Author: Andres-Papazian

WILL AHMADINEJAD DISMISS FOREIGN MINISTER CAUSE OF 1915 GENOCIDE?

Aysor
Sept 14 2010
Armenia

In Iran, relations between country’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who is supported by strong group
in Parliament, have strained, some media reported. The tensions aroused
after one of the assistant to president referred at the international
conference to the 1915 Genocide against Armenians committed in Turkey,
a friend of Iran. The statement made Turkey angry while Mottaki had
to offer excuses.

MIGnews agency reported that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his
supporters have been implementing independent foreign policy without
taking in consideration the Foreign Ministry and Parliament. The latest
and most provoking case took place when Ahmadinejad appointed “four
personal assistants to president” without any notification to Mottaki.

In this connection, Mottaki said that he considers such actions
of President as a personal offence and says would retire. However,
lawmakers warned Ahmadinejad that Mottaki’s resignation “won’t remain
unpunished” and that both president and others must meet the order
of the Islamic Constitution and directives of the Supreme Spiritual
Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, reported the source.

From: A. Papazian

SHAKARYAN: TURKEY LOST SMALL BATTLE

Aysor
Sept 14 2010
Armenia

Even if the cross is fixed on the Surb Khach Church dome on Aghtamar
Island, I think Turkey lost this small battle and made a mistake not
fixing the cross since both Armenia’s society and international media
spoke about it a lot, Turkologist Artak Shakaryan told reporters.

According to the expert, for Turks, it will be very difficult to fix
a cross on a church belonging to another religion, and especially to
dismantle it in the future if necessary.

Shakaryan said that Turkey has a skilful diplomacy and we had better
follow Turkey’s example.

“First Turkey repaired Surb Khach Church in 2007. Theoretically,
Turkey could fix the cross and consecrate the church, but it divided
the show into several parts: first opened the church, then allowed
to offer a Mass there, and probably will fix the cross on the dome of
the church one day to show good will towards Armenia,” expert stressed.

Describing Turkey’s policy Shakaryan said Turkey prioritizes not the
result but the process of an action.

In Shakaryan’s opinion, the cross will not be fixed on the church
dome but will be present at the Mass, and will be fixed on the dome
some time after the Mass.

From: A. Papazian

EUROPEAN COURT DECLARED TURKISH STATE GUILTY OVER DINK CASE

Panorama
Sept 14 2010
Armenia

The European Court of Human Rights has found the Turkish state
guilty of failing to protect the life and freedom of expression of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, the court said in a statement.

The case at the European court was initially investigating Dink’s
conviction for insulting Turkishness in his column in the weekly Agos.

The journalist had brought the case against the Turkish state to the
European court.

After Dink was killed in front of his newspaper’s building in
Istanbul in January 2007, his family opened an additional case at
the high court, accusing the Turkish state of failing to protect the
journalist’s right to life.

The court found the Turkish state guilty on two charges – failing to
protect Dink’s right to life and freedom of expression – and sentenced
the state to pay 133,595 euros to Dink’s family in compensation and
an extra 28,595 euros to the court for expenditures, broadcaster
CNNTurk reported.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER NALBANDIAN TO VISIT IRAN

Aysor
Sept 14 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian at the invitation
of his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki will pay a two-day
official visit to Tehran on September 15, Armenian Foreign Ministry
spokesperson said.

Included in Nalbandian visit’s schedule are meetings with Iranian
leaders.

From: A. Papazian

NATO SPECIAL REP ARRIVES IN ARMENIA

news.am
Sept 14 2010
Armenia

Robert Simmons, NATO’s Special Representative for the Caucasus
and Central Asia, has arrived in Armenia within the framework of
the Armenia-2010 exercises. The official is to hold meetings with
Armenian leaders.

The Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC)
will conduct the consequence management field exercise “Armenia 2010”
from 11 to 17 September 2010 in the city of Arzni, in the Kotayk
region next to Yerevan in Armenia.

Teams from 15 Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and
Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) nations are planned to take part in the
exercise and 11 additional countries are scheduled to participate by
sending staff officers.

All together, more than 600 individuals belonging to civilian and
military teams from NATO and partner countries with capabilities
to deal with different aspects of emergencies will take part in the
event. Some 40 observers are also expected. “Armenia 2010” will allow
NATO and partner countries to practice disaster response mechanisms
and capabilities and to enhance co-operation in emergency situations.

The scenario for the exercise will be a severe earthquake in the
vicinity of Yerevan, resulting in high numbers of victims and
widespread damage to critical infrastructure, including chemical
spills and a radiological incident.

Through this exercise, NATO and partner nations will practice
the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC)
procedures and capabilities, in order to improve nations’ ability to
respond to a disaster. The exercise will also contribute to strengthen
the stricken nation’s capability to effectively coordinate consequence
management operations.

From: A. Papazian

A COLLECTION OF PARUYR SEVAK POEMS IN IRAN

Iran Book News Agency IBNA

Sept 14 2010

“An ordinary miracle” a poetry collection by contemporary Armenian
poet, Paruyr Sevak has been rendered into Persian and will be released
in Iran. Paruyr Sevak works have been converted into Persian for the
first time.

IBNA: “An ordinary miracle” has been converted into Persian by Azad
Matian and Shapour Ali nejhad and it is to be published by Hezareh
Qoqnoos.

The book holds 20 poems of Paruyr Sevak which have been collected
form 3 different poetry collections. “An ordinary miracle” is the
first work of the poet which has been rendered into Persian.

Paruyr Rafaeli Ghazaryan (January 26, 1924 – June 17, 1971) was an
Armenian poet. He is considered one of the greatest Armenian poets
of the twentieth century.

