Author: Badalian Vardan

BOOK REVIEW: LIBERATION MOVEMENTS
Ronnie H. Terpening
Library Journal Reviews
School Library Journal Reviews
May 15, 2006
Steinhauer, Olen Liberation Movements Minotaur: St. Martin’s Aug.
2006. c.304p. ISBN 0-312-33204-1 [ISBN 978-0-312-33204-4 ]. $24.95. M
This fourth entry in Steinhauer’s (The Bridge of Sighs ) Eastern Bloc
crime series deposits us in the late summer of 1968, as “the flowers
of Prague’s spring” are being crushed by the Warsaw Pact’s invading
tanks. In a nearby unnamed country, Brano Sev of the Ministry of
State Security, the protagonist of 36 Yalta Boulevard , is now a
colonel in his late fifties. He and his officers, Capt. Gavra Noukas
and homicide inspector Katja Drdova, all have secrets to hide and a
major crime to solve. Armenian hijackers have blown up an airplane
en route to Istanbul, aboard which was a fellow officer of Armenian
origin. Was the Ministry involved in the plane’s destruction? Is
there a connection to a crime committed seven years earlier? To find
the answers, Gavra and Katja must confront their own demons. Using
alternating time lines, reverse chronology, and disrupted sequence,
Steinhauer again displays his masterful manipulation of character,
plot, and reader expectations. Tightly entwined story lines, compact
scenes that evoke a grim world while capturing character subtleties,
and a style pared to the essential make this a fast, intriguing read.
Highly recommended. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 4/1/06.]- Ronnie H.
Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson
Publishers Weekly Reviews May 15, 2006
Liberation Movements
Liberation Movements Olen Steinhauer. St. Martin’s Minotaur, $24.95
(304p) ISBN 0-312-33204-1
Steinhauer’s dazzling fourth book in his series about various police
and intelligence agents in an unnamed Communist-era Eastern European
country gives a large role to Brano Sev, the seriously conflicted
spy who starred in the previous entry, 36 Yalta Boulevard (2005). Sev
sums up the new book’s theme when he says to a younger subordinate,
“Intelligence work is precisely what it says-it’s about intelligence.
We are not murderers.” There’s some irony here: we know that Sev has
killed several people himself. But there’s also an unexpected note of
humanity, as Sev supervises the investigation by two junior agents
of a murder in Russian-occupied Prague in 1968 that’s later tied to
a plane hijacked by Armenian terrorists on its way to Istanbul in 1975.
Another new element is the Turkish capital, alive and yeasty compared
to the drab, restricted home city of 36 Yalta Boulevard . And the
emergence of a major female character-a homicide investigator looking
for personal justice-shows how a skilled writer working at the top
of his form can keep a series from faltering.

RAMKAVAR AZATAKAN BRACES UP FOR 2007 ELECTIONS
Armenpress
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS: Ramkavar Azatakan (Democratic Liberal )
party of Armenia said it will contest the 2007 parliamentary elections,
but added that before launching the election campaign it has developed
a chain of amendments, which it would like to be incorporated in the
draft election code.
This party that contrary to big expectations, failed to overcome the
required threshold of collected votes to win a seat in the parliament
in 2003 polls, said today its amendments call for annulment of
one-mandate constituencies election system which must be replaced
by the so-called proportional election system when all seats are
contested by parties.
Another major amendments proposed by the party refers to parliament
members immunity. “The proposed amendment calls for elimination of
parliament member immunity so that people who consider the legislative
body as a safe heaven to avoid criminal and other responsibility leave
it alone and allow people who want to move this country forward come
and do their job,” party chairman Harutyun Arakelian said to a news
conference today.
Citing a provision from the draft election code that establishes a
seven percent voter threshold for blocs made up of two parties and a
ten percent threshold for three-member alliances Arakelian said the
election code does not reflect the interests of out-of- parliament
forces, but added that despite these challenges his party will fight
for seats in the parliament and will also nominate a candidate for
2008 presidential election.
Arakelian indicated also his party was not delighted with the
activity of the World Armenian Congress, run by the Russia-based
Armenian tycoon Ara Abrahamian, saying they are very likely to quit
the organization. He said though the Ramkavar Azatakan party was
one of its cofounders it learns about its plans from newspapers. He
also slammed Ara Abrahamian’s declared campaign of suing Turkey at
the International Human Rights Court for its denial of the Armenian
genocide, saying that would be tantamount to declaring war on Turkey.
He also argued that the first country to stand trial for the Armenian
genocide is Great Britain because ‘some documents leave no doubt that
the government of Great Britain in the early 20-th century instigated
Armenian pogroms in the Ottoman empire.”

