Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMENIE-TRANSPORTS
Effondrement de la route Erévan-Meghri dans la région de Vayots Tsor

Entre les villages d’Elpine et Tchiva dans la région de Vayots Tsor
sur la route reliant Erévan à Meghri un effondrement de près de 100
mètres bloque la circulation depuis le 23 juin. La route d’une largeur
de 10 à 12 mètres s’est affaissée ou effondrée d’une sur une
profondeur de 3 à 5 mètres. La route est stratégique puisqu’elle relie
la capitale arménienne aux régions de Vayots Tsor et Syunik. Les
habitants des villages proches de cet effondrement se plaignent de la
faible réactivité des autorités arméniennes. La route étant nationale,
sa réfection devant être prise en charge par l’Etat.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 25 juin 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIDJAN
L’Azerbaïdjan a acquis des systèmes de missiles anti-aériens russes « S-300 »

Selon Arminfo, en dépit des démentis du Ministère russe de la défense
et de « Rosoboronexport », l’Azerbaïdjan a acquis des systèmes de
missiles anti-aériens russes « S-300 » PMU-2 qui seront présentés à
l’occasion d’un défilé militaire à Bakou, le 26 juin. Selon Haykakan
Jamanak, l’Azerbaïdjan aurait acquis deux systèmes, chacun d’un coût
de 150 M USD. Ce quotidien attire l’attention sur le fait que
l’information sur l’achat des missiles a été publiée à la veille du
sommet de Kazan.

Ambassade de France en Arménie

Service de presse

samedi 25 juin 2011,
Sté[email protected]

From: A. Papazian

FOOTBALL
Marcos Pizelli et Kevork Ghazarian à « Metalurg » Donetsk

Les deux internationaux arméniens et joueurs du champion d’Arménie «
Piunig » Erévan, Marcos Pizelli (Brésilien qui prit la nationalité
arménienne) et Kevork Ghazarian seront transférés à « Metalurg »
Donetsk (Ukraine) avec un contrat de trois ans. L’information fut
communiquée par Vartan Isralelian, le directeur sportif de « Metalurg
» Donetsk. Les deux joueurs Arméniens étaient invités en Autriche,
lors d’une tournée du club ukrainien.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 25 juin 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

From: A. Papazian

Agence France Presse
June 23, 2011 Thursday 1:48 AM GMT

Russia hosts Karabakh peace talks amid hope and fear

MOSCOW, June 23 2011

Armenia and Azerbaijan hold peace talks in Russia on Friday, raising
hopes of progress towards ending the long conflict over Nagorny
Karabakh but also fears that failure could lead to a new war.

Ahead of the meeting between Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian and
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in Kazan, the bitter enemies have
been urged to sign a “basic principles” agreement — a small step on a
long road to a settlement.

“Very rarely have we observed moments when our hopes for a final peace
settlement have been as high as they are now,” Marc Perrin de
Brichambaut, general secretary of the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, which has been mediating in negotiations, said.

But 17 years after the ceasefire that ended all-out fighting, tensions
have escalated again with regular firefights along the Karabakh
frontline and repeated threats from Baku to seize the region back by
force if talks don’t yield results.

In response, the ethnic Armenian separatists who have controlled
Karabakh since the war and their backers in Yerevan have threatened
large-scale retaliation if Baku takes military action.

The US, Russian and French presidents put pressure on both countries
to “move beyond the unacceptable status quo” and “take a decisive step
towards a peaceful settlement” in a statement issued at the G8 summit
last month.

The statement urged them to sign the “basic principles” document that
envisages an Armenian withdrawal from areas around Karabakh also
seized during the war, the return of refugees, international security
guarantees, and a vote on the final status of the territory at some
point in the future.

Armenian and Azerbaijani officials have been cautiously optimistic
ahead of the talks in Kazan.

Speaking at the Council of Europe on Wednesday, Sarkisian said he was
“full of optimism and strongly hope it will be possible to find a
common denominator,” at the upcoming meeting.

