Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Iran claims capture of British intelligence agency spy

December 14, 2013 – 16:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Iran says it has captured a spy working for British
intelligence agency MI6 in the south-eastern city of Kerman, BBC News
reports.

The head of Kerman’s revolutionary court said the alleged spy had
admitted being in contact with four British intelligence officers 11
times, both inside and outside the country.

He said the accused was now on trial and had confessed. The
nationality of the alleged spy is not yet known. The UK Foreign Office
said it did not comment on intelligence matters.

Iran regularly claims to have captured spies working for foreign
powers but in most cases the accused is released without charge months
later.

The news comes as Iran and Britain take steps to try to re-establish
diplomatic relations. Britain shut down its embassy in Tehran, the
Iranian capital, in 2011 after it was stormed in a protest over
British nuclear sanctions.

Iran’s envoy to the UK this week made his first visit to London,
during which he met officials at the Foreign Office. The visit
followed a trip to Iran earlier this month by the UK’s new envoy to
the country – the first by a British diplomat for two years.

Non-resident charge d’affaires Ajay Sharma said he had “detailed and
constructive discussions” about the UK’s relationship with Iran. He
also visited the site of the British embassy in Tehran to assess the
damage following the mob attack two years ago.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said relations between the two
countries were improving on a “reciprocal basis”.

Thawing relations between Tehran and the international community have
also seen a temporary deal reached over its nuclear program.

Iran last month agreed to curb some of its nuclear activities in
return for £4.3bn in sanctions relief, after days of talks in Geneva.
The country agreed to give better access to inspectors and halt some
of its work on uranium enrichment for a six-month period.

From: Baghdasarian

Hraparak: West declines to finance Raffi Hovannisian’s research center

10:39 14/12/2013 » DAILY PRESS

The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS)
founded by Raffi Hovannisian may be closed soon due to financial
difficulties, Hraparak daily writes, adding that the reason of it is
Raffi Hovannisian’s failure as a political figure.

ACNIS was founded in 1994 by then-Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian.
Now, the West in fact declines to finance Raffi Hovannisian and his
research center. Hovannisian is currently abroad and is looking for
donors for his center.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

Armenia Thwarted 100th Anniversary

The Turkish foreign minister Davutoglu has announced that the
deportation of 1915 was wrong, noting at the same time that the
Armenian-Turkish relations do not have a past like that of the
German-Jewish relations. On the one hand, Turkey speaks about just
memory, on the other hand, it administers an obvious injustice of
memory. How come that the Armenian-Turkish relations do not have a
past like that of the German-Jewish relations?

The past of the German-Jewish relations is the genocide of the Jews,
the Holocaust. It underlies the German-Jewish relations of the past
few decades. Germany has recognized the genocide of the Jews and has
recently paid out the contribution to Israel.

By saying that deportations of 1915 were wrong Davutoglu denied the
genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Or maybe the Turkish foreign
minister thinks it was wrong to deport, it was necessary to kill them
altogether; later there would be no Armenian Diaspora, and the
Diaspora would not have caused problems for the republic of Turkey.
Perhaps therefore Davutoglu is dissatisfied with deportation.

Despite the economic and cultural progress of the Turkish republic,
Turkey’s flexibility and wiliness in diplomacy are mythical because
they are overly predictable. Turkey is always wily in the same way.
The purpose of Davutoglu’s `just memory’ is crisp and clear. Ankara
has launched a policy that intends to involve the Armenian government
in any negotiation framework ahead of 2015 or at least touch the world
and show how Turkey bothers itself to improve the relations with
Armenians and that there is no need to spoil everything by unnecessary
claims on the Armenian issue.

At this point Ankara needs Moscow’s support. Moscow may use its
influence on the Armenian government to push Yerevan to meet with
Ankara at least. Turkey does not need much, only meetings that bring
nothing. Moscow can ensure that. In return for this Ankara may agree
to the idea of deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh. Ankara
may offer Russia its influence on Baku. This influence is not equal to
Russia’s influence on Yerevan but it should be given a try.

Ankara hopes, of course, that this option will not come true. Turkey
needs to start a process that will last till May 2015. Over this
period Ankara also hopes to start another process, Western
counteraction to the plan of Russian peacekeepers. Ankara is obviously
waiting for the West to try to agree with Ankara to make sure it will
not support the Russian plan. In other words, Turkey expects to start
two parallel processes to rid of the `jubilee’ pressure of the
Armenian issue and, on the other hand, boost tensions between Russia
and the West to benefit from them.

