Author: Babajanian Karo

GLENDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY TO HOST VAHAKN DADRIAN’S LECTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 14, 2012 – 11:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Glendale Public Library will host a lecture and book
signing, with Vahakn N. Dadrian, internationally-renowned expert on
the Armenian Genocide, on April 3, 2012.

Vahakn N. Dadrian’s field of specialization is genocide, in general,
and the Armenian Genocide, in particular. For several years he was
engaged as director of a large Genocide Study Project sponsored by
the H. F. Guggenheim Foundation. The project’s first major achievement
was the publication of an extensive volume titled The History of the
Armenian Genocide: Ethnic Conflict from the Balkans to Anatolia to the
Caucasus. His extensive list of publications includes several articles
on the Jewish Holocaust and the victimization of the American Indians.

In 2005, he received four separate awards for his lifetime contribution
to genocide studies. Dadrian is currently the director of genocide
research at the Zoryan Institute.

Judgment at Istanbul: The Armenian Genocide Trials is a prime source
of legal evidence and authentic Turkish eyewitness testimony of the
intent and the crime of genocide against the Armenians. These documents
show that Wartime Cabinet ministers, Young Turk party leaders, and
a number of others incriminated in these crimes were court-martialed
by the Turkish Military Tribunals in the years immediately following
World War I. Most were found guilty and received sentences ranging
from prison with hard labor to death. In remarkable contrast to
Nuremberg, the Turkish Military Tribunals were conducted solely on
the basis of existing Ottoman domestic penal codes. This compilation
is significantly enhanced by an extensive analysis of the historical
background, political nature and legal implications of the criminal
prosecution of the twentieth century’s first state-sponsored crime
of genocide against the Armenians.

ARMAVIA OPERATES FLIGHTS DESPITE DISAGREEMENT WITH ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 14, 2012 – 12:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Talks between Zvartnots International Airport and
Armenia’s national carrier Armavia Air Company are underway.

The parties have not reached an agreement yet, Armavia spokesperson
Nana Avetisova told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. “We continue operating
the flights just to favour the interests of our customers,” she said.

Press secretary of the General Department of Civil Aviation of
Armenia (GDCA) Nelly Cherchinyan informed on March 13 that following
the meeting between Zvartnots and Armavia, supported by the Civil
Aviation Chief Department, the parties reached an agreement whereby
Armavia will further operate its flights.

“Zvartnots made concessions, setting a timescale for Armavia to pay
the debt,” Cherchinyan said.

She also informed that Armavia will operate its flights without delay.

However, Armavia’s press service disseminated a statement shortly
saying no agreement is reached over the dispute, and the parties have
not signed any document on this.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 11 2012

Vladimir Yevseyev: appointment of Kosachev the head of
“Rossotrudnichestvo” is aimed at strengthening the role of Russia in
the post-Soviet space

President Medvedev has appointed Konstantin Kosachev the new head of
“Rossotrudnichestvo.” Kosachev served as the head of the Duma
International Affairs Committee in the last Duma.

The new head of the “Rossotrudnichestvo” will continue work in
promoting Russian influence abroad and particularly in the post-Soviet
CIS countries similar to the American USAID or British Council.

Konstantin Kosachev has also been delegated special Presidential Envoy
on relations with the CIS countries.

In an interview to “Vestnik Kavkaza” the director of the Center for
Public Policy Research, Vladimir Yevseyev, noted that “Vladimir Putin
is dissatisfied with the situation that is developing in the former
Soviet Union. First, in the past years relations with Uzbekistan have
worsened. Tashkent is effectively blocking the initiative of Russia at
the level of the CSTO and in the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO). Apparently, one of the goals would be to somehow
restore relations with Uzbekistan. Secondly, I think the problem is
posed in the relations with Turkmenistan. Ashgabat is now more than
ever active and interested in expanding cooperation, and it would
probably be foolish not to make use of the situation,” the Russian
expert said.

In addition, Vladimir Yevseyev believes that Russia has a very strong
interest in Azerbaijan. The expert urged not to concentrate only on
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, but also develop economic ties.

Yeveseyev stressed that Russia should cooperate with Armenia as well
as Azerbaijan. He also stressed that the solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem lies in the interests of Russia. When the
solution is found, Russia will intensify its influence in the region,
Yevseyev said. Vladimir Yevseyev also noted that the situation in the
Caucasus is very complex, as no one can exclude the possibility of
military action against Iran.

