Month: December 2008

FIVE-SIDED MEETING IN HELSINKI
By Hakob Chaqrian

AZG Armenian Daily
03/12/2008

Regional

Principles of creation of "Stability and cooperation platform in the
Caucasus" to be discussed

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan left for Baku November 30. Later
he will visit Belgium and Finland.

Before leaving for Baku he gave explanations for the visits.

According to the Turkish Public TV, Babacan said that after the
anticipated OSCE Ministerial Council in Helsinki on December 4-5
the first five-sided meeting of the member countries of "Stability
and cooperation platform in the Caucasus" will be held. The meeting
of the Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Russian and Turkish foreign
ministers will be the start of the works on creation of the "Stability
and cooperation platform in the Caucasus". Principles of creation of
"Stability and cooperation platform in the Caucasus" will be discussed
at the meeting.

"At the same time, the negotiations continue in order similar relations
like Turkish-Armenian should be established between Armenia and
Azerbaijan", Turkish Public TV mentions.

While meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in Helsinki in the
framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council the Armenian and Azerbaijani
foreign ministers will try to overcome the available issues between
the two countries.

After the mentioned meetings, Babacan will meet the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers separately to assess the achievements
between the sides.

"CONFLICTS SHOULD NOT BE PASSED ON TO THE GENERATIONS"

AZG Armenian Daily
03/12/2008

Armenia-Turkey-Azerbaijan

"Anka ra is interested in continuation of the diplomatic steps towards
settlement of all the conflicts", Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan
announced during his visit to Baku. "We discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani
and Armenian-Turkish relations as a complex", Babacan said at
a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar
Mammadyarov commenting on the possibility of opening the borders
with Armenia. According to him, Baku and Ankara regularly exchange
information on the meetings.

"Issues of the Genocide, land claims and Karabakh conflict will
be settled in a joint format. These issues are inseparable", said
the diplomat.

"Russian-Georgian relations were also discussed at the meeting with
Mammadyarov", Babacan added.

TURKISH THREATS ON ITALIAN AND TURKISH JOURNALISTS
By Jean Eckian

AZG Armenian Daily
03/12/2008

Armenian Genocide

The Italian journalist-writer Alberto Rosselli, author of "Olocausto
armeno" (The Armenian holocaust) is death threat, announces the Italian
press. And in Belgium, Dogan Ozguden, journalist and founder of news
agency "Info-Turk", is threatened of lynching by ultra nationalist
Turkish press, but also by the embassy and Turkish press in Belgium.

Concerning the writer Alberto Rosselli, the death threats began a
few months after the publication of its book in 2007. They continued
until on October 26, 2008. Police detected that the phone calls were
based from abroad, as well as the mails. The authors of the threats
know perfectly the practices of Rosselli and his wife. And even the
name of their dog.

The affair of Mr. Dogan Ozguden began after itself denounced, November
11, 2008, in an official statement, the defamatory and scandalous
remarks of the Turkish Minister of defense, Vecdi Gonul. Which, during
a speech made in honor of anniversary’s died of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
in Turkish embassy (Brussels), said: "The decision to deported the
Greeks and Armenians at the beginning of the last century allowed
the unification of Turkish people." He affirmed that the creation
of a Turkish nation would have been possible thanks to this policy
ordered by Ataturk.

Defender of the Armenian cause, Dogan Ozguden fled Turkey on 1971,
after the revolution. He deposited an official complaint for threats
on his person.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SHUSHI’S CONTRIBUTION TO ARMENIA FUND
By Hilda Hartounian

AZG Armenian Daily
03/12/2008

Social

On Friday, November 21, 2008, an elegant and intimate dinner reception
took place at the home of Mr. Andreas Roubian, in Saddle River, New
Jersey. The guests of honor were H.E. Mr. Bako Sahakyan, President
of the Republic of Karabagh, and His Eminence Pargev Martirosyan,
The Primate of Karabakh. Mr. Roubian was one of the founders of
the Karabagh Committee, which became a reality in 1992 at this very
location.

