Month: May 2008

"TOLERANT" AZERBAIJAN CARRIES OUT ARMENIAN CIVILIZATION’S GENOCIDE

DeFacto Agency
May 20 2008
Armenia

Azerbaijan’s hereditary President Ilham Aliyev has again misinformed
the Azerbaijani and world public. He stated, "all historical
monuments belonging to Azerbaijani people have been destroyed" in
the Nagorno-Karabakh. He made the "sensational" statement on current
March 15, in the course of a ceremony of laying the foundation of
the State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet and People’s Arts and Crafts’
building. Opposing to the above-mentioned>>>, Ilham Aliyev again
did not fail to speak of Azerbaijan’s confessional "tolerancy": "we
regard the history and the past of all nations residing in Azerbaijan
with great respect, we deal with these issues in the course of our
practice activity".

A bit below we’ll consider the way Azerbaijani "deal with the
issues". Now we would like to remind of the fact that it is not
the first time that Azerbaijani President is cunning taking refuge
in unfounded statements. It is for this reason that any mendacious
statement made by Azeris requires a grounded disproof.

One should require that Aliyev names "Azerbaijani people’s historical
monuments, which have been subject to destruction" in Artsakh. For
instance, what can he say about mosques in Shoushi and Aghdam, which
are there up till now? The same way as other mosques, which are not
as known as that ones. Aliyev should be reminded that "Azerbaijani
people’s historical monuments" in Artsakh were mainly built in XIX
century, when alien nomad Turkic tribes started settling down in the
Armenian region.

However, that is not the point. The thing is that the one who shouts
"stop thief" louder than others is the thief himself. In this
case he is a thief, who does not feel shame appropriating another
nation’s cultural inheritance, a thief, who is trying to create his
own history at the expense of other peoples. It is not accidental
that Armenian letters are scraped off ancient temples’ walls in
Azerbaijan, Armenian churches are impudently and shamelessly declared
"Azerbaijani" and where it is impossible to do so, constructions are
just destroyed. Only during last years the Republic’s authorities
destroyed Armenian churches of Ã~UVI-Ã~UIÃ~U centuries in Mirzik,
Erkech, Brajur, Tchiragidzor, Tchovdar and other Armenian villages
of Utik and Artsakh. The Armenian medieval cemeteries with thousands
of unique khachkars have been completely destroyed in Nakhijevan.

Surb Hovhannes Mkrtich (John the Baptist) Church sanctified in 1633
in Gandzak has been crippled out of all recognition; all Armenian
letters have been scraped off it, while the church itself was called
"Albanian" and turned into den of Wahhabis. In Gandzak Saint Sargis
Church has been "restored" in such a way that now one cannot differ
it from a Turkic caravanserai. It is well known that when Norwegian
embassy in Azerbaijan that was sponsoring the church’s "restoration"
in Nije learned that Armenian letters were being scraped off the
temple’s walls it refused to go on financing the theft’s "project". As
for the Azerbaijani Museum of Carpet and People’s Arts and Crafts, an
Armenian doudouk, as well as carpets deprived of Soviet Azerbaijan’s
deported Armenian population have been exhibited there. Even now
Armenian letters have been maintained on some of the carpets.

In Azerbaijan aboriginals – the northern regions’ dwellers – are being
impertinently deprived of mosques, while the henchmen of Pasha-zade,
Sheikh-ul-Islam, who profess Islam’s another version, are appointed as
mullahs. The Museum of Azerbaijan’s people was renamed as the Museum
of Azerbaijani People, while all its exhibits declared "Azerbaijanis’
creations".

Truly speaking, one could comprehend Azerbaijanis’ inferiority complex:
the only trace in their short history consists in autochthon nations’
pogroms and mass carnage. One could do it, unless Azerbaijanis,
being guided by the complex, tried to "overtake" their neighbors in
the sphere of culture confessing their sin. However, Azerbaijan has
chosen anther path – the path of continuation of pogroms, however,
in the sphere of culture this time. Today Azerbaijan pursues policy
of Genocide of Armenian civilization (and not only of this one),
and silence in this case can result in incalculable losses. Huge
spiritual and material wealth created by previous generations’ genius
can disappear without a trace.

