Author: Badalian Vardan

ALIOSE SWISS BAND TO FEATURE RENEWED PROGRAM IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 23, 2012 – 19:18 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Aliose acoustic pop band will perform a completely
renewed show program in Armenia, the band member Alizee Oswald told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

As she also noted, the music to be performed will feature the Hang,
national Swiss instrument.

Aliose concert is scheduled to take place at Yerevan’s Mezzo Club on
March 23 and Gyumri’s central park on March 24.

Ever since the release of first album in 2008, Aliose fame has spread
throughout Switzerland and abroad.

Their numerous awards, from professionals and loyal fans as well
(Coup de C~ur Claude Lemesle 2006 award in Paris, Utopia 2006 award
in Besancon, 2 Oreilles 2009 award in Saint-Etienne, Audience Award
at the Voix de Fete 2010 festival in Geneva, 5 awards at the Medaille
d’or de la chanson in Saignelegier), promise a bright future to the
young Swiss band.

A new acoustic dimension was reached thanks to the cellist Zephyrin
Rey-Bellet, who joined the band comprising Alize Oswald, Xavier Michel
and Sara Oswald in 2010.

Aliose participated in Switzerland’s national selection for Eurovision
International Song Contest in 2011 and 2012.

The concert of the band is Switzerland’s contribution to the month
of Francophonie (mois de la francophonie), traditionally marked in
Armenia every spring. Events are organized in many countries worldwide
arousing public interest towards the French culture.

Former Armenian Police Official Sentenced To 4 Years In Jail

news.am
March 23, 2012 | 17:55

YEREVAN. – The judge sentenced former Chief of the Police Force
Criminal Investigation Department, Police Major General Hovhannes
Tamamyan to four years in jail.

Speaking during the Friday hearings Tamamyan’s lawyer asked the
court for a year imprisonment. Hovhannes Tamanyan took the floor,
while other two defendants refused to deliver final speech.

Hovhannes Tamamyan, Armen Poghosyan and Vahan Khanzadyan are charged
with abuse of power, which has caused serious consequences.

Armen Poghosyan and Vahan Khanzadyan are given two-year suspended
sentence.

UPPING THE ANTE IN CHIANTI
By Fiona MacLeod

March 23, 2012 9:18 pm

Painter Maro Gorky, who left hectic London for Tuscany, talks about
the sense of belonging to a particular country

Maro Gorky with peacocks outside her home in Tuscany

Trying to work out from which country Maro Gorky is expatriate is
a puzzle. For more than four decades the painter and her husband
Matthew Spender, a sculptor, have lived in rural Tuscany, creating
and embellishing their house and garden on a hillside in Chianti
so that it is an elaborate collaboration of their twin arts. “The
Italians certainly consider me English,” says Gorky. “Our weird life
to them is so un-Italian. We dress so badly for one, we don’t keep
up appearances as they do – we don’t have the bella figura.” The
Italians, according to Gorky, don’t like to show any cracks in the
surface. “Our Anglo-Saxon attitude is quite different.”

Gorky’s parents came from cultural backgrounds that were poles apart.

Her father, the Armenian abstract expressionist painter Arshile Gorky
(a retrospective of his work took place in 2010 at Tate Modern in
London), emigrated to the US as a young man, having lost his mother
to starvation during the Armenian massacre in Turkey during the first
world war. His early life was one of oppression and hardship. Her
mother was from a well-to-do Bostonian family, with a naval officer
father who had postings all over the world. Their life was one of
comfort and privilege.

When Maro was five, Gorky took his own life and, shortly after, she,
her sister and her mother left the US to live in Positano on Italy’s
Amalfi coast. “Mummy was like a character in a Henry James novel,”
says Gorky. “We rented beautiful houses in Italy, Spain, France then
England and met hordes of interesting people. She loved to have a
changing backdrop and a cast of thousands.”

One summer, on holiday in Crete, Gorky met Matthew Spender, son of the
poet Stephen Spender, at the home of the neo-Romantic painter John
Craxton. They have been together ever since, even while Gorky went
to study at the Slade School of Fine Art and Matthew read history
at Oxford. “We lived in a beautiful little flat in Percy Street [in
London] that belonged to George Orwell’s wife Sonia – George’s old
clothes were still in the attic.”

In 1968 the couple left England for Italy in search of a new life
in the country. “We needed to escape from our parents in London,”
she says. “Their networks were overpowering … ” Gorky says that
she and her husband were sure, at the time, that anyone in Italy who
worked the soil was a rustic philosopher.

