Word On The Street: Yerevan Residents’ Opinions On Armenia Participa

WORD ON THE STREET: YEREVAN RESIDENTS’ OPINIONS ON ARMENIA PARTICIPATING IN EUROVISION IN BAKU

epress.am
07.01.2011

Armenia’s participation in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest (to be held
in Azerbaijan) not yet confirmed, Epress.am decided to ask passers-by
on the streets of Yerevan (who turned out to be exclusively students)
their opinion on the matter.

“To be honest, I’m not particularly interested in Eurovision, and,
in my opinion, it’s stupid to think to participate or not. Well now,
it’s a contest, let them participate, what difference if it’s in
Azerbaijan or anywhere else. It’s something else altogether if there
will be problems with national security, but they should consider
that on a state level,” said Yerevan State University (YSU) journalism
student Nare.

“I myself don’t see anyone as a potential participant. For me, it’s
all the same,” she added.

Two female students from the Armenian Agricultural Academy were
strongly against Armenia’s participation in Eurovision in Baku, since
“they’re not so much [i.e. Azerbaijan is not such a big deal], that
Armenia has to go and sing on their land.” And if Armenia decides to
participate? “It wouldn’t be bad for Razmik Amyan to participate.”

A group of female YSU cultural studies students were also in favor of
Razmik Amyan as Armenia’s contestant in the 2012 Eurovision contest,
since “he’s very good, he has a strong voice, and he corresponds to
Eurovision’s standards.”

“But why shouldn’t he participate? The important thing he’s a normal
guy, and Razmik Amyan as a singer is good,” said one State Engineering
University of Armenia student.

“Absolutely we must participate and definitely we will win,” said
Kristina Hayrapetyan, a Yerevan State Medical University student. She
too seemed bent on sending Razmik Amyan to represent Armenia.

Another group of Armenian Agricultural Academy students, however,
would prefer Mher as Armenia’s contestant.

“I think there shouldn’t be any obstacle to our participation; on the
contrary, we have to go and present an Armenian song with national
rhythms. I’m convinced that by [Armenia] participating in Azerbaijan,
the Armenian diaspora will vote more actively and we’ll achieve some
sort of success. I would want the group Dorians or Mher to go. I
am indifferent toward Razmik Amyan’s participation; let me not say
anything else bad,” said self-proclaimed activist Arman Gharibyan.

The General Prosecutor’s Office Of Azerbaijan Is To Provide Informat

THE GENERAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF AZERBAIJAN IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE RA GENERAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE’S WRITTEN REQUEST

armradio.am
01.07.2011 12:51

The Coordinating Council of Prosecutor Generals of CIS Member States
suggested the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan to discuss
the written request made by the RA General Prosecutor’s Office’s on
legal assistance concerning the criminal case initiated on the death
of the RA citizen Manvel Saribekyan who had been killed in October
2010 in Baku and to provide information about the results to the
Coordinating Council and the RA General Prosecutor’s Office.

Under the aegis of the International Committee of the Red Cross on
November 4, 2010 the body of the citizen of the Republic of Armenia
Manvel Mamikon Saribekyan killed in October 2010 in Baku was returned
to Armenia. On November 5, 2010 a criminal case was initiated case
according to the RA Criminal Code Article 104, parts 5 and 13 (murder
committed with particular cruelty and out of motives of national,
race or religious hate or fanatism) by the Investigation Division
of Tsambarak of the RA Police. The preliminary investigation of
the criminal case was tasked to the Investigation Department of the
National Security Service adjunct to the RA Government.

In order to carry out comprehensive and complete investigation
and guided by the Minsk Convention “On Legal Assistance and Legal
Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters” 22 January 1993,
the RA Prosecutor General on December 14, 2010 sent a letter to the
Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan Mr. Zakir Bekir with the request
to provide assistance to the investigation of the mentioned criminal
case, in particular to inform whether any investigation on the case of
Manvel Mamikon Saribekyan’s violent death had been carried out by the
Investigation Bodies of Azerbaijan. The General Prosecutor’s Office
of the Republic of Armenia had also assured that the received data
and documents would be used only in the framework of the investigation.

The General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan did not reply to
the request made by the RA General Prosecutor’s Office. Taking
into consideration that the reply is of vital importance for the
preliminary investigation of the criminal case on April 5, 2011 the
Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan sent a letter to the Chairman of
the Coordinating Council of Prosecutor Generals of the CIS Member
States and the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Yuri
Chaika asking to assist in receiving a response to the written request.

The Coordinating Council of Prosecutor Generals of CIS Member States
responded to the RA General Prosecutor’s Office’s request and suggested
the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan to provide information
about the results to both the Coordinating Council and the RA General
Prosecutor’s Office.

