Syrian Armenian

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

Արդեօ՞ք Հալէպահութեան խնդիրը օրակարգի վրայ է
Սագօ Արեան

11:47, 23 սեպտեմբերի, 2013
Անցեալ շաբաթ Սուրիոյ տագնապի զարգացումներէն պարզ դարձած է որ արեւմուտքին եւ Միացեալ Նահանգներուն համար բնաւ աճապարանք չկայ Սուրիական տագնապին հանգուցալուծումը ապահովելու: Իսկ Ռուսիոյ համար առաջնային խնդիր է ՄԱԿ-ի պահովական խորհուրդին առջեւ փաստեր ներկայացնել որ Ասատեան վարչակարգը քիմիական զէնքեր չէ օգտագործած Դամասկոսի Ղութա շրջանին մէջ: Սէուտցի յայտնի լրագրող Ժամալ Խաշըքճի «Ալ Հայաթ» օրաթերթին մէջ իր ստորագրած յօդուածին մէջ խոր մտահոգութիւն կը յայտնէ նաեւ, թէ յատկապէս ՄիացեալՆահանգներ կրնայ Ռուսիոյ եւ Իրանի «համոզիչ» ու մեղրամոմով պատուած լեզուներուն ազդեցութեան տակ ինք նախագահ Պարաք Օպամա ինքզինք հեռացնէ Սուրիոյ տագնապին մէջ ուղղակիօրէն միջամտելու բոլոր եղանակներէն: Ապա եթէ այդպէս պատահի ինչ պատկեր կրնայ ստեղծուիլ Սուրիոյ մէջ: Նախ Ասատեան վարչակարգը որ խորքին մէջ զինուորական ճակատէն զատ բոլոր գետիններուն վրայ մեծ հարուածներու տակ կքած վարչակարգ մըն է կրնայ այսպէս իր «հիւանդ» գոյութիւնը պահպանել շարունակելով յատկապէս օդային ռմբակոծումներով նոր սպաննութիւններ գործադրել: Խորքին մէջ այս իրավիճակին հասնելու նպատակով է որ Ասատ իր նախնական համաձայնութիւնը տուաւ քիմիական զէնքերու իր ունեցած նախնական ցուցակները «պարտաճանաչ ու խելօք» ձեւով յանձնելու Պրիւքսէլի քիմիական զէնքերու արգելափակման միջազգային գործակալութեան աշխարհին ըսելով, թէ ես պատրաստ եմ ամէն ինչ յանձնելու միայն մէկ փափաքով թողէք ինձ հանգիստ որպէսզի շարունակեմ «ղեկավարել» մասնատուած ու աւերակուած Սուրիան:

Այս սցենարը առկայ է բայց կարեւոր է հաշուի առնել Փութինի կատարած մէկ յայտարարութիւնը երբ Ռուսիոյ «նոր ցարը» կը յայտարարէ թէ ինք ամբողջութեամբ չի հաւատար Պաշշար Ասատի խոստումներուն ու իր կեցուածքները կրնան փոխուիլ եթէ նկատելի դառնայ որ Ասատ կը ստէ աշխարհին:

Իրան աւելի սկզբունքային խաղով կը մասնակցի տագնապին ու իր համար կարեւոր է մինչեւ վերջին պահը պաշտպանել Ասատեան վարչակարգը ու գաղտնիք ալ չէ արդէն որ «Իրանի յեղափոխութեան պահակներ»ու ղեկավար ՝ Զօր. Քասէմ Սլէյմանի անձամբ կը մասնակցի Սուրիոյ մէջ ընթացող մարտերու ղեկավարման գործընթացին:

Մինչ Արաբական աշխարհի բաղկացուցիչ գրեթէ բոլոր տէրութիւնները կը քննադատեն ու կը պայքարին որպէսզի Ասատեան վարչակարգը տապալի Իրան իր շահերէն ու Արաբներուն դէմ իր ունեցած հին ոխը գործի մղելով այս մեծ ու ահաւոր պատերազմէն կ'ուզէ օգուտներ քաղել: Իրան պարտուելու տեղ ալ չունի արդէն եթէ իր ազդեցութիւնը վերանայ Սուրիոյ մէջ: Որովհետեւ ինք ալ գիտէ որ իր ազդեցութիւնը ժամանակաւոր ու ոչ բնական ազդեցութիւն մըն է: Այստեղ փակագիծ մը բանալով պէտք է ըսեմ, որ Հայերս Սուրիոյ տագնապին ամբողջական պատկերը հասկնալու ճիգ չենք ըրած ցայսօր ու մեզի համար հասկնալի ալ չէ որ Սուրիոյ մէջ խնդիրը նաեւ Իրանեան-Արաբական շահերու բախման խնդիր է ու այս տագնապին մէջ Արաբներն են իրաւացին ու շրջանային արմատներ ունեցողները եւ ոչ թէ աւելի հեռու գտնուող Իրանը:

Եթէ պատերազմը այս ընթացքով շարունակուի ապա Սուրիոյ տագնապին կրակները կրնան արագօրէն փոխադրուիլ Լիբանան եւ Յորդանան ու ասոր դիմաց ինչ պիտի ըլլայ մեր կարծիքը եւ ընելիքը: Արդեօք այդ գալիք հակամարտութիւններուն մէջ օրինակ Լիբանանի պարագային հայկական կողմը պիտի մասնակցի՞ ներքին բախումներու նոր հաւանական սենարի մը: Գաղտնիք չէ որ Լիբանանահայութիւնը իր յայտնի «Դրական չէզոքութեան» դիրքով ամբողջ քսանհինգ տարի տեւած Լիբանանեան պատերազմին յաջողեցաւ գաղութը հեռու պահել ահաւոր ու մահացու հարուածներէ: Հայութիւնը բոլոր կողմերէն յարգուեցաւ ոչ միայն իր Քրիստոնեայ համայնք ըլլալուն համար այլ չէզոք դիրքին համար:



Վերադառնալով Սուրիա եւ մինչ քիմիական հիմնախնդրին պարանաձգութիւնը կը շարունակուի զինուորական գետնի վրայ նոր երեւոյթ մը տեսանելի դարձած է: Յատկապէս Իրաքէն ներխուժած «Տայէշ»(«Տաուլաթ Իրաք Ուալ Շամ անուան կրճատուած ձեւը) ծայրայեղական խմբակցութեան ներհոսքը որ յատկապէս Հալէպի մօտ եղող «Ազէզ» շրջանին մէջ բախումներ ունեցաւ Սուրիոյ ընդդիմութեան կարեւորագոյն բաղկացուցիչը կազմող ոչ ծայրայեղական «Ազատ բանակ»ին դէմ:

Այս երեւոյթը հարեւանցի աչքերով դիտելով կարելի է ըսել, թէ Սուրիոյ ըննդիմութեան տարբեր խմբակցութիւնները արդէն սկսած են իրար «միս ուտել» բայց այս մօտեցումը հիմովին սխալ է որովհետեւ նոյն այդ «Տայէշ»ը Պասսեան արգանդին մէջ սերտաճած ծայրայեղական Իսլամիստներու խմբակցութիւն մըն է ու դժուար չէ վերլուծել թէ ինչ մղումներով եւ ինչ նպատակներով կը մասնակցի Սուրիոյ պատերազմին: Ո՞ւր էին այս ծայարայեղականները եւ ինչպէս ծագեցան: Այս հարցումներուն պատասխանը ժամանակը պիտի տայ: Պատերազմական այս թաքթիքային շարժումներուն մէջ եւս կարեւոր է նշմարել նաեւ, որ յատկապէս Քրիստոնեայ «Մաալուլա»ի դէմ կատարուած յարձակումը երեւելի կը դարձնէ որ վարչակարգը ամէն բան կ'ընէ ցոյց տալու աշխարհին որ ինք Քրիստոնեայ հաւաքականութիւններուն պաշտպանն էր երէկ ու պիտի շարունակէ այդ ոճով գործել: Շատ տրամաբանական է նաեւ որ բացի Արաբներուն մեծամասնութիւնէն շատեր նաեւ այն համոզումին հասած են որ Ասատեան համակարգը պիտի տապալի: Այլ ճանապարհ չկայ ու երկու տարիներու ընթացքին այսքան արեան վրայ ոչ մէկ իշխանութիւն իրաւունք ունի մնալու: Այս մասին համոզուած են նաեւ, իշխանութեան բաղակացուցիչ տարրերը հաւանաբար սակայն լռելեայն: Իսկ եթէ մնան ու շարունակեն իշխել ապա այդ մէկը պիտի ըլլայ Յորդանանի եւ յատկապէս Լիբանանի ապովութիւնն ու անդորրը կազմալուծելու գնով: Եւ արդեօք Արաբները պատրաստ ե՞ն ընդունելու այսքան հրդեհ ու աւերածութիւն:

Հայկական գետնի վրայ կարեւոր է անգամ մը եւս հարցականներ բարձրաձայնել: Հարցը կ'ուղղուի անոնց որոնք առիթ չեն փախցներ ըսելու համար որ Հալէպը պիտի շարունակէ մնալ Սփիւռքի կարեւորագոյն գաղութներէն մէկը: Այսօր այդ ձայները արդէն լսելի չեն: Հալէպի հայութիւնը լքուած է իր ճակատագրին ու հոն սնունդի, առօրեայ հացի, կապի եւ հաղորդակցութեան խնդիրները դարձած են անլուծելի: Ո՞վ պիտի պատասխանէ այս հարցումներուն, ու վերջապէս ո՞վ է պատասխանտուն Հալէպի հայութեան անվտանգութեան պահպանման համար:

Մտահոգիչ է Հալէպի հայութեան վիճակը: Ճիշդ է որ այսօր համեմատական խաղաղութիւն կը տիրէ բայց երէկ «Ազատ բանակ»ի ջոկատները Հալէպի գիւղական շրջաններուն մէջ կարեւոր նուաճումներ կատարած են բան մը, որ կրնայ շարունակուիլ որովհետեւ վարչակարգին համար հիմնական խնդիրը Դամասկոսը պահելն է ոչ թէ Հալէպը: Այս ֆոնին վրայ յատկապէս սպասելի է որ Ասատեան Րէժիմին հանդէպ շատ մը Հալէպահայերու ունեցած հերթական համակրանքը որ արդէն անիմաստ դարձած է առնուազն վերջ մը գտնէ: Մեր ժողովուրդը միշտ ալ եղած է ազատատենչ ու արդարութեան կողքին պայքարող ու նոյնիսկ ու եթէ շատերուն համար անհասկնալի է որ Սուրիոյ մէջ առկայ պայքարը ոչ միայն Ռուս- ամերիկեան գերտէրութեանց շահերու բախման պայքարն է ան յատկապէս ազատագրական պայքար է: Ու պարզ չէ արդեօք որ պատմութեան սլաքները դէպի անցեալ պիտի չշարժին իսկ ինչ կրնայ ըլլալ այդ գաղութին ճակատագիրը եթէ Ասատը տապալի: Ես պատասխաններ չունիմ, բայց լաւ կ'ըլլայ որ յատկապէս Հալէպահայերը զգօն ըլլան:

Աւարտին յուսալի է որ հայկական Հալէպի ճակատագրին մասին գործնական քայլերու եւ բնորոշումներու մասին մտածեն անոնք որ յատկապէս ունին խօսքը գործի վերածելու բոլոր հնարաւորութիւները: Այսօր հայ եկեղեցին կանգնած է այդ խնդրին դիմաց ու յուսալի է որ Սուրբ Էջմիածնի մէջ յառաջիկայ օրերուն տեղի ունենալիք Եպիսկոպոսական աննախընթաց ժողովը քննէ (ու պայման ալ չէ որ յայտարարութիւններ կատարէ) Հալէպահայութեան հիմնահարցը քանի դեռ ուշ չէ: Որհետեւ այսօրուան կրակներու տակ եղող մեր ժողովուրդի խնդիրը աւելի կենսական ու աւելի առաջնային է քան Ցեղասպանութեան նահատակներու սրբադասման հարցը: Մենք միշտ նախընտրած ենք զբաղիլ նահատակներու աճիւններով անտեսելով ապրող ու պայքարող մեր ամէնաէականը՝ մարդկային պաշարը: Այսօր Հալէպահայութիւնը յայտնուած է նոր հաւանական հրդեհներու մէջ ու մենք, քիչ մը բոլորս կը խօսինք գրաբարաեայ հին թեքստերու մասին երբ անոնք օրուան հացին կարիքն ունին: Ու ոչ միայն այլ փրկութեան մը կարիքն ունին: Մտածենք այս մասին քանի դեռ ուշ չէ:

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

HUNDREDS OF RUSSIANS FIGHTING AS MERCENARIES IN SYRIA

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/09/20/russia-syria/

18:11 ~U 20.09.13

Some 300 to 400 Russians are fighting in the Syrian civil war as
soldiers of fortune, a senior official in Russia's Federal Security
Service (FSB) told reporters on Friday, according to RIA Novosti.

