Author: Andres-Papazian

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
June 10 2012

The Other World

by Dogu Ergil

We Turks have two worlds; the world of our trivial follies where we
pass time talking about issues like abortion, cesarean sections, etc.
and a world that is not of our making.

We take the first very seriously and consider the other to be
conspiratorial and against us no matter what. But the realities of our
past and present follow us and press us hard to reconcile with them.

One such issue is the “Armenian problem,” which lacks a proper
definition and acknowledgement, just like the “Kurdish issue.” Last
week I had to present a paper at a meeting to review the Armenian
problem that Turkey must eventually reconcile with. Here are some
thoughts to ponder:

The Turkish political class has come to grips with the reality that
the republican era historiography is a fabrication of the founders,
who wanted to legitimize the new regime and their privileged place in
it. It severed the cultural ties of the nation from the Ottoman past
as well as obfuscated its cultural diversity with the hope of creating
a homogenous society. Both efforts denied the country’s history and
went against the plural cultural reality of the country. The process
had already started with the elimination of individuality (the
“Turkification” of the people and the elimination of those who are
not) of the Committee of Union and Progress (the Young Turks) that
ruled during the last decade of the empire.

Thus a society ignorant of its past and inimical to pluralism emerged.
As was stated in the constitution, the “union of the state with its
nation and motherland was more important” than the rights and freedoms
of citizens. Any discussion to the contrary was subject to severe
punishment and exclusion.

Turkish society learned about a past with Armenians with the Armenian
Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) violence just as it
learned about the Kurdish problem from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK) violence. However, because of the intransigence of the regime
and the political class to understand the root causes of both
problems, neither has been solved. Turkey is living under the spell of
an officially generated schizophrenia.

Coming to grips with both problems will help Turkey rehabilitate. This
can be done in two ways: by reaching out to Armenians and trying to
empathize with their pain and grief as well as reparation of material
loss.

Armenians call the debacle they have gone through the “Med Yeghern”
(Great Catastrophe). Turks could find a suitable term to match this
that would help them to understand and to empathize with the human and
material loss of the Armenians at the hands of their forefathers.
These losses are not only personal but collective: the loss of a
country, of a past, a cultural heritage, families, and women and
children converted to a different ethnicity and religion. The Armenian
collective identity since then has been shaped by this grief. Their
mourning can only end with the recognition of what they have gone
through and their present suffering if and when Turks today
acknowledge the wrongdoings of the past that has been silenced by
their forefathers. Hence, keeping the “oath of silence” deliberately
if not by official design will only poison the Turks’ mind and soul as
well as keep the wrath of the Armenians alive that poison them with
hatred of the Turks, as the late Hrant Dink said (and was convicted
for insulting “Turkishness”!).

Turks can argue that “genocide” is a legal term, but what happened is
a human tragedy and one in which they cannot be implicated today.
However, admitting that they identify with what Armenians feel and
sharing in their grief will have a cathartic effect on both nations.
With the acknowledgement of the past history shared by the two sides
until they were torn asunder by the Committee of Union and Progress
government, Turks can declare that they do not share the criminal
choice of the ethnic cleansing of Anatolia, which victimized all
Christians, but Armenians the most.

This can be both in the form of an apology and an invitation for the
restoration of their cultural heritage in Anatolia, finding the trace
of their adopted children and converted women and restitution or
compensation for their confiscated property.
Greatness is not a hope, it is in the deed. It starts with
understanding the “other” and being righteous.

From: A. Papazian

ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 9, 2012 Saturday 05:15 AM GMT+4

Criminal gang consisting of Georgian, Armenian citizens detained in France

TBILISI June 9

French police have detained more than twenty members of an organized
criminal grouping that consisted of the citizens of Georgia and
Armenia, Georgian mass media said Friday night.

The detentions took place in Paris and Lyons and the operation was
assisted by Interpol and Europol.

The criminal grouping has more than 300 robberies in different cities
of France on its track record.

The law enforcement agencies have already confiscated a part of the
gang’s loot, mostly consisting of jewelry and watches, and now they
are trying to establish the owners.

From: A. Papazian

Vietnamese news agency VNA, Vietnam
June 10 2012

Vietnam, Armenia to promote trade ties

Hanoi, 9 June – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan left Hanoi on 9
June, concluding his one-day official visit to Vietnam.
During his visit, President Sargsyan held talks with President Truong
Tan Sang, and had meetings with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu
Trong, National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung and Prime Minister Nguyen
Tan Dung.

