Author: Alex Jidarian

WHAT ARE TURKISH AUTHORITIES AFRAID OF?

A1+
[01:41 pm] 20 December, 2007

"Turkey is the neighbor, which continues keeping Armenian-Turkish
frontier closed. It is the inheritor of the country that committed
the genocide and denies that historical fact", said Hayk Demoyan,
the director of the Armenian Genocide Musuem-Institute.

Reflecting on preconditions from the Turkish part which are becoming
harsher, Demoyan said to the participants of the hearing at the NA:
"Don’t you think that it is high time to call the preconditions
ultimatums? They are not preconditions, they are ultimatums".

He finds the Turkish policy natural and underlines: "One presents
ultimatums to a country in war, while the Turkey is the country which
has implemented military actions against the RA for many times. The
blockade of frontiers, transport and energy blockade, coalition
formation, lobbying against a country are considered military actions."

As to the "leaving the history to historians" thesis, Demoyan noted:
"History was written by historians.

It’s time to leave the history to lawyers, since Turkish-Armenian
relations should be solved on legal and political level".

Whether Turkey will recognize the fact of the Armenian genocide or not,
the historian finds that a psychological problem lays in the basis
of the vital issue: "No one can deny that we have a psychological
problem as genocide victims". Demoyan is confirmed that today’s Turkey
is unable to recognize the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

"The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is a stroke for the modern
Turkish state legend, since the Turkish culture is the culture of
power. Turkey does not have the culture of acknowledging its guilt",
considers the historian. Demoyan pointed out the article published in
a CoE periodical which says: "A center of Turkish-Ottoman culture is
built in stead of the Museum of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan,
"Since the Museum of the Armenian Genocide does not reflect the
reality"".

"I completely understand the fear and the efforts of Turkish people,
since each year more and more Turks visit Tsitsernakaberd. I met
Turks who cried after seeing the expositions of the Museum. This is
what the Turkish authorities are afraid of", he said.

Demoyan considers that we need to work out a "double containment"
agenda "since besides Turkey we have also another neighbor –
Azerbaijan". Hayk Demoyan does not have expectations form Turkey’s
access to the EU. He considers that Turkey may become a full member
of the European family, follow the European values, if the country
builds a museum devoted to the Armenian Genocide.

ACCOUNT SUBMITTED

A1+
[04:37 pm] 12 December, 2007

Armenia’s Prime Minister Serzh Sarkissian had a number of high-level
meetings in Brussels and Strasbourg. His visit was concluded with
a meeting with the EU Commissioner for Foreign Relations Benita
Ferrero-Waldner. Mrs. Waldner noted that Armenia is efficiently
accomplishing the Action Plan of the European Neighborhood Policy. She
welcomed the considerable progress in this direction. The interlocutors
touched upon the latest developments in the Karabakh settlement
process, the presidential elections and regional issues.

The Armenian PM rendered Mrs. Waldner an account of the ENP Action
Plan. The further partnership with Armenia will be considered after
considering the submitted account, Mrs. Waldner said.

The Armenian premier summed up his visit to Brussels and Strasbourg
in an interview with reports. Speaking about expectations, Serzh
Sarkissian underlined that the policy of European integration has
been and still remains one Armenia’s priorities. We anticipate the
assistance of European structures on the way of implementation of
democratic and structural reforms.

BÝA, Turkey
Dec 5 2007

Lawyer Erdal Dogan in "Insult" Trial

Following a criminal complaint by lawyer Fuat Turgut, lawyer Erdal
Dogan is on trial for insulting the former.

Býa news centre
05-12-2007
Erol ÖNDEROGLU

Lawyer Erdal Dogan, a joint plaintiff in the Hrant Dink murder case,
is on trial for his comments on lawyer Fuat Turgut, defense lawyer
for murder suspect Yasin Hayal. When the Dink murder trial began on 2
July, Turgut said to the murdered journalist’s family, "How many
Armenians there are here!", following which the two lawyers argued.