The West, namely the United States is down another road. It is trying
to involve Iran in the game and Europe keeps up with the United
States. Recently the European Parliament has decided to send a
delegation to Tehran to start negotiations. On the other hand, the
West could not discard the idea of reaching an agreement with Ankara.
Simply by involving Iran in the game the West expects that Ankara will
be more interested in reaching an agreement than the West.

Armenia is the middle link. Possibilities are big but there is no
sovereignty. Yerevan has to give up on its `jubilee’ claims,
transforming this process from a political one to a purely cultural
one. In political terms, this process, a popular one a few months ago,
is now something unnecessary and disturbing because Armenia that was
going to hold the lead position has chosen Russia to be its leader.

Therefore, Turkey resorts to the old, beaten wile revealed one
thousand times, knowing very well that though everyone knows it is
clear hypocrisy it will be worn but will work this time thanks to
Armenia’s inadequacy.

Hakob Badalyan
22:15 13/12/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

From: Baghdasarian

COMMUNIQUÉ DE RENAISSANCE ARMENIENNE PARIS
Tract distribué devant l’hôtel intercontinental à l’occasion de la
soirée du 12 décembre

Paris, le 12 décembre 2013

Chère Madame, Cher Monsieur,

Vous vous apprêtez à passer une soirée en l’honneur de la diva
Montserrat Caballé. Vous vous apprêtez, à juste titre, à lui rendre
doublement hommage : à hauteur de son immense talent et aussi pour
l’amitié qu’elle témoigne envers le Karabakh et l’Arménie.

En ce soir d’hommage, en ce soir de fête, permettez-nous d’avoir aussi
une pensée pour un autre artiste. Celui-ci est actuellement incarcéré
en Arménie : il s’agit de l’humoriste Vartan Petrosyan. Qu’est-il
arrivé ? Vartan a été le protagoniste d’un terrible accident qui a
causé la mort de deux jeunes gens et où il a été lui-même très
gravement blessé. Mais Vartan n’est pas responsable de cet accident.
Aucune preuve à ce jour n’a pu justifier son incarcération qui bafoue
la présomption d’innocence et met sa santé en danger.

Ils sont déjà nombreux ceux qui réclament justice pour lui. Certains
d’entre vous ont sans doute déjà signé la pétition demandant sa
libération immédiate.

Ses proches, ses amis, de nombreuses personnes éprises de justice ne
baissent pas les bras, ils continuent de faire front car Vartan a
droit à la justice et il a droit à l’humanité.

Chère Madame, Cher Monsieur, nous vous prions de prendre connaissance
du communiqué ci-dessous, de signer la pétition en faveur de la
libération immédiate de Vartan et d’intervenir en sa faveur par tous
les moyens qui vous sont possibles.

Renaissance arménienne Paris

COMMUNIQUÉ DU 1ER DECEMBRE 2013

Le mouvement Renaissance arménienne joint sa voix à toutes celles qui
se manifestent chaque jour plus nombreuses pour réclamer justice pour
Vartan Petrosyan. Ce n’est pas parce que vous êtes un humoriste de
talent que la tragédie ne vous rattrape pas. Et ce n’est pas parce
qu’il est un humoriste qui n’a peur de rien que Vartan Petrosyan n’a
pas droit à la justice, qu’il n’a pas droit à l’humanité.

Le 20 octobre 2013, il est arrivé, sur une route menant à Erévan, un
terrible accident qui a provoqué la mort de deux jeunes gens dans la
fleur de l’ge et des blessés dont Vartan Petrosyan lui-même, très
gravement atteint. Alors qu’il roulait à 60 km / heure, Vartan a
heurté une voiture qui roulait en marche arrière et le choc a été
terrible. Mais ce n’est pas parce qu’une tragédie s’est produite qu’il
ne faut pas appliquer le droit, à commencer par l’application de la
présomption d’innocence.

Au contraire, c’est bien parce qu’il s’agit d’une tragédie qu’il faut
faire encore plus de lumière sur elle, qu’il faut encore plus de
justice, encore plus d’impartialité, encore plus d’humanité et que
Vartan puisse accéder à des soins adéquats que l’hôpital-pénitencier
d’Erevan est dans l’incapacité de lui prodiguer.

