Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

LA TURQUIE TIENT-ELLE LA PLUME DES PARLEMENTAIRES FRANCAIS ?
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
lundi 6 fevrier 2012

SENAT – REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE Luc CARVOUNAS – Senateur du Val-de-Marne

Philippe KALTENBACH – Senateur des Hauts-de-seine

La Turquie tient-elle la plume des parlementaires francais ?

Nous tenons a exprimer notre vive indignation suite a la lettre de
son Excellence l’Ambassadeur de Turquie, destinee aux Senateurs ayant
vote la motion d’irrecevabilite relative a la loi visant a penaliser
le negationnisme des genocides reconnus par la Loi francaise, le 23
janvier dernier au Senat, dans laquelle il appelle nos collègues a
signer le recours depose au Conseil Constitutionnel contre cette loi.

Nous constatons par ailleurs que cet appel ait ete visiblement entendu,
puisque 77 Senateurs et 65 Deputes ont saisi ce dernier.

Nous ne pouvons que denoncer une forme inacceptable d’ingerence dans
le processus legislatif francais, le tout accompagne de menaces a
peine voilees, quoique deja connues, sur les relations franco-turques.

Nous regrettons egalement l’attitude de son Excellence l’Ambassadeur
de Turquie qui s’etait montre beaucoup plus enclin au dialogue lors
de nos auditions parlementaires.

Face a ce type de reaction, nous nous felicitons une nouvelle fois de
l’adoption de cette loi, qui est conforme a notre conception des Droits
de l’Homme, et esperons que les membres du Conseil Constitutionnel
la valideront.

Lettre de l’Ambassadeur de Turquie

From: Baghdasarian

NEGATIONNISME – ENQUETE SUR UN MINISTRE TURC
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
lundi 6 fevrier 2012

Par ses prises de parole lors du Forum economique mondial et a Zurich,
Egemen Bagis aurait viole la norme antiracisme

Egemen Bagis est le responsable du gouvernement turc pour les
negociations avec l’UE. Il a participe au Forum economique mondial de
Davos en tant que ministre pour les rapports europeens. Il a profite
de son sejour en Suisse pour se livrer a une une provocation qui a
peu a voir avec sa fonction. Comme rapporte par les medias turcs a
la fin du mois de Janvier, Bagis a declare aux journalistes a Davos :
“Nous sommes maintenant en Suisse, et je dis que les evenements de 1915
n’etaient pas un genocide contre les Armeniens. Venez m’arreter. ”
Il aurait repete la meme declaration un peu plus tard lors d’un
concert d’une chanteuse turque a Zurich.

Apparemment le ministre aurait voulu violer intentionnellement la norme
suisse antiracisme. Selon cette loi, la negation du crime de genocide
est une infraction officielle. Depuis 2005, plusieurs personnes ont
ete condamnees pour avoir nie le genocide des Armeniens.

Le cas le plus frappant est celui du politicien turc Dogu Perincek,
dont le procès a fait sensation pour son verdict et qu’a ete confirme
par le Tribunal federal. Dans ce contexte, la provocation de Bagis
doit sans doute etre vue comme une protestation contre une nouvelle
loi en France qui veut faire de la negation du genocide armenien une
infraction punissable, comme c’est deja le cas en Suisse. La loi a
ete adoptee au Senat en janvier. Il s’agit maintenant d’en verifier
la constitutionnalite. À Ankara, la decision du Senat a ete prise
comme un outrage : La Turquie rejette le point de vue qui prevaut au
niveau international, selon lequel les massacres des Armeniens aurait
constitue un genocide. De 1915 a 1917, selon des sources armeniennes,
quelque 1,5 million d’Armeniens auraient ete tues par les troupes
turques.

Immunite diplomatique

Bien que Bagis ait quitte la Suisse depuis longtemps, l’Association
Suisse-Armenie n’entend pas laisser passer la chose : elle a signale
l’affaire au bureau du procureur general de Zurich. ” Ce que perturbe
dans ce cas, n’est pas tellement la rhetorique provocatrice de toute
evidence, plutôt que l’insensibilite demonstrative et confiante a
l’encontre des generations successive du genocide “, explique Andreas
Dreisiebner de l’Association Suisse – Armenie. Les externations
de Bagis demontrent un ” manque de respect pour le pays hôte “,
ce qui devrait etre puni en consequence. De facon equivalente s’est
exprime Sarkis Shahinian, secretaire du Groupe parlementaire Suisse –
Armenie : ” Si le ministre Bagis pense qu’il peut par sa provocation
ridiculiser la justice suisse, il risque de se reveiller avec une
mauvaise surprise. ”

