Armenia and the information war

[londontsi]

Re: Armenia and the information war

To anyone who understands Turkish:

http://www.hurriyet.de/haberler/dunya/615836/karabagdaili-bosaltin

It basically says that Clinton's visit to Armenia is to pressure us to give the 7 regions surrounding NK to Azerbaijan (Lachin corridor controlled by peacekeeping forces), and solve the NK conflict in favor of Azerbaijan, in exchange for Azerbaijan to allow them free access to build military bases in their territory, in order to finally have Iran completely surrounded.

Although it is Turkish news and therefore totally exaggerated (taking into consideration the USA cannot by itself do solve the conflict, although they are OSCE MG co-chairs they need approval of France and Russia, and deployment of American forces in the Caucasus is not in Russia's interests) what's interesting is that it also coincides with many opinions of Armenian politicians that this visit of Clinton will have an outcome. It also gives hint to a USA plan to attack Iran.

We should also note, that after USA attack on Iraq, the Kurds got an incredible advantage to form an autonomous region rules by them, and that after USA claims to leave from Iraq, they started to get worried. As well, what can a US invasion of Iran give Azerbaijan, but control of the Azeri populated regions they have always claimed?

We should be on alert, and let's hope our politicians keep up their promises of "not unilateral concessions" and "no concessions until NK status is determined", and don't give up to USA pressure which they will be subject to.

It is interesting that the English edition of the paper does not have anything about it.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/c.php?c=international

[ashot24]

Re: Armenia and the information war

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs issue statement

July 05, 2010 | 21:14
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassador Igor Popov of Russia, Bernard Fassier of France, and Robert Bradtke of the United States, released the following statement today:

The Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Bernard Fassier, France; Ambassador Robert Bradtke, United States; and Ambassador Igor Popov, Russia) visited Yerevan and Baku July 3-5. Ambassador Bradtke and Ambassador Popov also visited Nagorno-Karabakh July 2.

In Nagorno-Karabakh, Ambassador Bradtke and Ambassador Popov briefed the de facto authorities on the latest developments in the peace process, including the June 26, 2010 statement of Presidents Dmitry Medvedev, Barack Obama, and Nicolas Sarkozy. They also discussed the June 18-19 incident along the Line of Contact. They deplored this incident as an unacceptable violation of the ceasefire, and reiterated their regret over the senseless loss of life and their strong condemnation of the use of force. In Yerevan, the three Co-Chairs met President Serzh Sargsian, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, and Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan. In Baku, they met with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, and representatives of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons from the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In their meetings in both Yerevan and Baku, the Co-Chairs stressed the commitment of their three countries to support a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karbakh conflict, based upon the Helsinki principles of non-use of force or the threat of force, territorial integrity, and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples. In that respect, they noted the progress that has been made and the recognition by both sides that the elements articulated by their three Presidents in L'Aquila and repeated in their June 26, 2010 statement must be the basis of a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They urged the parties, in a spirit of constructive compromise, to take the next step and move towards completing work on the Basic Principles to enable the drafting of a peace agreement to begin. They called upon the sides to strictly observe the 1994 ceasefire and exercise restraint along the Line of Contact. During their visit, the Co-chairs also presented to the parties their plan to undertake a mission to the occupied territories in this fall, which was accepted in principle.

The Co-Chairs expect that a meeting will take place between the heads of their delegations and the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the margins of the OSCE Informal Ministerial in Almaty July 16-17.

http://news.am/eng/news/24219.html

-----

What's up with the high lightened part? What does "undertake a mission to the occupied territories" means?

[ashot24]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Ադրբեջանաթուրքական կազմակերպված դիվերսիա Fecabook-ում (լուսանկարներ)
22:00 • 05.07.10

