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IVING MEMORIES FADING; AS TIME PASSES, FAMILY MEMBERS OFTEN KEEPERS OF VETERANS’ WAR TALES
By Monique Beech

The Standard
November 10, 2008 Monday
St. Catharines, Ontario

His memories of the Second World War are vast. They fill a room.

But they float in and out of his mind.

Reginald Avedesian is 84 years old. Since 2006, the St. Catharines
resident has had a series of mini strokes that have stripped him of
his short-term memory and caused the old ones to crash in and out
like waves.

"A Harvard," he’ll say when asked by his daughters what kind of plane
he flew in the war.

But ask Avedesian where he was stationed in England, and he shakes
his head. There are good days and bad days. Today is a bad one.

"I don’t know. I can’t remember."

Now, members of his family are the keepers of Avedesian’s war memories,
as are other children of Second World War veterans who fought for
freedom between 1939 and 1945.

Most who fought were born in the 1920s, and are now well into
their 80s.

The living memories are fading.

Tucked away in his basement, are war mementoes for Avedesian’s three
children, Diane, Catherine and Mark, and four grandchildren.

A worn flight log. A tan leather flight cap. A dusty military jacket.

A box of letters sent from family and friends.

An album filled with black-and- white photos of young military guys,
planes and British lassies with succinct labels: "Our favourite pub,"
"Fred Shantz: Killed overseas Bombardier in 1945."

"When you start to read through it, it’s very emotional to look
through some of the stuff and realize what he had to learn and do
at such a young age and that he chose to do this, and correspond,"
said his daughter Diane Curtas, a 49-year-old nurse.

"Well, it’s sacrifice, right? They did whatever they were asked to do."

Avedesian enlisted in 1942 at the age of 18 with the Royal Canadian
Air Force and trained in Winnipeg and Brandon, Man., before being
shipped to England.

He was the son of Armenian immigrants who grew up in Cambridge (then
called Galt), and always dreamed of flying.

During the war, he flew Lancaster bombers, Harvards, Tiger Moths and
Oxfords in England and trained other pilots.

He was a collector and a fastidious organizer who went on to become
a real estate broker after returning home from the war and marrying
Alice. The family moved to St. Catharines in the 1970s.

He kept his commercial pilot’s licence and shared his love of flying
with his children and grandchildren.

Growing up, he told his children about the rigours of pilot training,
the camaraderie and losing friends who were young and didn’t come
back from the war with him.

"I think as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized, not just now, but
realized all the hardship that my dad went through to achieve this
one goal of becoming a pilot," said daughter Catherine Fogg, 51, a
nurse in St. Catharines. "I’ve just appreciated all the persistence
he had in achieving it. The difficulty, not just of him, but of all
the men that he served with and he trained with that he went through."

His grandson Jonathan, 9, sat next to Avedesian on Fogg’s couch
Thursday. The chatty lad plunked his grandpa’s old war helmet on his
head and held the gas mask to his face.

Jonathan said he likes seeing his grandfather’s old war mementoes,
especially the old gas mask.

"It’s still pretty cool that he was actually a bomber pilot,"
Jonathan said.

Another generation remembers.

Bill Clifford’s memory is sharp.

Clifford, 85, can recount his time as a bomber pilot in the Second
World War like it last week.

His hearing is the challenge. He lost much of it when he inadvertently
flew through a bomb blast during an air strike in 1944 and it has
become worse since.

Clifford uses a series of high-tech microphones and hearing aids to
communicate. It makes it hard to carry a conversation, which frustrates
the shy man.

Ten years ago, he wrote a 38-page memoir. He called it Reflections
on November 11th. It chronicles Clifford’s experiences — mainly
in Eisenhoven, Holland — during the last nine months of the war
in Europe.

In 1941, at the age of 17, the St. Catharines resident went off to
defend his country with the Royal Canadian Air Force, He eventually
became a sergeant and flight commander who flew Spitfires and huge
Tycoon planes loaded with 900 kilograms of bombs.

He went on 92 missions, and lost many friends. In the memoir he names
all 15 of them. On Remembrance Day, he recites their names to himself.

