Erdogan Ensured That Armenian-Turkish Border Will Not Be Opened As S

ERDOGAN ENSURED THAT ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER WILL NOT BE OPENED AS SOON AS NK ISSUE IS NOT SETTLED

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan have met in Azerbaijani Gabala city. As Azerbaijani
media inform during the press-conference two officials spoke about
NK issue as well among other issues.

Speaking about the possibility to open the border with Armenia Erdogan
announced that no borders can be opened as soon as NK issue is not
settled or a way of solution is not found for the problem.

He added that they would say it “as long as they have authority”. “We
will always be with Azerbaijan”, Erdogan ensured.

Erdogan and Aliyev met in frame of the Strategic cooperation meeting.

12.09.12, 12:46

From: A. Papazian

http://times.am/?l=0&p=12280

Desecration of the Armenian Church of Zalka, shooting against the sc

DESECRATION OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF ZALKA, SHOOTING AGAINST THE SCHOOL OF THE HOLY HEARTS IN BAALBECK

The article is in French and below is the English translation:

Unknown persons broke inside the Church of the Cross, Zalka, within
the Armenian community Catholic, announced yesterday the parish
priest, Fr Narek Louissian. Strangers ripped icons and images of
saints installed in the church, and thrown to the ground and smashed
a statue of Saint Rita, said the priest, who called on the authorities
to quickly identify the perpetrators of the desecration.

The police and politicians were informed of this plan, which some
associate with the stigma associated wave in the world by a film
deeply offensive to Muslims.

Recurrence …

In addition, shots were directed a Christian school on Wednesday
Baalbeck. The director of the school, which is the congregation of
Saints Hearts, Sr Emilia Tannous, said it was the second such incident
and that shots had been referred for the first time in school and the
entrance to the building housing the housing involved in religious
school, September 2. In addition, at the insults of the director were
written on the walls of the school.

According to Sr Emilia, aggression could be designed to force the
direction of the school to include in its program an hour of Islamic
religious education, while the school offers one hour of religious
and social.

The fire could also be designed to force the management to reconsider
its decision not to be idle Friday and Sunday, as it did for a number
of years, but Saturday and Sunday as all schools of the congregation.

This decision was taken after a red light in this direction obtained
from Hezbollah. But it could have upset the Sunni community in the
shadow of a rivalry more intense between the two Muslim communities
emerged in recent months.

For its part, the Maronite Bishop of Baalbeck and Deir el-Ahmar,
Semaan Atallah, said that this is an “isolated act” that emanates
neither a party nor a religious authority .

From: A. Papazian

http://www.lorientlejour.com/category/Liban/article/777955/Profanation_de_l%27eglise_armenienne_de_Zalka_%3B_tirs_contre_l%27ecole_des_Saints-Coeurs_a_Baalbeck.html

Former German Economics Minister, Mp Michael Glos: "The Extradition

FORMER GERMAN ECONOMICS MINISTER, MP MICHAEL GLOS: “THE EXTRADITION OF RAMIL SAFAROV IS NOT ILLEGAL, BUT THE OCCUPATION OF THE TERRITORIES OF AZERBAIJAN BY ARMENIA IS ILLEGAL”

APA
Sept 13 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Former German Economics Minister, member of foreign
affairs committee of Bundestag, CSU MP Michael Glos, commented on
the aggressive position of Armenia on extradition of Ramil Safarov.

Michael Glos stressed that mass protests by the Armenian government
and Armenian Diasporas in the world against Germany’s friend Hungary
within the 20th anniversary of the occupation of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno
Karabakh and 7 surrounding regions is a disturbing factor. The European
Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) told APA.

“Claims on Hungary that this country can ignite the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict with the extradition of Ramil Safarov are completely
baseless and really unacceptable.” Besides, initiating new processes
of the settlement of the conflict, returning Nagorno Karabakh and 7
surrounding regions to Azerbaijan and stopping misery of refugees,
Armenia threatens the sensible negotiations process. The International
Community continues recognizing Nagorno Karabakh as an inseparable
part of Azerbaijan. The position of both Germany and the European
Union is that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict must be settled by means
of peace. The extradition of Ramil Safarov is not illegal, but the
occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia is illegal. The
UN Security Council confirmed this fact in 1993.”