The two countries’ leaders stressed the time-honoured traditional
friendship between Vietnam and Armenia, describing it as a firm
foundation both sides need to maintain, foster and develop.

They agreed on orientations and measures to promote bilateral
cooperation, especially in economics, trade and investment.
In the spirit of mutual trust and understanding, both sides adopted
the joint statement on the official Vietnam visit by the Armenian
President and signed a number of agreements on economic-trade and
science-technology cooperation, and visa exemption for diplomatic and
official passport holders.

At his meeting with General Secretary Trong, President Sargsyan said
Armenia considered Vietnam a close and reliable partner in Southeast
Asia. He pledged to promote multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam,
especially in the fields of economics, trade, education and training.

General Secretary Trong affirmed that Vietnam always attaches
importance to relations with traditional friendly countries such as
Armenia.

He expressed his pleasure over the development of political relations
between the two countries in recent years and desired to develop good
relations and bilateral cooperation in the near future for the mutual
benefit of the two countries.

While in Vietnam, President Sargsyan met with those who graduated from
universities in Armenia, and laid flower at the Fall Combatants’
Monument and President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

From: A. Papazian

Knesset to mark Armenian genocide, day before release of Gaza flotilla
report Recognition of Armenian genocide perpetrated by Turkey comes
alongside Turkish lawsuit against senior Israeli officials involved in IDF
raid on the Gaza-bound ship, the Mavi Marmara.

By Jonathan Lis
Jun.10,2012 | 3:23 PM | 1
[image: Protesters in Istanbul – AP – June 2012]

Protesters commemorating the second anniversary of the Mavi Marmara
incident in Istanbul. Photo by AP

On the eve of the publication of the State Comptroller’s report regarding
the 2009 raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip, the Knesset is
expected to hold a public discussion about the genocide of the Armenian
people, at the request of MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz).

Knesset chairperson Reuven Rivlin decided to permit the debate for Tuesday.
The decision follows the Turkish decision to try senior Israeli officials
in court for their involvement in the IDF raid on the Gaza-bound ship the
Mavi Marmara – the debate will be held just one day before the publication
of the State Comptroller’s report on the affair on Wednesday.

The Knesset will mark the anniversary of the genocide with its first
discussion of the matter on Tuesday, and a second public discussion will be
planned, to be held by one of the Knesset committees.

Throughout the years, the government and the Knesset have refrained from
discussing the subject in fear of harming relations between Israel and
Turkey.

Over the last three years, determination has developed to discuss the
murder of roughly one and a half
millionArmenians
by Turkey 97 years ago, mostly because of the deteriorating
relations between Israel and Turkey.

This is not the first time the Knesset has mentioned the subject. Last
December, the Knesset Education Committee held an open discussion of the
matter, the first of its kind. A representative of the Foreign Ministry
relayed the ministry’s position. “This subject, given the current
atmosphere, could deteriorate our ties with Turkey. Our relationship with
Turkey is very fragile and sensitive right now, and we cannot cross the
line – we must approach the subject intelligently. Such a decision could
have very serious strategic consequences,” said the representative.

Rivlin also commented during the discussion in December. “The subject
doesn’t come up in the Knesset because of events that take place between
Israel and Turkey, nor because we are trying to take advantage of the
political situation to get even. I first entered the Knesset in ’88, and a
year later we made a suggestion for a day concerning the Armenian tragedy.
We were prevented from speaking about it as a ‘holocaust,’ though we most
definitely felt that as humans, as Jews, as citizens of Israel that aren’t
Jews, we must bring this subject up, and flood the public with the
questions that arise, because we are obligated to prevent denial of the
tragedy,’ said Rivlin.

`We are standing in front of all the peoples of the world, and saying that
denial of a holocaust is something that Humanity cannot agree with. We
didn’t come to discuss something political, rather moral,’ continued
Rivlin.

MK and Meretz chairperson Zahava Gal-On, who initiated the discussion set
to take place, said then, “this is an exciting moment, in my opinion, that
the Education Committee is holding an open discussion, with a great
dealof
participation. For years, Israel always considered relations with
Turkey. That is the central issue in terms of recognition of the murder of
the Armenian people, which has yet to take place in Israel’s Knesset.’

`Unfortunately, relations with Turkey are very tense, and I think that it
is in our interest not to make them worse. Israel’s government must advance
relations regardless of the Armenian issue; it is a historic and moral
obligation,’ said Gal-On.

