Author: Badalian Vardan

REPORT: 2 TURKISH SOLDIERS JAILED
02 June 2011

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – A Turkish court on Thursday sentenced two
military officers to six months in prison for ignoring intelligence
that may have prevented the killing of a prominent ethnic Armenian
journalist, the state-run news agency reported.

Hrant Dink, chief editor of the minority Armenian Agos newspaper,
was fatally shot by an alleged hardline nationalist teenager outside
his office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. He had received death threats
because of his comments about perhaps the darkest episode of Turkey’s
history, the massacres of Armenians during World War I.

The teenager and two other suspects are on trial in Istanbul for
Dink’s murder.

The court in Trabzon, northern Turkey, found Col. Ali Oz, a former
gendarmerie commander, and Capt. Metin Yildiz guilty of neglecting
their duties, the Anatolia news agency reported. Four other officials
were each given four-month sentences.

The officers were accused of not acting on intelligence indicating
that one of the three suspects now on trial, Yasin Hayal, was planning
to kill Dink.

The officers, who denied any wrongdoing, were expected to appeal
their convictions.

THOMAS DE WAAL: ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI LEADERS MERELY USING ENDLESSLY ELUSIVE KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS AS DEVICE TO KEEP INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SWEET

arminfo
Thursday, June 2, 13:16

With the flurry of foreign news at the moment, you will be forgiven
for missing the statement of Presidents Medvedev, Obama and Sarkozy
from the G8 summit Deauville on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict. But
it is the most serious international declaration on the conflict for
many years, Thomas de Waal, an expert at the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace, the authors of a series of books and publication
on Karabakh, writes in his article “The other Failed Peace Process”
in The National Interest.

“For a decade and a half the world has barely noticed the
negotiations to resolve the longest- running protracted conflict
in the post-Communist world, the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute over
Karabakh. The peace process is too closed and the issue too complex
and mysterious for anyone but the poor tiny benighted group of analysts
(such as myself) who do follow it to take notice.

The statement made on May 26 by the three heads of state of
the mediating powers, makes it clear that a moment of truth is
approaching. At Kazan in late June, President Dmitry Medvedev, backed
by the French and U.S. mediators, will make a strong push to have
Presidents Aliev and Sarkisian finally cut a deal on the Document on
Basic Principles that they have been discussing for more than five
years now.

As I have argued before in The National Interest, the Karabakh
conflict gets only a fraction of the attention that Kosovo did but
is in a much more strategically sensitive neighborhood. If one of
the two sides-and basically this means the losing side from the
1991-94 conflict, Azerbaijan-chooses to go back to war, it will be
a catastrophe. The Deauville declaration says, “The use of force
created the current situation of confrontation and instability. Its
use again would only bring more suffering and devastation, and would
be condemned by the international community.”

The Document on Basic Principles aims to bridge the sovereignty
conundrum at the heart of the conflict. In Soviet times, Nagorny
Karabakh was an Armenian-majority autonomous region inside Soviet
Azerbaijan. Since their military victory in 1994, the Armenians have
controlled not just Karabakh itself-which they say they will never
give up-but also a “buffer zone” of Azerbaijani territories around it,
which they say they will renounce if their possession of Karabakh is
ensured. For their part, the Azerbaijanis press their international
de jure claim to Karabakh and are pouring revenues from oil and gas
into building up a new powerful army.

The Basic Principles document offers constructive ambiguity. It
stipulates a gradual Armenian withdrawal from the territories around
Karabakh; “interim status” for Karabakh itself, giving it enhanced
international legitimacy but not full independence; and the promise in
the future of a popular vote, a “legally-binding expression of will”
to determine the future status of the territory.

But here come the doubts. Despite intense talks in private, in public
the leaders still voice maximalist positions and call on their
adversary to surrender. The rhetoric is especially brutal on the
Azerbaijani side. The day after the Deauville declaration, Azerbaijani
deputy prime minister Ali Hasanov called the Armenian president a
“criminal” and his government a “fascist regime” which needs to be
“overthrown.”

So it comes down to political will. Are the Armenian and Azerbaijani
leaders merely using the endlessly elusive Karabakh peace process as a
device to keep the international community sweet and to demand loyalty
from their populations, while never seriously wishing to sign a peace?
Or are they genuinely committed to a peace agreement which would begin
the long-term transformation of their region, but trapped by their own
national discourse and political rhetoric and afraid to move forward?
Or a bit of both?

This is why I welcome the line in the Deauville document which says,
“Further delay would only call into question the commitment of the
sides to reach an agreement.” Or to put it another way, “We now have
a workable document. Prove to us you are serious and sign it.”

