Author: Babajanian Karo

AZERBAIJANI PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE ADDRESSES LETTER ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

Trend
June 1 2012
Azerbaijan

Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Agshin
Mehdiyev has sent a letter on the situation with international legal
rights of the Azerbaijani internally displaced persons and the Republic
of Armenia’s responsibility, the report on the website of the UN News
Centre says.

The letter mentions the violation of the rights of the citizens of the
Republic of Azerbaijan by their forcible displacement (or expulsion
or deportation) from the occupied territories of the Republic of
Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas) by the armed forces
of the Republic of Armenia or by subordinate forces for which it is
internationally responsible. It also mentions the violation of the
principle of non-discrimination in regard to Azerbaijani internally
displaced persons, including the implantation of ethnic Armenian
settlers in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, as well as the
prevention of access of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to
their property in the occupied territories by Armenia and those for
whom it is responsible.

Annex to the letter has a point about the right of return
of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to their homes in
internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
as well as the consequences flowing from the violation of the rights
of the Azerbaijani internally displaced persons, including restitution
and compensation.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the US –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

ARMENIAN ASSASSIN’S PAROLE PUSHED AS ISSUE IN D.A. RACE
By Gene Maddaus

LA Weekly

June 1 2012

The case of Hampig Sassounian has been a cause celebre within the
local Armenian community for nearly 30 years. In 1982, Sassounian and
an accomplice assassinated the Turkish consul general, in an act of
revenge for the Armenian genocide.

Sassounian was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

But ever since, a dedicated group of Armenian activists has been
campaigning for his release.

Those activists have now turned their attention to the race for L.A.

County District Attorney. The D.A. has opposed Sassounian’s requests
for parole in the past.

But in endorsement interviews with the Armenian National Committee last
week, the L.A. Weekly has learned, three D.A. candidates were asked
to take a neutral position when he comes up for parole again in 2013

According to the candidates, it’s the only time that a particular
case has been raised in an endorsement interview.

Each of the three campaigns tell the Weekly that they made no
commitments on the Sassounian case.

“Carmen Trutanich is not going to prejudge any case before he gets to
the D.A.’s office,” says spokesman Dave Jacobson. “He said he would
be open to it. But he’s not going to form some sort of judgment on
the case without having all the details in front of him.”

“I listened to what they had to say,” says Chief Deputy Jackie Lacey,
who was more familiar with the case. “I did not make any commitments
one way or the other.”

“I indicated there was absolutely no way I would prejudge a case,”
says prosecutor Alan Jackson. “I haven’t read the file or had access
to it or been associated with it.”

William Bairamian, the executive director of the ANC Western Region,
declines to discuss the Sassounian case, or even confirm whether it
came up in the endorsement interview.

“I’m not aware of what you’re referring to,” Bairamian says. “Our
endorsement process is not something I’m going to comment on.”

The candidates say that the ANC representatives made it clear the
case was very important to the group. The ANC has yet to announce
its endorsement in the race, and has not said whether it will make
a selection before Tuesday’s primary vote. The other candidates on
the ballot — Danette Meyers, Bobby Grace, and John Breault — were
not invited.

Sassounian admitted guilt and renounced terrorism and political
assassinations as part of an agreement with the district attorney’s
office in 2002. Under that deal, Sassounian’s sentence was converted
from life without parole to 25 years to life, with the possibility
of parole.

D.A. Steve Cooley has opposed parole at two previous hearings, in
2006 and 2010, and parole has been denied.

“This is a hate-based killing,” Cooley tells the Weekly. “We think
killing people in a premeditated way based on their ethnicity is one
of the worst things around.”

Armand Arabian, a retired California Supreme Court justice, spoke in
favor of paroling Sassounian at the most recent hearing.

“I don’t condone anybody shooting somebody else. He was a young person
who was misguided. He’s done a lot of years up there,” Arabian says.

Arabian is supporting Trutanich, but says he has never spoken about
the case with him. Mark Geragos, who has long served as Sassounian’s
attorney, is also backing Trutanich.

“No one can tell the D.A. what position to take in advance,” Arabian
says. “I wouldn’t make this an issue, and I don’t think it should be.”

GABAL NEGOTIATIONS REMAIN DEADLOCKED

The Messenger
June 1 2012
Georgia

Russia and Azerbaijan have again failed to reach an agreement on the
Gabal radar station.

The station, which is owned by Russia, is located on leased Azeri
territory. The Russian government has been paying $7 million USD
per year for use of the station and land, which have been under its
control for decades. However, earlier this year the Azeri government
increased its price to $300 million USD.

