Month: December 2008

ERDOGAN SLAMS E-APOLOGY CAMPAIGN

PRESS TV
Dec 17 2008
Iran

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Ankara slams a move by Turk intellectuals to offer a public apology
to Armenians, over what Yerevan describes as massacre.

"I neither accept nor support this campaign. We did not commit a crime,
therefore we do not need to apologize," Hurriyet daily quoted Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan as saying on Wednesday.

Erdogan stressed that such initiatives only reverse the positive
steps taken by Turkey. He added the issue was still being discussed
by historians.

Nearly 200 Turkish academics, writers and journalists have launched
a website issuing an electronic apology to Armenians regarding the
1915 incidents. The campaign urges people to show their support by
joining the website.

The move has drawn fierce criticism in Turkey.

Yerevan alleges that up to 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered
in orchestrated killings by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Armenians
believe the deaths should be recognized as ‘genocide’.

Ankara, however, put the figure at 300,000 saying as many Ottoman
Turks were also killed in the civil unrest during the Ottoman Empire’s
collapse.

SOME BRAVE TURKS UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The Fresno Bee
.html
Dec 17 2008
CA

An encouraging small sign emerged this week in the decades-long Turkish
denial of the Armenian genocide: A group of Turkish intellectuals
published a letter of apology for the World War I-era massacres of
Armenians in Turkey.

The apology, posted on the Internet, reads in part: "My conscience
does not accept that [Turkey] remain[s] insensitive toward and deny
the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected in
1915. I reject this injustice, share in the feelings and pain of my
Armenian brothers, and apologize to them."

It isn’t the official recognition of the genocide that Armenians
have long sought — in fact, the apology doesn’t use the word
"genocide." But making the gesture comes at some risk to the signers —
others have been prosecuted for similar statements, and Hrant Dink,
an ethnic Armenian journalist, was killed in 2007 for expressing
the truth.

And truth it is: Some 1.5 million Armenians were murdered in the
waning years of World War I and thereafter, as the Ottoman Empire
collapsed. The killings were planned and orchestrated, the 20th
century’s first genocide. Armenians and others who value truth and
justice have sought recognition of those crimes for years.

Turkey has resisted, even though the blame for the genocide doesn’t lie
with today’s Turkish government or its people. That denial has come
with a price; Turkey is still struggling to join the European Union,
and its intransigence on the genocide question is a major obstacle
to that effort.

Some small thaws have recently been seen in relations Turkey’s
relations with neighboring Armenia. The Turkish president joined his
Armenian counterpart in Armenia’s capital in September to watch the
two nations’ soccer teams play for a spot in the World Cup.

There is still a strong nationalist sentiment in Turkey to deny the
genocide, and that won’t be overcome easily. But the courageous step
of these Turkish intellectuals — and some 2,500 other Turkish citizens
who signed the apology — is welcome.

Out of such small steps great strides are sometimes fashioned. In
time, we hope, a full reconciliation will be possible based on an
honest acknowledgment of historical facts and a determination to work
together for a peaceful future.

MP VARTKES MAHDESSIAN REPRESENTS COMMUNITY AT FUNERAL OF FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, TASSOS PAPADOPOULOS

Gibrahayer
Dec 08, 2008
Nicosia

The Armenian community of Cyprus was represented at the
funeral by Vartkes Mahdessian, the Armenian MP in the Cyprus
Parliament. Mahdessian attended the funeral at Ayia Sophia Cathedral
and on behalf of the Armenian community of Cyprus he sent messages of
condolences to the family of the former President Tassos Papadopoullos,
to the President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and President
of the Cyprus House of Representatives, Marios Garoyian.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER: AS AN INITIATOR OF THE WAR, AZERBAIJAN CARRIES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES

Lragir.am
Dec 16, 2008

NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian’s answers to questions by
the media – At the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Helsinki,
4 and 5 December, the Azerbaijani delegation circulated a document,
summarizing its viewpoints on the principles of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement. What is Stepanakert’s position with respect to
those principles?

The attempts of the Azerbaijani party to impose on the mediators
and the world community in general, using different international
forums, its own vision of both the conflict between Nagorno Karabakh
and Azerbaijan, and the ways of its settlement are not a novelty. In
the framework of this policy, Baku resorts to different techniques,
in particular, presents itself as a victim of its own aggression
launched against the people of NKR and uses slogans for European
values and democracy as a cover for its goals.

