Author: Badalian Vardan

A RESPONSE TO A RESPONSE ON KHOJALY

EurasiaNet.org, NY
Feb 12 2013

February 12, 2013 – 3:42pm, by Adil Baguirov Letters to the Editor

EurasiaNet.org is posting a letter from Adil Baguirov, co-founder
and member of the Board of Directors of the US Azeris Network, who
responds to criticism of his remarks posted last month in The Bug Pit.

International Law is on Azerbaijan’s Side

Gabriel Armas-Cardona takes issue with my comments about Khojaly
airport. In my comments posted on EurasiaNet.org on January 16 I
limited my responses and analysis, including reiterating the right
for military action by Azerbaijan, to military or “state” aircraft.

I would remind Armas-Cardona and others that Armenia has no right to
operate any flights into the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

Article 4 of the 1946 Chicago Convention states: “Each contracting
State agrees not to use civilian aviation for any purpose inconsistent
with the aims of this Convention.”

An airport can operate legally under the Chicago Convention’s terms
if the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has assigned
it a three-letter code. Khojaly airport has no such designation. If
that wasn’t enough, the Convention’s Article 89, titled “War and
Emergency Conditions,” states that “in case of war, the provisions of
this Convention shall not affect the freedom of action of any of the
contracting States affected, whether as belligerents or as neutrals.”

Given that Armenia and Azerbaijan remain officially at war, this
Convention provision enables Azerbaijan to view any unauthorized
Armenian flight into Karabakh as military in nature, and take
appropriate action.

Armenia’s Defense Minister Gen. Seyran Ohanyan recently stated that
“the Armenian Air Force will provide the operation and the flight
of the civil aircraft [to/from the Khojaly airport].” This statement
makes it impossible for Armenians to claim that flights into occupied
Karabakh would be purely civilian.

Armas-Carmona speculates that “[t]he [Chicago] Convention is superseded
by … the Armenian-Azerbaijan cease-fire agreement …

which prohibits the shooting down of a civil aircraft.” While it is
refreshing to see the Armenian side remember the ceasefire agreement,
there is no escaping the fact that it would be an obvious violation
of the ceasefire agreement to fly a plane into the airspace of another
country, as recognized by the international community.

Indeed, if the ceasefire agreement (a.k.a. the Bishkek Protocol)
supersedes other international agreements, then Armenia should start
immediately fulfilling that document’s obligations; specifically
undertaking the “withdrawal of troops from occupied territories and
… [the] return of refugees.” Unfortunately, Armenia and Armas-Carmona
prefer to overlook this binding provision.

International law is squarely on Azerbaijan’s side. Armenia’s intent
with attempting to operate flights into Khojaly is to reinforce
what is an unacceptable status quo for Azerbaijan. This can be
interpreted as “perfidy,” as that term is understood in the laws of
war. More specifically, the laws define perfidy as “[a]cts inviting
the confidence of an adversary to lead him to believe that he is
entitled to, or is obliged to accord, protection under the rules
of international law applicable in armed conflict, with intent to
betray that confidence.” Such action is prohibited under Article 37
of Protocol I to the Geneva Convention. There is only one way to
produce peace, security and prosperity in the region: that recipe
was provided for in four UN Security Council resolutions in 1993,
resolutions that are being ignored by the government of Armenia in
general, and Armas-Carmona in particular.

GEORGIAN-OSSETIAN MEETING IN YEREVAN

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 13 2013

Grigory Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

Recently an official meeting between experts and representatives of
non-governmental organizations has taken place in Yerevan within the
dialogue “A Point of View.” Non-governmental organizations which were
represented by the delegation from South Ossetia stated that their
participation in the dialogue is “private.” Official authorities of
South Ossetia expressed their negative view on the meeting and stated
that it wouldn’t reflect official Tskhenval’s opinion. The Georgian
side didn’t make such statements, but only because this meeting in
Yerevan didn’t draw attention of the society.

In fact any dialogue of experts after the tragedy of August 2008
enables us to imagine the gap between two societies, at least. And
the meeting of civil society’s representatives is even more effective
than political talks, as social activists, experts, and civil activists
are not obliged to hide their true views or opinions which are popular
among population.

