Month: November 2006

HRANT DINK TO RECEIVE OXFAM NOVIB PEN AWARD IN HAGUE NOVEMBER 18
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 16:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian journalist and editor of Istanbul-based
Akos newspaper Hrant Dink won the Oxfam Novib PEN Award, Oxfam Novib
announced on Monday. The journalist will be granted the award this
Saturday by Mayor of The Hague Wim Deetman at the occasion of the
Crossing Border Festival in The Hague. The Award includes an amount
of money of 2500 euro.
The Awards have the intention of encouraging writers who are being
persecuted. Dink recently was given a suspended prison sentence
in Turkey of half a year, because of writing about the Armenian
Genocide. He also has to face the judge on a critical article he
wrote about a prior lawsuit he was in. According to Oxfam Novib Dink
owes the award particularly to the exceptional efforts he makes for
freedom of the press, freedom of speech and the Armenian question,
reports the ANP (Dutch News Agency).

BILL ON GENOCIDE TO BE INTRODUCED INTO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TILL APRIL 24, 2007
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 16:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ One of the Armenian community’s prior candidates to
the U.S. Senate was Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), ARF Bureau’s Hay
Dat and Political Office Director Kiro Manoian told a news conference
in Yerevan today. In his words, Armenians are grateful to Senator
Menendez for making the Senate freeze the process of Hoagland’s
nomination for Ambassador to Armenia. “The Armenian community had
agitators in all constituencies and called to vote for the candidate.
We also hope that after the replacement of the House Speaker the
issue will be included in the agenda and another nomination will be
announced,” he remarked adding that an Ambassador denying the Armenian
Genocide cannot represent U.S. interests in Armenia properly.
According to Manoian, newly elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
have already stated that the bill on the Armenian Genocide will be
submitted to consideration of the House. “In this view the victory
of Democrats can be rated as an advance, because the Republicans
headed by ex-speaker Dennis Hastert always blocked the adoption of
the resolution,” he stressed.
New Jersey is mostly inhabited by natives of Near East, Iran and
South-East Asia, specifically China and Thailand.

RUSSIAN GARRISON LEAVING TBILISI AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 18:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The withdrawal of the military equipment and property
of the Tbilisi garrison of the Group of Russian Troops in Transcaucasus
(GRVZ) was launched on Thursday. The garrison leaves Tbilisi ahead
of schedule by decision of the Russian Ministry of Defense. “Today
the first railway echelon with military equipment and property of the
Tbilisi garrison headed for Armenia to the military base in Gyumri,”
the GRVZ headquarters said. The next echelon will be sent November
23 to Russia via Azerbaijan.
Till the end of the current year 4 echelons with the GRVZ military
equipment and property will be sent to Russia and Armenia. In all
387 servicemen, some 100 elements of equipment and some 350 tons of
property and ammunition will be withdrawn.
The headquarters informed that the schedule was coordinated with the
Georgian side which is ensuring the security of the measure. A number
of GRVZ officers will form a group to stay in Georgia and control
the withdrawal process. In compliance with the agreement the Russian
base in Akhalkalaki should be closed till October 1, 2007 while the
base in Batumi till October 1, 2008, reports RIA Novosti.

TURKEY DOESN’T PURSUE OWN POLICY IN NATO
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 16:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is not concerned over the fact that Turkey
coordinates the NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), ARF
Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Office Director Kiro Manoian told a
news conference in Yerevan today. In his words, Armenia should not have
concerns about the state that coordinates its activities. “Turkey here
represents the NATO but not itself. We should either participate in
the NATO’s game or not. We have no right to lay down terms. Turkey
doesn’t pursue its own policy and its actions are guided by the
interests of the Alliance,” Manoian said.
As for Armenia’s relations with NATO and CSTO, he remarked that in
both cases Armenia should be a reliable partner. “If this rule is
observed the republic will have no problem with these organizations,”
Manoian said adding that it’s included in the complimentary policy
of the Armenian state.

