Author: Badalian Vardan

HEIDI TAGLIAVINI CONSIDERS SERZH SARGSYAN’S CAMPAIGN TO BE MOST VISIBLE

10:06, 7 February, 2013
Heidi Tagliavini considers Serzh Sargsyan’s campaign to be most visible

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. “Armenpress” had a conversation with
the Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Mission, Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini on the
presidential elections, launch of the election campaign and its
process, as well as the assassination attempt against Armenian
presidential candidate Paruyr Hayrikyan.

– Election campaign is started at January 21. How would you evaluate
the pre-election situation in Armenia? Whether there are equal
conditions for all candidates to campaign?

The Electoral Code establishes a set of rules aimed at ensuring equal
opportunities for all candidates. State and local self-government
bodies are obliged to provide contestants with premises for campaign
events, under equal conditions and free of charge.

The official campaign period has thus far been characterized by
low-key activities. The campaign of incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan
is most visible. The overall campaign environment is partly influenced
by the decision of several parliamentary parties to not nominate
candidates.

– Armenian authorities repeatedly express willingness to hold
unprecedented presidential election. According to your monitoring,
till this point, do you see ground in Armenia for conduct of elections
in line with international standards?

Firstly, we will not speculate on how these elections will be or not
be. Our assessment with preliminary findings and conclusions will be
done only after election day on the press conference which you are
more than welcome to attend. More comprehensive assessment will be
presented in the final report that will be published some 8-weeks
after completion of the process.

Secondly, in our monitoring, we look at all aspects of the electoral
process and assess them. We are interested in the process, not in the
results of an election. We are not in the business of legitimizing
elections, or declaring them valid or invalid. It is our role to
observe and assess the election process in light of OSCE commitments,
international standards and national law. Nevertheless, it is up to
the relevant national actors to conduct elections accordingly.

– In your interim report you have mentioned RA new Electoral Code as a
solid base for conduct of democratic elections, although you have
pointed out some omissions as well. Despite the existing gaps, how do
you assess the legal framework in terms of the conduct of more
transparent elections?

As stated in our first interim report, the upcoming election is the
first presidential election that will be held under this Code that was
adopted in May 2011. The OSCE/ODIHR and the Council of Europe’s
European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) have
assessed the Code as comprehensive and providing a sound basis for the
conduct of democratic elections.

At the same time, while the new Code addresses a number of previous
recommendations offered by the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission,
there are still areas where it could benefit from improvement. In this
respect, let me refer to the OSCE/ODIHR’s Final report on the 2012
parliamentary elections that is available in both languages at

– Does OSCE/ODIHR has enough resources for implementation of election
observation mission in Armenia?

All the activities of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights (ODIHR) of OSCE, including all the observation missions, are
covered by the budget that is approved annually by the OSCE Permanent
Council. In 2013, alongside Armenia, there have been observation
missions deployed also to the Czech Republic and Monaco; and very
shortly there will be a mission deployed to Montenegro.

– How would you evaluate the case that happened with Paruyr Hayrikyan?

Is there a base to announce that this will undermine the natural
process of presidential elections?

Violence is never an option. Ambassador Janez LenarÄ~MiÄ~M, Director of
the OSCE/ODIHR issued a statement condemning the attack (for more
information regarding the statement see
):

“This attack is deeply distressing in view of the electoral process
already underway, and I urge all stakeholders to refrain from any
actions that might further aggravate the situation,” said LenarÄ~MiÄ~M.

“We also urge the relevant authorities to pursue a robust
investigation of this crime and prosecution of the perpetrators.”

LenarÄ~MiÄ~M added that all concerned should ensure that the electoral
process remains peaceful.

Our Election Observation Mission is in contact with the state
authorities, as well as Mr Hayrikyan’s campaign headquarters, and
continues to follow developments in the case.

Interview by Seda Manukyan

ISSUES OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN MILITARY COOPERATION DISCUSSED IN GEORGIA BY TWO COUNTRIES’ DEFENSE MINISTRY REPRESENTATIVES

ARMINFO
Thursday, February 7, 12:03

Delegation of Armenian Defense Ministry led by Deputy Minister David
Tonoyan was on a working visit to Georgia, Wednesday.

The Defense Ministry of Armenia told ArmInfo the delegation had
meetings with the Georgian defense ministry leadership and discussed
issues of bilateral military cooperation. Regional security issues
and possible developments were discussed at the meetings.