The topics of the meeting were numerous: from the geopolitical
context of the situation over the republic recognized by Russia to
trade-and-economy cooperation and the notorious Ergnetski market on the
border between Georgia and South Ossetia. The materials of the meeting
confirm that civil society in Georgia, at least its representatives
who spoke in Yerevan, is ready to reconsider significant principles
of the official conception of “occupation” of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. Primarily, it is readiness to a direct dialogue between
Tbilisi and Tskhinval within cooperation with Moscow.

The state minister on reintegration of Georgia, Paata Zakareishvili,
suggests recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as “sides of
the conflict”, if not full participants of the process. However,
it is still dim because the team of Premier Ivanishvili is afraid of
accusations of “receding from the positions” and rejections of the
concept of “occupation.”

It doesn’t matter whether the concept is productive or not, but it
is clear and reasonable, from the point of view of Georgian-Western
relations. According to Saakashvili’s team, if the problem of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia will be considered by the West not through a
paradigm “great post-imperial Russia and small Georgia which strives
for independence”, but in the context of relations between the Georgian
state and one of ethnic minorities, the attitude to the problem by
Western capitals can change. And not in favor of Georgia.

That is why the idea proposed by representatives of Georgian
non-governmental organizations on a direct dialogue with Tskhinaval
under cooperation with Russia could be implemented only if Tbilisi
dramatically changes its foreign political course.

However, the thesis on a differentiated approach to Abkhazia and South
Ossetia by Tbilisi is very interesting. It is true that the conflicts
have their own specific peculiarities. But the idea of differentiation
cannot be implemented without rejection of the “occupation” concept
which requires one-sided attitude to the situation over the former
autonomies of Georgia.

It was suggested to restore trust and eliminate perception of Georgia
as an enemy in the Ossetian society. However, “systematizing of
democratic institutes at the political level and establishing the
notion of “civil nation” at the social level” are not enough for this.

The August events have taken place too recently to believe that the
emotional background doesn’t influence rational understanding of
certain interests.

The Caucasus issues expert Georgy Gvimradze voiced a “seditious”
idea for the Georgian society that territorial integrity is not the
primary goal, but a resource. But this sound though will hardly find
support in the modern Georgian society which undergoes “an identity
trauma” because of losing Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

It is surprising that even in the “simple” issues of transport
communications and people’s free traveling the sides have no mutual
understanding. Georgian social activists interpret it as free
traveling all over Georgia, while their Ossetian colleagues mean
getting Shengen visas.

Numerous conflict interests and contradictions were discussed
intensively. Despite the difficulty of settlement of the problem,
both sides admitted that this knot couldn’t be cut at one stroke.

SASKATOON WOMAN HONOURED FOR WORK ABROAD

The Star Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), CAnada
February 11, 2013 Monday
Final Edition

Jason Warick, The StarPhoenix

As rockets launched by the South African apartheid regime crashed down
around her, Denise Kouri’s first thought was of her three-year-old
daughter, Lise.

“Lise was in a daycare, and all we could hear were the explosions,”
Kouri said.

Kouri, six months pregnant at the time with second daughter, Rosa, ran
through the streets of the Mozambican capital of Maputo. She arrived
at the daycare 20 minutes later, as did her partner, Don Kossick. They
were relieved to see workers had taken the children to a shelter.

“It was very stressful,” Kouri said.

It was May 1983. The South African apartheid government was attempting
to maintain its regional dominance by destabilizing neighbouring
countries. Attacks began in rural and border regions, but Mozambican
hospitals, schools and daycare centres became frequent targets.

“It was a very vicious campaign to destroy any progress, any hope,”
Kouri said.

For her 30 years of dedication to Mozambique, Central America and other
regions, the Saskatoon woman received a Global Citizen Award on the
weekend from the Saskatchewan Council for International Co-operation.

“She is worthy of recognition because of her service,” said John
Parry, a board member of the United Nations Association of Canada
who nominated Kouri.

“But to do it while raising a family, which now includes grandchildren,
is pretty amazing.”

University of Saskatchewan associate professor Lori Hanson also
received a Global Citizen Award for her work in more than a dozen
countries, including several years with midwives in Nicaragua. Heather
Hale, who worked with co-operative groups in Canada and Ghana, was
named an Emerging Global Citizen.

. . .

Kouri grew up near Swift Current in the village of Ponteix. She was
inspired to do international work by her mother, Aimee Kend-ergi,
daughter of Armenian refugees and a strong voice for social justice
and women’s education.