Drug against racism has been discovered

news.am
March 10, 2012 | 22:36

Scientists from Oxford University have proven that the drug against
high blood pressure propranolol is also a good means against racism.
As it comes out, people who take propranolol get lower scores on
racism tests.

It is proven that racism is fear from something unknown. Propranolol
lowers blood pressure and is used for diseases like stenocardia and
for uneven heart beating, MIGnews.com informs.

Armenian community in Sweden believes false resolution on Karabakh to
be declined

news.am
March 09, 2012 | 18:52

The Committee on Foreign Affairs of Sweden will discuss on Saturday a
resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement submitted by a
Turkish MP Mehmet Kaplan. The Armenian community in Switzerland
believes the bill will be declined by the Committee, spokesperson for
the Union of Armenian Associations in Sweden Vahagn Avedian told
Armenian News-NEWS.am adding the bill was signed only by the author.

Avedian also mentioned that a suchlike bill was declined in the UN (UN
General Assembly Adopts Resolution Reaffirming Territorial Integrity
of Azerbaijan, Demanding Withdrawal of all Armenian Forces, 62:nd
Assembly’s 86:th meeting, 14 March 2008) by the OSCE Minsk Group
members, who claimed it was biased and hampered their work. Sweden
also voted against then in UN.

To note, Azerbaijani media outlets, distorting the facts, claimed that
Swedish parliament will discuss an issue on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Collectif des Démocrates Arméniens d’Europe
9 mars 2012

Les Turcs ne sont pas mes ennemis !

Par FABRICE KEHAYAN, Directeur général d’une agence conseil en communication

Le Conseil constitutionnel vient de censurer la loi sur la
pénalisation de la négation des génocides, adoptée le 23 janvier.
C’est une mauvaise nouvelle, car elle confirme la manipulation dont a
été victime la communauté arménienne de France en cette période
électorale. Mais c’est d’abord une bonne nouvelle.

Je ne suis pas turc. Je suis d’origine arménienne, revendiquée, aimée.
J’ai toujours pensé que la France ne devait pas légiférer comme elle
l’a fait. Bien sûr qu’il y a eu génocide. Les historiens en attestent
et seule la version officielle de l’histoire de la Turquie le
conteste. La présence de nombreux Arméniens en France et dans le monde
en témoigne par le vif. Je désire ardemment que le génocide perpétré
entre 1896 et 1920 soit reconnu par tous et par la Turquie. Mais les
discussions et le vote de la loi en janvier m’ont dérangé à plusieurs
titres. D’abord, je trouve extrêmement délicat qu’un pays légifère sur
l’histoire d’un autre. Le fait que la France ait accueilli nombre
d’Arméniens dans les années 1915-1920 ou encore qu’elle ait été témoin
(silencieux) des massacres ne lui donne pas le droit de ce vote. Au
fond, nos législateurs ont commis un acte d’ingérence anormal et peu
conforme au principe du droit international public, que les Sages
viennent d’annuler. Le vote de la loi a été d’autant plus dommageable
que la position de la Turquie sur la question du génocide progressait.
Lentement ; peut-être trop lentement. Mais elle avançait néanmoins.
Des archives s’ouvraient, des historiens turcs travaillaient la
question, certains d’entre eux posant même le terme de génocide en
lieu et place de celui de massacres. Des intellectuels s’emparaient de
l’Histoire, y compris en relation avec des homologues européens. Cela
se faisait peut-être lentement, mais cela se faisait. Et avec la loi
votée en janvier qu’allait-il se passer ? Les autorités turques
allaient-elles laisser les chercheurs travailler comme ils
commençaient à pouvoir le faire ?

A vouloir forcer la Turquie à avancer dans la voie de la
reconnaissance n’a-t-on pas pris le risque de porter un brutal et
durable coup d’arrêt aux avancées en cours ? Qu’est-ce qui est le plus
important : que la Turquie ne puisse plus nier par la force ou qu’elle
accepte, par elle-même, de reconnaître, fut-ce dans plusieurs années ?

