Author: Babajanian Karo

50,000 REMEMBER HRANT DINK IN ISTANBUL

EuroNews

Jan 19 2012

“We are all Armenians”. Many of the tens of thousands who flooded
Istanbul’s streets on Thursday were carrying this slogan.

Five years to the day Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was
gunned down they are still angry that justice has not been done.

Although three people were jailed this week for his murder, none of
the 19 tried were found guilty of belonging to a criminal organisation.

“First of all this verdict disturbed everyone. It has been so long.

Even if it’s overturned on appeal I don’t know how it can satisfy
people after all this time. But anyway it should be rejected,” said
journalist Engin Bas.

“We are going to the appellate court. As well as that, when we have
proper conditions we will apply to the European Court of Human Rights,”
said the Dink family lawyer, Arzu Becerik.

Dink’s supporters claim requests to follow up evidence they uncovered
suggesting state offical and police involvement wereignored, and in
some cases important documents destroyed.

Reporting from Istanbul euronews Turkey correspondent, Bora Bayraktar
said: “The friends of Hrant together with those who seek justice ended
their march on the spot where he was murdered and gave a clear message:
They are not giving up their efforts to pursue the case.”

AZERBAIJAN WORRIES ABOUT THE GENOCIDE BILL

Vestnik Kavkaza
Jan 19 2012
Russia

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has summoned French Ambassador
Gabriel Keller, Trend reports on Thursday.

The Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister discussed with the French
ambassador the issue of the French parliament’s adoption of the bill
criminalizing denial of the so-called “Armenian genocide”, the news
agency informs.

The Azerbaijani Parliament sent an address to the French Senate.

The Lower Chamber of the French Parliament adopted a bill criminalizing
denial of the so-called “Armenian genocide”. Now it’s the Senate’s
turn to approve the bill. The Senate’s Constitutional Committe has
disapproved the draft law.

FRENCH SENATE PRESIDENT TO BACK ARMENIAN “GENOCIDE” VOTE
By John Keating

Kuwait News Agency

Jan 19 2012

PARIS, Jan 19 (KUNA) — After initial hesitation about the need to
criminalize denial of the Armenian “genocide,” French Senate leader
Jean-Pierre Bel said Thursday that he would ally with those supporting
the new law, which is expected to be passed in the Senate next week”.

Bel, 59, the new Socialist President of the Upper House, indicated
to journalists that “the debate will start Monday afternoon,” and he
said he would rally his party’s supporting position on the legislation.

France’s conservative-dominated National Assembly, or lower house,
voted the law in December but it must now be approved by the Senate.

The Senate “Laws Commission” this week ruled the genocide bill
“inadmissible” but Bel indicated that the Commission is likely to
take a “more nuanced” position when the final vote comes.

Turkey has reacted angrily to the genocide law, disputing a claim by
Armenians that 1.5 million people were killed by Turkish forces in
1915. Ankara claims that the number of deaths was around 300,000,
due to famine and fighting between Armenians, allied with Russia,
and the Turkish army.

The Turkish government has suspended all official visits with France
and has banned French naval vessels from docking at Turkish ports.

Ankara’s envoy to Paris was also withdrawn in December to protest
the genocide law that would mete out one -year jail sentences and
USD 60,000 fines to anyone questioning the veracity of the Armenian
genocide.

More retaliatory measures could be expected after the vote becomes
law after the Senate vote and signature by France’s president.

The Senate President, who is the second highest state figure here
and would succeed the president if needed, said Thursday that he was
“part of a political group and would rally their position” on the
vote next week. The Socialist group is expected to support the new
law as it did in the Lower House in December.

The Laws Commission “has expressed itself”, he remarked, noting that
the Commission has often moved its position during a formal vote.

Separately, Bel, the first Socialist to rule over the Senate since
1958, said he would support the candidacy of Socialist Francois
Hollande in the April presidential elections when he is to run against
incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy.

In exclusive comments to KUNA, he said he was also interested in
developing strong relations with the foreign press corps here.

He also indicated that he was soon intending to undertake foreign
trips and might soon go to the United States. (end) jk.ajs KUNA 191842
Jan 12NNNN

INFAMOUS FORMER MINISTER FOR URBAN PLANNING OF ARMENIA TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT

Vestnik Kavkaza
Jan 19 2012
Russia

Ara Aramyan, a former Minister for Urban Planning of Armenia involved
in a major scandal, plans to run for parliament basing on proportional
lists of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Armenia Today reports.