It is a matter of international will too. Foreign powers have to
be serious as well. Absent strong domestic support for peace, it is
internationals who will have to stiffen the resolve of the presidents
and shape a new discourse of compromise. They will have to make a
commitment to a reconstruction and peacekeeping operation. Russia, the
United States and the EU have worked well together in the negotiation
process, but, given all their diverse interests in the Caucasus,
their bilateral agendas with both countries and all the competing
claims on their resources, it will be tough to construct a joint
postconflict settlement for Karabakh.

This will be especially important if the framework plan is agreed and
there comes the inevitable hiatus between an initial agreement and
progress on the ground. The spoilers will rush in to try to destroy
it. Remember Oslo and the Middle East.

So, as the Kazan meeting approaches, the stakes are raised for both
peace and war in the Caucasus,” Thomas de Waal writes.

ARMENIAN MOVIE ENTERS WORLD MARKET

arminfo
Thursday, June 2, 13:21

Armenia signed its first international distribution contact in Cannes
on May 18. The document is related to Hovhaness Galstyan’s film
“Bond Parallels”, the prizewinner of international film festivals.

Film director Hovhaness Galstyan told ArmInfo the distribution contract
was signed between Parallels Film Company and INSOMNIA World Sales
(France). The contract provides for demonstration of “Bonded Parallels”
in 40 countries. It first of all regulates the issues connected with
the Internet-distribution, TV and DVD distribution. “It is very
difficult for to enter the market. I am happy that INSOMNIA World
Sales will open such opportunities to my film,” Galstyan said.

The first night of the Bonded Parallels was in 2009 on sidelines
of the Moscow International Fild Festival. The film tells about the
story of a captive solider working at a Norwegian farm at the end of
the Great Patriotic War. Norway, World War II. Hanna, whose husband
Henrik participates in the resistance movement, gives temporary
asylum to a prisoner of war, Arakel, by hiding him in her house in
northern Norway. The presence of this stranger changes Hanna’s life,
and she starts writing about her mixed feelings in her diary.

USSR, Armenia, 1988. Laura, 42, a single and fiercely independent
math-teacher, lives a quiet and isolated life in Yerevan. It seems
that nothing can change her rigidly ordered daily routine until she
receives the diary of her mother, who died while giving birth to her.

As Laura learns about her parents’ story for the first time – a
love story of desperation, loss and primal passion – she begins to
experience a parallel story of forbidden love in her own life.

The Bonded Parallels awards: 2009, September The 2nd Prize for the
Best Feature Film. NUR (Pomegranate) International Film Festival,
Toronto, Canada. 2009, November Best Actress Prize. Awarded LAURENCE
RITTER for the role LAURA at the 2nd International Film Festival
“East & West, Classics and Avant- garde”, Orenburg, Russia. 2009,
December Medal of the Ministry of Defense of Russia to Film Director
Hovhannes Galstyan for the film “Bonded Parallels” “Volokolamsky
rubej” (Volokolomsk’s boundary), Volokolamsk, Russia 2010, April
BEST DRAMATIC FILM – Special Prize Jury of 43rd WORLDFEST- HOUSTON
International Film and Video Festival. 2010, September BEST SCRIPT
AWARD. 13 International Film Festival ARPA, L-A, California USA.

AUSTRALIAN LABOR WOMEN’S CONFERENCE RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 2, 2011 – 11:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) National Labor
Women’s Conference resolved to “recognize the genocides of the
Armenians, Hellenes and Assyrians from 1915 to 1923 as one of the
greatest crimes against humanity” in a landmark resolution adopted
in Brisbane, Queensland, reported the Armenian National Committee
of Australia.

In line with the conference theme ‘Labor Women: Lead, Challenge,
Inspire’, delegates from ALP branches all over the country also
recognized the fact that the genocides of the Armenians, Hellenes
and Assyrians are an integral part of the Australian story, where
Australian women led, challenged and inspired others to provide aid
to the survivors of these genocides.

Conference delegate Sofia Kotanidis, who introduced the resolution,
said: “Recognition and education are also the best means to cultivate
understanding, of the past and of the present. Understanding prevents
the development of the hatred that leads to genocide.”

“Only by learning about the crimes of the past can we avoid repeating
them. This is why the Jewish Holocaust, the Australian Aboriginal
experience and other genocides are part of the Australian secondary
and tertiary education system.”

ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian said:
“Australian women were at the forefront of efforts to raise funds
and provide aid for genocide survivors and so it is fitting that the
National Women’s Labor Conference has now become the driving force
for recognition of the Armenian, Hellenic and Assyrian Genocides.”

“The decision of the National Women’s Labor Conference to recognize
the Armenian, Hellenic and Assyrian Genocides, paves the way for the
ALP to adopt the resolution as party policy.”

