Author: Andres-Papazian

CATHOLICS ASK ISRAELI LEADER TO HELP STOP CHRISTIAN SITES’ ATTACKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 27, 2012 – 21:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A top Roman Catholic official has taken the rare
step of asking Israel’s president to help put an end to attacks on
Christian holy sites, AP reported.

The custodian of holy places in the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa,
recalled in his letter sent Sunday, February 26 to President Shimon
Peres that vandals spray-painted “Death to Christians” and “We’ll
crucify you” on the Baptist Church in Jerusalem and similar hate
graffiti on a Greek Orthodox monastery in the city.

Pizzaballa wrote that “red lines that must not be crossed have
been crossed” and asked Peres’ help to eradicate “this dangerous
phenomenon.”

The anti-Christian graffiti is suspected to be the work of Jewish
extremists who have attacked various targets, including Christian and
Muslim holy sites as well as Israeli military equipment, to protest
what they believe to be anti-settler positions by the government.

Peres’ office said the president took the appeal “very seriously”
and was working on the matter personally. It said top advisers have
already been in touch with Pizzaballa, and were working with Jerusalem
City Hall and national ministries to prevent further violence against
Christian sites.

From: A. Papazian

TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO SUE MINISTER OF INTERIOR WHO PARTICIPATED IN DEMONSTRATION ORGANIZED ON OCCASION OF “MASSACRES IN KHOJALU”

17:54 . 27/02

The Istanbul branch of Turkish Human Rights Commission intends to
turn to court and bring a demonstration committee to liability. The
demonstration was organized in so-called commemoration of “massacres
in Khojalu”. The committee will also sue the Turkish minister of
interior who participated in the demonstration.

The reason is publicising nationalistic and anti-Armenian slogans in
the demonstration.

From: A. Papazian

ITALIAN RENKO COMPANY TO DEAL WITH THE CRACK AT AZATUTYUN SQUARE

19:05 . 27/02

Azatutyun Square in Yerevan is divided into two. After the snow melt,
it is clearly seen that the asphalt at the square has cracked and
been divided into two.

We were informed from Yerevan city hall that they are already aware of
the problem. But, since the mentioned section belongs to the Italian
Renko Company, its specialists must study the crack and try to find
out the reasons why the crack appeared.

In future, Renko Company itself will carry out corresponding works
to eliminate the crack.

From: A. Papazian

DC AREA ARMENIAN-AMERICANS MARK 1998-1990 AZERBAIJANI MASSACRES IN SUMGAIT, KIROVABAD

Asbarez

27 Feb 2012

This work is in the public domain
…While Azerbaijani Counter-Protesters Celebrate Ongoing Aggression
Against Armenia
Click on image for a larger version

Washington community members protest the unpunished Sumgait Pogroms.

WASHINGTON-Greater Washington area Armenian Americans braved the cold
and rain on Feb. 25 to mourn the victims of Azerbaijani aggression
and stand in solidarity with the people of the independent Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh, in their effort to secure a fair and lasting peace.

The silent protest, organized by the Greater Washington, DC Armenian
Youth Federation (AYF) “Ani” Chapter and the St. Mary’s Armenian
Church Youth Organization (ACYO), coincided with the 24th anniversary
of the Azerbaijani pogroms against the Armenian population of Sumgait,
which set the stage for attacks in Baku in 1990, outright Azerbaijani
aggression, and a cycle of anti-Armenian violence that continues
to this day. The demonstrators also called special attention to
Azerbaijan’s destruction of the 1,300 year old Armenian cemetery
in Djulfa, Nakhichevan, demolishing thousands of intricately carved
cross-stones (Khatchkars).

“We gathered at the Azerbaijani Embassy to remember those who perished
in Sumgait and Baku, but to also condemn the Aliyev regime’s ongoing
threats and attacks against Artsakh and Armenia,” said AYF Ani Chapter
Chairwoman Tevin Polatian. “Just this week, another Armenian soldier
was killed by a Azerbaijani sniper – an all too common occurrence
resulting from an international community that turns a blind eye to
Aliyev’s military build-up and attacks. We will continue to stand
strong with the Republic of Karabakh, as they continue to defend their
right to self-determination – a fundamental value the that U.S. was
founded upon.”

