Author: Badalian Vardan

ZIRVE MASSACRE SUSPECT: ERGENEKON’S ARMED WING STILL ACTIVE

Today’s Zaman
Oct 18 2012
Turkey

A suspect standing trial in the Zirve Publishing House massacre
case has told the court that the National Strategies and Operations
Department of Turkey (TUSHAD), the armed wing of the Ergenekon
crime network, is still active and continues to plot attacks against
non-Muslims.

Suspect İlker Cınar, who was heard by the Malatya 3rd High Criminal
Court on Wednesday, told the court that TUSHAD, a clandestine
organization within the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), is behind the
attacks against non-Muslim minorities and Christians and that it is
the armed wing of Ergenekon.

Ergenekon is a shadowy crime network which has alleged links within
the state and is suspected of plotting to topple the government.

The Zirve Publishing House massacre concerns the brutal killing of
three Christian publishers based in Malatya in 2007, which led to an
outrage in the country.

Cınar was heard by the court after he sent a petition to the court
saying that there are things he would like to tell.

He said he testified to former Ä°stanbul Specially Authorized Chief
Prosecutor Zekeriya Oz on Dec. 24 and Dec. 28, 2010 and March 14, 2011
as a secret witness in the case with the codename “Deniz Uygar.” He
said his statements to the prosecutor led to the discovery of TUSHAD
and individuals against whom he filed criminal complaints being put
in jail.

According to the indictment in the Zirve massacre, TUSHAD was
established in 1993 by former four-star Gen. HurÅ~_it Tolon on
instructions from the illegal Ergenekon organization while Tolon
was serving as secretary-general of the General Staff. The 761-page
indictment lists 19 suspects and was accepted by the Malatya 3rd
High Criminal Court earlier this year. In the additional indictment,
Tolon — also a key suspect in the Ergenekon investigation together
with retired Col. Mehmet Ulger, a former Malatya gendarmerie regiment
commander, and Maj. Haydar YeÅ~_il — stands among the accused.

According to the prosecutors, the Zirve massacre was carried out by
the Malatya cell of TUSHAD.

Indicating that TUSHAD is a clandestine organization nested in
state institutions, Cınar said: “There is this structure behind the
reprehensible attacks against non-Muslims and Christians and it is
never the state. TUSHAD is the armed wing of Ergenekon.”

Cınar also noted that he joined the White Forces Command, which
is linked to TUSHAD, in late 1993 and was briefed on missionary
activities.

“My instructor was Levent Ersöz [a general who is a prime suspect
in the Ergenekon case]. I received orders from this person. I met
missionaries and socialized with them. I am a Muslim. I did not adopt
Christianity. I conveyed all the intelligence I gathered to TUSHAD
through couriers who came to me,” he said.

Cınar also told the court that he learned from retired Col. Mehmet
Ulger, the former commander of the Malatya Provincial Gendarmerie
Command, during a workshop that an attack would be carried out against
the Zirve Publishing House in Malatya, but he did not know that it
would include the killing of the publishers.

“If I had understood that murder [of the publishers] was intended
in this attack, I would have done what was necessary to prevent it,”
he added.

Cınar said he was invited to Malatya following the murder, but
that when he criticized the attack, Ulger threatened him, saying:
“The Zirve, Hrant and Santoro [killings] are operations. The Zirve
incident will be attributed to the AKP [Justice and Development Party
government] and the Gulen movement with fake intelligence documents.”

The Zirve massacre was preceded by other attacks against non-Muslim
figures in the country. Catholic priest Andrea Santoro was killed in
Trabzon in February 2006, while Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink
was killed in January 2007, both incidents that horrified the country,
sparking debate about the safety of non-Muslims in Turkey.

KEVORK KHATCHERIAN WEAVES BOLD STATEMENTS
by: Beckie Strum

The Daily Star (Lebanon)
October 18, 2012 Thursday

Jewelery sculptor best describes Kevork Khatcherian, whose intricate
metal work weaves tangled webs of sparkling bracelets, necklaces and
novelty items.

BEIRUT: Jewelery sculptor best describes Kevork Khatcherian, whose
intricate metal work weaves tangled webs of sparkling bracelets,
necklaces and novelty items. After working for more than 20 years
in Beirut and expanding to markets in Europe and the United States,
Khatcherian has opened a new gallery for his Arvesti brand in Corniche
al-Nahr, just a block away from the humble workshop where he began.

“I was born on this street,” said Khatcherian with the soft-spoken
humility of a self-made man. “The old workshop was getting too small.”