FACE-LIFT FOR JEWISH CENTER IN ARMENIA

Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS

June 1 2011

YEREVAN, Armenia – In Yerevan, the Mordechai Navi Jewish Community
Center was re-opened after major renovations. The reconstruction
work on the building (as well as the updating of office equipment
and furniture) was carried out in an unbelievably short time –
just 20 days. In addition, the project’s sponsor is not Jewish –
he is Armenian businessman David Galstyan.

Much attention was paid to the official opening ceremony by government
authorities. Among those invited to the celebration were the Assistant
to the President of Armenia, the Head of the Department of Religious
Affairs and National Minorities of Armenia, and Armenia’s Minister
of Culture.

>From Moscow, Rabbi Dovid Karpov of the “Darkei Shalom” Synagogue in
Otradnoye was the representative. He was also the representative of
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, who is also the Head of the Board
of Rabbis of the CIS Countries, who was unable to attend.

All Jewish community members attending this celebration were very
pleased with the building’s new facade, some having expressed their
feeling as a “wave of joy.” The building of the Mordechai Navi Center
– the country’s only synagogue – has truly been transformed through
this extensive initiative.

Though the building did not gain any space, the renovations have
transformed it into a much more impressive building. The official part
of the ceremony began with Mezuzahs being affixed to the doorposts
of the entrance to each of the building’s three floors.

In his speech, Chief Rabbi of Armenia Gershon Burstein – who is also
a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary serving in this region – highlighted the
enthusiasm and professionalism demonstrated by the builders under
the direction of Nikolai Khachaturov, a businessman in the field of
construction and a friend of David Galstyan.

Working at virtually all hours of the day, all participants in the
renovation process felt the importance of this building being the
community’s spiritual center. After the guests left, Rabbi Karpov
lead the afternoon “Mincha” prayer.

K. AVAGYAN: AZERBAIJAN MUST PERFORM WILLPOWER TO STOP STATE-RUN ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA

Panorama
June 1 2011
Armenia

“It’s strange that the international community has appeared with such
a late report over state-supported anti-Armenian propaganda being
implemented in Azerbaijan, which has repeatedly stated by Armenia,”
Republican MP Karen Avagyan told Panorama.am making remarks on Council
of Europe’s Anti-Racism Commission report on Azerbaijan.

“The constant negative official and media discourse concerning
the Republic of Armenia helps to sustain a negative climate of
opinion regarding people of Armenian origin, who remain vulnerable
to discrimination.

There are also still reports of cases of discrimination towards persons
of Armenian origin living in Azerbaijan and of insufficient awareness
of the provisions prohibiting racist offences both within the criminal
justice system and among the general public. Many sources also stress
the widespread lack of confidence in the justice system,” report reads.

“I’m not quite optimistic with Azerbaijan changing their policy,
but it’s important the issue has been focused by the international
communities. Azerbaijan must perform willpower to stop state-run
anti-Armenian propaganda,” official said.

CIS STATES DISCUSS COMMUNICATION ISSUES IN YEREVAN

news.am
June 1 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s capital hosts the 44th meeting of the Regional
Commonwealth in the field of Communications (RCC), as well as the
17th meeting of the Coordination Council of CIS member states on
Informatization.

Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk Vardanyan
said three main areas – postal service, electronic communications,
satellite communications – will be discussed at the meeting.

Talking at a briefing Russian Minister of Communications and Mass
Media Igor Shchegolev said that two major international events are
scheduled for the next year.

He noted that during the meeting with Armenian Prime Minister they
discussed availability of broadband Internet services throughout the
two countries. They also discussed introduction of next generation
communications.

The RCC was founded 20 years ago and involves 12 full members: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.

Azerbaijani delegation has not arrived in Yerevan.

“I WANT TO SEE THE PERSON WHO IS GOING TO CEDE TERRITORIES”

A1Plus.am
June 01, 2011

The Orinats Yerkir Party (OYK) supports the policy of the Armenian
President on the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

“The conflict should be settled only through peaceful talks. Mutual
acceptable concessions are better than reckless confrontation.

Concession means that both sides concede something,” OYK MP Hovhannes
Margaryan told a news conference on June 1.

“I do not believe that someone in Armenia can cede the liberated
territories and I know that our people are ready to protect these
lands. I want to see the person who is going to cede them. Any
statement about these territories is an empty talk if it is made
by someone who is in no way connected to them,” said Heritage MP
Larisa Alaverdyan.

The Heritage MP is negative about the policy on Nagorno Karabakh
pursued by all three Presidents of Armenia.

“I do not support their stance on the Karabakh issue and I think that
they made a gross error which today unites the opposition Armenian
National Congress and the authorities,” said Alaverdyan.

