Author: Badalian Vardan

TURKEY EXPRESSES SECURITY CONCERNS AFTER DEATH OF CRIMEAN TATAR

Today’s Zaman (Turkey)
March 20, 2014 Thursday

Turkey has expressed its concern for the security of Turkic Tatars
on the Crimean Peninsula after a Tatar was killed in the Black Sea’s
volatile Autonomous Republic of Crimea, saying that their exposure
to pressure and threats is unacceptable.

Releasing a written statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry
said Turkey had learned with great sorrow of the death of Crimean
Tatar Resat Ametov and called for the perpetrators to be arrested
and brought to justice.

Ametov went missing on March 3 and was found dead on March 16,
news agencies reported on Tuesday. His body reportedly showed signs
of torture.

The Foreign Ministry statement said the killing had caused indignation
among the public and people of Tatar origin, who are ethnically and
linguistically related to Turks. “The Crimean Tatar Turks were able to
return to their homeland after suffering a lot in the past, and voice
their views and demands in peaceful terms. We find it unacceptable
that our kin are being pressured and exposed to threats in spite of
their responsible stance, as well as the fact that they have been
deprived of security during the ‘referendum’ process and since then,”
the statement said.

The statement referred to the referendum held last weekend, in which
the region voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia. According
to the final results of the referendum, around 97 percent of voters
had opted to secede from Ukraine. Crimea’s Tatars, who make up 12
percent of the population, generally support Ukraine’s pro-European
interim government, while the ethnic Russian majority wants secession.

The statement also commented on some allegations that there had been
provocations targeting Tatars. “We felt concern about reports released
that have cited ‘official sources’ on our kin being driven out of
the regions where they live,” the statement stressed, reiterating
that the current situation in Crimea should not be the cause of
such provocations.

The Foreign Ministry statement also conveyed Turkey’s condolences to
the families of the victim and all Crimean Tatars.

These concerns about the security of Crimea’s ethnic Tatars have also
been voiced by Ivan Simonovic, assistant UN secretary-general for human
rights. The UN official talked of the disappearance of Ametov after
he participated in a protest in early March. He said that Ametov’s
body bore the marks of “mistreatment” when it was found on March 16.

Crimea is important to Turkey due to the presence of the Crimean
Tatars on the peninsula. Although Ankara has refrained from using
harsh words against any side in the Crimea unrest, it has declared
that Turkey does not recognize the Crimean referendum, calling the
poll “illegitimate.” Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has reiterated
that the well-being of the Crimean Tatars on the peninsula is one of
Turkey’s strategic priorities.

Davutoglu also talked of the situation of Crimean Tatars in the
crisis-hit peninsula during a televised interview on Kanal 24 on
Thursday. “Any ethnic clashes breaking out there [Crimea] would be
an unacceptable situation for Turkey,” he said, adding that Turkey
has been working in the international arena to ensure Crimean Tatars’
rights and security.

Davutoglu said diplomacy can still be a tool for the Crimea crisis. He
said there are no hot clashes at the moment and diplomacy can still
solve the problem in Crimea. “However, if any clashes break out
in eastern Ukraine and Russian troops consider it a fait accompli,
there will be serious consequences,” he said.

He also warned of a possible domino effect of the Crimean crisis,
saying, “If the Crimea crisis triggers the Karabakh problem, it may
strain nerves in the Caucasus region.” He said Armenia’s fortification
is “dangerous” and stated that these kinds of acts inflame crisis in
the region.

Crimea was a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1478 to 1774.

Although it was then absorbed into the Russian Empire, the majority of
its population maintained its Muslim traditions and Tatar roots. The
Turkish government and Crimean Tatars are concerned about the
possibility of violence against the peninsula’s ethnic Tatar minority.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 0033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:

27 March, 2014

ACNIS Evaluates the Events in and Around Ukraine

Yerevan–The Armenian Center for National and International Studies
hosted a seminar earlier today devoted to the crisis in Ukraine and
its impact on international relations. Representatives of diplomatic
missions, experts, political analysts, civil activists and journalists
took part in the discussion.