At Avane, their Tuscan farmhouse, almost everything you look at is
made or decorated by Gorky or her husband. There are mad, beaded
chandeliers and lampshades, frescoed walls, painted furniture, and,
of course, Gorky’s striking paintings and Spender’s serene sculptures.

The couple’s daughters, Cosima and Saskia, grew up here, though both
now live in London.

As a child Gorky painted with her father in his studio, where he
let her dabble on the back of his canvases. He showed her books
with illustrations by his favourite artists, Edward Lear’s nonsense
poems and Gustave Dore’s drawings for The Divine Comedy. Now her own
light-filled studio dominates the heart of the house. It’s not cut-off
and sacrosanct, as one might expect, but at the centre of operations:
a thoroughfare to several bedrooms.

Her paintings of Italy express a love of its landscape, yet she claims
she could live anywhere. “I do love Italian Renaissance art and living
in this countryside is just like inhabiting the background of one of
those paintings. My favourites are Paolo Uccello, Cosmè Tura and Carlo
Crivelli and I can see their work easily in the museums and churches
here. However, I feel I have an imaginary internal landscape that
could be triggered off by catalysts in many different places.”

“I couldn’t say I’m Armenian, American, British or Italian,” says
Gorky. “I don’t feel a loss from not belonging to one country because
I’m part of an international fellowship of artists that I can tap
into wherever I go.”

‘The Geometry of Nature’, an exhibition of Maro Gorky’s paintings at
the Long & Ryle Gallery, London, until April 13,

ARMENIAN OFFICER IN BURBANK ENDURES ETHNIC SLURS, GOES TO COURT

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 24, 2012 – 14:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Testimony in another trial pitting a police officer
against the city began this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court,
this time centering on claims that an Armenian American detective
endured ethnic slurs and other forms of harassment, Burbank Leader
reported.

Burbank Police Det. Steve Karagiosian’s attorney, Solomon Gresen,
said in his opening statement Thursday, March 22, that evidence would
show ethnic slurs against his client were made and corroborated by
other officers.

Gresen said his client was “no ordinary officer.”

“From the time he passed probationary status, he received outstanding
performance evaluations,” Gresen said, noting that Karagiosian was
named Officer of the Year in 2007.

After Karagiosian’s probationary period passed, “he started hearing
comments, about him and people on the street,” and started to complain
as early as 2007, Gresen said. One of the six officers Karagiosian
alleges made racial slurs was suspended for about 12 hours, he said.

Officer Aaron Kendrick was accused of calling Armenians “towel heads,”
which was corroborated by four other officers, according to documents
presented in court that were based on an investigation by outside
attorney Irma Rodriguez Moisa.

Former Police Chief Tim Stehr was the first witness in the trial,
taking the stand Thursday to weigh in on the allegations. “I believe
it falls under the harassment section,” Stehr said when asked if
Kendrick’s statement violated a department or city policy.

Kendrick also allegedly told Karagiosian he was hired and promoted
only because he was Armenian.

Meanwhile, Lawrence Michaels, one of the attorneys defending the city,
said in his opening statement that Karagiosian complained about the
remarks years after they were made and only after there were rumors
the FBI would be investigating the department for alleged excessive
use of force. Karagiosian filed the lawsuit, Michaels argued, because
he feared he would be investigated.

Michaels described Karagiosian as a foul-mouthed, abrasive person who
did not fear retaliation or confronting people, and said the detective
had previously deemed such comments as just jokes and failed attempts
at humor – not harassment or discrimination.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAN AND POSSIBLE IRAN-US COLLISION
Sevak Sarukhanyan

22.03.2012

Deputy Director of “Noravank” Foundation, Head of the Center for
Political Studies

Parliamentary elections held on March 2 and presidential elections in
2013 in Iran are of great importance not only for domestic political
life of the Islamic Republic of Iran but they may also become an
incitement for the military encounter between Iran and the US. The
articles refers mainly to the developments in the election period
which may influence processes taking place in Iran and in the region.

Election campaign on the eve of the parliamentary elections As it was
expected parliamentary elections in Iran were held without main and
radical opposition, which stated back in January that it was going to
boycott elections on March 2. The oppositionists who participated in
election campaign constituted 10% of all the candidates and they were
united in two oppositional coalitions – Islamic Participation Front
of Iran and National Trust Front. Though these groups came forward
with criticism of the authorities, their views can be considered
oppositional only conventionally as they do not demand changes of
general state policy and governing structure of the state.

