Author: Badalian Vardan

IRANIAN ENVOY SPEAKS ABOUT RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Panorama.am
15:46 24/05/2011

The conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh must be resolved through negotiations
on the sidelines of cooperation among the regional states excluding any
foreign intervention, Mohammad Reza Rauf Sheibani, Iranian President’s
envoy told Iranian “IRNA” news agency in Baku.

Iran’s envoy has stated that stability and peace in Caucasus are
issues of top priorities for Iran and that Iran is ready to develop
ways for the resolution of NK conflict through negotiations.

LEVON AYVAZYAN: PARTICIPATION IN THE MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN MAKES OUR COUNTRY ACTIVE ROLE MAKER IN ENSURING INTERNATIONAL SAFETY

ARMENPRESS
MAY 25, 2011
YEREVAN

May 29 is the International Day of Peacekeepers. The Armenian Armed
Forces are participating in the international peacekeeping activities
since 2004 enjoying the image of reliable partner. Armenpress news
agency spoke with the head of the defensive policy department of the
Defense Ministry Levon Ayvazyan about the process of formation of
the RA AF’s peacekeeping brigade and its peculiarities.

– It was noted many times that Armenia has turned from just consumer
of security into the builder of international security. How is this
circumstance being assessed by Armenia’s partners?

– The participation in the international peacekeeping missions,
of course, increases the international rating and authority of the
Armenian Armed Forces. The expansion of international peacekeeping
activity from year to year testifies that the Armenian Armed Forces are
not only reliable international partners but are fully practical for
participating in the international missions. We must also take into
consideration the circumstance that for instance in Afghanistan the
most contemporary strategies and methods are being used which means
that our peacekeepers are acquiring invaluable experience which in
future is being applied in the other divisions of the Armed Forces
of RA.

Besides, the participation in the mission in Afghanistan makes our
country though modest, a role maker in ensuring international safety.

Our partners highly assess this circumstance which is being expressed
by advisory, expertise, material and other assistance provided
to Armenia.

– From 2007 September 1 the RA AF peacekeeping battalion has been
reformed into peacekeeping brigade. How do the works on filling the
staff and weaponry going on? When will the process complete?

– The process goes on in accordance with the timeframe established
by the Minister of Defense. We are planning to completely finish them
by 2015.

The service in peacekeeping brigade gives the young people not only
stable job but allows to exercise, train, learn foreign languages and
use this in practice during the international missions as well as to
get use of social and medical privileges intended for servicemen and
their families.

I would also like to say that the process is being implemented on
contractual basis.

– Which is the main goal of increasing the number of Armenian
peacekeepers in Afghanistan? Have the issues put in front of them
changed or will they continue ensuring safety of the building of the
airport and the runaway located in 2 km-distance from Kunduz base?

– The 40-member troop of Armenian peacekeepers which is carrying out
its mission from 2010 will continue its mission in the Kunduz airport
and the additional peacekeeping forces (81 people) will be located in
headquarter of North region situated in the Mazar-i-Sharif town. The
troops will be responsible for the safety of the town’s airport.

– How do the Greek Commandership in Kosovo and German Commandership
in Afghanistan assess the mission of the Armenian peacekeepers?

– I must say with delight that with the assessments of both Greek
and German Commanderships our peacekeepers have been noted only with
positive sides. By the way they highly assessed the level of their
preparedness, discipline. It may be testified by various awards the
Armenian peacekeepers get from the defense ministries of Germany and
Greece. We receive diplomas of gratitude by the highest military and
military-political leaderships of these countries.

TWO DEAD AS GEORGIA PROTESTS DISPERSED

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 26, 2011 – 10:38 AMT

Georgian riot police dispersed a protest action in Tbilisi, using
rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas.

