Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

GRANDSON OF CEMAL PASA URGES TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BEFORE ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY

by Nana Martirosyan

ARMINFO
Thursday, November 14, 21:25

In an interview to T24 TV, Turkish journalist Hasan Cemal urged Turkey
to recognize the Armenian Genocide before its 100th anniversary.

Grandson of Cemal Pasa (or Djemal Pasha – one of the perpetrators of
the Armenian Genocide), Hasan Cemal told the channel a lot of stories
about the Genocide and its victims.

He said that the house his family lived in was actually the house of
an Armenian family killed during the Genocide.

From: Baghdasarian

EXPERT BLOG: TURKEY PLANS ‘BIG GAME’

Friday,
November
15

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in an interview with
Turkish NTV Company that “it is necessary to overcome Armenia’s
distrust of us, but in order to start a new stage, we cannot but take
into account Azerbaijan’s just demands”.

Ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Turkey plans
a’ big game’, through which it hopes to neutralize the strong pressure
it expects, especially in 2015. Turkey spends quite large sums with
this aim and does not conceal that.

Although Turkey tries to demonstrate, especially in the recent period,
that it makes efforts to find ways of normalizing Armenian-Turkish
relations, it is obvious in all cases its statements and ‘semi-steps’
are part of the plans being carried out ahead of 2015.

As regards the ‘distrust’, it was an important admission since
the problem of lack of trust is one of the main obstacles to the
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the continuation
of the launched but incomplete talks. And the deficit of trust is
noticeable in both Armenian-Turkish relations and Turkey’s relations
with the countries which were directly or indirectly involved in the
process launched in 2009.

To restore the lost trust and make the process active, Turkey should
first of all prove that the ‘sincerity’ is not conditioned by the
steps that the Armenians plan to take ahead of the 100th anniversary
of the Genocide , while Azerbaijan is isolated from the process or
its influence on Turkey is reduced to a minimum. It will be quite
difficult to do it, against the background of the current as well as
expected developments.

If Turkey really wants to normalize its relations with Armenia and
restore trust, it can open the Armenian-Turkish border as the first
step and also stop its steps on supporting Azerbaijan’s destructive
policy on the Karabakh conflict.

TODAY, 19:06

Aysor.am

From: Baghdasarian

AL BANO: “I WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THE CONFLICT WHEN I VISITED NAGORNO KARABAKH”

APA, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2013

[ 14 November 2013 13:56 ]

Baku – APA. “I am just a singer, not a politician. I was told about
this problem (Karabakh).

There are such kinds of problems in many countries around the world. I
believe in peace, love all the people around the world. I think
that intelligent people would understand me,” said Albano Carrisi,
whose concert is planned in Baku on December 18, in his interview to
“Vest.az”. He said that he was completely unaware of the conflict when
he visited Nagorno Karabakh: “I’m sorry for it. I am a peace-loving
man, I enjoy it when people live in peace. I don’t want to go into
the details of the problem. I hope that everything will be resolved
in the best way for all of us.”

Al Bano noted that he was also unaware of being declared as a persona
non grata in Azerbaijan. Then he appealed to Azerbaijani Embassy in
Italy and the problem was solved: “I will perform for the Azerbaijani
audience with great pleasure. See you on December 18!”

From: Baghdasarian

AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

The Economist
Nov 14 2013

Nov 14th 2013, 11:35 by G.E. | TBILISI

THE results of presidential elections in Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan in 2013 provided few surprises. Giorgi Margvelashvili, the
candidate of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream party,
won his first term as president on October 27th; Serzh Sarkisian won a
second term in Armenia on February 18th; and Ilham Aliyev swept to his
third consecutive term in Azerbaijan on October 9th. Yet the elections
themselves revealed much about the state of democracy in each country.

The good news is that external monitors described “efficiently
administered, transparent” elections in Georgia that “took place in
an” amicable and constructive environment”. “Georgia’s democracy is
maturing”, concluded the head of one observer mission.

Yet recent constitutional reforms mean that the position of president
is now less important than that of prime minister. Because Mr
Ivanishvili is stepping down from power in the coming weeks, he
announced on November 2nd that the next prime minister (subject
to parliamentary confirmation) would be the 31-year-old Irakli
Garibashvili, the interior minister, who is one of his long-time
employees.