Ադրբեջանցիները թուրքերի օգնությամբ հուլիսի 5-ին՝ Հայաստանի Սահմանադրության Օրը, կազմակերպված դիվերսիա են կազմակերպել Ֆեյսբուք սոցիալական ցանցի հայերեն տարբերակի վրա՝ այդպիսով փչացնելով կայքի հայ օգտատերերի տոնական տրամադրությունը։
Նրանք դա արել են՝ օգտագործելով «Թարգմանություններ» ծրագիրը, որի օգնությամբ ստեղծվել են ցանցի ոչ միայն հայերեն, այլ նաև՝ մյուս գրեթե բոլոր տարբերակները՝ հենց օգտատերերի կողմից։ Քանի որ հայերենը դեռ գտնվում է Beta տարբերակում և փակ չէ նոր թարգմանությունների կամ քվեարկությունների համար, սկզբունքորեն յուրաքանչյուր ոք կարող է առաջարկել նոր տարբերակներ ցանկացած բառի համար կամ քվեարկել այս կամ այն տարբերակի համար։ Փաստորեն, ադրբեջանցիները և թուրքերը մեկ օրում իրենց դիվերսիոն տարբերակների օգտին քվեարկել են ավելի շատ, քան մինչ այդ հայերեն տարբերակների օգտին քվեարկել էին հայ ֆեյսբուքականները։
AZERBAIJAN, KARABAKH IS AZERBAIJANI TERRITORY, AZPATRIOT FROM AZERBAIJAN, F**K ARMENIA, LONG LIVE AZERBAIJAN և մի շարք այլ գրառումների կարելի է հանդիպել ցանցի գրեթե բոլոր բաժիններում և էջերում՝ սկսած Բարի գալուստ էջից։
Մի քանի տասնյակ հայ օգտատերեր արդեն իսկ ձեռնամուխ են եղել Ֆեյսբուքի ադմինիստրացիային բողոքելու և խնդիրը չեզոքացնելու գործին։ Այս պահին կայքում իսկական պատերազմ է։

http://tert.am/am/news/2010/07/05/facebook/

------------------------------

Սա անհավատալի ա, անընդունելի ա: Ֆեյսբուկը պիտի ինչ-որ բան անել էս դիվերսիայի դեմ, էս չի կարող անպատիժ թողնելը: Մենք էլ պիտի հարձակվենք ադրբեջանական և թուրքական ֆեյսբուկ գլխավոր էջեր:

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Ադրբեջանաթուրքական կազմակերպված դիվերսիա Fecabook-ում (լուսանկարներ)
22:00 • 05.07.10

Ադրբեջանցիները թուրքերի օգնությամբ հուլիսի 5-ին՝ Հայաստանի Սահմանադրության Օրը, կազմակերպված դիվերսիա են կազմակերպել Ֆեյսբուք սոցիալական ցանցի հայերեն տարբերակի վրա՝ այդպիսով փչացնելով կայքի հայ օգտատերերի տոնական տրամադրությունը։
Նրանք դա արել են՝ օգտագործելով «Թարգմանություններ» ծրագիրը, որի օգնությամբ ստեղծվել են ցանցի ոչ միայն հայերեն, այլ նաև՝ մյուս գրեթե բոլոր տարբերակները՝ հենց օգտատերերի կողմից։ Քանի որ հայերենը դեռ գտնվում է Beta տարբերակում և փակ չէ նոր թարգմանությունների կամ քվեարկությունների համար, սկզբունքորեն յուրաքանչյուր ոք կարող է առաջարկել նոր տարբերակներ ցանկացած բառի համար կամ քվեարկել այս կամ այն տարբերակի համար։ Փաստորեն, ադրբեջանցիները և թուրքերը մեկ օրում իրենց դիվերսիոն տարբերակների օգտին քվեարկել են ավելի շատ, քան մինչ այդ հայերեն տարբերակների օգտին քվեարկել էին հայ ֆեյսբուքականները։
AZERBAIJAN, KARABAKH IS AZERBAIJANI TERRITORY, AZPATRIOT FROM AZERBAIJAN, F**K ARMENIA, LONG LIVE AZERBAIJAN և մի շարք այլ գրառումների կարելի է հանդիպել ցանցի գրեթե բոլոր բաժիններում և էջերում՝ սկսած Բարի գալուստ էջից։
Մի քանի տասնյակ հայ օգտատերեր արդեն իսկ ձեռնամուխ են եղել Ֆեյսբուքի ադմինիստրացիային բողոքելու և խնդիրը չեզոքացնելու գործին։ Այս պահին կայքում իսկական պատերազմ է։

http://tert.am/am/news/2010/07/05/facebook/

------------------------------

Սա անհավատալի ա, անընդունելի ա: Ֆեյսբուկը պիտի ինչ-որ բան անել էս դիվերսիայի դեմ, էս չի կարող անպատիժ թողնելը: Մենք էլ պիտի հարձակվենք ադրբեջանական և թուրքական ֆեյսբուկ գլխավոր էջեր:

They are only making an ass out of themselves and it's never a good idea to hack powerful sites they can be very a very good enemy.

