited to participate as presenters of forum and share ideas and practices. Along with Azerbaijan, youth from Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Russia, Italy, Macedonia, India, France, Germany, Spain, Egypt and other countries will participate there. The papers covered new ideas, methods and conception, understandings and the analysis of successes and failures in the field of cultural heritage and tourism will be preferred. Take into consideration the following when sending the abstract:
    1. Abstracts must be in Azerbaijani or English languages.
    2. Abstracts must be short (maximum 300 words) and should cover main purpose and results. Basic measurements for the forum: quality, originality, comprehensiveness. Abstract covers: (a) title ( abstract topic); (b) entrance with the forum purposes; (c) short description of relevant practice processes; (d) new and non-published information base (d) result.

    Authors are accountable for any ideas, as well as writing and grammar rules or mistakes in scientific facts indicated in the abstract. The participant should fill in this application form on ‘miras.az’ web-site to register and then send an abstract.

    Deadline: 8th January, 2015
    The accepted will be notified till 22nd January, 2015.

    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web page: www.miras.az

    There is no limit for participants of the forum. Fill in the application form on web-site miras.az and register.

    Fees:
    Presenters – 60 AZN (publications, 2-day coffee breaks and lunch);
    Participants – 30 AZN (2-day coffee breaks and lunch).

    Venue and date:
    1-2 February, 2015
    Modern Hotel, Baku, Azerbaijan

     

    Advisory Board:
    Veli Aliyev, ANAS Associate member
    Jafar Giyasi, ANAS Associate member
    Prof.Dr. Gafar Jabiyev
    Prof.Dr. Luigi Scrinzi (Italy)
    Prof.Dr. Kubra Aliyeva
    Prof.Dr. Minakhanim Tekleli-Nuriyeva
    Prof.Dr. Shikar Gasimov
    Prof.Dr. Abbas Seyidov
    Prof.Dr. Kamil Ibrahimov
    Dr. Fariz Khalilli
    Dr. Juanjo Pulido (Spain)
    Dr. Irina Gusac (Russia)
    Ahmet Aytaç (Turkey)
    Emil Safarov
    Maleyka Huseynova
    Arzu Soltan
    Gulshan Huseynova
    Teymur Najafzade
    Mammad Rahimov

     

    Organization Committee:
    Jafar Mansimi
    Shola Bayramova
    Aida Malikova
    Valeh Jafarov
    Elnur Aliyev (Georgia)
    Chinara Aliyeva
    Ilgar Babayev (Turkey)
    Karim Musazade (Iran)
    Enrico Greco (Italy)
    Zeyneb Gasimova

     

    Program:

    1 February, 2015
    10.00-11.00-Registration of participants
    11.00-12.30-Opening ceremony of the Forum
    12.30-14.00- Lunch
    14.00-18.00-The session “Explore”

    2 February, 2015
    09.00-13.00-Session “Protect”
    13.00-14.00-Lunch
    14.00-18.00- Session “Promote”
    18.00-19.00-Discussions (cultural heritage and tourism studies), adoption of Declaration
    19.00-19.30-Granting of certificates

    ingilisce meruzeciler ucun(1) Qeydiyyat INGILISCE(1)

    ingilisce meruzeciler ucun(1)

     

    SOURCE OF INFORMATION:JAFER MANSIMI

  • Letter to Harut Sassounian, “Countries selling weapons..”

    Letter to Harut Sassounian, “Countries selling weapons..”

    Dear Mr. Sassounian!

    Having read your most recent article “Countries selling weapons to Azerbaijan are just as guilty for attacks on Artsakh = Karabag”, I must say that your leading article is simply an unworthy attack on Azerbaijan. Your article, Sir, not written with a journalistic style but with the genetic lines of a propaganda Minister of a country at war, is, slowly but surely killing off your credibility.

    You are forgetting, of course, who is the aggressor and occupier of land belonging to Azerbaijan! Just to refresh your memory:

    “ … By the end of the war in 1994, the Armenians were in full control of most of the enclave and also held and currently control approximately 9% of Azerbaijan’s territory outside the enclave. As many as 230,000 Armenians from Azerbaijan and 800,000 Azeris from Armenia and Karabakh have been displaced as a result of the conflict. A Russian-brokered ceasefire was signed in May 1994 and peace talks, mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group, have been held ever since by Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

    Current Situation:

    “In the years since the end of the war, a number of organizations have passed resolutions regarding the conflict. On 25 January 2005, for example, PACE adopted a controversial non-binding resolution, Resolution 1416, which criticized the “large-scale ethnic expulsion and the creation of mono-ethnic areas” and declared that Armenian forces were occupying Azerbaijan lands.[187][188] On 14 May 2008 thirty-nine countries from the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 62/243 which called for “the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.” Almost one hundred countries, however, abstained from voting while seven countries, including the three co-chairs of the Minsk Group, Russia, the United States, and France, voted against it.” ).