Meanwhile, the latest statements by the Azerbaijani leadership, in
particular, the peculiar interpretation of provisions of the Moscow
Declaration by Ilham Aliyev, i.e. the political settlement of the
conflict does not exclude use of force, as well as the above-mentioned
Azerbaijani principles of conflict settlement demonstrate all the
hypocrisy of the Azerbaijani diplomacy and thwart all the efforts of
the international community to find ways of peaceful=2 0resolution
of the conflict. Moreover, this kind of actions by Azerbaijan show
not only disrespect for the international mediators` work, but also
create an impression of Azerbaijan as an improper partner, which is
ready to denounce a previous agreement the very next day.

– Have there been any changes in the position of official Baku towards
the settlement of the conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan
since 1988?

~ At all stages of the conflict development, Azerbaijan has been and
continues to be the main bearer of the idea of military resolution
of the conflict. Counting on power turned into ethnic pogroms and
expulsion of Armenians from Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and other parts of
the former Azerbaijani SSR, which was followed by operation "Koltso"
(Ring) on deportation of the population of Armenian villages of the
Shahoumian, Hadrout and Shoushi regions of Nagorno Karabakh. During the
military phase of the conflict, Baku time and again moved away from
restrictions and termination of hostilities, frustrated cease-fire
agreements, was the first and repeated violator of the four UN
Security Council Resolutions on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and
did not comprehensively and promptly fulfill a single requirement of
the resolutions. After the cease-fire, the leadership of Azerbaijan
has been actively and in quantity purchasing offensive weapons, thus
promoting arms race, as well as continues threatening the Nagorno
Karaba kh Republic with resumption of hostilities.

The readiness to risk regional peace, a basic precondition for
social-economic development and realization of international investment
projects, makes the policy of official Baku a serious threat not
only to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, but also to regional peace
and security.

– Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of the intention to impose a fait accompli
based solution.

~ The current status quo is the result of aggression and consequent
hostilities of Azerbaijan against NKR and its people. As an
initiator of the war, Azerbaijan carries full responsibility for the
consequences. The existing status quo is the minimum that allowed
guaranteeing the security and independence of NKR and its people
under Azerbaijani aggression. The policy of the NKR authorities is
directed to maintaining peace and guaranteeing the irreversibility
of the process of establishment of long-time stability in the
region. Changing the status quo, as we see it, will inevitably lead
to destabilization of the situation and escalation of tensions with
a possible resumption of hostilities.

During the years of Soviet rule, the leadership of the Azerbaijani SSR,
including "national leader" Heydar Aliyev, was trying to make Nagorno
Karabakh not self-sufficient and dependent on Baku, first of all with
their attempts to change the demographic composition of the population.

This was also the case while drawing the borders of the former Na gorno
Karabakh autonomous region. Today, they are trying to return Nagorno
Karabakh into the past. However these attempts are doomed to failure.

– Has the Nagorno Karabakh party received the "technical document",
which according to the information, provided by the French Co-chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group, was presented to the parties in Helsinki in
the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council?

~ The Nagorno Karabakh authorities have not received this document yet;
however as a party to the conflict, acknowledged as such in accordance
with OSCE basic documents on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, we expect
to get it soon from the Minsk Group Co-chairs.

ARTHUR AGHABEKIAN: IF BLACKMAIL POLICY GOES ON, BAKU WILL BE VIEWED AS AN UNSERIOUS PARTNER

DE FACTO
DEC 17, 2008
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, 17.12.08. DE FACTO. Azerbaijan cannot blackmail the world
community any more as if the blackmail policy goes on, Baku will
be viewed as an unserious partner, Chairman of the parliamentary
Commission on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs,
ex-deputy Defense Minister of Armenia Arthur Aghabekian told ArmInfo.

"Some lull in the Azerbaijani military and aggressive rhetoric during
the last month is the evident confirmation of my words’, he said.

Aghabekian thinks the policy of Azerbaijan with respect to the Karabakh
conflict settlement was in continuous threat towards Armenia along
with holding of negotiations within the frames of the OSCE Minsk
Group. Moreover, according to the Azerbaijani party, if no consensus
is achieved, it will resolve the conflict in a military way.

"If the threats towards us in the beginning of the conflict were only
a product of internal consumption, now the situation has principally
changed, and Baku permanently blackmails the world community, in
particular, the OSCE MG countries, with its threats", A. Aghabekian
resumed.

REGULAR MONITORING HELD ON CONTACT-LINE OF NAGORNO KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES

DE FACTO
Dec 17, 2008
STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, 17.12.08. DE FACTO. On December 16, in accordance with
the earlier achieved agreement with the NKR authorities, the OSCE
mission conducted a regular monitoring of the contact-line of Nagorno
Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces in the south-eastern direction
from the Kuropatkino settlement of Martouni region.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR MFA
Information Department, from the positions of the NKR Defense Army,
the monitoring group was headed by Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-office (CiO) Andrzej Kasprzyk.The mission also included
Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO Peter
Kee (Great Britain) and Antal Herdich (Hungary).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the planned schedule. No
violation of cease-fire regime was registered.