WASHINGTON TRIES TO PREVENT BREAK IN EU-TURKEY TALKS
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 18:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States intensified its meetings with
Brussels at a critical time for Turkey-EU relations. Following the
visit of U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried in
late October, Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza held official
meetings in Brussels on Tuesday. Bryza’s visit will be followed
by the arrival of Douglas Silliman, Director of Southern European
Affairs Bureau at the U.S. State Department, in Brussels to meet EU
authorities. Adopting a cautionary policy line to avoid the impression
that it is interfering in European affairs, Washington is also trying
to prevent the interruption of membership talks with Turkey. The
United States, expressing its opposition to the Austria-backed
possible suspension of EU negotiations, urged for the continuation
of the negotiation process.
Sources note that in case the Cyprus issue remained unresolved,
it would be a better option to keep the negotiation chapters
open. U.S. authorities believe that the parties to the Cyprus issue
may come together under the auspices of EU term president Finland at
the end of November, reports zaman.com.

U.S. COCHAIRMAN SAYS MINSK GROUP TO WORK TO BRING PARTIES CLOSER TO PEACE
Armenpress
Nov 16 2006
BAKU, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS: In an exclusive interview to Azerbaijani
news agency Trend, the U.S. cochairman in the OSCE Minsk Group,
Matthew Bryza, said he and two other co-chairs from France and Russia
will continue to work relentlessly to bring Armenia and Azerbaijan
closer to peace, regardless of the domestic political situation in
either country.
“We have pointed to upcoming elections in both Armenia and Azerbaijan
in 2007 and 2008 as one of the reasons why 2006 provides an ideal
window of opportunity for concluding a peace agreement between the
two countries,” Bryza was quoted by the agency as saying.
“There are, of course, many other reasons why embracing a peaceful
settlement of the conflict sooner rather than later is desirable,
starting with the positive impact such an agreement would have on
securing regional stability and promoting opportunities for economic
growth across the South Caucasus,” he added. The U.S. diplomat did not
rule out that the elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan might have an
impact on prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
“We hope that impact will be positive and that the population in both
countries will let their leaders and candidates for political office
know that efforts to move toward peace, stability, and prosperity
are welcomed by their publics,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER DOWNPLAYS AZERI WAR RHETORIC
Armenpress
Nov 16 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS: Armenian defense minister Serzh
Sarkisian downplayed today Azerbaijan’s war rhetoric saying he was
sure that military actions would not resume in the nearest future.
During a meeting with parents of servicemen in the northwestern
town of Gyumri the minister said Azeris realized well now they could
not launch a successful offensive. “We too know it very well,” the
minister said, attributing belligerent statements of officials in Baku
to their attempts to justify a drastic increase in military spending
for 2007 which Azeri president said would amount to $1 billion, a sharp
contrast to $280 million earmarked by Armenia’s 2007 draft budget.
The Armenian defense minister said the one who would begin the
war now would sustain heavy losses and damages because both sides
have significantly reinforced their positions on the front line to
protect their troops. Serzh Sarkisian said Azerbaijan would not go
into offensive also because of fearing strong international pressure.
“No one can gain from breaking ‘the neither peace nor war status’
as long as the talks over the ways to settle the Karabakh conflict
go on,” he said.

AIR ARABIA LAUNCHES TWO WEEKLY FLIGHTS TO ARMENIAN CAPITAL CITY
Armenpress
Nov 16 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS: Air Arabia LLC, the first low-fares
airline in the Middle East and North Africa announced it will fly
direct from Sharjah to Yerevan-Armenia, which is one of the latest
additions to the Middle East carrier’s destinations portfolio.
Armenia is the second former Soviet republic, after Kazakhstan
the carrier will fly passengers to and from. It will operate two
weekly flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Yerevan is the fifth
new destination announced by Air Arabia in the last few weeks and
promises to attract many travelers as it is only three hours away
from Sharjah airport.
Artiom Movsisian, chief of the Armenian Civil Aviation Department, said
the flights will become an extra boost to build on the existing ties.
‘Starting with a single flight to Bahrain in October 2003, Air Arabia
today flies to over 30 destinations across 20 countries, including
recent additions like Chennai and Thiruvanthapuram in India, Latakia
in Syria and Katmandu in Nepal carrying over two million passengers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ABDULLAH GUL: ARMENIANS’ GENOCIDE ALLEGATION WILL BE THE MOST SEROUS PROBLEM IN FORTHCOMING 10 YEARS
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
17/11/2006
On November 14, the Budget Department of the Turkish parliament
discussed the Foreign Ministry’s budget. In his parliament speech
Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul touched upon the Armenian
Genocide saying: “Genocide claims and the resultant threat of worsening
relations with the third states will be the most serious problem for
us in forthcoming ten years.”
Turkish foreign minister pointed out that his ministry is working
jointly with Turkish and foreign lawyers on rebuffing the genocide
claims, Milliet newspaper writes. “We will take all necessary measures
up to taking the issue to the international court. Besides Armenia,
Ankara has also turned to third countries with a request to set up
a joint commission of historians,” Gul said.
Deputy of the oppositional People’s Republican Party, Shakryu Elekdag,
welcomed Gul saying: “He is the first foreign minister who speaks
about taking the Armenian allegations to the international court. His
approach should be raised to the level of state policy and to inform
the world about our readiness to go to court.
Turkey has to declare that it is ready to accept any definition of the
1915 event if it will stem out from the clauses of the UN Convention
on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Based on
this definition, the issue should be handed over to an international
court. The Armenians will reject this, but our readiness in moral and
legal sense will greatly limit speculation of the genocide against
Turkey.”
Elekdag, who is also a former ambassador and is deeply into the
Armenian issues, added: “In case of transferring the issue to court,
Armenians will have to prove by facts that they were exterminated
for merely being Armenians. They have no such evidence, whereas
Turkey has documents proving that the deportation was carried out
for self-defense reasons.
Armenians will fail to get the genocide confirmation at the
International Arbitral Court. Turkey and Armenia will appoint 3
arbiters each that will be headed by an independent foreign judge. Let
the commission decide whether the events of 1915 coincide with the
UN’s definition of genocide.”

