Author: Badalian Vardan

TRAIAN HRISTEA: VILNIUS AGREEMENT PAVED A NEW WAY FOR RECONSIDERING EU-ARMENIA COOPERATION

Wednesday 12 March 2014 17:17

Traian Hristea

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Head of the EU Delegation in Armenia Traian
Hristea stated today that the agreement reached in Vilnius between
the EU and Armenia over November 2013 and the joint statement paved
a new way for considering the cooperation frameworks.

Traian Hristea stated it at the “EU-Armenia Cooperation: Presenting
the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument” conference,
Mediamax reports.

“We will go on with our cooperation trying to carry out through
certain tools the agreements achieved in Vilnius with our Armenian
partners. The projects presented today are only part of the support we
render. At the conference we will discuss procedural issues related
to how we should move ahead within Armenian President’s September
3 decision”, said the Head of the EU Delegation noting that it’s a
“good chance to put back concerns that the EU terminates assistance
to Armenia”.

“The conference aims at the presentation of different technical
assistance forms applicable in the framework of the cooperation, their
application mechanisms, the current state of the underway projects
and their further steps and underlining spheres by the Ministry
of Economy, which is the National Coordinator of EU Assistance in
Armenia, to the beneficiary authorities”, Armenian Deputy Minister
Garegin Melkonyan stated.

Head of EU-Armenia Cooperation Sector Hoa-Binh Adjemian noted that
the cooperation complies with the European Neighborhood partnership:
“The scales of bilateral cooperation with several EU states are
already known. There are also additional support projects”.

According to Hoa-Binh Adjemian, the cooperation will focus on the
strengthening of democratic institutions and justice system and steps
will be taken to ensure rule of law, protection of human rights,
combating corruption, strengthening the civil society and improving
business and investment environment.

“In this context, the EU and Armenia have already started working on a
new technical and financial assistance cooperation”, stated Hoa-Binh
Adjemian. Preference will be given to the spheres of agriculture,
justice and private sector.

According to the speakers, technical and financial support instruments
will be employed. Commenting on the volume of budget assistance, the
parties noted that it’s still too early to speak of exact numbers. The
results of projects carried out within EU-Armenia cooperation were
also presented.

NANCY NAJARIAN: ARMENIAN AMERICAN CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS

March 11, 2014

The Candidate:

Nancy Najarian is running for the U.S. Congressional seat being
vacated by Congressman (Jim Moran, 8th District VA) – considered a
safe Democratic district. The primary winner will very likely win
the general election. Najarian plans to put an Armenian in that seat!

Nancy Najarian is married and the mother of two children. She was
born in Boston, Massachusetts, baptized in St. Stephen’s Armenian
Apostolic Church in Watertown, and raised in Belmont. Her father’s
family is from Kharpert, and her mother’s from Aintab.

Her father, K. George Najarian, is the son of Arshalous and Nishan
Najarian. In 1916, Nishan who was 19 years old and living in Boston
MA, answered the call to fight with the French Foreign Legion against
the Turks in Anatolia. Three years later he returned to the U.S.,
bringing Arshalous Garabedian, a genocide survivor, back with him.

They married and settled in Cambridge MA, and raised 4 children who
were all active in Armenian community life. On her mother’s side,
the family comes from Aintab – her grandfather emigrated before the
Genocide, and her grandmother afterward. They raised their family in
New Jersey and then in Massachusetts.

Nancy’s stepmother, Dr. Carolann Najarian, the daughter of Arpen and
Avedis Abrahamian, also were both genocide survivors. Nancy’s father
and step-mother were active in humanitarian work in Armenia after
the earthquake and during the Nagorno Karabagh Conflict. They have
supported numerous Armenian projects in the U.S. as well.

Nancy Najarian’s Career and Volunteer Activities:

Nancy has been an active participant in a variety of Armenian
organizations and causes over her 30-year career in New England, New
York City during college, the Washington, D.C. area, and in Armenia.