Mr Ivanishvili says he will take a back-seat once retired from office
and focus on developing civil society. He denies that he will pull
the government’s strings from behind the scenes. Many doubt this. The
uncharismatic new president and future prime minister owe their
entire political careers to Mr Ivanishvili. Georgia’s new political
kingmaker is also the country’s most generous philanthropist and
largest individual investor: that leaves too much power in the
hands of one man. Observers also fear that the possible arrest of
the outgoing president, Mikheil Saakashvili, would discourage future
leaders from stepping down when their terms expire, and damage the
country’s European aspirations.

With one candidate shot shortly before election day, and another
going on hunger strike in protest of the results, Armenia’s election
provided plenty of drama. Several influential opposition groups chose
not to participate, citing the likelihood of fraud by the ruling party,
the Republic Party of Armenia. External monitors noted a suspicious
“correlation between very high turnout and the number of votes for
the incumbent”. Opposition activists alleged ballot-box stuffing,
voter bribes and other shortcomings.

With the ruling party’s victories in the parliamentary election in 2012
and the Yerevan mayoral election in May this year, its dominance has
inspired more apathy than rage. Opposition protests at the results
of the presidential election petered out and there was no repetition
of the violence and loss of life that occurred when the authorities
dispersed protesters after the presidential election in 2008. Public
discontent continues, as demonstrations last week and over the summer
showed. But confronted with mass unemployment, corruption, and an
unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh at home, many Armenians
prefer to vote with their feet and emigrate.

Azerbaijan’s presidential election on October 9th provided even more
reasons for concern. In the pre-election period there was evidence of
a systematic crackdown on government critics. Monitors from the Office
for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), part of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), identified
“serious problems” at all stages of election day, particularly
vote-counting (where elections can be most easily falsified).

America’s State Department sounded a similar warning note. Local
journalists and observers posted videos of election abuse on YouTube.

Yet astonishingly, 49 other election monitoring outfits gave the vote
a clean bill of health.

The question is who can be trusted. As a new report from the European
Stability Initiative (ESI) points out, ODIHR’s transparent methodology,
mandate and resources give it credibility. 319 ODIHR monitors observed
more than one-fifth of the country’s polling stations, and oversaw
counting in over three-quarters of the election commissions. Yet the
other monitoring bodies disregarded its findings.

Those outfits need closer scrutiny. A large delegation from the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) also monitored the vote. Yet
CIS monitors have a history of endorsing controversial elections in
its member states, which include Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, a number of
European bodies, including the European Parliament, sent much smaller
delegations that lacked a systematic methodology. Some challenged
ODIHR’s competence on the absurd grounds that only professional
politicians can know how elections work. Senior ODIHR staff claim
their critics are whitewashing electoral fraud.

Azerbaijan has a history of trying to seduce reputable foreign bodies
to give international legitimacy to its repressive behaviour at home.

Some notable exceptions aside, too few of them have been pushing the
regime in Baku to change its ways.

From: Baghdasarian

MKHITARYAN EXPLAINS ENGLAND SNUB

Soccer-Laduma, South Africa
Nov 14 2013

14 November 2013

Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan has explained his reasons for
joining Borussia Dortmund instead of a host of other European clubs
who were keen on signing him including Liverpool.

Mkhitaryan has admitted to being a fan of Jurgen Klopp’s side since
facing them with former club Shakhtar Donetsk and also the beaten
finalists’ style of play.

“Since we played with Shakhtar in the Champions League against BVB
I’ve watched all Dortmund games on TV,” Mkhitaryan said.

“BVB have not only played fantastic football, but football that
suits me. I thought this was a team where I can grow and develop,”
the attacking midfielder added.

The playmaker then added that he just wants to play football regularly
and that is his motivation and not the big money that comes with
the territory.

“I have come to Dortmund to and not to sit on the bench as might
initially have been the case in England.”

“Money is not so important in football. There’s only room for
football. I live football, think football, feel football and if I play
well, the money comes anyway,” concluded the Armenian international.

From: Baghdasarian

GUEST COLUMN: LET’S TALK ABOUT BIGOTRY IN GLENDALE

Glendale News Press, CA
Nov 14 2013

By William Bairamian

November 14, 2013 | 12:30 p.m.

Ever since Councilman Zareh Sinanyan admitted to making racist
comments, there has been a chorus of individuals at the ready to remind
us of his transgression. The latest, Grey James, in calling Sinanyan
a “confessed racist,” has implored the City Council to propagate
an anti-hate proclamation. His comments need some Glendale history
for context.

James says that Glendale supports hate speech and he’s right, though
perhaps not in the way that he thought. Armenophobia – fear or dislike
of, or racism against Armenians – has been part of the lives of
Armenians in this city for decades. It ranges from blatant to thinly
veiled to underhanded and is generally ignored or declared a non-issue.