However, as those soldiers return home, it will pose a "great danger"
to Russian security, FSB first deputy director Sergei Smirnov said
after a board meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's
anti-terrorism department, reports the agency.

Recruiting mercenaries is a real practice, Smirnov said, and preventing
this kind of activity isn't mentioned in Russian law. "We still need
to work on that," he added.

Smirnov's estimate was significantly higher than one made in May by
FSB head Alexander Bortnikov, who claimed that a total of about 200
mercenaries from Russia, Europe and Central Asia were fighting in
the civil war.

Smirnov said Friday that the SCO board meeting did not directly discuss
the mercenary issue, but that Russian officials had privately talked
about it with other member state representatives and found that they
were also concerned.

The SCO, a Eurasian political, economic and military cooperative
founded in Shanghai in 2001, includes China, Russia and the Central
Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Last year, the Syrian government presented the United Nations Security
Council with lists of hundreds of foreign nationals who had been
killed fighting against government forces in Syria. The lists included
mercenaries from Arab countries, Europe, and Russia's North Caucasus
region, including Chechnya.

Armenian News - Tert.am

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

CHURCH LEADERS DISCUSS SYRIA DEVELOPMENTS

September 20, 2013 | 13:56

The World Council of Churches (WCC) organized a meeting to discuss
of the churches in effectively moving all parties in Syria towards
a peace agreement

The meeting was held on Wednesday at the Ecumenical Institute in
Bossey, Switzerland.

The meeting was attended by representatives of U.S., Russia, France,
Germany, England, Syria and Iraq as well as representative of Holy
Etchmiadzin Archbishop T. Vigen Aykazyan and head of Armenian diocese
of Syria, bishop Armash Nalbandian, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
press service reported.

Church leaders have called a political solution the only way towards
peace in Syria, says the statement posted on the WCC officialwebsite.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting said, "Churches must
continue to raise their voice in their congregations, in their
societies and with their governments. We must strengthen the public
outcry so that those in power will protect the common interest of
humanity."

It adds, "We believe there can be no military solution to the crisis
in Syria. It is time for the international community to assume its
responsibility to end the violence and initiate a political process
that brings peace for all the people of Syria."

http://news.am/eng/news/172208.html

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

XACMAZ WORKER AGAINST BASHAR AL-ASAD...INTERVIEW WITH FORMER FIGHTER IN SYRIA

Yeni Musavat, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2013

From time to time the national and foreign press report the killing
of Azerbaijanis who take part in the fighting in Syria. The corpses
of some of them have even been displayed on the YouTube channel.

Furthermore, video statements by several Azerbaijani fighters in Syria
have also been broadcast. It is said that they fight in various Syrian
cities for the military units and the opposition against the Bashar
al-Asad regime. It is also said that the number of those who go from
Azerbaijan to Syria to fight is on the rise. The parent of one of
them recently said in an interview with ANS TV that they sometimes
talk on the phone.

[Passage omitted: Previous reports about fighters in Syria]

We are looking for a young man who left his home in this village to
fight in Syria and returned after being wounded. The village resident
who heard we are looking for Anar Mahmudov said: "You are looking
for Anar who was wounded in Syria". After receiving our answer,
he pointed us to Mahmudov's house.

Mahmudov was born in 1988. He was not eager to talk with us. Although
the video interview had been agreed, he tried not to reply to
questions with concrete answers. He often asked us to switch off the
camera and expressed his dissatisfaction with how the questions were
constructed. In general, he talked about his involvement in the Syrian
war very briefly, in a disjointed and irregular fashion.

He said that he studied in the village high school in former Xacmaz.