Georgy Petrosyan will Leave Post of NKR Foreign Minister

Georgy Petrosyan will Leave Post of NKR Foreign Minister

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 17:41:17 – 02/07/2011

The information unit of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun informs that the 31st
General Assembly of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun ended on July 1. The
Assembly elected the members of the ARF-D Bureau. The elected Bureau
members are:

Vigen Baghumyan
Davit Lokyan
Vahan Hovhannesyan
Hrant Margaryan
Levon Lazarian
Mkrtich Mkrtichyan
Mario Nalpantian
Georgy Petrosyan
Hakob Ter-Khachaturian

On July 2 Hrant Margaryan was elected Representative of the ARF Bureau.

By the way, election to the Bureau means that the NKR foreign minister
Georgy Petrosyan must leave his post.

http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/country22474.html

BAKU: Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to UN sends letter to Secretary Genera

Trend, Azerbaijan
July 2 2011

Azerbaijan’s ambassador to UN sends letter to Secretary General over
cease-fire violations by Armenia
[02.07.2011 21:49]
Azerbaijan, Baku, July 2 /Trend, R Darakhshan /

Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN Agshin Mehdiyev has
sent a letter to the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, says a statement
by the country’s permanent mission to the United Nations.

The letter contains a list of violations of the ceasefire by Armenia
in May this year and reports that two Azerbaijani soldiers were killed
and one was seriously injured as their result.

The paper also notes that over the last months the armed forces of
Armenia intensified attacks on Azerbaijani civilians and civilian
objects. On March 8, a nine-year-old Azerbaijani child was shot dead
by an Armenian sniper, on May 26, the civilian population of the
Chiragli village of the Agdam district of Azerbaijan was subjected to
continuous fire by the armed forces of Armenia and on June 3 Elmar
Piriyev, a resident of the Aghjabadi district of the country, was
killed by Armenian militaries in the Chemenli village of the Agdam
district situated near the front line.

“Besides such inhuman and unjustifiable actions, the high-ranking
officials of Armenia continued their irresponsible statements and
provocative visits to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, thus
openly and deliberately challenging the international mediation
efforts aimed at the soonest settlement of the conflict”, the document
says.

The letter says that in an interview on May 16 to the Moskovskie
Novosti (Moscow News) newspaper, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
confirmed once again that the Armenian side considers the conflict
settlement process only as a means of achieving the annexation of
Azerbaijani territories.

“The views of the President of Armenia about the relevant
international legal principles and their application and scope in the
context of the settlement of the conflict unambiguously testify to the
fundamental and persistent denial by this State Member of the United
Nations of the generally accepted norms and principles of
international law”, the letter says.

The letter was also circulated in the General Assembly and UN Security Council.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the 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 church in Yettem marks 100 years

Visalia Times-Delta , CA
July 2 2011

Armenian church in Yettem marks 100 years

Months of events culminate this weekend as hundreds of Armenians
celebrate St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church’s 100th anniversary in
Visalia and Yettem.

Up to 335 guests made reservations for a banquet tonight at the Lamp
Liter Inn in Visalia. And 200 are expected to attend church services
Sunday morning in Yettem, followed by a fellowship lunch.

“We’re in the final stretch now,” said the Rev. Vartan Kasparian,
pastor of the church. “The 125th will be a snap.”

Bea Soxman of Visalia is the 100th anniversary chairwoman. On Friday,
she and Rose Marie Margo-sian of Dinuba were busy with last-minute
details.

“The people who attend our church are small in number, but mighty in
effort and support,” she said. “They step up whenever it’s needed.”

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Armenians immigrated to America to
escape persecution. Many settled in Tulare County.

Looking to the east from Yettem, early Armenian settlers saw or-chards
and vineyards with mountains behind them. The pastoral scene reminded
them of their homeland.

At first, they gathered underneath trees for church services in 1903
and later inside each other’s homes, Kasparian said.

Yettem, about 12 miles north of Visalia, means Eden in Armenian. The
town was named in 1904 when the Post Office selected the name from a
list of three Armenian names, he said. Yettem had about 200 Armenians
at the time.

“They picked the easiest name to pronounce,” he said. “Yettem.”

By 1910-11, Armenians in Yettem began building a church with their own
hands, he said. It was consecrated on July 3, 1911.

Later, survivors of the Armenian genocide (1915-1922) escaped what is
now Turkey to Syria or Egypt. Many later immigrated to Massachusetts,
Wisconsin and later Detroit. Eventually, they made their way to
California, Kasparian said.