“Glory and honor to the person who will be able to solve the Karabakh
conflict through a peaceful way, making it the property of NKR and
Armenian people,” Margaryan said without giving any names.

Larisa Alaverdyan does not think that the other political forces will
be left out of political processes as a result of a dialogue between
the authorities and opposition.

“I respect people who side with this or that political force but they
mustn’t split the field,” she said.

Margaryan hailed the dialogue between the authorities and opposition,
saying that the dialogue is advantageous to people.

“Jealousy” is not a political category. We are not jealous of any
political force as our leader is a literate, erudite and sophisticated
person who deserves all honors,” he said.

Speaking about snap elections, the OYK representative said he does
not see legal or political grounds for extraordinary elections while
the Heritage MP said it has become a bad habit to speak about early
elections.

“Even if it happens, it will not be the result of dialogue,” she said.

UAR SOCHI BRANCH LEADERSHIP RESIGNS AS RESULT OF DEMOLITION OF MONUMENT TO GENERAL ANDRANIK

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 1, 2011 – 20:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Sochi branch of the Union of Armenians of
Russia (UAR) held a meeting with participation of UAR Vice President
German Ananyants with respect to demolition of the monument to General
Andranik set in Volkonka settlement of Sochi, Russia, by the Armenian
community.

According to Ananyants, the conflict is settled – Lazarevsk region’s
leadership of UAR has conceived its fault and resigned. Currently all
legal documents are being prepared, while the monument to Andranik
Ozanyan will be set in Adler soon.

President of UAR Ara Abramyan was expected to participate in the
meeting, but he has not arrived in Sochi. Earlier Abramyan condemned
the monument’s demolition, saying he was unaware of the incident and
promising to clarify its details and make radical decisions, if the
reports are confirmed.

Armenia’s Consul General to southern part of Russia Ararat Gomtsyan,
representatives of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Heritage party, as
well as leaders of Javakheti and Hamshen communities of Russia
also condemned demolition of the monument to General Andranik,
youtharmenia.ru reported.

General Andranik Ozanyan is Armenia’s national hero. He is one of the
leaders of the Armenian national liberation movement in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries. He is also a national hero of Bulgaria. He
was one of organizers of Sasun and Zangezur defense.

On August 31, 1927, legendary General Andranik Ozanyan passed away in
Fresno, California. His body was transported to France, and buried in
the French Pere Lachaise cemetery. In 200, the government of the second
independent Armenian Republic decided to relocate General Andranik’s
remains to Armenia, where he received an honorable military reburial
at Yerablur Pantheon.

RPA: SOCHI AGREEMENTS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR ARMENIA THAN MADRID PRINCIPLES

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 1, 2011 – 18:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)
parliamentary group Gagik Minasyan said the Sochi agreements on the
Karabakh conflict settlement are more advantageous for Armenia than
the revised Madrid Principles.

Minasyan noted that, judging from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s
reaction after trilateral meetings with participation of Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev, specifically the meeting in Sochi, one can
assume that the Co-Chairmen’s proposals proceed in the direction,
to which the Armenian side is adhered, and deviate from the stance
supported by Azerbaijan.

“Thus, one can state that the Sochi proposals are much more acceptable
and practicable for the Armenian side than Azerbaijan,” Minasyan
said, adding that the Deaville statement adopted by the leaders of
the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries makes a reference to the
Sochi agreements, but not the Madrid Principles for the Karabakh
conflict settlement.

According to Minasyan, the events can develop by two scenarios: either
Azerbaijan will continue its tough and destructive policy for solving
the conflict by force, what will place it in a vulnerable position,
or Azerbaijan will follow the calls and come closer to the principles
fixed in Sochi. And these principles are more advantageous for us,
than the Madrid Principles, said Minasyan.

Minasyan also commented on the statement of leader of the opposition
Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrossian that the Armenian
side is exhausting the resources for keeping the status-quo in the
Karabakh conflict. “Ter-Petrossian made similar statements many years
ago as well,” he said.

Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents – Serzh Sargsyan, Dmitry
Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev – adopted a joint statement on the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement based on the results of their negotiations
in Sochi. The document reads that the Presidents considered matters
of practical implementation of the trilateral statement adopted during
the October 27, 2010, meeting in Astrakhan.

Specifically, the Presidents agreed to finalize the swap of POWs as
soon as possible. The document stresses the parties’ willingness “to
solve all disputable matters peacefully and conduct investigation of
possible incidents along the ceasefire line under the auspices of the
OSCE Minsk Group through the assistance of Personal Representative of
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.” “The Presidents stressed the importance
of their regular contacts on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
and agreed to continue them in such format in addition to the activity
of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen,” the statement reads.