Aramyan was dismissed by Robert Kocharyan in 2004 after an incident
with his son, who had open fire at the Triumph Cafe. The former
minister has recently joined Prosperous Armenia. Gagik Tsarukyan
promissed to add him to the proportional list. Aramyan will provide
votes in his City of Charentsavan for the party in exchange.

THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION: “SARGSYAN APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MORE FLEXIBLE IN NK ISSUE THAN HIS PREDECESSOR”

19.01.12

The Jamestown foundation has published an article about Armenian
coming Parliamentarian elections and the regional issues.

“Senior US officials have sounded remarkably optimistic about the
conduct of Armenia’s forthcoming parliamentary elections, which
President Serzh Sargsyan will try to use as a launch pad for winning
a second term in office in 2013. Highlighting Washington’s overall
satisfaction with the current authorities in Yerevan, they have
also played up government concessions to the Armenian opposition”,
the article writes.

According to the article the election, which will take place on May
2012, will be the biggest test of Sargsyan’s democratic credentials
since the turbulent start to his presidency in April 2008. “His
administration has made an ambitious pledge to break with the country’s
troubled electoral past, and ensure that the 2012 election is the
most democratic in its post-Soviet history”, the source writes.

Referring to the announcements by Armenian opposition politicians,
says that they dismiss these assurances, saying that Sargsyan’s
Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) will seek to retain control over
parliament at any cost. That control is essential for the success of
the president’s re-election plans.

At the same the announcement by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Eric Rubin is quoted,
which was made during a conference in Washington on the South
Caucasus on November 28-29, 2011. He suggested that the Armenian
government is genuinely interested in the freedom and fairness of the
polls. “Going into this election, we are encouraged by what we see,”
Rubin said, adding, “we think the government is not just saying all
the right things, but we believe it is committed to an open, free
and fair process and to a real contest in the elections.” The United
States will be “doing everything we can to offer support to both the
government and to civil society” in the election preparation, he said.

The same assistance was offered by the US Ambassador to Armenia
John Heffern.

Sargsyan’s standing in Washington improved considerably in the
following months as he embarked on an unprecedented rapprochement with
Turkey that was strongly welcomed and backed by the West. The process
culminated in the signing in October 2009 of the Turkish-Armenian
protocols to normalize bilateral relations. US President Barack Obama
praised Sargsyan’s “courageous efforts” when the two met in Washington
in April 2010 (Statement by the White House, April 12, 2010).

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton likewise described Sargsyan’s
policy on Turkey as “very statesmanlike,” during her July 2010 visit to
Yerevan. Like the Armenian leaders, Clinton said Turkey should ratify
the protocols without preconditions (Armenian Public TV, July 5, 2010).

Sargsyan appears to have been also more flexible than his predecessor,
Robert Kocharian, in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, another
key US goal in the region. He was clearly ready to accept the most
recent version of the basic principles of a Karabakh settlement put
forward by the US, Russia and France and discussed at the June 2011
Armenian-Azerbaijani summit in Kazan. The summit reportedly failed
because of last-minute changes in the framework peace accord demanded
by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

While sticking to Armenia’s military and political alliance with
Russia, during his presidency, Sargsyan has also deepened US-Armenian
defense cooperation, within both the bilateral and NATO frameworks.

The deployment of around 130 Armenian troops in Afghanistan was one
manifestation of that cooperation. In a letter to President Obama on
August 4, 2011, Sargsyan boasted that US-Armenian relations are now
“stronger than ever before.” He pledged to expand them further during
later talks in Yerevan in October 2011, with US Deputy Secretary of
State William Burns (Statements by the Armenian presidential press
service).

VICE SPEAKER OF GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT MAY BE DECLARED PERSONA NON GRATA IN ARMENIA

arminfo
Thursday, January 19, 18:36

In case Vice Speaker of Georgian Parliament Fridon Todua refuses to
apologize for his false statements, he will be declared a persona non
grata in Armenia. This has become known to ArmInfo from diplomatic
sources in Yerevan.

On December 17 Fridon Todua said in Baku that “both Azerbaijan and
Georgia will shortly restore their territorial integrity, receiving
back the occupied territories”.

According to the source, declaring Todua a persona non grata will
also become a delayed response to declaring Shirak Torosyan, MP
from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, Chairman of Javakhq
Committee, a persona non grata in Georgia. Furthermore, the Armenian
Foreign Ministry is already holding relevant consultations with the
Georgian colleagues through the mediation of the Armenian ambassador
to Georgia in order to settle down the problems that have arisen
after the inappropriate statements of the Georgian parliamentarian.