In the memoir, he writes of entering Bergen-Belsen, a Nazi
concentration camp in Germany, on April 21, 1945, and witnessing
overwhelming human tragedy.

"For many years after the war my view of a holiday beach crowded with
frolicking sunbathers was superimposed by the indelible picture in my
mind of those poor camp victims, mostly naked skeletal bodies still
staggering about, crumbling up like a pile of bones," he wrote in
the memoir.

He was among the liberators near the end of war, who swept through
Holland and Denmark.

In the memoir, there are also sweet memories of flying, celebrating
the Feast of Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas, on Dec. 6 in Holland,
and taking a leave in the French Alps.

Before writing the memoir, Clifford recorded many of his war memories
on tape. On the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion in 2004, his
filmmaker son, Frank, documented where Clifford trained in Canada
and was stationed in Europe.

For years, Clifford found his war past too difficult to speak
about. Over time, he began to think he should share his stories with
his family and the families of those who had died fighting next to him.

"Well, I guess they (family members) were always asking me. I think
they figured it got to the point where they figured I didn’t do
anything," Clifford said with a laugh.

"I didn’t tell anything. I didn’t want to be left with that opinion,
of course. I wanted them to understand it wasn’t the case of blood
and guts all the way. There was pleasurable moments to it and good
experiences travelling and so on, and flying, hazards, and so on,"
said Clifford, a widower who lives in a St. Catharines retirement home.

Clifford returned to St. Catharines after the war and became a
real estate broker. He married Agnes; they had 10 children and 13
grandchildren.

"We never knew much about it when we were kids; it was just buried,"
his son Mark Clifford said of his father’s war experiences.

One of Bill’s eight surviving children Mark, 54, a musician who
lives in St. Catharines, said he’s grateful for his dad’s memoir,
tapes and video.

"I’m proud of my father for his heroism and his leadership with the
men that he crewed."

Two of Clifford’s children, Rob Clifford and Maureen Cripps, are
teachers who often share their dad’s story with their students.

Rob Clifford, 42, of Orillia, plays a tape his dad made for his
elementary school students explaining the importance of remembering
the war and the human side of the battle. He said he cherishes his
dad’s memoir, and other pieces of his experience that will live on.

"They’re absolute treasures. I’ve got two young kids now — my boys
are Grade 6 and Grade 3 — and it’s nice to be able to share those
with them. It means a lot to me.

"From a very young age, my two boys

(Matthew, 10, and Ian, 8) have had a real strong appreciation for
Remembrance Day and a lot of it is they can really

relate to because that’s their papa."

– – –

Remembrance Day ceremonies

Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 24

Where: Cenotaph on St. Paul Street West, St. Catharines

Time of Memorial Service: 10:45 a. m.

Special event to commemorate the

90th anniversary of armistice ending the hostilities in the First
World War

Royal Canadian Legion, Merritton Branch 138

Where: Cenotaph on Merritt Street at 11 a. m. Marching from legion
at 10 a. m. at 2 Chestnut E.

Royal Canadian Legion, West Lincoln Branch 127 Where: Grimsby Museum
at 6 Murray St., Grimsby When: 10:45 a. m.

Jordan Lions Club hosting Remembrance Day ceremony in partnership
with the Royal Canadian Legion, Lincoln Branch 612

Where: Jordan Lions Park on Fourth Avenue, between 17th and 19th
streets Time: 10:30 a. m.

Royal Canadian Legion, Thorold Branch 17 Where: Memorial Park When:
10:30 a. m.

Royal Canadian Legion, Pelham Branch 613 Where: Legion hall at 141
Highway 20 East When: 10:45 p. m.

What: New Veterans Park will be dedicated

Royal Canadian Legion, Niagara-on-the- Lake Branch 124 Where: Cenotaph
on Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake When: 11 a. m.

Ridley College Remembrance Day ceremony When: 8 a. m. for Grades 9
and 11 and 1:30 pm for Grades 10 and 12

TROOPS WILL BE WITHDRAWN, IF BAKU RECOGNIZES KARABAKH’S RIGHT TO SELF- DETERMINATION – SARGSYAN

Interfax
Nov 11 2008
Russia

The Moscow declaration rules out the use of force to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said.