Following the vigil, Soorp Khatch Armenian Church pastor, Fr. Sarkis
Aktavoukian and St. Mary’s Armenian Church Pastor, Fr. Hovsep
Karapetyan led activists in a prayer in honor of the Sumgait,
Kirovabad, and Baku victims. Participants lit candles and brought
pictures of those who perished in the massacres – making a memorial
in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy.

In what has now become an expected practice at annual Armenian
Genocide and Sumgait/Baku pogroms commemorative protests, flag-wearing
Azerbaijani and Turkish protesters jovially celebrated the atrocities,
dishonoring the memory of those who perished. This year’s counter
protesters included a group of teenagers from a neighborhood home,
who apparently participated as part of an after-school “drinking game.”

To view photos, visit the AYF Ani Chapter Facebook page at:

From: A. Papazian

ARAM I: ARMENIANS’ GENOCIDE REPARATION DEMAND VALID

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 27, 2012 – 17:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia delivered concluding remarks to the international conference
on the Armenian Genocide in Lebanon.

“As experts in human rights, international law and the Armenian
Genocide, you have analyzed and affirmed, through your presentations
and discussions, that the demand of the Armenian people for reparation
is valid in the context of the provisions of the United Nations’
conventions, international treaties and international criminal law,”
His Holiness said.

“International law and its relevant international norms arising from
treaties, conventions and resolutions of UN General Assembly challenge
impunity in all forms and affirm the necessity for reparation. Hence,
the confiscation of properties is a continuous crime against humanity.

The international law provides the legal basis for the successors of
the victims of genocide to present a collective claim for the return
of properties to their rightful owners,” he said.

“Turkey may continue denying the Armenian Genocide, it may continue
spending significant political capital and issuing threats in an
attempt to block initiatives aimed at recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. But, it cannot deny the very fact that about one and a half
million Armenians, Ottoman citizens, in 1915, with the pretext of
“relocation” to avoid “intercommunal clashes” and for “strategic
reasons because of war” – reasons given by the Turkish authorities
– were forcefully driven out from their homes leaving behind them
thousands of churches, monasteries, schools, hospitals, community
and private properties and a huge spiritual, cultural, intellectual
and financial wealth,” His Holiness Aram I said.

“It is important once again to remind ourselves of a few facts
about the Armenian properties. A law signed by the Ottoman-Turkish
government on May 1915 states that “the land and properties belonging
to Armenians who have been sent elsewhere as a result of the state of
war and the extraordinary political situation… will be immediately
sealed by the special council… and will be registered and taken under
protection… . The same law also assures that “the money received as
a result of the sale will be preserved at the financial office in the
name of the previous owner”. In contrast to this law, and in order
to give a permanent solution to the complex issue of properties,
the Ottoman-Turkish government invented the theory of “abandoned”
properties and put on sale and public auction the Armenian properties
even providing payment facilities to accelerate the sale. This act
of the Ottoman-Turkish government was indeed the continuation of the
Armenian Genocide,” he went on.

“I repeat: the policy of denial does not exempt Turkey from its legal
obligation towards the Armenian properties. Irrespective of the Turkish
law of so called “abandoned” properties, the Armenians have never given
up their ownership, they remain the legal owners of these properties
according to the international law, the Lausanne agreement which was
signed by Turkey as well as according to the Turkish domestic law
Therefore, within the context of reparation for the Armenian Genocide,
at this point in time and as a first and concrete step towards a full
restoration of the legitimate rights of the Armenian people, church
and community properties must be returned to their rightful owners.

“We are seeking justice: recognition of the Armenian Genocide and
reparation. This is a challenge before us. The Armenian Catholicosate
of Cilicia is ready to respond to this challenge with strong commitment
and a profound sense of responsibility,” His Holiness concluded.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN HOSTS ACTION TO SUPPORT TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST RAGIP ZARAKOLU

news.am
February 28, 2012 | 16:54

YEREVAN.- Turkish human rights activist and publisher Ragip Zarakolu
was one of the first to apologize to Armenians for the 1915 Genocide
and continues struggle even being under custody, said friend of
Zarakolu, public figure Sargis Hatspanyan (photos).