The Armenian delegation also met with Defense Minister of Georgia
Irakli Alasania. The same day, members of the Armenian delegation
attended the reception on occasion of the 21st Anniversary of the
Armenian Armed Forces at the Georgian Embassy in Armenia.

POET HOVHANNES GRIGORYAN PASSED AWAY

10:48, 7 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. After a long illness prominent modern
Armenian writer Hovhannes Grigoryan died in the morning on February 7.

The Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia Levon Ananyan informed
“Armenpress” about this. According to Levon Ananyan presently they are
engaged in the formation of a governmental committee for organizing
his burial.

Hovhannes Grigoryan was born in the city of Gyumri, Armenia, on August
7, 1945. He graduated from the Yerevan State University, department of
Mathematical Linguistics. He was the editor-in-chief of WUA “Serund”
electronic magazine and “Mihr” magazine. He wrote numerous articles on
publicity and critique, translated and published in separate editions
of several works of Russian, English and Spanish writers. His own
works were translated into English, French, Russian, Spanish, Persian,
Arabian etc. Among his collected works are “Songs without Music”,
“Quite Different Autumn”, “Rain on a Sad Occasion”, and many others.

He was awarded with literary prize after Avetik Isahakyan, Movses
Khorenatsi Medal, Vahagn Prize, and the State Prize of Artsakh.

LE PARLEMENT EUROPEEN SOUTIENT LE DIALOGUE ENTRE LE PKK ET LA TURQUIE

Publie le : 07-02-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cette information publiee sur le site du Parlement
europeen le 6 fevrier 2013.

Parlement europeen

Dialogue entre le gouvernement turc et le PKK: des resultats tangibles
attendus

Session plenière

Relations exterieures – 06-02-2013 – 18:32

Les parlementaires ont exprime mercredi leur soutien au dialogue entre
le gouvernement turc et l’ancien chef du Parti des travailleurs du
Kurdistan (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan en vue de mettre fin aux decennies de
violence en Turquie. Un dialogue en profondeur pourrait transformer
durablement les rapports de la Turquie avec sa minorite kurde, ont
insiste les deputes.

Les pourparlers en cours sont historiques vu, notamment, le soutien
de la societe civile et de l’opposition, ont reconnu les deputes.

Nombreux d’entre eux ont exhorte le PKK, qui est sur la liste des
organisations terroristes de l’UE, a deposer les armes.

Ils ont appele les autorites turques a oeuvrer d’une manière plus
resolue a la protection constitutionnelle de la minorite kurde et de
ses droits, notamment en matière de langue et d’education. De nombreux
deputes ont alerte sur l’etat des droits de l’homme en Turquie et
ont demande une interpretation et une application plus justes de la
legislation anti-terroriste.

Les deputes ont fermement condamne le meurtre de trois militantes
kurdes a Paris en janvier.

Regarder la video du debat en cliquant Ici

REF. : 20130201IPR05582

————————————————————————————–

Lire aussi:

Le Collectif VAN condamne l’execution des trois militantes kurdes

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Parlement europeen

LA CATASTROPHE D’ASIE MINEURE ET LE GENOCIDE GREC OTTOMAN

Publie le : 07-02-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
presente un article traduit le 2 fevrier 2013 par Georges Festa pour le
site “Armenian Trends – Mes Armenies”, d’après un article en anglais
publie sur le site The Armenian Reporter.

Legende photo: © Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Research Center,
Inc., 2012

Armenian Trends – Mes Armenies

samedi 2 fevrier 2013

The Asia Minor Catastrophe and the Ottoman Greek Genocide : Essays
on Asia Minor, Pontos, and Eastern Thrace, 1913-1923 / La Catastrophe
d’Asie Mineure et le genocide grec ottoman : etudes sur l’Asie Mineure,
le Pont et la Thrace Orientale, 1913-1923

Parution d’un nouvel ouvrage sur le genocide grec ottoman

The Armenian Reporter, 26.01.2013

TORONTO – The Asia Minor Catastrophe and the Ottoman Greek Genocide
: Essays on Asia Minor, Pontos, and Eastern Thrace, 1913-1923 [La
Catastrophe d’Asie Mineure et le genocide grec ottoman : etudes sur
l’Asie Mineure, le Pont et la Thrace Orientale, 1913-1923], edite
par George N. Shirinian, directeur executif de l’Institut Zoryan, est
une compilation de conferences novatrices presentees par d’eminents
chercheurs lors de deux colloques universitaires, organises par
le Centre de Recherches sur l’Asie Mineure et les Grecs Pontiques
a Chicago.

