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CHURCH THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND COUPLE FACING DEPORTATION
By Veronica Nett

The Charleston Gazette

Apr il 15 2009
WV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Victims of war and target of ethnic cleansing,
Ivan and Violetta Petrosyan fled their native country of Azerbaijan
in the 1980s.

For nearly two decades, ethnic prejudice and violence continued to
follow the family until a South Charleston mission group led them to
settle in West Virginia in 2006.

"We couldn’t find a country [where] we belong," Violetta Petrosyan
said Tuesday. " We were harassed and treated wrongly. We had hoped
that in America that proclaims freedom and human rights, we might
get the chance to have a country where we belong."

The couple found what they had been seeking in Charleston, and soon
after arriving on a tourist visa in December 2006 they applied for
political asylum.

Today, an immigration judge in Washington, D.C., will decide whether
the couple can stay in the country that has become their home.

The couple will not face the judge alone. Sixty-nine members of the
First Church of the Nazarene in South Charleston will accompany them
to Washington and if selected will testify on behalf of the Petrosyans.

"The group that is going ranges from 8 years old to 82," said Jenny
Miller, executive assistant of the First Church of Nazarene.

"We have parents who are taking their children out of school that
just feel this experience is something they need to be a part of —
be a part of something that is so much greater themselves."

Ivan, 59, and Violetta, 50, are of Armenian decent. The couple and
their two daughters were born in Azerbaijan, the country bordering
Armenia. Ivan worked as an engineer and Violetta as a teacher.

They were born the "wrong race" in the "wrong country," Miller said.

Even in Azerbaijan, where they made their home, they endured
discrimination because of their race. They remained in the country
until racial tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated in
1988 and the Nagorno-Karabakh War broke out.

Thousands of people were murdered because of their race and about
300,000 Armenians fled the country.

The couple and their daughters, ages 4 and 7, lived in hiding for 13
months before fleeing the country in 1989.

"We waited another year because we loved the country… We just enjoyed
our life even though we were always second-rate people," Petrosyan
said. "[Despite] all of that, it was still our home country. We
couldn’t even imagine leaving. We waited and waited hoping the war
would stop."

It didn’t and the family was forced to flee with just the clothes on
their backs and what little they could fit in backpacks.

After the family fled, a mob ransacked their home and burned their
books and furniture.

"When you’re running, you’re running," Petrosyan said. "We only
left with backpacks. Everything we gained in our happy life there we
left there."

The family fled to Russia, then Ukraine, and even to their home country
of Armenia, but were not welcomed and continued to face discrimination
and racial prejudice.

"We tried to go to Armenia, because it’s our native country," Petrosyan
said. "The Armenians did not believe that we were Armenian anymore. We
had lived in Azerbaijan too long. [They said] we had lived with the
Turkish too long.

"We stayed eight days, and that was enough for us," she said. "We
realized we would never be accepted."

Eventually, the family settled in Volgograd, Russia, and remained
there for 16 years, despite continued racial prejudice.

"The same problems started again. No proper lodging, no jobs, no
money and the people being very hostile because we were ‘black,’"
Petrosyan said.

While living in Volgograd, the family met a group of missionaries from
the First Church of the Nazarene in South Charleston in 1999. The group
helped to build the family’s home and established a relationship that
would span nearly a decade.

The family remained in Russia until 2006 when they again became the
subject of racial oppression.

"Every year the situation would get worse and worse," she said.

In 2006, the Russian government seized their property and once again
their lives were in jeopardy.

They had the opportunity to travel, legally, to the U.S. in December
2006 to visit their daughter, who was living in South Charleston on
a student visa.

"We are just amazed of all the places in the whole world they could
be, they’ve ended up here," Miller said. "We’re very grateful that
God lead them here."

The couple’s daughters are now married and live in Denmark.

Since settling in South Charleston three years ago, they have been
working at the University of Charleston in food service.

Today, the immigration judge will decide whether to grant the couple
full political asylum, which will allow them to apply for a green
card and eventually citizenship. The judge also can rule to not
grant asylum and allow the couple to remain in the country, but they
could not apply for citizenship or leave the country without facing
permanent deportation.

"The third and final option, which be the worst case scenario would
be deportation," Miller said.

The chance that the judge will grant them political asylum is about
one in 100, Miller said.

"We have tremendous faith.’" she said.

Today’s hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. The group will depart from
the South Charleston church at 2 a.m. to make the trip to Washington.