He considers the Armenian intellectuals should unite to express
their support for Zarakolu who is in custody for already four months
within the framework of KCK (Union of Communities in Kurdistan)
case. At the moment Zarakolu and his son Deniz are in one cell and
are writing books.

“Ragip was editing the book on the Armenian Genocide based on secret
documents from German archives. The book was withdrawn during the
arrest. He planned to publish it by April 24, 2012,” Hatspanyan said.

Several Swedish MPs have applied to the Nobel Peace Committee with
the proposal to give the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to Zarakolu.

Ragip Zarakolu, who headed the Belge Publishing House, was charged
for publishing Turkish translation of George Jerjian’s “The Truth
Will Set Us Free: Armenians and Turks Reconciled” book.

From: A. Papazian

Anyone replacing Syria’s Assad will be worse for ethnic minorities – expert

NEWS.AM
February 28, 2012 | 00:21

YEREVAN. – At the moment military intervention into Syria is not the
point, and what happens now may be characterized as measures taken
by foreign players to destroy Bashar al Assad’s regime from inside,
expert Sergey Minasyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The expert considers the foreign powers are Sunni Arab states, as
well as the U.S. and Turkey, which try to cooperate with the Syrian
opposition but it is still unclear what it will lead to.

As for the Armenian community in Syria, the expert believes that
regardless of who will come to power after Assad, he will certainly
be worse for all the ethnic minorities.

Besides, if the regime changes, the Armenian community in Lebanon
will increase. Some Armenians may leave for America, France or come
to Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN’S COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL ‘NOT DIRECTED AGAINST IRAN’

News.Az
Tue 28 February 2012 11:30 GMT | 11:30 Local Time

News.Az interviews Aydin Mirzazade, an MP for the ruling New
Azerbaijan Party, member of the defence and security committee and
Azerbaijan-Israel parliamentary friendship group.

How significant is cooperation with Israel for Azerbaijan, including
in the military sphere, the development of which has recently been
reported by the world media?

Israel is one of the states in the region that supports the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan. It cooperates with Azerbaijan in a number of
areas. Therefore, Azerbaijan can benefit from the experience of Israel,
not only in arms purchases, but also in creating new production
capacity and building infrastructure. Israel is currently known
to the world as a country with new technology and, in this regard,
Azerbaijan will never hide the fact that it is cooperating with this
country. I would not say that there is a special friendship between
Azerbaijan and Israel, because Azerbaijan does not have any special
relationship with any country.

Is Azerbaijan’s cooperation with Israel directed against Iran, as
some Iranian leaders claim?

Azerbaijan’s cooperation with any state, including Israel, is
not directed against third countries. All countries can see that
Azerbaijan’s policy over the past 18 years has not been directed
against any country. Azerbaijan does not have any problem with Iran.

Besides, Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that it will not allow
other countries to use its territories against Iran.

Iran has repeatedly stated that in the event of war against it by the
West, it will strike back at neighbouring countries that are within
the sphere of interest of the United States and Israel. Could the
Azerbaijani-Israeli cooperation prompt an Iranian military attack on
the territory of Azerbaijan?

If Iranian military circles are considering this, it would be nothing
but a heavy strike against Iran’s own interests, i.e. it would have
a boomerang effect. Azerbaijan does not pose any threat to Iran.

Azerbaijan believes that the problems of the brotherly and friendly
Iran should be resolved through negotiations. In addition, its problems
with the West, above all, are the problems of Iran itself.

And it would be a big mistake for Iran to look for these problems
outside, i.e. in third countries.

Armenia also sees Azerbaijan’s cooperation with Israel as a threat.

What has prompted this allegation from the Armenian side?

With the exception of Armenia, Azerbaijan has normal relations with
all countries of the world. At the same time, these relations are
based on mutual interests.

As for Armenia, Azerbaijan today uses all means to put pressure on the
country. This pressure aims to force Armenia to withdraw its forces
from the occupied Azerbaijani lands. At the same time, Azerbaijan
does it without the assistance of third countries and relying only
on its own capacity. Therefore, any hint from Armenia over Israel
is unfounded.