One of the highlights of the first 100 years was the rebuilding of the
church in the 1940s. The original wooden church burned down in 1945
and was rebuilt with red bricks on the same site at 14395 Avenue 384.
The first St. Mary’s fell victim to a farmer’s trash burn that got out
of control, Kasparian said.

The second church, still in use

today, cost $70,000 to build in the 1940s and seats 250 comfortably, he said.

It was a fortune for the church’s poor parishioners at the time, he
said. The artwork, icons and stained glass seen in the church today
were added in the 1970s and 1980s.

Nowadays, most of the 50 to 100 parishioners who attend church
services regularly at St. Mary’s on Sunday live elsewhere. Only two
Armenian families remain in Yettem, Kasparian said.

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20110702/NEWS01/107020322

Georgia grants status of legal entity to Armenian Apostolic Church

Panorama, Armenia
July 2 2011

Georgia grants status of legal entity to Armenian Apostolic Church

Georgian Parliament passed a resolution granting religious unions,
including Armenian Apostolic Church the status of legal entity in
public law, Novosti-Gruzia writes.

Georgia grants status of legal entity to Armenian Apostolic Church,
Roman Catholic Church, Muslim, Hudda and Baptist Churches.

`Christian-democratic’ faction, which voted against the resolution
said Georgian church doesn’t have the similar status in Armenia and
Azerbaijan, and if those states plan to do the same for Georgian
church.

Armenian Police to become member of International Police Association

news.am, Armenia
July 2 2011

Armenian Police to become member of International Police Association

July 02, 2011 | 19:08

YEREVAN. – Before achieving full membership, Armenian police must
undergo several procedures but we are hopeful that our goal, the full
membership of Armenian Police Service in the International Police
Association will be fulfilled by 2012, said the chairman of IPA
Michael Odysseos at a press conference in Yerevan on Saturday.

Odysseos mentioned that the primary goal of his visit is creation of
Armenian branch of IPA.

Chairman of IPA Armenian branch Gigor Sahakyan said that IPA
membership increases the role and significance of police in
international arena.

`Armenia has diplomatic relations only with 12 out of 62 members of
IPA. Full membership will avail protection of any Armenian on the
territories of IPA member-states,’ Sahakyan said.

BAKU: Armenia makes military solution to the conflict urgent – MP

news.az, Azerbaijan
July 2 2011

Armenia makes military solution to the conflict urgent – MP
Sat 02 July 2011 07:12 GMT | 3:12 Local Time

The military parade of the armed forces of our country that took
place a few days ago showed that the army is one of the strongest
armies in region.
The remarks came from Aydin Mirzazade, deputy chairman of the security
and defence committee of the Azerbaijani Parliament, the Milli Majlis.

“Over the years our army has really become a very powerful force,
which is not inferior to the most advanced armies of the world for its
technical equipment and combat readiness. Head of state Ilham Aliyev
attaches special importance to military construction, and our army has
reached such heights due to the expedient policy by the head of state.
Moreover, the Azerbaijani people have always supported their own army,
and this is a sign of the unity between the army and the people,” said
Mirzazade.

Mirzazade noted that though Azerbaijani army can at any moment fulfill
its tasks, Azerbaijan is committed to a peaceful way to resolve the
conflict.

“And the international community wants a solution to the conflict.
Aspirations and actions of Azerbaijan in this direction are clear.
However, the enemy party still makes groundless territorial claims,
does not take a clear commitment to liberate the occupied territories,
and it therefore makes military solution to the conflict urgent.

Armenia must finally realize that it can not indefinitely keep the
occupied territories of a neighbor. The time works against it,”
Mirzazade noted.

1news.az

90 kilos heroin confiscated in Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport

90 kilos heroin confiscated in Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport

14:27 – 02.07.11

Armenia’s National Security Service has prevented the export of 90 kg
heroin to Denmark and Netherlands from Yerevan’s Zvartnots
International Airport.

According to a press release issued by the NSS, the drugs had been
hidden in consumer electronics that arrived in Yerevan and were to be
flown to the destination countries.

The NSS has opened a criminal case and arrested two people over the case.

Tert.am

Discours de Jacques Donabédian, président du CCAF Marseille-Provence

MARSEILLE-CCAF
Discours de Jacques Donabédian, président du CCAF Marseille-Provence
prononcé lors de la réunion publique du 29 juin à Marseille

Nous publions ci-dessous dans son intégralité, le discours de Jacques
Donabédian, président du CCAF Marseille-Provence prononcé le mercredi
29 juin à l’occasion de la rencontre-débat autour de l’échec de la Loi
de pénalisation du négationnisme du génocide au Sénat le 4 mai
dernier.