During the tumultuous times in Nagorno-Karabagh, when Armenians all
over the globe came together in order to provide aid to our people
and soldiers fighting courageously for our lands, the Shushi Dance
Ensemble, very young at the time, did not miss any opportunity
to support the fundraising efforts of the Karabagh Relief Fund,
by engaging the guests through patriotic songs and dance at every
event. Soon after, the group adopted the name "Shushi Armenian Dance
Ensemble" after the liberation of the ancient capital city of "Shushi".

The highlight of the evening was a surprise performance by Shushi Dance
Ensemble of St. Vartan Cathedral, NY. After performing for the guests,
the beautiful and graceful dancers presented a check in the amount
of $2000.00 to the Armenia Fund’s 11th International Telethon. The
president of Karabagh thanked the group and its Artistic Director
and Choreographer, Mrs. Seta Paskalian-Kantardjian, for this very
generous donation. The Chairman of Armenia Fund, Mr. Raffi Festekjian,
thanked the dancers who volunteered their time for the Phonaton in NYC,
and also for their contribution to this year’s fundraising efforts.

Shushi’s next performance will be on the beautiful Costa Fortuna
cruise ship during the Armenian Heritage Cruise XII, sailing January
11-18, 2009. The ensemble will have 2 spectacular performances
featuring famous vocalists from Los Angeles Hovig Krikorian and Armen
Hovanessyan, along with musical director Andranik Mouradian.

For more information on the Shushi Dance Ensemble, visit

EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF VAZGEN I CATHOLICOS
By Hasmik Haroutunian

AZG Armenian Daily
03/12/2008

Culture

More than 40 canvases of Saryan, Minas, Kojoyan and Hakobian were
presented at the "Academy" gallery on December 1.

The exhibition was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Vazgen
I Catholicos.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian, Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan
and well-known artists and intellectuals participated in the event.

"Vazgen I lives in our hearts and souls. He sticks in our memories
as a patriot and wonderful person. He has created a sincere and
warm environment cordial to many of us. We bear a strong sense
of responsibility to keep up that beautiful picture", said Tigran
Sargsian.

"This exhibition is held appropriately. Vazgen I is one of the
most important and beloved persons of our history. There are only
few people that enjoy not only public love and estimation, but also
devotion and gratitude that change into cult worship", said Chairman
of the Union of Artists Karen Aghamian.

OLYMPIAD: RESULTS MAY BE REVIEWED

A1+
[12:38 pm] 02 December, 2008

The results of the recent World Chess Olympiad in Dresden may be
reviewed.

Leading chess player of Ukraine Vasili Ivanchuk refused to move on
to a doping test after the 11th tournament. As a result, the renowned
grosmeister may be disqualified for 2 years and Ukraine may lose the
Gaprindashvili cup, which was given after the counting of the results
of the Ukrainian men and women chess players.

Based on these results, Ukraine was in first place and Armenia came
in second because the men’s team placed 1st, while the women placed
6th. If Ukraine is disqualified, Armenia will place first with the
total of men’s and women’s results. The president of FIDE Kirsan
Iliumzhinov has personally made an announcement regarding the possible
disqualification of Ukraine.

THE PRESIDENT DECIDES NO MATTER WHAT

A1+
[07:04 pm] 02 December, 2008

Parliamentary discussions on the law on "Referendums" are over and the
bill will be put up for a vote tomorrow morning by the first reading.

However, the discussions were rather heated up. Independent deputy
Victor Dallakyan recalled the fate of one referendum on which the
Constitutional Court had made a decision to make changes to the
law on "Referendums" in a year and hold a referendum on Kocharyan’s
confidence. Unfortunately, the National Assembly turned into a barracks
of bandits that attacked the people, who on April 12, 2004 demanded
them to fulfill the decision of the Constitutional Court and hold a
referendum of confidence.

Dallakyan brought up some issues on whether the Republic of Armenia
has the right to hold a referendum in connection with the sovereign
state. He proposed to radically change the situation by not reserving
the president the right to pass the government’s decision to hold
a referendum because he already has the right to put a veto on the
government’s decisions.

Head of the "Heritage" faction Armen Martirosyan proposed to organize
a petition and give people the right to hold a referendum.

