Author: Andres-Papazian

YEZIDS HOLD PROTEST ACTION IN FRONT OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE

news.am
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

The Armenian Education & Science Ministry’s decision to release Kurdish
language textbooks and lessons in Armenian schools violates Yezids’
rights as a national minority, Yezid protestors said in the letter
addressed to the Armenian President.

On October 15, a group of protestors gathered in front of the Armenian
presidential residence.

According to the protestors, the decision bluntly prevents Yezids
from getting normal education. They demanded that President Serzh
Sargsyan afford them an opportunity to have their representative in
the Armenian Parliament to protect their interests. “There are 60,000
Yazidis in Armenia and we want our interests to be protected in deed
not in word,” a protestor said.

If the authorities do not give the protestors a satisfactory answer,
rallies and protests will be held throughout the country, he said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA, NAGORNO-KARABAKH INTENSIFY INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION

Panorama
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

On October 14 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Parliament Speaker Ashot
Ghulyan met with the Armenian National Assembly MP, the head of
Armenian delegation to NATO PA Karen Avagyan, NKR NA press service
reported.

During the meeting the parties focused on activation of Armenia-NKR
interparliamentary cooperation.

Reference was made to the process of settlement of the Karabakh
conflict and the role of parliamentary diplomacy. In particular,
the parties stressed the necessity of the intensifying the activity
of Armenian parliamentary delegations in different international
structures.

Karen Avagyan briefed NKR parliamentary speaker on the activities
of the Armenian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly,
emphasizing the importance of holding consultations with NKR
authorities on separate agenda issues.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN ORGANIZATION TO BACK BARBARA BOXER AT NOVEMBER ELECTIONS

news.am
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

The committee on political affairs of the Armenian Council of America
will back Sen. Barbara Boxer at the elections scheduled for November.

Her opponent is a businesswoman Carly Fiorina, current Republican
nominee for the U.S. Senate representing California.

The Armenian Council of America made the decision due to close ties
of Sen. Boxer with the Armenian community and pro-Armenian activities
in the Senate.

Barbara Boxer is an advocate of the Armenian Genocide recognition
and has repeatedly been the author of relevant bills. She also raised
the issue on unblocking of the Armenian border by Turkey.

Senators Barbara Boxer and Robert Menendez have jointly placed a
“hold” on U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan nominee Matthew Bryza, noting
his close ties with Azerbaijan.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANI FM: BAKU WAITS FOR YEREVAN’S RESPONSE ON MADRID PRINCIPLES

Trend
Oct 15 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku is waiting for a response from Yerevan in connection with
the Madrid principles for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told Trend at a briefing
in the Georgian Foreign Ministry today.

“It deals with the plan which was agreed by Azerbaijani and Armenian
Presidents at the meeting under the mediation of the United States,
France and Russia in 2007,” he said.

Azerbaijani minister stressed that this plan was submitted to the
Azerbaijani side, which prepared the appropriate response in December
last year. “However, the Armenian side has not replied yet. Let’s see,
a month left before the OSCE summit in Astana,” he said.

The Azerbaijani side will give a final reply as a result of activity of
the OSCE Appraisal Mission. “The intervention of mediators in resolving
the conflict will create an excellent opportunity to achieve stability
in the region”, Minister said.

However, he noted that the Armenian armed forces must definitely leave
the occupied territories and the refugees must return to their homes.

“Peace and stability in the region mainly depend on conflicts
settlement,” he said.

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 seven 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 negotiations to resolve the dispute.

Armenia has failed to implement U.N. Security Council resolutions
stipulating the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANIS KILLED ARMENIAN SOLDIER

news.am
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

On October 14, at 7:00 p.m. Armenian serviceman Vitali Igityan
(1988) was killed in a ceasefire violation by Azerbaijani side on the
contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces, NKR Defense
Army press service informed NEWS.am. The soldier received penetrating
wound in the head and died on the way to the hospital. He served in
NKR Defense Army 38401 military unit.

The accident causes are being clarified.

During the recent months, Azerbaijan regularly breaks the ceasefire
in the Karabkh conflict zone and commits acts of sabotage

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN EXPECTS ARMENIA’S RESPONSE REGARDING MADRID PRINCIPLES

news.am
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

Baku expects Yerevan’s response regarding the Madrid Principles,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a joint
press conference with his Georgian counterpart Grigol Vashadze,
Trend reported.