If their request for political asylum is rejected, Petrosyan said
they will begin to prepare to move to Denmark with their daughters
and begin the process again to apply for political asylum.

"They have not been able to find freedom everywhere else," Miller
said. "They have been willing to risk everything for a chance to
enjoy the freedom that Americans have."

OPPOSITION CHARGES ERGENEKON IS ‘REVENGE’

Hurriyet
April 15 2009
Turkey

ANKARA – The latest wave of detentions in the Ergenekon investigation
sparked harsh reactions yesterday from Turkey’s opposition parties
as they expressed their concern that the law was being abused for
political gain.

Addressing their parties’ parliamentary group meetings yesterday,
both Republican People’s Party, or CHP, leader Deniz Baykal and
Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, leader Devlet Bahceli criticized
the course of the ongoing Ergenekon investigation.

"The Ergenekon probe is a political move, not a juridical one. It is a
case that is motivated by politicians and has political targets," said
Baykal. "If there is such an organization, who founded and directed
it? Today, more than 100 people were included in the probe. If it is
an organization established against the ruling Justice and Development
Party, or AKP, why is the name of the AKP not in the indictment?"

According to Baykal, although no one knows exactly what the aim of
the Ergenekon organization is, there has been an intention to expand
the case to cover certain segments of society. The case has lost its
juridical features and it expanded to cover many irrelevant figures,
he said.

Recalling that the case of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party,
or PKK, was finalized within a year, Baykal said there had still
been no indictment in the Ergenekon case, though the detentions
continued. "There is a Rabbi [Tuncay Guney], secret witnesses
and some telephone records. There are claims [made by Guney] under
pressure. These are what the probe has been based on," he said. "The
murder of the top judge of the Council of State and the Republican
rallies are the Ergenekon activities aimed at toppling the government,
according to the probe. They expect the court and the public to
believe in this.

Did common sense and rationality commit suicide?" Noting that it
was not the duty of the prosecutor to make extra-judicial killings,
Baykal said the Ergenekon case has been turned into a symbol of
horror. He said no one knew why members of the Association in Support
of Contemporary Living, or CYDD, and BaÅ~_kent University Rector
Mehmet Haberal and other rectors were detained or why the house of
CYDD Chairwoman Turkan Saylan was searched. The MHP’s Bahceli said
the country’s laws were being abused for political purposes. "There
are widespread concerns that the laws are being abused for political
gain and used as a means of oppressing and deterring people," he said.

In another meeting yesterday, Education Minister Huseyin Celik
said CYDD Chairwoman Saylan was not subject to the Ergenekon probe
as a result of her organization’s educational activities or the
scholarships it distributes to girls. "Some media institutions,
however, relayed the issue as if those who support Republican values
are being silenced. This is not acceptable," Celik said.

ARMENIAN VOLUNTEERS – ABOUT ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
By Nairi Muradian

Azg
April 16 2009
Armenia

According to the members of the national political initiative "Union
of Armenian Volunteers", today Turkey, like in the past, has a very
clear position – it observes establishment of diplomatic relations
with Armenia, opening of the border and settlement of Karabakh issue
on the same plane.

"It is not right to use the phrase Armenian-Turkish relations. It is
Armenian-Turkish conflict; a peculiar type of relations – hostile
relations. They treat us with enmity. We speak about the opening
of the border. But Armenian-Turkish border differs from the concept
of Armenia-Turkey border. I am speaking of a psychological border",
publicist Gevorg Yazechian told yesterday at the office of the People’s
Party of Armenia.

According to another member of the "Union of Armenian Volunteers"
Armen Yeghian, the Armenian-Turkish talks have already entered a
dangerous stage for Armenia. "The Armenian authorities have forgotten
that Turkey created a state on the major part of the territory of
the Armenians’ historical motherland", he said.

"After 20 years of independence, Armenia has chosen the Turkish way of
development", member of the national initiative "Miatsum" (Joining)
Tigran Khzmalian said. According to him, the Armenian authorities’
aspiration to create a police state, population’s spiritual fall,
and the mercenary society bear witness to it. The Armenian youth,
according to him, have become bearers of the Turkish values; it can
be seen from their clothes and the music that they prefer.

According to Tigran Khzmalian, Armenia and the Armenian people are
not ready for the opening of the border at present.