Nowadays the past is being stolen from us and our children; the
present is being destroyed. Condescending silence is just criminal.

–Boundary_(ID_np3r618k13NUM70y3h9w2A)- –

UZBEK-BRITISH JOINT ENTERPRISE UNITECH INTRODUCES NAGORNO KARABAKH IN ITS SITE AS ARMENIAN TERRITORY

Azeri Press Agency
May 20 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Zaur Nurmammadov-APA. Uzbek-British Joint Company UNITECH
has introduced Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in its site as
Armenian territory, APA reports.

The company sells Platinum Mobile SIM-cards for mobile calling
to Nagorno Karabakh. UNITECH Joint Company was founded by the
Uzbekistani Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and
Trade, Uzbektelecom Joint Company, "Khalgaro Hamkorlik Markazi" Joint
Company and British Carthill Investment Ltd. Russian "Technology"
Company of the European owners’ group is also selling SIM-Travel cards
for calling to Nagorno Karabakh. This company shows Nagorno Karabakh
region in its official site () as an
independent country. There are several telecommunication companies,
which introduce Nagorno Karabakh in their sites as an independent
country. Those are Russian ARKTEL Ltd. (),
SMARTS (), ExtellSIM ()
and several Ukrainian companies like MTS-Ukraine, Golden Telecom,
UMC and Beeline, which have signed illegal roaming contracts with
the separatist regime as well.

FAILED TO INCLUDE AZERBAIJANI CITIZENS, ARMENIANS BY NATIONALITY, IN LIST OF VOTERS: CHAIRMAN OF CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION

Trend News Agency
20.05.08 15:31

Azerbaijan, Baku, 20 May /corr. Trend News E.Babayev / It was a big
failure as the names of Azerbaijani citizens, Armenians by nationality,
were not included in the voters list. "Unfortunately the international
organizations could not make an effective contribution to get the
names of Azerbaijani citizens, Armenian by nationality, included in
the list of voters," the Chairman of the Central Election Commission
(CEC), Mazahir Panahov, briefed the media on 20 May.

Some 125 district election commissions have devised and submitted the
list of voters to the Commission. The CEC will complete and confirm
the voters at the end of May.

The number of citizens having voting right exceeds 4.6mln in
Azerbaijan. More than 4,000 voters of Khankendi district election
commission No 122 were added in the list of voters. The citizens of
occupied Azerbaijan lands, including Nagorno-Karabakh, will not be
able to realize their voting rights.

According to Panahov, no results were obtained from numerous appeals
to the international organizations to assist in adding Azerbaijani
citizens, Armenian by nationality, in the list of voters.

The Presidential elections in Azerbaijan will take place on 15 October.

RUSSIA EAGER TO ORGANIZE MEETING BETWEEN AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS TO SOLVE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend News Agency
May 20 2008
Azerbaijan

Russia is working to organize a meeting between the presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan to solve the [Armenian-Azerbaijani]
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister,
made this statement while addressing the hearings at the State Duma
[Russian Parliament], Ð~XТÐ~PР reports.

" Russia is concerned about the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict," the minister said. "We are also working with other
participants of the OSCE Minsk Group to resolve this situation,"
he added.

"Now the possibility of organizing the next meeting between the
President of Armenian and Azerbaijan is under discussion," Lavrov
said. "We are sure that it is possible to find an acceptable solution
for both Armenia and Azerbaijan".

