Month: November 2009

AZERBAIJAN CONFUSED BY RUSSIAN TV TELEVISED DOCUMENTARY ON ARMENIANS’ MASSACRE IN AZERBAIJAN

Panorama.am
16:12 26/11/2009

Russian "Ren TV" televises "Bloody upshot" documentary film covering
the collapse of Soviet Union and the situation ruling former SU states,
including Karabakh sceneries. Azerbaijan is seriously confused about
the film, Day.az reports. It’s worth reminding Azerbaijani people
watch "Ren TV" via cable TV station and "KA TV1" just switched off
the service to its customers. "KA TV1" press service reports that
according to the contract signed between the station and the customers
those information programs contradicting to their national interests
will be blocked. "It’s our strategy. The 23rd part of that documentary
told about massacre of Azerbaijan’s Armenian," "KA TV" director said.

AGGRESSION AGAINST ARMENIA IS AGGRESSION AGAINST CSTO

Panorama.am
17:06 26/11/2009

Foreign aggression against any of Collective Security Treaty
Organization’s member state is aggression against CSTO, hence it’ll
follow support, including military support to its ally, Russian Dmitry
Medvedev told the reporters yesterday in Belarus. Russian President
stated that CSTO rapid reaction forces have been formed to support
its ally states when needed. "They are rapid reaction forces aiming
to solve those problems, including usage of military forces. It’s
worth reminding that according to CSTO resolution, which is similar to
NATO one, aggression against CSTO member state, is aggression towards
alliance. It’s a very deep definition, and we sometimes forget about
it, but partnership duties define that," Russian President declared.

COLLAPSED ARMENIAN CHURCH IN TBILISI TO BE RECONSTRUCTED WITHIN YEAR, SAYS AMBASSADOR

Tert.am
16:35 ~U 26.11.09

On November 26, National Security Council of Armenia Secretary Artur
Baghdasaryan welcomed recently appointed Georgian Ambassador to
Armenia Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Grigor Tabatadze to Armenia.

As reported by the National Security Council secretary press
office, the parties discussed issues related to Armenia-Georgian
bilateral relations. Baghdasaryan and Tabatadze both agreed that
Armenia-Georgia relations are anchored on solid ground, and that
there are no issues between the two countries that can’t be solved
through joint discussions.

Furthermore, the two parties placed importance on strengthening
cooperation between Armenia’s and Georgia’s security councils. They
also discussed the issue of Javakhq, a Georgian city with a sizable
Armenian population. Baghdasaryan, in particular, raised the issue
of Armenian churches being able to own land in Georgia, as well as
the issue of resolving socioeconomic issues in Javakhq.

The Georgian ambassador reassured Baghdasaryan that the Armenian
church which had collapsed from heavy rains in Tbilisi recently will
be reconstructed within a year’s time, and that the issues in Javakhq
have the full attention of Georgia’s governing authorities.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA HAS NOT DISCUSSED CHANGES IN STATE STRUCTURES

Tert.am
14:52 ~U 26.11.09

Armenia’s governing Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has not discussed
the issue of making changes to the country’s state structures;
news that had been circulating in local media recently, said RPA
parliamentary faction leader Galust Sahakyan, while speaking to
journalists today.

"RPA has not discussed such an issue. Apart from that, I believe,
this is not the time for the government or state bodies to undergo
changes," noted Sahakyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER APPEALED TO OFFICIALS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SHUSHI’S RECONSTRUCTION

Tert.am
17:12 ~U 26.11.09

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, at the start of today’s
parliamentary session, appealed to attendees to focus their attention
on an important issue, reports the Government of the Republic of
Armenia information and public affairs department.

"I want to begin this parliamentary session by drawing your
attention to an important issue. As you are aware, my colleague,
Nagorno-Karabakh Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan, is in the United
States at the moment. The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has organized
a fundraising drive and, as you know, this year’s theme is Shushi,
[and] Shushi’s reconstruction work. I think that you’ll agree with me,
that Shushi’s reconstruction is an issue of national dignity for us.

