Author: Antonian Lara

IS TIGRAN ARZAKANTSYAN WOUNDED?

A1+
[01:35 pm] 26 September, 2007

more images A 41-year-old Armenian was taken to the Sklifasovski
Medical Center, Moscow, in the result of yesterday’s skirmish at the
"Metropol" casino at 4:00 a.m.

According to witnesses, three Caucasian visitors of the casino
fell to loggerheads and one of the them twice shot at the other,
Interfax reports.

The wounded man’s condition is grave. According to our verified
sources, he is RA NA deputy Tigran Arzakantsyan, a Republican Party
(HHK) member and the owner of "Great Valley" Company. The shooter
fled from the sight.

The Company representatives and the HHK press service were ignorant of
the shooting. Let us remind that in the spring of 2006 the MP became
the participant of another accident in one of Moscow casinos. He was
severely beaten and robbed.

POOR SPEECH, REGULAR ACCUSATIONS
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkharh, Armenia
Sept 25 2007

In response to our questions, MP RAZMIK ZOHRABYAN, the RPA
Vice-Chair touches upon Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s "conceptual speech"
made on September 21

"First, it was a belated speech. If, after being a President, a person
been silent for 10 years and is now trying to return to politics and,
what’s more, advance his candidacy and participate in the presidential
elections, he should have started demonstrating his activeness a
few years ago, As much as his speech is particularly concerned,
it wasn’t the speech of a self-confident politician; it was a range
of blasphemies addressed to the authorities. After all, the country
has developed for 10 years, whereas you have merely looked upon the
things as an observer. And what’s more, without saying anything new;
just reiterating what the Opposition has been speaking about for 7
years, i.e. that we are corrupted, we are criminals, we do not solve
social problems etc.

I would say even more; it wasn’t the speech of an activist submitting
a claim for presidency; I haven’t made up my mind, I am weighing and
measuring the things… But what has he been doing for 10 years. In my
opinion, it is rather the ‘team’ that wants to present itself to the
public. I have been engaged in party-political activity since 1990,
and I know well what it is to stay on the political arena and not
to sink. It is an every-day active work inside political, party and
local structures."

"A thick layer of society used to demand that authorities make
a political and legal assessment on the regime of the Armenian
pan-National Movement. That wasn’t done, and now the same Ter-Petrosyan
acts from the positions of an accuser."

"I have to agree with you. When the Government changed after
Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s resignation, R. Kocharyan was elected a President
and a new Government was formed, we refrained from assessing the
former Government. On the contrary, we were also trying to specify the
positive steps made, because we found the first years of independence
a very hard time-period in the country’s life, and whoever were in
Government would face difficulties.

On the other hand, we didn’t want to pursue the way of polarizing
and separating society and dividing it into ‘old and new’ activists.

We tried to pass that stage as swiftly as possible, and a number of
political factions in society protested for some time, expressing
dissatisfaction that no assessment was being made on the ‘cold and
dark’ days of the ’90s, on the burgled industrial enterprises and
the people’s savings reduced to naught in the banks.

But today, the first President comes and begins to give us a ‘political
assessment’. If we try to give assessment to the ‘former’ authorities,
I assure you that they will be no good."

"There was a logical statement of question made with regard to
Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s return: apart from ceding Karabakh, what are
the purposes of his return? It turned out that he is returning with
the slogan of ‘disorganizing and dismantling’ the system. How do you
estimate the ex-President’s potentials in this sphere, considering
the attempt of the Armenian pan-National movement to "dismantle"
the economy inherited from Soviet Armenia?"

"It should be mentioned that his statement was quite to the point,
because the system that existed during the years when they were in
power was totally disorganized and dismantled. I don’t want to sing
the praises of the Soviet economy, but it was a basis allowing for
a slow, however, goal-oriented transition from socialism to liberal
economy. Not immediately, as their Prime Minister used to say, with
the help of the shock therapy and wild liberalism policy, as a result
of which the economy collapsed, the factories were burgled and the
production halted.

The thing is that there was a real economic development in Armenia
beginning 1998 and, especially, after 2000. And this is not our
assessment; after all, there is an international community, there is
a World Bank and an International Currency Fund which are ex officio
called to give evaluation to all this, and they do evaluate the
developments that have taken place in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and
the other post-Soviet countries. And Armenia does not absolutely rank
as the last country. Moreover, as a country not having oil and gas,
it ranks on the top positions."