Protest organizers said that about 80 demonstrators were arrested,
but there were no immediate official figures. “The police had to
use force, [because] part of the demonstrators resisted violently,”
explained Georgia Interior Ministry spokesperson Shota Utiashvili,
adding that policeman Vladimir Maskhurashvili and former policeman
Nodar Tsadadze, 54, were killed.

According to Ministry of Internal Affairs, in total, 37 people were
hospitalized, including nine policemen, a woman and a journalist,
Novosti-Gruzia reports.

Opposition activist Temur Shashiashvili said rubber bullet struck film
director Gogi Kavtaradze in forehead. He also said that the number of
injured is greater, but still unknown. Georgian media reports that riot
police are after people who are trying to escape. As it was reported
earlier, a “passageway” was left for protesting people to leave the
site of protest, permission for which expired on the night of May 26.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES PRESIDENTIAL OFFER FOR AMNESTY

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 26, 2011 – 11:37 AMT

With a vote 91-0, the Armenian parliament approved Thursday, May 26,
President Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal for declaration of amnesty for
396 people to be released and 379 to have their sentence cut.

Presenting the proposal on Wednesday Justice Minister Hrayr
Tovmasyan said that “declaration of amnesty is a humane initiative
and demonstration of the President’s good will.” “This is a move
that can unite the nation. We must change our public life and have a
civilized dialogue,” he said, adding that amnesty does not mean loss
of vigilance.

Later the day he asked to postpone the vote for a day to present the
final version of the proposal.

President Sargsyan offered the National Assembly to declare amnesty
on occasion of the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, the
proposal being based on article 81.1.1 of the RA Constitution and
article 90 of the law on National Assembly regulations.

LES ENSEIGNANTS TURCS DEVIENNENT-ILS LES FALSIFICATEURS D’HISTOIRE ?
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 25 mai 2011

Il y a quelques temps, a l’université DICLE de Diyarbekir, le
conférencier Yilmaz Polat aurait posé des questions aux étudiants
pour répondre par ” vrai ” ou ” faux ”. Ces questions qui
concernaient les arméniens de l’Empire ottoman pendant la Première
Guerre Mondiale, étaient notamment les suivantes : Pendant la guerre,
une partie des Arméniens aurait déserté et serait passée du
côté russe. Ou les Arméniens déplacés auraient fui lors de la
déportation et se seraient révoltés pour frapper les Turcs dans
le dos. D’autres questions étaient de la même veine.

Le pouvoir actuel en Turquie ne lésine pas sur les moyens pour faire
admettre que, dans l’Empire ottoman, il n’y a eu aucun génocide
perpétré par l’Ã~Itat. Les morts dénombrés pendant cette période,
autant civils que militaires que ce soit du coté turc ou arménien,
seraient dus a la guerre. Un autre événement mérite d’être pris
en considération. Dans un lycée d’Istanbul, lors d’un cours de
préparation a l’enseignement militaire dispensé par le colonel Sinan
Oz, celui-ci aurait présenté des photos de cadavres d’enfants ”
turcs ”, massacrés par les Arméniens lors de la Première Guerre
Mondiale. Il y a peu, les Turcs auraient découvert des charniers en
Anatolie, dont les victimes seraient des Turcs (l’état de squelette
des hommes pouvant probablement attester que ceux-ci avaient été
circoncis), soit disant tués par les Arméniens lors de la Première
Guerre Mondiale. La propagation de ces allégations soigneusement
concoctées par les autorités Turques au moment où les Arméniens
commémorent le 24 avril en souvenir du Génocide, attise la haine et
la vengeance, tant chez les Turcs que les Arméniens. Rappelons que
le gouvernement turc avait également promulgué une loi pénale dont
l’article 301 condamnait toute personne qui insulterait l’identité
turque.

C’est cette même Turquie que l’on présente au monde comme un pays
gouverné par un pouvoir islamique modéré et démocratique. Pourquoi
la Turquie n’a pas promulguée une loi qui condamnerait quiconque
insulterait un citoyen non-turc dans ce pays ? Nous connaissons de
nombreux Turcs qui combattent le négationnisme du Génocide arménien.