Kadima MK Otniel Schneller, also among the upcoming discussion’s sponsors,
was the only one who expressed outright opposition to an official
recognition by Israel of the Armenian genocide in December. “We cannot
disconnect the discussion from the fact that we must rehabilitate our ties
with Turkey – it’s an existential necessity,” he said. “We need to fit in
the Middle East even if it is difficult,’ said Schneller, in December.

From: A. Papazian

Bone marrow lab in Yerevan gets European certification

Published: Sunday June 10, 2012

ABMDR Yerevan lab staff with international inspectors.

Yerevan – The international scientific community once again gave high
marks to the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), following
the recent triennial inspection of its HLA Typing Laboratory in
Yerevan.

The extensive onsite inspection, which took place on April 23, was the
third to be carried out since 2006, and resulted in the renewal of the
ABMDR lab’s accreditation by the European Federation of Immunogenetics
(EFI). An international agency that regulates bone marrow registries
across the world, the EFI sets and maintains standards and protocols,
provides various forums for scientific exchange, supports research and
training, and develops relations with organizations in the field. The
ABMDR HLA Typing Lab is the first facility of its kind and the only
EFI-accredited lab in the entire Caucasus region.

The inspection of the lab on April 23 was conducted by EFI inspectors
Dr. Ingrid Faé of Austria and Dr. Elisaveta Naumova of Bulgaria.
Within the framework of the accreditation process, the inspectors
examined the lab’s equipment and operational standards, evaluated the
skills level of the staff, and reviewed the integrity of
tissue-typing, storage, and other specialized procedures. The
inspectors also met with high-ranking ABMDR executives including Dr.
Frieda Jordan, president; Dr. Sevak Avagyan, executive director; and
Dr. Mihran Nazaretyan, medical director.

Doctors Faé and Naumova concluded their inspection with high praise
for the ABMDR lab’s scientific and technical excellence, thereby
approving the renewal of the facility’s EFI accreditation.

Dr. Frieda Jordan, who had traveled to Armenia to be on hand for the
inspection of the lab, expressed great delight at ABMDR’s latest
milestone. “Whenever the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry is given
kudos by the international scientific community, and the EFI in
particular, our work becomes all the more worthwhile,” she said. “I
thank the EFI inspectors for their conscientious effort to maintain
the highest possible standards in the field of immunogenetics. I also
convey my heartfelt gratitude to our outstanding staff, as well as
volunteers and supporters worldwide, for making ABMDR’s life-saving
mission possible.”

ABMDR president to receive Holy Etchmiadzin award
Dr. Jordan will be honored with the St. Nerses the Graceful (St.
Nerses Shnorhali) Medal, which was bestowed on her by His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

The medal, accompanied by a Pontifical Encyclical, will be presented
to Dr. Jordan by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western
Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, on Sunday, July 8, upon the
conclusion of the Divine Liturgy at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, in
Burbank, California.

The St. Nerses the Graceful Medal is being conferred on Dr. Jordan in
recognition of her outstanding service to the Armenian nation since
1999. That year, Dr. Jordan co-founded the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor
Registry (ABMDR), in order to help Armenians worldwide survive
life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting potential bone
marrow donors, matching donors to those who require bone marrow
transplants, and raising public awareness of critical health issues.

Archbishop Derderian, who had recommended to the Catholicosate to
confer the St. Nerses the Graceful Medal on Dr. Jordan, said, “Dr.
Jordan, along with ABMDR’s corps of selfless volunteers, has helped
mobilize Armenian communities throughout the globe to advance the
life-saving mission of the registry. Moreover, thanks to Dr. Jordan’s
persistent efforts, the registry was able to establish a
first-of-its-kind Stem Cell Harvesting Center in Yerevan, and last
year Armenia became the first country in the Caucasus Region to host
an international meeting of the European Federation of Immunogenetics.
Given these accomplishments and the fact that she tirelessly helps
expand the ranks of ABMDR, Dr. Jordan personifies the highest ideals
of humanitarian service.”

After the Western Diocese announced that Dr. Jordan was to receive the
St. Nerses the Graceful Medal, she stated, “This is an extraordinary
honor, and one that I will cherish with the entire ABMDR family of
volunteers and supporters.”