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CONNECTED FIRST OF ALL WITH IDEOLOGY: RUSSIAN HISTORIAN
Yerevan, May 23. ArmInfo. The attempts of a number of Turkish
historians to justify the Genocide of Armenians with the pro-Russian
sentiments of Armenians are absolutely baseless like the statements
that “the Armenians and Turks had normal relations before Russia’s
coming to the Caucasus.” Head of the 19th Century Section, State
Historical Museum, Victor Bezotosny told ArmInfo.
He stressed that for centuries the Turkish state government machine
repeatedly organized ethnic purges accompanied with pogroms of the
Christian nations in the Ottoman Empire: Greeks, Serbs, Bulgarians, and
Armenians. The history of Russian-Turkish wars shows that every time
after war Russia would undertook the protection of Christian peoples
in the Ottoman Empire, the historian said. After the Russian-Turkish
war of 1887-1878, Russia insisted on its military presence in Western
Armenia as a guarantor of security of western Armenians before the
Sultan would carry out reforms. West-European super powers headed
by great Britain were against these plans for the fear of the future
expansion of the Russian Empire. And Alexander II yielded to Europe
for the results of the Crimea war were fresh in the memory of the
Russian public.
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey as well as the annihilation of
Jews in Germany under Hitler were connected with domestic political
matters and first of all with ideology, he said. He underlined that
historical documents leave no doubts that Genocide was committed
against the Armenian people in Ottoman Turkey.

HRAYR KARAPETIAN TO HEAD NA ARF FACTION
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Former ARF Secretary Hrayr Karapetian
will head the ARF faction of the RA National Assembly from now
on. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Tigran Torosian made this decision
of the faction public at the May 22 sitting of the Parliament. To
recap, Levon Mkrtchian who was appointed the RA Minister of Education
and Science on May 17, occupied the post of the ARF faction head.

GROUP OF ARMENIAN AND FRENCH ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND FIRST EVER OPEN SETTLEMENT OF PRIMEVAL MAN
Yerevan, May 19. ArmInfo. For the first time in Armenia a group
of Armenian and French archaeologists has found a open Stone Age
settlement in the territory of the National Park of Dilijan, Tavush
region.
The head of the group Boris Gasparyan says that the find is a planned
and organized proto-settlement near the village of Kalavan on the
right bank of the river Barepat. Last year archaeologists found in
Kalavan early Bronze age graves with remarkable ceramic and metal
articles. Deeper exploration revealed stone constructions, obsidian
and flint quarries, primitive weapons, bones of animals with spearheads
inside. Experts say that this may be not just one site but a settlement
consisting of several Stone Age camps.
The most remarkable finds are weapons of jasper, flint and obsidian
– mostly spearheads, cutters and scrapers. Experts infer that the
Kalavan settlers were hunters. They probably hunted goats and rams and
processed their bones and skins. The radiocarbon and geo-morphological
tests will show how primeval people lived there.