She was a charter member of the Cambridge (MA) – Yerevan Sister
City Association in the 1980’s, traveling with her family and
the group in 1988 to visit Moscow and Yerevan prior to Armenia’s
independence. As a young graduate of Georgetown University’s School
of Foreign Service Master’s program, she volunteered at the Armenian
Embassy in Washington, D.C. for the Economic Attache’. In 1993, she
moved to the newly independent Republic of Armenia during the worst
time of the blockade of the country.

— 1993: Nancy Najarian taught English to Armenians seeking to enter
newly established MBA programs in Yerevan,

— 1993-1997: Nancy Najarian created, co-founded and ran a non-profit
organization, Technical Assistance for the Republic of Armenia (TARA,
Inc. 1993-1997). TARA’s mission was to help struggling Armenian
entrepreneurs to start new businesses in Armenia, by bringing
Diasporans to teach Western approaches to management and marketing,
law, and finance.

— 1996: Nancy Najarian co-organized through TARA the 1996 Armenian
Judicial Conference, bringing 12 Armenian and American judges and
justices to Armenia for a 3-day conference. The goal was to educate
the entire Armenian judicial body about judicial reform prior to the
ratification of the first Armenian Constitution.

— Nancy Najarian joined the Armenian Assembly’s ARAMAC, as a Board
member, working to raise the awareness of the US government on the
severe consequences of the energy blockade on the Armenian people
and its economy.

— In the international sector, Nancy Najarian has worked on projects
funded by the U.S. government to help increase development of the
Armenian private sector.

In addition, Nancy Najarian has been active for many years in the
Armenian community — an active member of the Armenian Network of
America; a Sunday school teacher at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic
Church, Washington, D.C.; a participant at many local events hosted
by the ANCA and the Armenian Assembly; and has advised college and
graduate students seeking to enter international work on how to begin
their own private voluntary organizations to help others in the world
achieve their economic dreams and goals.

The Future:

If elected, Nancy Najarian will bring to Congress a steady support
for issues effecting the Armenian community and Armenia. Throughout
her private life and her professional career, Najarian has already
shown her deep ties to and commitment to her Armenian heritage,
and an ability to work with diverse groups tirelessly fighting for
Armenian issues. This would continue if she were to be elected.

The 8th Congressional district borders Washington, D.C., encompassing
Arlington County, the City of Alexandria – home to the Alexandria –
Gyumri Sister City Association and its yearly Armenian festival,
and parts of Fairfax County (McLean and Falls Church). This seat is
considered a “safe” Democratic seat, in that 68% of the district voted
for president Obama in 2012. The current and retiring Congressman,
Jim Moran, previously held his Congressional seat for 22 years with
little challenge. The field of candidates is crowded; the candidate
that can raise money quickly will have an opportunity to challenge
the others by running TV ads in a very expensive media market.

ARMENIA AND PATRICIA KAAS TALK BRANDY AND PEACE

EurasiaNet.org
March 12 2014

March 12, 2014 – 2:06pm, by Giorgi Lomsadze

In the cellars of the Yerevan Brandy Company sits a barrel of brandy
that has been waiting 13 years for resolution of Armenia’s conflict
with neighboring Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno
Karabakh.

Armenia’s favorite drink, brandy became widely popular in Soviet days
when the country (and Georgia) ranked as the USSR’s alternative to
the south of France. For many visitors, touring the Yerevan Brandy
Company, now owned by French booze giant Pernod Ricard, remains a must.

On March 10, famous French crooner Patricia Kaas became the latest
celebrity to descend into the company’s depths for a brandy-tasting
tour, and an Armenian history lesson.

It may seem a bold move to ply a Frenchwoman with a beverage Armenians
call “cognac,” yet Kaas had no reason to complain; the Yerevan Brandy
Company sponsored her March 9 concert in Yerevan.

In the company’s cellar, she was introduced to the “Barrel of Peace,”
a cask containing brandy from 1994, when Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed
to a (constantly violated) cease-fire. The cask was sealed in 2001,
when the US, Russian, and, of course, French chairpersons of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group,
the body overseeing the Karabakh talks, visited Yerevan and toured
the factory. The brandy-makers vowed to open the barrel when the
Karabakh conflict is resolved.