"The military resolution of the conflict is excluded after the
Moscow declaration was signed. However, the issue is about the
declaration, and we would be glad to sign an agreement. I would not
underestimate the role of this document. I am glad that Azerbaijan
signed the document, which recognized all the basic principles of
international law on resolving conflicts, not just the territorial
integrity principle. It is good that the role of the Minsk Group was
again underscored after lengthy discussions about the efficiency of
this format," Sargsyan said in an interview with the German newspaper
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Asked whether the Armenian side is ready to withdraw troops from
seven districts adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, Sargsyan said, "The
core of the conflict is the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan
should recognize the rights of the people in Nagorno-Karabakh to
self- determination. Other moves will follow the resolution of this
issue. The control over territories is not an end in itself but
a means of protecting Nagorno-Karabakh. We need talks on a basic
document and then a peace treaty. There is a way for us to go,"
the Armenian president said.

BAKU CRITICIZES ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S STATEMENTS ON KARABAKH

Interfax
Nov 11 2008
Russia

The statement made by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who said that
Karabakh’s right to independence needs to be recognized to withdraw
the Armenian troops from Azerbaijan, contradicts the recently signed
Moscow Declaration, said Khazar Ibragim, a spokesman for the Azeri
Foreign Ministry.

"Mr Sargsyan’s words fully contradict the Moscow Declaration signed by
the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia, which states that
the Karabakh conflict should be resolved on the basis of international
law, and also the documents and decisions made within that framework,"
Ibragim told Interfax.

"If you look at these documents and decisions, they all clearly
state the supremacy of the principle of territorial integrity, and
the right to independence is possible only within the framework of
the above-mentioned principle. From this viewpoint, contradictions
in the Armenian leadership’s actions are obvious," said the diplomat.

Igragim also criticized Sargsyan’s statement saying that the Moscow
Declaration will deprive Azerbaijan of its right to free its land by
military force.

"The Moscow Declaration states the norms and principles of
international law, which prohibit the use of military force. However,
it was Armenia that violated these norms and principles by using force
to take over Azeri land. For this reason, Armenia should have withdrawn
its troops at least after the signing of the Moscow Declaration. On
the other and, if Armenia has already used military force against
a different state, then this state, Azerbaijan, has full rights to
defend itself," said the diplomat.

WASHINGTON-BAKU RELATIONS TO DEVELOP SYSTEMATICALLY DURING NEW U.S. PRESIDENT’S OFFICE: DEPUTY MINISTER

Trend News Agency
Nov 11 2008
Azerbaijan

France, Paris, 11 November / Trend News corr. A.Maharramli / Relations
between Azerbaijan and the United States will develop systematically
during the office term of the new U.S. Administration, Azerbaijan
believes.

"I see good prospects to develop the relations between Azerbaijan
and the United States," Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Hafiz
Pashayev said to Trend News on 11 November.

Democrats’ candidate Senator Barack Obama won the presidential election
of 4 November by a landslide over the Republicans’ candidate Senator
John McCain and became the 44th President of the United States. The
inauguration ceremony of the first black U.S. President will take
place on 20 January 2009.

Baku and Washington stated that strategic cooperation has been
established between Azerbaijan and the United States. The links between
the two countries will develop in the same format, Pashayev said.

"I do not believe the prospects of development will deteriorate. The
current relations meet the interests of both countries and this is
the source of my optimism," he said.

The U.S. position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is known to all,
Pashayev said adding that "this position is unchangeable".

The United States is a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which mediates
in settling of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The countries keep on peace negotiating.

OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by USA, Russia, and France is engaged in
peaceable solution of the conflict.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

A DELEGATION FROM THE JIMMY CARTER FOUNDATION VISITS ANTELIAS

A delegation from the Jimmy Carter Foundation, named after the former US
President, met with His Holiness Aram I in Antelias yesterday. The
delegation members, Hrayr Balian, Sarah Johnson and Nathan Stoke hold
important positions within the organization.

The organization was established by President Jimmy Carter towards the end
of his term; among other issues, the organization also carries out projects
in the area of human rights.