"In that sense, we are all obliged to participate in the fundraising
drive and by making our own contribution, [and] also to direct our
families, friends and colleagues [to do the same], so that there is
wide participation in this process. My family and I will likewise
be participating in this fundraising drive, we will be making our
contribution, and with that, directing all of our friends, families,
those dear to us [to do the same]. All those officials found here
must set an example for their colleagues and those around them,"
stated Tigran Sargsyan.

WAS THERE AN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE?

cs&nid=2173
26 November 2009

Geoffrey Robertson QC’s opinion

PREFACE

In recent years, governments of the United Kingdom have refused to
accept that the deportations and massacres of Armenians in Turkey
in 1915-16 amounted to genocide. The Armenian Centre decided in 2008
to refer this matter for the expert opinion of Mr Geoffrey Robertson
QC, who had served as the President of a UN War Crimes Court and is
recognised as an authority on this aspect of international law and its
history. Mr Robertson was instructed by solicitor Bernard Andonian to
reach his own independent conclusions on all legal and factual issues,
without being influenced by the concerns of the Centre.

Mr Robertson advised at the outset that an application should be
made under the Freedom of Information Act to obtain all the policy
documents which have informed the UK government’s position and, with
the assistance of barrister Kate Annand, drafted the letters which
eventually extracted these important and hitherto secret documents
which Mr Robertson analyses in this opinion. Ms Kate Annand, who has
a practice in international and European law, assisted with research
and the author is additionally grateful to Mrs Penelope Pryor and to
Doughty Street Chambers.

This opinion has significance for legal and historical scholarship,
as an exposition of the law against genocide by a distinguished jurist.

It has particular importance for British politics and for the future
involvement of this country in international affairs, and will serve
as a case study of how easily government policy can be manipulated
by a Foreign Office that has abandoned "the ethical dimension" in
favour of what it thinks will be commercial and diplomatic advantage.

ROBERT MLKEYAN ARMENIAN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.11.2009 21:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ministry of Culture of RA and the Armenian General
Benevolent Union will present a concert of the Armenian Philharmonic
Orchestra in Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall on December 5.

The programs includes Beethoven’s Symphony 7, Prokofiev’s Violin
Concerto No.1 and Ravel’s Bolero.

The orchestra will be conducted by Robert Mlkeyan Conductor. Violin
player Syuzi Yeritsian will be the soloist.

RA GOVERNMENT NOT TO SET DIFFERENT ENTRY RULES FOR DIASPORA ARMENIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.11.2009 22:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian government has rejected MP Shirak
Torosyan’s initiative to set different entry rules for Diaspora
Armenians arriving in the RA. Torosyan suggested that Armenians from
Javakhk and Kvemo-Kartli should not obtain residence permit after 90
days of staying in Armenia.

Mr. Torosyan described the rejection as the executive body’s ignorance
of Javakhk problems.

RA MFA: ALIYEV’S STATEMENTS DAMAGE AZERBAIJAN’S IMAGE

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 11:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbanidan met
Thursday with Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito, RA MFA press office
reported.

Minister Nalbanidan briefed on results of the talks he held in
Tokyo and commented on Armenia’s approach to a number of regional
and international issues. He also reiterated Yerevan’s intention to
develop friendly relations with Japan.

Besides, the Armenian Minister gave a lecture in Japan Institute of
International Affairs to present Armenia’s foreign policy and its
efforts to strengthen peace and stability in the region.

Asked about Baku’s warlike statements, he emphasized that Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aiyev damages his country’s image by resorting to
bellicose rhetoric.

After the lecture, Minister Nalbandian met with the Institute’s
director to discuss a possibility to establish cooperation between
the institute and RA MFA diplomatic school.

KURDISH NAMES FEATURED AT ROAD SIGNS IN DIYARBAKIR

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 11:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality, controlled
by the Democratic Society Party, or DTP, has replaced signs on roads
that lead to villages with new signs that feature their Turkish and
Kurdish names together. The move came amid the government’s democratic
initiatives, which suppose granting Kurds some civil rights.

Besir Atalay, minister of internal affairs made a statement recently
about the government remaining positive about displaying the Kurdish
names of villages. The letters of "x", "q" and "w," which are not
featured in the Turkish alphabet, can now be seen on the signs,
Hurriyet Daily News reported.