Unfortunately for peace and brandy-lovers, the conflict remains
a powder keg with occasional deadly escalations, and Armenia and
Azerbaijan are not expected to drink themselves to peace anytime soon.

The ongoing international conflict over Russia’s incursion into
Ukraine’s Crimea is not expected to improve those chances.

Some Armenian observers can’t agree over whether or not Crimea will
have good, bad or no impact on Armenia and its ethnic kin in Karabakh.

For its part, Azerbaijan looks at Crimea’s lot, and remembers the
ongoing Karabakh conflict as a warning about the dangers when countries
throw international law to the wind.

Meanwhile, with the US and France at loggerheads with Russia over
Ukraine, the negotiation-facilitators may soon need facilitators of
their own.

On the bright side, brandy only gets better with time.

CHAMLIAN ARMENIAN SCHOOL LOOKS TO EXPAND ENROLLMENT

Glendale News Press, CA
March 11 2014

School officials say ‘timing is pretty good’ to request enrollment
boost.

March 11, 2014| By Kelly Corrigan,

Citing a long waiting list, Chamlian Armenian School officials are
looking to increase enrollment to 700 students, up from its current
cap of 500.

Rodney Khan, a Glendale-based land use consultant, filed paperwork
requesting the enrollment change with the city’s planning department
on behalf of the school in late February.

He said the school has room, noting just 24 of its 30 classrooms
are used at any given time by the kindergarten through eighth-grade
students.

“They’ve had a waiting list for many years,” Khan said. “But the
student capacity always prevented them from having these additional
students come in.”

In 2011, when the school’s proposal for building a 35-foot-tall
gymnasium went before the planning commission, it was denied, following
neighbors’ concerns that the gym would be too intrusive and add to
existing traffic concerns.

Advertisement

Although that vote was overturned by the City Council, a Design
Review Board in early 2012 denied its design, citing the gym as too
boxy and out of place with the rest of the neighborhood.

But the 9,345-square-foot gym was eventually approved with a unanimous
vote by the City Council in February 2012, clearing the way for its
construction.

City planner Roger Kiesel said that when the school’s gym was approved
for construction, it came with the condition of an enrollment cap.

“There’s been a cap for a number of years,” he said, adding that it
was in place before the gym was built.

Now with weeks before the gymnasium opens its doors, Chamlian Principal
Vazken Madenlian said school officials believe “timing is pretty good”
to request to alter its enrollment.

“We have to turn down a lot of students,” he said.

Chamlian’s proposal would come before the planning commission for
their approval in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, Khan said school officials are considering busing
students to the school, and perhaps establishing a pick-up and drop-off
area at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church, which is located near
where many of Chamlian’s students reside, he said.

He said the school’s security guard and others strictly help regulate
the morning and afternoon traffic, and that the school would continue
to be proactive in addressing traffic issues.

“We’re also strongly encouraging carpooling,” he added.

COURT TRIAL ON ARMENIAN ACTOR’S CASE IS ADJOURNED

March 12, 2014 | 15:28

The first court hearing into the case of renowned Armenian actor
Vardan Petrosyan adjourned on Wednesday.

Petrosyan’s attorney Nikolay Baghdasaryan submitted a respective
motion to the court stating that he has another court hearing on the
same day and, subsequently, he will attend a lawyers’ training.

The injured party’s attorney Ruben Baloyan, on the other hand, stated
that this is a deliberate delay of the hearing.

“Vardan Petrosyan has four more attorneys; one of them could have
been present [at court],” he added noting that this deferral causes
moral and physical pain to the injured party.

In his motion, Baghdasaryan also informed that two more attorneys
will arrive in Armenia from France on March 25. Consequently, he
asked the court for time so that the new attorneys are accredited
at the Chamber of Advocates of Armenia, and get familiar with the
case. The court granted the motion.

