Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMENIAN ARCHEOLOGISTS: 5,900-YEAR-OLD SKIRT FOUND

The Associated Press
Tuesday, October 26, 2010; 3:15 PM
YEREVAN, Armenia

An Armenian archaeologist says that scientists have discovered a
skirt that could be 5,900-year-old.

Pavel Avetisian, the head of the Institute of Archeology and
Ethnography in Yerevan, said a fragment of skirt made of reed was
found during recent digging in the Areni-1 cave in southeastern
Armenia. Avetisian told Tuesday’s news conference in the Armenian
capital that the find could be one of the world’s oldest piece of
reed clothing.

Earlier excavation in the same location has produced what researchers
believe is a 5,500-year-old shoe, making it the oldest piece of
leather footwear known to researchers.

Boris Gasparian, an Armenian archaeologist who worked jointly with
U.S. and Irish scientists at the site, said they also found a mummified
goat that could be 5,900-year-old, or more than 1,000 years older
than the mummified animals found in Egypt.

From: A. Papazian

AS REPRESSIVE AS EVER

The Economist

Oct 26 2010

NEARLY four months have passed since Hillary Clinton, the US secretary
of state, visited the oil-rich Caucasus state of Azerbaijan as part of
her tour of several former Soviet republics. As we wrote at the time,
her task was to mend fences with Ilham Aliev, Azerbaijan’s president,
who was offended at not having been invited to a nuclear summit at
which Barack Obama had met the president of Armenia-Azerbaijan’s
mortal enemy.

Azerbaijan matters to America both as an an important provider
of non-Russian oil and gas, and as a transit route for America’s
troops to Afghanistan. But Mrs Clinton had to show that democracy is
not an empty word when America deals with authoritarian allies like
Azerbaijan. In her private meeting with Mr Aliev, she took up the case
of two bloggers, Adnan Hajizada and Emin Milli, who had been jailed
for ridiculing the state in a widely circulated video clip featuring
a donkey at a press conference. In public Mrs Clinton referred to
what she called “the tremendous amount of progress in Azerbaijan.”

Mrs Clinton’s diplomacy may have been to subtle for Mr Aliev, as
the donkey bloggers remain in prison. Today, a new report [PDF]
by nine human rights organisations, including Article 19, Freedom
House and Index on Censorship, describes the situation with freedom
of expression in Azerbaijan as getting worse, ahead of parliamentary
elections on November 7th. So much for the “tremendous” progress and
the virtues of private diplomacy.

From: A. Papazian

[USAK CONFERENCE] BRITAIN’S GREAT WAR ON TURKEY FROM AN IRISH POINT OF VIEW
Agshin Umudov

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 26 2010

On October 26, International Strategic Research Organization (USAK)
organized a 2-hour seminar on “Britain’s Great War on Turkey from an
Irish Point of View” which was presented by Dr. Pat Walsh. The aim of
the seminar was to discuss Ottoman Empire during the WWI and the 1915
events. USAK Vice President Mehmet Tiras also attended the conference.

At the beginning of the seminar, moderator, Prof. Guner Ozkan,
introduced Dr. Walsh to the audience. After that Dr. Walsh gave a
presentation that addressed the following questions: Why did Ireland
involve in the “Great War”?; why did Britain make a war on Ottoman
Empire?; what were the Britain’s objectives and motivations in war
against Ottoman Empire?; why did Britain produce so much propaganda
against Ottoman Empire?; lastly, what were the positive affects of
the Great War in Turkey? Elaborating on the above listed questions Dr.

Walsh pointed out that Ireland’s involvement in the Great War against
Ottoman Empire could be explained by looking at the inner politics
of the Great Britain in the early twentieth century. Apart from that,
he noted that, unfortunately, in Ireland people perceived the “Great
War” as a war of small nations; this in turn enticed many Irish men to
join the war against Turks. He stated that Turkish victory in Gallipoli
substantially decreased the Irish support for the British royal army.

Dr. Walsh also gave the perfect picture of the alliances that were
formed before and during the WWI. He depicted how Britain’s traditional
stance towards Ottomans had changed just before the WWI; oftentimes
in the history, particularly in the 19th century, Great Britain was
supporting Ottoman Empire in order to curb the Russian expansion in
Asia, especially down to the Indian Ocean.

