Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIAN FM: AZERBAIJAN HASN’T APPROVED ANY DRAFTED VERSION OF MADRID PRINCIPLES

Panorama
July 14 2011
Armenia

Since the presentation of the Madrid document to the parties,
Azerbaijan hasn’t approved any of its drafted versions, Armenian FM
Edward Nalbandian stated on Wednesday in London.

“From November 2007 until 2011 several drafted versions of the document
have been presented. Azerbaijan has approved neither of them.

They’ve stated only they could approve one with some reservations.

Either you approve it, or not, if it’s approved with some reservations
then it’s not approved,” Armenian FM declared.

From: Baghdasarian

BAKU READY TO START WORK ON PEACE ACCORD ON KARABAKH – FOREIGN MINISTER

Interfax
July 13 2011
Russia

Azerbaijan has urged Armenia to start work on a peace agreement on
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem without delay.

“Certain progress has been made, I think, and we can quietly move
toward a peace agreement,” Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov
said in an interview with Interfax in Baku.

Asked when Baku could start talks with Armenia on the peace agreement,
Mamedyarov said, “Right now, if they want.”

“Media reports claim extensively that the Kazan summit was not
successful, but I disagree,” Mamedyarov said on the meeting in Kazan
between the Russia, Azeri and Armenian presidents on June 24.

“I side better with the position that, first, rapprochement was
accomplished and this was reflected in the presidents’ statement. And,
second, that Azerbaijan and Armenia must continue the talks without
any publicity stunts or hysterics, and work further to draw their
positions nearer,” he said. “Moreover, Azerbaijan remains on the
position it had in 2010 after Sochi: we are prepared to start drafting
a peace accord with what has been achieved taken into account. Kazan
allowed us to move further,” Mamedyarov said.

“We were aware that some unsettled elements still existed. But they
must in a way be reflected in the peace agreement. If the good will is
indeed there, let us start working on it right away, without waiting
for the next stage in the talks on the basic principles,” he said.

“Inside the basis principles there are unsettled details. Why trebling
efforts to negotiate these elements, if they will be reflected in the
peace agreement anyway. Why make unnecessary fuss. Let us concentrate
right away on a peace agreement and demonstrate our political will to
the world, and show that we are prepared to start working at once on a
legally binding peace agreement rather than on a political document,”
Mamedyarov said.

From: Baghdasarian

GOVERNOR OF KVEMO KARTLI MEETS WITH AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS – PHOTO

APA
July 14 2011
Azerbaijan

Rustavi. Nizami Mammadzadeh – APA. Governor of Kvemo Kartli David
Kirkitadze received Azerbaijani and Armenian journalists, APA’s
Georgian bureau reports.

Governor spoke about the socio-economic life of the region,
implementation of new projects and problems of the Azerbaijanis densely
populated here. Kirkitadze said there is still unemployment, lack of
staff at schools, the problems in the development of education will
be solved soon. He mentioned Georgian Education Minister’s visit to
Azerbaijan and said the education ministers of the two countries are
holding talks to solve the problems. Governor said there are more
than 103 Azerbaijani and 20 Armenian schools in Kvemo Kartli. David
Kirkitadze underlined that there is a school in Khojornu school of
Marneuli, where Azerbaijani and Armenian pupils study together.

“We opened six new schools last year. We implemented various projects
together with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. A lot of projects have
been implemented in the region by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation,
Turkey-based TIKA organization, Japanese embassy in Georgia. These
organizations are also reconstructing the schools,” he said.

David Kirkitadze also spoke about the projects implemented by
Georgian office of SOCAR, Akkord and Azerinshaat companies and
underlined the role of the Azerbaijani company in the asphalting of
Telet-Samskhe-Javakheti highway.

Six Azerbaijani and six Armenian journalists attended the meeting.

Governor answered journalists’ questions.