J’ai consacré une partie de mes études à la question de la
reconnaissance par la France du génocide des Arméniens. Que
constate-t-on ? Que cette question n’existe réellement en France qu’en
périodes électorales. L’épisode de fin 2011 début 2012 n’aura pas
échappé à la règle. Mais fallait-il que l’on prenne le risque d’une
tension durable avec la Turquie pour quelques voix et un siège de
député ? Comment peut-on pour de bien faibles résultats électoraux
créer une tension forte avec un pays qui est un partenaire commercial
important et avec lequel les échanges doivent et peuvent encore
progresser ? Un pays qui occupe un espace géopolitique crucial. Un
pays dont l’Arménie a besoin pour se développer. Un pays fragile
politiquement et qui a besoin que nous le soutenions et non que nous
le pointions d’un doigt accusateur, à même de renforcer les
nationalistes et intégristes contre les tenants de l’ouverture et du
progrès.

La Turquie est une pièce majeure d’une stratégie européenne de
l’euro-méditerranée. Il faut construire avec elle et non contre elle.
Je ne dis pas qu’il faille nier la question du génocide pour des
raisons d’ordre économique et stratégique. Je dis qu’elle peut être
appréhendée différemment et qu’en l’espèce le temps et la pression
intelligente sont les alliés des descendants des victimes d’hier.
C’est le travail des historiens qui a largement contribué à la
reconnaissance du génocide par l’ONU, par l’Europe, par la France.
C’est ce travail qui fera avancer la Turquie.

Le débat et le vote de la loi en janvier faisaient de la Turquie
d’aujourd’hui et de son peuple mon ennemi, moi descendant de victimes
du génocide des Arméniens. Or, les Turcs d’aujourd’hui ne sont pas mes
ennemis et ceux d’hier ne sont plus. Si l’on veut que la Turquie
progresse vers la reconnaissance du génocide, il nous faut aller vers
elle et avancer avec elle et non simplement lui opposer notre
frustration et notre colère. Le plus grand enseignement de mon
grand-père, arrivé d’Anatolie orphelin à Marseille, est le pardon ;
pas l’oubli, pas le renoncement, le pardon qui fait aller vers
l’autre, qui fait progresser et grandir ensemble.

Une fois encore, sur la question du génocide des Arméniens, la courte
vue électoraliste a failli l’emporter sur la stratégie nationale et
internationale. C’est regrettable. Il est heureux que le Conseil
constitutionnel redonne de la hauteur et un avenir à la question de la
reconnaissance du génocide de 1915 par la Turquie.

Source : liberation.fr

APA, Azerbaijan
March 9 2012

Swedish parliament to discuss resolution on Nagorno Karabakh conflict

[ 09 Mar 2012 10:40 ]

Baku – APA. Swedish parliament will discuss a draft resolution on
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, chairman of the Sweden-Azerbaijan Congress
Emil Mirzoyev told APA.

Swedish lawmakers will vote on the draft resolution on March 10, he said.

Mirzoyev said every party represented in the parliament will hold
faction discussions on the draft resolution and then will submit
written purpose of the resolution and own opinion on it to the
parliament. `The Congress members informed the Swedish
parliamentarians about the violation of human rights in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan by the Armenian invaders. Many times
Armenian lobby tried to mislead the Swedish lawmakers that Nagorno
Karabakh was given to Armenia by the decision of USSR Supreme Soviet
(Council) and this fact was described in the Armenia’s act of
independence. We told the Swedish lawmakers that all of these
statements by the Armenian lobby are wrong’.

World Politics Review
March 9 2012

Azerbaijan-Iran Tensions Resurrect Long-Term Disputes
By Greg Caramenico | 09 Mar 2012

Iran and Azerbaijan have had a volatile diplomatic relationship ever
since Azerbaijan gained its independence 20 years ago. But even
against the backdrop of their bumpy history, the deterioration in
relations over the past few months has been swift. Azerbaijan’s recent
moves to strengthen its alliance with Israel have certainly
exacerbated tensions with Iran, but they are not the only cause of
conflict. In addition to the two sides’ history of mutual suspicion,
violent disagreement over sovereignty and each other’s choice of
regional diplomatic partners are also prominent causes of strife.

A central source of long-term tension between the two neighbors is the
legal status of Iran’s ethnic Azeris, who comprise 16 percent of
Iran’s population. Although some ethnic Azeris in Iran have dual
citizenship, Azerbaijan sometimes claims sovereignty over all ethnic
Azeris and has at times commented on legal issues affecting Iran’s
Azeri minority population. Recently published school textbooks in
Azerbaijan even relabeled Iran’s northern border province `Southern
Azerbaijan.’ When Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, gave a
domestically uncontroversial 2011 speech describing himself as leader
of all the world’s Azeris, the Iranian government took offense. The
chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign
Policy Committee, Alaeddin Borujerdi, dismissed the declaration as
reflecting the `innate sense of inferiority’ that Azeris feel toward
Iran. The Iranian press portrayed Aliyev’s comments as irresponsible,
accusing him of soliciting dual loyalties among Iran’s Azeri
population.