From: A. Papazian

Armenia Starts North-South Highway Construction

ARMENIA STARTS NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 13 2012
Russia

Armenia is starting the construction of the North-South Highway
financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today, News Georgia
reports.

Armenian Minister for Transportation and Communication Gagik Beglaryan
met Ramon Aige of the Corsan Corvian Construccion (Spain), representing
the contractor of construction, on Tuesday.

The highway will be 556 km long giving access
to the Black Sea and European states using the
Megri-Kapan-Goris-Yerevan-Ashtarak-Gyumri-Bavra route and Georgia.

Armenia approved the tender for construction on April 26, RIA Novosti
reports.

The investment program worth $500 million was approved by the Armenian
government on January 14, 2010. The North-South Corridor program
is worth $1 billion. The Japanese International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) wants to pay $50-70 million for its realization while Armenia
will co-finance $462 million.

The Europe-Caucasus-Asia connection on the crossing of Eastern Europe
and Western Asia will be completed in 2017.

Realization of the program will save $2.5 per hour for each passenger
and $1 per hour for a ton of cargo.

The North-South Corridor was initiated by Russia and Iran. The
Russia-Iran-India route will be improved.

From: A. Papazian

Burj Hammoud’s Lebanese-Armenian Palette

BURJ HAMMOUD’S LEBANESE-ARMENIAN PALETTE

Al-Arabiyah
Sept 13 2012
UAE

Published September 13th, 2012 – 13:25 GMT via SyndiGate.info

Burj Hammoud’s Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery was founded
in 2009 as a platform for Armenian and Lebanese art and cultural
production. Since then the space has exhibited works by many artists
from both communities.

HLTAG has chosen Wadi Abu Jmeel’s Villa Zein as the venue for its
latest collective exhibition, “Lipanan” (“Lebanon” in Armenian),
featuring paintings and sculptures by such artists as Raffi Tokatlian,
Hrair, Charles Khoury, Arthur K. and Mireille Goguikian, to name but
a few.

Here onlookers will find a large selection of work, ranging from
abstraction to surrealism.

Based on their titles, “Charles Aznavour” and “Pavarotti,” two mixed
media-on-canvas works by Haroutiun K. Nicolian (aka Arthur K.), are
tributes to the Armenian-born French vocalist and the Italian tenor.

Both works bear respectful renderings of each performer. Viewers
will also find bits that don’t bear much relation to either Aznavour
or Pavarotti.

The upper part of the collage-like “Charles Aznavour” (100×65 cm) is
a still from Peter Webber’s film “Girl with Pearl Earring” (inspired
by Vermeer’s painting). To one side of it is a fragment of a woman’s
photo. To the other is the phrase “Human Rights,” written in Latin
capitals against a parchment-shaded background.

Immediately below a photo of Aznavour in concert, a shard of red-tinted
sheet music bears an unknown tune. Alongside is a photo of a stallion,
in blue.

“Pavarotti” includes a photo of a black man with large white stripes
painted on his chest. Nearby is a shred of a document apparently
dealing with Armenian history. The link between these images and
Pavarotti is vague.

An interesting palette accentuates the decorative value of Arthur K.’s
work. From red, to blue, black and gold, these works are attractive
to the eye. Although dark hues are omnipresent, the artist’s works
radiate light.

“Awakening” – a bronze sculpture by Raffi Tokatlian – is astonishing
both for its dimensions (190x55x242 cm) and its symbolism.

The apparently female figure is blindfolded. Her body is formed from
bronze strips, resembling folds of clothing. Most interesting is the
contrast between the light – almost ethereal – aspect these strips
lend the body and the bronze head’s weight.

Arev Petrosyan’s mixed-media work “Emotions” (140x92cm) finds gold and
silver leaves painted on organic glass. This work includes several
red and black blotches, which seem to emerge from the ground. These
could be representations of roses or poppies, with odd-looking mouths.

Jacqueline Ohanian’s “Messengers of Peace” (mixed-media, 105x105cm)
is also highly symbolic. The work combines warm hues – oranges,
yellows and hints of red – with white.

The white bits are evidently doves (peace) or perhaps a single dove in
movement. Above the dove motif are depictions of two (or more) peoples’
heads. One figure gazes down, as if following the bird’s movement.