The Pontiff and his guests discussed the activities of the organization and
the upcoming visit of former President Carter to Lebanon next month.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

HURRIYET: Nov 12, 08

Gönül blunders in remark on history

ANKARA – With remarks in honor of Atatürk, the ruling AKP’s defense
minister recalls the population exchanges between Greece and Turkey
after World War I, attracting criticism for his nationalist language
and the drift toward pro-state stances.

The population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923, which led
hundreds of thousands of people to leave their ancestral homelands,
was revisited by a politician recently, putting the controversial
85-year process under scrutiny.

At the Turkish Embassy in Brussels on Monday, Defense Minister Vecdi
Gönül said the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923
was a necessary step toward building a nation-state at the time.

The Prime Minister has recently come under fire for his use of more
nationalist language and pro-state policies on some critical political
issues, including the Kurdish problem, but this time it was Gönül who
embraced the nationalist discourse.

"One of the great achievements of Atatürk, who abolished the caliphate
to establish a nation, is the population exchange between Greece and
Turkey in 1923," he said, speaking at the commemoration of the 70th
anniversary of the death of modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk. "Could Turkey be the same national country had the Greek
community still lived in the Aegean or Armenians lived in many parts
of Turkey. We can’t ignore the contribution of those [the Armenians]
who feel themselves victim due to the expulsion that resulted in the
removal of many Armenians from Anatolia."

Although Gönül made a public excuse saying his words were
misunderstood, the experts reacted strongly to his remarks.

"A nation-building process is
a homogeneity project and was what all the world’s countries were
trying to do at that time. He didn’t bring attention to this fact,
instead he presented the issue as if the population exchange was a
desirable and positive thing," Soli Özel, political science professor
at Bilgi University told the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic
Review. "He was expected to say that after 80 years the move has
resulted in social and cultural impoverishment for Turkey," he said.

Gönül also said neither Greece nor Turkey wanted different religious
elements in their societies as they formed their identity at the time,
implying that it wasn’t a one-sided event and the exchange was
desirable by both communities.

The exchange took place between Turkish citizens of the Greek Orthodox
religion established in Turkish territory and of Greek citizens of the
Muslim religion established in Greek territory under the Treaty of
Lausanne signed by the Greek and Turkish governments in 1923. About
400,000 Turks moved from Greece to Anatolia and about 1.1 million
Greeks moved from Anatolia and Eastern Thrace to Greece in the
exchange.

Racist discourse

For retired ambassador Yalým Eralp, Gönül’s remarks were unfortunate
as his remarks echoed of racist language. "Should the existence of
Turks in Germany disturb Germany, for instance?" he said.

"Turkey was a war-weary country at the time and it had some concerns
about its unity. The exchange was vital in the social and political
context of the time. Gönül however ignores these facts; his intention
is totally different. His remarks are racist," Eralp said.

Criticizing Gönül’s remarks, Professor Baskýn Oran said the
displacement of Greeks and Armenians from Anatolia delayed Turkey’s
industrialization, economically speaking, by at least 50 years and the
ethnic and religious cleanups eliminated Turkey’s pluralism,
politically speaking.

Oran implied it was the deep conservatism and limited worldview
embraced by both the founders of and voters for the ruling Justice and
Development Party that have inspired its politicians to reveal such
thoughts. Other political scientists related the population exchange
to the 14 points, a peace program presented at the end of World War I
by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson is defense of autonomous development
for non-Turkish people of the Ottoman Empire.

Homogeneus society
For Nilüfer Narlý, sociology professor at Bahçeþehir University, the
story had two sides and its historical context should be considered.
"In the 1920’s we didn’t talk about multi-cultural societies. It is
something that we talk about right now, in the 21st century. The
concepts of nation-state and nationalism were the dominating ideas at
the time," she said. "Likewise not only Turkey but Greece tried to
establish an identity and society based on homogeneity. Greece sought
a new national identity and developed one by differentiating itself
from all elements related to the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish
Republic. Even the hostility became part of their new identity," she
said.