Avec tous ceux qui soutiennent sa juste cause, Renaissance arménienne
demande la levée des mesures de contraintes qui pèsent sur Vartan
Petrosyan. Renaissance arménienne demande la libération immédiate de
Vartan alors qu’à la lumière des faits, aucune charge ne peut être
retenue contre lui. Renaissance arménienne demande justice et la
libération immédiate de Vartan parce que sa vie est en danger. Signez
la pétition :

?ahZIzdb

Contact : 07-81-25-45-98 ; [email protected] : facebook : Renaissance

samedi 14 décembre 2013,
Ara ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Communiqué du Parti Hentchakian
Les évolutions politiques dans les relations Armeno-Turques

Le 30 novembre 2013, le Parti Social Démocrate HENTCHAKIAN a été
convié à Ankara au congrès d’une formation politique turque : le «
Parti des Verts et de la Future Gauche ».

Les deux partis politiques se sont rapprochés à l’occasion de la
Conférence dédiée aux VINGT PENDUS HENTCHAKIAN qui s’est déroulée à
Istanbul en juin 2013. Cet évènement public a marqué le retour en
Turquie du premier parti arménien créé en 1887 à Genève. Retour rendu
possible grce à des personnalités telles que Ragip Zarakolu et
notamment le « Parti des Verts et de la Future Gauche ».

Par la suite, le jeudi 7 novembre 2013 à Istanbul, un comité du «
Parti des Verts et de la Future Gauche » a tenu une réunion, avec la
participation de diverses associations et personnalités ayant reconnu
le génocide des arméniens, sous le titre « Face à face avec l’Histoire
», pour étudier d’ici 2015 les travaux et les entreprises à réaliser à
l’occasion de la commémoration du centenaire du génocide des
arméniens.

Le Parti Social Démocrate HENTCHAKIAN a été invité à participer à cette réunion.

A ce sujet, l’organe chargé des relations extérieures du Parti Social
Démocrate HENTCHAKIAN a adressé à tous les participants la lettre
suivante :

« Chers Amis,

Nous avons appris qu’une réunion intitulée « Face à face avec
l’Histoire » sera organisée à Istanbul, à l’initiative du « Parti des
Verts et de la Future Gauche ».

A cette occasion, nous pensons qu’il est erroné de livrer à l’oubli
les faits historiques ou de les présenter comme non reconnus. Il faut
regarder l’Histoire les yeux grands ouverts. Dans toute notre
Histoire, le génocide des arméniens est l’événement le plus
douloureux. Nous sommes au seuil du centenaire.

Condamner et accepter sa propre erreur, la faire connaître à l’opinion
publique est propre aux seules personnes dotées d’une grande
conscience humaniste.

En vertu de ce principe, la réunion « Face à face avec l’Histoire » et
ses décisions sont une opportunité pour éviter les erreurs du passé,
pour favoriser l’amitié entre les peuples, pour assurer la justice et
la paix dans la région. Nous vous tendons la main et saluons vos
entreprises avec tous nos souhaits de coopération. »

A la fin de la rencontre, il a été décidé de tenir, avec la
participation du PSD HENTCHAKIAN et divers partis populaires turcs de
gauche, une réunion élargie et de développer nombre de travaux.

Des propositions ont été émises, parmi lesquelles une participation
aux événements dédiés au génocide en Arménie, l’organisation de
commémorations en Allemagne, avec les Turcs progressistes, ainsi que
des travaux de reconnaissance du génocide des arméniens.

11 décembre 2013

Parti Social Démocrate HENTCHAKIAN, Comité Exécutif – France

samedi 14 décembre 2013,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

PHILATELIE ARMENIENNE
L’Arménie, triple championne des Olympiades des échecs honorée par la
Poste arménienne

L’Arménie, triple championne des Olympiades des échecs, méritait une
émission philatélique de plus. La poste arménienne a émise le 6
novembre une série de quatre timbres d’une valeur de 200 et de 280
drams émise en 40 000 exemplaire chacun, pour honorer les titre
olympiques de l’équipe masculine d’Arménie.

L’Arménie, triple championne des Olympiades des échecs honorée par la
Poste arménienne

L’Arménie a gagné par trios fois les Olympiades des échecs, à Turin
(2006), Dresde (2008) et Istanbul (2012).

