1. Ter-Petrosyan on the BBC: Karabakh conflict could have been resolved by giving certain territories to Azerbaijan
2. Armenian Migration: Does the BBC Know Something our Officials Do Not?
3. Hanging Armenia’s Dirty Laundry in Public

The Israeli National Fraud Unit and the Tax Authority began a joint undercover investigation into the ring several months ago. In 2009, several countries contacted Israel to request an investigation into organ trafficking on its territory after the discovery of an organ trafficking victim in Kosovo who implicated Israeli citizens. European authorities investigating the Kosovo “Medicus” organ trafficking case provided the names of Israeli suspects they uncovered.

According to the Israeli police, the ten traffickers recruited poor day workers in Israel, and sent them to Kosovo and Azerbaijan where their kidneys were removed. The victims were promised US$10,000 per kidney, but the police believe few received any payment. Organ recipients paid between US$100,000 and US$150,000 per kidney. The traffickers did not inform the “donors” about the risks of surgery and kidney removal, and failed to provide them with medical care after the surgery.

In Israel, the victims were mostly young Turkish men, while the ring also recruited poor people from Russia, Moldova and Kazakhstan. Israeli police believe the transplant operations may have also been performed in an undisclosed third country in Asia. The investigation is still underway.

The suspects are scheduled to appear at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate court in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning.

http://www.reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-briefs/1515-israel-ten-arrested-in-organ-trafficking-bust

This news is brought to you by HyeMedia | Armenian News where you can read balanced Armenian News from Armenia & the Diaspora as reported by various news agencies and freelance journalists

1. Armenia: 60 People Believed To Be Victims of Human Trafficking
2. Tension in Turkey-Israel relations, Turkey Recalls Its Ambassador From Israel
3. Trafficking: Official says U.S. Dept. of State report meets Armenia’s expectations

1. Turkey Unties Israel’s Hands in Policy Towards Armenia
2. Armenia To Gain More If Wealth Not Concentrated In The Hands Of A Few : IMF Official
3. “The Court is a Marionette in The Hands of Armenian Authorities”

1. YSU digitalizes archives on Armenian studies
2. Armenia Lags Behind Neighbors In Attracting Tourists
3. Turkey To Build Joint Dams With All Neighbors Except Armenia

1. Turkish-Armenian Normalization Seen Unlikely After Erdogan Reelection
2. U.S. To Keep Pressing For Turkish-Armenian Normalization
3. Armenian-Turkish Normalization Process Will Be intensified After 2011 Elections in Turkey:Nuh Yilmaz

1. Azeri MPs Denounce Deepening Armenian-Iranian Ties
2. Iran ‘sent weapons’ to Azerbaijan during Karabakh war
3. Azerbaijan Blames U.S. For Exacerbating of Relations With Turkey

1. Turkey may broker natural gas deal between Russia and Europe – former PM
2. Turkey’s Foreign Policy Moves in The West and in The East Are Complementary To Each Other
3. Russian military base in Armenia: A security guarantee or limitation of independence?

Publisher, The California Courier

I have been informed by reliable sources that Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is continuing his efforts to initiate a personal ‘dialog’ with the Diaspora on Armenian-Turkish issues. Earlier this month, Davutoglu met with Armenian-Americans, as follow up to the meetings he held in Washington last March.

During their conversation in May, the Armenian interlocutors frankly advised the Turkish Foreign Minister that Ankara must address Armenian demands for genocide recognition and restitution before any ‘reconciliation’ could be achieved. The Turkish side reportedly indicated a willingness to discuss these thorny issues with Diasporan representatives.

Despite the seeming openness of Foreign Minister Davutoglu, Armenians have well-founded reasons to mistrust such overtures, given Turkey’s decades-long denial of the Armenian Genocide and its antagonistic policies toward the Diaspora, Armenia and Artsakh. Armenians also suspect that Turkish officials may exploit meetings with the Diaspora to score propaganda points with world public opinion.

Nonetheless, one wonders why the very busy Turkish Foreign Minister has invested so much of his precious time and effort to hold a series of private meetings with Armenians in recent weeks.

One possible explanation is that Turkish leaders are seriously concerned about the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ankara may have realized that unless it took proactive measures, it could not stem the tide of anti-Turkish publicity generated in 2015 by Armenian commemorative activities worldwide.

The second likely reason why the Turkish government may want to talk with Diaspora Armenians is its long-standing interest in joining the European Union. As the newly-elected French President Francois Hollande warned, unless Turkey recognizes the Armenian Genocide, France will reject its application for EU membership.

The third possible explanation for the Turkish overtures is that Prime Minister Rejeb Erdogan has a freer hand in tackling Armenian-Turkish issues at a time when his ruling party controls the Parliament and many of his hard-line military adversaries are under arrest.