If the two governments are unable to come to an agreement, there
has been some speculation that Armenia has offered land to Russia in
order to build a new radar station.

MARINES, MACEDONIANS AND ARMENIANS PARTICIPATE IN COMBINED TRAINING

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS
June 1, 2012
USA

Cpl. Paul Zellner, Marine Forces Europe

6/1/2012
BABADAG TRAINING AREA, Romania

Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 12 participated
in combined training with Macedonian and Armenian soldiers on Babadag
Training Area in Romania, April 2-11.

“The purpose of this training is to enhance interoperability with our
partnered allies in peacekeeping and counterinsurgency skills,” said
Capt. Adam Steele, Ground Combat Element Executive Officer, BSRF 12.

“We are here to enable the training to be done in a safe and
professional environment.”

The training included live-fire ranges for machine guns, close
quarters combat, marksmanship skills and designated marksmanship
training. Marines gave weapons and range safety classes to the soldiers
through an interpreter before beginning to fire.

“We bring the months and years of Marine Corps experience to share with
these men,” said Steele. “Our hope is that the Macedonian and Armenian
soldiers can go back to their countries with a better understanding
and readiness for future joint training with us,” said Steele.

Rain fell throughout the morning but did not hold up the training. The
service members worked together to keep the firing range running
safely and smoothly.

“This is a great opportunity to enhance our readiness abilities and
skills,” said Col. Artak Tonoyan, deputy commander of the Armenian
peacekeeping brigade. “It also promotes good cooperation with U.S. and
our other peace-keeping partners.”

The firing range isn’t the first time these countries have worked
together. All three nations have members of their militaries deployed
as part of the International Security Assistance Force to Afghanistan
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“This also increases our knowledge as we prepare to participate in
future ISAF missions,” said Tonoyan. “This is a well-organized training
and an important experience for our sergeants and we are grateful
for the opportunity to train and prepare to work side by side.”

The training is part of the Black Sea Rotational Force’s six-month
deployment which includes training exercises with 19 nations planned
throughout the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucusus regions. The Black Sea
Rotational Force is a Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force
with crisis response capabilities deployed to the region to enhance
interoperability, promote regional stability and build camaraderie
amongst the forces.

“YEREVAN” STATION HOSTED THE UNIQUE EXHIBITION BY THE PUPILS’ OF THE ORPHANAGE AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS

ARMENPRESS
1 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 1, ARMENPRESS: Exhibition-sale of the pupils’
works representing Nubarashen number 2 nd boarding school and the
orphanage after Mary Izmirlyan, was organized in the connection of
the International Day for Protection of Children on June 1.

The event was hosted in the “South Caucasian Railway” Company’s Central
“Yerevan” station, Armenpress reports. 80 works were at the disposal
during the exhibition. The entire income gathered from the sale was
transferred to the special bank accounts opened for the authors.

“SCR” CJSC is the general partner of this event. Exhibition-Sale’s main
sponsor is “Rosgosstrakh-Armenia” insurance company, “Armbusinessbank”
will mind the bank service issues.

The company together with its partners has organized an educational
tour for the pupils from Gyumry, Nubarashen special school, the
orphanage after Mary Izmirlyan earlier in April.

KURDISH PARTY DIDN’T JOIN TURKISH INITIATIVES AGAINST GENOCIDE BILL – PARTY HEAD

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 1, 2012 – 20:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A group of Armenian and Turkish journalists met with
the deputy head of the parliamentary group of Peace and Democracy Party
(BDP).

Hasip Kaplan noted that human rights protection of national minorities
in Turkey has always been on party’s agenda.

He noted with regret that BDP resolved not to nominate any Armenian
candidates for the recent parliamentary race, stating that the problem
will be solved at the upcoming elections.

Dwelling n the French bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial,
and Turkey’s initiatives against its adoption, he said BDP refused
to join the parties having affixed their signatures to the relevant
statement

“I refused to sign the document as it distorted historical facts.

Without our signature it couldn’t convey the standpoint of the whole
parliament,” Aze.az.quoted Kaplan as saying.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged imposing a 45,000 euro fine and
a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against
humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill adopted
by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide
was anti-constitutional.

In a statement the Council said the bill adopted by parliament on
January 23 represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice
of freedom of expression and communication.”

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara
halted political and military cooperation with France and was
threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took
effect.

Immediately after French Constitutional Council ruling, the then
President Nicolas Sarkozy instructed the government to submit a new
draft law punishing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

-st-

Kurdish party didn’t join Turkish initiatives against Genocide bill
– party head Kurdish party didn’t join Turkish initiatives against
Genocide bill – party head

Group of Armenian and Turkish journalists met with deputy head of
parliamentary group of Peace and Democracy Party.