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 14 décembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH FM: 1915 ARMENIAN DEPORTATION INHUMANE

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 13 2013

Cansu CamlýbelYEREVAN – Hurriyet

Staging a landmark visit to Yerevan, FM Davutoðlu declares the Ottoman
deportation of Armenians in 1915 to have been ‘wrong’ and ‘inhumane’

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu shakes hands with his Armenian
opposite number, Edward Nalbandian, after the latter arrived in
Yerevan for regional talks following years of icy relations. AFP photo

The “deportation” of Armenians in 1915 was inhumane, and Turkey has
never supported the move, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu said
yesterday as he made a landmark visit to the country’s long-time
foe, Armenia.

Accompanied by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioðlu,
Davutoðlu visited Yerevan for the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
group meeting. The top diplomat met with his Armenian counterpart,
Edward Nalbandian, on the sidelines of the summit.

“We are very pleased with the meeting with Nalbandian; it was candid.

The primary aim is to build an environment of dialogue on a strong
basis,” Davutoðlu said after the meeting, while dismissing claims
that he suggested to Armenia that it withdraw from two regions in
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Davutoðlu expressed his hope that a collective consciousness between
the two countries could be created with a “just memory.”

“We say ‘just memory.’ What I mean with that is we should know the
facts. Then we see that Turkish-Armenian relations do not date back
like German-Jewish ties. In every street, there is a common sign.

After you discover this, then you see the deportation, which I see
as a totally wrong practice done by [the Ottoman-era rulers under
the Committee of Union and Progress]. It was inhumane,” Davutoðlu
told a group of reporters en route to Yerevan.

Yerevan wants Ankara to recognize the mass killings of Armenians
during the forced deportation in World War I as genocide, but Turkey
has steadfastly refused to do so.

“But when you write a history taking the deportation into account,
then a collective conscious was created from this side [Turkey]
that Armenians betrayed their nation and deserved the deportation.

We should destroy these two collective consciousnesses. We abolished
this wrong consciousness in 2005, but Armenians still have it,”
he told reporters.

Primary aim not to open border

“Our primary aim is not open only the Turkish-Armenian border but to
form a foundation that will pave the way for a comprehensive peace,”
Davutoðlu said. “It has three pillars. The first one is relations
between Turkey and Armenia. The second one is Azerbaijani-Armenian
relations. This also includes Georgian-Abkhaz ties. The third one is
relations between Turks and Armenians,” he said.

Turkey and Armenia signed protocols in 2009 to establish diplomatic
relations and open their sealed borders, but neither succeeded in
completing the process for different reasons.

“If one of the pillars is crippled, it will create distress. Let’s
say we opened the Armenian border gate. If a war breaks out between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, then we would be forced to close it again. The
hardest thing is to defrost the iceberg of the status quo. You could
start a war when you trying to defrost it,” he said.

The foreign minister said they were holding talks with the Armenian
diaspora but were not publicizing the matter. “In the past, talking
with the diaspora has been perceived as a threat or aimed for
intelligence issues. Diplomats thought, ‘What would I do?’ if it were
recorded. But now it has become a duty. Since that time, whenever I go
abroad I meet with the Armenian community if there is one. We don’t
publicly announce the people we meet due to the fact that extremist
Armenians would cause problems,” he said. “What we realize is that
if you cannot provide a basis in ties with the diaspora, that puts
pressure on ties with Armenia and it becomes deadlocked.”

December/13/2013

From: Baghdasarian

ARA GULER’S ANATOLIA IN US GALLERY

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 13 2013

ISTANBUL

The pieces on display are part of a set of 53 photographs of
architectural monuments, taken by Ara Guler.

Throughout his career, acclaimed and prolific photojournalist Ara
Guler, Turkey’s internationally acclaimed photographer, has taken more
than 800,000 photographs documenting Turkish culture and important
historical sites. Opening Dec. 14 at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M.

Sackler Gallery, “In Focus: Ara Guler’s Anatolia” reveals a selection
of his never-before-shown works of Anatolian monuments, taking the
viewer on a historical journey through the lens of one of the world’s
most legendary photojournalists.

Running through May 4, 2014, 21 the work on display also challenge
Guler’s definition of himself as a photojournalist, not an artist,
and engage visitors in a critical debate about whether photography
is a form of art or a means of documentation.