« Sous la pression turco azérie l’UNESCO a profané il y a quelques
jours une exposition de photos de Khatchkars dont elle était elle-même
co-organisatrice. La mention des lieux et la carte montrant
l’implantation de ces croix de pierre témoignant de la présence
arménienne sur sa terre ancestrale en Arménie occupée ont été
supprimées. Voilà encore une forme de négationnisme pervers que nous
ne pouvons plus supporter et qui se rajoute à tout ce que nous avons
entendu le 4 mai au sénat. Alors trop c’est trop !

Mais le but de cette rencontre n’est pas de nous défouler sur nos amis
parlementaires ici présents, il est certes d’exprimer notre émotion,
notre colère mais également après les sentiments de laisser parler la
raison. Il s’agit d’établir un dialogue avec nos parlementaires. Un
dialogue que je voudrais sans animosité, courtois, constructif. Cette
rencontre doit servir à préparer l’avenir de notre combat contre le
négationnisme.

Le 12 octobre 2006 l’Assemblée nationale votait une proposition de loi
visant à pénaliser la négation du génocide des Arméniens perpétré par
les Turcs en 1915. Tout comme la loi du 29 janvier 2001 qui reconnaît
ce génocide, c’est l’engagement de nos parlementaires qui a énormément
contribué à ces 2 victoires. Le CCAF a su créer à Marseille l’esprit
de consensus qui a permis ces succès. Je rappelle le rôle primordial
de l’appel des 5 : Richard Mallié, Christophe Masse, J-F Picheral,
Roland Blum, Robert Bret, qui a été le catalyseur qui a conduit au
vote du 12 octobre. D’ailleurs Christophe Masse a été le rapporteur de
cette loi. Tout le monde ici est d’accord pour dire que notre cause
concerne l’humanité toute entière et se place au-dessus des clivages
politiques. Sans être chauvin on peut aussi dire que tout est parti de
notre région. Bouc Bel Air, Aix en Provence, Gardanne, Marseille,
Toulon etc… Il y a eu un élan populaire et républicain en faveur de
notre cause. Nos parlementaires ont la plupart une place dans le grand
livre d’histoire du peuple arménien.

Depuis octobre 2006 le processus législatif était bloqué. Pourtant le
CCAF a multiplié les actions au niveau national pour que la PPL soit
inscrite à l’ordre du jour du Sénat. René Dzagoyan était chargé de
coordonner cette action au niveau national. Une centaine de sénateurs
lui avait répondu favorablement, En vain ! On le sait les
gouvernements successifs ont toujours sacrifié les droits légitimes du
peuple arménien aux bonnes relations avec la Turquie. Nous en avons eu
une confirmation en décembre 2010 par la révélation de Wikileaks sur
les propos tenus par M. Levitte l’envoyé du Président Sarkozy en
Turquie le 16 mai 2007 qui rassurait les Turcs en leur promettant que
la PPL mourra au Sénat alors qu’un mois avant, le futur président
Sarkozy nous écrivait le contraire. Loin de nous surprendre cette
révélation a eu pour vertu de redynamiser nos revendications vis-à-vis
du Sénat. Le parti dachnag membre du CCAF met la pression sur le PS.
Le 5 juillet 2010 le PS avait déposé le texte au sénat en promettant
qu’il l’inscrirait dans sa niche sénatoriale du 30 mars. Lors du dîner
du CCAF le 28 janvier 2011, le Président Jean Noël Guérini annonce
qu’il rappellera cette promesse au cours de la réunion du bureau du
groupe socialiste le 8 février. Le 8 février Jean-Noël Guérini est
désavoué. Branlebas de combat au parti dachnak, leur chef Mourad
Papazian monte au créneau et obtient de Martine Aubry une lettre de
promesse que la prochaine niche sera pour nous le 4 mai. Le CCAF
s’enthousiasme une campagne d’information est immédiatement entreprise
auprès des Sénateurs. A Marseille, de juillet 2010 à mai 2011 des
centaines de courriers sont adressés aux parlementaires, des
manifestations publiques sont organisées ainsi que des rencontres avec
les sénateurs régionaux.

Avec les poids lourds que nous avons dans notre région, Jean-Claude
GAUDIN président du groupe UMP au sénat, Jean-Noël GUERINI, président
du PS dans notre département et président du conseil général sans
compter tous les autres sénateurs, tous acquis à notre cause, nous
avions quelques raisons d’être optimistes. Des illusions on s’en est
fait et notre incompréhension et notre colère ont été à la hauteur de
la taille de nos grandes illusions. Paris n’a pas été de reste puisque
que les co-présidents du CCAF Paris sont reçus par le Président
Sarkozy qui leur promet de ne pas intervenir auprès des sénateurs, qui
leur promet des directives auprès des magistrats et qui devant eux
appelle Jean-Claude Gaudin dont ils entendent les réticences.

