Author: Andres-Papazian

“EYEWITNESSES ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE” BOOK SHEDS LIGHT ON OTTOMAN GENOCIDE AGAINST ARMENIANS

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
February 4, 2015 Wednesday

Damascus, SANA, The Damascus-based Commission for Commemorating the
Centenary of the Armenian Genocide held a ceremony for signing the book
titled “Eyewitnesses on Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire” by
Armenia’s Ambassador to Syria Arshak Poladian at al-Assad Library with
the presence of politicians, clergymen, intellectuals and journalists.

Dr. Poladian said in his book, issued by al-Sharq Publishing House
in Damascus that the Ottomans perpetrated genocide that expanded
geographically throughout the Armenian map- from Cilicia to Mount
Ararat through Trabzon and the eastern states- highlighting the
crimes of banishment, killing, burning of houses, pillage, rape and
humiliation against the Armenians, citing heart-wrenching stories of
pain, grief and sadness.

The book includes testimonies of three eyewitnesses (the Syrian
lawyer Fayez al-Ghussein, Naem Bek al-Turki and Father Isaac Armala
al-Syriani).

The 250-paper book contains precise documents featuring the horrible
atrocities which the Ottomans committed against a million and a half
Armenians in late 19th century and early 20th century.

Rasha Milhem/ Barry

From: A. Papazian

TER-PETROSYAN GETS LIFETIME PRESIDENTIAL PENSION

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 5 2015

5 February 2015 – 4:46pm

First Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan (1991-1998) has been
granted a lifetime presidential pension, as stated by David Arutyunyan,
the head of the government’s office, presenting amendments to the law
on rewards, service for the president and security at a governmental
session today, ARKA reports.

Ter-Petrosyan will also be allowed to use his office for as long as
needed. His pension will total 80% of the incumbent president’s salary.

The first president of Armenia marked his 70th birthday on January 9.

It appeared that the law was not allowing the ex-president to keep
the office after becoming 70 years old.

Ter-Petrosyan was succeeded by Robert Kocharyan in 1998-2008. Serzh
Sargsyan has been the president since 2008.

From: A. Papazian

MP: ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BROKEN THE LAW BY ALLOWING VALERY PERMYAKOV’S CUSTODY IN THE TERRITORY OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE

by Ashot Safaryan

Thursday, February 5, 11:03

The Armenian Government has broken the law by allowing Valery
Permyakov’s custody in the territory of the Russian military base,
MP Nikol Pashinyan told his colleagues on Wednesday.

He quoted the law as saying that people who have attempted to illegally
cross Armenia’s border should be given to the Armenian police.

He asked Armenia’s Justice Minister Hovhannes Manukyan when Permyakov
would be given to the Armenian law enforces. The Minister said that
a group of Armenian and Russian was inquiring into Permyakov’s crime
and advised not to politicize and emotionalize the case.

Russian serviceman Valery Permyakov is charged with killing an Armenian
family in Gyumri.

From: A. Papazian

UNE NOUVELLE EXPOSITION LA PREMIERE DEPORTATION : LE CHEMIN DE FER ALLEMAND, L’HOPITAL AMERICAIN, ET LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN PUBLIEE PAR ANI, AGMA & ASSEMBLEE

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

Une troisième exposition numerique sur le genocide armenien compose de
128 images sur 24 panneaux intitulee

From: A. Papazian

EVERYONE SEE MANIFESTATIONS OF DISTRUST AMONG LEADERS OF THREE POLITICAL FORCES – RUBIK HAKOBYAN

15:30 / 05.02.2015

The conduction of such conference by the PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan
is a quite daring step, head of the Heritage faction Rubik Hakobyan
said today, stressing that today people are not waiting for rallies
but for practical steps.

“The Pan-National movement is an alternative to the authorities and
if it fails to solve the issues of the people, ease the burden we may
state that we too just like the authorities bear the responsibility
of the created lukewarm atmosphere,” Hakobyan stressed, adding that
the rigged elections caused such atmosphere.

Hakobyan stressed that in Armenia business and politics have merged
which is one of the main causes of the created atmosphere. He stressed
that today Armenia faces serious domestic political, economic issues,
it faces Karabakh conflict and if it continues in such way we will
lose our independence.

Speaking about the activity of the pan-national movement, Hakobyan
stressed that the success of the movement depends on how frank the
leaders of the three political forces will be with each other and
whether atmosphere of trust will be created among them or not.

“Everyone see that there are some manifestations of distrust between
the three forces and thus they have still a lot to do,” he said,
adding that only by joint decision the leaders of the three forces
must make joint statement and make any decision.