There is no obviously programmatic meaning to be ascribed to Ohanian’s
depiction of peace and its messengers. The artist’s design intention
appears decorative.

Hamazkayin Lucy Tutunjian Art Gallery’s “Lipanan” is up at Wadi
Abu Jmeel’s Villa Zein until Sept. 16. For more information, please
call 01-241-262.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.albawaba.com/entertainment/burj-hammoud-lebanon-442026

Safarov Case Highlights Lingering Impact Of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflic

SAFAROV CASE HIGHLIGHTS LINGERING IMPACT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Travel & Leisure Close-Up
September 12, 2012 Wednesday

The on-going conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the
disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh triggered a heated debate at the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Committee meetings
in Paris.

According to a release, Hungary’s extradition of Ramil Safarov to
Azerbaijan and his subsequent release drew the attention again to the
lingering impact of the non-settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
since the cease-fire in 1993. Safarov was convicted of murdering an
Armenian soldier during a NATO training course in Budapest in 2004,
claiming that he spat on the Azerbaijani flag and humiliated him.

“It is obvious that the debate over the Ramil Safarov case currently
launched by Armenia in the international area has the only goal to
consolidate the illegal Armenian presence in the occupied territories
and to reject the demand of all international organizations (UN, PACE,
EP, OSCE, etc.) to withdraw their armed forces unconditionally from
these territories,” said Azerbaijani MP, Elkhan Suleymanov.

He further pointed out that Safarov was transferred by Hungary
to Azerbaijan in conformity with the Convention on the Transfer of
Sentenced Persons, to which both states are signatories. After serving
eight years in jail, Safarov was released in line with the Article 12
of this Convention, which allows any member states to grant a pardon
according to their national legislation.

Nagorno-Karabakh has been a matter of tension between Armenia and
Azerbaijan for the last 20 years, causing around 30.000 deaths so far.

Peace talks by the OSCE’s Minsk Group, led by the US, Russia and
France, have achieved little progress in finding a peaceful solution.

In addition, United Nations Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884, calling
for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces,
have not been implemented, and border incidents on the cease-fire
line between Azerbaijan and Armenia have intensified during the last
few months.

“These incidents are extremely unfortunate,” said Suleymanov.

“Thousands of Azerbaijanis were killed since the illegal Armenian
occupation of Nagorno Karabakh and no single Armenian – be it militia
or civilian – was ever convicted for committing serious crimes against
humanity so far.”

Armenian MP Davit Harutyunyan said: “We are only occupying 15 percent
of Azerbaijani territory,” adding that “the current number of IDPs
(Internally Displaced Persons) in Azerbaijan amounts to a maximum of
700,000 and not 1,000.000.”

From: A. Papazian

Riga: Safarov’s Liberation Recalls Hatred

SAFAROV’S LIBERATION RECALLS HATRED

Diena
Sept 10 2012
Latvia

Commentary by Atis Klimovics

The liberation of Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov via an amnesty act
signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev after Safarov committed
a serious crime has harmed the Southern Caucasus country that is rich
with fuel resources, because it reduces trust in the honesty of Baku
when it comes to observing international agreements.

Reasons for Amnesty

Apparently the head of state thought least about this fact, and
the true reason is that the amnesty of the officer who committed a
merciless murder eight years ago can be sought in efforts to satisfy
the nation’s patriotic emotions. It goes without saying that the
Azerbaijanis have not had and never will have any more important
issues than the losses which were caused during the 1990s war against
the Armenians – a war which ended with huge human sacrifices and the
loss of a substantial segment of the country’s territory. Nearly one
million people remained homeless. For that reason, there is no doubt
that President Aliyev, who is an authoritarian ruler, has not been
able to refrain from the opportunity to polish up his image as the
leader of the nation. At the same time, however, events related to
Safarov allow us to know that the international community has not
done anything during the past 20 years to help in improving the
relationship between two nations – the Azerbaijanis and the Armenians.

The war which ended 18 years ago is remembered by Azerbaijanis and
Armenians both. Many of them had to spend this period of time living
with personally experienced scenes of horror. It may be that Safarov,
who used an axe to chop up an American officer with an axe during
NATO language courses in Budapest is one such person, but that does
not justify the commission of such a murder.