Is the Armenian accusation justified that the military cooperation
between Israel and Azerbaijan serves the militarization of the latter?

It’s not Azerbaijan but Armenia that is conducting a militaristic
policy, since Armenia directs over $400m to military spending, which
is 25% of the state budget, the total size of which is $2.5bn. There
is no country in the world except Armenia that spends one-quarter of
its budget on the military.

As for Azerbaijan, which Armenia accuses of militarism, Baku spends
only 11-12% of the state budget on military purposes. This amounts
to about $3bn in total out of a state budget of $22bn.

Comparing these figures, it should be borne in mind that part of
Azerbaijani territory is occupied by Armenia. And if Azerbaijan did
not face military aggression, the country’s military budget today
would be miserly. Therefore, Azerbaijan, taking into account the
occupation of its lands, is constantly conducting preparatory work
to ensure the territorial integrity of the country.

Azerbaijan has more than once stated that it is considering both
diplomatic and military ways to liberate its lands. Azerbaijan
will start to reduce military spending once the Armenian-occupied
territories have been liberated. If Armenia is afraid of the volume
of Azerbaijan’s military expenditure, first and foremost it has to
liberate the occupied lands and renounce its territorial claims. At the
same time, Armenia should be interested in this, since today it does
not have enough resources to maintain the expeditionary force abroad.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN MAKES MASSIVE ISRAELI WEAPONS PURCHASE – BUT NOT BECAUSE OF IRAN

eurasianet.org
22:57 27-02-2012

Azerbaijan has agreed to buy $1.6 billion in weapons from Israel, a
massive deal that is likely Azerbaijan”s largest single arms purchase
ever. The deal will include drones, anti-aircraft and missile defense
systems, Israeli officials have told news agencies. The deal would
be almost equal to Azerbaijan”s stated 2012 defense budget of $1.7
billion (though will certainly be spread out over many years).

The timing of the deal is misleading: regardless of the ongoing
ratcheting up of tension between Israel and Iran, and increasing
attention to Israel”s intelligence activities in Azerbaijan,
these weapons are destined to be used not against Iran, but against
Armenia, which controls the breakaway Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno
Karabakh. Though it”s tempting to think otherwise. The AP reports:

Israeli defense officials Sunday confirmed 1.6 billion dolars in
deals to sell drones as well as anti-aircraft and missile-defense
systems to Azerbaijan, bringing sophisticated Israeli technology to
the doorstep of archenemy Iran.

The sales by state-run Israel Aerospace Industries come at a delicate
time. Israel has been laboring hard to form diplomatic alliances
in a region that seems to be growing increasingly hostile to the
Jewish state.

Its most pressing concern is Iran”s nuclear program, and Israeli
leaders have hinted broadly they would be prepared to attack Iranian
nuclear facilities if they see no other way to keep Iran from building
bombs…

As Iran”s nuclear showdown with the West deepens, the Islamic Republic
sees the Azeri frontier as a weak point, even though both countries
are mostly Shiite Muslim.

Are Azerbaijan and Israel sharing intelligence about Iran? Certainly.

Is Azerbaijan going to use Israeli weapons against Iran? No chance.

Azerbaijan has nothing to gain by attacking Iran, or even by
cooperating with an Israeli attack except in the most discreet
possible way. As much as Azerbaijan has been building up its
military, it”s nowhere close to being able to deal with the Iranian
military, and would be essentially helpless in the face of an Iranian
retaliation. Azerbaijan”s government doesn”t trust Iran, but it”s fear
isn”t of Iran”s nuclear program, but of Iran”s meddling in Azerbaijan”s
internal affairs. So it has little interest in stirring up the hornet”s
nest that would result from an attack on Iran”s nuclear facilities.

Israel is a valuable arms partner for Azerbaijan not because of
anything related to Iran. Rather, Azerbaijan has a lot of money, and
Israel has top-quality defense manufacturers. And Baku is restricted
in what it can buy from the U.S. because of opposition by pro-Armenia
members of Congress, plus the U.S.”s general desire not to inflame
the situation in Karabakh. And it”s limited in what it can buy from
Russia because of Russia”s alliance with Armenia (occasional missile
defense sales notwithstanding). Israel has no such concerns.