Khatcherian opened the doors of his new shop less than a month ago:
a bright, open gallery furnished from reused materials. Old Ottoman
tiles make up the floor and the decorative wooden ceiling is crafted
from wooden doors and shutters.

“Just like I started my business during the [Lebanese Civil] War,
I believe when one door closes another one opens. It’s a circle –
and this is how I remember,” he said looking up at the chestnut
colored doors above him.

The designer will hold a grand opening for the new gallery before
the end of the year, he said.

Colorful and highly detailed, much of the Arvesti jewelerycollection
turns floral patterns or subtle animal motifs into elaborate statement
pieces.

Twisting vines in the muted, metallic hues of copper and brass allow
gems and semiprecious stones in twinkling sky blues, amethyst and
lapis yellow to pop.

Khatcherian’s grandfather also worked with copper and brass, making
bowls and other practical metal objects. A relic of his grandfather’s
work sits encased at the shop.

One of his necklaces – all of which combine various shapes and natural
motifs – epitomized the complexity of Khatcherian’s designs.

Delicate vines start at the back of the neck, turning to fern-like
leaves that break off into a perfect square of 49 rubies on one side
and abstract gem and metal designs on the other. The necklace comes
together at a double centerpiece: a large teardrop beside a long row
of multi-colored gems.

His work invokes a combination of artistic eras, but none more clearly
than pure Romanticism. The nods to nature, the impressive colored
gems set against dark metals and swirling details unite as if the
jeweleryon display were stained glass windows twisted and reshaped.

The designer cites nature and beautiful women as his primary
inspirations.

“I love nature, but I see that nature has gone from Lebanon,”
Khatcherian lamented. “They construct many new buildings but without
green spaces.”

Khatcherian’s work, however, is not for the minimalist.

He describes his typical customer as strong and unique. His
ostentatious designs likewise attract women with confidence and big
personalities.

Much of Arvesti is set in gold-plated metal. These bright pieces –
such as bracelets of golden wiry detail that trail 15 centimeters up
the arm – are not for a wallflower personality.

But a number of his designs also have a very bohemian feel. For
instance, dark-plated copper circles intersect to make up an armband
set with subtle green gems. Its lightness gives it versatility for
day or night.

A ring of a similar palette comprises a copper leaf for its band that
twists around the finger and set with a green bejeweled orb.

He also creates a variety of copper or brass wrist cuffs set with
gems in every shade.

Khatcherian’s novelty items range from light, wiry flower holders
perfect for a bridal bouquet to dramatic silver collars meant to be
paired with an evening or bridal gown.

Even the chandelier in the gallery comes from his workshop.

Before opening the gallery off Armenia Street, Khatcherian had designed
jeweleryfrom a modest workshop just around the corner. Taking a tour
of his humble beginnings shows just how far Khatcherian had come.

Khatcherian started his craft as an employee at a gold shop in the
1980s. After two years of work, the Civil War forced the shop to
close. Unemployment led the young designer to set up his own workshop.

In 1995, Khatcherian held an exhibit at the French Cultural Center
in Beirut. He marks this as the turning point in his design career,
as it attracted local and international clients and media attention.

Since then, his designs have bejeweled regional celebrities such as
Fayrouz and the casts at Mansour Rahbani’s theaters.

And for now, Khatcherian said he’s looking forward to pushing further
into Western markets and to settling into his new space.

TAKING A BOW: ARMENIAN CELLIST NAREK HAKHNAZARYAN DISCUSSES ENDPINS, THE TCHAIKOVSKY COMPETITION AND THE DVORAK CELLO CONCERTO, WHICH HE PLAYS WITH DALLAS SYMPHONY THIS WEEKEND.
by Gregory Sullivan Isaacs

TheaterJones Performing Arts News
Oct 18 2012

Dallas — On first glance in person, Armenian cellist Narek
Hakhnazaryan brings to mind a greyhound. He is tall and slender;
and while his demeanor is friendly but calm and reserved, you know
from his recordings that, once he starts to play, he unleashes an
energy that leaves the field behind and astonishes the audience.

That must have been the reaction when he won the gold medal at the
XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.

That combination of calm energy served him well when conductor Mark
Gorenstein treated him in a dismissive manner during the rehearsal
for the concerto part of the Tchaikovsky competition. Gorenstein later
apologized, but the incident could have easily rattled a less centered
performed. After all, he was only 23 at the time. According to the
Independent Journalist’s Network, when asked about the insulting
treatment at the hands of the conductor, Hakhnazaryan said, “All
is well. My head, my thoughts are now only on the competition. I am
concentrating on the music for my upcoming performance in the finals.”