He began praying a year ago. He said that he saw Muslims dying in
Syria and decided to go. His family was not aware that he will go
to Syria. In February 2013 he went to Turkey and then crossed the
border into Syria. According to him, he stayed in a house in the
place called Artma outside the Syrian capital together with eight
people of different nationalities. Mahmudov said that he had no links
with fighters who came from Azerbaijan and that there were people of
various ethnicities: "I worked in Xacmaz as a low-skilled worker. It
is possible to go to Syria with 150 manat. I went on bus to Turkey
and from there reached the border with Syria. I stayed in a place
called Artma in a house with eight other people.

People are not blind and they see that Muslims are killed in Syria.

Fighting occurred outside the place where we stayed. When I was on
the post I received a bullet above the knee. I was wounded and they
took me to a hospital in another place. Then I returned to Azerbaijan
because of the wound. I spent just six months in Syria. I came in
February and returned in July".

We say that we wish to take a photograph and video of the wound to
his leg. Mahmudov vehemently opposes this. To justify this he said
that religion prohibits him from showing the part above the knee.

Mahmudov said that Muslims in Syria wish for Sharia law: "Just like
there were Afghans in the Karabakh fight, I too went to Syria. Muslims
want Sharia law in Syria. This is a jihad on the road to God. Religion
tells us to fight against those who fight us. Sheikh Fovza has a
fatwa about the jihad. This fatwa obliges us to fight infidels".

Sheikh al Fawzan has a call to Khawarij on social networks. In the
statement he says "it is essential that you obey your leaders who
call on you to march and fight".

Mahmudov said that camps have been set up in Syria: "Some fought and
some served as sentries. I have not seen my leader. I returned from
Syria myself. My family did not know when I left. What could they say
when I returned? They would not evict me from the house. I returned,
but I have no job here".

In general, this youngster who fought in Syria left open and unanswered
many of our questions. He did not say who he met after crossing the
Syrian border, how he ended up in Artma, who welcomed him and how
supplies of food and water were organized. Neither did he answer
our question as to whether the security agencies questioned him. He
only said that they put many photographs in front of him and asked
whether he saw any of them in Syria. Mahmudov did not wish to talk
about his answer.

In former Xacmaz people say that about 10 people went to fight in
Syria. In general, people with long bears and three quarter length
trousers can be often seen in the districts. There are reports that
a fellow spirit funded Mahmudov's involvement in the fight in Syria.

This also gives grounds to say that many youths like Mahmudov will
travel from the northern region to Syria...

[Translated from Azeri]

________
NB: Ironically, the name of this district of Southern Lezgistan (under Azari control) is pure Armenian name, not even 'distorted' as is often the case.
This name transcripted in azari/turkish as "XACMAZ" is prononced and spelled as KHATCHMATCH.
Or KHATCHMATCH is pure Armenian , Artsakh dialect, and is made of two words:
KHATCH : lterally CROSS, but often used to name a church, a monastery, as is the case here.
MATCH: is the Artsakhian spelling of a purely Armenian word, spelled as METCH in Literrary Armenian.It can be traslated as IN, or the place where the object is.
Sor basically, KHATCHMATCH means: A village;locality where a Church is located in the middle....

As a matter of fact, there is a village called Khatchmatch in NKR nowdays, on the road from Stepanakert to Karmir Chuka/Varanta.
There are also plenty of places with same base, Khatch making direct reference to a church, in NKR:
Katchkedig village in Kashatagh
Khatchaghpyur
Khatchagab
Garmrakhatch
Zartakhatch....

Most probably, the place was founded by Artsakhians, perhabs when Terbent (actually in Northern Lezgistan, Russia) was an advanced Armenian fortress in the IV-V cent, during Armenian Kingdoms, protecting Armenia's Eastern provinces of Artsakh, Udik and Paydagaran from North Caucasian invasions??

-------
This guy is evidently not an azari turk, and certainly not a Shia muslim.
He must be a Lezgin Sunni.
I can not imagine shiites incorporated among very fanaticised sunnis like the ones in Nostra front...
My wild guess, is that these guys are going to be a small headacke for turks, with their experience back home, some day...
For the moment they are sunite fanatics fighting a Alawi/"xxxxe" in Syria... may be one day they will remember their Lezgin or Avar roots, and decide that a tatar shiite is not that good of a guy either...