Dr. Jordan continued: “I convey my profound gratitude to His Holiness
Karekin II as well as Archbishop Derderian, whose exceptional support
of the registry is an ongoing source of inspiration for our entire
community. By informing congregations about the ABMDR mission,
highlighting our work during special Days of Prayer, encouraging us to
make presentations before the public, and facilitating our recruitment
efforts at Diocese churches, Archbishop Derderian continues to be a
genuine pillar of our cause.”

The Divine Liturgy on July 8, starting at 10:30 AM, will be celebrated
by Rev. Father Khajag Shahbazyan, Pastor of St. Leon Cathedral. The
church is located at 3325 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank.

About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999,
ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians worldwide survive
life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching
donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. To date,
the registry has recruited over 21,554 donors in 14 countries across
three continents, identified 2,135 patients, and facilitated 13 bone
marrow transplants.

From: A. Papazian

Growth of dollarization weakens Armenian dram

news.am
June 10, 2012 | 10:01

YEREVAN. – Due to the weakening of the Armenian dram, dollarization
growth is observed in the Armenian financial market.

Banks have raised interest rates on deposits and loans to AMD while
USD loan rates have not changed. Enterprisers prefer to do
transactions with the US dollar as it has got a more reliable
`reputation’. All Armenian citizens who have taken loans with the
dollar and are paying them off currently incur significant losses.

To note, the growth of demand for loans in US dollars, too, in its
turn, contributes to the weakening of the dram, as the business
creates additional demand for currency. One of the negative
consequences of the unpredictable weakening of the dram is the growth
of dollarization – reducing confidence in the dram as a long-term
tool.

From: A. Papazian

CONCERT D’ADIEU D’IRINA ALEGROVA A EREVAN LE 21 NOVEMBRE
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 9 juin 2012

La chanteuse russe d’origine armenienne Irina Alegrova quitte la
scène. Pour ses adieux, elle donnera un dernier concert a Erevan le 21
novembre au complexe Garen Demirdjian de la capitale armenienne. Les
billets qui sont deja en vente vont de 5 000 drams (environ 10 euros)
jusqu’a 100 000 drams (200 euros). Le 20 janvier dernier alors
qu’Irina Alegrova fetai ses 60 ans elle avait annonce son retrait
prochain des scènes. ” J’ai de nombreux projets a realiser ” dit-elle.

En attendant elle donnera des concerts d’adieu dans les pays de la CEI,
en Europe et aux Etats-Unis. Nee en 1952 a Rostov sur le Don, le père
d’Irina Alegrova, Alexandre Alegrova etait un ” artiste populaire “,
metteur en scène au theâtre et acteur. En 2010 Irina Alegrova recevait
egalement en Russie, le tire d'” artiste populaire “.

From: A. Papazian

BAKOU ACCUSE LES COMBATTANTS KURDES POUR LE SABOTAGE DU GAZODUC BAKOU-DJEYHAN
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 9 juin 2012

Après l’explosion du gazoduc Bakou-Djeyhan près de Sarikamich dans
la region de Kars le 29 mai, l’Azerbaïdjan accuse les combattants
Kurdes d’etre a l’origine de ce sabotage. Mais de son côte, la
societe turque Botas qui exploite ce gazoduc affirme que les raisons
de cette explosion demeurent inconnues. Suite a la forte explosion qui
a endommage plusieurs dizaines de mètres du gazoduc un incendie etait
en cours avec des flammes hautes de 300 mètres qui etaient visibles
des environs d’Erzeroum et Kars. Ce n’est qu’après la fermeture des
vannes a hauteur d’Erzeroum que le feu fut maitrise. Mais les degâts
restent importants.

From: A. Papazian

LA CORRUPTION GENERALISEE DANS LES ECOLES DE SOUMGAIT EN AZERBAIDJAN
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 9 juin 2012

L’Azerbaïdjan de la dynastie dictatorial des Aliev est, on le
sait, l’un des pays les plus corrompus de la planète. Selon le
site d’information tia.az, cette corruption atteint largement le
monde de l’enseignement. Ainsi au Collège technique de Soumgaït
(ville de sinistre reputation pour ses pogroms anti-armeniens de
fevrier 1988 et classee recemment par un magazine international de
” ville la plus laide de monde “) pour chaque examen, l’elève doit
verser aux responsables de l’etablissement scolaire un bakchich d’un
minimum de 50 manats (environ 48 euros). Selon tia.az, il y a peu,
ces pourboires etaient de 30 manats, mais les responsables du collège
ont decide de les fixer a 50 manats.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN : QUELLES VALEURS ?
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
samedi 9 juin 2012

Dans son numero du 31 mai, sous la signature de Frederic Pons qui
anime habituellement la rubrique “Decryptage” du magazine Valeurs
actuelles, ce dernier se fait le porte-parole d’un regime corrompu,
sans aucun etat-d’âme pour ses confrères embastilles et les atteintes
incessantes au droit de l’homme.

