Month: December 2008

TANER AKCAM APPOINTED CHAIR AT CLARK UNIVERSITY’S STRASSLER CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE STUDIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.12.2008 17:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish scholar Taner Akcam has been appointed Chair
at Clark University’s Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide
Studies, Armeniаn Mirror Spectator reports.

Akcam, who is moving from the University of Minnesota to Worcester,
Mass., in June, in preparation for taking up his new position in
September, said, "Ever since 1976, when I was a teaching assistant
at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey, it was my dream
to become a scholar, to go to Europe or the US and get my PhD. I
was arrested and my life changed, but in the 1980s, I committed
myself [to this goal]. I have worked very hard to be where I am,
and I am very happy about the appointment and that I have realized my
dream." Because Akcam is Turkish and will teach, among other subjects,
a course on the Armenian Genocide, his appointment in some circles is
bound to be considered controversial, but Akcam sees it as the result
of a normal process that has opened the field to non-Armenian scholars.

Akcam has lived outside of Turkey since 1978, first as a political
refugee. He later came to the United States and has taught in the
Department of History at the University of Minnesota since 2002. He
last visited Turkey in 2007 for the funeral of his close friend,
Hrant Dink, the Turkish-Armenian journalist and editor of Agos,
who was assassinated in Istanbul in front of his newspaper office.

Akcam has filed a lawsuit in the European Court to completely rescind
Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Code, which imposes harsh penalties
on those whose views are seen as "insulting Turkishness," for example,
mentioning the Armenian Genocide. Although Turkey has recently
passed amendments to soften the penalties, Akcam will not withdraw his
suit. "Nothing has been decided yet," he said. "Of course, the European
Court might use the Turkish amendments as a reason to drop the case."

–Boundary_(ID_DSZIQyzmxdgb2z65D0sBDQ )–

APPROPRIATION OF OTHER’S MONUMENTS, HISTORY AND LANGUAGE IS THE FATE OF POLITICALLY UNDERDEVELOPED NATIONS
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.12.2008 GMT+04:00

Georgian leadership is consistent in one matter only – through Georgian
Orthodox Church (GOC) it appropriates Armenian churches and demolishes
Armenian monuments and tombs.

Hardly had the terror over Norashen calmed down, when Georgia or,
to be more exact, the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) resumed stirring
up the trouble. On December 11 the Christian Democratic Movement of
Georgia decided to hold a rally in front of the Armenian Embassy in
Tbilisi. According to Head of the movement Giorgi Andriadze, the rally
was staged to demand ‘return’ of Georgian churches situated in Armenia.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "A dozen of historically important Georgian
monasteries and churches are situated in the north of Armenia,
in Lore-Tashir. Unfortunately, they have been utterly robbed,
which proves that they belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church,"
declared Giorgi Andriadze. In his words, the Georgian Patriarchate
deliberately kept away from raising the issue in order to avoid
tensions and maintain the status quo. "However, the Armenian side
tries to aggravate the situation and unfairly demands the return of
churches. And since Armenians continue with their provocations, we
can do nothing but remind them about our legal rights to demand the
return of Georgian churches situated in the territory of Armenia,"
Andriadze said. He also assumed that all this story of clarifying
the church belonging is a provocation by a third side, which aims to
breed hostility between the two nations.

On the whole, appropriation of other’s monuments, history and
language is the fate of politically underdeveloped nations, which
in the course of their existence prove utterly unable to create
national values. These nations are incapable of forming their own
government; they can’t even preserve what really belongs to them. To
our great regret, Georgia is one of these nations. Still back in
90s American Political Scientist Nikolay Zlobin declared Georgia to
belong to the category of defective states that have no future. This
definition is quite right, and it can hardly undergo changes. The
history of the past 20 years proves the extreme subjection of any
president of this country. Georgian leadership is consistent in one
matter only – through Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) it appropriates
Armenian churches and demolishes Armenian monuments and tombs. And
it would not be that unreasonable if these acts of vandalism were
not accompanied by statements of Georgia’s belonging to the European
civilization. Moreover, Georgians quite seriously speak of their
being one of the founders of the European civilization.

On the whole it is all the same to Armenia what her neighbours
call themselves. What is important for us is that these carriers
of Â"civilizationÂ" keep away from Armenian churches. But in this
matter Europe gives way to Asia. It is not any more a secret that
after George Bush Turkey and Azerbaijan serve as models for Mikhail
Saakashvili, especially in the Armenian issue. The latest example is
the case of Norashen.