Director of administration Karapet Kalenchyan made opening remarks
welcoming the guests and fellow speakers. Igor Roman, an advisor for
the Ukraine Embassy in Armenia, took the floor and presented the
political situation in Ukraine and its broader implications. Mr. Roman
introduced the political situation in Ukraine and beyond after the
Crimea “referendum” and emphasized that the referendum was
illegitimate, only the 30% of the Crimea citizens partook in that
event, while the vast majority – the 60% are in favor of Ukraine’s
association with EU. The Embassy adviser told that Ukraine currently
is under Russia’s attack in all dimensions – from brutal and false
propaganda to violation of international obligations and Treaties,
including the Budapest Memorandum.

Afterwards, the political analyst Sergey Minasyan spoke of the
challenges to international stability and security directly emerging
from the Ukrainian developments. To his view the Crimea annexation
isn’t the very aim that Russian sought in Ukraine, it will be rather
used as a card in relations with West and Ukraine fir achieving new
solutions within the Ukraine itself like federalization.

ACNIS director of research Manvel Sargsyan warned against the threat
of collapse of the international legal-political system. In his
opinion Russia and the West blame one another for violating and
breaching international law, while awaiting to use sanctions and
military force. Sargsyan did not rule out the possibility of continued
geopolitical expansionism by the superpowers.

In the conclusive “question and answer” part of the seminar the former
Ambassador of Ukraine to Armenia Mr. Oleksandr Bozhko, the 1st
secretary of the Embassy of Russian Federation to Armenia Mr.
Alexander Vasiliev, commentators from Radio Liberty and Ria-Novosty,
also civil activists presented their approaches and visions.

———————————————————————

The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) is
a leading independent strategic research center located in Yerevan,
Armenia. As an independent, objective institution committed to
conducting professional policy research and analysis, ACNIS strives to
raise the level of public debate and seeks to broaden public
engagement in the public policy process, as well as fostering greater
and more inclusive public knowledge. Founded in 1994, ACNIS is the
institutional initiative of Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first
Minister of Foreign Affairs. Over the past 20 years, ACNIS has
acquired a prominent reputation as a primary source of professional
independent research and analysis covering a wide range of national
and international policy issues.

For further information on the Center call (37410) 52-87-80 or
27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; email [email protected] or [email protected];
or visit

RUSSIAN INSTITUTE RECTOR URGES WESTERN COLLEAGUES TO STUDY CRIMEA HISTORY

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 20, 2014 Thursday 05:40 PM GMT+4

MOSCOW March 20

– The reaction of Western partners to Russia’s actions in the situation
around Crimea – a former Ukrainian region that became part of Russia on
Tuesday – is in many respects due to their poor knowledge of Crimea’s
history, Anatoly Torkunov, the rector of the Moscow State Institute
of International Relations (MGIMO), said Thursday.

Torkunov was speaking at a meeting of the Russian Historical Society
and the Culture Council under the chairman of the State Duma, the
lower house of Russia’s parliament.

“Unfortunately, there is much ignorance and lack of knowledge among
many of our neighbors in Europe, not to speak of colleagues who live
overseas,” Torkunov, who is a co-chairman of the Russian Historical
Society, said.

He said he often has to answer “questions which are ridiculous from the
viewpoint of history knowledge.” “When the colleagues turned to facts,
they had a totally different idea [of the situation],” the rector said.

Torkunov supported State Duma speaker Sergey Naryshkin, who earlier
spoke at the same meeting and said “inappropriate foreign reaction
to the events in Crimea is in many respects connected with the
hypocritical position of our Western partners and poor knowledge of
our history in the West.”

Torkunov also backed Naryshkin’s idea that historical education
activities should be carried out more intensively.

“We should actively get involved in such work, both for the Russian
readers and citizens and in order to better understand the situation
in the West,” the MGIMO rector said. “We live in the world and should
make efforts for this world to better understand us.”