Interestingly, Dr. Walsh stressed that most of the ongoing problems
of the Middle East, such as Israel-Palestinian, were sown by the
British Empire. He said that “Britain conquered too much land that
eventually became unable to rule over them”.

Lastly, Dr. Walsh depicted how Britain used Armenians as a tool to
create a barbarian image of Turks all over the world. He said that
up to the WWI Turks were known as the “clean fighters”; and Britain
felt that such image of Turks must be impaired in order to make the
conscription easer. To that end, Britain used Armenians to create
“inhuman” image of the Turks. Moreover, small nations within the
Ottoman Empire were also used to cause instability within the Ottoman
Empire.

At the end of the seminar, Vice President and Deputy Director of USAK,
Mr. Mehmet Tiras, presented Dr. Walsh a plaque.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN COURT CONVICTS ARMENIAN AND IRANIAN CITIZENS ON CHARGES OF SPYING FOR AZERBAIJAN

The Canadian Press
Oct 26 2010

YEREVAN, Armenia – An Armenian court has convicted an Iranian and an
Armenian on charges of spying for neighbouring Azerbaijan.

Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s office said that the court in the
capital, Yerevan, on Monday sentenced Iranian citizen Bager Bageri
to 10 years in prison and former Armenian military officer Gevork
Airapetian to 12 years in prison.

Prosecutors said the court found Airapetian guilty of collecting and
transferring sensitive information about the Armenian military to
Bageri, an ethnic Azerbaijani who allegedly worked for Azerbaijan’s
intelligence.

Both men have been in custody since their arrest in October 2009.

There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijan.

The two ex-Soviet neighbours have been locked in conflict over the
disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

From: A. Papazian

IRAN, ARMENIA DISCUSS CLOSER TIES

Press TV
Oct 26 2010
Iran

Iran’s Speaker Ali LarijaniIran’s Majlis speaker has called for the
promotion of all-out relations with Armenia, highlighting the key
role that parliaments play in bringing the two countries closer.

“The Iranian Parliament supports any plans to promote cooperation in
different sectors such as political, economic, cultural and trade,”
said Ali Larijani in a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan in Tehran on Tuesday.

Larijani underlined the two countries have the ‘political will’
to further cement mutual relations.

The top parliamentarian also stressed the need to fully exploit the
existing untapped potential in trade and economy, particularly by
strengthening the role of the private sector in both countries.

“Bilateral economic and trade ties should expand in tandem with mutual
political relations,” the Iranian parliament speaker said.

Larijani then referred to the recently revealed documents on
whistleblower website Wikileaks regarding developments in Iraq and
said, “Such revelations show the US is after adventurism in different
parts of the world.”

“Regional countries should adopt appropriate approaches to establish
stability and calm to serve the interests of the Iraqi people and
prevent foreigners from creating crises,” the Iranian speaker said.

The visiting Armenian premier, in turn, highlighted that his trip
to Iran aims to further enhance mutual relations in different areas,
particularly economy and trade.

He expressed hope that the private sectors of both countries would
forge closer ties and make more investments in trade activities.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WELCOMES CIS CUSTOMS SERVICES SUMMIT IN YEREVAN

news.am
Oct 26 2010
Armenia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting Oct. 6 with the
top officials of the CIS Customs Services that arrived in Yerevan to
participate in the 52nd meeting of the Council of Heads of the CIS
Customs Services.

The RA presidential press service informed NEWS.am that the Armenian
leader welcomed the meeting in Yerevan. He stressed Armenia attaches
high importance to the CIS constituent and sectoral agencies’
activities. President Sargsyan stressed the customs services’ important
activities aimed at integration and harmonization of relevant laws,
which allowed the sides to find joint solutions to problems.

President Serzh Sargsyan expressed the confidence that the issues on
the meeting agenda and the decisions to be made will raise the level
of cooperation between customs services of the CIS member-countries.

In turn, it will facilitate the trade between the CIS member-countries,
allow economic entities to intensify their activities and, along
with economic development, raise the living standards, which meets
any state’s interests.