The monitoring mission from the Karabakh side was accompanied by
representatives of the NKR Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL ENDORSES OPINION THAT BELLIGERENT STATEMENTS CANNOT BE CONDUCIVE TO RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH ISSUE

DE FACTO
Dec 17, 2008
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, 17.12.08. DE FACTO. On December 16, the RA President Serzh
Sargsian received the OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut
and his delegation.

Hailing the continued assistance of the OSCE to the reforms conducted
in our country, the President of Armenian noted that Armenia
as a member state is interested in further expanding cooperation
encompassing new areas and new issues. Serzh Sargsian highlighted the
importance of the Armenia-OSCE cooperation considering also the NK
peace process which is conducted in the framework of the Organization.

The two sides spoke about the role of the OSCE in the resolution
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Serzh Sargsian and Marc Perrin de
Brichambaut attached great importance to the declarations on the NK
conflict resolution made by the OSCE Ministers of Foreign Affairs
and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in Helsinki. They agreed that
belligerent statements cannot be conducive to the resolution of the
existing problems and that the events of last August revealed once
again dangers contained in the attempts to use brutal force for the
resolution of conflicts.

The two sides spoke also about the economic and political reforms
conducted in Armenia. Noting, that during his tenure in office
President Sargsian has undertaken bold and open-minded steps toward the
implementation20of the reforms, the OSCE Secretary General inquired
in what particular areas the Organization could be helpful. The
President of Armenia said that the authorities are determined to
persistently move forward with the reforms which are integrated into
his pre-election program and are consistent with the priorities of
the political coalition.

At the meeting discussed was also the issue of the individuals held
in custody in relation to the events of March1-2, the RA President’s
Press Office reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH CIVIL SOCIETY FORCES HAND OF ITS GOVERNMENT

DE FACTO
Dec 17, 2008
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, 17.12.08. DE FACTO. Thousands of Turkish people sign each
day a petition launched by important Turkish personalities be sorry
to the Armenians, an independent French journalist Jean Eckian told
DE FACTO. "My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to
and the denial of the Great Calamity that befell the Ottoman Armenians
in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with
the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them."

Known as a part of the text signed as of its launching by the
journalists Ece Temelkuran, Ali Bayramoglu, professors Baskin Oran,
Ahmet Insel and Cengiz Aktar, writer Perihan Magden, mathematician
Ali Nesin, sociologist Nilufer Gole and the historian Fikret Adanir.

Thus, since the assassination of the journalist Hrant Dink, the threats
physical on many intellectuals Turkish and the judgments pronounced
under the terms of iniquitous article 301, the Turkish civil society
decided to take the initiative since the visit of President Gul in
Yerevan on September 6, 2008.

In one day, the petition was signed by more than 8, 000 people.

Now, the question is to know, that will be the reaction of the Turkish
government while the international press has already seized this news.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YEVGENY PLYUSHCHENKO TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF FIGURE SKATING IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
17.12.2008 11:10

The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, received the 2006 Winter
Olympics gold medalist in figure skating, three-time World and
five-time European champion Yevgeny Plyushchenko. He arrived in
Armenia in observe the technical base of the skating ring at the
Karen Demirjian Sport Complex and the ongoing works on the creation
of the figure skating school, which is named after him. The official
inauguration of the figure skating school will take place in late
December.

"Sport is highly esteemed in Armenia. Sport brings recognition to
the nation, and it is very true particularly for small nations,"
said the President of Armenia.

Serzh Sargsyan thanked Yevgeny Plyushchenko for his contribution to
the promotion of figure skating in our country, noting that this
sport is acquiring more and more fans. Figure skating has been
considerably advanced by the opening of the figure skating ring at
the Sport Complex. The President of Armenia expressed his support for
all initiatives and programs directed at the development of figure
skating in Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL VISITS HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

armradio.am
17.12.2008 11:13

At the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, hosted OSCE Secretary
General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut accompanied by the Head of the
OSCE Armenia Office Sergey Kapinos.

Welcoming the visit of the OSCE Secretary General to Holy Etchmiadzin,
His Holiness expressed confidence that similar visits will promote
the cooperation and promote the peaceful resolution of the conflicts
existing in the region. His Holiness expressed gratitude to the OSCE
Secretary General for the efforts and programs implemented by the OSCE.

For his part, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut thanked His Holiness for
good wishes and presented the OSCE activity, as well as the aims and
results of his visit.

During the meeting reference was made to the process of peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
From: Baghdasarian