In politics, there was first the vilely anti-Armenian mailer sent
during Councilman Frank Quintero’s State Assembly run against Paul
Krekorian.

Before and after that nadir, the City Council passed ordinances banning
outdoor barbecues and new banquet halls, measures overwhelmingly
affecting Armenian-owned businesses.

Then the Council decided to toy with the handling of absentee ballots,
the most-used voting method for Armenian-Americans in the city.

Although questions about racial motivations were deflected by the
council, the impression about absentee voting among non-Armenians was
summed up by one prominent Glendale real estate agent who wrote in an
email to supporters during a recent election cycle, “Maybe certain
special interest groups, groups that win by absentee ballots, may
not want you to go to the polls [.]?”

In an eerily similar message, disgraced former mayor John Drayman,
during his unsuccessful 2011 reelection bid, in an ad in another
newspaper, wrote, “…some are hoping that you won’t vote; protect
your interests; vote local.” His main non-incumbent challenger was
Rafi Manoukian, an Armenian-American.

Who were Drayman and the real estate agent talking about?

No questions, no explanations, no calls for anti-hate proclamations.

These seeming recurrent coincidences ascribed to nothing but
happenstance, if anything at all.

And mercy upon you if you suggest that Armenophobia has been the
impetus for anything that has negatively impacted the Armenian
community. You are ignored, mocked, or flatly dismissed.

There is more.

Glendale has been atrocious in attracting police officers and
firefighters of Armenian descent in a city where almost 50% of
the population, officially, is of that group. Besides less than 10
Armenian-American firefighters and a pending lawsuit alleging racism
against Armenian-American police officers, neither department has
much to show.

Where is the outcry?

As for the sentiment in the community, we need not go further than
racist comments that were previously plainly visible in the Glendale
News-Press’ comments sections on its website and Facebook page.

So I agree with James, but where has he been all these years?

Yes, Glendale has a problem with race. Although Sinanyan makes a
convenient villain and scapegoat for the issues of hate, racism, and
xenophobia in our city, James makes the point in his own comments: We
have a confessed racist – but I would rather have one who’s confessed,
and apologized, than one who hasn’t.

If our leaders have been unwilling to show leadership in proactively
addressing overt or covert problems in our city, it is hard to expect
that we might be anywhere but where we are.

Before any other incredulous citizens lambaste Sinanyan’s admittedly
vulgar comments, our community might be better served if we focused
on the hate and racism right here under our noses.

Armenians don’t deserve special treatment, but they do deserve to be
treated fairly and respectfully, like any other citizen.

A proclamation may feel good but if the City Council actually wants to
address the issues of race and hate within Glendale, it should stop
pussyfooting, get its hands dirty, and get to work. And it might do
well to start with some introspection.

,0,4440307.story

From: Baghdasarian

CLEARY AND JOYCE ADD TO IMPRESSIVE MEDAL HAUL

BOXING BERNARD O’NEILL – 14 NOVEMBER 2013

GALWAY’S Frankie Cleary and Kildare’s John Joyce guaranteed Ireland at
least two bronze medals at the 26-nation European Junior Championships
in Anapa, Russia.

The Olympic BC and St Michael’s Athy BC fly and light-welter
scored unanimous last-eight decisions over Georgia’s Gagig Pozoyan
andArmenia’s Yurik Darabyan by the banks of the Black Sea.

The wins ensure that Irish boxing has so far claimed 41 medals – 12
gold, 13 silver and 16 bronze – in Men’s and Women’s World and European
Elite, Youth, Junior and Schoolboy competition since June 8 this year.

Cleary will meet Azerbaijan’s Umid Rustamov in tomorrow’s semi-finals,
while 2011 European Schoolboy champion Joyce boxes Hungary’s Mark
Kontrecz.

Liam Callaghan was also in action yesterday, but the Cardonagh BC pin
weight lost out on a unanimous decision to Georgia’s Giorgia Chargazia.

Cork’s Oliver McCarthy, Dublin’s Martin Stokes and Antrim’s Ger
French will be between the ropes this morning and early afternoon
(Irish time) looking to join Cleary and Joyce in the last four.

“Frankie got caught with a few shots in the first round today, but his
corner put him right at the interval and he responded magnificently,”
said Irish team manager Stephen Connolly.

“We have another three in action on Thursday and fingers crossed we
can get them over the line and among the medals here.”