"Can the speech made in ‘Armenia-Marriott’ hotel be considered a
promising start for a political faction intending to return to active
politics and to recover its losses?"

"The start is really far from being impressive. Moreover, it wasn’t
serious. Being generous, we are not going to remind about the events
of the past, with propagandist considerations. If the matter goes so
far that they begin to accuse, criticize and abuse our candidate, we
will have to remind them of what happened under their rule. Especially,
considering that the people have not yet forgotten it."

ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS ARE NOT DEFINED AT YEREVAN-ANKARA EDGE BUT ANKARA-BRUSSELS, LOCAL

ArmInfo, Armenia
Sept 25 2007

ArmInfo. The prospects of the Armenian-Turkish relations development
are not defined at Yerevan-Ankara edge but Ankara-Brussels, director of
Mass Media Caucasus Institute, political expert Aleksandr Iskandaryan
told ArmInfo correspondent.

He also added that today Turkey wishes to join the European Union,
for this reason not titanic but tectonics reforms have been made in
this country over the last years, which reformed it much from the
times of Ataturk. The last presidential election in Turkey are also
evidence of this. ‘I cannot say for 100, 50 or even 30% but at least
for 20% that these reforms will lead Ankara to warming of relations
with Armenia’, – the political expert said. He did not rule out that
the reforms may be stopped immediately and the country may sharply
turn to another way. ‘Such things often happened in the history of
Turkey’, – Iskandaryan concluded.

ARMENIAN PREMIER SAYS HE WILL PROBABLY RUN FOR PRESIDENT

Mediamax, Armenia
Sept 25 2007

Yerevan, 25 September: Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said
in Moscow today that he will most likely run for president in 2008.

Speaking at a new conference in the Russian capital today, Sargsyan
said that the final decision will be made at a congress of the
Republican Party of Armenia on 10 November, Mediamax reports.

Azeri Press Agency

Akif Nagi: Political parties avoid of calling Akif
Nagi, lest they can be blacklisted

[ 22 Sep 2007 13:08 ]

The police do not allow chairman of Karabakh
Liberation Organization Akif Nagi leaving his house
for six days.

Akif Nagi told APA that though there is no court
decision about it, the police keep him and the
organization activists under observation. Akif Nagi
said there are men in civil uniforms in front of his
house and sent a message to the political parties in
opposition.
`Maybe political parties avoid of calling Akif Nagi,
lest they can be blacklisted. Political parties and
public organizations can not ground their waiting
position,’ he said.
Karabakh Liberation Organization had planned to hold
rallies protesting to the participation of Armenian
sportsmen in the world wrestling championship in Baku.
Akif Nagi and members of the organization were several
times taken to the police office and released a few
hours later. Akif Nagi was detained in front of his
house on September 17, taken to Khatai district police
office and held there for a day.
His house has been under police observation since
September 18. /APA/

PanARMENIAN.Net

European Parliament pleased with reform process in Armenia
22.09.2007 15:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia has an important place among the EU’s
priorities, Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European
Commission to Armenia, Mr. Raul de Luzenberger told a news conference
in Yerevan September 22.

Both sides are rapidly moving towards each other after ratification of
the Armenia-EU Action Plan within the ENP, according to him.

`Presently, the EP is pleased with the reform process in
Armenia. Moreover, it’s planning to establish a free trade zone and
seal economic relations with Yerevan as trade relations,’ he said.

When commenting on the policy of neighbor countries which are
implementing economic projects bypassing Armenia, Mr de Luzenberger
said `the EU cannot impose cooperation.’ `The European Union can only
render assistance to the states which decided to cooperate,’ he said.

For his part, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Bayburtian
underlined that the Armenia-EU relations have entered a new
stage. `The day when the EU member countries will sign an agreement on
simplification of visa regime with Armenia is not far off,’ he noted.

`Armenia should first of all manage its migration flows,’ de
Luzenberger’s remark followed.

As to reforms in human rights protection and democracy, both officials
gave a high estimation to the May 12 parliamentary elections.