” […] Notre connaissance des evenements catastrophiques, qui ont
affecte des millions de gens, aux prises avec l’enorme mutation
politique et sociale liee a la dissolution de l’empire ottoman et a
l’emergence de la republique de Turquie, n’a pas retenu l’attention
scientifique qu’elle merite. Meme l’ouvrage qui a le mieux etudie ces
evenements tragiques, The Armenian Genocide (1), est depourvu de la
mise en contexte panoramique d’une tragedie qui toucha profondement
l’existence de plusieurs autres groupes religieux et ethniques,
tels que les Grecs et les Assyriens, ” observe Theofanis G. Stavrou,
professeur d’histoire a l’universite du Minnesota.

Cet ouvrage et son traitement attentif de l’experience grecque,
dans le cadre du genocide plus large des minorites chretiennes
dans l’empire ottoman, vise a combler un vide dans la litterature
scientifique sur le genocide grec et est l’un des premiers a traiter
les experiences genocidaires des Armeniens, des Assyriens et des
Grecs de facon comparatiste et en tant qu’histoire integree. Comme
le professeur Roger W. Smith, president du conseil scientifique de
l’Institut Zoryan, l’ecrit : ” Seule l’approche comparatiste est en
mesure de produire des generalisations soigneusement definies quant a
la nature et a la mecanique du genocide, en tant que problème global
qui se pose a l’humanite. ”

Les etudes presentees dans ce livre qui fera date sont des plus
documentees et incluent des rapports diplomatiques americains
revelateurs et jusque la inedits, concernant la destruction de Smyrne.

Outre les chapitres historiques, ces essais explorent des sujets tels
que les effets multigenerationnels du genocide grec et les problèmes
d’identite des refugies d’Asie Mineure en Grèce, les obligations
actuelles de la Turquie au regard du traite de Lausanne (1923), ainsi
que les defis lies a l’obtention d’une reconnaissance des genocides
ottomans. La table des matières figure ci-dessous.

Le professeur Vahakn N. Dadrian, directeur de recherches sur le
genocide a l’Institut Zoryan, ecrit : ” Cet ouvrage apporte une
contribution precieuse a notre comprehension de l’experience grecque
du genocide, durant la première partie du vingtième siècle et ses
lendemains. Il montre le lien entre les experiences des Armeniens,
des Assyriens et des Grecs, lors de la fin de l’empire ottoman et la
creation de la republique de Turquie. ”

Les contributeurs :

– George N. Sirinian : ” Introduction ” – Tessa Hofmann : ” The
Genocide against the Christians in the Late Ottoman Period, 1912-1922 ”
[Le genocide anti-chretiens a la fin de la periode ottomane, 1912-1922]
– Taner Akcam : ” The Greek Deportations and Massacres of 1913-1914
: A Trial Run for the Armenian Genocide ” [Les deportations et les
massacres des Grecs de 1913-1914 : un coup d’essai pour le genocide
armenien] – Matthias Bjørnlund : ” The Persecution of Greeks and
Armenians in Smyrna, 1914-1916 : A Special Case in the Course of the
Late Ottoman Genocides ” [La persecution des Grecs et des Armeniens a
Smyrne, 1914-1916 : un cas particulier durant les genocides de la fin
de la periode ottomane] – Harry J. Psomiades : ” Greece in Asia Minor
: The Greek Naval Bombardment of Samsun [Amisos], June 7, 1922 ” [La
Grèce en Asie Mineure : le bombardement grec naval de Samsun [Amissos],
le 7 juin 1922] – Constantine G. Hatzidimitriou : ” The Destruction
of Smyrna in 1922 : American Sources and Turkish Responsability
” [La destruction de Smyrne en 1922 : sources americaines et
responsabilites de la Turquie] – Alexander Kitroeff : ” Asia Minor
Refugees in Greece : A History of Identity and Memory, 1920s-1980s ”
[Les refugies d’Asie Mineure en Grèce : une histoire d’identite et de
memoire, annees 1920-1980] – Van Coufoudakis : ” From Lausanne (1923)
to Chypre (2009) : Turkey’s Violations of International Law and the
Destruction of Historic Hellenic Communities ” [De Lausanne (1923)
a Chypre (209) : les violations par la Turquie du droit international
et la destruction des communautes helleniques historiques] – Robert
J. Pranger : ” U.S. Policy Obstacles in Recognizing the Genocides
of Christian Minorities in the Late Ottoman Empire : Challenges and
Opportunities ” [Les obstacles dans la politique des Etats-Unis a la
reconnaissance des genocides des minorites chretiennes a la fin de
l’empire ottoman : defis et opportunites]