Results of Liberation

It goes without question that Safarov’s liberation and the awarding
of the highest military rank to him nearly turns him into a national
hero, but Yerevan has perceived this as cynical mockery. That is
why the reaction is so harsh. Armenia threatens to review relations
with Budapest, which transferred Safarov to the Azerbaijani law
enforcement structures. There has also been talk of renewing a military
confrontation with Azerbaijan, though that probably will not go beyond
words. War will not benefit Yerevan or Baku, and people in both capital
cities understand that. A brief and successful war is not possible.

All in all, this incident reminds us once again that during a period
that is less than 20 years has not involved the slightest attempt to
deal with the problems which relate to the conflict between Armenians
and Azerbaijanis. For representatives of major politics, these problems
simply have not seemed to be importance, and that is why there has been
no serious examination of the Nagorno-Karabakh war and the crimes that
were committed therein. Safarov’s liberation allows us to understand
the great harm which both Caucasian nations have faced because of
events that occurred 20 years ago – a process which involves many
hushed up crimes. What is more, both sides committed many crimes,
but people in neither country are discussing them.

Once I heard an Armenian from Nagorno-Karabakh who frankly told me
about how Azerbaijani rural villages were besieged and destroyed.

Shortly after that, an Azerbaijani who took part in the Baku war told
me about how he mocked captured and murdered Armenian soldiers. The
war crimes have not been investigated, and the hatred between the
two nations remains very real even today.

[Translated from Latvian]

From: A. Papazian

Azerbaijan Pardon Of Officer Who Hacked Armenian To Death With Axe R

AZERBAIJAN PARDON OF OFFICER WHO HACKED ARMENIAN TO DEATH WITH AXE RAISES FEARS OF NEW WAR

Montreal Gazette
Sept 13 2012
QC, Canada

By Pablo Gorondi,Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press

MOSCOW – Shortly before dawn, an Azerbaijani on an English course
in Hungary crept into the room of a fellow student from arch-enemy
Armenia. In a frenzy of ethnic hatred, Ramil Safarov hacked the
sleeping Armenian to death with 26 axe blows – nearly decapitating him.

Convicted of murder, the Army lieutenant was sentenced to life in
prison, and the lurid case largely faded from memory for nearly
a decade.

It rose like a wrathful ghost last month, when Safarov was sent home,
pardoned and embraced as a national hero. The affair now threatens to
wreck 20 years of international attempts to reconcile the two ex-Soviet
neighbours, which fought a war in the 1990s that killed some 30,000
and put a large section of Azerbaijan under Armenian control.

While there’s no sign that war is about to erupt again, the Safarov
dispute shows genuine peace to be further away than ever.

The tensions worry both Russia and the West, which are jockeying for
influence in a region seen as a buffer between Europe and Iran and
as a key player in the world oil market.

It all started in February, 2004, when Safarov and Armenian Gurgen
Markarian, also a military officer, were living in the same dormitory
while attending a NATO-sponsored language course in Budapest.

On a trip to a supermarket to get food and cigarettes, Safarov bought
an axe as well.

Two days later, after finishing his homework, the Azerbaijani sharpened
his weapon, smoked a few cigarettes and waited in the hallway until
5 a.m., when his victim would be in his deepest sleep, according to
his own court testimony.

Safarov opened the unlocked door to Lt. Markarian’s room. He turned
on the light. The axe blows came raining down, 26 in all, on head,
neck and body – as Safarov flung insults at his victim.

When it was over, Safarov told Markarian’s Hungarian roommate that
he wouldn’t hurt him. He smoked a cigarette and threw the butt at
the victim, before calling a fellow Azerbaijani officer and showing
him the body.

Then he left to hunt down a second Armenian officer in his room.

Finding the door locked, Safarov started screaming: “Open up Armenian,
open up, we’re going to cut the throats of all of you” – and started
breaking down the door with his axe.

Hayk Makuchyan, the intended victim, told The Associated Press that
he wanted to open the door to see what was going on, but was stopped
by his roommate.

Police arrived and drew their weapons on Safarov, forcing him to lay
down his axe.