Effectivement, le procureur de la Republique de Zurich verifie
actuellement cette assertion : ” Dans l’affaire de M. Bagis, nous
avons lance une enquete preliminaire “, affirme le procureur Andrej
Gnehm repondant a notre question. Entre autres, l’enquete de police
permettra de clarifier où et dans quelle mesure Bagis aurait fait les
pretendues declarations. Il est possible que la presentation d’une
plainte se produise a l’office du procureur general des Grisons. De
sa part, le Departement federal des Affaires etrangères (DFAE) est
aussi implique : Il clarifie le statut du sejour de Bagis de Davos et a
Zurich, en particulier s’il a beneficie d’une immunite diplomatique. ”
Celle ci n’est pas automatiquement donne dans tous les cas pour
un ministre etrange ” a declare Gnehm. L’enquete preliminaire sera
achevee dans les semaines a venir. C’est après qu’on pourra decider
si une procedure est ouverte contre Bagis.

Avocat experimente

Pour le procureur Gnehm le sujet n’est pas nouveau : en 2008 il avait
plaide contre les responsables d’un evenement pendant lequel un orateur
avait nie le genocide, ce qui lui avait valu une condamnation pour
discrimination raciale. Deja en 2004, Gnehm avait enquete contre un
eminent historien turc, qui avait egalement nie, dans un discours en
Suisse, le genocide des Armeniens. A cette epoque, l’enquete avait
mene a une rupture diplomatique entre Berne et Ankara. Gnehm avait
meme fait l’objet d’un mandat d’arrestation provisoire de la part
des autorites turques.

C’est probablement en raison de son experience, que les cercles
armeniens se sont tournes vers lui pour les charges retenues contre
Bagis. Cependant, Gnehm a transmis l’affaire au bureau du procureur
superieur, qui de son côte l’a transmis a l’office du Procureur general
superieur competent pour les affaires speciales – où Gnehm travaille
actuellement. Pour le moment, toutefois, l’enquete preliminaire est
conduite par une collègue du procureur experimente.

Selon Gnehm, la competence sera definitivement decidee dans un
deuxième temps.

From: Baghdasarian

DOLLAR AGAIN TUMBLES DOWN IN ARMENIA

NEWS.AM
February 06, 2012 | 17:15

YEREVAN. – The US dollar’s exchange rate against the Armenian dram
(AMD) again started to fall in Armenia’s financial market.

The average USD/AMD exchange rate made AMD 387.42/$1 at NASDAQ OMX
Armenia stock exchange on Monday. So, the dollar devalued by 0.28
percent as compared with Friday.

The sales totaled $950 thousand.

Armenia’s exchange offices purchase US dollar at the maximum rate of
AMD 387/$1, and sell it at a minimum of AMD 389/$1.

From: Baghdasarian

FRENCH SENATORS ARRIVE IN BAKU

TODAY.AZ
06 February 2012

A delegation of the French Senators led by deputy chairperson of the
Caucasus friendship group Natalie Goulet on Sunday has arrived in
Baku. At the Heydar Aliyev International Airport the French visitors
were welcomed by officials of the Milli Majlis, Foreign Ministry and
the State Committee on Work with Diaspora.

The delegation includes Senators Silvi Go-Shaven, Juan Mari Bokel,
Evre More, Andre Rexar and Jani Lorju, who make their first visit
to Azerbaijan, the State Committee said. In a series of meetings the
French parliamentarians will meet with Azerbaijani officials to discuss
bilateral relations between the two countries. The French Senators are
expected to visit also the refugee camps to closely acquaint with the
life conditions of the refuges and IDPs who have lost their homelands.

The members of delegation are the French Senators who have voted
against the bill penalizing the negation of the so-called “genocide of
Armenians” adopted by the French Senate. The French Senate delegation`s
visit will end on February 10.

From: Baghdasarian

KARABAKH SOLDIER SHOT BY FELLOW CONSCRIPT

epress.am
02.06.2012

At around 7:20 pm on Feb. 5, in one of the defense positions along
the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijan forces, according
to preliminary data, military serviceman Gor Alaverdyan, violating
the rules for handling a machine gun, shot fellow conscript Marat
Dimaksyan, 20, who died on the way to hospital around 9 pm on the
same day.

Criminal proceedings have been filed with charges of violating rules
of handling a weapon that led to a person’s death, a crime punishable
by 4 to 8 years in prison, reports the Republic of Armenia Ministry
of Defense press service.

From: Baghdasarian

PROJECT ON INFORMATION EXCHANGE AMONG ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH LAUNCHED

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 16:10

A new regional project on impartial information exchange among
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh was launched. The project
is initiated by Yerevan press club in partnership with Azerbaijani
and Nagorno-Karabakh journalists and supported by the U.S. State
Department.