HRANUSH KHARATYAN: CERTAIN INTOLERANCE AGAINST ARMENIANS IS BEING SHAPED
By Gohar Gevorgian
AZG Armenian Daily
17/11/2006
15-Year-old Narek Kocharian Killed in Moscow Last Saturday
On November 11, Saturday, Narek Kocharian, 15, was murdered near the
railway station of Ivanteevka town, Pushkin region, Moscow. The young
man was brutally beaten and stabbed with knife for many times.
According to the information rendered by the Union of Armenians of
Russia, the murderers tried to hang or throttle the victim. Besides
a scarf with a “jolly roger” was found near the body prove that the
murderers belonged to the Fascist groups. The Public Prosecutor’s
Office of Ivanteevka has opened investigation into the case.
The frequent cases of murdering of the Armenians aroused the
indignation and concern of the Armenian intelligentsia members. On
November 15, they held a press conference at “Hayeli” club and
discussed the problem.
Levon Ananyan, chairman of RA Writers’ Union, stated that the chain of
murders is endless. He added that they are caused by xenophobia that
is blooming in Russian society, besides, quite an obvious political
order. Ananyan said that there are only two countries in the world,
where Armenians are being killed: Azerbaijan and Russia. Ananyan is
sure that diplomatic circles and intelligentsia members should be
involved in the settlement of the issue. “What does or embassy in
Russia do? Our states also keep silent,” he underscored.
In his turn, arts critic Henrik Igitian said Russia doesn’t treat
seriously its own embassy in Armenia.
“The murders are committed and they get no response.
RA Government, RA Foreign Ministry and RA Embassy in Russia should
deal with this issue. We shouldn’t cease our relations with Russia,
but our authorities should touch upon the issue very roughly when
meeting with Putin,” Igitian said.
Hranush Kharatian, ethnologist, head of National Minorities
and Religious Issues department at RA Government, said that the
anti-Armenian murders are not only Armenia’s but also Russia’s concern,
as Russia contributes to deepening and spreading of such killings
by characterizing them as criminal cases. “I can see that these is
a political program. Certain intolerance is being shaped against the
Armenians, but not at ethnic level,” Kharatyan emphasized.
Professor Hayk Ghazarian, doctor of history, condemned our state that
made 2 millions of Armenians find shelter in Russia. He added that the
Slavonic nations had woken up and carry out the policy of Pan-Slavonism
without respecting other nations. Theatre director Armen Mazmanian
said that we should definitely struggle against this phenomenon,
at the same time, adding that there are wealthy Armenians that can
built an entire city in Russia, adding that none would stand such a
behavior of a stranger in their home city or country. “You shouldn’t
be in Russia, take your millions, get back, take a village in Lachin
and become princes there,” he said. In response Mrs.
Kharatyan said that only the victims of the Nazi Russia should come
back and die from starving in Armenia.
Anyway, the intelligentsia members stated that we shouldn’t fear from
Russia, although, they took into account the fact that we depend of
Russia in certain aspects.