Safarov was given a life sentence by a Hungarian court in 2006. At
trial, the Azerbaijani officer said he committed the murder to avenge
the killing of his relatives by ethnic Armenian forces during the
1990s conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

He also said the Armenian officers subjected him to ridicule, throwing
a basketball at him, teasing him over his studious habits and insulting
the Azeri flag. Those claims weren’t proven in court and ultimately
rejected by the judge.

His lawyer said Safarov felt he was doing his duty. “He believed
that he was defending his country,” said Hungarian defence lawyer
Gyorgy Magyar.

On Aug. 31, Hungary sent Safarov back home after receiving assurances
that he would continue serving his sentence there.

Instead, Safarov was covered in glory. President Ilham Aliev granted
him an amnesty upon his arrival. He was promoted to the rank of
major, provided with a new apartment and given back wages for his
eight-and-a-half years in custody.

Armenia exploded in anger.

It immediately cut diplomatic ties with Hungary as protesters in the
Armenian capital threw tomatoes at the building housing Hungary’s
honorary consulate, and tore down the Hungarian flag.

A barrage of blustery statements from Armenian and Azerbaijani
officials raised the fears about a renewed outbreak of the six-year
war, which ended in 1994.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and some adjacent territory
has been under the control of Armenian troops and local ethnic
Armenian forces since the war’s end; shootings and other incidents
have been frequent.

Negotiators from Russia, the United States and France, under the
umbrella of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
have led efforts to settle the conflict, producing little result.

Worried about a resumption of hostilities, Washington, Russia and
the OSCE quickly condemned Azerbaijan’s move.

The oil-rich Caspian Sea nation has remained defiant.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State William Burns last week that Safarov’s case was
a consequence of the “Armenian aggression.”

“The entire Azerbaijani society believes that the Armenian officer
had provoked Safarov and considers his life sentence by a Hungarian
court unjust,” said Vafa Guluzade, an independent political analyst
based in Baku. “How can Aliev keep him in custody if society believes
he’s innocent?”

Some Armenian commentators warned that the tensions could spiral into
armed conflict.

“It became clear to everyone how difficult it is to deal with such
a partner,” said Ruben Safrastian, the director of the Institute
of Oriental Studies in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. “The chances
for negotiating a Nagorno-Karabakh peace deal have grown smaller,
and the threat of war has increased.”

Azerbaijan’s military, which was routed by the Armenian forces
during the war, has undergone a costly buildup thanks to a flow of
petrodollars. The country’s defence spending, of about $4 billion a
year, dwarfs the entire Armenian government budget.

Resource-poor Armenia has been starved by blockades by Azerbaijan
and its key ally Turkey, but it hosts a major Russian military base
and is a member of a Russia-led security pact. Armenia also has
a Soviet-built nuclear power plant located near Yerevan, creating
potential radiation risks in case of war.

If fighting erupts, Moscow will be obliged to help its ally,
raising the prospect of a major conflict in the region crisscrossed
by strategic oil pipelines carrying Azerbaijan’s crude to Western
markets. NATO member Turkey, in its turn, has a similar obligation
to Azerbaijan under a 2010 bilateral security pact.

Orujov, an Azerbaijani political analyst, said that in the current
situation even a minor skirmish may trigger a full-scale conflict.

“Amid this new twist of tensions,” he said, “the absence of contacts
between the two countries may push them to the frontline.”

______

Gorondi reported from Budapest; Aida Sultanova in Baku, Azerbaijan
and Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia contributed to this report.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Azerbaijan+pardon+officer+hacked+Armenian+death+with+raises+fears/7236936/story.html#ixzz26PCuTQ9K

BAKU: Azeri President, Turkish Premier Discuss Ties, Karabakh Confli

AZERI PRESIDENT, TURKISH PREMIER DISCUSS TIES, KARABAKH CONFLICT

Lider TV
Sept 11 2012
Azerbaijan

Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev had a
one-to-one meeting in the town of Qabala, 200 km off Baku, on 11
September prior to a session of the Azerbaijan-Turkey strategic
cooperation council, the channel said.

Ties, Karabakh conflict discussed

The two men discussed political, military and economic ties, in
particular increasing trade between the two countries and prospects
for the TANAP Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline project.

When discussing regional issues, the two leaders exchanged views
about the Karabakh peace process, the channel said.