    These are the facts Mr. Sassounian. Furthermore, don’t forget that; you are the master of your evil thoughts, the moulder of your character, and the shaper of your condition, environment and destiny. An ignoble and bestial character is the result of the continued harboring of gravelling thoughts.

    Your call for retaliation, revenge and disproportionate use of force shows what a sick character you are! You , Mr. Sassounian, sitting in the comfort of California have no idea of life in poor Armenia, and what it means to make war and suffer the destruction as such! There are no winners in a war, only loosers. The only winners are the ones (Israel, Russia) supplying the expensive weapons. Wake up Mr. Sassounian and rid yourself from your evil thoughts. As soon as you have done that, and your thoughts become healthy and beneficial to all man kind, joy will soon follow you as surely as your shadow follows you on a sunny day.

    Regards

    Küfi Seydali

  • Armenian Parliament Rejects Recognition Of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh Region As A Separate Independent State‏

    Armenian Parliament Rejects Recognition Of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh Region As A Separate Independent State‏

     

    Armenian parliament rejected Nov. 12 the oppositional Heritage faction’s draft law, submitted in extraordinary manner, which stipulates recognition of independence of Azerbaijan’s separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Novosti-Armenia news agency reported.

    Prior to the voting on the draft law, Artak Zakarian, an MP from the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) faction said the RPA believes that the draft law is not timely, so the RPA faction will not participate in the voting.

    Thus, the draft law gained 8 votes “in favor”, with one abstention. Other MPs didn’t vote.

    The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

    As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

    The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.

    Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

    Wednesday 12 November 2014

      Kufi Seydali

     

  • Republican Congressional Majority Casts Dark Shadow on Armenian Interests

    Republican Congressional Majority Casts Dark Shadow on Armenian Interests

    By Harut Sassounian

    www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

    Nearly all congressional candidates nationwide who supported Armenian -American issues were victorious during the November 4 elections. The outcome was similarly positive for other candidates running in state and local races. Consequently, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) announced that over 95% of its endorsed candidates had been successful. Although both Republicans and Democrats have traditionally supported Armenian-American issues, there are some dark clouds looming over Armenian lobbying efforts in Washington due to major changes in the new Congress, which take effect in January 2015, during the critical Centennial Year of the Armenian Genocide. Several key pro-Armenian Democratic Senators will lose their leadership positions as a result of the new Republican majority. For example, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), rated A+ on Armenian issues by ANCA, will no longer Chair the Foreign Relations Committee. He will be replaced by Sen. Robert Corker (R-TN), rated D+ by ANCA, one of five Republican Senators who voted against the Armenian Genocide Resolution in the Foreign Relations Committee last April. In addition, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), rated A by ANCA, will become Minority Leader. He will be replaced by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), rated C+ and endorsed for reelection by ANCA. Sen. McConnell has voted positively on some Armenian issues. The picture is not any brighter on the House side, in terms of the position of its top leadership on Armenian-American issues. Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), who saw a major surge in his party’s majority, had announced during a recent visit to Ankara that the House of Representatives will not deal with the Armenian Genocide issue. No wonder ANCA gave him a C rating. A glimmer of hope is House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), rated B- and endorsed by ANCA for reelection, who has maintained close contacts with his Armenian constituents. Fortunately, Cong. Ed Royce (R-CA), rated A+ and endorsed by ANCA, will still Chair the important Foreign Affairs Committee. It is not surprising that the Turkish media has been gloating over the congressional election results. “Republicans favor Turkey on Armenian issue,” was one of the headlines in Sabah, a Turkish newspaper. Reporter Ragip Soylu wrote: “Some changes within the Senate will help Turkey’s distasteful experience with Congress.” The “removal” of Sen. Menendez from chairmanship of the Foreign Relations Committee “will help Turkey’s uncomfortable and weak position in the Senate.” The reporter went on to call the continued Republican control of the House “more good news for Turkey as House Speaker John Boehner has already promised to not bring up the Armenian issue to the executive agenda of the chamber. ‘Congress won’t get involved in this issue. We don’t write history, we are not historians,’ he reportedly said during his visit to Ankara in April 2014.” In another Sabah article, Ilnur Cevik confidently wrote: “Turkey’s fortunes are not so bad,” in the face of “the likely problems posed by the advent of the 100th year since the 1915 incidents regarding the Armenians during Ottoman times.” Cevik described Republicans not as “combative” on the Armenian issue as Democrats “who are dying to appease the Armenian lobby in the U.S. and thus would be more receptive to a tough worded motion regarding Armenians, especially in 2015 when the 100th year of the events during World War I when Armenians living under Ottoman rule were killed and the Armenians called this controversially a genocide.” Another Turkish publication, “World Bulletin,” cheerfully headlined its report: “Republican Victory in US Congress Benefits Turkey.” The article pointed out that “a Democrat-led Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee would have been a nightmare for Turkish-American relations, as it would have come out with bills on Armenian claims of genocide during the 1915 incidents in eastern Turkey.” Soner Cagaptay, Director of Turkish Research Program at Washington Institute for Near East Policy, confirmed the pro-Turkish orientation of the new Senate, as “it has been Republicans in the Senate who have blocked bills on genocide claims against Turkey.” Another Turkish analyst, Kadir Ustun, observed that the chance of passing a Congressional Resolution on the Armenian Genocide “is now lower than ever, as the Republicans are in control of Congress.” It is now incumbent upon Armenian-Americans who have strong ties with Republican Congressional leaders to convince them to uphold Armenian initiatives, while exposing Turkey’s support for ISIS terrorists who threaten US national interests in the Middle East.

