Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

RUSSIA TROOPS ‘QUIT GEORGIA BASE’

Story from BBC NEWS:
europe/7095857.stm
Published: 2007/11/15 10:13:41 GMT

Russia says its troops have left their last base in Georgia, removing
a source of friction between the two neighbours.

A final convoy left its base in Batumi, Georgia, and crossed into
Armenia at about 2000 GMT on Wednesday, a senior Russian military
officer said.

So far there has been no confirmation of the move from Georgia.

Russian peacekeepers still remain in Georgia’s breakaway regions
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi wants them to be replaced by
international troops.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has accused Moscow of supporting
separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia – a charge Moscow denies.

Russia says it has no more bases in Georgia. But Georgia says it has
no proof that a base in Gudauta, Abkhazia, has been vacated because
the region is under the control of separatist rebels.

The West has been demanding Russia vacate all its bases in Georgia
and in Moldova before it signs an amended treaty limiting conventional
forces in Europe.

Russia’s parliament earlier this month voted to suspend its compliance
with the treaty, which had been ratified by Moscow.

‘Air raids’

"There are no more Russian troops in Georgia," Gen Alexei Maslov,
commander of Russian ground troops, was quoted as saying by Russian
media.

"There remain only peacekeepers… in Abkhazia, and those that are
part of the combined forces in South Ossetia with the participation
of Georgia," the general added.

Igor Konashenkov, Gen Maslov’s aide, told Russia’s Ria Novosti agency
that the last convoy of troops and equipment left Russia’s base in
Batumi, south-western Georgia, on Wednesday night and later crossed
into Armenia.

Officials in Tbilisi have so far not commented on the reports from
Moscow.

If confirmed, the move comes nearly a year earlier than the agreed
closure of the Soviet-era Batumi base.

Another two Russian military bases in Georgia – at Tbilisi and
Akhakalakai – were shut down in the last two years.

Relations between Russia and Georgia have been deeply strained in
recent months.

Georgia, which seeks a Nato membership, has claimed that Russian
warplanes on several occasions violated its airspace and even dropped
a missile that did not explode.

Moscow denies the accusations, describing Tbilisi’s claims as
provocation.
From: Baghdasarian

LAST SPECIAL TRAIN WITH RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IMPLEMENTS LEFT BATUMI

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.11.2007 14:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The last Russian special train loaded with implements
of the 12th military base left Batumi yesterday night.

The base was officially turned over to Georgia two days ago. The
formal note was signed by Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Batu
Kuteliya and commander of the RF Transcaucasian Armed Forces, major
general Andrey Popov.

According to an agreement achieved beforehand, the Russian troops
were supposed to be withdrawn by the end of 2008. However, given the
tensions between the states, the Russian command exercised withdrawal
at an accelerated pace, Georgia Online reports.
From: Baghdasarian

PRIESTESS ON A HIGH NOTE
By Clive Barnes

New York Post, NY
ent/priestess_on_a_high_note_426114.htm
Nov 14 2007

November 14, 2007 — BELLINI’S "Norma" offers a feast of belcanto
singing that no one even half in love with the sound of the human
voice at full technical pelt and emotional depth can resist.

That is, if it’s well sung. Otherwise, the resistance factor can
reach terrifying heights.

The first Norma I heard was sung by Maria Callas, Adalgisa was Ebbe
Stignani, and the tiny role of the Norma’s confidante, Clotilde,
was sung by an unknown but dangerously noticeable soprano called
Joan Sutherland. That was a "Norma"! Even the curtain calls offered
a night at the opera.

Monday’s first performance this season of "Norma" at the Met didn’t
reach such fantastic heights. It was still pretty good except for
John Copley’s staging, which remains abysmal.

It was first given about six years ago for formidable, full-figured
British soprano Janet Eaglen, which might account for the static
groupings. But it remains unnecessarily stodgy, and the sets and
costumes by John Conklin are a disgrace even to the operatic stage.

The Armenian Hasmik Papian, singing her first Norma here, has an
interesting voice, well-colored dramatically and with a vocal line
that sometimes falters but usually with theatrical purpose.

She made as convincing a Norma as can be made of this Druid high
priestess, who has a secret affair and two (presumably) secret
children with a faithless Roman general – it’s set in Gaul and there
are Gaul-stones everywhere – with the lovers ending up at a funeral
pyre. So much for their eternal burning passion.

Remarkable mezzo Dolora Zajick returned as Adalgisa, a priestess
unfortunate enough to fall for the same Roman general, and her duets
with Papian were exquisitely sung.