"Prosperous Armenia" party member Naira Zohrabyan called the speeches
connecting the bill with the Karabakh conflict absurd and wondered
why the people shouldn’t know what the government thinks.

The fact of the matter is that it makes no difference," this is what
Republican Galust Sahakyan had to say and added: "Who said that the
people will decide, for example, the Karabakh conflict? The president
will be the one to decide."

"This is an attempt to put responsibility on the people’s shoulders,"
says "Heritage" deputy Zaruhi Postanjyan who believes that the bill
is ordered by Serzh Sargsyan. Postanjyan also underscored that the
administration that falsified the elections can easily falsify the
results of the referendum.

ARF deputy Artsvik Minasyan agreed with the opposition. "If we make
a decision by referendum, form public opinion and if that opinion
is not legal, it becomes nonsensical to debate the issue in the
Constitutional Court as well."

In order to not underestimate the referendum institution, Artsvik
Minasyan proposed that such important issues be discussed as part of
different bills, particularly the passing of a new law on Karabakh.

The Republican and "Prosperous Armenia" parties will vote for the bill,
"Heritage" will vote against it and the others still have time to
decide. "Rule of Law" remained neutral during the discussion.

OPPOSITION STILL HAS A WORD ON MARCH 1

A1+
[08:08 pm] 02 December, 2008

"We still have materials and they will be used for objective revelation
when we are convinced that the goal-oriented investigation was
aimed at revealing the crime. There is no doubt that there will be
certain comments and revelations," told "A1+" former RA Minister of
Internal Affairs, member of the "Republic" political party council
Suren Abrahamyan.

He also gave an evaluation on the video released by the parliamentary
commission which, according to him, is a film prepared by the
administration with the confidential hearings of the opposition
organized by the National Security Service.

As for the allusions heard in the film claiming that Suren Sirunyan
informed head of the First President’s headquarters Alexander
Arzumanyan about the events and that they knew what was going on
nearby, Suren Abrahamyan said:

"That was simply transference of information on the facts and it was
the evaluation of that person. It is a waste of time to find criminals
here. If the administration doesn’t have anything to say and charges
people based on those kinds of facts, then that administration should
not be in power," says Suren Abrahamyan.

"They should have been kind enough to show the 5-6 hour-long scenes
that they claim to have so that people could give their evaluations."

As for the other allusion according to which the rally was not
unprompted but organized, Suren Abrahamyan advised the authors of
the film to read the term "unprompted rally" in the legislation.

TWO STRETCHED ARMS – WHOSE SECOND?

Panorama.am
15:50 02/12/2008

"The initiative of that "relative sculpture" completely belongs to
Turkey. Their mission is to show the world that they are kind relative
for Armenia. We don’t accept that. They can show their relative
approach by quite other gestures and ways," said Hayk Demoyan, the
director of Genocide Museum Institute of Armenia to Panorama.am.

32 meters high sculpture established in Kars city, on the front of
Turkey with Armenia, is to symbolize kind relations with neighbor
Armenia. This is a sculpture of two stretched arms.

Note that according to the Turkish mass media, "Nationalist" party
of Turkey wants to hinder from building "peace sculpture".

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BE CAREFULE NOT TO BE ENTRAPPED INTO TRAFFICKING

Panorama.am
16:14 02/12/2008

"Armenia considers to be a trafficking born country. Girls and women
are taken to Turkey and Arabic United Emirates where they are entrapped
into prostitution," said Marina Solakhyan, the coordinator of Struggle
against Trafficking UNDP project. According to Solakhyan, there
exists another type of trafficking among us – working trafficking,
which main direction is in Russia.

One of the reasons of the trafficking is that in transitional countries
and in countries which lack stable economy people are looking for
ways to find good jobs, she said. According to her people don’t verify
the information they receive from their friends, neighbors, etc.

In order to escape from such situation, M. Solakhyan said that a
job found abroad should be well verified, a written contract or at
least written agreement should be made, and the legislation of certain
country should be studied. It is important to make copies of documents
and to leave one example with relatives, as when abroad in case of
trafficking people are taken off their documents just from the airport.