George N. Shirinian, editeur du livre, commente : ” Les contributeurs
de cet ouvrage et du Centre de Recherche sur l’Asie Mineure et les
Grecs Pontiques espèrent que ce recueil d’etudes de grande ampleur
aidera a prendre la mesure et ouvrir le debat sur le genocide grec. Il
s’agit de l’histoire d’une immense tragedie humaine et de grandes
souffrances, de la politique et des errements d’une grande puissance.

En encourageant la prise de conscience de cette histoire, nous esperons
prevenir le retour d’une autre ” Grande catastrophe. ”

Pour commander un exemplaire, l’offrir ou promouvoir l’acquisition
de l’ouvrage par des bibliothèques universitaires, veuillez contacter
les services de l’Institut Zoryan – tel 416-250-9807. Prix unitaire :
40 dollars.

[L’Institut Zoryan est une organisation apparentee a l’International
Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies [Institut International
d’Etudes sur le Genocide et les Droits de l’homme], qui gère un
programme annuel, accredite, sur ce thème et est coediteur de la
revue Genocide Studies and Prevention : An International Journal,
en partenariat avec l’International Association of Genocide Scholars
[Association internationale des chercheurs sur le genocide] (IAGS)
et les Presses de l’universite de Toronto. Il s’agit du premier
Centre international a but non lucratif, dedie a la recherche et a la
documentation des questions contemporaines, centre sur le genocide,
la diaspora et l’Armenie. Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter
l’Institut Zoryan par courriel [email protected] ou telephone
416-250-9807.]

NdT

1. Richard G. Hovannisian, ed.. The Armenian Genocide : Cultural and
Ethical Legacies. Transactions Publishers, 2007, 461 p.

___________

Source :

Traduction : © Georges Festa – 02.2013.

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Armenian Trends – Mes Armenies

AKP DEPUTY HEAD SLAMS U.S. ENVOY’S CRITICISMS ON LONG DETENTIONS

The deputy head of the AKP, Huseyin Celik slammed U.S. ambassador to
Turkey in televised comments on the private broadcaster Kanal A. AA
photo A senior member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
reacted strongly today to critical remarks from U.S. Ambassador to
Turkey Francis Ricciardone regarding the Turkish judicial system. “We
are inviting Ricciardone to remain within his boundaries and limits.

We are not pleased with [his remarks], we condemn and denounce them.

The ambassador should know his place,” said the deputy head of the AKP,
Huseyin Celik in televised comments on the private broadcaster Kanal A.

Ricciardone, who briefed Ankara reporters yesterday after a suicide
attack targeting the embassy killed two people Feb. 1, criticized
the long detention of army officers, scholars and students. “You have
your military leaders, who were entrusted with the protection of this
country behind bars as if they were terrorists… When a legal system
produces such results and confuses people like that for terrorists,
it makes it hard for American and European courts to match up,”
Ricciardone had said.

Celik noted that the U.S. envoy had in the past also commented about
internal questions in Turkey, emphasizing that it was unappropriate
for a diplomat to make judgments about “topics that he does not know
the details of.”

“The Prime Minister had called him ‘novice ambassador.’ As it seems,
Ricciardone has not yet learnd his place in that period,” said Celik.

The AKP deputy also asked the U.S. envoy to give explanations for the
Guantanamo Camp, where al-Qaeda suspects are detained, and added that
American tribunals were not appeal instances of the Turkish courts
and therefore “didn’t need to understand [our] problems.”

February/06/2013

AZERBAIJAN COOPERATED WITH CIA ON SECRET DETENTION PROGRAM

NEWS.AM
February 06, 2013 | 19:40

Azerbaijan permitted use of its airports and airspace for flights
associated with CIA extraordinary rendition operations, says the
report issued by Open Society Foundation’s Open Justice Initiative.