Kouri and Kossick travelled to Mozambique to work for Canadian
University Service Overseas. They knew it was dangerous, but believed
it was important to support Mozambique and prevent the spread of the
apartheid system.

Kossick worked on sanitation projects in poor neighbourhoods while
Kouri used her skills as a systems analyst to bolster Mozambique’s
factories and banking system.

The guerrilla war and bombing worsened. Kouri remembers how her family
grew accustomed to the chaos. One night, Lise walked into their room
and complained that “the bomb woke me up.”

Lise and other kids drew pictures of explosions and warfare at
daycare. There were rumours the South Africans had planted mines and
bombs inside children’s toys and placed them in parks. Opponents were
decapitated and their heads placed on poles in public.

In spite of this, they decided to extend their two-year contract by
a year.

“It was the apartheid struggle. We did feel it was important. We
were involved in a big program and we wanted to learn about these
injustices,” she said.

Kouri and her family returned to Canada. In addition to her work as a
consultant on health and other issues, Kouri served as CUSO president.

In the late 1980s, at the height of war in Central America, Kouri
spent time evaluating CUSO agriculture projects in Guatemala, Nicaragua
and other countries.

“We were in El Salvador and the officials tell me, ‘It’s safe. Both
armies know you’re here and they’re OK with it,'” Kouri said.

Kouri’s involvement with Mozambique took another turn in 1999 when
she and Kossick, fellow Sas-katonians Murray and Gerri Dickson and
others began a program to train local health workers.

The Training for Health Renewal Program has trained hundreds of health
workers, who have fanned out to rural areas to conduct vaccinations,
malaria and HIV awareness programs, basic maternal and infant care
and many other duties. Dynamic role-playing activities and song are
a staple of the process.

“There’s not a lot of literacy. It’s also more lively. If a community
is made passive, nothing will change,” she said.

They’ve also trained groups of teachers, who now train their own
health workers using THRP curriculum. The program partners with the
national health department and has served as a model of rural health
care in developing countries.

The current portion of the THRP program ends next year, but Kouri
still wants to provide resources to the communities in need. Something
taken for granted here such as gas for the workers’ vehicles affect
treatment decisions there, she said.

Closer to home, Kouri and others are compiling data on the food
security and supply for Saskatoon residents. They hope to release a
detailed map and strategy in the coming months.

She said she believes it’s important to think internationally, but
to also link that work locally.

“We cannot be isolated. There are injustices everywhere we need to
think about as Canadians,” she said.

“It’s a privilege to do this work. We enrich ourselves and hopefully
contribute to change.”

HUNGER-STRIKING CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT DEMANDS OSCE OBSERVERS LEAVE ARMENIA

Interfax
Russia
Feb 11 2013

A candidate for president of Armenia who has been on a hunger strike
since January 21 demands that election observers from the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) be expelled from
the country because they “are deluding our public by claiming that
elections in Armenia meet European democratic standards.”

“International observer missions such as the Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe [ODIHR/OSCE] are deluding our public by claiming
that elections in Armenia meet European democratic standards,” Andrias
Gukasian told reporters on the site of his strike in the center of
capital city Yerevan.

“Does it mean that pre-election bribes are handed out in Europe as
well, that the candidate from the establishment [incumbent President
Serzh Sargsyan] is making use of his administrative resources there
as well in order to falsify the elections? The mission must pick up
its belongings and leave Armenia immediately,” Gukasian said.

What the ODIHR mission is doing in Armenia “has nothing to do with
democracy and pursues purely political ends,” he said.

On Monday, Gukasian had a visit from Health Minister Aik Darbinian,
who urged him to end his strike and have a checkup in the hospital.

The candidate refused.

Gukasian told reporters he was determined to continue his strike
until the election day, February 18.

He demands that the Central Election Commission take Sargsyan off
the candidates’ list and send the international observers out of the
country. The commission claims it is not authorized to do either.

as rb

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN INVITES SERZH SARGSYAN TO TELEVISED DEBATE

NEWS.AM
February 12, 2013 | 19:54

YEREVAN. – Armenian presidential candidate, leader of opposition
Heritage Party Raffi Hovhannisian is ready for live debates with the
presidential candidate, head of state, Serzh Sargsyan.

Speaking to voters in the third largest city of Armenia Vanadzor,
Hovannisian said that he respects former presidents and their
achievements will not be forgotten in the history books.