During our interview at the Meyerson Symphony Center, he sat quietly
and answered questions in an intelligent and measured way. He spoke
perfect English, which was due to the two years he spent at the New
England Conservatory of Music. That was after his studies, which
began at age 12, at the Moscow Conservatory with the distinguished
cellist Alexey Seleznyov.

The rising-star cellist will play Dvorák’s Cello Concerto this
weekend with the Dallas Symphony with Musical Director Jaap van Zweden
conducting. That composer’s seventh symphony will complete the program.

Hakhnazaryan comes from a musical family. His father is a professor
of violin at the Moscow Conservatory and played for 26 years in the
Gomidas Quartet. His mother and one of his brothers are both pianists.

In fact, his mother has toured with him as his accompanist. Another
brother is a conductor and now is with the National Symphony Orchestra
of Bashkortostan. In fact, it was this brother who conducted when
the young cellist first played the Dvorák concerto with an orchestra.

“It was easy,” says Hakhnazaryan. “I don’t know if it was our
communication as brothers or just that, as two musicians, we had the
same ideas about the concerto. It really went well no matter.”

One problem that all cellists have is how to put the endpin on the
floor, such as in this photo. The instrument is held between your legs
and at the right height by a long pin, about the width of a pencil,
which extends out of the end of the instrument. It is adjustable
to account for the size of different players, and has a sharp point
that sticks in the floor. Since most venues object to sticking what
amounts to a nail on their floors, there are various devices on the
market to keep the endpin in place. This is very important, and a
cause for great concern among cellists since, if it were to slip in
a performance, the cello would move and the playing interrupted. It
has happened even to the greatest cellists.

“This isn’t a problem if I am on a riser, but when you are on a
floor you can have trouble,” he says. “I don’t like to use any of
the holders that are out there. The [small rubber] cup tends to
slip and the wood board [about 2 inches wide and a couple of feet
long that goes under one chair leg and extends out] slips side to
side. Of course, if the piece of wood went under both chair legs,
that would work. But it would be difficult to travel with. I prefer
to just find a crack or spot on the floor that will hold the point.

“So far, this has never happened to me,” he says with a rare grin.

That’s not to say that there haven’t been any other performance-related
mishaps. In talking about one, that calm part of his personality
comes in handy in the midst of his fiery musicality.

“For some reason, my instrument went out of tune as I was playing the
Elgar [Cello Concerto],” he says. “There was no place to stop and fix
it, so I had to adjust by my finger positions as I continued. When
the movement ended, I was able to tune before we continued. It wasn’t
much, like if a string came loose, but it was plenty to affect my
playing. I think it was because of the weather, which can really
affect a string instrument.”

Some cello concerti are more physical than others, and thus more likely
to have the endpin slip. The Shostakovich, for example, is a real
work out. It requires lots of pressure on the instrument throughout.

“When Rostropovich played it, near the end, you can see that he is
holding his bow with his fist instead of the thumb and forefinger,”
Hakhnazaryan says. “His bow arm was so tired that he needed to change
his grip. You really work up a sweat.”

As far as endurance goes, the Dvorák is not easy to play, either. It
is 40 minutes of highly Romantic music that uses a large orchestra.

“It is hard work to be heard over such a large orchestra,” he says.

“But I have lived with this concerto since I was 12 and I know how to
pace myself. It is such emotional music that you have to know where
the tiring places are and remember to relax.”

His instrument is a 1698 David Tecchler cello, on loan from Valentine
Saarmaa, granddaughter of the renowned dealer in classical string
instruments Jacques Francais, who died at the age of 80 in 2004. He
had a quaint workshop near Carnegie Hall that was as famous for its
fireplace and valuable paintings as for the priceless instruments
scattered here and there.

“It is a beautiful instrument with a wonderful sound,” Hakhnazaryan
says. “I am honored to have it to play.”

When asked is there was a concerto that he would like to play that
he hasn’t tackled yet, he answers without hesitation: “That would be
Brahms’ Double.”

This was the last work that Brahms composed for orchestra, a double
concerto for violin and cello that is full of autumnal beauty. It
is a surprising selection for a young artist at the beginning of
his career. You might expect some great technical challenge by a
contemporary composer; the two concerti by Krzysztof Penderecki or
György Ligeti immediately come to mind.

But come to think of it, the Brahms is the selection that you would
expect from an artist with such a calm exterior, but who is capable
of exploding with music once he starts to play.