Mr. Raul de Luzenberger wished all inaccuracies and omissions could be
corrected during the 2008 presidential elections, IA Regnum reports.

Selectmen back Human Rights Committee’s letter to the Anti-Defamation League

By Steven Ryan
GateHouse News Service
Thu Sep 20, 2007, 12:00 AM EDT

Needham –

The Needham Human Rights Committee’s letter to the Anti-Defamation
League criticizing the national organization’s controversial stance on
the Armenian Genocide spoke volumes, according to members of the Board
of Selectmen.

"I think it was an exceptional letter," said Selectman John Bulian.

Selectman Jack Cogswell felt the Human Rights Committee’s letter to
the ADL was a strong course of action, expressing the town’s feeling
that the ADL must back Congressional legislation recognizing the mass
deportation and murder of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire
during the World War I era, as genocide.

"In our opinion, the longer the national board waits, the more
credibility the organization loses, and the more difficult it is for
us as a committee for human rights to carry on our work with the ADL,"
wrote Human Rights Committee Chairwoman Debbie Watters.

Needham’s main involvement with No Place for Hate revolves around
student-led activities at the high school during the month of March.

"I support precisely what it was [Watters] said in the letter," Cogswell said.

The Board of Selectmen, which has the final say on Needham’s
involvement with the ADL-co-sponsored No Place for Hate program, has
no plans to overstep the Human Rights Committee in their handling of
the controversy, according to board members.

The Massachusetts Municipal Association, the other co-sponsor of No
Place for Hate, designated Needham a No Place for Hate town in 2000
through the Board of Selectmen. Selectmen could end that designation
with or without input from the Human Rights Committee. Members of the
board said they would not consider taking such unilateral action.

"We’re not going to," Cogswell said. "We’re waiting for a
recommendation from the Human Rights Committee."

The ADL first came under fire in Watertown, where the Town Council
ended its involvement with No Place for Hate, citing the ADL’s alleged
denial of the Armenian Genocide. The Turkish government rejects the
characterization of events as genocide.

Over the past couple of months, the ADL fired Regional Director Andrew
Tarsy after he publicly acknowledged the Armenian Genocide. He was
rehired on Monday, Aug. 27. In between the firing and rehiring, the
ADL’s national director, Abraham Foxman, issued a statement claiming
the tragic events of more than 90 years ago were "tantamount to
genocide," a statement many in the Armenian-American community feel
falls short. The ADL does not support the Congressional legislation.

"What does ‘tantamount to genocide’ mean?" said Charles Sahagian, of
Hunting Road, at a meeting of the Human Rights Committee earlier this
month. "Isn’t it genocide?"

Bulian said the Human Rights Committee is "taking the right course,"
reiterating his personal view that "there absolutely was a genocide."

"I support the Congressional resolution," Bulian said.

Selectman Jerry Wasserman, who is on the board of the MMA, believes
the Human Rights Committee’s approach could be more effective than
just taking immediate action and severing ties with the organization.
The national ADL will hold its annual meeting in November, at which it
plans to discuss the organization’s position on the Armenian Genocide
and on the legislation.

"The advantage of not pulling out before then is it puts more pressure
on them to change their position," Wasserman said. "Needham, combined
with the MMA and other communities [taking this course of action] will
have that influence."

The MMA issued a proclamation last week supporting the Congressional
legislation on the Armenian Genocide, calling it "an essential act to
heal and bring parties together." But the MMA didn’t sever ties with
the ADL, saying it would "subsequently re-evaluate its official
sponsorship of the No Place for Hate program after the national ADL
determines whether to adopt the position taken by the Executive
Committee of the New England Region."

Selectman Dan Matthews joined his fellow selectmen in throwing his
support behind the Human Rights Committee, feeling the committee is
"taking a sound approach" with its letter.

"The town’s approach is patient but persistent," Matthews said. "The
issue is new to us in town government. [The ADL] is a national
organization, a good organization. It’s a good organization that made
a bad decision."

Steven Ryan can be reached at [email protected].