Prior to the court decision, however, Vardan Petrosyan stated that
he wanted to address the injured party. The actor said several words
and, subsequently, the presiding judge interrupted him, whereas Hayk
Hakobyan of the injured party spoke in outrage.

Actor’s sister Askhen Petrosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that her
brother is morally depressed.

The court adjourned scheduling the next hearing for March 28.

A major accident occurred on October 20, 2013 in Kotayk Region. A
BMW and a VAZ 2121-model vehicle crashed at around 9:20pm on the
Yeghvard-Yerevan motorway. As a result, seven people sustained
injuries and were transferred to several hospitals. Among them was
famous actor and comedian Vardan Petrosyan, whose liver and spleen
had ruptured. As a result of the accident, however, brothers Edgar
and Eduard Hakobyan–who were passengers in the VAZ 2121–had died.

A criminal case was instituted on the incident, and Vardan Petrosyan
was arrested.

OPINION OF THE NORAVANK FOUNDATION DIRECTOR GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN: NO RETURN TO THE PRIOR STATUS OF CRIMEA

11.03.2014

Mr. Harutyunyan, the whole world’s attention today is focused on the
events in Ukraine. What do you think about these developments?

Indeed, there are multi-level complicated processes going on in
Ukraine. One of the levels is the societal factor. Undoubtedly, the
Ukrainian society wasn’t happy with the quality of governance in
the country and its leadership in the person of Yanukovych. This
discontent developed into protests. However, this is just the
superficial level. Events happening in Kiev point to a well-organized
force that seized the power in a bloody coup, which resulted in about
100 casualties and thousands of injured.

Classical, military, violent coup d’etat…

In result of which the power was seized by some people, clearly
illegitimate. The underlying geopolitical rationale of what is
happening is obvious. The goal is to weaken Russia. In this case
Ukraine was a mere instrument to weaken Russia’s positions, along
with those of Europe, by the way. It’s no secret that the worst
scenario for the USA is the creation of a greater Europe from Lisbon to
Vladivostok. Characteristically, the bloody Ukrainian events developed
with direct support of the West, both individual politicians that
added fuel to the fire and some Western governments. And ironically,
this is the same West that makes a tremendous fuss about any single
violation of human rights

If we now look at those who seized the power, we get an impression
that the Ukrainian people fell out of the frying pan into the fire.

They got rid of some oligarchs to fall into the clutches of some
others.

Isn’t that the truth! As for the events in Crimea, Russia can
be criticized for many things, including, especially, that as an
immediate neighbor of Ukraine, Russia has been unable to exercise
the so-called soft power. I am talking about information influence,
weakness of the Russian media generally and in Ukraine particularly.

Russia certainly cannot be proud about its positive image and was
unable to improve it for many years. However, there is also the factor
of Ukraine itself, something that can be described in Huntington’s
wording as “civilizational fault line.” A few years ago I wrote an
article analyzing this phenomenon and noted that Ukraine is among
the countries that have such lines, because western and eastern
Ukraine differ significantly by many parameters. We have to admit that
unfortunately, Ukraine did not manage to establish itself as a state,
as a consolidated country. It’s constantly prone to one or another
type of revolutions and coups, Maidans, etc. But back to Crimea…

In Crimea it is about defending the rights of the Russian-speaking
population that comprises no less than 60%. Another key factor is the
Russian Navy base in Crimea. Generally speaking, Crimea was not part
of Ukraine in the past and was made such by Khrushchev’s decision.

Also, admittedly, many western and eastern territories were added
to Ukraine somewhat artificially. The Russian-speaking population
of Crimea indeed needs protection. It is simply terrifying to
listen to the rhetoric of Dmytro Yarosh, leader of the Right Sector
ultranationalist organization. But this is not only about him.