American tenor Franco Farina, in good voice, made a decent cad as the
fatal Roman, Pollione, while Vitalij Kowaljow showed off a properly
sonorous bass as Norma’s justifiably bewildered father.

NORMA Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center; (212) 362-6000. Performances
through Dec. 7.
From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI TAKEN PRISONER BY ARMENIAN MILITARY

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. Zarbaliyeva / The Armenian military
has taken prisoner of an Azerbaijani citizen.

The Armenian military captured Masim Binnatov, 33, a resident of
Shikhli village in the Gazakh region of Azerbaijan on 5 November,
the State Commission on Work with Captured and Missing reported.

An Azerbaijani representative of the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) reported that the ICRC Armenian officials had met
with Binnatov.

The State Committee has been investigating the incident. The Committee
undertakes measures to release and return captive prisoners.

Another captive, Samir Mammadov spent his military service in a
Military Unit in the Gazakh District of Azerbaijan bordering Armenia.

He was taken prisoner by Armenians on December 23, 2006, at a distance
of 15 km from his military unit on the border between Gazakh and the
Ijevan District of Armenia. Neither weapons nor ammunition was found
on him. The Azerbaijani soldier has been kept in Yerevan to this date.
From: Baghdasarian

THE DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS THE BASIS OF TURKEY’S EXISTENCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.11.2007 GMT+04:00

Kemal Ataturk was personally familiar with many key plans of the
movement of the Young Turks, but didn’t take part in the upheaval
of 1908, so that later, when the organizers of the Armenian Genocide
were taken into court, Ataturk wasn’t among them.

The founder of modern Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is still
"an inviolable person" in Turkey. In every city there is the
statue to Ataturk, his pictures may be found in all government
institutions. After his party lost its power in 1950, people still
continued worshiping Kemal Ataturk. A law was passed, concerning any
kind of offence towards Ataturk’s picture or any kind of criticism
of his activities or slandering the facts of his biography.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Besides, it is forbidden to carry the surname
Ataturk. The publication of his letters to his wife is forbidden
as well, since it would give the father of the Nation an image of a
"simple" human being. Any doubts about the "purity of the intentions
of the father of the Nation" were subject to criminal liability. Kemal
Ataturk was personally familiar with many key plans of the movement
of the Young Turks, but didn’t take part in the upheaval of 1908,
so that later, when the organizers of the Armenian Genocide were
taken into court, Ataturk wasn’t among them.

Moreover, perhaps he was the only one among the Turkish political
figures who qualified the deportation of the Armenian people as a
"slaughter".

Ataturk simply couldn’t use the term "genocide", because he was
introduced in the international law only in 1948 as a result of
adoption of the UN Convention of Genocide Punishment and Warning

However, let’s suppose that Ataturk qualified the events of 1915-1923
as "slaughter", the official Turkish historiography prefers to call it
"tehjir".

The name of the act "Tehjir Kanunu" is sounds as an act about
resettlement. While describing the events, most often terms
like "tenkil, or "nakletme" are used, which may be translated as
"transportation" or "removal" and terms like "deportation", never
"exile" were never used to qualify those events. But in spite of
this, out of ignorance or out of the desire to make things look more
dramatic, the Armenians and some western authors choose terms like
"exile". Both from historical and philological point of view this
is nothing but an intentional error," says the article covering the
events of 1915 in the site of the Turkish Ministry of Culture.

Yet, referring back to Ataturk who in July 1926 in his interview to
the Swiss journalist Emil Hildebrand mentioned the "slaughter", of
course putting the blame on the Young Turks. It shouldn’t be forgotten
that in 1926 there were still orphanages where thousands of Armenian
children were sheltered, the organizers of the Armenian Genocide
were already starting to feel the revenge of the Armenian avengers
and Ataturk simply couldn’t say anything else. Because of it again in
1926 a group of nationalists with Zia Khurshud at the head intended to
kill Kemal during his visit to Izmir, however the plot was discovered
and the group was arrested, five of them shot. By the way, after being
elected the President of Turkey, Ataturk gave his close fellow-fighters
land and made expensive presents, which as the evidence shows were
of "Armenian origins". However Ataturk was the one to put a taboo on
mentioning the events of the 1915 and gave the Turkish historians the
right of having their own interpretation of these horrifying years. It
was in the constitution written by Ataturk that the notorious Article
301 about "insulting the Turkishness" first appeared. Historian Taner
Aksham, who had to leave Turkey because of this very Article, writes:
"Extermination of a whole nation is the base of Turkey’s existence". In
the light of these details it becomes clear why we have put a taboo on
this issue, which in fact played a very important role in formation
of our national consciousness and state. The fact that the events of
1915 were mass killings wasn’t subject to any discussion. The main
topic of discussion of those times was how to punish the "Turks"
for the slaughter of the Armenian people. The trial was one of the
punishments. Dividing Anatolia was another means of punishment. In
other words, the Western powers closely hid their imperial aims behind
the reality of mass killings of the Armenian people.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his fellow-fighters took this reality; those
who are guilty were to be punished, but they opposed to the allotment
of Anatolia". Mustafa Kemal Ataturk said: "A nation’s case may not be
protected with irresponsibility. A Nation’s case, before becoming a
matter of politics, should become a well-considered ideal. Propaganda
must always lean on positive knowledge. It is necessary to calculate
each movement and to determine the succession of the action."
From: Baghdasarian