Le 4 mai dernier nous laisse un goût amer, comme si nous étions, nous,
des accusés dans un tribunal mené par des négationnistes, en Turquie,
patrie de la falsification et non en France, patrie des droits de
l’Homme. Chacun des opposants a donné libre cours à un argumentaire
souvent hors sujet, frisant la mauvaise foi. Contrairement à ce qui a
été annoncé, il n’existe aucune base juridique, aucun recours possible
contre le négationnisme du génocide des Arméniens. On s’est permis de
faire de la politique politicienne, on s’est permis d’avoir des sautes
d’humeur, on a ménagé les historiens pour ne pas les vexer alors on
s’est demandé qui doit faire l’histoire, on a parlé de loi
liberticide, on a dit qu’il ne faut pas compromettre l’établissement
de soi-disant bonnes relations arméno-turque, on a même évoqué le
conflit du Karabagh en accusant les Arméniens de crimes qu’ils
n’avaient pas commis et enfin on est allé jusqu’à menacer de rendre
irrecevable la loi du 29 janvier 2001 qui reconnaît le génocide des
Arméniens. Bref on a tergiversé et on s’est contenté du moindre
argument fallacieux, au mépris du respect des descendants des rescapés
du génocide que nous sommes au mépris du devoir de mémoire que nous
voulons accomplir dans la sérénité et dans la paix civile qui devrait
être assurée par la loi. Je crois qu’on peut parler d’indécence et de
cynisme.

La sacro-sainte Raison d’Etat a été respectée : La France doit
conserver les meilleures relations possibles avec la Turquie. C’est le
laxisme des pays occidentaux au nom des intérêts économiques qui a
laissé le champ libre aux Turcs pour commettre leur crime en 1915.
Aujourd’hui c’est cette même raison d’Etat qui fait que la cause
arménienne est trahie.

Outre les raisons que je viens d’évoquer les autres raisons de l’échec
sont nombreuses. Les élites françaises ne veulent plus entendre parler
des lois mémorielles. Les opinions publiques ont d’autres chats à
fouetter que de se soucier du cas arménien, la mémoire ce n’est pas du
travail ou du pain. On ne veut pas de la Turquie dans l’UE alors on
l’a ménage sur le reste. Cette question divise les partis et notre
cause devient une bataille entre pro et contre turcs. La Turquie est
devenue une puissance économique qu’il faut ménager. La Turquie est
l’alliée de la France dans les affaires de Lybie et du nucléaire
iranien. Et puis il y aura bientôt les élections sénatoriales. Je
rajouterai une raison interne, nous n’avons pas pu cette fois ci
imposer la méthode marseillaise de travail, celle du consensus.

Nous n’avons donc pas digéré le fiasco du 5 mai qui finalement était
inévitable et sommes en droit de nous poser quelques questions :
Pourquoi la voix des grands défenseurs de cette juste et noble cause,
notamment celle de Monsieur Jean-Claude GAUDIN, président du groupe
UMP au sénat, n’a pas pu ou n’a pas voulu s’imposer comme cela a été
dans les précédents débats ? Pourquoi le vote de l’UMP a été dans sa
quasi-totalité des sénateurs pour l’irrecevabilité. Pourquoi le PS
rapporteur de cette loi est arrivé en rang divisé ? Pourquoi il a été
demandé le vote à bulletin public, assurant ainsi le succès de
l’irrecevabilité ?

Autant de questions dont les Français d’origine arménienne et leurs
nombreux amis attendent des réponses alors que se rapprochent
d’importantes échéances électorales.

Je pourrais répondre à la place des parlementaires, mais ils sont ici
et ce sera à eux de le faire.

Je le disais le but de la réunion est de rebondir sur cet échec et de
voir si malgré tout une autre possibilité est envisageable. La loi sur
la reconnaissance du génocide n’était pas passée la première fois en
2000 au Sénat. Le C24 Marseille Provence n’avait alors pas baissé les
bras et nous y étions arrivés. Alors comme le laisse supposer
Jean-Claude Gaudin dans une interview qu’il a accordée au magazine
Nouvelles d’Arménie, y aura-t-il un moment favorable ?

Voilà cher amis les axes du débat de ce soir ».

Jacques Donabédian, Président du CCAF Marseille-Provence

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 2 juillet 2011,
Krikor [email protected]