From: A. Papazian

BAKU WARNS NGO OVER HOLDING CONCERT IN OCCUPIED LANDS

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Feb 4 2015

4 February 2015, 18:28 (GMT+04:00)

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has warned Music 4 Peace NGO over the
planned concert in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories, saying its
activity is contrary to its name.

Hikmet Hajiyev, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani foreign ministry made
the remark on February 4 commenting on the information that Music 4
Peace NGO will hold a concert on February 6 in Azerbaijan’s territories
occupied by Armenia.

“More than one million Azerbaijani people were subjected to the
ethnic cleansing and military strikes in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan,” Hajiyev said.

Stressing that holding a concert in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan promotes aggression and occupation, rather than serves the
peace, he said it also violates the rights of more than one million
refugees and internally displaced persons.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus
neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. As a result
of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000 Azerbaijanis were
killed, 4,866 are reported missing and almost 100,000 were injured,
and 50,000 were disabled.

Hajiyev further said Music 4 Peace NGO must realize its responsibility
and give up such provocative actions. “Otherwise, the individuals,
who will visit the occupied territories illegally, will be included
in a list of undesirable persons in Azerbaijan,” he said.

Hajiyev also said the issue of using UNESCO’s logo on the website of
this NGO’s project will be raised for UNESCO.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry and diplomatic missions pay special
attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan.

The work is constantly carried out to prevent such illegal actions.

Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan
occupied by Armenia are considered illegal, and the individuals
who pay such visits are included in Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s
“black list”.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats of
unauthorized visits to its territories that are occupied by Armenia,
calling them contradictory to international laws.

From: A. Papazian

ARTSAKH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ON BERDZOR EVENTS:

20:30 | February 4,2015 | Politics

The Artsakh public TV Company has interviewed on Tuesday Artsakh’s
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Aghabekyan in connection with the weekend
events near Berdzor, a border town in Artsakh.

On Saturday, January 31, the only TV in Artsakh showed a video about
the incident which did not show the actual events that occurred during
the automobile rally organized by the Founding Parliament movement.

Without saying anything about the beating of the rally participants,
the author of the video said ‘an unpleasant and undesirable incident
had happened.’ The same words were uttered by [Artsakh President]
Bako Sahakyan during a consultation top government officials, who
said the action organized by the Founding Parliament had elicited
widespread public displeasure in Artsakh and that the police had been
called out to prevent clashes between Kashatagh residents and the
convoy participants. Artsakh TV talked to Arthur Aghabekyan after
the consultation.

During the interview Mr Aghabekyan, who announced a few months ago
about his intention to run for presidency in Artsakh, made it clear
that the ruling elite in Artsakh had been involved in stopping Zhirayr
Sefilyan and his friends from entering the country. They had held
telephone negotiations and meetings, attempting to dissuade them from
holding the action, but all in vain.

“The President said in our presence, “I cannot allow the action to
take place. I cannot allow the people of Artsakh to be involved in
political process taking place in Armenia,” Mr Aghabekyan said.

On January 31, members of the Founding Parliament, a radical opposition
initiative seeking a regime change in Armenia, tried to enter Karabakh
in order to carry out a protest demonstration there.

Near Berdzor, they were stopped by local police and masked special
forces who forcefully blocked their access to the territory of
Karabakh. Some of the participants, including Zhirayr Sefilyan, a
former commander of the Shushi special detachment, political analyst
Igor Muradyan and other freedom fighters were beaten.

From: A. Papazian

A HUNDRED YEARS OF MISUNDERSTANDING

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 4 2015

4 February 2015 – 7:26pm

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin,
responding to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation to the
anniversary of the Canakkale Battle, said that it was a violation of
diplomatic norms and ignores Turkey’s attempts to normalize relations
with Armenia. Kalin added that Armenia did not want a fair study of
the events in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and was not willing to leave
occupied Azerbaijani lands.

Kalin reminded that Erdogan had called for the formation of a joint
commission in 2005 to investigate the events of 1915. Protocols on
normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations were initiated in 2009.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said on April 23, 2014, that the events
of WWI were bitter for both countries.

Turkish expert Hussein Altinalan said that some countries were taking
advantage of tensions between Turkey and its neighbours. The tragic
events of 1915, in his words, are an instrument to put pressure on
Turkey when Armenia suffers from such a policy the most. Kalin believes
that Armenia is trying to create the image of a suppressed country,
ignoring the crimes committed in Nagorno-Karabakh. In his opinion,
Turkey makes attempts at rapprochement with good intentions, but
radically-aligned Armenians do not understand it. The analyst reminded
that Turkey was ready to open historical archives to investigate
1915. He added that about 100,000 Armenians were peacefully living
in Turkey, where all nations were respected.