But, he added, “it is difficult to say that we will have a positive
result,” because there exists in Azerbaijan an “Armenia-phobia” that
has consistently undermined attempts to resolve the dispute.

Analysts have warned however that the prevailing rhetoric on both
sides remains hostile and a major breakthrough appears unlikely.

The conflict in the 1990s killed some 30,000 people and forced around
a million more from their homes.

A new war could prove even bloodier, causing another refugee exodus
and threatening pipelines which pass close to Karabakh, taking Caspian
Sea oil and gas from Azerbaijan to Europe.

Analysts suggest it could also drag in neighbouring powers like
Turkey, which supports Baku over Karabakh, and Russia, which has
troops stationed in Armenia.

Even if the two leaders do sign the basic principles document in Kazan
or at a later date, it will not represent the end of the conflict and
huge obstacles to a final peace deal will remain.

Armenia says that Karabakh will never return to Baku’s control, but
Azerbaijan insists that the region must remain part of its sovereign
territory.

“Azerbaijan’s position is clear — territorial integrity cannot be a
subject for discussion,” said foreign ministry spokesman Elkhan
Polukhov.

Flush with oil and gas revenues, Azerbaijan has massively increased
spending on weapons and two days after the Kazan talks will hold a
showpiece military parade intended to highlight the strength of its
armed forces.

bur-emc/sjw/bm

From: A. Papazian

Hurriyet, Turkey
June 24 2011

Hidden Armenians in Turkey expose their identities

Friday, June 24, 2011
VERCÝHAN ZÝFLÝOÐLU
DÝYARBAKIR – Hürriyet Daily News

The stories of Armenians who had concealed their identities for
decades have begun surfacing over recent years as Turkey continues
treading its path toward democratization. Many of them live under
their Sunni – Muslim or Kurdish – Alevi identities, although they
still define themselves ethnically as Armenians.

“Race, identity and religion are distinct affairs. I’ve been raised as
a Sunni-Muslim, and live as one, but I deny neither my past nor my
culture. Religion is not important, but I want to know my language,”
Gaffur Türkay, a prominent Diyarbakýr Armenian who identifies as a
Sunni Muslim, told the Hürriyet Daily News last week.

Türkay was 15 when he learned that his real surname is Ohanyan. His
father was a pilgrim, and Türkay grew up with Sunni-Muslim culture.
Muslim Armenians in the southeastern province of Diyarbakýr recognize
each other, he said.

“The perception of Islam [in Diyarbakýr] is very important,” he said.
“[The people in Diyarbakýr] can tolerate you up to a certain point
when you say you are Armenian. Things change, however, when you touch
upon Islam.”

Türkay added that Christian Armenians look down upon Muslim Armenians.

“[They behave] as if we had a choice in the matter. The Armenian
identity must bond around race, not religion. Religion can be chosen,
but not race,” he said.

Yusuf Halaçoðlu, the former president of the Turkish Historical
Society, or TTK, said the situation in Diyarbakýr could be seen in
other parts of the country. “There are hidden Armenians not just in
Diyarbakýr but all across Turkey, and now they are also revealing
their identities,” he told the Daily News over the phone. Halaçoðlu
was removed from his post at the TTK following public response to his
remarks claiming that Kurds living in Turkey were actually Turcomans
and that Kurdish – Alevis were of Armenian descent.

“My remarks were falsely conveyed to the public,” Kalaçoðlu said. “I
shared this information with the deceased Hrant Dink as well. I tried
to highlight under which identities those Armenians who supposedly
died in 1915 still continue to exist,” he said, adding that he
possessed records of Armenians who concealed their identities.

“This is information emanating from records [contained] in the United
States archives. I have records [that indicate] the villages and
locations they reside in, and the names of the clans they live under,”
said Halaçoðlu.

Ýsmet Þahin, a Hemþin researcher and politician, said that, despite a
grain of truth in Halaçoðlu’s comments, his remarks were intended to
insult Armenians,

Islamicized Armenians who live in the provinces of Artvin and Rize in
Turkey’s eastern Black Sea region define themselves as Hemþins and
speak a dialect of the Armenian language. Hamshenite Armenians still
maintain their Christian traditions, even though they define
themselves as Muslims, according to Þahin.