–Boundary_(ID_Ju+T8TwbinT2ahEK vvFuOA)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY OFFERS DIASPORA $20 MLN TO OPEN UP ARMENIAN ARCHIVES IN US

Hurriyet
May 20 2008
Turkey

Turkey offered to give $20 million aid to the classification and
opening of the Armenian archives in the U.S. city of Boston, which
he said, included "very important" documents regarding the incidents
of 1915, a high level Turkish official told Hurriyet daily. Head of
Turkey’s state-funded Turkish Historical Society (TTK) Yusuf Halacoglu
said the Armenians do not want to have the archives opened because
such efforts will start a real debate over the genocide claims. Nabi
Sensoy, the Turkish Ambassador in Washington D.C., also reiterated
Turkey’s willigness to open its archives. (UPDATED)

Halacoglu said that the Armenian archives in Boston included very
important documents regarding both the 500,000 Armenians who currently
live in Turkey, and the 1915 incidents.

"The (Armenians) had said ‘We don’t have money to categorize the
archives, and therefore we cannot open them’. I frankly told them
‘We can give you the money needed and open the archives’. But they
did not respond to my offer," Hurriyet was quoted Haracoglu as saying
on Tuesday.

Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915. The
Armenian diaspora has lately increased its organized activities
throughout the world for the acknowledgment of their unfounded
allegations in regard to the incidents of 1915 as "genocide" by
national and local parliaments.

Turkey rejects the claims, saying that 300,000 Armenians along with
at least as many Turks died in civil strife that emerged when the
Armenians took up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia. Ankara’s
attempts to resolve the issue has not so far get a concrete response
from Yerevan.

Halacoglu said he also presented his proposal to two Armenian
historians, Ara Sarfian and Hilmar Kaiser, adding he heard no word
back, and noted that the opening of the archives in Boston would launch
a real debate on the issue. "This would directly open a debate over
the genocide claims. Armenians are aware of this and therefore they
are doing their best not to sit at the table," he added.

Turkey is of the view that parliaments and other political institutions
are not the appropriate forums to debate and pass judgment on
disputed periods of history. Past events and controversial periods
of history should be left to historians for their dispassionate study
and evaluation.

In 2005, Turkey officially proposed the establishment of a joint
commission comprised of historians and other experts from both sides
to study the events of 1915, utilizing not only Turkish and Armenian
archives, but also those of relevant third-party countries and to share
their findings with the public. Armenia has not responded positively
to this initiative, as yet.

AVOID ANIMOSITY

Sensoy called on Armenians not to raise children with animosity, in
his speech at a meeting hosted by the Potomac Institute for Policy
Studies on "the Future of Turkey-U.S. Strategic Partnership", the
Anatolian Agency reported on Tuesday.

"We should not raise our children with animosity. I grew up together
with many Turkish citizens of Armenian descent. It was one of
our Armenian neighbors who cried and mourned most when I lost my
father. Enmity does not lead us anywhere," he said.

Sensoy reminded that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had
called on Armenians to form a joint committee of historians to unveil
the truth.

"Turkey opened its archives. Armenians should do the same. We expect
politicians in the United States and in other countries to let
historians deal with past events," Sensoy said.

Sensoy denied accusations that Turkey imposed an economic embargo
on Armenia, saying Turkey was the fifth biggest economic partner
of Armenia and number of weekly flights between Turkey and Armenia
reached four.

Sensoy also said the draft resolution submitted to the U.S. Congress
on the incidents of 1915 brought Turkey-U.S. relations to ‘brink of a
disaster’. "We are pleased with leaving those days behind as a result
of resolute attitude of the U.S. administration and congressmen,"
he added.

A report on an Armenian bill regarding the incidents of 1915 was
adopted last year by the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
U.S. House of Representatives.

AZERBAIJAN’S CONSUL GENERAL ATTENDS LOS ANGELES SEMINAR ON CONFLICTS IN THE CAUCASUS

Today.az
cs/45111.html
May 20 2008
Azerbaijan

A seminar on the conflicts in the Caucasus was held at US High chool
of Naval Forces in the Californian city of Monterrey.

According to Day.Az, Azerbaijan’s consul general in Los Angeles Elin
Suleymanov delivered speech before the students of the US high school
of naval forces, studying the Eurasian ethnic-political conflicts.