Lire l’article ci-dessous

(cliquer sur le document pour agrandir)

Reagissant a ce qui peut etre aisement interprete comme une
complaisance denuee d’objectivite a l’egard de ce regime, Armand
Mekitarian a tenu a rappeler a la direction du magazine certaines
verites patentes non abordees dans l’article en question.

le 7 juin 2012 –

a Monsieur Francois d’ORCIVAL

President du Comite Editorial

VALEURS ACTUELLES – 1, rue Lulli, 75002 Paris

Monsieur le President,

Dans l’article ” Azerbaidjan : l’allie oriental ” (no 3940 du 31
mai), je ne comprends pas qu’un journaliste de la qualite de Frederic
Pons ait pu publier certains passages relatifs a l’Armenie sans se
referer en profondeur en ce qui concerne le conflit de l’Azerbaidjan
turc avec les Armeniens. Très certainement abuse par ses hôtes qui
ont profite du climat festif de l’Eurovision, Frederic Pons traduit
tout simplement la rhetorique habituelle de desinformation du pouvoir
en place où suivant une procedure bien huilee utilisee auprès de la
presse occidentale, l’agresseur devient la victime.

Bakou entretient une guerre larvee avec l’Armenie et le Haut-Karabagh
qui s’est libere de sa tutelle (rattache arbitrairement avec le
Nakhitchevan a l’Azerbaidjan par les Bolcheviques dans leur politique
pro musulmane des annees 20, deux regions historiquement armeniennes
depuis la plus Haute-Antiquite). Resultat en 90 ans d’administration
azerie, plus aucun Armenien au Nakhitchevan, taille en plein c~ur de
l’Armenie, maintenant islamise et turquifie. A la chute de l’URSS,
ne voulant pas subir l’exemple du Nakhitchevan, les Armeniens du
Haut-Karabagh ont chèrement acquis leur independance pour sauver leur
peau a un contre quinze, mais trop tard pour le Karabagh des Plaines
sous contrôle azeri qui a connu aussi le triste sort du Nakhitchevan.

A la meme periode, 400 000 Armeniens, victimes de pogroms partout en
Azerbaidjan quittaient ce pays avec quelques maigres valises (Nuits de
Cristal de Bakou, en janvier 1990, où pendant sept jours, excitee par
le pouvoir, la populace avide de meurtres, de pillages et de viols,
investissait les habitations armeniennes et aussi russes, sans que
Gorbatchev ordonne a l’Armee Rouge de sauver les Chretiens). Des
dizaines d’eglises transformees en mosquees ou en depôts, granges…

On reste meduse lorsque Frederic Pons affirme en fin d’article que
” ce pays musulman est reste l’un des plus tolerants de la planète “.

Enfin, pour effacer toute trace d’un peuplement armenien trois fois
millenaire, les Azeris ont recemment brise et jete dans le fleuve Araxe
les 10 000 pierres tombales et les fameuses croix de pierre ciselees,
un patrimoine de l’humanite datant du Haut-Moyen Age du cimetière
medieval de Djoulfa. Pas un mot de protestation de l’UNESCO… que
finance l’Azerbaidjan. Petrole quand tu nous tiens.

C’est a l’honneur de Valeurs Actuelles de retablir la verite auprès de
ses lecteurs en sachant que ” les 20% du territoire azeri occupes par
l’Armenie ” ne sont en realite que d’anciennes provinces armeniennes,
retournees a leurs legitimes proprietaires. Faut-il condamner la
France par l’Allemagne et le Conseil de Securite de l’ONU d’avoir
libere l’Alsace et la Lorraine ? Faut-il les rendre a l’Allemagne du
fait qu’elle les avait annexees contre l’avis de leurs populations
durant une cinquantaine d’annees ?

Vous remerciant de votre attention pour le Courrier des Lecteurs,
je vous prie d’agreer Monsieur le President, l’expression de ma
haute consideration.

From: A. Papazian