[Federate]

Re: Armenia and the information war

The Facebook thing is not a case of hacking. You see, the Facebook staff does not translate the website into various languages. The translating process is done on a volunteer basis by Facebook users on a special page. Basically, anyone can do the translating.

You submit a translation for a word (originally in English) and if it gets enough votes, it passes as the official translation. What Azerbaboons did was submit translations to basic words like "Home" as "Azerbaijan <3" for example and they mass voted and it passed and currently stands as the official translation. The best way to counter this is first to report it to Facebook en masse and second to re-vote the right words en masse. The key is having the numbers. Follow this link and vote on the correct translations to help counter the Azerbaboons http://www.facebook.com/translations...loc=hy_AM&vote

[ashot24]

Re: Armenia and the information war

The Facebook thing is not a case of hacking. You see, the Facebook staff does not translate the website into various languages. The translating process is done on a volunteer basis by Facebook users on a special page. Basically, anyone can do the translating.

You submit a translation for a word (originally in English) and if it gets enough votes, it passes as the official translation. What Azerbaboons did was submit translations to basic words like "Home" as "Azerbaijan <3" for example and they mass voted and it passed and currently stands as the official translation. The best way to counter this is first to report it to Facebook en masse and second to re-vote the right words en masse. The key is having the numbers. Follow this link and vote on the correct translations to help counter the Azerbaboons http://www.facebook.com/translations...loc=hy_AM&vote

What an incredibly stupid system. It is basically an open invitation to anybody to write whatever they want. I thought it was because the Armenian version was still BETA...

So basically Facebook staff will do nothing regarding this? No consequences? Even Wikipedia has more control

I already voted myself, thanks for the info Fed.

EDIT: It is fixed now.

[ninetoyadome]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Azerbaijani ombudsman appeals to ICRC president on return of soldier’s body
Wed 07 July 2010 | 07:26 GMT Text size:


Elmira Suleymanova
Elmira Suleymanova has appealed to president of the International Committee of the Red Cross for assistance in return of Azerbaijani soldier’s body.

Azerbaijani ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova has sent a letter to president of the International Committee of the Red Cross Jacob Kellenberg due to the failure of the Armenian side to return the body of soldier Mubariz Ibrahimov who died while resisting attacks of the Armenian armed forces on the night of June 19, the news service for the ombudsman said, reports Trend.

Thousands of Azerbaijanis were taken captives and hostages, went missing and still unfound in the result of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan, says the appeal.

'This is a violation of international law including the Geneva convention on protection of rights of victims of war of 1949 which is part of the international humanitarian law. Though, a ceasefire agreement was reached in 1994, the Armenian side periodically violates ceasefire which in turn causes losses from the Azerbaijani side. The same facts were recorded during the monitoring held by OSCE representatives.

In addition, during the ceasefire regime Armenia commits such violations, as taking civilians living along the frontline hostage, hiding their real number, causing material damage to the civil population of Azerbaijan (shooting, destroying residential houses and agricultural technique and so on). The public has recently been concerned about the fact that the bodies of soldiers of the Azerbaijani armed forces killed on the front line are not given to the Azerbaijani side in time.

Azerbaijani soldier Mubariz Ibrahimov was killed while resisting attacks of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Terter region, however, his body has not yet been transferred to the Azerbaijani side. This causes the severe psychological stress of his family members. Therefore, I ask you to assist to the return of the body of Azerbaijani soldier Mubariz Ibrahimov to Azerbaijan as soon as possible within the framework of your mandate and in line with norms of international law', the letter says.

1 news.az
This was a hilarious article

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Azerbaijani ombudsman appeals to ICRC president on return of soldier’s body
Wed 07 July 2010 | 07:26 GMT Text size:


Elmira Suleymanova
Elmira Suleymanova has appealed to president of the International Committee of the Red Cross for assistance in return of Azerbaijani soldier’s body.