In his speech, he noted that the policy of Azerbaijan and Georgia
differs with balanced pragmatism and strategic vision of the
future. This very pragmatism, which is an important element for
construction of an independent state, is a basis for successful
regional cooperation.

Unfortunately, Yerevan’s inability to pass from ethnocentric ideology
to a more realistic vision of the situation in the region, deepens
its isolation and dependence on external powers.

The seminar was held under support of Azerbaijani student of the US
High School of Naval Forces Tamerlan Vahabov.

SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TURKS HAVE SECULARISM CONCERNS

Hürriye
May 20 2008
Turkey

Turkey’s leading business leader criticizied critics and commentators
who see the current impasse as an "establishment’s resistance," saying
significant segment of Turkish people have concerns over secularism.

"There are those who see the current impasse solely in terms of an
entrenched establishment’s resistance to and fight with the forces
of democratization. This would be a grave oversimplification of the
present situation,"

Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association’s (TUSIAD)
chairwoman, Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag, said last week in a speech
delivered at 38th St. Gallen Symposium in Switzerland.

Turkish public’s view on Islamist-rooted AKP is divided as
some decisions of the ruling party creates question marks over
secularism. However foreign reporters and officials define the conflict
in Turkey as a "power struggle between secular establishment, including
army and judiciary, and newly emerging conservatives."

"Although it is true such a resistance exists, the concerns of a
significant segment of our population over the issue of secularism
or about an infringement on their lifestyles cannot be dismissed out
of hand," Yalcindag added according to her speech text published on
TUSIAD’s website Monday.

"I see this crisis and the worrying polarization in our politics as a
reflection of a deeper conflict that inflicts the global community. In
other words the dislocations caused by integration with global
capitalism, the shift in the relative power of social groups, generate
reactions and lead to fierce struggles between winners and losers. In
our case the language of that struggle is that of secularism."

Turkey’s top prosecutor filed an indictment against the ruling
AKP claiming the party had become the "focal point of anti-secular
activities" in March. The prosecutor also asked for the banning from
politics of 71 members of the party including the prime minister and
the president. The Constitutional Court is reviewing the case and is
expected to rule on the matter within the next few months.

–Boundary_(ID_Vy7t8nWu6d8WduMYVrJ5aQ)–

NEW GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION IN THE CAUCASUS: TOWARDS WHERE? – ANALYSIS

Azeri Press Agency

May 20 2008
Azerbaijan

2008 began very actively in view of Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict. Despite that the activeness appears as natural on the back
of presidential elections in both countries the developments are at
odds with the scenario.

In fact the elections shouldn’t be viewed as a reason of the
developments because it is only the part of world and regional
processes. Today, the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and situation in
whole South Caucasus should be evaluated as an impact of new system
of international relations, created after Kosovo’s declaration of
independence in February, on the region. In other words, new view
of super powers and organizations on the traditional confrontation
between the principles of territorial integrity of the countries
and self-determination right of peoples should be considered as an
accelerator of the processes. Undoubtedly local conditions, which
played decisive role in the existing situation and domestic terms,
shouldn’t be out of attention:

– Armenian self-isolation policy for defending of status-quo; – Effect
of Azerbaijan’s huge oil incomes; – Intensified dissatisfaction of
public community in Armenia against the Nagorno Karabakh clan; –
Azerbaijan’s concern over Kosovo experience to be as a precedent;

Russia is not reconciled with the Kosovo’s independence and threatens
to repeat the same scenario in the Caucasus. Last developments,
related to Russian citizens of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, are the
part of this plan. Concerning over this, the West states that Kosovo
is not precedent and tries to strengthen its position in the region
considering such strategic features of the region as a transit
and energy security. Other conditioned aspect it the threatening
of territorial integrity of ally Georgia, the scene of "rose
revolution". The West gave written promises to Georgia in Bucharest
summit to welcome it in NATO and the country is out of the orbit of
Russian influence, which changes the balance of forces in the Caucasus.