â-~J Here’s video of Hakhnazaryan playing the
Dvorák Cello Concerto at Moscow Conservatory:

PLO, FRANCE TO JOINTLY REPAIR ROOF OF HOLY SEPULCHER

Palestine News & Information Agency (WAFA)
October 17, 2012 Wednesday

RAMALLAH, October 17, 2012 (WAFA) – The Palestine Liberation
Organization and France Wednesday signed an agreement to repair the
roof of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City.

The 200,000 euors agreement was signed in the Muqata and in the
presence of President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian and French
officials.

A presidential committee established on December 15, 2008 a special
fund to repair the roof of the Holy Sepulcher in cooperation with
the three Christian denominations that control the church – the Greek
Orthodox, the Custodian of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Orthodox
church. The Palestinian Authority contributed US$1 million to the
fund and the private sector contributed $450,000.

The French Consul General in Jerusalem, Frederic Desagneaux, who
signed the agreement on behalf of his government, praised efforts by
the PA to preserve Christian holy sites and heritage.

He said a special fund has been set up in France to collect donations
from various French institutions to repair the Holy Sepulcher.

U.S. HAILS PARTNERSHIP WITH ARMENIA, ERIC RUBIN SAYS

Mediamax News Agency
Oct 18 2012
Armenia

Yerevan,/Mediamax/. Eric Rubin, U.S. Deputy Assistant of Secretary
of State, stated in Yerevan today that the United States hails the
partnership with Armenia.

Eric Rubin stated this during his meeting with Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

He added that the spheres of bilateral cooperation are expanding at
fast paces and stressed the importance of the dialogue in the spheres
of politics, economy and defense.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the latest developments in
the process of Nagorno Karabakh peace process.

The American diplomat said that the U.S. hails the constructive
position of the Armenian side and Armenia’s readiness to reach
settlement of the conflict exclusively through negotiations.

VISA FACILITATION AGREEMENTS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND EU INITIALED

Mediamax News Agency
Oct 18 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenia’s Ambassador to the EU Avet Adonts and
Secretary General for Home Affairs at the European Commission Stefano
Manservisi initialed the Visa Regime Facilitation and Readmission
Agreements between Armenia and European Union in Brussels today.

The agreement is scheduled to be signed in December 2012 and will
undergo the procedure of ratification in the first half of 2013.

Under the Visa Facilitation Agreement, Armenian citizens will undergo
facilitated procedures for getting visas to Schengen countries.

Facilitation of visa procedures to the EU countries is planned to be
provided to a number of categories of Armenian citizens, particularly
members of official delegations, scientists, students, journalists,
sportsmen and artists, close relatives of people who have legal rights
for living in the EU countries, participants of meetings organized
by structures of the Armenian Diaspora in these states.

The cost of the Schengen visa is also to be decreased to EUR 35 and
made free of charge for a number of categories of citizens including
children and pensioners.

The Readmission Agreement regulates procedures of returning and
accepting people who live on the territory of EU and Armenia illegally.

The talks on Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements with the
EU launched in Yerevan in February 2012.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES ARE DETERMINED TO HOLD FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, PRESIDENT SAYS

Mediamax News Agency
Oct 18 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated that
“the authorities are determined to hold free, fair, transparent and
democratic presidential elections”.

The President said this speaking at the European People’s Party
convention in Bucharest on October 17.

“The parliamentary elections that took place in Armenia last spring
were assessed by the international observers as the best since
independence. The authorities of the Republic of Armenia are determined
to transform registered progress into a firm trend and to hold free,
fair, transparent and democratic presidential elections. To achieve
that we are conducting preliminary works stemming from the conclusions
and proposals of the OSCE/ODIHR. There is no need to say that this time
again we expect active participation of the international observers”,
said Serzh Sargsyan.

ARMENIA’S SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY ENDS VISIT TO RUSSIA

ITAR-TASS
October 17, 2012 Wednesday 04:23 PM GMT+4
Russia

A protocol has been signed following a working visit by the Secretary
of Armenia’s National Security Council Artur Bagdasaryan to Russia, the
press service of Russia’s Security Council told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

The press service said, “The secretaries of the security councils of
Russia and Armenia discussed Russian-Armenian interaction, including
interaction within the Collective Security Treaty Organsation
(CSTO), prospects for military-technical cooperation, international
and regional security and elimination of consequences of natural
disasters, emergency situations, and state border infrastructures.”

