Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

COMPUTER EQUIPMENT SCARCE IN ARMENIAN SCHOOLS – MINISTER

news.am, Armenia
Sept 9 2011

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Minister of Education Armen Ashotyan met with the
representatives of the Intel company, who presented to the Minister
the recommendations about “One computer to one student” project.

The Minister of Education emphasized that the increase of computer
equipment is the primary purpose of educational reforms. According to
the number of students and computers in Armenian schools, nowadays,
only one computer is available to 22 students.

“However, we are interested in improving this rate, especially with
computers with Armenian programs” said the Minister.

During the meeting, parties discussed the chances of “Intel” company’s
participation in the process of computerizing the educational sector.

From: Baghdasarian

DIASPORA PROTESTS KARABAKH SEPARATISTS’ US VISIT

news.az, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2011

Azerbaijani Diaspora has started protest action against the visit
to US of Ashot Ghulyan, as a representative of Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenian community.

On September 13, the Armenian Caucus in the Congress will held a
reception in the name of Ghulyan.

‘Ashot Ghulyan represents a criminal regime that has occupied the
Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and ethnically cleansed some
800,000 Azerbaijanis and Kurds from there in the process, as well as
committed a Srebrenica-type massacre in the town of Khojaly in 1992’,
says the Azeri Diaspora’s pretest letter to the Congress.

‘US government’s official position, along with other relevant quotes
from international organizations, NGOs and scholars, about the
occupation of Karabakh by the criminal regime represented by Mr.

Ghulian and the crimes against humanity conducted there against the
ethnic Azerbaijanis, Kurds and others’, says the letter.

‘This propaganda event featuring a war crimes suspect should be
protested by anyone who holds family and moral values in high regard,
and who is against ethnic cleansing and war crimes, and their
subsequent cover-up and defense by foreign agents’, the Diaspora
representatives add.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIANS PRESS FOR COURT RULING AGAINST TURKEY IN US

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Sept 9 2011

US Armenians, pressing for a court decision against Turkey for
violating the property rights of Ottoman Armenians during World War
I, have complained that the Turkish government has ignored a lawsuit
brought against Turkey in a Los Angeles court.

Plaintiffs argue that Turkey seized land belonging to their relatives
when its owners fled Anatolia during what Armenians call a genocide
campaign. The land in the southern province of Adana, which is now
occupied by the Ä°ncirlik Air Base used by the US military, was
then sold without the permission of the Armenian owners, according
to the lawyers of the plaintiffs. The complaints target Turkey and
two Turkish banks, the Central Bank of Turkey and Ziraat Bank.

Turkey had 60 day to answer the complaint, which expired on Aug. 19,
2011, but it has so far refused to answer. Lawyers for the plaintiffs
announced that on Sept. 6 the Turkish government is in default for
ignoring the lawsuit.

The default notice was entered on Sept. 1, 2011. The Central Bank of
Turkey and Ziraat Bank, on the other hand, requested and were given
an extension to respond to the complaints by Sept. 19.

“The US Department of State had sent a diplomatic note to Ankara
warning that the country is bound by law to defend itself against
the lawsuit,” said Vartkes Yeghiayan of the Yeghiayan Law Firm,
one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs.

Lawyers claim by refusing to respond Turkey risks having the court rule
against it in absentia and add that damages could be as high as $100
million. Lawyer Gunay Evinch, who is representing the two banks in the
case, said on Friday that Turkey’s refusal to respond to the Armenian
complaints indicates that Turkey sees it as a matter of sovereignty.

“Apparently, Turkey is refusing to appear before the court to
prevent another country from judging its history, in protection of
its sovereignty,” lawyer Evinch was quoted by the Anatolia news agency.

Evinch also noted that the handling of such a fragile case by a state
court is controversial because this indicates that Washington has
given up its rights to shape foreign policy to a state court.

From: Baghdasarian

ERGENEKON PLANNED TO ATTACK AGOS AFTER DINK ASSASSINATION

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Sept 9 2011

A suspect in an ongoing investigation into a gang accused of
plotting to overthrow the government has said that the group, known
as Ergenekon, had plans to attack the office of the Armenian language
biweekly Agos, shortly after Agos’ former editor-in-chief Hrant Dink
was assassinated.

