Author: Babajanian Karo

RUSSIA’S CREDIBILITY AND ITS MILITARY SALES TO AZERBAIJAN
Joshua Kucera

EurasiaNet.org

Aug 23, 2011
NY

With Azerbaijan’s confirmation of its purchase of a new air defense
system from Russia, the S-300, by displaying it at its Armed Forces
Day parade in Baku a few weeks ago, it “instantly becomes the most
capable SAM [surface-to-air missile] system in the region,” writes
air defense analyst Sean O’Connor in the latest edition of the IMINT &
Analysis newsletter.

The most intriguing part of the sale is that Azerbaijan’s foe,
Armenia, is a strong military ally of Russia; Russia stations troops
at a big base in Gyumri, Armenia, and supplies heavily discounted
weapons to the Armenian forces (and by extension, the Armenians who
control the breakaway Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno Karabakh). All
that, no doubt, was part of the reason that Russia denied that the
sale had taken place, only to be proven wrong in a flashy parade in
central Baku:

Regardless of Russia’s motivations for keeping the sale out of the
public eye, Rosoboronexport’s public denial of the contract represents
an interesting occurrence. On one hand, Rosoboronexport’s implications
may have been completely accurate if a complete contract did not
exist at the time of announcement. Finalization of the contract and
subsequent non-announcement to temper Armenian concerns represents a
logical course of action in that regard. On the other hand, however,
the following statement represents a factual description of the
Azeri Favorit situation: the press reported a sale, Rosoboronexport
denied a sale, and Rosoboronexport then delivered Favorit components
to Azerbaijan.

This incident will serve to cast doubt upon any future denials of
Russian military sales to foreign states, leaving observers to ask
the question: “what is really going on?”

There is an ongoing debate about whether Russia, through the mechanism
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, would intervene on
Armenia’s side in the case of a war with Azerbaijan over Karabakh. If
so, Russian missiles — and more importantly, planes and pilots —
would then face the prospect of being shot down by Russian air defense
systems. But O’Connor notices an interesting detail: the new systems
will have a range large enough to cover Nagorno Karabakh, but not
the Russian military base in northern Armenia:

Azerbaijan currently operates two S-200 (SA-5 GAMMON) batteries near
Baku and Mingechaur; the S-300PMU-2 represents a logical replacement
for these systems offering coverage of the majority of the nation.

Furthermore, deployment of the Favorit batteries at S-200 complexes
offers coverage of the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region and the bulk
of Armenia, while conveniently leaving the Russian military complexes
near Gyumri out of reach.

ARMENIANS AND RUSSIANS CHARGED OF GANG-RAPE IN BRITAIN

news.am
Aug 23, 2011
Armenia

Four wealthy Russian, who committed and recorded a gang rape of
a fellow student at an exclusive private college, will be sent to
prison on August 23, reports British Daily Mail.

Young people were in the UK for just two weeks, when committed the
terrible violation of the Malaysian girl. The violence lasted for
two and a half hours and was committed in a £ 30 000-per-year college.

Russian citizens aged 19 to 23 years have made sickening comments and
even boasted about what they were going to do with her a day before.

The prosecution suggests that the girl may have had a drink spiked
with something, because she was too drunk to consent.

Oleg Ivanov,23, Norayr Davtyan, 22, Armen Simonyan, 19 and Gregory
Melnikov, 23, all denied the rape charges but were unanimously
convicted by the jury of Woolwich Crown Court yesterday.

Davtyan was convicted on two counts of rape, Melnikov was guilty of
rape and attempted rape, while Ivanov and Simonyan were both convicted
of one count of rape.

CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE TO TURKEY: RETURN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

August 23, 2011

Although restored in recent years, the Akhtamar church remains Turkish
state property. Melik Baghdasarian / Photolur

Related Articles Resolutions on Armenian church properties, Genocide
recognition introduced

Washington – On July 20, the House Foreign Affairs Committee
approved the Berman-Cicilline Amendment to H. R. 2583, the State
Department-Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012,
urging Turkey to end religious discrimination and return all Christian
churches to their “rightful owners.”

The measure was welcomed by the Armenian Assembly of America and the
Armenian National Committee of America, as well as the Dioceses and
Prelacies of the Armenian Church in the United States. It was also
supported by Greek and Assyrian community organizations.

“This is a vote of justice against injustice,” stated Archbishop Vicken
Aykazian, Legate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church who
was present during the committee vote. “I hope that this will be the
first of many steps towards preserving Armenian Christian heritage
in Turkey,” said Archbishop Aykazian.

The amendment was based on H.Res. 306, which was introduced by
Congressmen Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Committee’s ranking member Howard
Berman (D-Calif.) earlier this summer.

