Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

TRANSPARENCY DEMAND AT DINK TRIAL

BBC NEWS
7240773.stm
2008/02/12 12:49:24 GMT

Turkish and European lawmakers have called for transparency in the
trial of 19 people accused of murdering Turkish- Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink in 2007.

A statement by eight MPs, as well as lawyers and academics, demands
a full investigation into claims that security officials colluded in
Mr Dink’s murder.

The statement came as a court in Istanbul convened for the third
hearing in the case that shocked the nation.

Among the 19 defendants is a teenager accused of carrying out the
killing.

The trial, which began in July, is being held behind closed doors
because the alleged gunman, Ogun Samast, is 17 years old.

Mr Dink campaigned for his country to confront the mass killings of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I.

‘Ultimate test’

Dozens of riot police were on duty as the latest court hearing in
the murder of one of Turkey’s most prominent journalists resumed on
Monday, the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says.

It’s clear that police officers and security services knew about these
plans of these guys but they didn’t act Joost Lagendijk, Dutch MEP

Outside the court, supporters read the statement signed by the MPs
and lawyers who believed the real forces behind Mr Dink’s killing
were still at large.

They demanded a full investigation into evidence that security
officials colluded in his murder, calling that the ultimate test of
Turkey’s democracy and the rule of law.

"It’s clear that police officers and security services knew about these
plans of these guys but they didn’t act," Dutch MEP Joost Lagendijk,
who was present in the courtroom, told the BBC.

"Or some of them were probably actively involved in making the
planning. All of these things should be dealt with in this court case,
and if it doesn’t happen it will leave a very dirty stain on Turkey’s
image," Mr Lagendijk said.

He also called on Turkey to move quickly to amend the controversial
Article 301 of the penal code on insulting Turkishness.

Many believe Mr Dink’s trial on this charge singled him out as a
target for nationalists, our correspondent says.

Mr Dink’s supporters also hope that last month’s arrest of a suspected
ultra-nationalist gang with alleged links to the security forces
might help uncover those who plotted to kill the journalist, she adds.
From: Baghdasarian

KAREKIN II CONGRATULATES NEW HEAD OF GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

ARMENPRESS
Feb 11, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS: Catholicos Karekin II, head of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, has sent a letter of congratulations to
Ieronymous of Thebes, who was elected a new leader of the Orthodox
Greek Church to replace the late Archbishop Christodoulos.

Ieronymous was elected after two rounds of voting winning 45 out of
74 votes from the Church’s Holy Synod. About 97 percent of native-born
Greeks are Orthodox.

"We look forward to continuing, under your leadership and with your
support, a close cooperation with the Church of Greece in serving
the cause of Christian unity, in responding to the manifold human
needs of our times, in dealing with the challenges addressed to the
churches by the contemporary world," Karekin II wrote in his message.
From: Baghdasarian

VAZGEN MANUKYAN PROMISES TO CUT THE PROFIT TAX

armradio.am
11.02.2008 14:38

Armenian presidential candidate, leader of the National-Democratic
Union (NDU) Vazgen Manukian stated in Yerevan today that in case he is
elected, he will cut down the rate for profit tax from the present 20%
to 15%.

"We understand that in a short-term perspective this will have negative
influence on the budget proceeds. However, in a year we will witness
more intensive economic growth," Vazgen Manukian stated, presenting
his economic program.

The candidate also noted that it is necessary to cancel the present
order of collection of teh value-added tax on the border from products,
which have not been realized yet.

asked about the struggle against shadow economy, Vazgen Manukian noted
that "the peculiarity of the shadow sector of Armenia, which makes,
according to certain data, up to 50% from the GDP, is its interlocking
with authority structures, and against this very phenomenon it is
necessary to struggle in the first place."
From: Baghdasarian

AZERI MPS DON’T MIND MEETING ARMENIAN COUNTERPARTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.02.2008 13:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri MPs do not have anything against a joint
PACE conference with Armenian counterparts, head of the Azerbaijani
delegation to PACE Samed Seyidov said. "We do not mind a meeting with
Armenian colleagues, as it was proposed by Lord Russell-Johnston. On
the contrary, we do welcome the initiative. However, the talks
should focus on resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict but
not on improvement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,"
Mr Seyidov said, ANS-PRESS reports.