  • Armenian Australian church leader ‘was a KGB spy’

    Armenian Australian church leader ‘was a KGB spy’

    Phillip Dorling

    A highly respected Australian church leader was a KGB spy, according to newly released Russian intelligence archives.

    Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand, was listed as a KGB agent, codenamed “Zorik” in the papers of former KGB archivist and defector Vasili Mitrokhin, which were released by the UK’s Churchill College Archive last month.

    Born in Syria in 1946, the late Archbishop Baliozian arrived in Australia in 1975 to serve as Vicar General of the diocese of the Armenian Church before being appointed as Primate of Australia and New Zealand in 1982.

    A highly respected religious leader and a well-known figure in Chatswood, Sydney, Archbishop Baliozian was strongly committed to ecumenism, working for cooperation and greater unity between Christian churches.

    He was the first president of the National Council of Churches in Australia from 1994 to 1997 and president of the NSW Ecumenical Council from 2005 to 2007. He represented the Armenian Church at the World Council of Churches.

    Archbishop Baliozian was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1995 “in recognition of service to the Armenian community” and the Centenary Medal in 2001, again for community service.

    However, Mitrokhin’s papers on KGB espionage operations in Australia allege Archbishop Baliozian was recruited by Soviet intelligence in 1973 while undertaking theological studies in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, then part of the Soviet Union.

    According to Mitrokhin’s notes of Soviet state security files, Aghan Baliozian went on to work as a KGB agent while studying and teaching in Jerusalem in 1974, and maintained “ongoing communications in three countries”. He continued contact with the KGB after he transferred to the Armenian Church in Australia, according to the papers.

    However, Mitrokhin’s papers also suggest that his performance in Australia was considered unsatisfactory. The third department of the KGB’s foreign intelligence directorate, responsible for operations in Australia, concluded Archbishop Baliozian had “insufficient operational training” and eventually discontinued his employment.

    The precise terms of Archbishop Baliozian’s separation from the KGB are not recorded in Mitrokhin’s notes and it is not known whether he had any further dealings with Soviet intelligence in the 1980s.

    Mitrokhin’s notes of KGB files record Soviet state security’s extensive efforts to recruit clergy as agents and informants, especially in churches with a significant presence in the former Soviet Union.

    British intelligence historian Christopher Andrew, who collaborated with Mitrokhin on two books, claims that, during the Cold War the KGB recruited a number of representatives on the World Council of Churches, mainly from the Russian Orthodox Church but from other denominations as well, in successful efforts to influence the Council’s policies.

    Archbishop Baliozian died in September 2012. More than 600 people attended his funeral at the Armenian Apostolic Church in Chatswood, including three archbishops from Jerusalem, India and Armenia.

    Many NSW political figures paid tribute to the archbishop, with Liberal MP Jonathan O’Dea applauding his commitment to inter-religious dialogue as well as his abilities as an orator.

    “Always approachable and gregarious, the archbishop was captivating as a speaker… He would simply speak from the heart, capturing the attention of young and old in his congregation and developing a strong and loyal following,” Mr O’Dea told the NSW Parliament.

    m.smh.com.au, August 12, 2014