Governor of Kvemo Kartli region David Kirkitadze told APA that the
arrival of Azerbaijani and Armenian journalists to the region is very
important. “They are interested that the ethnic minorities are living
in the region, how is their social status, how the settlement of their
problems goes. We are glad that our problems are exaggerated. I am
always ready to accept such life. It will contribute to ensure the
peace and tranquility between the ethnic minorities”.

The journalists visited Marneuli where the Azerbaijanis are compactly
living, got acquaintance with the local television’s leadership
functioning here as well as Azerbaijani youth functioning in Marneuli
Youth Center and the projects implemented by them. The journalists
will also visit Samskhe-Javakheti region where the Armenians are
compactly living.

The meeting of the journalists is held within “Neighbors” program
under the auspices and support of Institute of War and Peace.

From: Baghdasarian

“INARTFUL DANCE” OF STATE DEPARTMENT: US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA NOMINEE REFUSES TO REFERENCE AS GENOCIDE MASSACRE OF ARMENIANS IN OTTOMAN TURKEY

news.am
July 14 2011
Armenia

WASHINGTON. – US Ambassador to Armenia nominee John Heffern in his
testimony during the hearings in U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations refused to reference as genocide the massacre of 1.5 million
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey.

In response to the New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez question:
“Do you agree that there were mass killings, ethnic cleansing and
forced deportation of over one and a half million Armenians during the
period that the Ottoman Empire existed?” Heffern replied positively.

“The massacres and the forced deportations leading to the deaths of 1.5
million Armenians is acknowledged and recognized by President Obama,
and, yes, I believe it as well,” said John Heffern.

Menendez also noted that Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide that the U.S. has both signed
and ratified states that genocide means any of the following acts
committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national,
ethnical, racial or religious group, as such, (a) Killing members of
the group, (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of
the group, (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life
calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.

“Those are [Articles of] a Convention for which we, the United States,
has signed. Would not the facts that you acknowledged in your opening
statement during period of 1915 to 1923 meet the definition of Article
2?” asked Senator Robert Menendez.

“You have accurately described Article two, the definition of genocide
in the Convention, so, yes to that part of the question and yes to
the facts that were in my statement and that you have repeated, but
the characterization of those events is a policy decision that is made
by the President of the United States and that policy is annunciated
in his April 24 Remembrance Day statement,” replied the nominee of
the President Obama to the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.

Heffern noted that the U.S. President Obama has recognized and
deplored the “horrific events that took place in the waning days
of the Ottoman Empire.” He reminded that Obama has publicly called
“the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians at this time one of the worst
atrocities of the 20th century” and urged Turkey and Armenia to
“work through their painful history to achieve a full, frank, and
just acknowledgement of the facts.”

“If confirmed, I will do my best to fulfill the president’s vision,”
he added.

Senator Robert Menendez stressed that he finds it “very difficult
to be sending diplomats of the United States to a country in which
they will go to a genocide commemoration, and yet never be able to
use the word genocide.”

“This is a difficult, an inartful dance that we do. We have a State
Department whose history full of dispatches cites the atrocities
committed during this period of time, we have a Convention, which we
signed onto as a signatory that clearly defines these acts as genocide,
we have a historical knowledge of the facts, which we accept that
would amount to genocide, but we are unwilling to reference it as
genocide. If we cannot accept the past, we cannot move forward,”
said Menendez. “It is much more than a question of a word, it is
everything that signifies our commitment to saying never again. And
yet we cannot even acknowledge this fact, and we put diplomats in a
position that is totally untanable.”

From: Baghdasarian

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA

People’s Daily Online
July 14 2011
China

The co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe Minsk Group will visit Azerbaijan and Armenia this week to
compare notes with the disputing sides on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

The OSCE chairperson-in-office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius
Azubalis met the group’s co-chairs prior to their trip to the South
Caucasus, according to reports reaching here on Wednesday.

The visit was aimed at achieving a breakthrough in the negotiations
concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

The OSCE group co-chairs consists of Bernard Fassier from France,
Igor Popov from Russia and Robert Bradtke from the United States.

The presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia met late last month
in the Russian city of Kazan, but failed to reach a consensus on the
basic principles for a comprehensive solution of the dispute.

The Nagorno-Karabakh issue started in 1988 and Azerbaijan and Armenia
signed a ceasefire accord in 1994.

The OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the United
States, has been orchestrating peace negotiations between the two
countries.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI STATEMENT ILLOGICAL – KARABAKH

news.am
July 13 2011
Armenia

STEPANAKERT. – Azerbaijan manipulates and tries to deceive
international community, press secretary of Nagorno Karabakh President
Davit Babayan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov declared two things, first refers
to immediate start of works on peace agreement for Karabakh conflict
resolution. Babayan believes this statement is illogical.

Second refers to contradiction of Azerbaijan itself. On the one hand,
the leaders of Azerbaijan state that they are ready for constructive
disposition in the negotiation process, on the other, they contradict
their own words by stating that they will never recognize Karabakh
independence.

Press secretary believes that international community should be careful
with Azerbaijan, taken into account its unconstructive approach.

From: Baghdasarian

WILL NEW US AMBASSADOR MANAGE TO INCREASE TRADE TURNOVER WITH ARMENIA TO $1 BILLLION?

news.am
Jul 13 2011
Armenia

U.S. senators should thoroughly question President Obama’s nominee John
Heffern to serve as Ambassador to Armenia to learn his position on
a number of regional issues, spokesperson for the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) Elizabeth Chouldjian told Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

“There are many questions to ask: the Armenian Genocide, the Karabakh
issue, Armenian-American relations, and so on. They should clarify Mr.
Heffern’s position on these problems,” she said.

Earlier ANCA appealed to the members of the Foreign Relations Committee
to question Ambassador-Designate Heffern about his qualifications
and candidacy for this important diplomatic position.

“Based on his answers, members of the Armenian-American community
must express their views whether Mr. Heffern is suitable to represent
American values â~@~Kâ~@~Kin Armenia,” she added.

Chouldjian stressed that Heffern had not openly expressed his views
on the issues related to Armenia so far.

“His work has not given reason to express his views on the Armenian
Genocide, Karabakh, Armenian-American relations. Trade turnover between
Armenia and U.S. presently totals about $180 million, we want to bring
it to $1 billion. I wonder what steps ambassadorial candidate should
take to strengthen economic relations between the two countries. During
tomorrow’s hearing, he will first voice his opinion on these issues,
and it is important that the Senators asked him the right questions,”
said spokesperson for ANCA.

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee will consider President
Obama’s nomination of John Heffern to serve as Ambassador to Armenia
during a hearing on July 13, at 3:00 p.m. The hearing will be webcast
live on the panel’s website.

From: Baghdasarian

Woman rams ex-boyfriend with SUV after he insults her mom, police say

July 12, 2011 |

A 25-year-old Glendale woman has been arrested on suspicion of using her SUV
to attack her ex-boyfriend because he made a disparaging remark about her
mother, police said.

The Glendale News-Press reported that witnesses told police that Tangik
Khodaverdian drove into the Smart & Final parking lot on Glenoaks Boulevard
about 8:55 p.m. Saturday and slammed her vehicle into her ex-boyfriend at
about 30 mph, according to Glendale police reports. The man was sitting on a
brick wall at the time of the incident.

Khodaverdian’s SUV pinned her 32-year-old ex-boyfriend against the wall,
according to reports. The man was able to get on his feet and snap a
photograph of the SUV’s license plate number with his cellphone, witnesses
told police.

But as he took the photograph from about 10 feet away from the SUV,
witnesses said Khodaverdian put the SUV in reverse, sped toward him and
knocked him to the ground again. Witnesses told police that after hitting
the man the second time, Khodaverdian fled the parking lot in the SUV.