Now Dogan is on trial for remarks he made in the Aksam newspaper on 9
April 2007. In the article, entitled "The Big Brothers Use the Law
Well", Dogan said: "What should be on trial is the targeting and
threatening of Hrant Dink and the obstruction of a just trial; when a
murder suspect works as a lawyer, that is when there is nothing left
to say legally."

Based on these words, Fuat Turgut filed a criminal complaint against
Dogan. A trial, in which 5,000 YTL compensation are demanded, was
opened at Sariyer 2nd Criminal Court of Peace yesterday (4 December).

Dogan’s lawyer Ercan Kanar argues that the court is not authorised to
hear the case and that the Beyoglu Criminal Court of Peace should be
in charge. The case was adjourned until 5 February 2008 in order to
await a decision on who has jurisdiction. (EÖ/AG)

ARMENIAN COMMUNIST PARTY NOT TO HAVE ITS OWN CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENCY AND NOT TO SUPPORT ANY OTHER POLITICAL FIGURE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 29, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Communist Party will
not nominate its own candidate for the February 19, 2008 presidential
elections and will not support the candidature of any other nominated
political figure. This statement was made by Ruben Tovmasian, the
first Secretary of the Central Committee of the above-mentioned party,
in the press briefing given before the 37th regular congress of the
Armenian Communist Party, mentioning that this decision was made by
the Bureau of the Armenian Communist Party. In his words, communists
have no desire and basis for supporting either Serge Sargsian,
representing the current administration, or Levon Ter-Petrosian, the
first President of the Republic of Armenia, the representative of the
former administration, "which robbed the fortune and the common goods"
of the Soviet Armenia, or "any of the other candidates carrying the
so-called capitalist liberal-democratic values."

In response to the question of "If elections are held in two
stages, and any opposition candidate appears in the second stage,
will the Armenian Communist Party not support the latter again,"
Ruben Tovmasian declared that there is no such opposition party
or figure in the country, the basis of which are the slogans
"equality, internationalism, brotherhood, social justice" at the
same time. Therefore, as Ruben Tovmasian stressed, as a result of
ideological divergences, the Communist Party cannot support the
representatives of the opposition field either.

The decision of the Armenian Communist Party concerning the fact of
not taking part in the elections with their own candidate, According
to Ruben Tovmasian, is conditioned by two factors. The first is that
all the elections and referenda have been simulated in the country
for already 17 years, and the second reason is the scanty financial
situation of the Communist Party and the incapability of paying a
security of 8 million drams for nomination.

PALMALI COMPANY SPONSORS AZERBAIJANI SINGER’S CONCERT

TrendCapital
05.11.07 18:57

Azerbaijan, Baku / TrendCapital / The concert of the Azerbaijani
popular singer, Zeynab Khanlarova, was held in one of the biggest
concert Bostanchi complex in Istanbul. PALMALI sponsored the
concert. There were more than 3,000 audiences. The company united
fifteen musicians accompanied the singer, the Baku press-service of
PALMALI reported on 5 November.

The lovers of the Azerbaijani music took part in the concert.

Khanlarova sang the song devoted to honors of Azerbaijani and Turkish
people who died in the Nagorno-Karabakh war. The singer completed
the concert with the Chirpinirdi Gara Daniz song.

PALMALI mainly specializes in the transportation of oil products
(petrol, gasoline, vacuum gasoline, stove fuel, and kerosene), crude
oil, food, and industrial lubricants. Furthermore, the company has
its own dry cargo fleet, which is used in the transportation of all
types of dry cargo.

Inside Politics

The Washington Times
October 17, 2007

Greg Pierce – Conspiracy theory

Air America radio host Randi Rhodes is temporarily off the air, but
claims that she was mugged near her Manhattan apartment are bogus, her
attorney and a police source told the New York Daily News yesterday.

Fellow host Jon Elliott claimed on the liberal radio network that Miss
Rhodes had been attacked while walking her dog, Simon, on Sunday
night. Mr. Elliot, who said Miss Rhodes lost several teeth in the
attack, waxed about a possible conspiracy.