Ergenekon suspect Bedirhan Å~^inal testified in a cross-examination
on Thursday that the Ergenekon gang, including Å~^inal himself,
had been planning to attack Agos’s offices after Armenian-Turkish
journalist Dink was assassinated in January 2007.

Imprisoned after attacking the Cumhuriyet daily headquarters in
Ä°stanbul’s Å~^iÅ~_li district with Molotov cocktails in 2008,
Å~^inal claimed they were preparing to attack other Agos employees
in 2008 following Dink’s murder. However, Å~^inal stressed that they
had to give up the plan because of the extensive security measures
that were taken in the neighborhood after Dink’s murder, which was
carried out in front of Agos’s building.

In his testimony, Å~^inal added that people who allegedly incited
him to murder had not kept their promises. He stated in his former
testimony that there were some the people urging him on who had offered
some money to persuade him to attack Cumhuriyet headquarters and that
he had claimed that the people inciting him had promised to bail him
out of jail in three or four months, but stressed that he was still in
prison after four years. When Å~^inal was asked who the people inciting
him were, he said that they were a priest and some businessmen from
Ä°stanbul whose names he said he did not know. Å~^inal added that he
was allegedly introduced to these men by policemen.

Dink, the editor-in-chief of Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, was
gunned down outside his office in Ä°stanbul in broad daylight on Jan.

19, 2007. The hitman, Ogun Samast, was captured roughly one day after
the murder. Other suspects, including Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel,
were aprehended in the following days on charges of soliciting Samast
for Dink’s murder. The murder shocked Turkey, and the ensuing trial
became mired in controversy with Dink’s family and human rights
activists arguing that links between suspects in the case and the
real masterminds of the murder, suspected to be in the military and
police force, were not sufficiently investigated.

From: Baghdasarian

ISRAELIS PLAN TO PUNISH TURKEY

Irish Times
Sept 9 2011

MARK WEISS in Jerusalem

ISRAELI FOREIGN minister Avigdor Lieberman has drawn up a number of
proposals to “punish” Turkey, including possible support for Kurdish
rebels and co-operating with the Armenian lobby in the US.

Foreign ministry officials will meet in Jerusalem today to consider
Israel’s response to Ankara’s expulsion last week of the Israeli
ambassador and the cancellation of bilateral defence contacts.

Relations between the former close allies deteriorated sharply this
week with bellicose comments from Turkish prime minister Tayyip
Erdogan threatening that Turkish warships will escort future aid
flotillas to Gaza.

Turkey also vowed to boost naval patrols in the eastern Mediterranean
after Israel refused to apologise for the deaths of nine Turks in a
commando raid last year on the MV Mavi Marmara as it tried to breach
Israel’s maritime blockade on Gaza.

Israel’s top-selling newspaper Yediot Aharonot reported that Israel’s
hardline foreign minister has decided to go on the offensive,
believing that Turkey is not really interested in an Israeli apology
as it seeks to boost its standing in the Muslim world.

“We’ll exact a price from Erdogan that will prove to him that messing
with Israel doesn’t pay off,” Mr Lieberman was quoted as saying.

“Turkey better treat us with respect and common decency.”

The measures proposed by Mr Lieberman include meetings with
representatives of the militant PKK Kurdish group, which has recently
stepped up its attacks on the Turkish military.

He also wants to promote a diplomatic campaign where Israeli missions
worldwide will report illegal Turkish moves against minorities.

In another move that is bound to anger Ankara, Israel will step up
co-operation with the Armenian lobby in the US pressing for worldwide
recognition that Turkey was responsible for perpetrating genocide
against the Armenian people during the years 1915-17.

The office of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that a
number of options are being considered, but stressed that no final
decision has been taken on measures against Turkey.

“Our policy is and will remain to prevent the deterioration of
relations with Turkey and to ease the tensions between the two
countries,” a statement read.

Deputy prime minister Dan Meridor said Israel was not interested in
a war of words.

From: Baghdasarian

FRENCH MINISTER OF TRANSPORT ARRIVES IN ARMENIA

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 9 2011

French Minister of Transport Thierry Mariani will arrive today in
Armenia to pay a working visit to our country.