Remember that the first thing Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament)
did after the coup was to annul the law on regional languages. It
was then reverted back, but today it is still part of the agenda. One
can be absolutely sure that whatever final shape that law will take,
it will never provide sufficient rights to the Russian-speaking
population. In such situation the Russian leadership took some
adequate steps. After all, Russia did not declare war on Ukraine,
right? It just voiced about the possibility to send troops to Ukraine
in case the events take a certain turn to the worse, which would
require protection of the Russian (and perhaps, also Ukrainian)
population . Meanwhile, the Crimeans took over the initiative and a
process started for achieving greater autonomy, or I would even say,
sovereignty for the peninsula. It is hard to tell what this will
eventually bring about. Will Crimea become an independent nation that
will incorporate also Donetsk and Odessa? We can only make guesses
and offer scenarios. Yet one thing is clear – most likely there will
be no return to the prior status of Crimea.

Is it possible that the events in Crimea somehow affect the process
of Karabakh conflict resolution? And are there any parallels here?

Remember Leo Tolstoy’s phrase: “every unhappy family is unhappy in
its own way.” This concerns all trouble spots on the territory of the
former USSR. The Crimean conflict is different from Karabakh in its
roots. In case of Karabakh we had to deal not only with Azerbaijan,
but also with Turkey. In this context some analogies can be found,
since Turkey has a tremendous influence on the Tatar population of
Crimea. That is the only common thing. Everything else is different –
the processes are different both in scale and essence. South Ossetia
and Abkhazia precedents bear some resemblance to the Karabakh conflict,
but then again, the situation is very different there, because there
is no civilizational disparity between Georgians, and Abkhazians
and Ossetians. Unlike in the case with the Karabakh conflict, these
peoples, in principle, have no clash of civilizations.

And in Crimea still less, as the conflicting parties are both Slavs.

I believe that what currently happens in Crimea is beneficial for
Armenia in the geopolitical terms, because in case if the Russian Navy
base in Sevastopol is gone, then the Black Sea will become sort of an
inner sea of Turkey. Loss of such a strategic outpost would strengthen
Turkey, which is not our best friend, to put it mildly. It has to be
admitted that all the steps so far taken by Russia have been in line
with our geopolitical interests in one way or another. For instance,
we realize well, that had Russia not intervened in South Ossetia,
the Azerbaijanis would have been inclined to carry out a military
operation against Karabakh in a similar manner that Saakashvili
attempted to do with South Ossetia.

Then again, the Russian intervention in the Middle Eastern affairs
and prevention of the aggression against Syria was in line with our
interests as well, given the stalemate with the Armenian community in
Syria and in the Middle East as a whole. The same can be said about
Crimea. Russia having strong positions in general and in the Black
Sea, in particular, is in our interests. However, regardless of that,
under no circumstances one should forget about the rights of people,
about their right to live with their language, traditions and beliefs.

With all due respect to Ukraine and the Ukrainians, the process
happening in Crimea must be welcomed in principle.

Today there is a lot of talking about a new round of the Cold War
provoked by the events in Ukraine and the recent statements by Obama
come to prove that…

In 2002 I published an article in Golos Armenii titled “The Cold
War-2.” You see, prerequisites for such war existed even then and the
Cold War continues. However, the situation in the world has changed.

Currently we live in a multi-polar world. Let’s recall the numerous
attempts to isolate Iran from the world; they did not succeed because
there are some serious geopolitical actors around, such as Russia,
China, as well as India. Well, if the military cooperation between
Russia and the USA stops, it’s no big deal either for Russia or for
the West. That’s how it works…

Back to Ukraine. Here is a quote from a recent interview about the
situation in Ukraine given by Marine Le Pen, a right-wing French
politician, leader of the Front National: “It is everyone’s fault,
if I may say. First of all, because the European Union added fuel to
the fire by helping the revolt to turn into a revolution. Because
they made part of the Ukraine believe that Ukraine may be accepted
in the EU, which is absolutely wrong. It has to be clearly stated:
European people do not want Ukraine in the EU. By the way, they also
do not want Albania, Macedonia and Turkey…” Your comments, please…

Well, what she said is true. The problem is that many confuse the EU
Association Agreements with the EU membership, although the former
does not imply the latter. Similar EU Association Agreements had
been signed with Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco,
Mexico, Palestine, Tunisia, Chile, and South Africa – so what? Did
it somehow change anything in Egypt, for example? Moreover, what
has changed for such countries as Bulgaria or Romania after the EU
membership? They lived not so well 30 years ago, and they continue
like that now. Even the Baltic countries that integrated into the EU
so smoothly, now face an economic crisis. The economy hardly grows,
there are numerous problems.