According to former liberty-fighter Vardan Malkhasian, the
Armenian-Turkish "flirt’ has its price; instead of improvement of
relations Turkey demands from Armenia destructive concessions to
both Karabakh issue and recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He
underlines that the Armenian Foreign Ministry and the President’s press
service haven’t yet properly refuted Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s
statements that Serzh Sargsian consented to creation of the committee
of historians.

ARMENIA, IRAN SIGN DEAL TO BUILD STRATEGIC RAIL LINK

RIA Novosti
20:59 | 15/ 04/ 2009

YEREVAN, April 15 (RIA Novosti) – The Armenian and Iranian transport
ministers signed on Wednesday an agreement to build a railway linking
Armenia with Iran’s Persian Gulf ports, the Armenian TV5 channel
reported.

The construction of the 470-kilometer long railway, with 410 kilometers
passing through Armenian territory, is expected to last for at least
five years and to cost $1.5-$1.8 billion.

"It is difficult to estimate the cost as the length of the tunnel has
not been determined and the construction of a tunnel is relatively
expensive," Armenian Transport Minister Gurgen Sargsyan said.

Landlocked Armenia, currently under economic blockade by neighboring
Turkey and Azerbaijan, has railway links with other countries only
through Georgia.

A memorandum of understanding on the strategic route was signed by
Sargsyan and his Iranian counterpart, Hamid Behbahani, on April 3. A
working group will take about three months to do a feasibility study,
Sargsyan said on Wednesday.

The railway connecting the northern Armenian city of Sevan to the
southern city of Meghri, bordering Iran, will ensure the transportation
of energy supplies and other goods, and increase trade between the
countries.

IRAN UPHOLDS JAIL TERM FOR AID WORKER

Agence France Presse
April 14, 2009 Tuesday 8:41 AM GMT

Iran has upheld a jail term against an Iranian woman of Armenian
descent accused of involvement in an alleged US-backed plot to topple
the Islamic regime, the judiciary said on Tuesday.

Silva Harotonian, 34, who worked for the American aid organisation
IREX, was sentenced to three years in jail in January.

"Her three-year jail term for crimes against security has been
upheld by the appeal court," judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi
told reporters.

Harotonian joined IREX in late 2007 "to facilitate an exchange
programme to enhance cooperation between Iran and the United States
on maternal and child health care issues," the organisation said on
its website.

In January, Iran announced it had dismantled a network allegedly funded
by the United States to overthrow the Islamic regime by triggering
social upheaval.

Four people including Harotonian and two doctors, brothers Arash and
Kamiar Alaie, were sentenced to jail.

The authorities have not yet commented on the fate of the fourth
suspect but upheld the six-year jail terms against Alaie brothers,
who are well known for their pioneering work in HIV/AIDS.

Tehran regularly accuses Washington and London of covertly backing
violent and non-violent action against the state in a bid to topple
the Islamic regime.

SENSITIVE, NEW-AGE GUY: THE U.S. PRESIDENT MUST LEARN HE CAN’T PUSSYFOOT AROUND REPRESSIVE REGIMES LIKE IRAN
Christopher Hitchens

The Gazette
April 15, 2009 Wednesday
Montreal

U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Europe afforded us an
opportunity to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of his style in
operation. And, even though he has almost attained the Holy Grail of
public relations – in other words, he is practically at that ineffable
and serene point where he gets good press for getting good press –
there might come a time when even his transatlantic admirers will
have to take a second look.

His speech in Strasbourg, France, was much too long, given the youth
of the audience and the way in which presidential sonorousness ate
into the time that was to be allowed for questions. But its aim of
changing the American tone was largely successful. I thought that
the best moment was when he focused on the German and French citizens
who had perished in the World Trade Centre.

George W. Bush always spoke as if the atrocities of Sept. 11, 2001,
were an attack on the United States only and drew the corollary in
his rhetoric that you are either "with" the United States or with
the "terrists" (as he always seemed to think they were called). By
underlining the losses suffered by other countries, not only did Obama
redress this imbalance, he also gently but firmly reminded Europeans
that this was and is their struggle, too.

One would have liked a bit more of this combination and perhaps very
slightly less willingness to make disclaimers about U.S. power. It’s
absurd to act as if, at NATO and G-20 meetings, the United States is
just another modest member. In the case of NATO, it is at least first
among equals, in that its military strength is greater than that of
all the other members of the alliance combined.

In the case of the world’s economic powers, a disproportionate share
of the blame for the current crisis lies with the U.S. and so does a
comparably vast element of the chance that the decline can be reversed.