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

SYRIAN REBELS TO BECOME SERIOUS THREAT FOR ARMENIA AND KARABAKH - EXPERT

15:20 / 18.09.2013

After the settlement of the Syrian issue the rebels may become a
serious threat for Armenia and Karabakh with Azerbaijan having a good
experience to use them.

After they remain without work they will search for new work, expert
Artak Shakaryan told a news conference on Wednesday.

The expert said Azerbaijan will try to use them against Karabakh and
added that Armenia must demand from Russia and the USA to identify them
and in case of finding them in Karabakh hold Azerbaijani authorities
accountable.

Shakaryan excluded Iran's participation in the process. "Iran is
really Armenia's friend country and besides, it realizes quite well
that Sunnis especially those of Azerbaijani descent are dangerous
for Iran," he said.

Nyut.am

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

http://rt.com/news/syria-russia-chemical-attacks-054/

Russia: UN inspectors ignored evidence on Syria chemical attacks
Published time: September 19, 2013

UN inspectors ignored evidence on chemical weapons use in Syria secretly passed to them by Damascus, said Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister in an exclusive interview to RT. That is why the UN report is biased and needs reinvestigation, he said.

“The Syrian authorities have conducted their own sampling and investigation, analysis in terms of possible evidence of the rebels being responsible for the tragic episodes both on August 21, but beyond that also on August 22, 23 and 24,” Sergey Ryabkov told RT's Maria Finoshina, who caught up with him during his visit to Damascus to discuss these allegations.

“This is new material - new material for us. But this is not already completely new material for the UN,” Ryabkov specified, revealing that there were actually several chemical attacks in Syria in August and that the UN inspectors, headed by Swedish scientist Dr. Ake Salstrom, were informed about this, but ignored the information in their report.

“This material was discreetly handed over to Ake Salstrom, the head of the UN mission of experts here [in Syria] which came to investigate the Ghouta incidents. Salstrom was asked to look into it and eventually factor this new evidence into the final report. It never happened in fact,” Ryabkov told RT. “This is one of the reasons why we criticize the speed with which the report was released… and also an incomplete content of this report,” he said.

Moscow wants the UN inspectors to return to Syria and continue investigating in order to determine who was responsible for the chemical attack.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey RyabkovRussian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov

“We expect the UN Secretariat to both send Salstrom and his people back to Syria to continue investigation of the three remaining incidents, and also to write a full and comprehensive report against the background of all information they have received,” Ryabkov stressed.

He warned against the evidence provided by the Syrian and Russian sides being “simply nullified and disregarded.”

So far, Rybkov said, “one of the few areas” where the UN mission “kept its word” is that it only announced that chemical weapons were used without specifying who deployed them.

Ryabkov called on to the UN inspectors to follow the approach of the Russian expert analysis of the chemical attack that took place in Syria on March 19, which was professional and contained chemical, biological and medical analysis of the incident.

“This is the approach which should be also followed and pursued by Sellstrom's team. We invite them to do so. We think they should go back to Syria, to continue investigation and then have something different from - yes, a biased initial report,” Ryabkov stressed.

The Russian deputy FM maintained that during his two-day visit to Damascus a great job has been done as Syrian authorities are firmly set to fully fulfill all the obligations, and first of all to provide information about the complete list of chemical weapons they possess by the end of this week.

Ryabkov shared that after the meeting with Syria's Foreign Minister his impression is that Damascus is “absolutely” aware of the consequences that could follow in case Syria fails to comply with the agreement to give up its chemical stockpiles.

At the same time he declined to comment on how many chemical weapons exactly will be given up.

“Well, let the experts speak first. It’s, you know, a sensitive thing, and I don’t believe it’s a proper moment to have a discussion on this right now. Let’s put it on rails, let that train depart, let’s have it gain speed, have some tracking, and then we’ll come back to this rather difficult issue,” Ryabkov said.

Because Russia is really concerned that this sensitive process of removing or destroying chemical weapons could be used by forces fighting against the current Syrian government, “We should also be very guarded against any provocations,” Ryabkov warned.

“We are concerned about possible provocations. We have seen it before that the moment something better, positive is out there, is looming, you will always find skurks [sic] who would try immediately to change these dynamics and establish a new reality, so to say, through a provocation,” he acknowledged.