"Is this an attempt by the right-wing hate machine to silence one of
our own?" he asked on the air, according to the blog Talking Radio.
"Are we threatening them? Are they afraid that we’re winning? Are they
trying to silence [or] intimidate us?"

A police source said Miss Rhodes never filed a report and never
claimed to be a crime victim. Police from Manhattan’s 17th Precinct
called her attorney, who told them Miss Rhodes was not a victim of a
crime, the source said.

Miss Rhodes’ attorney told the Daily News she was injured in a fall
while walking her dog. The attorney said Miss Rhodes expects to be
back on the air tomorrow. He stressed there is no indication she was
targeted or that she was the victim of a "hate crime."

Miss Rhodes’ show airs on Air America from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

"The reports of a presumed hate crime are unfounded," the statement
read by a receptionist at the network’s New York offices said. "Ms.
Rhodes is looking forward to being back on the air on Thursday."

Still, the tale lived on in the blogosphere, the Daily News said.

"What the %$#$ is WRONG with you people?? Are you that SICK in the
head that just because you don’t agree with someone’s political views
you believe that they deserve to be mugged? Are you on the right that
DEMENTED??" a blogger called needlenosehanty posted on
watchingthewatchers.org.

Big plans

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday
proposed extending unpaid family leave to an additional 13 million
workers and spending $1 billion a year on paid leave programs.

"Too many Americans today feel trapped between being there for their
kids and being there for their employer, and our government policies
have just not kept up with the realities of American life," said Mrs.
Clinton, who proposed expanding the Family Medical Leave Act to
include companies that employ at least 25 workers instead of the
current 50.

That would make millions more workers eligible for up to 12 weeks of
unpaid leave to care for a newborn or ill family member. Mrs. Clinton
also said she would encourage states to develop paid leave programs by
offering $1 billion a year in grants.

Beyond family leave, Mrs. Clinton proposed requiring all workers to be
given seven sick days a year that could be used to care for themselves
or their children. Mrs. Clinton’s plan also would require employers to
at least consider requests for flexible work schedules, the Associated
Press reports.

Craig on TV

Sen. Larry E. Craig, Idaho Republican, said he was entrapped in a sex
sting at a Minneapolis airport men’s room and was not aware of the
bathroom’s reputation as a spot to cruise for homosexual sex.

"Well, I certainly am now," Mr. Craig told NBC’s Matt Lauer in an
interview aired last night. "I go to bathrooms to use bathrooms."

Mr. Craig said it was a "tough call" when he decided not to tell his
wife or children about the arrest, the Associated Press reports.

"I didn’t want to embarrass my wife, my kids, Idaho and my friends,"
Mr. Craig said in the interview taped at his home in Eagle, Idaho. "I
should have told my wife. I should have told my kids. And most
importantly, I should have told counsel."

Suzanne Craig said that when her husband told her the story was about
to break, "I felt like the floor was falling out from under me. And I
felt almost like I was going down a drain for a few moments."

Mrs. Craig says she believes her husband is not homosexual. "I
honestly believe my husband has always been faithful to me in every
way," she said.

Web traffic

The Draft Gore group has found another way to get some attention –
charting their Web hits.

The group’s traffic skyrocketed Friday when former Vice President Al
Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize, reporter Christina Bellantoni writes
in her "On the Democrats" blog at WashingtonTimes.com.

"According to the Web tracking firm Alexa.com, traffic on
Draftgore.com surpassed that of Hillary Clinton’s official campaign
Web site by more than two-to-one that day," the group said yesterday.
The group also plans more print, radio and TV ads urging Mr. Gore to
jump into the race – including a radio spot titled "Florida" that will
run there.

The group has 200,000 signatures on its petition, found at
Draftgore.com, a jump of 70,000 signatures in four days. The site
received nearly 100,000 hits on Friday, giving it the spike to surpass
Mrs. Clinton.

Also, more than 12,000 liberal activists voted at DailyKos.com, and 41
percent think it is "definitely not" too late for Mr. Gore to get in
the race.