To note, earlier Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Edward
Sharmazanov qualified Todua’s statement as “being far from the
reality and absurd”. Sharmazanov advised his Georgian counterpart
to familiarize himself with the annals of his people “Kartlis
Tskhovrebia”, which clearly says who are the indigenous people of
that region. “The annals mention Armenians and Georgians, and say not
a single word about the Azeris. I hope, after reading the chronicle,
Todua will beg the neighboring people’s pardon”, Sharmazanov said.

FRENCH SENATE COMMITTEE FINDS GENOCIDE BILL INADMISSIBLE

NEWS.am
January 18, 2012 | 17:45

French Senate committee rejected a bill criminalizing the Armenian
Genocide denial, expatica.com website reports.

According to the website, Senate’s Laws Commission approved a motion
rejecting the bill as inadmissible by 23 votes for, nine against and
eight abstentions.

However, this move is unlikely to block the passing in the Senate
on Monday.

Senate will vote on commission’s motion on Monday but most senators
are expected to abstain.

EX-FOREIGN MINISTER: OSCE MINSK GROUP THE ONLY FORUM FOR KARABAKH TALKS

Panorama.am
18/01/2012

Under the current circumstances, OSCE Minsk Group is the only forum
for Karabakh talks, member of the Free Democrats Party, Ex-Foreign
Minister of Armenia Alexander Arzumanyan said in an online interview
with the Caucasus Journalists Network Thursday.

“For the present, Minsk Group is the only forum for talks. Naturally,
a lot of people who are interested in the quick settlement of the
conflict are dissatisfied due to the lack of breakthrough. However,
it should be taken into account that settlement of such conflicts
requires tireless efforts, mutual confidence, and readiness to
compromise. All this requires time. I do not share the opinion that
Minsk Group has exhausted its resources,” said Arzumanyan.

“The Armenian authorities have repeatedly called for holding direct
talks between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. However, Azerbaijan
always opposed to it. I think direct talks between the sides would
speed up the settlement process. But that requires an atmosphere
of mutual confidence and stopping the so-called propaganda war,”
concluded he.

‘ARMENIA WILL LOSE IN ALL SPHERES IF IT KEEPS CONFLICT FROZEN’

News.Az
Wed 18 January 2012 11:04 GMT | 11:04 Local Time

In 2012, the priority of the Azerbaijan’s foreign policy will be
again the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Scientific collaborator of the Political Sciences Institute of
Westphalian Wilhelms-University of Munster, Elnur Ismayilov told the
statement to Gun.Az while commenting on the statement of President
Ilham Aliyev made at the latest session of the Cabinet of Ministers.

“Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in his final speech spoke about
positions regarding the conflict and upcoming objectives. While
Azerbaijan reaches achievements in the foreign policy, Armenia banks
on its sponsors and tries to keep the conflict frozen. And Azerbaijan
continues to succeed in economic and military spheres and develops
international relations”, the analyst said.

Ismayilov noted that the more Armenia tries to freeze the conflict
the more losses it will suffer.

“Azerbaijan, supporting the peaceful resolution of the conflict at
the same time develops its military strength under motto “if you
want peace, prepare for war”. I think that the struggle should run
not just against Armenia but also its sponsors”, Ismayilov said.

AZERBAIJANIS PLAY CRUCIAL ROLE IN WORSENING RELATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIANS, COSSACKS IN URAL

NEWS.am
January 18, 2012 | 13:05

The Armenian organizations of Russia are concerned over the worsening
relations between the Armenians and the Cossacks in Ural.

This is the case specifically in Artyomovka city, where a great number
of Armenians live. According to Versia.ru, the Cossacks declared
January 31 as “Day of Fury.” Mass demonstrations are expected on that
day, and the Cossacks promised to once and for all “clear out” the
native soil “from the invaders,” whereas the Armenians are preparing
to call for their compatriots from other regions.

And according to the information which Armenian News-NEWS.am
ascertained, the Azerbaijanis play a crucial role in the worsening of
relations between the Armenians and the Cossacks. The local Armenians
are actively engaged in the construction and restaurant business,
and also in trade, which causes the Azerbaijanis’ rage, and therefore
they provoke the Cossacks in every way.

The Union of Armenians of Russia will convene a session Wednesday
devoted to this matter.