“And it’s just amazing how little of this understanding is among those who now advocate a very different course fighting the government with weapons in their hands. It’s unforgiveable, this is the real crime which they are committing against their own people and their country,” Ryabkov concluded.

Another Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, told TASS on Thursday that Sergey Ryabkov met in Damascus with not only the Syrian authorities, but also with the members of a number of groups of the Syrian opposition, in particular with Qadri Jamil, the leader of Syria’s Popular Front for Change and Liberation and the leadership of the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change.

These meetings took place on the territory of the Russian embassy in Damascus.

“We are ready to organize contacts, not only with the opposition, but also between the opposition groups, maybe in Moscow,” said Bogdanov, who is also the Russian presidential envoy to the Middle East.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

Grounds to believe Syria chemical attack was smart provocation – Putin
September 19, 2013

http://rt.com/news/putin-syria-rebels-provocation-080/

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows smoke above buildings following what Syrian rebels claim to be a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces in eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus on August 21, 2013. (AFP/Shaam News Network)
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Russia has every reason to believe that the use of chemical weapons in a Damascus suburb in August was an adroit and smart provocation, President Vladimir Putin has said.

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“We have every grounds to believe that it was a provocation. Of course, it was adroit and smart, but, at the same time, primitive in terms of technical performance. They took an old Soviet-made missile, which was taken out of service in the Syrian army long ago. It was most important to have ‘made in the USSR’ written [on the missile],” Putin said at the Valday discussion forum on Thursday.

The Russian president pointed out that the August 21st attack in Damascus was not the first time chemical weapons had been used in Syria.

“But why haven’t other cases been investigated?” he asked.

The chemical weapon attack must be thoroughly investigated and those behind it must be identified, Putin told the Valday Club meeting in Russia’s Novgorod Region.

“No matter how difficult it might be, but if in the end we manage to answer the question… as to who committed that crime – and that was certainly a crime – the next step will follow. Then, together with our colleagues from the United Nations Security Council we will have to define the level of responsibility of those who committed the crime,” Putin said.

He stressed that measures like military strikes cannot solve every international issue, while should also be brought to the UNSC rather than discussed in the US Congress.

“This would be a strike on the world order, not Syria,” the Russian leader said.

‘No 100% guarantees, but Syria makes practical steps’
Putin also said that he cannot be 100 percent certain that the Syrian government will completely fulfill earlier reached agreements on dismantling the republic’s chemical weapons. However, the latest developments have given signs for hope.

“Will it be possible to accomplish it all? I cannot be 100 percent sure about it. But everything we have seen so far gives us confidence that this will be done,” he told journalists and experts.

Earlier this month, Russia and the United States reached a deal on a framework that will see the destruction or removal of Syria’s chemical weapons by mid- 2014. That came after Moscow suggested that Damascus should put its chemical weapons arsenal under international control and the Syrian government accepted the proposal. The republic also agreed to join the Chemical Weapons Convention which bans the production and the use of such arms.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (second left) attending the tenth anniversary meeting of Valday International Discussion Club in the Novgorod Region, September 19, 2013. (RIA Novosti/ Michael Klimentyev)Russian President Vladimir Putin (second left) attending the tenth anniversary meeting of Valday International Discussion Club in the Novgorod Region, September 19, 2013. (RIA Novosti/ Michael Klimentyev)

Speaking at the Valday gathering, Putin noted that Syria not only agreed to sign the international convention, but announced it already considers itself a party to the treaty.

“These are practical steps that the Syrian government has already made,” Putin said.

The United Nations confirmed last Saturday that it had received all the necessary documents from Syria for joining the chemical weapons convention and that Syria would become a member from October 14.

Russia’s proposal for Syria was voiced as the Congress was readying itself to vote on President Barack Obama’s plan to launch a limited military strike against Syria in response to the chemical weapons attack in August. The US blamed the country’s government for the incident. The decision was put on hold after a suggestion from Moscow, which was discussed in detail by Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva.

Putin dismissed allegations by some political analysts at the Valday Club that Obama’s acceptance of the Russian proposal on Syria was a face-saving move.