According to the Head of the GOC Press Service David Sharashenidze,
the belonging of the Church of St. Norashen situated in Tbilisi will
be established based on the conclusions of Georgian and Armenian
experts. "Armenian sources say that this monument belongs to the
Armenian Church. But there are also some other sources, including
Georgian ones, which call this claim into question. It is a matter
of expert-scientists’ consideration," declared Sharashenidze. Thus,
it is rather like the case with Turkey’s recognition of the Genocide
– forming a commission, making some facts more accurate, clarifying,
etc. However, we should admit that Ilham Aliyev acts more directly;
he simply destroys Armenian monuments preserved in Azerbaijan. And
since there are no monuments, there is no need to form different
kinds of commissions. The thing is that there is always a possibility
that an honest historian will turn up and tell the whole truth. Thus,
Turkey and Georgia should consider it well before they suggest forming
a commission.

And lastly, about 650 Armenian churches are presently counted in the
territory of Georgia. In the 19th century there used to be 29 Armenian
churches in Tbilisi but only two of them stand there today. To this
day in the territory of Georgia there are 6 Armenian churches whose
belonging is still unidentified. They were all confiscated at the
Soviet times. They are St. Norashen (XVc.), St. Nshan (XVIIIc.),
Shamkhoretsots St. Astvatsatsin (second name Karmir Avetaran, XVIIIc.),
Yerevantsots St. Minas (XVIII c.), St. Gevorg of Mughni (XIV c.),
and St. Nshan (XIX c.) situated in Akhaltskha. Unfortunately, it is
clear from past experience that there is very little these churches
will be returned to the Armenian Apostolic Church.

–Boundary_(ID_XfclxLejKIqFuh+TCY60fg)–

"MICROSOFT" SUPPORTS "HAYPOST" IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURES OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

ARMENPRESS
Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: "Microsoft" company supports
"Haypost" in the improvement of infrastructures of electronic system.

Director of the Armenian office of "Microsoft" Grigor Barseghian
told Armenpress, that within the frameworks of the agreement signed
with "Haypost", "Microsoft" supports "Haypost" in using "Microsoft"
leading technologies and increasing the productivity of own resources.

"Haypost" has already got the necessary licenses for using program
packages of "Microsoft". Specialists of "Microsoft" arrived in Armenia
from Germany and Holland and got acquainted with the operation of
the new technologies in "Haypost".

The "CRM" electronic system of communication management of visitors
is planned to be implemented in the nearest future. The works are
conducted by "DOM-DENIEL" company.

Training of "Haypost" employees will also be organized. According to
G. Barseghian, the mutual visits of specialists will continue.

WORKS CARRIED OUT TOWATDS EXPANSION OF ARMENIAN-SYRIAN TRADE AND BUSINESS TIES

ARMENPRESS
Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Commerce and Industry
Chamber is carrying out events for the expansion and consolidation
of trade and business ties with Syria.

The chairman of the Armenian Commerce and Industry Chamber Martin
Sargsyan said today at a press conference presenting the results of
December 2-9 Armenian-Syrian business exhibition and business forum
that currently the annual trade turnover between the two countries
is around 3 million USD of which 2 million 250,000 is import.

He assessed the volume of export as unsatisfactory, noting that it
is necessary to activate the representation of Armenian products in
Syrian market which is quite important for Armenia.

He said it suggests quite favorable conditions for Armenian businessmen
and the Armenian product is well accepted there.

The products of 35 Armenian companies presented at the exhibition
were almost immediately bought, a number of arrangements have been
reached and business ties have been established.

M. Sargsyan said that an agreement has been reached with Aleppo
Commerce and Industry Chamber to organize exhibition of Syrian
products in Armenia in June 2009. It is also expected to open a hall
of exhibition-sale of Armenian-Syrian products.

On March 8 of the coming year meetings of the business women of the
two countries is expected to take place

JHANGIRYAN SHOULD NOT MOVE

A1+
[05:40 pm] 12 December, 2008

The court sitting of the case of Vardan Jhangiryan, brother of ex
Prosecutor General Gagik Jhangiryan, has been suspended today.

At about 10:00 a.m. chief inspectors Sayat Sargsyan and Anushavan
Eghikyan went to fetch Vardan Jhangiryan charged with violence against
a government representative. But finding him in bed with an apparatus
of artificial feeding their protocolled his health state noting that
he Jhangiryan was unable to attend the court sitting.

Therapist of clinic 5 Irina Martirosyan who has watched over
Jhangiryan’s health for a month said, "His bones ache all the time. His
state is worsening day by day. We have sent for a doctor already for
eight times. I must confess that he is getting no better. He can have
attacks of pain at any moment from any movement."