The man was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he was
treated for non-life-threatening injuries to his legs and back, Glendale
Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Police tracked Khodaverdian down at her home, where officers reported
several handprints and a footprint on the bumper and hood of her SUV.

Khodaverdian told police that she “parked near his feet” after the man
yelled comments about her mother. She said she only backed into him when she
noticed he was snapping a photograph of her license plate because she is
scared of him.

Police arrested Khodaverdian on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

Los Angeles Times, 202 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California, 90012 |
Copyright 2011

From: Baghdasarian

PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

UNDP and Yerevan Municipality Joined Efforts to Make Yerevan a Better
Place to Live, Work and Invest

Yerevan, July, 2011 – Yerevan is endowed with rich natural, historical
and cultural monuments. The maintenance and preservation of Yerevan’s
cultural and historical heritage is under the responsibility of
Municipality of Yerevan, including the urban development as a whole –
construction, major and current repair of residential, non-residential
premises, public utilities and other objects of social importance.

The cultural and historical patrimony in the capital, however, has
suffered general disregard and negligence due to insufficient
investments by public and private owners. The lack of sufficient
funding resulted in an advanced state of deterioration of important
urban economic and social infrastructure. Unattractive city
environment, together with poor condition of historical and cultural
landmarks, can be serious obstacles to community development and
investment flow.

Needless to say that the improved image of Yerevan city will
contribute to making it more attractive place to live, work and
invest. The combined results will translate into a more conducive
environment for economic growth and improved quality of life for
citizens as a whole. Today, Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident
Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia and Karen
Karapetyan, the Mayor of Yerevan signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to launch the “Beautiful Yerevan” project aimed at regenerating
of the urban environment in Yerevan and formulating and implementing
more efficient social policies that will contribute to improved
employability of disadvantaged groups. The initiative will pursue the
rejuvenation of the heart of Yerevan through interventions in
refurbishing and painting of buildings, repairing of streets and
sidewalks, recuperating of green areas and repairing and renovation of
urban furniture. Moreover, the project will address the increasing
unemployment caused by the sharp decline in the construction sector in
Armenia and Yerevan, in particular. Therefore, UNDP and the
Municipality of Yerevan will seek to provide temporary relief to the
unemployed persons in the capital, through training and job placing of
the semi-skilled labour aiming of their later incorporation in the
private sector.

“UNDP in Armenia is well positioned to contribute to the success of
the joint project, given its long standing and significant experience
in the area of community development and employment generation through
urban revitalization. Together with our partner – Yerevan Municipality
– we will combine our expertise and efforts to revive the spirit of
Yerevan, promote an active partnership of the private and public
sectors in a joint enterprise aimed at beautification of Yerevan,”
said Dafina Gercheva, UN RC/UNDP RR.

###
UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and
connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help
people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries,
working with them on their own solutions to global and national
development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on
the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. UNDP in Armenia was
established in 1993 and supports the Government of Armenia to reach
its own development priorities and the Millennium Development Goals by
2015.

From: Baghdasarian

CONCERT SOS RACISME LE 14 JUILLET A PARIS

Source/Lien : SOS Racisme
Publie le : 13-07-2011

Info Collectif VAN – – Pour la première fois
depuis près de 20 ans, SOS Racisme renoue avec la tradition des grands
concerts de plein air. Cet evènement aura lieu le 14 juillet au Champ
de Mars. Il vise a reunir tous ceux qui, face a une ambiance lourde,
faite de liberation de la parole raciste et de la stigmatisation de
plus en plus decomplexee de fractions croissantes de la population,
sont attaches au vivre-ensemble et refusent de voir se construire
une societe de la haine de l’autre, de la mefiance, de la peur
et de l’aigreur. Le Collectif VAN [Vigilance Armenienne contre le
Negationnisme] tiendra un stand au sein du Village Associatif de
SOS Racisme, sur le Champ de Mars a Paris, a partir de 14h le 14
juillet 2011.