One could hardly expect that the main part of the population which
took an oppositional stance would protect these two coalitions as
there were no vivid representatives of opposition among them. On the
other hand Iranian active opposition urged its supporters to boycott
elections thus trying to deprive future parliament of legitimacy. On
March 3 when preliminary results of the elections were issued, it
became clear that this restricted opposition could not even win 10%
and amounted to nothing more than 7%.

Rather interesting processes took place in the conservative camp
either; in February an incumbent speaker of the Iranian Majlis Ali
Larijani considerably lost his ground. In early February a number of
media and web-sites belonging to radical conservatives issued materials
according to which over the recent years Ali Larijani had made rather
big fortune, owned huge property and had been involved in a number
shady dealings mainly connected with privatization of state property.

There was even information that the sheikhs prohibited Ali Larijani
participating in the parliamentary elections, which however, later was
disclaimed by Larijani. Most probably, an eager activity was initiated
in order to minimize chances of Ali Larijani to be reelected as a
chairman of a new parliament. Besides, today Larijani is considered as
a possible candidate for presidency at coming presidential elections
in 2013 and propaganda directed against him aims to deprive him of a
possibility to run for president. It should also be underlined that if
the proposal by the spiritual leader of Iran Ali Khamenei to abolish
the post of the president and substitute it by the prime-minster
elected by the parliament made last October is passed, then the post
of the speaker of the parliament may become influential while electing
a prime-minister. Hence, possible “overthrowing” of A. Larijani means
that he and powers supporting him cannot influence formation of the
executive authorities.

Most probably, in consequence of information campaign directed against
him, Ali Larijani’s wing in February joined Conservative United
Front established with the participation of A. Khamenei which is in
fact a coalition uniting conservative powers. This coalition won the
elections and will have about 150 deputies in the parliament, taking
into consideration the fact that independent candidates will join it.

As for the supporters of president M. Akhmadinejad, they suffered
a devastating defeat and they will have about 50 deputies in the
parliament even if they include independent candidates.

Though the elections were held without serious provocations, the
Iranian authorities were expecting such provocations.

As the Iranian media mention, the parliamentary election agitation
in the cities was seriously restricted by the security services,
because they expected that mass meetings might be used for terrorist
acts or provocations, the number of which has increased recently
and it is connected with the activation of separatists in Belujistan
and Kurdistan.

The fact that the Iranian authorities were expecting serious
provocations and possible destabilization before the elections is
not questioned. Both strengthening of surveillance by the security
services and statements of the government officials prove that. On
January 24 the Minister of Intelligence of Iran Heydar Moslehi stated
that West prepares serious destabilization of situation in Iran,
which includes following actions:

Underlining political disagreements and deepening of contradictions
in the political system by means of propaganda; Propagating doubts
concerning the transparency of the election process in the country and
abroad; Taking political discussion to the streets; Creation of
the atmosphere of distrust; Aggravation of the economic and social
conditions in the country by means of economic sanctions.

We would also like to add centralization of the American military
forces in the proximity of the Persian Gulf which creates psychological
background for the most aggressive opposition and seems to “persuade”
that an attempt to start a revolution may receive a military support on
behalf of the United States. The US military presence in the proximity
of Iran, of course, first of all looks like a psychological action,
as today the United States do not have enough power and abilities
to implement military interference in the processes which could take
place in Iran in consequence of the parliamentary elections.

But it should be mentioned that a possible threat expected from
the United States will be of paramount importance for the Iranian
authorities for at least one year. If such a dangerous situation was
created on the eve of the parliamentary elections, doubly dangerous
situation may be on the eve of the presidential election in 2013,
as the latter is much more important for the public and political
life of Iran than parliamentary elections. Thus, the post-election
and pre-election situation in Iran will remain rather strained for
at least a year and state will be obliged to react tougher to the
domestic threats.

Summing up a part regarding domestic developments, let us mention
that despite eager domestic political struggle, the authorities
demonstrated that they control the situation in the country. As
for the policy of opposition, it has failed to some extent as 64%
of population participated in the elections and it raised the level
of its legitimacy, though the opposition did not participate.

Will there be a collision between Iran and the US?