Hard to tell

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, famous for donning a head scarf earlier
this year to commune for peace with the Syrians, has now concluded
that this is the perfect moment to pass a congressional resolution
condemning Turkey for the Armenian genocide of 1915. Problem is,
Turkey in 2007 has it within its power to damage the growing success
of the U.S. effort in Iraq. We would like to assume this is not
Speaker Pelosi’s goal," the Wall Street Journal says in an editorial.

"To be clear: We write that we would like to assume, rather than that
we do assume, because we are no longer able to discern whether the
speaker’s foreign-policy intrusions are merely misguided or are
consciously intended to cause a U.S. policy failure in Iraq."

Another retirement

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas Republican, yesterday said she will
not seek re-election when her term expires in 2012 and is considering
retiring early, to run for governor in 2010, according to Cox News
Service.

In a hastily called press conference outside the Senate chamber, the
64-year-old lawmaker acknowledged that she has been mulling over a
governor’s race, but called it premature to say more than that. She
had said while running for re-election in 2006 that this would be her
last Senate term.

"I’m not going to say anything more than I have stated in answer to
the question ‘Am I looking at the option of running for governor?’ And
the answer is ‘Yes,’ " Mrs. Hutchison concluded. "I’m not looking at
who is running. I’m not looking at opponents. I’m not looking at
timetables. That’s it."

– Greg Pierce can be reached at 202/636-3285 or gpierce@washingtontimes .com.

Source: le?AID=/20071017/NATION03/110170050/home.html& template=nextpage

OPPOSITION DOES SAME MISTAKES
Naira Khachatryan

Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Sept 27 2007

Leader of National Democratic Party Shavarsh Kocharyan was the guest of
"Urbat" club yesterday.

Touching upon the upcoming Presidential elections the speaker listed
the tasks that, in his opinion, society must introduce to the political
powers, running for the elections, in the form of an order.

"The tasks are obvious. They are the system changes that must first
of all be directed to the qualitative growth of economy, which means
to get rid of shadow and corruption and to build economy with new
technologies.

The second thing is – rule of law, ensuring law and order that presumes
a strong state, but far not in the sense that force structures must
put pressure on civil rights, press – a state that establishes rule
of law and protects each person’s right.

The third issue is Armenia’s proportional development. Armenia is not
only Yerevan, Armenia is much bigger. Issues of opening working places,
repatriation, and the recognition of NKR are also not less important."

But, unfortunately, there is no sign of profound discussion, or an
investigation of solutions to these issues in the opposition field.

"In my opinion our political domain tends to discuss a person more
then approaches. They are more interested in the person and not in
what this person will do once he comes to power. The bright example of
this is that Levon Ter-Petrosyan broke his silence and finally spoke,"
Shavarsh Kocharyan noted.

The speaker said, at the moment the primary issues must be the programs
and ideological approaches and the united candidate, which must unite
the opposition. " It is high time to review everything and to learn
a lesson from the previous mistakes and to be serious about all the
existing problems," Shavarsh Kocharyan underscored. He also emphasized,
" If democracy and recognition of NKR are social demands, then Levon
Ter-Petrosyan is not the right person."

The regular speculation of certain figures, according to the leader
of the National Democratic Party, is the trap that hinders the
formation and guidance of social order. "From this point of view we
lack prospects. A prospect to influence the already formed authority,
the majority, and the government, so that the social demand and order
will guide the authority by the path chosen by society. Moreover –
so that the pro-opposition alternative representative will rise this
order as a flag and thus seriously pretend to the rivalry.

As a condition for unification in pro-opposition field Shavarsh
Kocharyan proposed, "Discussion of problems and goals. In such
circumstances, when the authority represents majority in the
parliament, they must discuss their opportunities, instead of closing
their eyes on this fact. Another not less important condition is that
unfortunately many pro-opposition pretenders to candidacy have averted
their faces from the people. But they can’t do anything without the
people’s support. They should meet people. Only after that can they
think about choosing the united candidate."

The speaker says the discussion of an issue is productive only in
case when practical mechanisms are proposed. " Politics is not a
festive table where you can propose a toast and make promises. Real
politics is to propose practical solutions to certain problems faced
by the country."