Many people in the Armenian society also think that an Association
Agreement with the EU provides an opportunity to become part of the
EU. But it does not. It is an ordinary agreement on trade relations,
and nothing more. Today Ukraine has fallen far behind economically
and is at the brink of a collapse, a financial default. Naturally,
there is no prospect for Ukraine’s EU membership, not to mention
that now there are such people in the power structure as Yarosh,
who blames for everything the American and European imperialists,
the Jews, the Poles, the Moskals (i.e. Russians) and everyone else
around. The EU definitely does not need such Ukraine and actually,
such Ukraine is a persona non grata for many. The biggest mistake of
Yanukovych was that he decided to make a choice on whether to turn
right or left. If Ukraine maintained equal relations with both Russia
and Europe, it could become a very important structure for unification
of the greater Europe and could reap lots of dividends. However, I
repeat, the Ukrainian leadership made a huge mistake in an attempt
of choosing “either, or”, and consequently, as a country that has
not established itself in geopolitical terms, with no strategic
directions and without a so-called geopolitical code of its own,
Ukraine now faces the situation that we observe now.

Zara Gevorgyan

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ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EU REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSS FUTURE COOPERATION

YEREVAN, March 12. / ARKA /. Armenian government officials and
representatives of the European Union’s Delegation to Armenia met
today to discuss assistance instruments offered by the 27-nation
bloc with the focus on Twinning, TAIEX and SIGMA programs as well
as on cross-border cooperation and the European Neighborhood and
Partnership Instrument (ENPI).

According to Armenian deputy economy minister Garegin Melkonyan, the
two sides plan to step up cooperation in private sector development,
agriculture and justice which are expected to become priorities in
the future.

The deputy minister declined to say what is the amount of assistance
Armenia expects from the EU.

“It is difficult to give monetary estimates, since, for example
TAIEX instrument does not have a separate budget item for Armenia
and allocates funds from the common budget and the amount is decided
depending on the country’s activity,” said Melkonyan .

Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Traian Hristea,
also declined to speak in terms of money saying that the sides should
concentrate on those areas where cooperation is possible.

He said the meeting would discuss procedural issues related to
Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union.

“We already have an agreement on cooperation and partnership between
the EU and Armenia and we will try to implement the arrangements
reached at Vilnius summit, related in particular to the action plan.

Technical assistance which we are discussing is an integral part
of this process, and we will continue talks with Armenian partners
on specific areas of cooperation and our possible assistance,” said
Hristea. -0-

– See more at:

CATHERINE ASHTON WATCHED GENOCIDE EXHIBITION IN ARMENIAN CHURCH IN IRAN

Yerevan /Mediamax/. On March 10, EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton visited the Armenian
Monastery of St. Savior in New Julfa (Iran).

New Julfa’s national superiority stated it.

The EU delegation members visited St. Savior Monastery’s St. Joseph
Arematatsi Church, which is decorated with frescoes and has a history
of 350 years; “Komitas” Choir performed in the church.

The delegation members also visited St. Savior Monastery’s “Khachatour
Kesaratsi” museum, where they were shown a map on which all places
where the Armenian Genocide had been committed were marked, and also
the human body parts taken to the museum from Der-Zor.

Catherine Ashton made a note in the museum’s memorial.

AMNESTY ON THE WAY, OR ALREADY GRANTED?

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 11 2014

GUNAY HÄ°LAL AYGUN

In the wake of the adoption of a new law to decrease the maximum
detention period to five years, a Turkish court has ruled for the
release of a number of suspects in many controversial trials since
March 7, when the suspects’ lawyers demanded their release.