The Republic of Crimea, where most residents are Russians, held a
referendum on March 16, in which some 97 percent of the population
voted for Crimea to secede from Ukraine and become part of Russia. On
Tuesday, Russia and Crimea signed in Moscow a treaty on Crimea’s
accession to the Russian Federation as a constituent member.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Crimea’s decision
to hold the referendum was in line with international law and the UN
Charter, and was also in line with the precedent set by Kosovo.

Ukraine’s self-proclaimed new authorities, who took power in the
country as a result of a coup in February, and the West have cried foul
over the Crimean secession referendum claiming the vote was illegal.

Russia does not recognize the new Ukrainian authorities, saying
President Viktor Yanukovich, who had to leave Ukraine citing security
concerns in February, remains the legitimate leader of the country.

Torkunov also shared his impressions of his numerous trips to Crimea.

“Despite Crimea not being a Russian constituent member for over
20 years, and despite a powerful process of Ukrainization, Crimea
remains Russian,” he said. He told those gathered that when he met
Crimean residents, he often heard a question from them: “Why are we
not in Russia?”

Torkunov said “a direct, peaceful, victimless will expression of
the people” took place in Crimea, “unlike the situation in Kosovo;
the dream of many generations of people came true, when the people
was able to express its desire to live with its Fatherland with which
it had lived for two and a half centuries.”

The rector called on the Russian state to use cultural and historical
documents to prove that it is right.

CRIMEA POPULATION AND HISTORY

According to Ukrainian state statistics service data, as of late 2013,
Russians accounted for 58.5 percent, Ukrainians for 24.3 percent,
Crimean Tatars for 12.1 percent, Belarusians for 1.4 percent and
Armenians for 1.1 percent in Crimea.

In line with the main Crimean regional statistics body, as of early
2014, Crimea had a population of 1,959,000 people. Sevastopol, a city
with a special status, has a population of 384,000 people.

In 1783, Russian Empress Catherine the Great conquered Crimea and it
became part of the Russian Empire. After the 1917 Russian Revolution,
Crimea became the Crimean People’s Republic. It changed hands a few
times in the following years, and eventually became the Crimean
Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, part of the Russian Soviet
Federative Socialist Republic, in 1921.

In 1945, the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was
transformed into the Crimean Region, part of the Russian Soviet
Federative Socialist Republic.

In 1954, First Secretary of the Soviet Union’s Communist Party’s
Central Committee, Nikita Khrushchev, transferred Crimea to the
jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

In 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Crimea became part
of newly independent Ukraine. In 1992, it was renamed the Republic
of Crimea. It received broader autonomy, adopted its Constitution and
introduced the post of republic president. In 1995, the Verkhovna Rada,
Ukraine’s parliament, canceled Crimea’s Constitution and abolished
the post of Crimea’s president.

In 1998, Crimea’s new Constitution entered into force and the
Republic of Crimea was renamed the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,
part of Ukraine. Crimea remained in that capacity until March 2014.

Following the March 16, 2014 referendum at which an overwhelming
majority of Crimeans voted for leaving Ukraine and joining Russia,
Crimea declared its independence from Kiev. On March 18, 2014, Crimea’s
authorities signed a treaty with Moscow on Crimea’s accession to the
Russian Federation.

BRUSSELS COMMITTED TO FUTURE COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA, EU EASTERN PARTNERSHIP PROGRESS REPORT SAYS

NEWS | 28.03.14 | 09:35

The European Commission on Thursday presented updates on the progress
made by the countries in its Eastern Partnership program.

The report focuses on six participants of the program, including
Armenia.

Yerevan walked away from the initialing of an Association Agreement
with the EU in September 2013 in order to join a Russian-led customs
union, says the report on the part of Armenia.

Brussels does, however, state that it is committed to future
cooperation with Armenia, although it still isn’t stated what this
cooperation might look like, according to RFE/RL.