But Shavarsh Kocharyan said he doesn’t remember such serious
discussions, debates, and ideological struggle. Saying that in such
circumstances it is senseless to speak about certain individuals
he evaluated the present policy of the opposition. "They made rough
mistakes. And they still continue. They must stop doing these mistakes
otherwise it will lead to the pre-determined election returns."

Anyway does the pro-opposition representative see any positive
tendency in the political processes during the recent ten years? "
I will draw a comparison but it shouldn’t be considered a praise of
the authority. Once Levon Ter-Petrosyan was trying to keep his power
by means of tanks, but Robert Kocharyan doesn’t run for the third term.

He is leaving. This means something is going to change in Armenia.

And this is not only because the present authorities are more moral
and profound but also because freedom is far not complete in Armenia.

We face such threats and dangers that we simply have to take positive
steps. During his ten years’ silence Levon Ter-Petrosyan didn’t notice
even this."

MALTA IS WAITING FOR ARMENIA

A1+
[02:19 pm] 11 September, 2007

Malta national football team is waiting for the match with the Armenian
national football team due tomorrow.

The results of the meeting Malta-Turkey (2:2) has brought lively
atmosphere in Malta. The match with Armenia will take place in
"National" stadium in Takali city. According to mess media, the
stadium will be full of fans. Joseph Mifsud, chairman of Malta
Football Federation said: "The result of the match with Turkey was
a great event for us. We anticipate an interesting game with Armenia
as well". Although Malta defeated Hungary in 2:1 during the selective
stage, Malta considers that the game with Turkey was a great success.

Dusan Fitzel, the chief coach of Malta national team said: "I have
watched two games with the participation of the Armenian national
team. Armenia occupies 81-th place in FIFA classification list. Our
rival is well-trained and we should play cautiously". Fitzel intends
to involve new footballers in the team during the match.

The Armenian team arrived in Malta with 19 footballers. Before that,
the Armenian footballers were defeated by Cyprus in 1:3 in Larnaka.

As we have informed before, the Armenian national football team
will play without the main goal-keeper Roman Berezovsky and Gevorg
Kasparov. Hamlet Mkhitaryan, Karen Aleksyan, Gevorg Ghazaryan, Edgar
Manucharyan are also absent. The match will begin at 20:15.

Charles Richmond is to judge the match.

"GO AND COMPLAIN TO CONSTRUCTORS!"

A1+
[02:37 pm] 10 September, 2007

Today morning gazelles and taxis had to pass round the zoo to get
from Nor Nork to their destination in time. They changed the routes
because of traffic jams.

The traffic jams are mainly caused by construction works adjacent to
the zoo.

The driver Karen said that he had been caught in the traffic jam for
an hour. Therefore, he had to change the route and go by Marash. Some
of the passengers objected to his decision. "I am going to the market
and now I shall have to take another transport. Why didn’t you warn
us beforehand?" said Zaruhi Hakobyan.

"It is not my fault. Everybody behaves the way he wants in this
country. Go and complain to constructors," said the indignant driver.

The driver Karen informed us that because of the ongoing traffic jams
he had lost most of his clients, let alone the money spent on fuel.

The construction gets on the nerves of drivers and passengers, he said.

THE PHENOMENON OF ARMENIAN TOUCHINESS
Lilit Poghosyan

"Hayoc Ashkharh" daily newspaper, Armenia
Aug 15 2007

In response to our questions director of "Sociometer" center Aharon
Adibekyan shares his observations regarding the possible developments
of the upcoming autumn rearrangements.

"The first impression is that the opposition has not yet recovered
from their crushing defeat in the parliamentary elections. The main
reason of their failure was wrong tactics, as a consequence of which
pro-opposition powers failed to properly arrange many organizational
issues and this can be decisive in terms of reaching an agreement
about the united candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections.

Unlike them the pro-governmental parties scored a persuasive
victory and they don’t have any intentions to take abrupt steps. The
success during the parliamentary elections is a guarantee for the
pro-governmental parties not to face serious problems during the
forthcoming presidential elections."