Sevak was born in Chanakhchi (now Zangakatun) village, Soviet
Armenia to Rafael and Anahit Soghomonyan. He studied at Yerevan
State University and Moscow’s Gorky Institute of Literature. A doctor
of philology, Sevak was one of the senior researchers of the Manuk
Abeghyan Yerevan Institute of Literature.

Sevak died on June 17, 1971 in a car crash while on a drive back
to Yerevan. In previous years, he had voiced his criticism of
the corruption of the Soviet establishment and for this, many
Armenians believe, he was murdered by the Soviet KGB. His wife,
Nelly Menagharishvili, also died in the car crash. He was buried in
the backyard of his home, in Zangakatun, which later became a museum.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN MFA SILENT ON MINSK GROUP’S DEMAND – EXPERT

news.az
Sept 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Fikret Sadikhov ‘Armenian Foreign Ministry said nothing, because in
general, Armenian side benefits from the postponement’, said political
scientist Fikret Sadikhov.

Azerbaijani political analyst has commented on the postponed
consideration of draft resolution on the situation in the occupied
territories at the plenary session of the UN General Assembly.

‘The issue of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan was considered
in March 2008 and then adopted a resolution in favor of Azerbaijan,
which confirms our territorial integrity and calls for the withdrawal
of Armenian troops from occupied territories of Azerbaijan’, said
political scientist Fikret Sadikhov, commenting on the postponed
consideration of the UN draft resolution on compliance with
international human rights and international law in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan in the General Assembly.

According to the analyst, it is important for Azerbaijan that these
resolutions are executed for them not to remain on paper, for relevant
pressure to be put on Armenia.

Asked why the Armenian Foreign Ministry said nothing about the
postponed consideration of the draft resolution, the expert noted
that the Foreign Ministry of Armenia is again trying to hide behind
the existing facts.

‘Armenian Foreign Ministry said nothing, because in general, the
Armenian side benefits from the postponement. They do not want to be
the object of criticism of the next legal document, calling them the
occupier. In this regard, they have taken a wait and see position. I
admit that the Minsk Group, which visited Yerevan, has played a
role here.

Surely by asking us to postpone this issue until the next session,
they turned to the official Yerevan urging it not to aggravate the
situation and not to comment on the official level. This is the factor
which again confirms that the leading states can have sufficient
influence on official Yerevan when necessary’, he said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE OVER KARABAKH’S RECOGNITION

Aysor
Sept 14 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Parliament has included on its agenda of the following in
October four-day session the bill on recognition of the independence
of Nagorno Karabakh, which was introduced into the Parliament by
Heritage Party on September 1. This announcement was made by Speaker
Hovik Abrahamian at the first autumn session on Tuesday.

Mr. Abrahamian said that the bill will be considered and discussed
out of turn.

The bill proposing to recognize independence of Nagorno Karabakh
was introduced by lawmakers of the Heritage Party of Armenia back
in October 15, 2009; however, it wasn’t approved by Permanent
Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Affairs. The bill’s supporters
used the right imposed by regulations of the National Assembly and
recognized the bill as of out of turn.

In line with the regulation of the National Assembly, the bill without
voting was put on agenda of the session scheduled for October 5.

From: A. Papazian

ANC SUGGESTS COUNTERMEASURES TO ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES

news.am
Sept 14 2010
Armenia

If Azerbaijan submits a document to an international agency, without
Armenia taking countermeasures, the international community forms
a biased opinion on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Levon Zurabyan,
Central Office Coordinator, Armenian National Congress (ANC), told
reporters on September 14.

He presented a draft resolution prepared by the ANC Foreign Relations
Committee. He proposed that the Armenian side submit the draft to the
U.N. as a countermeasure against Azerbaijani resolutions presenting
Armenia as an occupant. The draft contains references to a number
of international documents proving that Armenia did not “occupy”
any territories of Azerbaijan.

“Since the Armenian authorities are not acting because of their
incompetence, as have to suggest this step to them,” Zurabyan said.

The Armenian authorities must find the way of putting the document
into circulation at the U.N. The ANC-prepared draft resolution will
be e-mailed to the RA foreign office, as Mr. Zurabyan is sure, the
foreign office staff do not read newspapers or watch news programs.

From: A. Papazian

CITY OF RYDE HAS FIRST ARMENIAN MAYOR
by Melissa Davey

Cumberland Courier Newspapers

Sept 14 2010
Australia

THE City of Ryde has its first Armenian mayor after liberal councillor
Artin Etmekdjian was voted in at the annual mayoral election at
council meeting on Tuesday night.

Cr Etmekdjian was one of the two councillors put forward for the
position, the other being former Labor mayor Cr Michael Butterworth.

The voting went 7-5 in favor of Cr Etmekdjian.

Cr Etmekdjian thanked Cr Butterworth for his work as mayor of Ryde
and said he looked forward to the challenges the role would bring.

“Councillor Butterworth has done a very professional job and managed
to retain the respect from all councillors throughout his term,’~R
Cr Etmekdjian said.

“I will have an open door policy while I serve as mayor and look
forward to working with each and every one of you.’~Q

There were originally three nominations put forward for the position
of deputy mayor; Liberal Cr Bill Pickering, Labor Cr Nicole Campbell
and Independent Cr Ivan Petch.

However, Cr Pickering withdrew his nomination following the election
of Cr Etmekdjian as mayor.

“Now that we have already have a mayor of one political persuasion,
no, I will not accept my nomination,’~R Cr Pickering said.

Cr Petch was then elected to the position, winning against Cr Campbell
7 votes to six, and said he welcomed Cr Etmekdjian’s position as mayor.

“Congratulations on becoming the first Armenian mayor of the City of
Ryde,’~R Cr Petch said.

“You are only approaching your third year in council and yet you
are already mayor, and I don’t know too many other people with that
achievement.’~R

From: A. Papazian