“It was not about saving anyone’s face,” he said. “[Obama’s] decision was based on real analysis of the situation. And I am very glad that our positions on the issue have matched,” Putin added.

Putin also reiterated that Russia is pursuing no special interests in Syria which would prompt Moscow to preserve the Assad regime.

He said that any attempt to interfere in the conflict by supporting one of the sides would bring imbalance. When the crisis began over two years ago, it immediately started getting support from abroad, he said.

“How did terrorist groups like Al-Nusra appear there? Even the State Department admits that Al-Qaeda’s branches are fighting [in Syria],” Putin observed.

The Russian leader is frustrated that Western states have no idea what they would do if, after their interference in the ongoing war, extremists came to power in Syria.

“Would they drive them away with a newspaper?” Putin said.

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows bodies of boys and men lined up on the ground in the eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus, whom the Syrian opposition said on August 21, 2013 were killed in a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces. (AFP Photo/Shaam News Network)A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows bodies of boys and men lined up on the ground in the eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus, whom the Syrian opposition said on August 21, 2013 were killed in a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces. (AFP Photo/Shaam News Network)

No plans to destroy Syrian chem arms on Russian soil
Russia has no current plans to destroy the Syrian chemical weapons stockpile on its own territory under the deal reached between Moscow and Washington in Geneva, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said earlier on Thursday.

“A decision needs to be taken on this,” Shoigu told the Interfax agency when he commented on the matter. “We have factories for the destruction of chemical weapons, but there is a big difference between 'ready' and 'willing' to.”

The announcement was welcomed by ecologists.

“It’s good news. The elimination of Syrian chemical weapons on Russian territory could pose serious risks for the environment and people,” Vladimir Slivyak, co-chair of the Ecodefense organization, said.

Ivan Blokov, the head of Greenpeace's Russian branch, added that the dismantling of Syrian chemical arms in Russia would not be reasonable, since the transportation of such arms may be even more dangerous. He suggested that the chemical weapons should be destroyed on Syrian soil.

Syrian President Bashar Assad said earlier he was committed to the chemical weapons agreement and vowed to hand over the country’s chemical arms for destruction. The plan will cost around $1 billion and take about a year to complete, he added.

[HermanGerman]

Re: Syrian Armenian

Bashar al-Assad Interview [Fox News, 17 September 2013]
This version has not been broadcasted on TV.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

NEW ALEPPO CONSTRUCTION PROJECT LAUNCHED

Country - Wednesday, 18 September 2013, 15:10

On September 17 exploration of the site allotted for the project of
construction of New Aleppo district for Armenian Syrians kicked off.

The contractor is Yerkraban Utik Company headed by Vladimir Ginovyan.

In the first phase engineering geological mapping of the site of New
Aleppo and the adjunct territories, as well as topological and geodesic
extraction works and studies will be carried out. In the second
phase drilling and ground sampling will be carried out. The launch
of preparations for the construction of the district was attended by
representatives of the Center for Coordination of Armenian Syrians,
the Ministry of Diaspora informed.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/country/view/30914

[Vrej1915]

Re: Syrian Armenian

ARMENIAN SCHOOLS IN ALEPPO REOPENED AND RECEIVED PUPILS

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/733280/armenian-schools-in-aleppo-reopened-and-received-pupils.html

19:33, 17 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: Armenian schools in Aleppo reopened
after summer holidays on September 17 and received Aleppo-Armenian
pupils. "Armenpress" was informed about it from its source in
Aleppo. "Today is the first day of opening the schools. Children
attend schools. Life goes on in a normal way," he said.

Reverberating to prices of goods Aleppo source mentioned that they
cannot change greatly compared with previous week.

"Sometimes prices for goods are very high but now food and bread

are available. Compared with previous week when it was difficult to
find bread now it can be found but it is expensive. There is not
fuel at all," he informed adding that the blockade of the city is
continued. "The blockade is continued, at the end of last week three
Armenian young men were kidnapped and there is not any information
from them," mentioned he adding that clashes are continued in different
parts of the city.

Military intervention issue in Syria is frozen for some time and was
made a decision about establishing international control over chemical
weapons of the government. Syrian authorities accepted that decision.

AT present Security Council of UN works on resolution about
establishing control over chemical weapons. International community
gave positive estimation to the decision.