“But they started and they continued emigration. Two days ago, in
Gyumri, president seems to have said that he must ‘hit some numbers’
[poll votes]. Let him hit. But in reality Armenian people will be
the ones hitting,” R. Hovhannisian said.

“Everyone has to defeat his/her willingness to receive charity. And we
will defeat this evil on February 18, Mr. President,” R. Hovhannisian
said.

“If they have nothing to do but again summon community leaders,
officers, teachers, to lord it over them … if that is their “secure
Armenia” – let them think so. But I’m against it. Let them come to
terms with the idea that the decision of the Armenian people will come
into force on February 18. By the force of law and the Constitution,”
R. Hovhannisian said.

MARCH 1 VICTIM’S MOTHER PINS HOPES ON ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

TERT.AM
20:19 ~U 12.02.13

The mothers of the victims of the tragic events in Armenia’s capital
on March 1, 2008, cannot imagine the role the opposition bloc Armenian
National Congress (ANC) may play if it is transformed to a political
party.

However, they are sure it is only the ANC that can help them in
establishing the truth about the March 1 events.

Alla Hovhannisian, mother of one of the victims Tigran Khachatryan
and ANC member, has no intention to join the new party.

“Time will show what’s going to happen to the ANC. I am sure I am
not going to join any party. But I have realized the ANC bloc will
not cease to exist and will be consistent in getting at the truth
about the March 1 crimes,” she said.

She believes that getting rid of the ruling regime and establishing
democracy in Armenia is everyone’s priority task.

CONSTITUTIONAL ARTSAKH: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES CARRY OUT PERSONAL AND CLAN INTERESTS AND FORGET NATIONAL PRIORITIES

ARMINFO
Tuesday, February 12, 17:56

The Pre-Parliament of Armenia and the Constitutional Artsakh Movement
have released a statement saying that the ruling elite of Armenia
is carrying out its personal and clan interests and forgets the
national priorities.

The statement says that the Artsakh Movement originated in Hadrut 25
years ago and reached Stepanakert and then Yerevan, having developed
into a strong nationwide movement and fixed two immense achievements.

However, everything has changed now and the Armenians worldwide may
lose the achievements of the Artsakh Movement. The authors of the
statement stress that the achievements of the fight are indisputable.

They also state the need to settle the security zone around Karabakh.

“The Artsakh Movement should end in de jure unification of Armenia
and Artsakh”, the statement says.

AZERBAIJANI MP EXPLAINS TO AUTHOR OF NOVEL ABOUT MASSACRE OF ARMENIANS AND WHY HE SHOULD TALK BAD THINGS ABOUT ARMENIANS

Panorama.am
12/02/2013

In Azerbaijani TV channel Ictimai held a so-called public discussion
about the novel of Ekrem Eylisli “Stone Dreams” about the massacre
of Armenians in Azerbaijan. During the program a group of public and
political figures did not stop to attack the author, who came to the
studio to defend its position alone.

“I wrote about Eylis what I saw with my own eyes,” said the author,
and noted that everything described in the novel was the true. Writer
Elchin Mirzabeyli commenting this statement, said that Eylisli grists
to the mill of the enemy, describing the Armenian massacre in Baku,
hoping for recognition in Europe.

Answering the question of MP Zahid Oruj about whether the author
considers Karabakh, Nakhichevan and Eylis Azerbaijani lands Ekrem
Eylisli answered, that no nation in the world lives in the lands
where it has been formed, and the novel was written to show that
the Azerbaijani and Armenians have lived in the neighborhood for
centuries. “Every day you defame the Armenians, how are you going to
live with them side by side?” asks Eylisli.

Deputy Faraj Guliyev noted that there are no ordinary or non-ordinary
Armenians, all are the same. “We always have to talk badly about
all Armenians. All the Armenians should be expelled from our lands,
while you are talking about living together, in the same time harming
our state policy,” the Azerbaijani deputy noticed.

“I am 75-year old writer and have no wish to prove you how and what
I should write. We live in a country where the Constitution provides
freedom of speech to every citizen,” said Eylisli.

Turan agency touched upon the TV debate’s subject and noted that
judges” for Eylisli were notable. “MP Zahid Orudj whose victory in the
2005 elections to the European Court of Human Rights found grossly
falsified, and the Government paid the real winner Nemat Aliyev
compensation. That is, Orudj, without shame, carries in his pocket
a mandate received in the result of falsifications,” the site notes.

