Goodbye, Azerbajian. It would be dishonest to say that we Europeans will miss you; few people over here will even notice that you've left. But it's sad to see you leaving the family nonetheless.

Interestingly, the wave reached to Syria, and in the beginning of the uprising in tiny cities; caused the same conclusion that the so called the “Arab Spring” was an economic issue in Syria as well. It seemed that it is possible to reach revolution and overthrow the authoritarian strict repressive regime with daily peaceful demonstrations.

However, it must be acknowledged that is also Your duty to remember the Armenians, who became victims of the policy of the British Empire. If the British Empire had not prevented the collapse of the Ottoman Empire on various occasions,  the Armenians would have not been massacred; instead they would happily live in their millennial homeland and would not mourn their losses every year on April 24.

The German Embassy in Yerevan on 14 April 2015 signed an agreement with „Armenia Young Lawyers Association NGO“ (AYLA) in support of its human rights project „Influencing the Women’s Rights Agenda” to be executed in the course of 2015. The Federal Republic of Germany backs this project with an amount of 33,000.- €.

In fact, as a senator, Barack Obama strongly supported the passage of the 2007 Armenian Genocide Resolution, which called the massacres a genocide. As a presidential candidate, he condemned the Bush administration for dismissing John Evans, the U.S. ambassador to Armenia, after Evans said the word "genocide" in public. "As president," vowed Obama, "I will recognize the Armenian genocide.

While Americana’s apology was welcome, this hastily posted note misrepresented its wrongful action by calling it a ‘misunderstanding.’ Strangely, the shopping center did not bother to contact the tenants to inform them that the ban on sale of genocide-related clothing was lifted. 

Pres. Obama could lay the foundation for improved Armenian-Turkish relations based on truth and justice, in line with a pending resolution in the House of Representatives, and his previous April 24 statements, declaring that “a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests.” Pres. Obama’s visit would also encourage Turkish human rights activists to continue their arduous task of assisting the Government of Turkey to reckon with the darkest pages of its past. 

The selection committee of this special award is co-chaired by George Clooney and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. The committee also includes former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, UN Secretary-General's Advisor on Genocide Prevention Gareth Evans, human rights activist Hina Jilani, and Dr. Gregorian.

The Radical Islamic ideology and the violence derived from it has brought great attention not only to the politicians or experts in the field but also to the huge audience called the international arena. Interestingly, “Global Radical Islamic movements” become more understandable and logical when it is viewed not as an outcome of classical terrorism, but could be more accurate in paying attention to the ideology hidden behind the violence. 

On March 10th in NYC, prominent Armenians Ruben Vardanyan, Carnegie Corporation of New York President Vartan Gregorian, and Flagship Ventures CEO Noubar Afeyan annlounced the launch of their new global humanitarian initiative, 100 LIVES, as well as a new humanitarian award, The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity.

A quarter of a century after the end of the cold war, the “Russian threat” is unmistakably back. Vladimir Putin, Britain’s defence secretary Michael Fallon declares, is as great a danger to Europe as “Islamic State”. There may be no ideological confrontation, and Russia may be a shadow of its Soviet predecessor, but the anti-Russian drumbeat has now reached fever pitch.

The state of Bavaria inherited the copyright from the Nazi’s Franz-Eher Publishing House upon the dictator’s death, and blocked publication of it in agreement with the federal government. However the copyright of a book runs out 70 years after the death of the author in Germany, paving the way for its publication once again.

We are confident that all of the above-stated factors reaffirm the concerns we had expressed earlier regarding the relocation of European UN structures to Istanbul. The relocation of the structures would be a clear signal to Turkey of approval by the international community of the course it has taken, a clear indication that the power of force prevails over values and standards. We wholeheartedly would like to believe that the international community will not send that signal of encouragement. We do hope that 2015 will be a decisive one – a year, when the international community will acknowledge the priority of moral values and justice of force in global politics.  

Referring to Modern Armenia, unlike the abovementioned persons, involved in cheap politicking, in the worst sense of the word, I do know this wonderful country and the people not by hearsay. Born and bred as a Jew, I, as one of the founders of the Jewish community of Armenia, can assure can declare with confidence, that Jews always enjoyed the respect of the Armenian people and more than amicable attitude of the authorities. There is no and has never been any expression of anti-Semitism in Armenia. Armenian national idea has never been directed against any people, let alone Jews.

Justice Department’s records also reveal that Gephardt and O’Connell traveled to Istanbul and Ankara on Turkish Airlines on March 3, 2014 to meet Turkey’s National Security Advisor. Gephardt flew from Paris to Istanbul and Ankara at a round trip cost of $1,513, while O’Connell flew from Washington, DC to Istanbul and Ankara at a round trip cost of $6,986. The two lobbyists stayed at the Conrad Hotel in Istanbul for three nights at the cost of $710 each. While in Turkey, they spent $600 on limousine service.

Expats come and expats go, but their legacy varies. Jakarta’s historic Old Town is a testament to centuries of Dutch colonialism, India’s tea plantations legacy to Europeans love of tea. And the Chinese influence lives on in boardrooms of some of the wealthiest conglomerates in the region.

Personally, I welcome the decision of the United States, because, as you correctly mentioned, “Armenia and the South Caucasus, in general, are very close to the most dangerous regions of the world". In this case supplemental security provisions are not excessive at all.  Although the format of this cooperation is still unclear for me, it is already obvious  that it would bring a plenty of changes in the region.
    

During the last 13 years, Erdogan gradually turned into a corrupt despot, assuming the airs of a modern-day Ottoman Sultan. Was he a wolf in sheep’s clothing to start with, or was he spoiled by the international community’s blind support and lavish praise? Notably, Pres. Obama had called Erdogan one of five world leaders with whom he felt especially close. Obama and other heads of state have finally realized that the monster they created is out of the bottle and out of control! The primary victim of misplaced trust in Erdogan was none other than Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.

We welcome the Minsk Summit results held within the “Normandy format” on February 11-12 – the adoption of joint declaration by the Presidents of Ukraine, Russia, France and the Chancellor of Germany, the signing of document by Contact Group on the means of implementation of Minsk agreements.

Stalin sowed the seeds of conflict in the region in 1921, pursuing a policy of divide-and-rule to combat ethnic opposition within the fledgling USSR. He severed predominately Christian Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia, and spliced it to the mainly Muslim Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. The enclave sank into anonymity until Stalin’s Machiavellian legacy came back to haunt the USSR’s disintegration, when simmering ethnic tensions resurfaced.