Since its 1979 revolution, Iran has sporadically but unofficially
suppressed Azeri-language publications and cultural organizations.
More recently, Iranian officials have accused some Azeris who
routinely travel between Azerbaijan and Iran of being spies for the
Azeri government. As justification, officials point to Baku’s
increased cooperation with Israel, Aliyev’s claim of sovereignty over
Iranian Azeris and alleged recruiting by Western intelligence agencies
in Azerbaijan, which Tehran says is widespread. Iran recently detained
several Iranian Azeris suspected of cooperating with Israel in the
killings of several nuclear scientists, part of what Iranian officials
believe to be a wide-ranging espionage campaign.

Meanwhile, fear of Iranian espionage is rising in Azerbaijan as well.
The Azeri Defense Ministry claims to have discovered many Iranian
agents engaged in planning violent counterespionage operations in
Azerbaijan. The most publicized incident involved attempted
assassinations of Israeli diplomats in Baku, which led the Azeri
Embassy to formally complain to Tehran and resulted in increased
Azeri-Israeli joint surveillance of possible Iranian terror threats.
Last week, the Azeris detained several Iranian citizens as well as an
Azerbaijani journalist working for Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency
on drug charges. Azeri police are also investigating the December
stabbing death of Azerbaijani journalist Rafiq Tagi in Baku. Many
Azeris believe that Iran killed Tagi, a critic of radical Islam and of
Iran, in reprisal for his recently published criticisms of the
country.

Azerbaijan and Iran also diverge over their choices of strategic
regional partners. For Iran, the major concern is Azerbaijan’s close
working relationship with Israel and its growing friendship with the
United States. While Azerbaijan’s economic and technological
cooperation with Israel stretches back more than a decade, the two
have recently accelerated security exchanges and military training. As
a result, the Iranian Foreign Ministry now claims that Israel has
turned Azerbaijan into a proxy state for espionage and military
operations. The ministry also points to arrangements such as the
Northern Distribution Network, NATO’s supply route to Afghanistan, as
a sign that Azerbaijan has become a dangerous source of logistical
support for Iran’s enemies. Last month’s announcement of a $1.5
billion arms sale by Israel to Azerbaijan greatly angered the Iranian
government and prompted demands that Azerbaijan account for its choice
of weapons supplier.

For Azerbaijan’s part, the longest-standing source of diplomatic
friction with Iran is the latter’s close economic relationship with
Armenia. Much of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy is colored by its
conflict with Armenia over the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh
and Baku’s contention that Armenia is a belligerent neighbor. As a
result, Azerbaijan’s relationships with other neighboring states are
cultivated with an eye to Armenia. Linguistic and cultural ties
between Turkey and Azerbaijan have been strengthened by both
countries’ opposition to Armenian foreign policy goals. In fact,
Azerbaijan’s friendship with Israel was bolstered in the 1990s by the
support Israel offered to Azerbaijan during its war with Armenia.
Unsurprisingly, Iran’s trade and energy accords with Armenia are a
source of widespread anger in Azerbaijan. And Azeri officials maintain
that if Iran has a right to trade with Armenia, then Azerbaijan can
certainly buy weapons from Israel to protect itself against aggression
in the disputed border regions occupied by Armenia. Pressed about the
arms deal last week, Azeri Ambassador to Iran Cavansir Ahundzade
assured Tehran that Israeli weapons would only be used to protect
Azeri territory from Armenian occupation.

Efforts at addressing the sources of bilateral tensions are underway
in both countries. Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi spoke of
outside — read: Western — interests undermining Iran’s `good
relations’ with its northern neighbor, while the Iranian Foreign
Ministry still refers to the Azeris as good neighbors. Just this week,
on March 7, the foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan began
a series of trilateral meetings in Azerbaijan’s Nakichevan border
province. Among the topics they were expected to address were
peacekeeping in the Caucasus and regional border-security concerns due
to smuggling and terrorism, although Iran probably also pressed
Azerbaijan to account for its dealings with Israel.

Though useful, such conferences are unlikely to result in major
changes in either side’s position in the short term. Nor would they
contain the potential fallout were Azerbaijan even passively to aid
U.S. or Israeli military strikes against Iran’s nuclear program, which
would be viewed by Tehran as an act of war. Azerbaijan has many
important energy and infrastructure investments that will require
additional security if tensions with Iran escalate, and it will be
painfully close to the action should military conflict with Iran
occur.