The processes, which take place in Iran, are of great importance for
the United States either, and it has gained a first serious opportunity
to strike a massive blow to the Iranian positions. It is conditioned
by several factors:

1.Opinion polls show that 48% of the population of the Unites States
supports the idea of delivering strike at Iran. But if they held a
penetrating investigation, it would appear in our opinion that the
main reason for such an anti-Iranian mood is propaganda carried out in
regard to M. Akhmadinejad for the recent seven years. In his statements
the Iranian president gave a handle for the American propaganda to
declare him the enemy of civilization. But in a year Akhmadinejad will
leave his post and the next president of Iran may be more acceptable
for the Western public. The main presidential aspirant is the mayor of
Tehran M. Ghalibaf who is a western type of leader and if he becomes
a president West can hardly expect any support from within Iran.

2.The future of the sanctions imposed on Iran is not clear yet either.

Today international community seems to demonstrate that it has made a
maximum use of the sanctions; it is obvious that China and Russia would
not allow the UN Security Council imposing even more serious sanctions
on Iran. Hence, economic means of suppressing Iran are exhausted.

3.Events in Syria have seriously weakened Iran. If B. Assad’s regime
falls, Iran will lose its main ally in the region. But if Syrian
authorities manage to preserve their power and suppress opposition,
Iran will regain its weakening positions on the border with Israel. In
this case a possible American attack on Iran may cause new big regional
war in which not only Iran and the United States but also Syria,
Israel, Lebanon and even Egypt (where Muslim Brothers who are looking
for a reason to unfold confrontation with Israel are strengthening
their positions) will be involved. Large-scale regional confrontation
will also affect situation in Iraq and Afghanistan where the formed
conventional status-quo is most probably the only expedient situation
for Washington. Such developments may cause for the United States
uncontrollable situation in the whole Middle East.

Thus, it can be supposed that the current situation in the region
and pre-election year in Iran provide very short-term possibility
for the US to counteract Iran.

But the point is that to what extent Washington is ready to carry out
military incursion into Iran or deliver air strikes at the Iranian
military and nuclear objects. Though opinions about its readiness
prevail, many authoritative organizations and specialists believe that
striking Iran is a big information bluffing. In particular, Shahram
Chubin – one of the most authoritative researchers of the Middle East
and Iran over the recent 20 years – is of such opinion. The latter
believe that neither United States nor Israel can or aim to deliver
strike at Iran. And the current aggravation of situation is conditioned
by the efforts of mainly Tel Aviv, which tries to “blackmail”
international community – if you are not ready to increase pressure
on Tehran, we will strike Iran and wash our hands off an affair.

It is also obvious that the United States creates grounds for
avoiding striking Iran. In this aspect the statement made by the US
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on February 16 that the
achievements of the Iranian nuclear programme were hyped deserves
special attention: “We frankly don’t see a lot new here. This is not
big news. It seems to have been hyped. The Iranians have, for many
months, been putting out calendars of accomplishments, and based on
their own calendars, they are many, many months behind. This strikes
us as calibrated mostly for a domestic audience.” This is nothing
but an attempt by Washington to avoid “responsibility” of striking
Iran, which has been formed recently as a result of “Iranian threat”
propaganda. Moreover, president Obama’s speech to AIPAC (America
Israel Public Affairs Committee) on March 4, in which he said that
as president and commander in chief, he had a deeply held preference
for peace over war, also proves that Washington wants to avoid war.

However, one can say that in the year to come important developments
are expected in both Iran and region. We should hope that those
developments will not bring to the processes which may affect security
of the Armenian communities in the region and Armenia in case of
aggravation of civil war in Syria and military collision between the
United States and Iran.

ROMANIAN MINISTER OF NATIONAL HERITAGE TO VISIT ARMENIA

news.am
March 22, 2012 | 19:08

Armenia’s Ambassador in Romania Hamlet Gasparyan met the Romanian
Minister of Culture and National Heritage Kelemen Hunor who is also
a member of the ruling coalition, chairman of UDMR party.

During their meeting the sides discussed Minister’s visit to Armenia
within the framework of the opening ceremony of Yerevan World Book
Capital events.

As the Armenian MFA informs Armenian News-NEWS.am, they gave appraisal
of joint study, preservation and presentation of centuries-old
heritage.

OPERATION KOLTSO: HOW THE AZERBAIJANI AUTHORITIES AND THE SOVIET LEADERSHIP DEPORTED ARMENIANS
Alisa Gevorgyan

“Radiolur”
22.03.2012 18:22

The presentation of the film “Artsakh” – the first in the “Operation
Koltso: April-August 1991” series took place at the Armenia Marriot
Hotel today. According to the authors of the project, the film is
a condemnation of the crime against humanity perpetrated by the
Azerbaijani authorities and the Soviet leadership.