Unlike the resolution affirming U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide
introduced at about the same time, the “return of churches” resolution
received the backing of the Committee’s Republican Party leadership,
including Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.).

As a result, the amendment was adopted by a vote of 43-1 with several
long-time Turkey backers and opponents of Genocide resolutions –
including Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) who in the past questioned the
veracity of genocide – voting for the measure. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.)
was the lone vote against the amendment.

Still, Turkish Ambassador to U.S. Namik Tan opposed the resolution,
calling it a “back-door “Armenian genocide” resolution,” USASabah.com
reported. In his letter to members of Congress Tan noted that Turkey
has recently been sponsoring restorations of Armenian and Greek
religious sites.

There has been no reaction from the Armenian government to resolution’s
adoption.

The State Department authorization bill will be next considered
by the full House of Representatives and then reconciled with the
Senate version.

The amendment formally proposed by Berman and Rep. David Cicilline
(D-R.I.) urges “the government of Turkey to honor its obligations
under international treaties and human rights law to –

1) “end all forms of religious discrimination;

2) “allow the rightful church and lay owners of Christian church
properties, without hindrance or restriction, to organize and
administer prayer services, religious education, clerical training,
appointments, and succession, religious community gatherings, social
services, including ministry to the needs of the poor and infirm,
and other religious activities;

3) “return to their rightful owners all Christian churches and
other places of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments,
relics, holy sites, and other religious properties, including movable
properties, such as artwork, manuscripts, vestments, vessels, and
other artifacts; and

4) “allow the rightful Christian church and lay owners of Christian
church properties, without hindrance or restriction, to preserve,
reconstruct, and repair, as they see fit, all Christian churches and
other places of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments,
relics, holy sites, and other religious properties within Turkey.”

NKR DEFENSE ARMY REFUTES AZERI MASS MEDIA REPORTS

arminfo
August 23, 2011

“The Azerbaijani mass media reports on wounding of a lieutenant of
the Azerbaijani armed forces Akif Abdiyev as a result of a ceasefire
breach do not correspondent to reality. It is another failed attempt
to present Armenia as an aggressor,” says the NKR Defense Army
Department for Information and Propaganda, ArmInfo’s correspondent
to Stepanakert reported.

“In addition, on August 21 at 7:45pm the Azerbaijani armed forces
broke the cease fire in the east of the contact line, which resulted
in wounding of Nver Sargsyan (1980), the NKR Defense Army serviceman.

The serviceman underwent surgical operation and his health state is
satisfactory now. Investigation is underway,” the NKR Defense Army
statement says.

POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND ISRAEL

ARMENPRESS
August 23, 2011
YEREVAN

The next round of the Armenian-Israeli political consultations was
held August 22-23 in Yerevan. The consultations were chaired by RA
Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan and Pinchas Avivi, deputy
director-general for Central Europe and Eurasia at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel.

An official from the press, information and PR department of the RA
Foreign Affairs Ministry told Armenpress that issues on Armenia-Israel
cooperation, developments in Middle East and South Caucasus, as
well as other issues of mutual interest were discussed during the
consultations.

The Israeli delegation visited today the Mother See of Holy of
Etchmiadzin and met His Holiness Catholicos of All-Armenians Karekin
II. It also visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial and the Armenian
Genocide Museum-Institute.

ARMENIA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS LOSE LEGAL VALIDITY

epress.am
08.23.2011

Turkey’s newly elected Parliament annulled 898 draft laws and proposals
which had not been ratified by the previous parliament in the past
4 years. Therefore, they were withdrawn from the agenda.

According to Baku-based news agency APA, citing Istanbul-based Anadolu
news agency, the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia are
among the documents which were withdrawn from the agenda.

The draft law on ratification of the “Protocol on the establishment
of diplomatic relations between Republic of Armenia and Republic of
Turkey” and the “Protocol on development of relations between the
Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey” were not ratified and
were withdrawn from the parliament’s agenda. According to the law,
legislation not approved during the term of the National Assembly
automatically expires. The new parliament, which took office last
month has not placed a vote on the protocols on its agenda.

Turkish law, however, provides the possibility of restoring the
bill on the agenda on behalf of the government or per the request of
parliament members.

SERGEY MINASYAN: FORMATION OF ARMED FORCES – BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
August 23, 2011
YEREVAN

The biggest step on the way of gaining independence was made 21 years
ago, political specialist Sergey Minasyan said today at a meeting with
journalists, referring to 21st anniversary of Independence Declaration
of Armenia. According to him, the biggest achievement of Armenia is
formation of the armed forces.