The first in the series of releases was issued for Erhan Tuncel,
known as “big brother,” who is a key suspect in the 2007 murder of
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. This was followed by the
release of five individuals caught red-handed torturing and killing
three Christian missionaries at a book store in the southeastern
province of Malatya. While the Turkish public was still outraged by
these shocking court decisions, there came yet another controversial
release. On Monday afternoon, the Ä°stanbul 21st High Criminal Court
ruled to release seven suspects in the Ergenekon coup-plot trial,
including journalist Tuncay Ozkan, gang leader Sedat Peker and
retired Col. Levent GöktaÅ~_. Ozkan had been given an aggravated
life sentence, while GöktaÅ~_ and Peker had been sentenced to 23
and 10 years in prison respectively.

According to the court, there is no risk that the suspects will
alter evidence related to the Ergenekon case or flee the country
before their sentences are upheld or reversed by the Supreme Court of
Appeals. Former Chief of Staff Ä°lker BaÅ~_bug, who was sentenced to
life imprisonment in the Ergenekon trial, was also released pending
trial last week after spending two years in detention, following a
ruling of the Constitutional Court. The court handling the Ergenekon
trial had announced the sentences on Aug. 5, 2013. However, the
fact that the court has not completed its detailed ruling prevents
the suspects from starting the process of appeal. Some commentators
regard the law paving the way for coup plot suspects to be released
as a sign that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan intends to make
peace with the top army brass.

According to Ergun Babahan, who writes a column for online news portal
T24, Erdogan gave a message of support to the deep state by procuring
these releases. “The only way out for Erdogan, who is embattled by
the corruption recordings, is to demolish the reliability of the
judiciary and the whole system. The release of murderers who were
caught holding their weapons simply aims to destroy the public’s trust
in the judiciary,” Babahan said. The columnist noted that Erdogan
was not satisfied even after managing to dominate the Supreme Board
of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) via a new law, because this power
only helps him to suppress his current enemies, while he also wants
to take future situations into account. According to Babahan, the
Turkish people have never had strong trust in the judicial system,
and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has not
taken any steps to liberate the courts from government control. Babahan
stated that the courts have successfully protected the suspects in the
Dink murder trial, the trial of Gezi Park protesters killed by police
and the case of 12-year-old Ugur Kaymaz and his father, who were shot
dead by a policeman outside their home in the southeastern province of
Mardin. Babahan stated that Erdogan is creating an image of an unjust
judiciary in the eyes of the public in case he is prosecuted over
graft allegations. However, if he can still be prosecuted and even
convicted, Babahan writes: “Then the only way out would be a general
amnesty. If Erdogan gains a threatening result for his government in
the local elections, he will probably grant a general amnesty.”

In Vatan columnist Okay Gönensin’s Tuesday article, titled “Amnesty
already issued,” he claimed that the amnesty has practically been
granted, since the army top brass who had been charged with coup
plotting have been released. Gönensin reminded his readers that
the suspects in these trials had repeatedly stated they want to be
cleared of the allegations rather than accepting an amnesty.

ANCIENT ARMENIAN TEMPLE SPARED CAFE

Transitions Online
March 11 2014

Armenian officials have canceled plans to build a cafe near the Garni
temple, the country’s only pagan place of worship that survived the
country’s conversion to Christianity, according to ArmeniaNow.com. One
of the country’s most popular attractions, the Greco-Roman temple
built in the first century B.C. was restored in the 1970s after being
destroyed in a 17th-century earthquake.

ArmeniaNow writes that activists opposed the Culture Ministry’s
initial plan to open a cafe close to the temple in order to attract
more tourists and more revenues. Opponents argued it would diminish
the touristic appeal of the site and that current revenues should be
enough for maintenance works.

Deputy Culture Minister Arev Samuelyan confirmed to the online
publication Hetq that the plan has been canceled, according to
ArmeniaNow.

Garni and the nearby Geghard monastery complex are two of the country’s
biggest tourist draws. The state cultural heritage agency estimates
that 200,000 tourists visited Garni with its temple, ancient fortress,
and bath house in 2013, although that figure seems high compared with
the estimated total of 677,000 tourists countrywide in the first nine
months of the year, Hetq notes.