Ils ont été traînés devant les tribunaux et condamnés a de lourdes
peines. Malgré les menaces de mort, ces courageux intellectuels
continuent sans relâche leur combat. C’est une tâche parfois
suicidaire de faire connaitre la réalité de l’histoire a son peuple
que pendant un siècle l’Ã~Itat turc a maintenu dans l’ignorance. Nous
sommes persuadés que tôt ou tard la vérité éclatera.

Dans ce pays, il y aura toujours des brebis galeuses qui avec l’appui
des autorités poursuivront leur basse besogne de falsification. La
langue turque est riche de beaucoup de dictons, l’un d’entre eux
s’applique parfaitement a ces falsificateurs de l’Histoire : ” köpek
bok yemeden vaz gecmez ”, ce qui signifie : ” Le chien ne peut se
passer de manger des crottes ”. Un autre de ces dictons pourrait
également être utilisé pour ces mêmes personnes qu’elles soient
civiles ou militaires : ” Yalancının mumu yatsıya kadar yanar ”,
ce qui se traduit par : ” Le cierge du menteur ne brÔle que peu de
temps après le coucher du soleil ”.

Vous, Messieurs les Professeurs, les Officiers, vous êtes considérés
comme l’élite de la société turque. Ne pensez-vous pas que vos
enseignements mensongers, prodigués aux jeunes de votre pays ne
cultiveraient que des idées de vengeance et prépareraient le lit
des futurs criminels ? L’assassinat du journaliste Hrant Dink est
l’exemple flagrant de cet état d’esprit qui règne dans votre pays.

Nous souhaitons que la dignité l’emporte dans les cerveaux des
responsables de la société turque pour assurer l’intégration de
la Turquie au rang des pays civilisés du Monde.

Nersès Durman

Paris mai 2011

H. ROBERT CHOOLJIAN, 91

The Eagle-Tribune
05-24-2011

HAVERHILL – H. Robert “Bob” Chooljian, DMD, 91, husband of the late
Kiki Chooljian, passed away at his home surrounded by loved ones on
Wednesday, March 2, 2011.

Born in Haverhill on June 9, 1919, he was the son of the late Manoog
H. and Almas K. (Keljikian) Chooljian. Dr. Chooljian, affectionately
called Bob, graduated from Haverhill High School, Class of 1936 and
furthered his education at Tufts Dental School where he earned his
DDS. He was a proud veteran of the war who served as a Lieutenant
in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theatre. Following his discharge
he established his family dentistry practice on Merrimack Street in
Haverhill where he practiced for almost 50 years.

In Bob’s younger years he played football and tennis in high school,
and would jokingly state he had “nice legs” from tennis. Bob was a
fun loving, good natured man with a heart of gold, and wore his heart
on his sleeve. He loved to talk about the history of Haverhill. He
could strike up a conversation with a stranger and afterward they
both left smiling. He thought the world of his family and Armenian
heritage, and was quick to note some Armenian trivia which he would
follow up with a proud smile. Bob was so proud of his service to our
country. He would not leave his home without his Navy Veteran’s cap.

He said he gets more kisses from the ladies that way. He loved
taking long drives and going out to lunch where he was a jokester,
and usually the loudest one in the room. He was a fixture in Haverhill
and everyone seemed to know Bob. He was proud of the city and believed
in supporting local businesses. A quick lunch would turn into hours
as Bob would have conversations with former patients (he remembered
all of their names), local businessmen, politicians, and old friends.

He was a member and Past President of The Haverhill Exchange. Bob
was also the last surviving original charter member (1946) of the
Haverhill Exchange. Additionally, he was a member of the Grand Lodge
of Masons of Massachusetts for over 50 years, and a longtime member
of the Haverhill Country Club.