In his opinion, the part of people’s expectations connected with
independence has not come true yet, as from the very beginning our
independence faced war, earthquake and other disasters. “Life showed
that social-economic issues are quite actual for our state, and most
of them are not solved yet,” the political specialist said.

“The most difficult years are in the past, and it is high time for
the political sphere to be considerably improved,” Mr. Minasyan said,
adding that solutions to many issues really take time. According to
him, on one hand, 20 years is quite a big period of time, but on the
other hand, if we compare with the history, it is a very short period
of time.

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES TO ESTABLISH INNOVATION CENTERS IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 23, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Deputy Prime Minister, Territorial
Administration Minister Armen Gevorgyan visited the headquarters
of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, where he met with vice president
Guo Tianmin.

Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology
(ICT) solutions provider. Its representation in Armenia has been
operating for a year. Currently, the company cooperates with
VivaCell-MTS but it plans to expand activity.

Mr. Tianmin briefed on the programs Huawei Technologies plans to
implement in Armenia, specifically establishment of innovation centers.

ZORAYAN MUSEUM, STEPHANIE’S ART GALLERY TO HOST JEAN CARZOU EXHIBIT

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 23, 2011 – 10:11 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Zorayan museum and Stephanie’s Art gallery announced
an exhibition of paintings executed by French Armenian artist Jean
Carzou between the years 1950-1999.

The exhibition named Jean Carzou (1907-2000): Oil paintings,
Watercolors and Drawings contains 30 pieces from some of Carzou’s
key serial works. Included are oil paintings, drawings, watercolors
and lithographs, Stephanie’s art gallery said in a press release.

Born Karnik Zouloumian on January 1, 1907 in Syria to an Armenian
family, Carzou later created his name from the first syllables of
his name and surname. Becoming a world traveler at an early age,
Carzou was educated in Cairo Egypt before moving to Paris in 1924 at
the age of 17 to study art and architecture in earnest.

Carzou mastered a number of mediums, though his line drawings and
engravings would become well known as illustrations for some of the
20th century’s most revered writers, including Hemingway, Albert Camus,
Ionesco and Rimbaud. In July 1977, Jacques Chirac, the French Prime
Minister, presided over Carzou’s retrospective exhibition at the
Château de Val in Corrèze. In 1976 Carzou became the first living
artist to have his art appear on a French postage stamp.

ARMENIAN PRODUCER AND HIS ‘MOON MONSTER’ IN CHITA

Tert.am
23.08.11

The renowned producer, People’s Artist of Armenia and Artistic Director
of the Yerevan Russian Drama Alexander Grigoryan arrived in Chita,
Russia, almost a month ago. He plans to stage the play “Moon monster”
at the local drama.

The play has for years been a success both in Yerevan and at the
Moscow Academic Art Theatre after Anton Chekhov.

Yuliya Zolotuyeva had an interview with Alexander Grigoryan. The
interview is posted on chita.ru.

Below are excerpts from the article:

“Alexander Grigoryan always says he represents Russia in Armenia
and Armenia in Russia. Love for theater, literature, music, and,
which is most important, for people.

“On August 20 the renowned producer celebrated his 75th birthday
anniversary. In an empty hall, Alexander Grigoryan told me why he
liked Chit – about the spirit of the Chita Drama,” the author writes.

“I like Chita. This city hosted my compatriots. When I got off the
plane, I was surprised. A company was welcoming me at the airport. But
I was surprised at the number of Armenians – there were about 30 of
them,” says Grigoryan.

“I am happy that my compatriots feel comfortable here… A lot of
positive emotions!”

“Nikolay Berezin, a well-known Russian producer, gave me information
on the actors. I am so happy that the actors feel such an emotional
play – I would call it a tragedy – so well.

“This play has been on at the Moscow Academic Art Theatre for the
seventh year. Wonderful actors are playing. They got a ‘Chaika’, the
highest theater award. The play is also on at our Russian Drama. We
have got several Grands Prix – in Belarus, Russia and Armenia.

“The play is about mercy… An Armenian family cannot have a child,
and adopts one. Such a step, which may not be so popular in Russia and
Armenia now, must be held in high esteem and deserves great human love.

“I Yerevan I am going to prepare a program in cooperation with our
partners from Chita. Its name is ‘Moon monster’ in Chita’.

“We are proud of being sown such a favorable attitude. We are working
for both Armenia and Russia. We participate in festivals. Berezin
saw us at the festival in Odessa. He saw ‘Moon monster’ and said:
‘You must come!’… I came to realize that I would do good not only
for our theater, but also for Russia and Armenia, my native country…”