Azerbaijan’s recent tactics "the best defense is an attack" also means
the using of new situation in its favor. A weak domestic stability in
Armenia is also in favor of our country. It will be credulity to think
that adoption of UN resolution on situation in the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan and post-election unrests in Armenia coincided only. Baku
tries to create legal basis for a new situation not to threaten its
vital interests. The UN resolution and 43rd article of NATO Bucharest
declaration have been adopted with this goal. In the first case
Azerbaijan won the UN support and in the second case it achieved to
neutralize two of the three superpowers, which voted against the UN
resolution and to reach NATO guarantee for its territorial integrity.

Certainly, there is no need to exaggerate an importance of resolution
of UN General Assembly or resolution of NATO. Adoption of such
decisions and documents is positive. The new power is a continuation
of previous one and therefore Armenia will not change its policy on
Nagorno Karabakh. Domestic tensity, separation of church, Diaspora
and society give broad political chance for Azerbaijan. Such situation
occurred during terrorist act in Armenian parliament in 1999. Matthew
Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs noted in Helsinki Commission that Armenia could be deprived
from Millennium Challenge Cooperation. There is not an analogue of
this situation in Armenia-US relations.

Baku has left Armenia behind within the framework of Prague
process. Using adopted documents, Azerbaijan can influence on
the negotiation process. Here includes the joint usage of Lachin
corridor and fate of Kalbajar, as well as status of Nagorno Karabakh
Autonomous Province. Azerbaijan will use negotiations on UN level
and inactivity of OSCE MG as a way of pressure. Realization of
Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway will be last element of Armenian
blockade and Yerevan bewares of increase of Azerbaijani military
budget and war mood. After Kosovo experiment, unilateral recognition of
Nagorno Karabakh will weaken the position of Yerevan. Former Spokesman
for Armenian foreign ministry Vladimir Karapetian noted that Azerbaijan
could use natural gas as a trump card in Russia-Azerbaijan relations,
as well as Iran issue in US-Azerbaijan relations and exaggerate its
role in European energy security.

"We face common useless condition linking with our weakness,
new regional status of Azerbaijan. Today’s Azerbaijan differs from
Azerbaijan participated in negotiations process late in last century",
he said.

OSCE TO HOLD NEXT MONITORING OF THE CONTACT FRONT LINE BETWEEN AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES

Today.az
/45105.html
May 20 2008
Azerbaijan

In line with the mandate of the personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office, OSCE will hold a next monitoring on the contact
front line of Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces near Qarakhanbeyli
village on May 22.

The due announcement was made by the press service for the Defense
Ministry of Azerbaijan.

According to the press service, the Azerbaijani side will be
represented by field assistants of the personal representative of
the OSCE chairman-in-office Imre Palatinus and Antal Herdich.

The occupied Azerbaijani lands will be represented by the personal
representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office Andzhei Kaspshik and
his field assistants Peter Ki and Vladimir Kountulov.

DISCOUNTS ON DEMOCRACY IN EUROPE: WHO SHOULD DETERMINE HOW ONE SELF-DETERMINES?
Risto Karajkov

World Press Review

M ay 20 2008

With its expansion ever since the end of the cold war, the European
Union has been increasingly projecting itself as a moral force in
global affairs. It has called itself a community of values and has
been tirelessly repeating to would-be members that full embrace of
democracy and human and minority rights is the only way into the club.

No one has learned this refrain better than eager candidates from the
Western Balkans. There, the idea of joining the European Union has
been put on a pedestal. Europe symbolizes everything that is good, as
opposed to the wicked backwardness of Balkan imperfection. Countries
there need to constantly strive to democratize and reform in hope
that they can one day join.

As much as this idea is unreservedly accepted, it appears that it is
not fully corroborated by facts on the ground. Some of the countries
in the (geographic) Balkans that seem to have very serious issues with
respect of minority rights are in fact European Union member states.