SOS Racisme

Le Concert pour l’egalite, le 14 juillet, sur le Champ de Mars a
Paris !

Pour la première fois depuis près de 20 ans, SOS Racisme renoue avec
la tradition des grands concerts de plein air !

Cet evènement aura lieu ce 14 juillet au Champ de Mars. Il vise a
reunir tous ceux qui, face a une ambiance lourde, faite de liberation
de la parole raciste et de la stigmatisation de plus en plus
decomplexee de fractions croissantes de la population, sont attaches
au vivre-ensemble et refusent de voir se construire une societe de
la haine de l’autre, de la mefiance, de la peur et de l’aigreur.

Ces dernières annees ont en effet ete marquees par une offensive
qu’il est temps de stopper : l’offensive de tous ceux qui, face a
leurs angoisses ou a leur cynisme, ont cru que le temps etait venu
de detricoter les conditions du vivre-ensemble et de pilonner les
principes de l’humanisme le plus elementaire.

Ce concert est fait pour tous ceux qui pensent que les enfants
d’immigres sont des Francais a part entière, que la femme est
l’egale de l’Homme, que les pauvres ne sont pas des parasites, que
les homosexuels ne sont pas des deviants et que les jeunes ne sont
pas synonymes de racailles ou de branleurs mais qu’ils sont l’avenir
de notre pays.

Les citoyens que nous appelons a participer a ce concert sont donc
l’immense majorite de la population de notre pays. Nous en ferons la
preuve lors de ce concert qui montrera, aussi bien par la composition
de la scène artistique que du public, que notre ideal n’est pas une
utopie mais d’ores et deja les premisses d’une France qui presentera
la son plus beau visage : celui d’un pays metisse, ouvert et genereux.

La date du 14 juillet a ete choisie a dessein car, ce qui se pose
a nous est bien la question de l’egalite, valeur republicaine par
excellence. Face aux inegalites de fait et face a ceux qui voudraient
inferioriser et marginaliser toute une partie de la population, c’est
le flambeau de l’egalite que nous porterons a cette occasion. Une
egalite en droit ou en dignite qui doit, dans le cadre des echeances
electorales a venir, etre la boussole de tous ceux qui voudront
incarner en tant qu’elus la Republique.

Pourtant, cela n’est pas gagne : affaiblissement du cordon sanitaire
autour du Front national, lepenisation des esprits dans les sphères
politique et mediatique,… C’est le parti de la haine aujourd’hui
incarne par Marine Le Pen qui semble trop souvent donner le ” la ”
aux debats qui se posent a notre societe, en se cachant derrière une
vulgate republicaine qui ne devrait pourtant pas faire illusion !

Il y a donc urgence ! Il s’agit alors, ici et maintenant, de se
reapproprier la Republique, ses symboles et ses valeurs !

Cette reappropriation citoyenne est honnie par celles et ceux
qui reveraient de sortir de la citoyennete les populations jugees
illegitimes a vivre sur notre territoire ou a donner leurs avis. Pour
notre part, fidèles a l’ideal de l’egalite, nous ~uvrons pour que
chacun soit citoyen a part entière et soit considere a egale dignite.

Car n’oublions pas que ” la France, c’est nous ! ”

Programme du 14 juillet au Champ de Mars par SOS Racisme :

Concert pour l’egalite (gratuit) :

a partir de 17h, avec :

Julian Perretta, Raggasonic, Benabar, William Balde, Grace, Yannick
Noah, Neg’Marrons, HK & les Saltimbanks, Youssoupha, Nolwenn Leroy,
Soprano, Michel Delpech, Gregoire, Judith, Irma, Joyce Jonathan, Shy’m,
Pascal Obispo, Kassav’, Sherifa Luna, Abd Al Malik, Wallen, Idir…

Et beaucoup de surprises a venir…

Village associatif (avec plus de 60 associations), debats et
animations :

a partir de 14h

Lire aussi :

Le site du Concert :

From: Baghdasarian