It is obviously not a moment to strut around impersonating a
hyperpower, but that doesn’t mean that Madeleine Albright’s injunction
about the United States being a "necessary" power can be disowned,
either.

The limitations of the Obama manner were exposed in his address
to the Turkish parliament and his press conference with the
Turkish leadership. The president did not take the opportunity to
reiterate his principled stand on the Armenian genocide that we
are commemorating this month and took refuge in platitudes about
healing and negotiation. It’s not as if the Turks don’t know what he
thinks, so it’s difficult to see the value of undue reticence. And
it’s hardly an accident that, in all successful attempts at settling
accounts with the past in other nations, the word reconciliation has
invariably been preceded by the word truth. The first duty is to stop
lying. Only then can any genuine attempt at settlement get under way.

It was also somewhat naive of Obama to deny that the United States is –
or ever will be – at war with Islam. Of course one cannot exactly make
war on a faith, most especially a faith that is currently undergoing
a civil war within itself, in which Turkey has several times been
attacked by bin Ladenist forces.

But twice in the past, jihad has been officially proclaimed from
Turkey’s capital. It was in the name of the Quran that the piratical
Ottoman provinces known as the Barbary States took thousands of
U.S. and European voyagers into slavery in the 18th century, until
Thomas Jefferson dispatched the fleet and the Marines to put down
the trade, and it was from Constantinople that the Ottoman military
alliance with German imperialism in 1914 was proclaimed as a holy
war binding on all good Muslims.

In other words, what one really wants is an assurance that Islam is
not, nor ever will be, at war (again) with the United States.

That Obama is confused about this – and also slightly weak – is
demonstrated by his earlier attempt at quiet diplomacy, or constructive
engagement, or whatever we agree to call it, with Iran. He sent a
message to "the people and leaders of Iran" on the occasion of Nowruz,
or New Year – a day that he might or might not have known is slightly
frowned upon by the Islamic authorities, because it involves fire
ceremonies and other celebrations that predate the Muslim conquest
of Persia. Any offence they might have taken on that score must have
been mollified when the president twice referred to the country as
"the Islamic Republic of Iran," as in, "the United States wants the
Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community
of nations."

Does this boilerplate goodwill represent anything true? In order for
the great and civilized nation of Persia to take its rightful place
in the community of nations, it would have to be able to demonstrate
that its leadership was freely chosen by its own people and that it
was willing to abide by agreements and undertakings (on non-trifling
matters such as nuclear proliferation) that it had solemnly signed.

The mullahs rule Iran on the basis of a Khomeini-ite dogma known as the
velayate faghih, which makes them the owners and "guardians" of all
the country’s citizens. And they have been covertly seeking enriched
uranium of the sort not required for a civilian nuclear program, while
never ceasing to proclaim the imminent and apocalyptic return of the
12th or "hidden" imam. In other words, to claim its "rightful place"
in any recognizable community of nations, Iran would in effect have
to cease to be an Islamic republic.

Meanwhile, the theocratic regime has several times exerted its power
to arrest and imprison Iranian-Americans for offences that would not
be crimes in any civilized country. The most recent such outrage is
the imprisonment of journalist Roxana Saberi, framed for allegedly
buying a bottle of wine. We should hear more from the White House
about her case and less about the sensitivities of her jailers.

Some differences cannot be split. Many conflicts are real and do not
arise from mere cultural misunderstandings. Obama must learn this or
be taught it, whichever comes sooner.

Christopher Hitchens is a columnist for Vanity Fair and Slate Magazine,
where this column originally appeared.

RISE IN ELECTRICITY, GAS AND WATER TARIFFS WILL COST THE ARMENIAN POPULATION SOME 609 AMD A MONTH

ArmInfo
2009-04-14 19:30:00

ArmInfo. The Apr 1 rise in electricity, gas and water tariffs will
cost the Armenian population 609 AMD a month or 7,508 AMD a year
per capita, Minister of Labor and Social Security of Armenia Arsen
Hambatsoumyan said during a conference today,

He said that, according to the National Statistical Service of Armenia,
the per capita consumption of water is 150 l a day, gas – 15 c m a
month, electricity – 50 KWh a month.

To remind, Apr 1 2009 the price of 1,000 c m of gas in Armenia grew
from 84,000 AMD to 96,000 AMD, the price of 1 KWh of electricity from
25 AMD to 30 AMD, the price of water from 140 AMD to 179.78 AMD.