A group of Armenian and Turkish journalists met with the deputy head
of the parliamentary group of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).

Hasip Kaplan noted that human rights protection of national minorities
in Turkey has always been on party’s agenda.

He noted with regret that BDP resolved not to nominate any Armenian
candidates for the recent parliamentary race, stating that the problem
will be solved at the upcoming elections.

Dwelling n the French bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial,
and Turkey’s initiatives against its adoption, he said BDP refused
to join the parties having affixed their signatures to the relevant
statement

“I refused to sign the document as it distorted historical facts.

Without our signature it couldn’t convey the standpoint of the whole
parliament,” Aze.az.quoted Kaplan as saying.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged imposing a 45,000 euro fine and
a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against
humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill adopted
by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide
was anti-constitutional.

In a statement the Council said the bill adopted by parliament on
January 23 represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice
of freedom of expression and communication.”

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara
halted political and military cooperation with France and was
threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took
effect.

Immediately after French Constitutional Council ruling, the then
President Nicolas Sarkozy instructed the government to submit a new
draft law punishing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

SREBRENICA ‘NOT GENOCIDE’ – SERBIA’S PRESIDENT NIKOLIC

BBC

1 June 2012 Last updated at 16:02 GMT

The Srebrenica victims’ remains were found in mass graves years after
the war

Serbia’s new president, Tomislav Nikolic, has said the Srebrenica
massacre of 1995 was not genocide.

“There was no genocide in Srebrenica,” he told Montenegrin state
television, but said that “grave war crimes” were committed.

The massacre of some 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces
in 1995 has been recognised as genocide by the UN war crimes tribunal
in The Hague and the International Court of Justice.

He took office in Serbia on Thursday.

“In Srebrenica, grave war crimes were committed by some Serbs, who
should be found, prosecuted and punished,” said Mr Nikolic, widely
seen as a nationalist.

The Srebrenica crime figures in the genocide charges levelled against
Gen Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb wartime commander, and his wartime
political chief Radovan Karadzic, both on trial at the war crimes
court in The Hague.

“It is very difficult to indict someone and to prove before a court
that an event qualifies as a genocide,” Mr Nikolic said, without
referring to the international court rulings.

The massacre happened just days after Bosnian Serb troops led by Gen
Mladic overran the UN-protected enclave of Srebrenica.

Mr Nikolic’s predecessor as president, Boris Tadic, apologised to
relatives of Srebrenica’s victims in 2005 and attended memorial
ceremonies there.

2 MILITARY PROJECTILES ARE DISCOVERED IN ARMENIA’S REGION (PHOTOS)

June 01, 2012 | 16:59

Two military cannon projectiles were found Friday at Sarigyugh village
of Armenia’s Tavush Region.

Village resident Artush Ellaryan called the Tavush Regional Rescue
Department, at 10:40am, informing that a projectile-like object was
discovered at the land he was leasing, Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter
informed from the Region.

Aforesaid Department’s rescue squad, led by Department Chief Vaghinak
Hovsepyan, and an MOD bomb disposal unit headed to the scene.

The discovered objects were two loaded cannon projectiles, which the
bomb disposal unit defused and subsequently transferred to a safe area,
Hovsepyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter.

According to the Department Chief, one of the projectiles could have
exploded even in case of a slight shaking.

CJSC “AREXIMBANK-GASPROMBANK GROUP” FINANCES TRANSPORT EXPENSES OF PUPILS OF CHILDREN’S CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION “ORRAN”

arminfo
Friday, June 1, 17:21

In connection with International Children Day CJSC
“Areximbank-Gasprombank Group” has financed all the transport expenses
of pupils of the children’s charitable organization “Orran”.

As press-service of the bank reported, on 1 June the bank’s employees
visited Orran to congratulate its pupils on the holiday.

At present Orran has about 100 pupils from poor families, for which
the bank paid all the transport expenses on delivery of pupils to
Orran over the summer holidays.

THE RESIDENT FROM NERKIN KARMIRAGHBYUR WAS INJURED FROM THE AZERBAIJANI GUNSHOT

ARMENPRESS
1 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS: V. Melkumyan born in 1960 from Nerkin
Karmrashen was taken to the Berd hospital on June, 8. 15. The sufferer
received a gunshot in his right hip.

The Police of the republic of Armenian informed Armenpress that the
operative group was sent to the site found out Melkumyan received the
gunshot from the Azerbaijani side in 7.00 while working in his garden.

A medical examination is set. The investigation is on.