Regardless of why Turkey is reaching out to the Diaspora at this time, Armenians have to make their decisions based solely on their own national interest, as to whether this is an opportune moment to test Turkey’s resolve to deal with the disastrous consequences of the Armenian Genocide.

However, before Diaspora’s leaders react to Davutoglu’s persistent efforts for ‘dialog,’ they should ask Turkish officials to clarify their true intentions by making some positive gestures, starting with the return of the Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar Island to the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey. This historic church is currently designated as a museum belonging to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Furthermore, the Turkish government has to do much more than renovating a couple of churches for touristic purposes and returning a handful of properties to the Armenian community in Istanbul. There are thousands of confiscated churches and community properties throughout Turkey that must be returned to their rightful Armenian owners.

An initial test of Turkish sincerity in pursuing ‘reconciliation’ with Armenians would be putting an immediate halt to genocide denial, eliminating Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, and ending all adversarial behavior toward Armenia and Artsakh.

In view of the fact that the Turkish government will not willingly and unconditionally meet Armenian demands, and that all outstanding issues would have to be resolved someday through direct negotiations, Diasporan organizational leaders should prepare for such an eventuality. In this regard, it is important to review the records of the 1977 meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, between Turkish Foreign Minister Sabri Caglayangil and representatives of the three Armenian political parties.

Here are some preliminary thoughts to consider before any further meetings or discussions are held between Turkish leaders and Diaspora representatives:

1. In the absence of an elected Diasporan representative body, major Armenian organizations, with assistance from experts in diplomacy and the art of negotiation, should start drafting a common strategy and a list of demands from Turkey. No Armenian organization or individual should be involved in separate negotiations with Turkey, to deny Ankara the opportunity to create disunity in the Diaspora.

2. It is imperative that Diasporan representatives coordinate their negotiating positions with leaders in Armenia and Artsakh to assure a common stand vis-à-vis Turkey.

In normal circumstances, Turkish diplomats would have dealt with Armenian issues in direct negotiations with their counterparts in Armenia. However, given Azerbaijan’s obstruction of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols, pending the resolution of the Karabagh(Artsakh) conflict, Turkish leaders are left with no choice but to reach out to the Diaspora and address its legitimate demands.

This news is brought to you by HyeMedia | Armenian News where you can read balanced Armenian News from Armenia & the Diaspora as reported by various news agencies and freelance journalists

1. Scholar: Turkish Diaspora Has Positive Attitude Towards Armenian-Turkish Protocols
2. Davutoglu Instructed Turkish Diplomats to Engage with Armenian Diaspora
3. Armenian Diaspora’s Influence Will Decline By Ratification of Protocols: Turkish Foreign Minister

Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, John Heffern, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, and Kevin Patti, American historian representing Clara Barton National Historic Site will make remarks during the event.

The commemoration event includes the presentation of the English and Armenian editions of Clara Barton’s “American Relief Expedition to Asia Minor under the Red Cross” report. The translation and publication of the Armenian edition of the report was made possible through the support of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia.

The AGMI Scientific Council decided to issue a Clara Barton Golden Medal under the “Gratitude” nomination to award individuals and organizations for their humanitarian support and for strengthening Armenian-American friendship.

The AGMI will also house a temporary exhibition in honor of Clara Barton. Guests will receive memorial postcards issued on the occasion of Clara Barton’s 190th anniversary.

The event will conclude with ceremonial burial of the soil from the Clara Barton’s grave and placing of the memorial plaque at the Memorial Wall of Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex.

Clara Barton, Founder and Chairperson of the American Red Cross, was born in 1821 in Oxford, Massachusetts. Clara Barton became known as the “Angel of the Battlefield” for her humanitarian activities during the American Civil War.

Learning about the extensive massacres of Armenians in 1895-1896 in the Ottoman Empire, in 1896 Clara Barton arrives in Constantinople and coordinates the relief aid distribution to the survivors of the massacres and homeless people for about a year.

Thanks to Clara Barton’s efforts Armenian survivors of the massacres were provided with shelter, food, medicine and clothing. Due to many obstacles created by the Ottoman authorities Clara Barton was forced to leave the Ottoman Empire and return to the U.S.

At the end of 1896 Clara Barton together with her colleagues published a report of their humanitarian activities in the Ottoman Empire.

This news is brought to you by HyeMedia | Armenian News where you can read balanced Armenian News from Armenia & the Diaspora as reported by various news agencies and freelance journalists

1. Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Reprinted Ferriman Duckett’s Monograph On The Massacres In Adana
2. Armenian Genocide Museum Institute Identified New Unknown Photo Documents.
3. Armenian Genocide Museum Benefits From Day of Service By Washington Organization

1. Nicolas Sarkozy Suspends Law on Armenian Genocide Denial
2. French Senate To Discuss Bill Penalizing Armenian Genocide Denial
3. Sarkozy Fails To Endorse Bill Penalizing Denial of Armenian Genocide