"Do you mean opposition didn’t take lessons from the parliamentary
elections and in this case also they will scatter their votes?"

"Unfortunately, over again I have to take the role of a professor and
dispose opposition leaders against me. Even if, as fate has willed
it, they have achieved something it doesn’t mean they have nothing to
learn and that they can teach others. If we have a retrospective look
at their political biography and professional background, we will see
that none of them has graduated from Oxford or Harvard Universities and
none of them has basic knowledge about state governmental issues. What
they have achieved is a consequence of practical skills, while to be
an influential political figure one needs theoretical knowledge.

In our reality there is a misunderstanding about notions such as –
pro-opposition activist, pro-opposition grouping, pro-opposition power
and pro-opposition electorate. One can be a pro-opposition figure,
not representing any pro-opposition grouping or pro-opposition
power. Moreover there are various pro-opposition groupings in our
reality that are far not considered pro-opposition powers, as they
lack active electorate and social bases, backers and supporters
neither in state governmental bodies nor in private business sphere.

Some people believe by functioning in pro-opposition domain they have
direct contact with pro-opposition electorate. While the parliamentary
elections displayed that we have around 40% non pro-governmental
electorate that is scattered among small social groups. They lack
uniting power that can consolidate this potential.

If opposition wants to use this resource, they should be able to find
the authoritative figure among them that can do that.

After all it is not a bride or a partner that they are looking
for. They should find a political leader that can become the symbol,
idea and consciousness of that 40% protestant electorate. But the
moment you hear the topic of their discussions it is easy to see that
they are too far from solving this issue."

"How would you evaluate the political demeanor of the parties
functioning in the pro-governmental domain?"

"The originality here is that Dashnaktsutyun has taken the role of
the joker. From the first sight it seems beneficial, in the sense that
anytime you can change your color and appear both in pro-governmental
and pro-opposition domain. This policy is especially beneficial in the
parliamentary elections. Because there are always people who are angry
with the government and disappointed of the opposition and they can
give their votes to the third power, in this case Dashnaktsutyun. They
are those voters that are never guided by the categories of black and
white. They want something that is neither this one nor that one. A
public need of the third power always exists. What they really need
is to make the domain and seriously work on that stratum.

At present we are not sure whether this party can undertake
the role of the third power and be an alternative for the acting
authorities. Especially because Dashnaktsutyun is the party that has
higher rating as compared to that of its individual figures and the
absence of a smart leader can have bad influence on the opportunities
of the ARF candidate during the forthcoming presidential elections.

In case of "Bargavach Hayastan" party, I should say that the rating
of the party leader Gagik Tsarukyan was 10 times higher during the
parliamentary elections than it is as a presidential candidate.

That is why should the party advance G. Tsarukyan’s candidacy; their
defeat will be predetermined.

Anyhow it is too early to make predictions. All this can be
considered preliminary observations, analytical commentaries. The
future investigation of the public opinion will display the scenario
of the upcoming developments.

We have already made certain inquiries, probably in September – October
we will recommence our studies to understand what kind of president
Armenia needs at this stage and what anticipations the electorate has
from the upcoming elections. Only in this case can we bring forward
concrete numbers and percentages about the leading candidate."

"Do you think the fact that Levon Ter-Petrosyan that is intending to
break his oath of silence and return to policy can bring freshness
to the marathon of the coming presidential elections?"

"I have already mentioned that Armenians are like touchy cats.

When they are angry or disappointed in someone they will never go
close to him. It is not accidental that from thousand divorced couples
only 1-2 re-unite, they usually become enemies. This phenomenon of
touchiness functions in Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s case as well.

The objective and subjective difficulties that we faced during the
transitional period are linked with his character. During the survey
when we speak about Levon Ter-Petrosyan people remember the hard
years. And this stereotype will always remain in the memory of the
overwhelming majority. Our studies display that Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
rating wavers between 1-3% and it is a very low percentage to become
a real alternative for the acting authorities and win the elections.