Globalizing Torture is the most comprehensive account yet assembled
of the human rights abuses associated with CIA secret detention and
extraordinary rendition operations. It details for the first time
what was done to the 136 known victims, and lists the 54 foreign
governments that participated in these operations.

The report says Azerbaijan also arrested an individual who was
subjected to secret CIA detention.

“Aircraft linked to the CIA landed in Azerbaijan 76 times between
the end of 2001 and the end of 2005.909 Azerbaijan’s capital,
Baku, is reported to have been used as a common “staging point” for
extraordinary rendition operations, meaning that planes and crews
would often meet and prepare there,” it mentions.

“Azerbaijani officials also arrested Saudi Arabian citizen Ahmed
Muhammed al- Darbi in June 2002 and transferred him to U.S. custody
in August 2002, after which he was transferred to Bagram, Afghanistan
and later to Guantбnamo Bay, where he remains imprisoned.”

Among the countries listed as those cooperating with CIA are Turkey,
Georgia and Iran. Armenia is not included in the list.

AREXIMBANK-GAZPROMBANK GROUP NOW HAS PERMIT FROM ARMENIA’S CB TO JOIN INTELEXPRESS

YEREVAN, February 6. /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia said
Wednesday it had given to Areximbank-Gazprombank Group CJSC a permit
to join Intelexpress international money transfer system.

“The transfers in Russian rubles, USD and euros are directed to CIS
and outside CIS,” the source states.

Areximbank- Gazprombank Group is already using such international
money transfer systems as “MONEYGRAM”, “ANELIK”, “BYSTRAYA POCHTA, ”
“UNISTREAM” and “AVERS”, as well as operating registered transfers
when account is not required to be opened via Gazprom-Express from
Russia to Armenia.

Areximbank-Gazprombank Group was established in 1998 for supporting
entrepreneurship and serving financial flows between Russia and
Armenia. Russia’s Gazprombank has been the sole owner of the bank
since 2007. The bank has successfully passed ISO 9001: 2008
certification on compliance with international requirements. The bank
has 16 branches, including those in 9 regions of Armenia. Seven
branches are located in Armenia’s capital Yerevan. -0-
15:48 06.02.2013

“LET HAYRIKYAN MAKE UP HIS MIND; WAS IT RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM OR THE TURKISH SULTANATE?”

February 4 2013

“Let Hayrikyan make up his mind; was it Russian Imperialism or the
Turkish Sultanate? When he finally makes up his mind and decides
on a certain version, I will deem appropriate to make a comment,”
Naira Zohrabyan, the secretary of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP)
parliamentary group, said during a conversation with

We had inquired of her what political forces that hadn’t nominated
their candidates for this election would gain from postponing the
election, and whether the version put forward by Hayrikyan that Russian
Imperialism was interested in the assassination attempt was realistic,
in her opinion.

Ms. Zohrabyan described Hayrikyan’s remark about political forces that
hadn’t nominated their candidates for the election as nonsense. “What
is said these days is absolute nonsense. I don’t want to offend Mr.

Hayrikyan, I wish him to recover as soon as possible, but I repeat
let him make up his mind.”

Let us remind that besides mentioning Imperialist Russia as the
organizer of the assassination on him, Mr. Hayrikyan said during a
conversation with journalists on Saturday: “Even if I had been killed,
nothing would have changed; only the date of the election would have
changed. It is in the interest of forces that noticed post hoc that
they had made a mistake by not nominating their candidates.”

Arpine SIMONYAN

BUSINESS MAY STAND BEHIND HAYRIKYAN’S ATTACK

NEWS.AM
February 05, 2013 | 12:54

YEREVAN. – Business may be involved in the assassination attempt on
presidential candidate Paruyr Hayrikyan, Russian political analyst
said during Yerevan-Moscow space bridge.

Alexander Skakov, political scientist at the Eastern Studies Institute
of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted that the attack was not
beneficial to the authorities. However, lack of alternative in the
elections is the thing which makes the West worry.

“The attack was beneficial neither to the authorities, nor opponents
and political forces not participating in the election,” he said,
not ruling out the possibility that business could stand behind
the incident.

Business structures betting on another candidate, Skakov noted, can
be both inside and outside Armenia. According to him, Sargsyan suits
everyone, but it does not mean that it will last forever.

Russian political analyst said that criticism from the West came before
the attack when it became clear that Sargsyan is an uncontested winner.

However, he emphasized, if there are no other problems during the
election campaign, the vote be recognized as legitimate.