From: Baghdasarian

THE NIKOL AGHBALYAN STUDENT UNION OF ARMENIA HAND “THE WORST GOVERNMENT CUP” OVER THE GOVERNMENT

by Marianna Lazarian

Thursday, November 14, 21:24

The Nikol Aghbalyan Student Union of Armenia held a protest action
in Yerevan today and a march towards the Government Building.

Holding banners “Stop government” and making demands, the protesters
marched by all the universities in capital city Yerevan. The protest
march sought to raise awareness to the existing socioeconomic problems
in the country.

“Resolve our problems, or we ourselves will start resolving them
and that time you will run away”,- chairman of the Union, Gerasim
Vardanyan, said to the head of the Department of Petitions and
Complaints of the government, Aleksandr Kazaryan. Then they handed
“the worst government cup” over Kazaryan. However, the latter was
trying to abandon that and settle the situation.

The protestors were chanting slogan “Stop government, corruption,
low scholarships and raising of tuition fee!” and demanded justice.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MPS CONCERNED OVER 2014 DRAFT BUDGET

16:53 ~U 14.11.13

Armenia’s parliamentary opposition has voiced its concerns over the
draft state budget proposed for next year.

Speaking at a National Assembly debate on Wednesday, Hrant Bagratyan of
the opposition Armenian National Congress said the clause on budgetary
revenues was almost missing from the document.

“The whole budget contains only six lines about revenues. If there is
any other line, come and say it. You [the authorities] are to blame
for that because that makes the budget a crippled tool. Where do you
see anything about budgetary revenues?” he asked.

Responding to his remark, the chairman of the NA Standing Committee on
Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs expressed his disagreement. “I
haven’t found anything problematic about the [proposed] law. If
you have any problems, I am ready to discuss them with you,” Gagik
Minasyan said.

Commenting on the bill, the opposition MP Alexander Arzumanyan noted
the document had been drafted in completely different political
circumstances. “When it was drafted, the decision on the [Eurasian]
Customs Union membership had not been made yet; hence the data
concerning revenues had not been taken into account. By joining the
Customs Union, we will no longer be able to get what we want to,”
he said.

Artsvik Minasyan of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaksutyun (ARF-D) later asked Koryun Nahapetyan,
a ruling Republican Party lawmaker responsible for the Defense
Ministry’s budgetary expenditures, whether there are any plans or
possibilities for ensuring women’s enlistment in the military.

Nahapetyan, who heads the NA Standing Committee on European
Integration, said that the law in effect does not offer any
opportunities for involve women, as well as the compatriots from the
Diaspora, in the army service. But he promised to address the issue
in the near future.

“I think we will also address the new methods of [army] enrichment.

There have been debates in different formats, as well as a working
meeting devoted particularly to the Diaspora-Armenians’ enlistment
issue, so I believe there will be new approaches,” he answered.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

PUTIN URGED ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO CUSTOMS UNION WITH KGB DOSSIER: UKRAINIAN MP

11.14.2013 01:43 epress.am

“Russian President Vladimir Putin during the last negotiations
sat around the table, smiled, pulled out a dossier from the KGB
archives from under the table, and said to Ukrainian President
Viktor Yanukovych: ‘Well what, Viktor Fyodorovich, you’re going to
Europe and all of Ukraine will read this dossier? Or will Ukraine be
in the Customs Union?’ And a miracle happened: Yanukovych and his
party stopped European integration,” said Ukrainian Batkivshchinya
(All-Ukrainian Union “Fatherland”) party MP Aleksander Bryhynets today,
in conversation with the Russian Regnum news agency.

According to the parliamentary deputy, finding himself in a similar
situation was Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who suddenly abandoned
European integration in favor of the Customs Union. “Why did Yanukovych
drastically change his position after meeting with Putin?

Several months ago, a similar thing happened with Armenia’s president,
when he met with Putin and changed his position,” said Bryhynets.

Earlier, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak
closed the special meeting and said that the three matters relating to
“European integration” that were submitted for consideration are not
ready. “The bill on the possibility of prisoners being treated abroad,
unfortunately, has not been prepared by the parliamentary ad-hoc
working group. The other two initiatives, [the law] on the [general]
prosecution and [the law] on improving the legislation on holding
elections, likewise are not ready. They need so many amendments that
they need to be discussed for months in the committees,” said Rybak.

Adoption of these three laws was the EU’s strict condition for signing
the Association Agreement. At the same time, Prime Minister Mykola
Azarov said that Kiev is moving from the EU to Russia. “Ukraine
cannot refuse to cooperate with Russia, since there is no source of
compensation for the losses incurred by making such a move,” said
Ukraine’s PM.

From: Baghdasarian