STATUS QUO IN THE CAUCASUS FAVORS ARMENIA ONLY
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
19 May 06
The status quo in the South Caucasus is favorable only for Armenia
among the three states of the region, stated Russian Member of
Parliament Constantine Zatulin, expert on external relations, on May
17. The Russian member of parliament mentioned that the problems of
Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Osetia do not allow Georgia and Azerbaijan
to approve the status quo.
In the meantime, Zatulin thinks that the status quo is better than the
most ambitious plans of changing it. His next statement emanates from
this opinion or vice versa. Zatulin says unlike the United States,
Russia is the power which is highly interested in keeping the status
quo in the South Caucasus.
Zatulin, of course, does not specify with facts or reasons why
the United States should not be interested. The Russian member
of parliament emphasized the possibility of actions against Iran,
which would be disastrous for the South Caucasus. However, it should
be noted that the United States has asserted for a number of times
directly or indirectly that they will not use the South Caucasian
states for actions against Iran. The evidence to this is the loyalty
of the United States towards the Iran-Armenia cooperation, as well as
all the energy projects that include the region and enjoy the support
of the United States. In addition, during Aliev’s visit Bush announced
that it is not going to launch a campaign against Iran, which means
that the United States is not likely to turn the Caucasus a military
polygon. In the meantime, there are a number of facts which contradict
to Zatulin’s words, regarding the interests of Russia, and the next
statement he made in Yerevan is enough to doubt Zatulin’s frankness
concerning the status quo.
The Russian member of parliament says Armenia is the only country in
this region where there is no threat of dissolution of the state.
Zatulin says Georgia and Azerbaijan have scores of problems with ethnic
minorities, which are still sleeping but can wake up. What is this
if not a threat addressed to these countries, considering that Russia
has too many buttons to push alarm. For us, it is especially evident
in the case of the Armenians of Javakkheti, when Russia withdraws
its military installations, allegedly reluctantly, and the Armenians
protest against the pull-out. Seemingly it favors Russia, and is an
excellent card for the trade on the pull-out of the military bases. But
the Russian Federation is likely to take up a different strategy and
demands that the Georgian government guarantee the security of the
pull-out of the Russian military equipment from Javakheti. In other
words, facts come to confirm Russia’s likelihood to instigate new
conflicts in the South Caucasus rather than to maintain the status quo.
Yet another statement by Zatulin on the maintenance of the status quo
contains a suspicious dose of frankness. Zatulin argues that Armenia
is the only country in the region, which is totally interested in
the status quo in the region. Zatulin’s statements seem to favor
Armenia. This is quite ambiguous, however. First, it is essential to
find out the degree of change of the status quo required for regional
integration. The settlement of conflicts implies, nevertheless, certain
inevitable changes. And under these circumstances it appears rather
vague how beneficial the role of a “devotee of the status quo” is for
Armenia, if it can clash with outlooks for regional integration. In
fact, Zatulin appears to be placing responsibility for the status
quo, probably also the failure of outlooks for regional development
on Armenia. And his assertion that Russia is the most loyal defender
of the status quo among the outside forces is but political blackmail
against Armenia. Hence, in the beginning Zatulin places responsibility
on Armenia, definitely blames Armenia, and then immediately declares
Russia the defender of the stance of Armenia, which is guided by the
principle “you have not other way?”

ANDRE IN THE FINALS
A1+
[12:01 pm] 19 May, 2006
Singer Andre who represents Armenia in the annual music competition
“Eurovision-2006” reached the finals. According to the regulations
of the competition, the finalists are elected by the TV viewers of
the participant countries with the exception of the home country of
the singer.
After the semi finals by the voting of the TV viewers Andre reached
the finals which means that on May 20 he will represent Armenia once
again in Athens.

EXPERT: BAKU HAS UNOFFICIALLY AGREED TO TAKE PART IN ANTI-IRANIAN COALITION
Regnum, Russia
May 18 2006
The USA is main initiator of various ways of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement, as well as most active mediator of the negotiation
process, Azerbaijani analyst Arif Yunusov is quoted as saying by a
REGNUM correspondent at The Caucasus in Russian Policy: History and
the Present International Conference organized by Caucasus Research
Center at Russian Foreign Ministry’s Moscow State University of
International Relations (MGIMO).
According to him, Russian co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov,
who, according Yunusov, “sabotaged the talks,” did not practically
support activity of the American side. At the same time, Yunusov stated
that American diplomacy did not succeed in achieving any results to
settle the Karabakh conflict, and, according to Yunusov, American
co-Chair Steven Mann is to be dismissed, receiving a new appointment.
Also, the Baku analyst mentioned processes, which develop around
Iran, as well as Azerbaijan’s attitudes towards to them. According to
him, official Baku has unofficially agreed with Washington to take
part in anti-Iranian coalition, offering their airdromes and other
communications to satisfy US army’s requirements. Also, according to
him, main part of Azerbaijani public opinion is categorically again
such decision, because it realizes risks, which will become real,
if Iran is attacked. “Iranian authorities directly stated that if
the Azerbaijani side supports Americans, they will attack on 24 most
important objects in Azerbaijan, including BTC oil pipeline, which
will cause ecological disaster, and even, maybe – on Baku residential
areas,” the analyst stressed. Also, he informed that despite that,
seven airdromes have unofficially been handed over to Americans,
and appropriate conditions and infrastructure are prepared to settle
US servicemen in the south of Azerbaijan. The analyst pointed out
that there is danger of refugees’ afflux from Iran in the light
of possible attack against the country. Already now, according
to Yunusov’s information, confirmed, in his words, by the Iranian
ambassador in Baku, up to 50,000 Iranian citizens have settled in
the Azerbaijani territory.