Foreign policy expert Mensur Akgün, meanwhile, said Gönül had no right
to make such sociological and political comments on population
exchange, a topic current international law considers a crime. "He
praises a Turkish nation that hosts no minorities. He doesn’t see the
multi-cultural composition of the society," he said.

CONCERT DEVOTED TO ZAREH SAHAKYANTS

Panorama.am
18:17 08/11/2008

75th anniversary of the founder of chamber orchestra in Armenia,
Professor Zareh Sahakyants will be celebrated in the Chamber Music
Hall named after Komitas.

Araks Davtyan (soprano) is the soloist of the concert.

Famous violinist, conductor Zareh Sahakyants was born in 1933,
in Rostov Donne. Sahakyants studied in the Conservatory of
Yerevan and later in Moscow at famous instructors K. Dombaev and
Y. Yankelevich. Sahakyants received an award of honorable artist.

JERUSALEM: POLICE CALLED IN ORTHODOX CLERICS SCUFFLE AT BASILICA OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

Catholic Culture
Nov 10 2008

Israeli police were forced to intervene on Sunday as Greek Orthodox
monks clashed with Armenian Apostolic clerics inside the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The ugly melee– in which punches were
thrown by clerics wearing full vestments, and candles and tapestries
were thrown to the floor– came after an alleged violation of the
detailed agreement among the different Christian groups that vie for
control over the basilica.

TURKEY DEVELOPS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AZERBAIJAN
By Saban Kardas

Eurasia Daily Monitor
Nov 10 2008
DC

On November 5 and 6, after his reelection last month, Azerbaijani
president Ilham Aliyev visited Turkey, where he discussed the
developments in the Caucasus, relations with Armenia, and deepening
cooperation between the two countries.

On November 5 he attended a dinner given by his host President Abdullah
Gul and attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other
ministers (Anadolu Ajansi, November 6). On the second day of his visit
Aliyev addressed a session of the Turkish Parliament (,
November 6). The two presidents emphasized the close friendship between
their countries and the importance of Turkey-Azerbaijan cooperation for
peace and stability in the Caucasus. The leaders repeated the oft-heard
motto of "one nation, two states" and made references to historical
and cultural ties between the two countries. Aliyev remarked that
no other countries had such close relations as those between Turkey
and Azerbaijan, and this must be seen as a great asset. Aliyev also
thanked Turkey for supporting Azerbaijan in difficult times.

The main item on Aliyev’s agenda was the situation in the
Caucasus. Having commended Turkey’s constructive efforts to solve
problems in the region, Aliyev repeated Azerbaijan’s support for
the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform (CSCP), initiated
by Turkey (EDM, September 2). On the issue of Azerbaijan-Armenia
relations, Aliyev made a firm statement of the Azerbaijani position
that the current situation of the Karabakh conflict remains the main
obstacle to peace in the Caucasus. He criticized Armenia’s occupation
of 20 percent of Azeri lands and its policy of ethnic cleansing. He
reiterated that a solution to the problem rests on the restoration
of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and Armenia’s compliance with
the resolutions of international organizations including the United
Nations (ANKA, November 6).

Aliyev’s visit comes in the wake of a meeting between Aliyev and
his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian in Moscow on November 2,
sponsored by Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev. Despite their
pledge in a joint declaration to pursue a political settlement,
the two leaders failed to specify any concrete steps with regard
to confidence-building measures, which fell short of the Kremlin’s
expectations (EDM, November 4). Nonetheless, the Turkish Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) welcomed this declaration and viewed it
as a successful example of multiple parties working toward a common
goal. Some Turkish observers interpreted Russia’s growing involvement
in the resolution of the Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute as a loss of
leverage for Ankara and criticized Turkey’s reactionary policy
(, ASAM Daily Brief, November 6).

A press release by the MFA emphasized that Turkey’s past efforts–such
as the proposal for the CSCP and the trilateral meeting between the
foreign ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia sponsored by
Turkey–had paved the way for the Moscow talks (Press Release: 189,
, November 5). In his meeting with Aliyev, Gul received
first hand information about the Azeri-Armenian talks in Moscow. Gul
praised the declaration as the beginning of a new era for bringing
peace to the region (Anadolu Ajansi, November 5). It is a common
practice for the leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan to inform each other
about any meetings with Armenia not involving the other party (Star,
September 11).