His research indicated that a large portion of hidden Armenians in
Turkey live under the Kurdish – Alevi identity, Þahin added.

“The numbers of Armenians who changed their identities [can be found
in Turkey’s] state archives,” he over the phone. Turkey’s state
archives contain many documents about this subject, Þahin further
noted and added that Halaçoðlu had access to this information as well.

“There were elements of truism in [Halaçoðlu’s] remarks, academically
speaking,” Kazým Gündoðan, a researcher and documentarian, told the
Daily News in a phone interview, but “[Halaçoðlu] treated this subject
matter as political material.” Gündoðan’s family lives under the
Kurdish – Alevi identity in the southeastern province of Tunceli,
formerly known as Dersim.

“Despite the fact that [covert Armenians in Tunceli] define themselves
as Kurdish – Alevis, they have connections with the churches in
Istanbul. They pray out in nature,” added Gündüz who said he conducted
his research by appealing to witnesses.

From: A. Papazian

WireUpdate.com
June 24 2011

Armenia, Azerbaijan fail to reach agreement over disputed territory

By BNO News
KAZAN, RUSSIA (BNO NEWS) — The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on
Friday failed to reach an agreement over the disputed territory of
Nagorny Karabakh after a meeting in the Russian city of Kazan, RIA
Novosti reported.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hosted Armenian leader Serzh
Sargsyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the Volga city of
Kazan for talks on a settlement to the two-decade conflict over
Nagorny Karabakh.

“The heads of states confirmed mutual understanding on the range of
issues that contribute to the creation of the conditions for approving
the major principles [of the Karabakh settlement],” a joint statement
said.

Nagorny Karabakh, a breakaway region on Azerbaijani territory with a
predominantly ethnic Armenian population, has remained in Armenian
control since the late 1980s, when the region claimed independence
from Azerbaijan to join Armenia. The conflict is estimated to have
left more than 30,000 people dead on both sides between 1988 and 1994.

On Thursday, United States President Barack Obama called both leaders
in advance of the upcoming summit and encouraged them to agree on a
peaceful settlement.

“President Obama told both leaders that now is the time to resolve
this conflict and to offer the people of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and
Nagorno-Karabakh a better future for themselves and for their
children,” a statement from the White House said.

The OSCE Minsk Group, comprising Russia, France and the United States,
has mediated the conflict for many years without much progress. The
group presented a preliminary version of the Basic Principles for the
Nagorny Karabakh settlement to Armenia and Azerbaijan in November 2007
in Madrid.

The proposal was updated in 2009 and it includes the return of the
territories surrounding Nagorny Karabakh to Azerbaijani control. It
also includes the right of all internally displaced persons and
refugees to return to their former places of residence.

From: A. Papazian

Voice of America
June 24 2011

Armenia, Azerbaijan Pressured to Agree on Nagorno-Karabakh

The United States and Russia are urging the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan to come to an agreement in their long and often violent
dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh at a summit hosted by
Russia.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan and his Azeri counterpart Ilham
Aliyev meet Friday in the Russian city of Kazan, hosted by Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev.

The two sides have come under increasing international pressure to
sign a basic principles agreement that would set the stage for a
settlement over the disputed ethnic Armenian enclave in western
Azerbaijan.

Two decades ago, the two countries fought a war over Nagorno-Karabakh
that ended in a 1994 cease-fire. Since then, talks have dragged on
without resolution.

U.S. President Barack Obama phoned each of the leaders Thursday and
strongly encouraged them to sign the basic principles. The president
said that now is the time for a settlement for a “better future” for
citizens of both countries.

The Russian foreign ministry has issued a statement also calling for
an agreement.

Since the 1994 cease-fire, Nagorno-Karabakh has been under the control
of Armenian forces. Despite the suspension of hostilities, exchanges
of gunfire continue along the borders of the disputed region.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh left 35,000 dead and forced as many
as a million people from their homes.