The project involves three journalists per state, Kavkazskiy
Uzelreports.

“If we hope to settle the conflict once, we should help people to
feel themselves in normal, information-communicative environment,”
Yerevan press club president Boris Navasardyan said.

Head of the Azerbaijani Union of Journalists Eni Nesil (new generation)
Ariv Aliyev said that the new project is continuation of a long-term
project and attempts to change the situation for the better.

Head of the Stepanakert press club (Nagorno-Karabakh) Gegham
Baghdasaryan believes the ‘project is very useful and perspective’
and hopes for its continuation stressing that it is not a political
initiative.

From: Baghdasarian

BUSINESS AS USUAL: OLIGARCHS LINE UP FOR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEATS
Hakob Hakobyan

ArmeniaNow
06.02.12 | 16:24

By Gayane Lazarian

Four months ahead of the Parliamentary elections in Armenia, many
businessmen proclaim that they are planning to participate in the
Parliamentary elections 2012, even though the President of Armenia,
the Prime minister and a number of Republicans have repeatedly stated
that business will be separated from politics.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has repeatedly stated that
business must consistently be separated from the state system and
the authorities. Instead the Government must continue learning how
to respect and secure any citizen’s and businessman’s interest.

According to press, the businessmen and “oligarchs” from Republican
Party will file their candidacy by the majoritatian voting system. The
names of lawmakers Grigory Margaryan, Samvel Alexanyan, Ashot
Aghababyan and others are circulated.

Moreover, some businessmen who do not have a parliamentary mandate
now get prepared for the upcoming Parliamentary elections, too.

Former lawmaker, member of the ruling Republican Party, Hakob Hakobyan
plans to participate in the upcoming Parliamentary elections by
the majoritatian voting system (from Echmiadzin). Hakobyan owns the
Zvartnots Hotel Complex, a casino, a compressed natural gas station,
etc.

“I am a property owner; however, I do not deal with business anymore.

My two sons take care of my seven enterprises. I believe that if one
wants to enter politics than he or she must stop being involved in
business first,” Hakobyan told ArmeniaNow.

According to him, the rich experience of a businessman secures
professional skills which can later be used in the legislative work.

Heritage Party Board member Karine Hakobyan says that a lawmaker of
the National Assembly must be honest, a person of principle and great
knowledge, a patriot, and a broad-minded person.

“In this case we would not have the situation that we face now.

Currently, the National Assembly is like a blanket, which is pulled
by anyone who wants to keep his or her interests. If the president
[of Armenia] says that a businessman and an oligarch must not be at
the National Assembly, then the Central Electoral Commission must not
accept the applications submitted by businessmen who are mainly from
Prosperous Armenia Party. However, this refers not only to Prosperous
Armenia’s businessmen,” Karine Hakobyan says.

Electoral and political technologies expert Armen Badalyan says that
businessmen enter the National Assembly being led by the stereotypes
of the past 20 years: “We will be from the ruling team, we will vote
for all the Government-submitted bills, and instead the Government
will not put pressure on us through taxes.”

From: Baghdasarian

SECRETARY OF PROSPEROUS ARMENIA FACTION: PROSPEROUS ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS ON TRANSITION TO 100% PROPORTIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEM

arminfo
Monday, February 6, 13:33

Prosperous Armenia Party conducts consultations with political
experts and specialists in the electoral right, but it hasn’t held
any discussions inside the party on the party’s official position on
transition to the 100% proportional electoral system, Aram Safaryan,
Secretary of Prosperous Armenia faction in the parliament, told media
on Monday.

“Our party will announce its official stance on the issue during the
Feb 16 discussions in the parliament. We are ready to suggest our
experts as a third party to the discussions on the given issue.

Prosperous Armenia highlights the importance of discussing the issue
in the parliament, for this issue has aroused wide public response and
created tension in the pre-election fight of the political forces in
Armenia. At the same time, I’d like to say that the party’s electoral
program of 2007 comprised a point on the necessity of transition to
the 100% proportional electoral system,” he said.

As a compromise Safaryan suggested reducing the number of the
majoritarian seats in the parliament and providing every region with a
representative in the parliament and the capital city with a certain
number of mandates. Safaryan thinks that such approach will allow
controlling over the elections, and presenting all the regions in
the parliament, at the same time ensuring the necessary competition
between the parties.

The Armenian National Assembly consists of 131 parliamentarians:
41 majoritiarian and 90 proportional seats. The next parliamentary
elections will be held in May 2012.