Concerning the factors that prevent a settlement of the conflict,
Altinalan emphasized the exploitation of the genocide issue as an
instrument to put pressure on Turkey. Another factor, according to
the expert, are the radical forces in Armenia taking advantage of
the dispute.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian Studies Program
California State University, Fresno
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Coordinator
5245 N. Backer Ave. PB4
Fresno CA 93740-8001

ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Office: 559-278-2669
FAX: 559-278-2129
Visit the ASP Website:

`Historic Armenia After 100 Years: Ani, Kars, and the Six Provinces of
Western Armenia’

by Matthew Karanian

Attorney Matthew Karanian will be the guest speaker of the Armenian
Studies Program for a talk, `Historic Armenia After 100 Years: Ani,
Kars, and the Six Provinces of Western Armenia’ at 7:30PM on Tuesday,
February 17, in the University Business Center, Alice Peters
Auditorium, Room 191, on the Fresno State campus.

The lecture is part of the Spring Lecture Series of the Armenian
Studies Program, with the support of the Leon S. Peters Foundation.

One hundred years after the Armenian Genocide, the homeland of the
Armenians remains unknown to much of the world. During the century
since the Genocide of 1915, most of the cultural monuments of the
Armenian nation in the lands of historic Armenia have been eliminated
or repurposed. But there is much that still remains. Author Karanian
celebrates the Armenia that has avoided destruction, as well as the
hidden Armenians who have struggled to carry on in the face of
persecution.

The text describes the history and culture of the Armenian monuments
and artifacts that are still present in Ani and Kars, and in the six
Armenian provinces of Van, Erzerum, Kharpert, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, and
Sebastia. Many important smaller towns are featured, including Sasoon,
Gurun, Chunkush, Palu, Zara, Mush, Erzincan, and Egin.

Historic Armenia After 100 Years is the product of several years of
research and photography and is illustrated with 125 color maps and
photographs and includes antique photos from 100 years ago that are
juxtaposed with images of the same locales as they appear today.

Karanian is a second generation Armenian American who lives in
Pasadena. His four grandparents are from Western Armenia and both of
his grandmothers survived their deportation during the summer of
1915. Karanian has served as Associate Dean of the law program at the
American University of Armenia, and as the Director of the
university’s Legal Research Department. He is the author of Armenia
and Karabakh: The Stone Garden Travel Guide . He practices law in
Pasadena.

Karanian’s new book will be available for purchase after the lecture.

The lecture is free and open to the public. Free parking is available,
with parking code 273505, after 7:00PM at Fresno State Lots P5 and P6,
near the University Business Center.

For more information about the lecture please contact the Armenian
Studies Program at 278-2669, or visit our website at

From: A. Papazian

MAN WHO ROBBED, KILLED GOLD STORE OWNER GETS 19 YEARS

The Slovak Spectator, Slovakia
Feb 4 2015

IN THE BEGINNING of last year, a goldsmith’s shop in Bratislava
was robbed and its owner killed, with two other people injured. On
February 3, the perpetrator was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

The owner Tagvar Spartakian was of Armenian origin, aged 66. He died
during the robbery and his wife was another person injured.

The robber, identified as Ján K., aged 53, shall serve his sentence
in a prison with maximum security, and afterwards he will serve three
years of probation.

“The defendant committed two crimes, of which one was extraordinarily
grave,” head of the panel of District Court Bratislava I said, as
quoted by the TASR newswire. “Thus, the lower limit of the potential
sentence, and also the upper maximum limit, was increased,” explaining
the length of the sentence.

The verdict is not yet effective, and as both the lawyer of the
defendant and the prosecutor can still appeal it, both have taken
time to consider this possibility.

“I regret the deed I perpetrated,” Ján K. said at the end of session.

“I am sorry.” The man was already twice tried for similar robberies.

The motive of the crime was allegedly not a lack of finances, the
robber told the court on January 30, trying to get a milder sentence.

He claimed he had deliberately lied to psychiatric and psychological
experts that he wanted to gain money.

The expert Denisa Mesárošová reacted by saying that the conclusions
of the expertise cannot be influenced by the statement that the
motivation was not greed, as psychiatrists did not comment on the
motive.

Last December, Ján K. pleaded guilty. He allegedly suffered no grave
mental illness, and no aggressive feature was found. They concluded
that him being at liberty would be no menace to the society, and so
no protective treatment after serving the sentence was proposed.

The robbery took place on January 14, 2014 at around 17:00; and he
was conditionally released from prison about six months earlier. The
owner of the shop suffered an arm injury due to which he bled to death.

His wife, Rozalia was shot in the hip, while her ear and head were
also injured. Rescuers tried to save her husband but to no avail. The
entire busy street in downtown Bratislava was closed down temporarily.

From: A. Papazian