The participants thanked the Armenian leader for invitation. They
pointed out that the more frequent meetings of top officials of the
CIS Customs Services are of benefit to all the sides. The participants
informed the Armenian President of the tasks and ways of accomplishing
them. President Serzh Sargsyan wished the meeting successful work.

From: A. Papazian

UNKNOWN SEARCH FOR SOMETHING IN HRANT DINK APARTMENT

Panorama
Oct 26 2010
Armenia

Unknown have intruded into Hrant Dink apartment in Malatya, Turkey,
dug the floor of the rooms in searches for something, a Dink relative,
Eliza Kodak Dink told Istanbul police, according to Cumhuriyet. Dink
was born in this house. Now the house is not inhabited.

Criminal case has been launched. Investigation is underway.

“Agos”paper editor of Armenian descent Hrant Dink was killed in
front of the Agos office building in Å~^iÅ~_li district, Istanbul,
Turkey on January 19, 2007.

From: A. Papazian

A DESTIN CITY LEADER PASSES

The Destin Log

Oct 26 2010
Florida

When the city needed money, he opened his wallet. When the city needed
its grass cut, he fired up his mower. When the city needed a leader,
he stood up.

In many ways the story of Zovak “Jerry” Najarian is a love affair
with his adopted city of Destin.

The man, who passed away Saturday, directly or indirectly touched
the lives of every Destinite and visitor. In his decades of public
service, Jerry had a hand in almost all areas of civic life. He helped
Capt. Royal Melvin land a loan for a new charter boat. He chronicled
the history of Destin. He helped form the first fire district.

Most recently, he has championed the cause of affordable housing for
Destin’s workforce. He even came full circle as the 2007 parade grand
marshal; after all, he led Destin’s earliest parade in 1974.

But in Najarian’s case, it isn’t all that he’s done – rather, it was
his attitude toward doing it.

“I believe that if you love your community, you shouldn’t have to ask
what needs to be done,” he once told The Log. “If you see something
that needs to be done, that is not illegal or immoral, then do it if
you’re capable.”

In a nation where the answer to many problems is more government,
Jerry Najarian embodies the virtue of self-responsbility.

This is all the more rare in that Najarian was a member of the Destin
City Council between 1999 and 2004. It took him nine times to be
elected, but “if you want something bad enough, you keep trying,”
he said.

Translated into English from Armenian, Najarian’s full name means
“little sea carpenter.” It is a fitting name for a man who has helped
build Destin into what it is today.

Perhaps a reader’s comment on our Web site best captures the spirit
of Najarian’s contributions.

“At a time when Florida and America yearn for a renewal of the spirit
of civic responsibility, it’s great to pay tribute to Jerry Najarian
and his personal commitment to building a better quality of life in
Destin. His example is a guiding light for all Destinites who share
a vision of investment in our area.”

Najarian would be the first to tell you that he is not a city
“founder,” like the Destins or the Marlers. But what he lacks in
bloodline he made up for in years of commitment and love for a city
that now mourns his passing.

From: A. Papazian

AZERIS KILL ONE MORE ARMENIAN SOLDIER

news.am
Oct 26 2010
Armenia

Baku is again aggravating the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict zone on the threshold of an Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian
presidential meeting. Serzh Sargsyan, Ilham Aliev and Dmitry Medvedev
are to meet in Astrakhan on Oct. 27.

The press service of the NKR Defense Army informed NEWS.am that at
4:45 p.m., local time, Oct. 26, the soldier Harut Grigoryan (20)
was killed as a result of sniping at the Martakert positions of the
line of contact.

The details are being investigated.

This is not the first act of sabotage by the Azeri side on the
threshold or immediately after the Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential
meetings.

In June 18, a day after the Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential
meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the Azerbaijani side committed
an act of sabotage near Chailu. Four Armenian soldiers were killed
and four injured.

From: A. Papazian

IRAN REITERATES READINESS TO MEDIATE IN RESOLVING ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend
Oct 26 2010
Azerbaijan

During a meeting with Armenian prime minister, the Iranian
officials reiterated Iran’s readiness to mediate in resolving the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, foreign minister
of Iran Manouchehr Mottaki said during a press conference in Tehran
on Tuesday.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

According to Mottaki, Iran and Armenia have signed a cooperation
document during prime minister Tigran Sarkisian’s visit to Tehran.

From: A. Papazian