The report notes that “public mistrust of the judicial system remained
high and there was a lack of convincing results in the fight against
corruption, including in police and judiciary.” Brussels urges Armenia
to “cooperate with and protect civil society; investigate the cases
of attacks and intimidation of human rights defenders; and ensure
that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

On Nagorno-Karabakh, the EU stresses that Armenia needs to ensure
unimpeded access for representatives of the EU to the area, as well
as the surrounding region, and to stop actions and statements that
could heighten tension.

SERJ TANKIAN: GENOCIDE IS STILL A MODERN HUMAN DISEASE THAT’S NOT FULLY LOOKED AFTER BY INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

15:40 28/03/2014 >> SOCIETY

By David Farrier, 3 News

Tomorrow night, Serj Tankian is playing a one-off show at
Christchurch’s CBS Arena.Known to many as the frontman of System
of a Down, for many this concert will show a different side to
the Grammy-award winning musician. He’ll be joined on stage by the
Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, who will perform some of Serj’s
symphony found on his recent Orca album. He’ll also be performing with
them as they rock through his Elect the Dead record. Serj doesn’t
perform these shows often, so it seemed like a good opportunity for
me to sit down with the musician in New Zealand to talk about what
he’s up to.

– Are you looking forward to the Christchurch show?

– I am looking forward to it very much. In fact, we’ve been planning
on having a show with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra for many
years. My friend Hamish McKeich, who conducted our APO show years
ago in 2009 in Auckland, he’s the one who called the Christchurch
Symphony Orchestra, and they were keen on working with us. So we’ve
been trying to plan this for a few years, and we’ve had very busy
schedules, and touring elsewhere, so this year knowing I am going
to be spending a nice chunk of time in New Zealand I decided let’s
definitely go ahead and do the show.

– You’ve been touring a lot with System – is it hard to get your head
into another space with the orchestral music, or is it quite organic?

– It’s not really difficult jumping from one band or musical project to
the other. In fact in Europe and Russia I went from doing three weeks
with System, to doing three weeks with an orchestra. It’s actually
really great. It’s kind of like going to the gym: With System, you
are getting your cardio, because you are just running, jumping and
doing these crazy acrobatics both vocally and physically.

And with the orchestra you are sitting there and it’s more of a
spiritual, emotional, intimate connection musically. And it’s a
different value in terms of the connectivity with the audience. One
is a huge festival type of audience with System, and the other is a
beautiful theatre, like the Auckland Town Hall, or as it will be in
Christchurch. I like the diversity.

– Well it’s exciting for Christchurch, too.

– I am really excited about going there, in fact we’ve been looking
at a number of non-profits to work with there as well, and we will
donate the net proceeds of the show actually. There’s a lot of great
work happening there, it’s really interesting. Obviously the effects
of the earthquake and everything else that’s happened since then have
been devastating – [but] it’s created all these spaces, because all
these people have moved and gone away. So it’s a city with a lot of
spaces, which is something we’re not used to, as most areas are so
concentrated. So the creatives of the city have been trying to see how
they can take advantage of those spaces, in a creative and positive
way. So there are these organizations doing some really out-of-the-box
thinking. There are instruments set up in a park for example, and
random people can go up and play them. There’s areas where people can
go and dance and put in their CD, and it’s all set up with a little PA
system. Just creative spaces that would not otherwise exist in a city.

So I guess these are some of the good things that we can say have
come out of this experience.

– For someone that wasn’t at your Auckland Town Hall show, what can
people expect from your show?

– Since the Auckland Town Hall show in 2009, we’ve done 26 orchestral
shows, throughout Europe and Russia and Ukraine and all these
countries. And it’s been incredible, with all these different sorts of
orchestras. So Auckland was the first to kind of put us on that road.