Another “judge” Elchin Mirzabeyli dramatically changed his political
orientation at least for five times. He was a staunch member of the
opposition, and then defended the government for several times.

Leading Public TV Anar Yusifoghlu publicly said few years ago that
they have a “black” list of people on their channel that they are
not allowed to invite.

“These “debates” strongly smack of our Soviet past. And, not as soft
and calm as it was during Brezhnev stagnation, but just as it was in
Stalin times. Unfortunately, without a victory of the Great Patriotic
War. But, in the same time, fortunately, without mass shootings,
limited to “public debate” and “national condemnation.” Eylisli,
however, approaches adequately. We see that this is really his
disposition,” the article reads.

In an interview with “Voice of Russia” Eylisli said he did not expect
the he will be deprived of all ranks, orders and it depresses him.

“The persecution of the writer for such a novel is an abnormal
phenomenon. Our ordinary citizens say that we can live together with
the Armenians. While the authorities propagate hatred,” states Eylisli.

“THE MAXIMUM PUNISHMENT IS GIVING BRIBES”

Story from Lragir.am News:

17:45 12/02/2013

The damage caused to the Debed River in the result of the recent
accident at Akhtala mining and concentration plant is still unknown.

Head of Lori Municipality’s Agriculture and Nature Protection
department Artak Demirchyan told Lragir.am that the damage is still
to be calculated.

Note that on February 8, the tailing dump of Akhtala mining and
concentration plant was damaged and wastes penetrated to the river.

Artak Demirchyan says they have been to the scene and will return
there to find out the situation.

The specialist noted that the pollution of the river impacts negatively
both on the fauna and the flora of the territory.

Demirchyan noted that the plant is fined every year for breaking
nature protection norms.

Environmentalist Hakob Sanasaryan thinks such activities should be
condemned by law. He warns that waste has always gone into the river.

According to him, the utmost punishment is that owners of the plant
offer bribes to the officials. He says that if the law is not reviewed,
Armenia will have no future, since always more and more mines are
given licenses.

“KULTURA.AZ”: HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY THEY THINK AZERBAIJANIS ARE LIKE PEOPLE FROM STONE AGE?

15:33 12/02/2013 ” SOCIETY

“Ekrem Eylisli needs to run away,” wrote Lala Ismailzade on
“Kultura.az” site in the article about baiting the author of the novel
“Stone Dreams”. She wonders whether it is possible for the crowd
living in authoritarian regime be tolerant with dissenting opinions.

“Today, the school principals hold meetings as if they are one,
propagating Ekrem Eylisli’s as “traitor of the fatherland.” They
say that such “meetings of the Bureau” used to took place under
Stalin regime as well,” the author writes, and notes that one of the
Azerbaijani TV channels called on taking away Eyylisli’s all property
and give to immigrants, apparently hoping to solve the problem of
the poor Azerbaijanis by the property of the writer.

According to the author, Azerbaijan has two ways. First is to destroy
all dissent writers who criticized the Azerbaijani society, and
obliterate any positive references about the Armenians. “What did Sabir
write about the Azerbaijani? I fear whenever I see a Muslim. You see,
he’s not afraid of Armenian but a Muslim. After his death Armenians
collected money for publication of his poems and helped,” notes the
author and adds that by this logic, it is necessary to erase from the
history of Azerbaijan Mirza Fatali Akhundov as well, because one of
the characters in his comedy “Haji Gara” who is a lazybones recognizes
that he is not Armenian to work all day with a hack in his hands.

Akhundzadeh in this play describes the Azerbaijanis as troublesome
people and thieves. He describes Ohan, Sargis and other Armenians as
law-abiding and virtuous people. “And what would they suggest? To put
the works of Akhundzadeh in a coffin and to bury it?,” the author says.

“The second way is to understand why, in spite of our economic
strength, we are not respect in the world? Have you ever thought
why the Azerbaijanis are considered people from the Stone Age? The
generation that is presents us in the world culture is dying out, it’s
not going to live forever. And in their place a generation of RABIS
music is coming, with a hatchet in their hands, and famed by the trade
of potatoes and onions. What should we do? Should we rally around the
ax and destroy our cultural monuments, or should we respect freedom
of speech and try to present a civilized society?” the author says.

Source: Panorama.am