Doctor Narine Avryan said, "Jhangiryan should be treated for another
six months. He must get a bigger dose of medicine. This is a rare
ailment which needs long-lasting treatment. Jhangiryan’s lungs are also
infected. He shouldn’t move. Neither should he sit for a long time."

Remind, Vardan Jhangiryan suffers from spinal tuberculosis. His
health aggravated after missile wound received on February 23 during
the detention.

The court sitting resumed at 11.00, and Judge Mnatsakanyan read out
the protocols of chief inspectors.

Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan objected to advocates’ mediation to terminate
the case hearing noting that the advocates hadn’t submitted health
certificates beforehand. The court sitting was adjourned by the time
the advocates presented the required certificates. The next court
sitting is due at 11.00 December 26. The decision on compulsory
attendance is still in force.

PROTEST ACTION IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS

A1+
[08:32 pm] 12 December, 2008

A protest action was staged in front of the U.N. Yerevan Office in
support of the Palestinian people on December 12. The protesters
handed a letter to the U.N. Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon.

The letter runs in part, "We, the undersigned Armenian organizations,
protest against recent cases of violence of the Israeli Zionistic
regime against Palestinians."

In 1967 Gasa was captured by the Zionist government and was kept in
their reign by 2005. A lot of harm was done to Palestinians during
those years. In 2005 the Zionistic regime was driven out of the
country due to the fierce struggle of Palestinian people but the
territory is controlled by Israeli troops. Today Israel takes steps
contradicting the Geneva International Convention on the occupied
Palestinian territory."

ARMENIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN EXPERT GROUP AGAINST TRAFFICKING

Panorama.am
19:12 12/12/2008

A representative from Armenia has been elected to become a member of
struggle against trafficking expert group to implement the convention
of European Council. On December 8-10 the first session of the expert
group has been conducted, reported the public relations department
of the Foreign Ministry. The objective of the group is to assess the
implementation of the convention, and to make some recommendations
for the improvement of the policy.

According to the source, Gyulnara Shahinyan’s candidature, the speaker
of the UN on modern types of slavery and the supervisor of "AMKOR"
NGO on struggle against trafficking, has been applied and she has
been selected to be a member of the group. The group includes the
representatives of Bulgaria, Malta, Cyprus, Croatia, Moldova, Norway,
France, Slovakia, Denmark, Portugal, Albania and Romania.

"HI-TECH" AND MINISTRY OF DIASPORA TO COOPERATE

Panorama.am
19:13 12/12/2008

The Minister of Diaspora H. Hakobyan received the President of
"Via-sphere" international company Tony Moroyan and the head of
Information Technologies funs Garegin Chugqaszyan, reported the
public relations department of the Ministry. During the meeting it
was discussed to stimulate the usage of hi-technologies which will
give an opportunity to include the specialists of Armenian Diaspora
into the project.

The Minister said that "Hi-tech" and the Ministry of Diaspora should
launch an active cooperation, in order the network and hi technologies
become everyday tools of the ministry and its activities.

ARMENIA FOURTH BY CELLULAR COMMUNICATION COVERAGE

Panorama.am
19:13 12/12/2008

ComNews Research Company has published the results of its research and
figures on cellular communication in the CIS member countries in 2008.

According to the figures provided by the company, by the end
of 2008 Russia will be on top by its number of Cellular phone
subscribers. Ukraine is in the second horizontal, and is followed
by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Moldova and Turkmenistan.

According to the research Russia and Ukraine have more cellular
communication coverage. In these countries number of the
cellular communication subscribers exceeds the number of the
citizens. Kazakhstan and Armenia are the third and the fourth
regarding the cellular coverage, then comes Belarus, Georgia, Moldova,
Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

SYNOPSIS TO START NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

Panorama.am
19:14 12/12/2008

Today the students and the professors’ staff of Polytechnic Institute
of Armenia had a meeting with the representatives of "Synopsis Armenia"
CSJC. During the meeting the cooperation between the institute and
the company has been discussed, as well as some education questions
for starting new educational program 2009-2010, reported the public
relations department of the Institute to Panorama.am.

"Institute-Production model is an effective one which stimulates
the preparation of specialists corresponding to the IT demands of
Armenia. Being a leader of IT in the world, "Synopsis" signifies
the implementation of university programs and does investments
in the educational system of Armenia for its development and
modernization. Implementation of this education program in Polytechnic
Institute is one step of the company to help the local government
to develop the quality of IT specialists," said Hovik Musayelyan,
the executive director of "Synopsis Armenia" company.