So the show we are going to do in Christchurch is similar to what
we did last year in Europe and Russia. It’s a hybrid show between
the Elect the Dead Symphony, which are my orchestral pieces that I
did with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in 2009, and also Orca,
my new symphony. Orca is a traditional symphony. It’s instrumental –
it’s not rock songs with symphonic variations. So it’s actually a
beautiful show. A very unique show, and a way of showing off the
dynamics of an orchestra: Playing almost very heavy rock kind of
orientated moments and coming down and playing really beautiful,
intimate pieces from Orca. We have a duduk player, an Armenian reed
instrument player, from Armenia, coming. He is just stunning, and
plays on movement four of Orca, as well as a few other songs. So it’s
quite a joy putting on these shows. And so far every audience we’ve
interacted with have been quite moved by it.

– It must be nice to play with different energy levels; the rock,
through to the orchestral stuff.

– People are so used to musical segmentation. With a rock show
everyone is on their feet, yelling, screaming, and having beers. With
a classical show, everyone is sitting down, well-dressed and quiet.

Now – we’re breaking those barriers. So we’re not going to have
the typical classical setting. Yes, you will have to sit down. For
most of the show you will have to be quiet, because they’re acoustic
instruments, they’re not electric instruments. However, the attitude,
the dress code, the way we interact with the audience and have them
get up at the end of the show and go wild, that is not typical of the
classical world. And the orchestras we’ve worked with really seem to
enjoy that kind of attention and outpouring of emotion from audiences.

And vice versa!

– What do rock journos think of your classical stuff, and what does
the classical world think of your rock stuff?

– I would bet that rock critics wouldn’t love a symphony record,
I would bet classical critics are not going to love someone coming
from the rock world and doing a symphony record. I would bet that jazz
purists writers, in fact I know jazz purist writers, are not into my
Jazz-Is-Christ record. But hey, that’s okay! Because I am making the
music that is coming to me from the universe, and I am presenting it
the best way I can. And I am putting a spin on it that is uniquely
what I do. And as long as my fans and people who are following me
like it, I’m happy with it and thankful for it.

– And obviously people like John Psathas are along for the ride!

– We’re actually working together now in doing a new piece, it’s called
‘100 Years’, and we will have it out next year. It will be about
genocide and holocaust. It’s a heavy topic. The piece is a beautiful
piece, that goes from ethnic to orchestral to many different things,
and we’re having friends from all over the world participate by
playing on it. And we’re going to be showing them on videos, as well
as recording their audio, and basically having their own emotional,
spiritual stamp on the piece. And we’re going to be displaying it at
festivals, as well as probably on YouTube and whatnot.

– That’s a pretty heavy topic to focus on.

– We want to bring awareness to the fact that there are still –
even with the genocide convention at the UN, and all these different
committees and sub committees designed to tackle genocide – genocide
is still a modern human disease that’s not fully looked after by the
international community. We saw in Darfur for example the Chinese had
economic ties they wouldn’t back off from. So we need to have some kind
framework that makes genocide, or holocaust, a kind of ‘no-fly zone’:
Anytime that is happening, all nations break immediate ties, they get
together and discuss humanitarian aid etcetera. We’re seeing with Syria
as well – I don’t necessarily call that a genocide – but we’re seeing
with the Syrian civil war how confusing it is for the international
community. Nations don’t know what side to support. You know, you’ve
got a tyrant on one side, and then you’ve got terrorist groups on
the other side, along with a truly rebellious part of the population,
you’ve got sectarian violence, you’ve got religious factions… it’s
difficult, you know? But we have to take a stand against this modern
disease called ‘genocide’.

– Do you find it refreshing to be in New Zealand where I guess
politically we’re a bit more – I suppose the issues are a bit smaller
here. Do you find that an encouraging thing?

– I do. I mean obviously New Zealand has its own issues that we
grapple with here, but yeah the geo-political issues are way more
tame. The semi-neutrality of the country is definitely very progressive
outlook. Many nations can benefit from that kind of perspective. And
kiwis are quite wise politically, in terms of international politics,
because they read. Most people in America don’t read! And the education
system is great. I think it’s not just enough to have a democracy, it’s
important to have an educated democracy, because without an educated,
literate democracy, you can have a George Bush as your leader. And
that can be maybe as dangerous as having Assad as your leader in some
cases! [laughter]. Coming to New Zealand it’s refreshing, every year
I live between here and Los Angeles and it slows things down on a
beautiful level, and increases the lifestyle for me. The quality of
the lifestyle, the people I interact with and the relationships that
I develop. And it’s a different world and I’d love it to stay like
that forever.