——————–

Massachusett s Municipal Association

Whereas the Massachusetts Municipal Association believes that in order
to build and nurture strong and vibrant communities throughout the
commonwealth and our nation, it is essential that all people strive to
promote and protect basic human rights, understanding and
reconciliation; and

Whereas this applies to both historical and present-day events, as
each affects and guides the future:

Therefore the Massachusetts Municipal Association hereby resolves the following:

· The tragic events and horrible crimes against humanity initiated
against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 must be
recognized by all as genocide;

· The MMA applauds and supports the position of the New England
Regional Director and New England Regional Executive Committee of the
ADL for their leadership in calling for the unequivocal recognition of
the Armenian Genocide and support for the Congressional Resolution
before the U.S. House and Senate;

· The MMA partnered with the New England Region of the ADL as a
founding sponsor of the NPFH Program because of the region’s
demonstrated expertise and commitment as a human rights organization
that provides high-quality community-based programs that unite people;

· The MMA applauds the success of the No Place For Hate Program in 60
communities in Massachusetts and expresses its desire that the program
and its good work promoting tolerance, understanding and
reconciliation, fighting hatred, racism, ethnic and religious
discrimination, and engaging in both community-building and pro-active
efforts to protect all members of the community, will be able to
continue and flourish;

· The MMA recognizes and appreciates the national ADL’s recognition of
the Armenian Genocide and the reinstatement of the New England
Regional Director, a respected, dedicated, compassionate and skilled
leader and partner in community-based work, yet sees these as steps in
addressing the issues that have been raised during the past month, not
final actions;

· The MMA respectfully calls on the national ADL to support the
Congressional Resolution as the essential act to heal and bring all
parties together; and

· The MMA will continue to review and monitor this matter, guided by
the wishes and policies of our members and the participating
communities, recognizing that while progress has been made, the MMA
will subsequently re-evaluate its official sponsorship of the No Place
for Hate program after the national ADL determines whether to adopt
the position taken by the Executive Committee of the New England
Region.

Source:

BOMB KILLS DEPUTY AND THREATENS TO TOPPLE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT
By Robert Fisk in Beirut

Independent, UK
20 September 2007 14:59

Antoine Ghanem was an easy target. Few bodyguards, no one would think
that a member of parliament who represented the Armenians of Lebanon
was a target. The little street in which he lived – tall tower blocks,
boutiques, flower shops, was not a place where you would try to kill
an enemy of Syria – if he was an enemy of Syria – but Antoine was
blasted to pieces in his car as he left his home yesterday evening.

And that means there is one left in the government to make up the
numbers. In other words, it only takes one more murder for the
democratically elected government of Lebanon to fall.

Only a few weeks ago, Walid Jumblatt called me after Ghanem’s
predecessor was murdered. "Two more to go, Robert," Walid said. And
so, tonight, it is one.

To describe the tangled wreckage of the car bomb, the vile, obscene,
traces of Mr Ghanem and his bodyguards, has become a kind of routine
horror in Lebanon.

Those of his cortege who did not die took me last night to the
revolting remains of his death.

Lebanon is not a democracy in our Western sense of the word. Nor,
for that matter, is Israel. "Democracy", as we like to call it in
the West, does not sit easily in this part of the world.

But Lebanese politicians – for the most part but not always, men, are
brave folk – who know the cost of standing up for their country against
its more powerful neighbours, be those neighbours Israel or Syria.

There will be few in this country last night – and today – and tomorrow
– who will not see Ghanem’s murder as another attempt by the Syrians
to destroy any form of freedom in this little country. There will be
equally little proof that shows Syria to blame.

The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy – not to mention Gordon Brown –
will not "tut-tut" this outrageous killing, but it is only a few days
before the Lebanese must vote for their next president, and now they
will have one less member of parliament to vote for that president.

And that is what yesterday’s massive car bomb was about. Mr Ghanem,
who was a 60-year-old member of the right-wing Christian Phalange
Party – founded in Lebanon when its leader, Pierre Gemayel, was
inspired by the Nazi Olympics of 1936 – was the eighth anti-Syrian
politician murdered since 2005. His assassination occurred only six
days before parliament in Beirut was to elect a new president.

At least 22 people were wounded in the explosion of the bomb which
killed him in the capital’s Sinal-Fil district. It appeared that the
car bomb was detonated by remote control.

Ghanem’s car was blown at least 150ft away by the explosion. One of
the pro-government ministers Ahmed Fatfat, later said that it was
"clear that lawmakers from the majority party are being liquidated".