UN, IFIS DISCUSS WITH ROA GOVERNMENT WAYS TO OFFSET SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE CRISIS

LRAGIR.AM
12:52:40 – 14/04/2009

Yerevan, 14 April 2009 – The Ministry of Labor and Social Issues,
the United Nations (UN), World Bank (WB) and International Monetary
Fund (IMF) offices in Armenia, organized a conference on "Social
Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Armenia." The objective of
the conference was to discuss consequences of the global economic and
financial crisis and find measures to mitigate its impact on vulnerable
groups. The conference brought together around 120 participants.

Representatives from international organizations warned today that the
global economic and financial crisis could have a serious impact on
the Armenian economy and affect the country’s ability to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. UN, WB and IMF officials
told a conference that while the effects on the Armenian economy are
already being felt, the population is now starting to feel the social
impact as well.

The exposure and impact of the crisis varies across countries and
sectors, but it is becoming more apparent that what started as an
economic crisis is now turning into a human development crisis. During
the first two months of 2009 the unemployment rate in Armenia has
increased, while the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has decreased by 3.7
percent compared to the same period in 2008. Moreover, non-commercial
private transfers dropped by about 35 percent in February 2009 compared
with a year earlier.

According to the World Bank report on "Implications of the Global
Economic Crisis for Poverty in Armenia," the current crisis could
push 172,000 more people below the poverty line in 2009-10, increasing
the total number of poor to an estimated 906,000 people, out of which
297,000 people will be extreme poor. A large part of Armenia’s gains
in reducing poverty over the last years would be erased.

"In many developing countries, the consequences of the crisis could be
a possible reversal of the gains in human development and progress
towards the achievement of the MDGs, especially in the areas of
healthcare, including reduction of child mortality, improvement
of maternity health, and education," said Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UN
Resident Coordinator.

Acknowledging the government’s commitment to maintain the current
level of funding for the social sector, including salaries, pensions,
family and other benefits, UN Agencies will support the government’s
efforts in devising solutions that will draw together all stakeholders,
including international organizations, private sector and the civil
society. In addition, the UN in Armenia is in the process of tailoring
its current programmes to address the needs of those most affected
by the crisis.

"We need to be fast and flexible and seek cost-effective solutions to
emerging problems, particularly, focusing on bringing international
experience and knowledge to help in developing recovery mechanisms,"
Ms. Vidal emphasized.

"Economic growth in Armenia has led to substantial poverty reduction,
but these achievements are now at risk. The global economic crisis
will have potentially serious implications for poverty and this
calls for significant responses by the Government of Armenia and its
development partners," said Aristomene Varoudakis, World Bank Armenia
Country Manager.

The Government has shown commitment by accelerating the implementation
of World Bank funded projects under the new IDA Fast Track Facility.

Such policy responses may include support to the development of
small and medium sized businesses, design and implementation of labor
intensive programmes, including public works, better monitoring of
the human development impacts of the crisis, development of food
security initiatives, efficient budgetary allocation and spending
in social sectors, continuous support to the government in capacity
building to provide quality social services, adjustment and expansion
of existing basic social safety net instruments to better target the
most vulnerable groups, as well as generation of reliable data on
children and women for tailored policy interventions.

IS TURKEY A FRIEND OR AN ENEMY OF ARMENIA?
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
14.04.2009 16:06

Is Turkey a friend or an enemy?

>From April 10 to 12 "Ararat" center of strategic research conducted a
survey among scientists, professors, public figures and journalists
to find out their attitude towards the establishment of the
Armenian-Turkish relations and opening of the border. It turned out
that there are many concerns.

Director of the "Ararat" Center Armen Ayvazyan said: "The interstate
developments between Armenia and Turkey today counter Armenia’s
interests. When the football diplomacy was just starting, I warned
many times that Turkey could in no way contribute to the settlement
of the Karabakh issue, because Turkey often guides Azerbaijan in its
different anti-Armenian activities. Therefore, the trilateral meetings
are simply absurd."

AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION MAY ARRIVE IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.04.2009 10:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Delegation of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
may attend the sitting of BSEC Foreign Ministers meeting in Yerevan,
Vesti.Az reported.

"Participation has not been confirmed yet," said Elkhan Polukhov,
spokesman for the Azeri MFA. "But the point is that our country will
assume BSEC chairmanship this year. So, our country’s representative
may attend the meeting in Yerevan."