Azerbaijani ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova has sent a letter to president of the International Committee of the Red Cross Jacob Kellenberg due to the failure of the Armenian side to return the body of soldier Mubariz Ibrahimov who died while resisting attacks of the Armenian armed forces on the night of June 19, the news service for the ombudsman said, reports Trend.

Thousands of Azerbaijanis were taken captives and hostages, went missing and still unfound in the result of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan, says the appeal.

'This is a violation of international law including the Geneva convention on protection of rights of victims of war of 1949 which is part of the international humanitarian law. Though, a ceasefire agreement was reached in 1994, the Armenian side periodically violates ceasefire which in turn causes losses from the Azerbaijani side. The same facts were recorded during the monitoring held by OSCE representatives.

In addition, during the ceasefire regime Armenia commits such violations, as taking civilians living along the frontline hostage, hiding their real number, causing material damage to the civil population of Azerbaijan (shooting, destroying residential houses and agricultural technique and so on). The public has recently been concerned about the fact that the bodies of soldiers of the Azerbaijani armed forces killed on the front line are not given to the Azerbaijani side in time.

Azerbaijani soldier Mubariz Ibrahimov was killed while resisting attacks of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Terter region, however, his body has not yet been transferred to the Azerbaijani side. This causes the severe psychological stress of his family members. Therefore, I ask you to assist to the return of the body of Azerbaijani soldier Mubariz Ibrahimov to Azerbaijan as soon as possible within the framework of your mandate and in line with norms of international law', the letter says.

1 news.az
This was a hilarious article

Let me get this straight, the soldier died on their side of the border(according to the Azeris) but now they want his body back

[ashot24]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Aliyev explains the essence of the new proposal by OSCE MG co-chairs
12:49 • 07.07.10

The main point of the Helsinki principles is the territorial integrity, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, reported by APA.

"What are these Helsinki principles? Probably, this is well known by those who engaged in the issue. Here the main principle is territorial integrity. There is also the principle of self-determination of peoples. However, this principle shall not prejudice the territorial integrity of countries and come into contradiction with it," said the president of Azerbaijan.

In his words the possibility of self-governance and self-determination of peoples must not violate the territorial integrity of countries.

"These are the essence and meaning of the Helsinki principles. Co-chair countries have put forward proposal prepared on this basis, and Azerbaijan, with certain exceptions, accepts them. What are they? I want once again to inform about it. Firstly, the occupation forces shall leave from all the occupied regions around Nagorno-Karabakh. Five areas shall be liberated immediately, but two areas - Kelbajar and Lachin - after a certain period. The proposals provided for a five-year period. The reason for this is that Kelbajar and Lachin districts are located between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia and, in some way, more extensive security measures must be taken for the return of Azerbaijani population in these areas."

"However, all regions, all areas shall be returned to Azerbaijani control. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh shall operate the road, which is a corridor, and Azerbaijan agreed with these proposals. Since this is an important issue to resolve the conflict. Because all guarantees of security shall be provided "said Aliyev.

http://tert.am/en/news/2010/07/07/aliev/

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I was just about to comment that I find something different with these statement by Aliyev, when I found this which pretty much says all I wanted to say...

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ALIYEV PREPARES PEOPLE FOR DEFEAT

The leader of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in fact accepted that Azerbaijan has no more claims to the territory of the former NKAR. In his speech on July 6, he only spoke about the surrender of regions adjacent to the former NKAR and the corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite the revanchist sauce, Aliyev’s speech looked even pathetic.

Aliyev’s tonality in reality changed. The feeling is that he reconciled with the loss of Karabakh and now he tries to prepare his people for it. Not only for the fact that there is no Karabakh any longer but also that the regions will not be “returned” altogether, just like the refugees.

“First of all, “occupying” forces are to withdraw from all “occupied” areas near the NKR. Five regions are to be liberated immediately, two regions- Kelbadjar and Lachin- after a certain period. The reason is that Kelbadjar and Lachin regions are situated between Karabakh and Armenia. Between Karabakh and Armenia a road – a corridor is functioning. Peacekeeping forces should be placed at the administrative border of Nagorno-Karabakh”, stated Aliyev.