The Turkish daily Zaman ran a story that maintained that Gul had
proposed another trilateral summit in Istanbul, which would bring
together Gul, Aliyev, and Sarkisian. Having received a positive
response from Aliyev, Gul was reportedly going to extend an invitation
to the Armenian side. Speaking to Zaman, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov also confirmed that such a proposal had been made
(Zaman, November 7). The Turkish MFA spokesperson, however, issued a
statement refuting the idea that it had proposed hosting a trilateral
meeting (, November 7). Zaman nonetheless insisted on
its story and criticized the confusing information over the proposal
coming out of the MFA (Zaman, November 8). The Turkish officials’
stance might have been a result of an attempt to achieve reconciliation
with Armenia through secret diplomacy and their preference for keeping
such a proposal confidential before all the details are worked out.

Another major issue on the agenda during Aliyev’s visit was the
growing volume of trade and economic cooperation between the two
countries, in particular in the energy sector. Azerbaijan and Turkey
have developed a partnership in energy transportation, which has
led to the flourishing of economic ties in other fields. Turkish
entrepreneurs have had a vibrant presence in Azerbaijan. The growing
Azerbaijani wealth created by oil revenues, however, has altered the
direction of investments. Recently, Azeri companies started investing
in Turkey, especially in privatization projects. The CEO of the State
Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (Socar) announced the company’s
plans for new investments of up to 10 billion dollars in Turkey (Yeni
Safak, January 10). SOCAR and the Palmali Group recently bought 50
percent of Tekfen Insaat, one of Turkey’s largest construction firms,
for $520 million (Ihlas News Agency, September 8). Aliyev emphasized
that such investments reflected the growing self-confidence of the
Azeri economy and gave indications that they would continue in the
future. Aliyev also emphasized the high value his administration
attaches to integrating Azerbaijan with the rest of the world. He
noted, however, the importance of achieving full independence in the
economy, which was a prerequisite for political independence (Cihan
News Agency, November 6).

President Gul is due to visit Baku on November 14 to attend the
forthcoming fourth international summit on energy, which will
bring together several heads of state from the region as well
as representatives from the European Union and the U.S. Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza (Zaman, November 7; Azeri
Press Agency, November 7). In the wake of the conflict in Georgia,
discussions on the secure flow of energy from the region, as well as
alternative pipelines carrying oil and gas, will be on the agenda of
the summit.

IS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANTING MINES IN THE CAUCASUS?

Lragir.am
14:33:50 – 10/11/2008

By trying to resolve the Karabakh issue on the basis of the existing
proposal, the international community plants mines in the Caucasus
which may explode any time the international community wants, said the
ex-deputy minister of defense Vahan Shirkhanyan, now a member of the
Social Democratic Hnchak Party, who was hosted at the Iravunk de facto
press club on November 10 to speak about the process of settlement of
the Karabakh conflict. Vahan Shirkhanyan spoke against the principles
of Madrid. According to him, it is not quite clear what compromise
is meant, land for land, road for road or money for money. In this
connection, Vahan Shirkhanyan said the talk about peacekeepers is also
unacceptable. According to him, the peacekeepers are going to represent
different countries, and each will pursue the interests of their
country at the line of contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
forces. Vahan Shirkhanyan also said in 1998 the issue of peacekeepers
was discussed, most of whom were to be Turkish troops. According to
Shirkhanyan, this option is still under consideration.

Vahan Shirkhanyan thinks that if the resolution is based on the
current proposal, there will be a war which will be more severe than
the first one.

The ex-deputy minister of defense says the international community
will not be satisfied, and will turn the Caucasus into a region of
permanent conflicts like the Arab-Israeli region, which would be in
the interests of the great powers.

In this connection, Vahan Shirkhanyan thinks that the people and
government of Karabakh should spell out their stance on the existing
proposal on settlement distinctly. At the same time, Vahan Shirkhanyan
is convinced that the people of Armenia and Karabakh will not allow
the Armenian government which is now up for approval of the current
proposal to sign any agreement based on this proposal.