According to the press service of French Embassy to Armenia, the French
Minister will have a meeting with President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan,
Foreign Minister and with his Armenian counterpart.

During the meetings issues related to the bilateral cooperation will
be highlighted.

From: Baghdasarian

ISRAELI ACTIVIST ACCUSES ERDOGAN OF HISTORICAL AMNESIA FOR DENYING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

news.am, Armenia
Sept 8 2011

Haim Ouizemann, vice president of the Israeli Organization of the
Francophonie (OFI), who is also involved in politics and is working
for several media outlets, has written an open letter to Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In his letter Ouizemann condemns Turkey’s response to the report of
Palmer and decision to expel Israeli Ambassador to Turkey Gaby Levy.

Ouizemann also raises the issue of the Armenian Genocide and condemns
Turkey for historical amnesia.

In a letter published on Israël Flash website Ouizemann says that
Turkey intends to appeal to the International Court in The Hague
but at the same time is suffering from historical amnesia and denial
policy. He stresses that Ankara continues to deny their undeniable
responsibility for one of the biggest genocides in modern history,
the Armenian Genocide.

He also mentions that Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk was forced to
emigrate to U.S. due to persecution and death threats because of his
extraordinary courage, unconditional support to the Armenian issue and
his words: “One million Armenians and 30 thousand Kurds were killed in
these (Turkish) lands, but no one, except for me, dares talk about it.”

“One and a half million Armenians, Turkish citizens, are still waiting
for justice. Meanwhile, you are resisting paying tribute to memory
of the victims. If you want to come to The Hague, then you should
get there before us. You’re already late for a century,” he says.

From: Baghdasarian

ABDULLAH GUL: NK CONFLICT OBSTACLE FOR STABILITY AND PEACE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 8 2011

Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who is arriving in Russia to attend
Yaroslav hosted international political summit, had an interview
with “Moskovski Komsomolets” where he has also referred to the
Armenian-Turkish mending relations and the resolution of NK conflict.

To the question if new initiatives over the resolution of NK
conflict and ties with Armenia are being intended to carry out,
Turkish President said:

“Being guided by peace, stability and prosperity in the region, we
put forth efforts to establish peace, stability and cooperation in
the region. You know that the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh is the main
obstacle to create prosperity in the South Caucasus. In this respect I
think Turkish disposition matches with that of Russia. The advancement
in the resolution process of NK conflict may have a decisive role,”
said Turkish President.

From: Baghdasarian

KARABAKH CONFLICT MUST BE SOLVED ONLY PEACEFULLY-EU SPECIAL ENVOY

news.am
Sept 8 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN . – The only acceptable way to resolve the Karabakh conflict is
through peaceful talks and any military intervention is unacceptable,
EU newly appointed special representative for Southern Caucasus
Philipe Lefort said at the meeting with the secretary of Armenian
National Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan.

Baghdasaryan stated that Armenia has reiterated its position in
various international arenas that the Karabakh conflict solution is
possible only through peaceful negotiations and mutual compromises,
Council’s press service informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

However, Azerbaijan shows non-constructive approach on the issue
and even makes warlike statements, which are already usual for the
international community. Military rhetoric seriously hinders the
effective implementation of the negotiation process aimed at peaceful
resolution of the conflict.

Baghdasaryan also stated that as a result of policy carried out by
Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia was left out in certain projects
in energy and telecommunication spheres. These processes are not
conforming to European integration based on mutual cooperation.

Nevertheless, Armenia is open and ready to adopt constructive approach
in relations with its neighbors.

From: Baghdasarian

JOURNALIST OF RUSSIAN “NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA” VICTIM OF AZERBAIJAN’S BLACK LIST

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 8 2011

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry studies the case of “Nezavisimaya gazeta”
(Independent magazine) journalist who has arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh
without being authorized by Baku, Russian paper quotes Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdulayev as saying.

According to the source Azerbaijani MFA has tasked its Embassy in
Moscow to investigate the case and find more cases of visits to NKR.

Russian “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” has published a story on Wednesday titled
“Peace to Karabakh” which was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of
NK Independence.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry includes those foreigners visiting
Nagorno-Karabakh to its black list.

From: Baghdasarian