Greg Caramenico is a journalist and analyst covering finance, science
and energy policy, as well as Italy, Iran and the Levant. He has a
master’s degree in history from Vanderbilt University.

Associated Press Online
March 8, 2012 Thursday 2:22 PM GMT

Turkey opposes military intervention in Syria

TUNIS Tunisia

The presidents of Turkey and Tunisia say they are opposed to outside
military intervention in Syria, urging a diplomatic settlement to the
bloodshed instead.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul says regional powers should try and
find a solution for the crisis.

Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, has been calling for an
end to a crackdown by Syria’s government troops, and is set to host a
diplomatic conference on Syria’s future.

At Gul’s side after meeting Thursday, Tunisia’s President Moncef
Marzouki said, “arming insurgents and foreign intervention would only
complicate the situation.”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further
information. AP’s earlier story is below.

LONDON (AP) Russia and China are paying “a diplomatic price” across
the Arab world for their opposition to international action against
Syria’s ruling regime, Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague said
Thursday.

China and Russia have already vetoed two United Nations resolutions
condemning the Syrian government’s bloody crackdown and calling for
President Bashar Assad to step down.

Members of the U.N. Security Council began discussions this week over
a possible new resolution, though it’s unclear whether alternative
language in the latest draft would be sufficient for the two nations
to drop their objections.

“While we should not be starry-eyed about this, it’s certainly true
that China and Russia are paying a diplomatic price for the position
that they have taken,” Hague told Parliament’s Foreign Affairs select
committee. “Throughout the Arab world they are paying that price
particularly in the opinion of the people of many Arab nations.”

Hague said nations at the U.N. must continue to work on agreeing to “a
meaningful resolution” that supports the work of the joint U.N.-Arab
League envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan.

“If our view is correct that the Assad regime cannot recover its
credibility internationally, or internally after spilling so much
blood and that one way or another it is doomed, then it is in the
national interest of Russia and China to support a political
transition at some stage,” Hague said.

Russia’s foreign ministry on Tuesday dismissed Western hopes for a
shift in its stance as “wishful thinking,” while China on Thursday
said its special envoy had held talks with Syria’s foreign minister
and opposition figures during a visit to the country. Li Huaxin
reiterated Beijing’s belief that the Syrian crisis could be settled
peacefully through dialogue.

Hague told legislators that Britain may be prepared to offer equipment
to Syria’s opposition, but said there were concerns over whether it
would be possible to deliver items into Syria and fears they could end
up in the hand of extremists.

“We can help and we will continue offer help to peaceful Syrian
opposition groups,” he said. “I don’t rule out giving more nonlethal
help.”

Hague acknowledged it could be possible to replicate the aid that had
been offered to Libya’s rebel forces where Britain supplied body armor
and communications equipment.

However, he said worries that al-Qaida-linked extremists were
operating inside Syria could pose a challenge.

“That is a consideration in trying to provide practical assistance,” he said.

In Athens, Greece’s Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas met with Syrian
opposition representatives to discuss a peaceful end to the country’s
yearlong uprising. A representative from the Coordination Committee
for Democratic Change, one of the Syria’s two main opposition groups,
said his group is committed to a non-violent transition to democracy.

Separately, Turkey’s president said France would be invited to an
upcoming diplomatic conference on Syria despite a diplomatic dispute
over mass killings of Armenians at the end of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul during a visit to Tunisia that he wants
“the largest possible participation” in the next so-called Friends of
Syria conference.

Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, and France, Syria’s
former colonial ruler, have been calling for stronger world action on
Syria. But Turkish-French relations have stalled over a French law
making it a crime to deny that mass killings of Armenians in 1915
constituted genocide.

Armenian cross-bencher seeks PAP membership

17:48 – 09.03.12

The cross-bencher Leva Khachatryan (an MP from Aparan) has not yet
decided on joining the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) or any other
political force.

`I want the future generations to inherit a national, prosperous and
rule of law country,’ Khachatryan told Tert.am as he commented on
media reports on his plans to join the PAP.

Without ruling out this possibility, he noted that the issue has not
yet been discussed with the PAP.

PAP Spokesman Baghdasar Mheyan told Ter.am that the issue of Mr
Khachatryan’s joining the party is being discussed.

Tert.am