Earlier, chairs of the Azeri parliamentary committees declined Lord
Russell-Johnston’s proposal.
From: Baghdasarian

NY Hyortik AYF Chapter
69-23 47th Ave.
Woodside, NY 11377
(718) 651-1530
February 7, 2008

For Immediate Release
Feeling the Spirit, Reading the Words of Hampig Sassounian

NEW YORK–On February 3, the New York Hyortik Armenian Youth Federation
(AYF) chapter connected with ideas and a spirit whose body is trapped. The
chapter read a letter from political prisoner Hampig Sassounian, in response
to a Christmas and New Years card they had sent him. During this past
holiday season, the chapter prepared Christmas cards, distributing them to
family, friends, community organizations and regional bodies. However after
learning the story of Sassounian’s incarceration, some members decided it
was important to show him that he is still remembered.

In the letter, Sassounian tells members to "remain active and unrelenting,
like bees, in our pursuit of justice for the Armenian Cause." He goes on to
say that he follows the developments in Armenia and the diaspora and advises
the group that they visit Armenia and help it prosper. Finally he notes that
the AYF must work with other organizations to achieve these goals.

Along with Sassounian there currently are three Armenian political prisoners
still incarcerated in Canada. These men chose to serve the idea of the
nation without having visited the homeland; it was only a place for them to
sense, feel and hear about. Despite this, they gave up everything in order
to bring the Armenian Cause to the forefront of political minds, to show
that Armenians would no longer stand to have their rights pushed aside.

In 1982 Sassounian was accused of being a gunman used to assassinate Turkish
Consul General Kemal Arikan in Los Angeles. Although pleading not guilty,
the Court convicted him of first-degree murder and sentenced him to life in
prison, a decision that was later changed to 25 years to life. Even though
the case has been revisited, the sentence has not been overturned until this
day.

"I was overwhelmed with emotion when I heard the words of the 25-year
political prisoner," said Hyortik member Toros Asadourian.

To write to Hampig Sassounian, send letters to:

Hampig Sassounian
CDCR#: C-88440; Cell #: 1167
California Men’s Colony State Prison
P.O. Box 8101
San Luis Obispo, CA 93409-8101
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN POLITICIAN SLAMS OPPOSITION’S "SMEAR CAMPAIGN" AGAINST PREMIER

Hayots Ashkharh
Jan 18 2008
Armenia

"There will be more crying during the election campaign"

The servants of [Armenian ex-President and presidential candidate]
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s propaganda guided by smear campaign continue
their disinformation against the candidate from the [ruling] Republican
Party of Armenia [RPA], Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. In response to
our questions, the deputy head of the [Sargsyan] election headquarters
and deputy chairman of the RPA’s board, Galust Sahakyan, speaks about
new products of "creative thought" by propagandists.

[Correspondent] Is it true that evaluating the election campaign,
which has not started yet, and discovering that by their activity
they harm Serzh Sargsyan’s rating, the Republicans have decided to
be less involved in the electioneering in the media?

[Sahakyan] I do not think that there is a sense to have objections
against such senseless "news". Some of our opposition figures have a
syndrome of fear and themselves know very well that their candidate
has no chance of winning [election] using civilized methods of
struggle. That’s why, they try to talk in the language of "fists",
false information and insults.

All our actions are coordinated and we have no problem of going ahead
and campaigning for our candidate.

[Correspondent] "Fresh" information appeared in the mentioned press
that the authorities have been conducting "illegal propaganda" in
favour of Serzh Sargsyan. What would you say about this?

[Sahakyan] I will say the following. Parties are engaged in propaganda,
a party exists for presenting its points of view, its approaches
regarding various issues or a phenomenon, regardless whether elections
are taking place or not. [Passage omitted: Sahakyan speaks about a
provision in Armenia’s Electoral Code banning electioneering before
the official start of election campaign]

They [opposition] are the ones who were the first to violate the
Electoral Code – by staging rallies [presumably means the rallies
organized by supporters of Ter-Petrosyan], disseminating DVDs
[containing the video of the attack in the Armenian Parliament on 27
October 1999], which obviously contain elements of a smear campaign.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA TO COMPETE WITH BELARUS

A1+
04 February, 2008

The Armenian national football team will compete with Belarus at the
Malta International Football Tournament-2008.