He leaves behind his brother and sister-in-law, Martin and Helen
Chooljian of Princeton, N.J.; sisters, Sally Waldon of North Andover
and Varsanie Adamian; longtime companion of 21 years, June Childs;
and his care givers and “second family,” Heather, Tatum, Courtney,
Katina and Thomas Mortimer; and several nieces and nephews.

Bob will never be forgotten and leaves a huge void in many of our
lives. He will be sadly missed.

ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friends are invited to attend the graveside
memorial service on Saturday, May 28, 2011, at 10 a.m., at Linwood
Cemetery. Arrangements by Dole, Childs & Shaw Funeral Home, 148 Main
St., Haverhill. Donations in his memory may be made to Tufts Dental
Fund, 1 Kneeland St., Boston, MA 02111. Online condolences may be
sent to

2011 The Associated Press.

TURKEY’S POTENTIAL INFLUENCE ON AZERI YOUTH
BARCIN YÄ°NANC

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

I wonder if some in Azerbaijan felt a bit uneasy when they saw Nigar
and Eldar, the duo that won the Eurovision song contest, celebrating
their victory by waving a Turkish flag in front of millions of
European viewers.

For those promoting the motto of “one nation, two states” to describe
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, this scene does not come as a surprise.

Yet it underlines a severe contrast in the different layers of the
two countries’ bilateral ties.

While the motto of “one nation, two states” might reflect the mood in
people-to-people relations, it does not, however, reflect the current
mood at the state-to-state and government-to-government relations.

Take the visa issue for instance. When Turkey started talking about
visa free travel with its north and northeastern neighbors, one would
have thought Azerbaijan would have been the first to lift visas and
that Russia would have been the last. Russia, after all, could have
had concerns about lifting visas since many relatives of the ethnic
groups in Russia’s troubled regions live in Turkey. In the past, there
have been cases when Turkish citizens said to be supporting rebels
fighting against Moscow were arrested in Russia’s North Caucasus.

Yet in a surprise move, Russia has astonished many, including Turkish
and Russian experts, by agreeing to visa-free travel.

Turkish citizens can go to Russia without a visa, whereas they have
to get visas to enter Azerbaijan. What an ironic situation.

Some in Turkish official sources argue that the strong bonds between
the two nations, and especially the very big interest that exists
among the youth in Azerbaijan, make the old guard, with stronger
affinity to Russia, quiet uneasy.

While it is true that Turkey’s reconciliation process with Armenia has
irritated Azerbaijan and led to a mutual mistrust, it is also not a
secret that the Ä°lham Aliyev administration was never very fond of
the religious tinge to the ruling Justice and Development Party.

But the current state of affairs, which does not reflect the true
potential between the two countries, is not sustainable.

Whatever the outcome of the elections, hopefully the new government
will approach Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh problem in light of
the lessons taken from the recent efforts that failed to normalize
relations between Ankara and Armenia. This time, the new government
will probably be more careful in securing Baku’s support for the
process of normalization. If the AKP returns to government as is
expected, Baku should be aware that it will not waste too much time
tackling the Armenian issue again. As such, stronger dialogue between
Ankara and Baku, based on confidence, will become more important than
ever, and it will be to the benefit of both sides.

The Aliyev leadership should understand that it cannot prevent Turkish
influence over the younger generations in the country. At a time when
some are debating the indirect role of Turkey in the Arab Spring,
one cannot expect the younger generations to turn their back on the
Turkish example.

ISRAELI KNESSET’S ARMENIA MOVE NOT A ‘COUNTERATTACK
FULYA OZERKAN

ANKARA – Hurriyet Daily News
Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Israeli parliament, or Knesset’s, decision to discuss the 1915 events
in a parliamentary committee is not a counterattack in response to
plans for a new flotilla bound for Gaza next month, said a diplomatic
source familiar with the issue on Tuesday.