According to him, the issue on the allocation of an interim status to Nagorno-Karabakh is discussed. “This status will not break the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. This means that the Azerbaijani citizens have to return to Nagorno-Karabakh and Shushi. Though, perhaps, more time will be needed for this”, says Aliyev.

After all these years of revanchist propaganda, it will be a bit difficult for Aliyev to persuade his people into the necessity to admit their defeat. Analysts predict a surge of nationalist speeches, especially on the eve of parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. The history of the past 20 years shows that the power in Azerbaijan changed each time when the situation on the Karabakh front changed.

http://lragir.am/engsrc/politics18481.html

[Federate]

Re: Armenia and the information war

Facebook Wars: Armenian websites under Azeri attack as Clinton visited Yerevan


Azerbaijani hackers attacked seven Armenian website on July 3-4, hours before the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Yerevan from Baku and on the eve of Armenia’s Constitution Day. The Armenian version of Facebook is also reported to have become a target of Azeri sabotage activity, which specialists in Armenia say is designed to spoil the atmosphere and festive moods surrounding special dates in Armenia.

Experts in this field say that such incidents usually happen before some memorable dates or a political event. They say it is impossible to completely prevent such attacks. Meanwhile, delivering a counterblow, by international law, is a crime

Information security specialist Tigran Kocharyan says, however, Armenians still try to be proactive in some cases.

In the past month at least six Azeri sites have been hacked from Armenia.

There was at least one case of a major Armenian attack on a top site in Azerbaijan. Four years ago Armenian hackers got into the official website of the Azerbaijani president.

“The websites of presidents are usually considered to be the most secure, but (Armenian hackers) showed their skills,” says Kocharyan.

Armenian specialists say that attacks happen also from other countries, but in the case with Azerbaijani attacks, they are followed by the placement of some information regarding Azerbaijan and Karabakh.

Azeris are reported to have launched an organized sabotage activity against the Armenian version of Facebook on July 5, which is marked as Constitution Day in Armenia. July 5 also marked the second day of the Armenia visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as part of her five-country diplomatic tour that also included a stop in Azerbaijani capital Baku.

The hackers did their job using the “Translations” program.

Since Armenian language is still in the Beta version and is not closed for new translations or votes, in principle everyone can offer new variants for any word or vote for one version or another. During one day Azeris and Turks inundated the website with votes for their ‘sabotage’ wrong translation suggestions that eventually got more votes than the correct Armenian translation suggestions earlier voted for by Armenian Facebook users.

Comments containing Azeri calls such as “Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory” and other statements of this kind can be met almost in all network sections and pages beginning from the Welcome page of Facebook.

A few dozens Armenian users have already lodged complaints with the Facebook administration urging it to deal with the problem.

Armenian specialists at Google.Group say two months ago they revealed a 26-member Azeri group conducting anti-Armenian propaganda at Wikipedia, a popular online encyclopedia.

Wikipedia is open to posting information, updating data and making edits in existing entries, but requires that contributors should maintain an objective and impartial approach.

“Those 26 people were a well-organized group supporting each other and would take concerted action online against people whom they thought were pro-Armenian in order to oust them by creating blocks to their activities,” explains Sedrak Mkrtchyan, an information technologies specialist.

As a result, the whole conversation of Azerbaijani hackers was posted on the Internet and Wikipedia administrators blocked the entrance of the group’s head to the website, access to the resource was blocked for some of the group members for three months, others were reprimanded by the site’s administration.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to enter Wikipedia at all,” says Mkrtchyan.

According to the specialist, in order to avoid Azerbaijani sabotage activities they have developed an idea of launching an internet resource working like Wikipedia (and having the following address: www. haykpress.com).

Experts say Armenian websites also suffer hacker attacks from neighboring Georgia, but the most difficult thing, according to them, is to shield against attacks from Turkish hackers, who, they say, have been around for a long time and have become real hacking professionals.

The only country in the region from which Armenian websites have seen no hacker attacks is Iran.

Official websites in Armenia (such as of government agencies, etc) are under the control of the National Security Service and no official site has been hacked in Armenia in the past year.

http://armenianow.com/news/24019/information_war_armenia_azerbaijan