SYUNIK REMAINS IMMUNE TO ASF

ARMENPRESS
Nov 14, 2007

KAPAN, NOVEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS; The southern province of Syunik has
been immune so far to a deadly disease, known as African Swine Fever
(ASF) that has killed already thousands of pigs in other parts of
the country and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Edgar Tokhsants, chief of the local food safety and veterinary
department, said although no cases of the disease were registered
the provincial authorities are on the look-out carrying out a set of
preventive measures.

He said pig owners in the province were said to isolate pigs from other
animals and place disinfectants in front of all entrances to pig farms.

Farmers were told also to butcher and sell mature pigs.

Also 10 check points have been installed on the roads by police to
prevent movement of pigs and pork from other regions of the country
and Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to local agricultural authorities, there are now some 5,000
pigs in the province.
From: Baghdasarian

OSCE MONITORING OF AZERI-ARMENIAN FRONTLINE GOES WITHOUT INCIDENTS

Russia & CIS General Newswire
November 6, 2007 Tuesday 4:13 PM MSK

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s monitoring
mission along the demarcation line between the Azeri and Armenian
armed forces, in line with the mandate of the OSCE envoy, proceeded
without incidents, the Azeri Defense Ministry’s press service reported
on Tuesday.

The monitoring on both sides was conducted by the envoy’s field aides
near the village of Aliveili in Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district.
From: Baghdasarian

KARABAKH PROBLEM CAN’T BE RESOLVED WITHOUT STEPANAKERT’S FULL-FLEDGED PARTICIPATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.11.2007 12:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ November 11, Bako Sahakian visited the Permanent
Representation of Armenia to UN to meet with Head of the Mission
Armen Martirossian, reports the Central Information Department of
the NKR President Office

Mr. Martirossian presented the Representation’s activity and recent
processes in UN around the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. The parties
stressed the necessity of close cooperation between the Armenian
diplomatic mission and NKR Permanent Representation in the U.S.

Different issues concerning settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
were discussed. Touching upon the negotiation process, Bako Sahakian
noted the OSCE Minsk Group to be the best framework in that period
for the conflict resolution and emphasized the necessity of NKR
full-fledged participation in the negotiations for a comprehensive
resolution of the problem.

RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the U.S. Tatoul
Margarian also attended the meeting.

The same day, Bako Sahakian met with a group of Armenian businessmen
in New York, headed by Raffi Meghrian. Prospects of various projects
in the NKR, particularly those in the sphere of carpet weaving were
discussed at the meeting. The President highly appreciated Raffi
Meghrian’s contribution to that particular branch and noted that the
NKR authorities would do everything for the carpet weaving development.

Bako Sahakian also met with Leader of the Kilikian Eparchy of Armenian
Apostolic Church, Archbishop Oshakan Choloyan and representatives
of the Armenian community of New York. A number of economic and
political issues were discussed. Oshakan Choloyan called upon the
meeting participants to take an active part in the NKR’s prosperity
and development process and emphasized that the fate of spiritual
and cultural identity of Armenians was being decided in Artsakh.

The same day Bako Sahakian handed over the Gratitude medal to the
family of famous benefactor Sargis Hakobian, who had been awarded
posthumously. The NKR President marked that the nation would always
remember his contribution to the NKR’s development.

On November 12, the NKR delegation headed by President Bako Sahakian
left for Detroit.
From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIA WILL REMAIN INTERESTED IN THE ECONOMY OF KARABAKH?

KarabakhOpen
13-11-2007 18:43:10

"On the whole, I am dissatisfied with investments, and we have great
expectations for improvement. In order to upgrade the economy we need
major investments. Foreign investments are obstructed by the fact
that our republic has not been recognized. Most investments are made
by Diasporan Armenians living in different parts of the world. But
others also make investments. I think Russia will soon start taking
interest in different branches of the economy of Karabakh," Ara
Harutiunyan said.