“I don’t think so. It has no connection. The flotilla issue was not
raised by any of the Knesset members in the plenary session last week,”
said the source.

“It [the Armenia issue] comes up again and again at the plenary floor
by the same party.” Israel’s left-wing Meretz party is calling for
the Jewish state’s recognition of Armenian genocide allegations.

Last week, the Israeli Parliament gave approval at a plenary session
for the discussion of the Armenian genocide bill at the education
committee.

“It is a general decision. We’ll see. It is just a plan. There is no
date. There is not even planned content for what will be discussed
in the future,” the source said.

Different from the past, the issue, if approved, will be discussed by
the education committee, instead of the defense and foreign relations
committee.

“Even though in the past there were a few decisions to discuss
the matter in the foreign relations committee, it has never been
raised thus far. Only the plenary decided it will be discussed in
the committee and then the head of the committee chose not to bring
it up,” the source said.

“I will not say if that is going to happen again. There are chances
that it is going to be discussed, but even if it is going to be
discussed, the education committee cannot oblige the government to
take action.”

Any decision made by the education committee on the issue is
non-binding and it is up to the Israeli government to implement it.

The committee decision, if taken by majority and accepted by the
Israeli government, can only have impact on the country’s educational
curriculum.

“It is not about Israeli parliament recognizing [the so-called Armenian
genocide claims] or not recognizing them. It was not an issue in the
plenary. The representative of the Israeli government has repeated,
in his answer to the Knesset members, the old, known Israeli point
of view regarding this issue,” said the source.

MOSCOW PRESENTS SOUTH STREAM GAS PIPELINE IN BRUSSELS MAY 25

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 25, 2011 – 10:14 AMT

Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko has said that Moscow wants the
European Union to view the proposed South Stream natural gas pipeline
as a part of its transnational pipelines.

He said he will ask European leaders on Wednesday, May 25, in Brussels
to consider South Stream a continuation of existing networks so
third parties are prohibited from accessing the new pipeline, RIA
Novosti reports.

“We create large trans-border gas pipelines but can’t sign long-term
contracts although the Europeans themselves are not against long-term
agreements,” he said. “We propose that the EU consider South Stream
as a continuation of our trans-border trunk gas pipelines and ban
the access of third parties to it.”

About 80 percent of the Russian natural gas bound for European markets
transits Ukraine.

South Stream is planned to move more than 2 trillion cubic feet of
natural gas to Europe per year after it passes through the Turkish
waters of the Black Sea. Gas flows are expected by 2015.

TURKEY, AZERBAIJAN WANT BSEC RING HIGHWAY TO BYPASS ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 25, 2011 – 11:24 AMT

The building of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) ring highway
is hampered by Turkey and Azerbaijan’s attempts to build the highway
bypassing Armenia, said the chairman of the National Assembly’s
Standing Committee on Financial-Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs.

“However, other participant countries believe that it would contradict
the principles of the organization,” Gagik Minasyan told a press
conference in Yerevan on May 25 .

BSEC Memorandum of Understanding for the coordinated development of
the Black Sea Ring Highway provides 7140 km long highway construction.

The main route will include following cities: Istanbul (Turkey),
Samsun (Turkey), Trabzon (Turkey), Batumi (Georgia), Poti (Georgia),
Novorossiysk (Russia), Rostov-on-Don (Russia), Taganrog (Russia),
Mariupol (Ukraine), Melitopol (Ukraine), Odessa (Ukraine), Chisinau
(Moldova), Bucharest (Romania), Constantza (Romania), Haskovo
(Bulgaria), Edirne (Turkey), Komotini (Greece), Alexandropoulis
(Greece), Istanbul (Turkey).

The Memorandum of Understanding for the coordinated development of
the Black Sea Ring Highway was signed in Belgrade on April 19, 2007,
and came into force on November 1, 2008.

BSEC was founded on June 5, 1998. The organization incorporates
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Moldova,
Russia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.