From: Baghdasarian

MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF ARMENIA HAS FOUR PRIORITIES FOR 2012

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: Ministry of Culture of Armenia has
singled out four priorities for this year, Minister Hasmik Poghosyan
told a news conference today. As a priority the minister stressed
the organization and implementation of events dedicated to the 500th
anniversary of Armenian typography, restoration of libraries, steps
directed toward development of book art and letter art. The second
direction is insuring contemporary electronic society in different
spheres – placing samples on websites, opening of virtual museums
of book and carpet, electronic service of concert halls which will
include electronic sell of tickets, information about events in all
the cultural centers of Armenia. Another priority is restoration of
cultural centers and opening of exhibitions.

As prior issue Hasmik Poghosyan noted restoration of monuments.

From: Baghdasarian

Today’s Zaman
Feb 5 2012

Contradictions that beset Turkey

DOÄ?U ERGÄ°L
[email protected]

Those of us who live in Turkey know there is more than one Turkey,
both in economic and socio-cultural terms.

We take these differences and contradictions for granted. But when a
foreigner points out one of those Turkeys we know of and behaves as if
the others do not exist, we get furious and feel indignant. However,
Turkey is really a surprising country with conflicting and
contradicting realities. Let me share with you a few simultaneous
happenings.

According to Reuters, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an warned last
Wednesday of rising racism and Islamophobia in Europe. He mentioned
the French bill outlawing the denial of Armenian genocide that France
has already officially recognized. He said the French bill was a
`serious manifestation of an insidious danger in Europe.

`There is an undeniable racist approach, a racist mentality ¦ hidden
behind this bill.’ Mr. ErdoÄ?an added, `I would like to sincerely warn
our friends in Europe that the situation in France is a serious
manifestation of an insidious danger.’

Listening to the prime minister, one would find him very principled
because he advocates common human values and warns of the dangers
against democracy.

The same news agency, Reuters, on the same day, Feb. 1, shed light on
a different Turkey, relying on the rhetoric of the same person. Prime
Minister ErdoÄ?an branded acclaimed novelist Paul Auster ignorant for
refusing to visit Turkey in protest of an increased number of jailed
journalists.

What Mr. Auster points at is the fact that more than 100 journalists
are presently jailed in Turkey. This is one of the highest numbers
worldwide. The government insists they are not being prosecuted
because of what they wrote but because they have engaged in terrorism
or have been affiliated with terrorist organizations.

Mr. ErdoÄ?an expressed his wrath against the renowned author in the
following way: `If you come, so what? If you don’t come, so what? Will
Turkey lose prestige?’ He criticized the 64-year-old Auster, author of
no less than two dozen books published in Turkey, for visiting Israel,
accusing the Jewish state of repression and a multitude of rights
violations.

`Supposedly Israel is a democratic, secular country, a country where
freedom of expression and individual rights and freedoms are
limitless. What an ignorant man you are,’ ErdoÄ?an said, while accusing
Auster of being disrespectful to Turkey.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP), a socially conservative
party, won its third consecutive term in power since 2002 on a
reformist ticket that promised demilitarization of the system,
economic development and democratization that would end inter-ethnic
and inter-sectarian disputes. Almost all democracy-oriented, liberal
and leftist authors and intellectuals have supported the AKP in its
quest. But as the party reached the limits of its reformism, it began
to be criticized by the same people who supported its democratic
advances.

Another Turkey is painted by the Platform of Solidarity with
Imprisoned Journalists on the Media Line, which stated that 105
journalist in Turkey were behind bars. This places Turkey ahead of
such repressive regimes as Iran and China for the largest number
jailed journalists in the world, according to the platform.
Considering that Turkey has been pointed out as an exemplary country
for reconciling democracy and Islam, the fall of Turkey by 10 places
to 148 out of 179 countries on the Reporters without Borders’ Press
Freedom Index is noteworthy.

Critics say the judiciary, which is directly responsibility for the
arrests, makes little effort to distinguish between people covering
controversial issues and the people and movements they are covering.
Observers primarily blame the judiciary for the arrests. Turkey’s
Counterterrorism Law (TMK) and the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) give it a
lot of latitude to detain people and keep them locked up without
filing formal indictments. But then these laws can easily be changed
with the AKP majority in Parliament. The government keeps its silence
when such criticisms are leveled against it.

Mr. ErdoÄ?an and his government desire a shiny image for the country
they run and accuse other countries of being unfair to Turkey. Last
week, he said, `Turkey does not deserve the negative image portrayed
to the world by the ¦ opposition and some journalists and writers.’

These three simultaneous developments depict a country that has not
yet institutionalized its democracy and rule of law. But it acts as if
it is a done deal. That is the biggest contradiction.

From: Baghdasarian