Bagdasaryan met with the chief of the presidential staff Sergei
Ivanov, Vice-Premier Dmitry Rogozin, Emergency Situations Minister
Vladimir Puchkov, head of the Federal Agency for the Development of
the State Border Facilities of the Russian Federation (Rosgranitsa)
Dmitry Bezdelov and CSTO Secretary-General Nikolai Bordyuzha.

On Tuesday, the ministry’s leadership and the Armenian delegation
agreed to set up a center for humanitarian response. “Now we have set
up a joint working group to specify the legal base and requirements
for joint work,” Puchkov told Itar-Tass. National emergency situations
centers will begin to exchange information on the daily basis soon.

Experts representing the security councils of both countries held
consultations in line with the cooperation plan.

Minister Nalbandyan awarded Dafina Gercheva with MFA Medal

17:36, 20 October, 2012

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS: Edward Nalbandyan, Foreign Affair
Minister of the Republic of Armenia received Dafina Gercheva, United
Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in
Armenia on completion of her mission in Armenia.

As Information and Public Relations Department of the Foreign Affairs
Ministry informed Armenpress, Minister Nalbandyan thanked Dafina
Gercheva on her personal contribution in the implementation of various
programs and honored her with MFA medal. Edward Nalbandyan wished
Gercheva success in her future activities. Ms. Dafina Gercheva,
United Nations Resident Coordinator high estimated fruitful
collaboration established with Armenian MFA, thanked for the
assistance provided by the Government of Armenia. The sides exchanged
views on the implementation of UN programs aimed at development of
Armenia as well as the launch of new projects.

Victory Is Overcoming of Weaknesses

Siranuysh Papyan
Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:28:50 – 20/10/2012

Interview with Manvel Sargsyan, ACNIS Director

Is there an RPA-PAP conflict or is this a game?

When one tries to understand if there is a controversy or struggle
deriving from controversy, one must first try to understand how the people
you mentioned interpret controversy because it may mean something else to
them. Now we cannot try to draw conclusions on the purposes and actions of
other people.

But is this the country’s problem? Does anyone expect any real difference
and is this related to the interests of the society? I think this is an
exaggerated curiosity, an artificially provoked curiosity and derives from
the feeling of hopelessness of the society.

What are the interests of the society? Are they related to the interests
of the government?

The problems will not become dominant for the greater part of the society
unless the society defines its problems. In the country some major
proprietors define their problems and later impose them on the society.
Nothing will change unless the society has defines its problems. As soon as
the problem is defined, solutions will come. Now attempts are made but
apparently the problems are not defined correctly so they return to the
place where they started.

The society has defined the problem that the greatest obstacle to the
development of Armenia is the criminal and oligarchic system.

I don’t think the society has defined this problem if it had defined, it
would identify the ways of solving this problem. A political force or
another has defined this problem based on its perceptions which have not
led us anywhere. In countries like Armenia we have very little expectations
from political forces. The society sees clearly that a political force may
state the election was rigged and then call everyone to vote.

Mr. Sargsyan, there is an opinion that the society consists of a number of
layers and therefore there will be no change.

We are a unitary, profound, clan, totalitarian society where the word of
man has no value. Therefore, we are looking for someone to solve the
problem. In a country of law even one person can see the problem, thinks,
tries to solve it, part of the society is concerned about the problem, and
they try to solve the problem together. Whenever an Armenian faces a
problem he or she cannot solve, he or she immediately starts looking for
someone who can solve it. The biggest problem now is to overcome this
mentality. First you need to have a wish, then you need to assume
responsibility and go ahead.

This is not moral but physical extermination of the society. A society is a
little different from man. A famous revolutionary has said that the ugliest
thing is a dead society, people can bury a dead person but a dead society
dies and decays inside. These are the signs of a dead society. The sooner
we forget about them, the sooner we will notice the new springs which do
not obey oligarchs and local strongmen. Some of them have understood that
new terms, new approaches are needed, people speak a real language, the
issue is to underpin and multiply this process.

However, there is a crisis of civic movement.

Yes, there is. Look the negative attitude of the society, the mass media to
any new phenomenon. As soon as a person succeeds in some field, raises an
issue, the old system starts devouring, destroying. The dying system
contaminates, smothers. The new forces must make new steps to overcome
hindrances. There are people who have been unable to overcome this
situation for millennia but there are people who showed how they passed
this way because people first overcome themselves. Real victory is to
overcome one’s own weakness.

Look at Oskanian who speaks about a country of law but ignores such an
anti-law thing as Tsarukyan’s party which is the child of this unti-law
situation.