To remind, on February 2 the Armenian team led by new coach Jan
Poulsen defeated the team of Malta 1.0 and Belarus beat Iceland 2:0.

Presently, the Belarusian team is trained by German Bernt Shtangen. The
latter said that he learnt about the Armenian team only during the
qualifiers.

Armenia and Belarus have held two meetings. In 2000 Belarus
won over Armenia 2.1 during the try-outs of the World Football
Championship-2002. The return match, held in Yerevan, 2001, ended in
a draw.
From: Baghdasarian

AZERI PRESSURE GROUP IN USA CRITICAL OF CANDIDATE OBAMA’S "PRO-ARMENIAN STANCE"

EKHO
Jan 29 2008
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani community of the USA has criticized presidential
candidate Barack Obama for what it called statementsagainst Azerbaijan
and Turkey, the Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho has said. Ekho said that two
letters criticizing Obama have been posted on the website USAzeris.org.

The paper quoted the first letter as saying that "Obama’s statement
insults all Azerbaijani Americans andTurkish Americans, as well as
the US allies of Azerbaijan and Turkey. Obama’s comments reveal his
inexperience and poor judgement, along with unprofessionalism of his
foreign and domestic ethnic policy campaign advisors".

Ekho said that the second letter denies Obama’s statements about the
assumed Turkish and Azerbaijani blockadesof Armenia.

In this way, "he throws his support behind Armenia’s aggression,
occupation and ethnic cleansing of 16 per cent of Azerbaijan", Ekho
quoted the second letter as saying.

Obama has pledged to recognize the Armenian "genocide". He has also
expressed his support for thedevelopment of Armenian-US security
cooperation and for the strengthening of democracy in Armenia, and
promisedassistance in securing the opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border and a solution to the Karabakh problem acceptable toall sides,
Ekho reported.

Commenting on the campaign in an interview with Ekho, Foreign
Ministry spokesman Xazar Ibrahim said that "theAzerbaijani embassy
in Washington cannot engage in an action of this kind as it is a
diplomatic representative office.As for the position of US politicians
on various issues related to Azerbaijan, they have always been and
are beingclearly informed of Baku’s official standpoint.

Work is under way to inform the US public correctly."

Ekho also quoted political analyst Elxan Nuriyev as saying that
"this campaign will benefit our state and first of all, Azerbaijan’s
national interests".
From: Baghdasarian

YOUSEFIAN DEFIANTLY NOMINATES 2
By Jason Wells

Glendale News Press
Jan 31 2008
CA

After first saying he wouldn’t participate, councilman makes
controversial Design Review Board picks.

CITY HALL – A revamp of the city’s two Design Review boards was put
back on the track to contention Tuesday when Councilman Bob Yousefian
reversed an earlier decision to abstain from nominating members,
instead suggesting to reinstate two of the most controversial board
members to have served recently.

Yousefian nominated Design Review Board No. 2 member Michael James –
who in November weathered calls for his resignation after admonishing
opponents of a residential project for living too far away to be
involved in its review – after calling the process a "sham" and a
"slap in the face" to current members on Friday.

"I wasn’t going to play, but if you want me to play, fine," Yousefian
told his colleagues on Tuesday.

His other nomination – former Design Review Board No. 1 Chairman
Vartan Gharpetian – was not reappointed to his seat on Nov. 27 amid
mounting public pressure from homeowners associations and residents
over his co-management of a private-property owners association.

Yousefian’s choices drew a critical – and confused – response from the
public and his colleagues on Wednesday, with Councilman John Drayman
calling the move a "thumb in the collective eyes of the council and
process." advertisement

"Clearly a number of people are not going to support Vartan or James,"
Drayman said. "I think he has chosen two nominees that he knows are
controversial, and I think it will go on from there."

Some of Gharpetian’s most vocal detractors in November reacted to
his re-nomination on Tuesday with disbelief and frustration, saying
Yousefian appeared more concerned with stirring the pot with his two
choices than paying attention to the outcome.

"Yousefian certainly played his hand by nominating these two
controversial people," said Michael Teahan, president of the Adams
Hills Homeowners Assn. "It’s in your face. It’s because he wants to
make a statement."