According to the prime minister, an investor in Nagorno-Karabakh
can be sure that their money will generate profit, and the business
will be mutually profitable. "In NKR businesses are protected by the
government, which tried to reduce the risk to the minimum. We have
great possibilities for investments in agriculture, in processing. A
Russian investor, for instance, may be interested in the production
of canned food and organic vegetables and fruit," Ara Harutiunyan says.

With regard to export, the prime minister says Nagorno-Karabakh may
export alcohol, canned food. "Mining is a leader. Gold and copper
is produced in Drmbon which is exported to Europe. We also export
carpets. But in small amounts. It is necessary to boost the volume
of export," Ara Harutiunyan says.

The prime minister reminded that normal cooperation with the
countries of the region is impossible without the resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "Presently we have no contacts with
Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Azerbaijan continues the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh for many years
now, and tries to hinder contact with the world. But we are ready to
sustain economic ties and partnership with all the countries of the
region," he said.
From: Baghdasarian

WHAT WOULD THE CATHOLICOS SAY?
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 12 2007

It was beyond doubt that a high-ranking official would address the
conference of the Republican Party, not only because this party
mentions God more than once in its program but also because its
leader Serge Sargsyan had defined the dilemma of life after death:
heaven or hell. Therefore, few were surprised when before starting
the conference Serge Sargsyan handed over the chair not only for a
blessing but also for a greeting address to a person whose weapon
is his faith, or whose faith is his weapon as well. This person is
the primate of the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese Archbishop Navasard
Kchoyan. If his taking the chair was unexpected for anyone, it is
because they had expected a higher-ranking participation of the church
in the conference of the Republican Party.

But when Navasard Kchoyan started his address after the blessing,
many perhaps started thinking that a representative of a partner party
was addressing the conference rather than a servant of the Armenian
Apostolic Church. Archbishop Navasard’s speech with its political
saturation almost did not differ, and in parts even outdid the greeting
speeches by the leader of the Bargavach Hayastan Party and the leader
of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliament faction. The difference was that
they did not evoke any apostle, whereas the archbishop evoked Peter,
calling the Republican Party for action. But before Peter, Archbishop
Navasard hinted at Ter-Petrosyan, saying that those who want to weave
future from the past are overwhelmed by their imagination because
the past has passed.

Nobody can say that the archbishop does not have the right to have
an opinion, political sympathy. Archbishop Navasard’s sympathy for
the Republican Party and reluctance for the All-Armenian Movement is
perhaps justified. The archbishop perhaps has every reason for such
feelings, and those are not feelings but a conscious choice rather.

But when he expresses his political sympathy, even if he hides his
message between lines with a diplomatic guile, he already stops being a
father, a servant of the Armenian Apostolic Church, a representative of
an establishment which is above all, every political group, and leads
the Christian Armenians, and turns into a political messenger whose
purpose might be honest, patriotic and far from personal interests,
but he does it at the expense of the authority of the Armenian
Apostolic Church. The church should be the organization, the haven
where the Armenian Christians come together, despite their political
sympathies and antipathies. Moreover, perhaps the church should be the
haven after political disagreement, where everyone becomes one soul.

But when a person, who trusts the All-Armenian Movement honestly and
disinterestedly, hears the high-ranking priest address the conference
of the Republican Party and call for action as long as "time is in
their hands", in other words, when power is in their hands, and has
not been lost irretrievably, he starts thinking whether he deals
with the Armenian Apostolic Church or a regional organization of the
Republican Party. Maybe people who trust the All-Armenian Movement
are ignorant. The father might think so. But even if he does, perhaps
it is his duty to show the way to God to the lost, and to save them
in the name of Christ not in the name of the Republican Party. Maybe
the priest thinks that it is a crucial time for the nation, and the
church must have a clear stance on the national problem and lead the
pasture. In this case, the archbishop may be right. But why does
the same archbishop or other high-ranking priests of the church
fail to utter a word in other important times for the nation when,
for instance, the right of the nation to vote is shortened. Maybe
the church thinks the nation has no right to vote. In this case,
it should speak out. Why does the church fail to speak out when the
pasture undergoes blows of truncheons, tear gas, fire engines and
other punitive things? Or why does the church fail to speak out when
nature created by God is destroyed for some million dollars? Perhaps
they consider these as minor problems. Meanwhile, the 11th conference
of the Republican Party is a history making event. In that case,
maybe it is worthwhile to participate in it in secular clothing.
From: Baghdasarian