MICROSOFT OPENS OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, May 17. /ARKA/. Official representative office of Microsoft
Corporation was opened in Armenia on May 16. Director of the Armenian
representative office of the company Grigor Barseghyan said coming
plans of Microsoft in Armenia envisage enlargement of the circle of
its partners, instruction in high technologies and cooperation with
the RA Government.
According to the Vice-President of Microsoft in the region of Central
and Eastern Europe Vahe Torosyan, opening of the corporation’s office
in Armenia is of great importance for the country, especially in the
light of recent success in the sphere of economy of the republic and
particularly in the IT sphere.
The Chairman of the Union of IT Enterprises Hovhannes Avoyan said
opening of Microsoft’s representation in Armenia will enable Armenia
to take its deserving place and use elaborations of the corporation
in the proper way.
Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975. At present it is the
world leader in the sphere of software development and servers,
service rendering and elaboration of Internet-technology.
Its production is being sold in more than 80 countries of the world and
was translated into more than 45 languages. Microsoft’s representative
offices exist in CIS countries as well, including Ukraine, Kazakhstan,
and Azerbaijan.

ARTHUR BAGHDASARIAN HASN’T SAID THE WHOLE TRUTH
Anna Israelian
Aravot.am
16 May 06
The RPA and ARF politicians think in this way about those
discrepancies, which the OEP leader produced as the reasons for
leaving the coalition.
The NA chairman Arthur Baghdasarian mentioned in the interview given
on 12 of May that the OEP had discrepancies round inter political or
social-economic problems, democratic reforms and foreign policy with
its coalition partners.
Whether those discrepancies deepened in that period that it wasn’t
possible to work together any more. The RPA member Samvel Nikoyan
answered to this question; “None of the mentioned reasons for
leaving the coalition are news. For example there was a year when the
coalition didn’t affirm the account of the privatization project by
OEP efforts. That is, we have had a worse version.
As regards the approach in the problems of Euro integration I should
remind that one of the superiorities of the foreign policy of a state
is Euro integration. The only difference is that there is no problem
of becoming the NATO member in our agenda.
Other given argumentations of discrepancies aren’t news and can’t be
the reason of leaving the coalition. There were other factors too.”
The PM Andranik Margarian explained the OEP decision in this way to
”Azatutiun” b/s that it was the result of starting the pre-electoral
campaign sooner.
The ARF GB representative Armen Rustamian said on the occasion of the
OEP decision; ”I think it isn’t a complete list. It would be better
for Arthur Baghdasarian to produce those discrepancies completely
after which we’d be able to give remarks.” The ARF Bureau member Vahan
Hovhannisian informed in the interview given to ”Regnum” agency;
‘I haven’t noticed any discrepancies with us. Anyway the conversation
about discrepancies isn’t well grounded. Maybe the OEP is going to
ground but I haven’t heard serious substantiations yet.”
Armen Rustamian also didn’t agree with ”rat race” characteristic;
”I don’t want to offend my partners and I don’t want to use such
terms.” He considers possible that those deputies left the OEP for
ideological reasons; ”It is quite possible as there are a lot of
serious persons there. I don’t think their behavior can be described
by that primitive remarks.
Let’s cite again Vahan Hovhannisian who has mentioned that the
political power must count its possibilities rightly; ”As if you
involve persons into your party for having majority in the parliament
who don’t belong to you ideologically you must face to such a situation
sooner or later.” And the OEP fraction leader Samvel Baghdasarian
whom Arthur Baghdasarian will replace said; ”The reasons are what
were mentioned. And the last problem is the developments on the
account of the project of privatization. There is no other discrepancy.
And other interpretations aren’t true.”
–Boundary_(ID_D/08jkEM6daTvoDKMGovpQ)–