– Totally changing track – you’ve been painting, right?

– I’ve been doing art for the first time! I’ve been painting and
creating these musically linked paintings. And we’ve developed an app
called “Eye for Sound” that lets you take your smart phone and through
optical recognition, allows you to play music while viewing a painting
or piece of sculpture. So we have a number of artist friends who have
joined into this Eye for Sound community. We’re doing a multi-artist,
multi-media exhibition. We’re looking to do something in Los Angeles
this year and we’re also looking at doing something major at a museum
in Auckland early next year. It’s exciting and very unique because
the same artist is doing both the visual and the musical piece. So
they both complete the picture together. And we’re also talking to
visual artists here in New Zealand who have musical ability, who play
the piano and do other things, so we want to incorporate their talent
into it as well.

– You are basically incapable of taking time off, right?

– No look at me man, I am chilling. I’m on a farm, relaxing, doing a
little work. I am travelling less. I’ve slowed down this year. I’m
spending more time on the farm here in New Zealand and enjoying my
life, and growing veggies and beautiful orchards. Compose and compost.

That’s my new thing. Composting and composing, all in the same day. I
swear, going out and working on a farm for two to three hours,
getting your sweat on and your body going, and physically feeling
the difference you make on the land, and then coming in – showering
[laughs] – and starting to work on music and do something creative.

Music or painting. They’re both the same, really. It’s a continuation,
one to the other.

– Are you glad you moved to New Zealand?

– I’m more than glad, I am ecstatic. It’s my haven. And it’s also a
place where I feel more creative. And I feel more at home in myself
to be honest with you. And I have lived in LA since 1975, which is a
lot of years. And I have a lot of friends there, and family there, and
it’s difficult to move away. My work is mostly there, the entertainment
industry is there, and I’ve been scoring for films and video games,
and the music industry is based there in the world. And to have
that excitement and working there is great. But when I get off tour,
I don’t think of going to my place in LA, I think of coming to New
Zealand as home. Because I feel more at home here.

– You must be glad it all worked out. I mean, you could have moved
here and found it to be terrible!

– It wasn’t an experiment for me, it was more of… ‘This is where
I know I have to be, how do I make this happen realistically?’ And
obviously that takes time, whether it’s residency or purchasing a
place. But it’s been the most rewarding experience. And everyone
always asks me about New Zealand. I had a friend of mine call me the
other day and he’s like, ‘Alright, tell me about New Zealand!’ and
I’m like ‘Woah! You should just come down first!’ And I’ve spoken
to many people from famous directors to different people about New
Zealand because there’s a lot of interest, especially from creative
people who can afford to make the change in their lives, and I think
that’s wonderful. And I think the government’s policy of actually
helping be a catalyst for that change and bringing in creative people,
people with vision, is a great thing. It’s a beautiful thing. I think
it will pay off.

– I bet you find a lot of musicians who come through town probably
want to hang out with you! Like you were on stage with Tool at the
Big Day Out.

– It’s been amazing, it’s cool having friends come to play a show in
Auckland and me saying, ‘Hey come out to the farm and let’s hang out,
and go to the beach and chill out’ and give them a day off from the
tour, away from their camp. It’s a beautiful thing. We did that with
Tom Morello who was here with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,
and before the show he came up to me and was like, ‘So, what are
you going to sing with us tonight?’ And I was like ‘Ah, nothing! I
am a viewer in the audience, I will drink with you and watch your
show and congratulate you after, but I do not have the guts to get
up with you on a Bruce Springsteen stage!’ I’ll be the first to say
it, I was scared. That time I went up with Tool [at the 2007 Big Day
Out], I was like, “I don’t know the song by heart” and he was like
“Just do whatever you want to do” – but I was nervous as f–! Look,
I look at it this way: These people have tens of thousands of fans
that know that music, like the back of their hands, and here I am
about to jam on it, and you know, it’s a bit gratuitous!