Both Greece and Bulgaria adamantly refuse to recognize their Macedonian
minority. Both countries have lost cases before the European Court
of Human Rights in Strasbourg. They continue to stubbornly refuse to
comply with the court’s decisions to allow the registration of the
political parties of their Macedonian minorities. At the same time
they do not have a problem using their leverage as members of the
European Union to impose unprincipled conditions on Macedonia. Greece
has already made a name for itself doing just that. Bulgaria shows
signs it might take the same road.

Last month Greece vetoed Macedonia’s entry into NATO over the name
dispute. Athens opposes the use of the name "Macedonia" by Skopje,
as Greece claims it is exclusive part of its cultural heritage. Greece
threatened it would also block Macedonia in the European Union unless a
solution to the name dispute is found that is to its liking. Greece’s
move pushed Macedonia into political crisis. The government called
early elections.

Europe has been continuously labeling Turkey (non-European Union state)
as a rogue with regards to human rights standards, but (the few)
Armenians in Turkey have their churches and schools. Greece’s denial
goes so far that it does not even allow the free self-determination
of the Macedonian minority, let alone start to discuss standards in
education, use of mother tongue, or political participation. Last
month the European Free Alliance, a European political party, staged
an event in the European Parliament to protest this discrimination
in Greece and called the Macedonian minority there one of the "last
unrecognized minorities in Europe."

In Albania (non-European Union state), often described as the most
backward country in Europe, the small Macedonian minority freely votes
their own and has a mayor in the region of Mala Prespa. In Bulgaria,
a novel member of the European community of values, around a hundred
members of the unrecognized political party of the Macedonian minority
O.M.O. Ilinden Pirin were called by the police for "talks" last week,
because they engaged in organizing a small historic commemoration. A
classical tactic of police intimidation.

Trying to play an honest broker and stabilize the Balkans, the United
States pushed hard to get Macedonia into NATO but could not fight
the Greek veto. In the process even Washington got entangled in the
primitive Balkan nationalisms that simply refuse to accept that people
are free to declare as they wish.

State Department official Daniel Fried during his recent visit to
Athens had to argue with the Greeks over this purportedly basic human
entitlement. His counterparts reportedly told him there was no such
thing as Macedonians. His answer, rephrased, involved something like
"Oh, but I was there last week. I saw them."

State Department spokespeople get into semantic discussions on a
regular basis with a legendary Greek journalist at press briefings
over whether there is a Macedonian identity, nation, or language.

For Greeks, Macedonians are "Slavs" who are stealing Greece’s history
by calling themselves Macedonians. For the Bulgarians, they are
Bulgarian kin who have been brainwashed during Tito’s Yugoslavia,
and think they are Macedonian, but are actually Bulgarian.

The European Union has been way too condoning of Greek discriminatory
demands pointed against Macedonia. Back in 1992 it adopted an infamous
Lisbon document that said the new country could not use the name
"Macedonia" and it postponed its recognition. It softened over time
in view of reality. Macedonia was recognized by the United Nations
in 1993, under the provisional name of "former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia" (FYROM). Over the years the European Union has not showed a
sign of willingness to deal constructively with the issue. Only last
week one of its committees had to change in a document all reference
to "Macedonian language" or "Macedonian culture" to "the language of
FYROM" and so forth, in face of Greek pressure.

The bottom line is that one should be free to declare as she or
he feels. That is the substance of the right to free expression of
identity. Restrictions to this end, whatever the pretext or ideology,
are limitations of freedom and serious infringement of democratic
standards. If on top of that the people subject to such restrictions
are made to fear to speak their language in public, or have no schools
for their kids in their mother tongue, or even fear persecution,
for them the society they live in is not democratic.

One must be free to declare as he or she wants. The same way the
European Union promotes democracy abroad, it needs to do it in its
own yard. If judicial action is not enough and it obviously isn’t,
Brussels must take more-decisive political action and demand that
its members recognize minorities.