It was, he said, "The only regime that does not want presidential
elections in Lebanon to be held. The only response to the crime
should be for parliament to convene on 25 September and to elect
the president.

"Every member who does not take part would be a direct or indirect
participant in the crime."

Lebanese parliamentarians, who now take part in a bidding for next
month’s parliamentary elections, were outdone yesterday by the former
president Amin Gemayel, whose son was assassinated last year. "It’s no
more a question of presidential elections," he said. "It’s a question
of the survival of this country and democracy in the country that’s
at stake for the time being. This criminal act aims at undermining
efforts paid by Syria and others to achieve Lebanese national accord."

BONACIC FOCUSSED ON DOWNING FRONTALE
Written by AFC

Persian Football, CA
Tuesday, 18 September 2007

AFC – ESFAHAN, Sepahan coach Luka Bonacic has said that victory in
Wednesday’s AFC Asian Champions League quarter-final first leg tie
against Kawasaki Frontale is his team’s main objective of their
embryonic season.

Both sides are making their debuts in the knock-out stage of the
competition but Sepahan go into the match at Foolad Shahr Stadium as
the form team.

While the Japanese side have only one win in their last six J.League
matches, ‘The Yellows’ of Esfahan have enjoyed an unbeaten start to
their Iran Pro League season, winning four out of five matches to lie
second in the table on goal difference behind Tehran giants Persepolis.

But Bonacic says that the five domestic league matches have all been
about preparation for Wednesday’s AFC Champions League clash.

"My main objective so far this season has been to beat Kawasaki and
for this reason in all the matches I’ve tried out different styles,"
said the Croat.

"In (our last match against) Fajr Sepasi I spoke with the players
and gave them tasks which they will have to perform against Kawasaki.

"I think they’ve carried out their responsibilities very well and if
everything goes to plan, we will beat Kawasaki."

Despite a flying start to the season and a formidable home record
which saw them winning 12 out of 15 league matches at Foolad Shahr
last season, Sepahan still go into the match with question marks
hanging over their squad.

Three influential players – Armenian goalkeeper and cult hero Armenak
Petrosyan, midfielder Mohammed Nori and forward Hamid Shafiei –
left the club during the off-season while right-back Saeid Bayat is
serving the second of a two-match suspension after being sent off in
their penultimate group stage game against Al Ittihad of Syria.

But perhaps the biggest worry for Bonacic is that their top scorer
in the competition is out of both quarter-final games with a knee
injury. Seyed Mohamad Salehi, who was short-listed last week for the
Asian Player of the Year award, scored four goals as Esfahan become
only the second Iranian club to reach the last eight of the tournament.

The reigning Hazfi Cup holders finished above inaugural AFC Champions
League winners Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi outfit Al
Shabab and Syria’s Al Ittihad in Group D, winning four out of six
matches, which included a memorable 5-0 thrashing of Al Ittihad
in Syria.

In the absence of Salehi, Bonacic will be looking to Mahmoud Karimi
to continue the blistering form which has seen him plunder five goals
in as many matches.

Behind him, playmaker Moharram Navidkia, who seems to have rediscovered
the form which earned him a move to German Bundesliga club Bochum in
2004, is charged with supplying the ammunition for the attack.

Bonacic has warned his defenders to be wary of Kawasaki’s pace up
front but the 52-year-old is clearly focussed on building a lead to
take back to Japan.

"We know a lot about Kawasaki and we know how to attack them. We can
do this effectively through our fast and technical forwards," he added.

ARONYAN SLIPPED DOWN

A1+
[12:08 pm] 19 September, 2007

The World Chess Championship resumed in Mexico after a one-day
interval.

At the fifth round Armenian Grand Master Levon Aronyan was beaten by
Boris Gelfand. Presently, the Armenian GM shares the 5th-7th places
with Peter Leko and Alexander Morozevich with 2 points each.

Vishvanatan Anand won over Peter Swidler at the fifth round. Currently,
Anand leads the fixture table with 3.5 points.

Peter Leko played a draw with Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander Grishchuk
won over Alexander Morozevich.

Aronyan’s contender will be Peter Swidler at the sixth round. Provided
Aronyan wins over Swidler, he will have a chance to strive for
leader’s title.