HOMELESS PEOPLE FALL INTO IN DESPAIR AS THEY FIND CONSTRUCTION SITE EMPTY (VIDEO)

11:50 | March 28,2014 | Social

About 430 families in Armenia’s Gyumri city left homeless after the
1988 devastating earthquake and included on the waiting list were to
receive apartments in 2013, but the construction of the residential
building has not started yet.

Gyumri-based Shirak Centre reports that the families frequently visit
the construction site in the neighbourhood of Mush 2 district to find
out news about the construction. However, they do not find any hustle
and bustle there.

During its recurrent visit to the construction site, the NGO
interviewed some of the homeless people there.

ANALYST: GEORGIA SHOULD HAVE NON-ALIGNED POSITION

March 28, 2014 | 16:41

YEREVAN. – Georgia should have non-aligned position and close
cooperation with Russia, primarily in economic terms, Georgian
political analyst Badri Nachkebia said.

The analyst participated in the international conference “Eurasian
choice 2014” held in a form of a space bridge.

Despite the fact that he fully shared the idea that Georgia and
Russia have good relationship, the Eurasian Union, in his opinion,
at this stage will unlikely be something to strive for.

“There are many reasons in this term for Georgia, so many you can
name at least unresolved territorial disputes. For us, these areas
are not some part of the land, but a part of the country,” he said.

The analyst believes Georgia should seek “the golden mean”. At the
moment every leader of Georgia must have special pragmatic approach,
as the world came to a stage when a terrible conflict can be too close.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

MP: ARMENIA WAS RIGHT WHEN VOTING AGAINST CROMEA RESOLUTION AT UN

March 28, 2014 | 16:46

YEREVAN. – Armenia was right when voting against Cromea resolution
at the UN General Assembly, said head of ruling party’s parliamentary
group Galust Sahakyan.

He said Armenia must respect and support principle of free
self-determination of nations.

“For us this principle must be the major and unalterable value,”
he said.

On Thursday UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on territorial
integrity of Ukraine with 100 votes for, 11 against (including Armenia)
and 58 abstentions.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

UNION OF ARTSAKH WAR VETERANS CALLS ON ARMENIAN DIASPORA TO START MASS DEMONSTRATIONS TO SUPPORT KESSAB

by Nana Martirosyan

Friday, March 28, 15:27

The Union of Artsakh War Veterans calls on the Armenian Diaspora to
start mass demonstrations to support the Armenians of Kessab. In
particular, the veterans expressed their concern over the Turkish
aggression against Armenians and call on the international community
to condemn the situation in Kessab. “All measures should be taken
to evacuate the citizens and keep their property in Kessab”, the
statement says.

The Armenian-populated town of Kessab has been attacked by Turks
since March 21. Nearly 700 Armenian families have been evacuated to
Lattakia. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Armenian political
parties have already made statements drawing the international
community’s attention to the actions of Turkey. An Armenian
parliamentary delegation left for Syria and met with Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad.

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I SUGGESTS THE UN TO CONSIDER THE DEMILITARIZATION OF KESSAB

15:31 28.03.2014

On Thursday, March 27, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia, called Jeffrey Feltman, the United Nations
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs.

Jeffrey Feltman told His Holiness that the UN is concerned about the
situation in Kessab and added that he discussed the issue with United
Nations-Arab League Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi,
as well as the Armenian and Turkish Ambassadors to UN.

His Holiness Aram I briefed the UN representative on the current
situation in Kessab, specially emphasizing the role of Turkish factor.

The Catholicos suggested that the UN discuss the demilitarization
of Kessab.

Feltman said the suggestion was constructive and promised to consult
with Lakhdar Brahimi on the issue.