Repeated international efforts to broker a peace deal have failed.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
June 24, 2011
Contact: Press Department
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR INCLUSION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH IN THE PEACE
TALKS AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) commends
Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan for his diplomatic efforts to
secure a peaceful and just resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict.

While no final agreement was reached on the Basic Principles being
negotiated, the Assembly notes that the sides did reach, according to
reports, a “mutual understanding on a number of issues whose
resolution would contribute to the creation of conditions for the
approval of the basic principles.”

We also take note of U.S. President Barack Obama’s phone call to
President Sargsyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in advance
of the Kazan summit in which “President Obama told both leaders that
now is the time to resolve this conflict and to offer the people of
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno-Karabakh a better future for
themselves and for their children.”

We also extend our appreciation to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton for her support of efforts to secure a lasting peace in the
region.

It is regrettable that it appears once again Azerbaijan is not ready
for peace. Armenia has consistently demonstrated its willingness to
resolve all outstanding issues with its neighbors, while Azerbaijan,
instead, has rapidly expanded its military budget and escalated
tensions by repeatedly threatening the resumption of military action.

It is also regrettable that America’s commitment to peace and
reconciliation continues to be undermined by Azerbaijan’s
intransigence. The Assembly recalls Azerbaijan’s interference with and
opposition to the Protocols between Turkey and Armenia, which were
brokered by the Swiss government with the full support of France,
Russia, the European Union, and the United States. Ironically, after
signing the Protocols, Turkey, under pressure from Azerbaijan,
insisted that a resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict must be
reached prior to Turkish ratification of the Protocols, effectively
holding Armenia hostage to Turkey’s ongoing blockade.

Given the outcome of the June 24 meeting in Kazan, as well as the
stalled process with respect to the Protocols, the Assembly strongly
believes that the United States would have more credibility and be
able to achieve more progress in the peace talks and in Turkey-Armenia
rapprochement, if the United States unequivocally affirmed the
Armenian Genocide, like its OSCE counterparts, France and Russia. U.S.
affirmation of this crime against humanity as so indicated by the
United States in its 1951 filing before the International Court of
Justice is long past due.

In addition, the time has also come to directly include Nagorno
Karabakh in the negotiations. Any resolution to the conflict as
mediated by the OSCE Co-Chairs must be acceptable to the people of
Nagorno Karabakh, and must take into account its right to
self-determination.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

###

NR#2011-031

From: A. Papazian

Appointed Fr. Raphael Minassian, patriarchal exarch for the Armenians in Jerusalem and Amman, as ordinary for Armenian Catholics in Eastern Europe

Vatican Information Service
06.24.2011 – Twenty-First Year – Num. 118

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 24 JUN 2011 (VIS) – The Holy Father:

– Appointed Fr. Raphael Minassian, patriarchal exarch for the Armenians in
Jerusalem and Amman, as ordinary for Armenian Catholics in Eastern Europe,
giving him the “ad personam” title of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was
born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1973.
NER:RE/
VIS 20110624 (190)

From: A. Papazian

IRANIAN BORDER IS STRATEGICALLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN KARABAKH – TER-PETROSYAN

Tert.am
23.06.11

The Iranian border is strategically more important for Armenia than
Nagorno Karabakh, according to Armenia’s first president and current
opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

The ex-president made the statement in a recent interview with the
Russian Moskovskiye Novosti when asked to comment on the possibility
of exchanging the Nagorno Karabakh with the southern region of Syunik
(which borders on Iran).

“I have never said anything about Syunik. We had such option, and
there is a document envisaging an exchange of lands between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. Karabakh was to unite with Armenia, and Azerbaijan was
to unite with Nakhichevan via the corridor of Meghri,” he said. “But
I would never have taken such decision, as that would have deprived
us of the border with Iran, a country which is strategically even
more important than Karabakh.”

Ter-Petrosyan regretted to note that Armenia suffered great losses
in the past 13 years.

“It was not only a waste of time, but also a period of missed chances
for Armenia’s development, and irrevocable losses. They are now
trying to do what they failed to within those 13 years, but that
costs a lot of losses,” he added.

From: A. Papazian