An excellent Wikileaked U.S. diplomatic cable lays out the strong,
but mostly quiet, alliance between Tel Aviv and Baku, including in
the defense sphere:

Through its close relations with Israel, Azerbaijan gets a level of
access to the quality weapon systems it needs to develop its army
that it can not obtain from the U.S. and Europe due to various legal
limitations, nor from its ex-Soviet suppliers, Belarus and Ukraine.

Where other Western nations are reluctant to sell ground combat
systems to the Azerbaijanis for fear of encouraging Azerbaijan to
resort to war to regain NK and the occupied territories, Israel
is free to make substantial arms sales and benefits greatly from
deals with its well-heeled client. In September 2008 ) again in a
little-publicized affair ) the GOAJ signed an extensive agreement with
the Israeli Defense Ministry providing for three Israeli companies to
provide mortars, ammunition, rocket artillery and radio equipment. The
company “Soltam” got the contract to provide mortars and ammunition,
“Tadiran Communications” will provide radio gear, and Israeli
Military Industries will provide the rockets. IMI sells a range of
rocket artillery and accessories ranging from upgrade kits for Soviet
vintage BM-21 &Grad8 122mm systems, guidance packages for 122mm-300mm
rockets and launch vehicles for up to 300mm rockets. It was not clear
what exactly the Azerbaijanis bought, as the deal was simply described
as being worth “hundreds of millions of dollars.” Azerbaijan already
operates IMI”s 122mm “Lynx” multiple-launch rocket system, which it
mounts on a KAMAZ 63502 heavy truck.

Israel and Azerbaijan also have been cooperating extensively on drones
— like the one that was shot down or crashed in Nagorno Karabakh
in September.

But this would be a big jump from previous levels of weapons sales.

And it”s Armenia, not Iran, that should be afraid.

From: A. Papazian

SAMVEL ALEXANYAN’S BRAINS AND AIR
JAMES HAKOBYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:33:18 – 28/02/2012

Samvel Alexanyan, widely referred to by his nickname Lfik, is one of
the biggest importers in Armenia. The Haykakan Zhamanak Daily writes
that he underwent surgery to correct his deviated nasal septum, and
now his brain gets more oxygen and he has more fresh ideas. Samvel
Alexanyan will run for parliament from a single-member district,
and in this regard he says he is not a businessman, and his wife runs
his business.

Something strange is happening in the Armenian oligarchy. The oligarch
is hiding behind the back of his wife. Apparently, the free flow of
air to the brain has caused change of values in Samvel Alexanyan, and
he already does not feel uneasy to hide behind the back of his wife.

In the meantime, for the Armenian oligarchy living and building their
relations on the rules and notions of the criminal world hiding behind
the back of one’s wife should be something inconvenient, shameful.

However, correcting the nasal septum does a miracle. Although Samvel
Alexanyan could not predict that the surgery would have such an impact
on his air flow and the work of his brain and worldview.

It is not ruled out that the oligarchy will decide to have his nasal
septum deviated back to prevent him from uttering things under the
influence of the values of the oligarchic environment, the worldview
of the oligarchic environment, which will defame the honor of the
oligarchic “family”.

On the other hand, most oligarchs will simply envy Alexanyan who
quickly finds a way out of inconvenient situations and unfold by way
of free flow of air such production of brain which is competitive in
the modern civil environment.

Unlike Samvel Alexanyan, another oligarch, Ruben Hairapetyan who
was asked why he now says it depends on his own decision if he used
to state that he will not run for parliament. Had Ruben Hairapetyan
had such broadband air flow as Alexanyan, Hairapetyan might invent
something interesting regarding his nomination.

In this general situation, the largest amount of air is needed by
the government which announces about its intention to clear the
parliament of businessmen and political will. In fact, by removing
the businessmen from the list the government shows them the way
to parliament through the single-member districts. In fact, the
government was unable to think of something better and chose this
simple juggling, namely the crystal clear lists and the traditional
cohort in single-member districts.

It would be worthwhile for the government to follow Alexanyan and
correct its “nasal septum” and make up more convincing scenarios for
the public regarding the intention on a crystal clear parliament.

From: A. Papazian