It added that Erdogan is paying a two-day visit and will go to Saki
and Qax districts on 12 September and then will travel on to Ukraine,
without visiting the Azerbaijani capital Baku.

The channel showed Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva meeting
Erdogan and his wife at the airport.

BBCM note: The Azerbaijani president does not meet foreign leaders
at the airport in Baku.

Baku appreciates visit

The channel went on to quote the chief of the foreign relations
department of the Azerbaijani presidential administration, Novruz
Mammadov, as saying that Baku “highly appreciates” Erdogan’s visit.

The visit is important because of discussions of the current state of
and prospects for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, and talks
to be held will cause a further rapprochement in Turkish-Azerbaijani
relations, the channel said, quoting Mammadov.

Lider TV then showed Mammadov telling reporters that all areas of
interest to both sides will be discussed, including cooperation in
the fields of economy, transport, and security.

Message for Russia

In the meantime, political analysts have held a debate on the visit
in the office of the news agency Novosti Azerbaijan, Baku-based Turan
news agency has reported.

“The fact that the session is being held in Qabala could also be
a message for Russia. The intensive development of tourism and the
holding of international events in Qabala District may mean that this
is not a place for a military facility,” the report quoted experts
as saying during the debate.

BBCM note: Qabala is home to a radar station that Azerbaijan is
leasing to Russia.

From: A. Papazian

Safarov "Blame Game" Ignores Civilian Suffering In Azerbaijan

SAFAROV “BLAME GAME” IGNORES CIVILIAN SUFFERING IN AZERBAIJAN

Sacramento Bee
Sept 12 2012
CA

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 12, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Azerbaijani
authorities are growing concerned over the increasing condemnation
and hostility in the wake of the release of Ramil Safarov. Following
speculation that the Armenian government is considering putting a
$500,000 bounty on the head of the army officer, people gathered in
the capital of Yerevan calling for the “opening of a hunting season
for Safarov.” Buses were covered with bulls eye images portraying
Safarov as a target and photos of him were burned by activists.

“We are seriously concerned about these violent reactions in Armenia,
condemning a fully legal extradition and subsequent amnesty,” said
Azerbaijani MP Elkhan Suleymanov, Vice President of the Euronest
Parliamentary Assembly. “Now they are calling for revenge in ways
that are absolutely outside of international legality,” he added.

“Playing a dangerous blame game is likely to create even more national
heroes and enemies and will hardly contribute to people and stability
in the Caucasus.”

Safarov was convicted of murdering an Armenian soldier during a NATO
training course in Budapest in 2004, claiming that he spat on the
Azerbaijani flag and humiliated him. Hungary extradited Safarov to
Azerbaijan after serving years of time in prison, and his subsequent
release drew attention again to the lingering Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, where the illegal Armenian occupation has been condemned
by the UN.

“The Safarov controversy risks undermining Yerevan’s responsibilities
in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and justifying the illegal Armenian
occupation of about 20 per cent of our country,” Suleymanov said,
further stressing that four United Nations resolutions calling for
Armenia’s immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal from the
occupied territories have not been enforced. Analogous resolutions
have been approved by PACE, OSCE and the European Parliament.

Safarov’s case has drawn similarities with Varoujan Grabedian’s
extradition to Armenia in 2001. A member of the terrorist organisation
ASALA, Grabedian was convicted for a bombing which killed eight
people at Orly Airport in Paris, France. Although he was sentenced to
life imprisonment, appeals from the Armenian government culminated
in his extradition to Armenia, despite the fact that Grabedian is
not an Armenian citizen but a Syrian. In Yerevan, he was hailed a
national hero.

“Killings by Armenian snipers along the cease-fire line alone,
accounted for 1,250 civilian deaths and 1,300 wounded over the last
20 years,” said Sulemanov. He added that children have been targeted
repeatedly through explosive toys, elderly visiting the graves of their
relatives were shot and numerous explosions have killed civilians in
buses, trains, ferries and open places.

“The international community should help to stop the continuous breach
of the cease-fire to prevent the recurrence of civilian casualties,”
Suleymanov said.

SOURCE Azerbaijan Monitor

From: A. Papazian

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/12/4811583/safarov-blame-game-ignores-civilian.html