According to the author of the “Common” Genocide” project Marina
Grigoryan, the film presents exceptional episodes, which have never
been shown.

In 1991 twenty-six Armenian villages and hamlets in Shahumian, Hadrut
and Shushi regions in the south and west of Nagorno-Karabakh were
exposed to severe pressure, rioting and pillaging by the army and
the Azerbaijanis during the operation “Koltso.” Almost ten thousand
people were deported, more than hundred people died. Over six hundred
men were taken hostage, were tortured and abused.

The events that took place within the framework of the operation
“Koltso” were reflected in the documents of a number of international
organizations, hearings on the case were organized at the Human Rights
Commission of the Russian Supreme Council, the events were assessed
by the European Court of Human Rights and the US Senate.

The “Operation Koltso: April-August 1991” film will be first screened
on Public TV on March 29.

GREECE READY TO ASSIST ARMENIA IN SIGNING ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 22, 2012 – 14:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Greece stands ready to extend assistance to Armenia
in signing the Association Agreement with the EU, President of the
Economic and Social Council (E.S.C.) of Greece said.

Christos Polyzogopoulos hailed the friendly relations between the
two countries based on historical and cultural heritage.

“All political circles in the world are well aware of the fact that
Greece backs Armenia,” he said at Yerevan State Linguistic University.

E.S.C. delegation comprising Secretary-General Apostolos Xyraphis
and head of Public and International Relations Martha Theodorou is
currently on visit to Armenia at the invitation of Armenian Public
Council.

As Mr. Polyzogopoulos said, hard times that the Greek economy presently
experiences bears hard on the people.

“We are confident of our ability to handle the crisis and play a
leading role in Europe,” he added.

A. ZAKARYAN: LEAVING FOR BAKU WITH COMPLETE STAF

Aysor.am
March 22, 2012

“The decision is as follows: Armenian delegation will attend the second
plenary session of Euronest in Baku with complete staff,” deputy of
RPA fraction Artak Zakaryan, included in the delegation, told Aysor.am.

A. Zakaryan mentioned that it is very important to leave with the
complete staff as the framework of the themes to be discussed is
very broad and it is not excepted that Azerbaijani side may not
give unpleasant surprises. “We should stand them by protecting our
interests,” the deputy said.

“It is obvious that in some reports Azerbaijani side tries to present
new formulations in a form of suggestions. Thus we have to do our
best to prevent the penetration of unpleasant formulations into the
presented 4 reports,” A. Zakaryan said.

The second Euronest plenary session is to be held in Baku on April
1- 4.

STATEMENT BY THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR COUNTRIES

March 22, 2012

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC

Following is a joint statement issued on March 22, 2012, by Foreign
Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State
of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Foreign Minister of
France Alain Juppe.

Begin text:

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the formal request to
convene a conference on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, we, the
Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, call
upon the sides to demonstrate the political will needed to achieve a
lasting and peaceful settlement. As Presidents Medvedev, Obama, and
Sarkozy reiterated in their joint statement at Deauville on May 24,
2011, only a negotiated settlement can lead to peace, stability, and
reconciliation, and any attempt to use force to resolve the conflict
would bring only more suffering to a region that has known uncertainty
and insecurity for too long.

We recall that the peoples of the region have suffered most from
the consequences of war, and any delay in reaching a settlement will
only prolong their hardships. A new generation has come of age in the
region with no first-hand memory of Armenians and Azeris living side
by side, and prolonging these artificial divisions only deepens the
wounds of war. For this reason, we urge the leaders of the sides to
prepare their populations for peace, not war.

Progress toward peace has been made. The joint statements of our three
Presidents at L’Aquila in 2009, Muskoka in 2010, and Deauville in 2011
outlined elements of a framework for a comprehensive peace settlement.

Recently, the January 23, 2012, joint statement in Sochi, Russia, by
Presidents Aliyev, Sargsian, and Medvedev expressed the commitment
of the two sides to accelerate reaching agreement on the Basic
Principles. We urge the leaders of the sides to complete work as soon
as possible on the framework agreement and subsequent final settlement
– based on the Helsinki Final Act principles of non-use or threat of
force, territorial integrity, and self-determination and equal rights
of peoples; the United Nations Charter; and norms and principles of
international law – which will allow the entire region to move beyond
the status quo toward a more secure and prosperous future.