Yousefian defended his nominees Wednesday as misunderstood,
hard-working volunteers who are more than qualified for the job.

"All these people who serve on the [Design Review boards] currently,
these are good people," Yousefian said.

Reconstituting the two Design Review boards is part of a two-track
overhaul of the review process for single-family homes. The Planning
Commission on Feb. 20 is scheduled to hear a host of amendments that
would include giving staff members more input early on and curtailing
the authority of review board members to "redesign" projects.

All 10 nominations for the two boards – two from each council member
– to reconstitute the Design Review boards will come back next week
for a confirmation vote among the full council.

Of the current nine members, seven were re-nominated and two – Design
Review Board No. 1 Chairman Hamlet Zohrabians and Design Review Board
No. 2 member Robert Carnahan – will be replaced. The 10th seat is
vacant and will be filled through this process. Until Tuesday, it
had been generally assumed that City Council members would confirm
the nominations of their colleagues since, through the power of sole
nomination, the performance of any given commissioner will be tied
more closely with his or her nominator.

But with two controversial nominees on the table, and Councilman
Frank Quintero nominating Ivan Insua – who resigned early last year
from Design Review Board No. 2 after it was discovered he had failed
to obtain the proper building permits for a carport in his yard –
a smooth confirmation vote with little debate is less likely, some
on the council said.

Gharpetian will likely have to contend with lingering accusations
that his co-founding and management of the Glendale Property Owners
Assn. LLC presents a conflict of interest as someone who sits on a
board that has the power to usher multimillion-dollar residential
and commercial projects through the development pipeline.

His association took heavy criticism in November for door hangers left
on homes throughout Glendale urging residents to sign up on their
website to help "save" the Brand Library, even though millions had
already been allocated to restoration projects and library officials
had not been contacted for the campaign.

"It’s shocking that a discredited former [Design Review Board]
member would now be nominated . . . not to mention being
publicly chastised by council for perceived conflict of interest,"
said Arlene Vidor, president of the Glendale Historical Society.

When Gharpetian addressed the council to defend the association as
a benign information service for its members about proposed code
changes, several on the council didn’t buy it and chided him and his
organization for their secrecy.

To date, none of the association’s board members has come forward,
and Gharpetian has refused to reveal their identities.

But Yousefian said any effort to prevent city volunteers from
participating in other organizations bordered on infringing upon
civil rights.

"I just have major issues with that," he said.

As for James, the embattled Design Review Board member and landscape
architect can expect a warning, Yousefian said.

"I will talk to him about losing his cool, and he shouldn’t have,"
Yousefian said. "Nevertheless, you want someone who understands
landscaping."

Still, the whole point of reconstituting the two boards was also to
start fresh, said Peter Fuad, president of the Northwest Glendale
Homeowners Assn. – something the rest of the council should keep in
mind next week when voting on the nominations.

"Councilmen need to be accountable for their choice, but I don’t
think the rest of the council should adjudicate their role," he said.
From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY HAD TO SEND 100,000 TROOPS TO IRAQ BORDER TO GET US ATTENTION-PARTY CHIEF

Anatolia News Agency
Jan 31 2008
Turkey

WASHINGTON, D.C. (A.A) -Suat Kiniklioglu, a deputy of the Justice and
Development (AK) Party, said Wednesday that "if the Armenian resolution
had been adopted in the US Congress and Turkey had entered Iraq to
eradicate terrorist PKK organization, there would have been immense
damage to strategic relations between Turkey and the United States."

Speaking on Turkish-American relations at the Rumi Forum in Washington,
D.C., Kiniklioglu stressed that "Turkey had to send 100,000 troops
to the Iraqi border in order to get the attention of US"

"Intelligence sharing by the US contributed to bilateral relations
after the visit paid by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
to Washington, D.C. on November 5th, 2007," Kiniklioglu remarked.

"Rational decisions made by the US and results gained after the
intelligence sharing contributed to positive feelings of Turks towards
the United States. The anti-American sentiments in Turkey were not
caused by the culture of the US but by its policies," Kiniklioglu said.

Asked about the end of a ban prohibiting girls from wearing headscarves
in Turkish universities, Kiniklioglu emphasized that "the issue of
headscarf is a personal one and a right of girls."
From: Baghdasarian