According to him, the point is a plan agreed by Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents at their meeting in 2007 held under mediation of
U.S., Russia and France. The Minister stressed that the plan was handed
to the Azerbaijani side that prepared relevant response last December.

“However, the Armenian side has not replied yet. Let’s see, a month
left before the OSCE summit in Astana,” the news agency quotes
Mammadyarov.

The Azerbaijani side will present final response as a result of the
activities of the OSCE Field Assessment Mission. “The intervention
of mediators in resolving the conflict will create an excellent
opportunity to achieve stability in the region,” he added.

The Azerbaijani FM also noted that “the Armenian armed forces must
leave the occupied territories and refugees return to their houses.”

From: A. Papazian

COUNCIL OF EUROPE FORUM FOR THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY DUE IN YEREVAN OCTOBER 19-21

Panorama
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

Yerevan will host Council of Europe Forum for the Future of Democracy
October 19-21, MFA reported.

The Yerevan Forum will address the principles of democratic governance
by analysing their application to, and their repercussions on,
contemporary political and societal changes in Council of Europe
member states, according to CoE official website. It will examine
the achievements and shortcomings in various policy fields and
the respective institutional frameworks, through the prism of the
principles of democratic governance.

The Forum previous five sessions were held in Warsaw, Moscow,
Stockholm, Madrid and Kyiv.

Whilst recognising the variety of political and institutional systems,
civil society and patterns of interactions and mutual reinforcements
between different groups and their governments to be found throughout
Europe, this analysis will be done with full respect for the common
principles of pluralist democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Apart from the formal opening session, the first day will include
a high-level panel of experts, which will identify main trends in,
and threats to, democratic governance.

Forum is expected to provide, in a perspective beyond 2010, orientation
on how the Council of Europe could support the improvement of good
democratic governance in its member sates.

The Forum was established by the Third Summit of Heads of State and
Government of the Council of Europe (Warsaw, May 2005), to strengthen
democracy, political freedoms and citizens’ participation.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN SOLDIER KILLED AS AZERBAIJANIS FIRE KARABAKH POSITIONS

Panorama
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

On October 14 at around 7p.m. Armenian soldier Vitali Igityan, 22,
serving in the NKR Defense Army military unit 38401, died on the way
to hospital after he was deadly wounded on his head as Azerbaijanis
fired Karabakhi positions in the south-eastern sector of the
Karabakh-Azerbaijani line of contact ( in the direction of Hadrout).

The details of the incident are being established, NKR Defense
Army said.

From: A. Papazian

SWISS ACTOR LOOKING LIKE KUSTURICA BEATEN IN TURKEY

news.am
Oct 15 2010
Armenia

Golden Orange International Film Festival held in the Turkish city
of Antalya was marked by a regular scandal. One of the Swiss actors
was beaten after screening of “180 degrees” film.

Seeing Michelle Neuenswander after the screening, a group of
spectators shouted: “What is he doing here? Haven’t we expelled him
from Turkey?” Then they attacked the actor and started beating him,
Firat reported.

that he looks like Serbian Director Emir Kusturica who had already
left Turkey.

As NEWS.am reported earlier, Emir Kusturica left the festival in a
protest against a campaign launched against him in Turkey. Turkish
director Semih Kaplanoglu withdrew his drama “Bal” (Honey) from the
festival. In his turn, Turkish Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay stated
he would not participate in festival, as famous Serbian director is
one of the jury members.

Kusturica was enraged by the statements addressed to him by Turkish
art critics and politicians. If Mr. Kaplanoglu is so sensitive about
genocides, why he does not speak of the Armenian Genocide during
World War I, he said. The director was condemned for his pro-Serbian
position during war in former Jugoslavia.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN CAPTIVES SEND MESSAGES HOME

news.az
Oct 15 2010
Azerbaijan

Armenian servicemen held in Azerbaijan have sent oral messages home
via representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
According to the news service for the ICRC Baku office, captives
usually send either written or oral form of messages. This time they
decided to make oral messages.

According to spokeswoman for the ICRC Baku office Ilaha Huseynova,
Azerbaijani captive in Armenia, servicemen Anar Hajiyev and Roman
Huseynov have not yet been able to talk to their relatives as the
Armenian office of ICRC is still unable to agree on the meeting
with captives.

From: A. Papazian