The exhibition was curated by students from the Johns Hopkins
University’s Program in Museums and Society, under the supervision of
Nancy Micklewright, the Head of Scholarly Programs and Publications at
the Freer and Sackler Galleries. During the 2013 spring semester, the
students worked with the archival collection to develop an exhibition
proposal, along with labels, programming ideas and Web content.

Bearing witness to the now lost Turkey of the 1950s and 1960s,
Guler assembled a rich and diverse body of work. Extracted from
his extensive portfolio, “In Focus: Ara Guler’s Anatolia” features
photographs of Seljuk, Armenian and Ottoman monuments across Anatolia,
the Asian mainland of Turkey.

A form of magic

Using a variety of vantage points, dramatic lighting and strong
contrasts, Guler expressed a unique and instantly recognizable
photographic point of view. He was quoted as saying, “I believe
that photography is a form of magic, by means of which a moment of
experience is seized for transmission to future generations” (Ara
Guler: A Photographical Sketch of Lost Istanbul, Dunya Yayınları,
1994).

Guler’s ability to capture fleeting moments and his fascination with
storytelling are evident in several of the pieces on display, such as
“Gök Medrese” (school), which captures a child running past a ruined
facade, an open doorway allowing a glimpse of a larger world beyond.

Since 1965, when these images were made, some of the historic buildings
Guler depicts have been extensively renovated to become tourist
sites and some have deteriorated even further–in both cases, Guler’s
photographs provide a poignant and valuable record of a moment in time.

The exhibition will also feature a short video, “Ara Guler: A Lifetime
Achievement” by FotoTV (2010), which will allow visitors to hear
Guler’s own thoughts on photojournalism, art and his career.

A set of 53 photographs

Guler (b. 1928) took his first photojournalism jobs at local newspapers
while studying economics at Istanbul University in 1950. In 1955, he
became head of the Photography Department at Hayat (Life) magazine,
and soon after began working for international media. He photographed
for Turkish publications such as Yeni Istanbul (New Istanbul) and
Hayat magazine, and major international publications, including Time
Life, Paris Match, and Smithsonian magazine. In the 1960s, he worked
alongside acclaimed photojournalist Henri Cartier-Bresson at Magnum
Photos. Now 85, Guler continues to live and work in Istanbul.

The pieces on display are part of a set of 53 photographs of
architectural monuments donated to the Freer and Sackler Archives
in 1989 by Raymond Hare, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey (1961-1965). The
collection of photographs was selected to reflect Hare’s lifelong
interest in the architecture of the region and was presented to him
by his colleagues upon his departure from Turkey.

The exhibition has been made possible through a grant from The Andrew
W. Mellon Foundation to the Johns Hopkins University in support of its
Program in Museums and Society. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the
adjacent Freer Gallery of Art are in the National Mall in Washington,
D.C. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day (closed Dec. 25),
and admission is free.

For more information visit

From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY SENTENCES ARMENIAN BLOGGER TO JAIL

NaharNet, Lebanon
Dec 13 2013

A prominent Turkish-Armenian blogger accused a Turkish court on Friday
of issuing a “politically-motivated” verdict after being sentenced
to jail on charges of illegal construction.

An appeals court in the western coastal city of Izmir sentenced
Sevan Nisanyan to two years in prison on charges of building without
a permit.

An Istanbul court in May had also sentenced Nisanyan, a self-confessed
atheist, to one year in jail for blasphemy over a blog post supporting
the controversial anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” but he has
appealed the verdict.

Nisanyan, who also faces up to 16 years in prison on other charges
related to construction work on his hotels in the village of Sirince
near Izmir, said he would be sent to jail next week.

But in a country littered with illegal constructions, he said the
court ruling on Thursday was punishment for his outspoken views about
restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey.

“It is politically motivated because in this community, those who
try to be an individual and stand firm on their ideas have always
been punished,” he told AFP.

Nisanyan, 56, turned Sirince into a booming holiday spot after he
bought several ruined Greek houses and turned them into hotels.

Thousands of people from around the world flocked to Sirince in
December 2012, believing the village — where many Christians say
the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven — would be spared from the Mayan
doomsday.

Nisanyan was convicted of blasphemy over his September 2012 blog
defending the anti-Islam film that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammed
and sparked angry protests across the world.

“Mocking an Arab leader who centuries ago claimed to have contacted
God and made political, financial and sexual benefits out of this is
not a crime of hatred,” he wrote.

His words touched a nerve in the staunchly secular but majority
Muslim nation and he received hundreds of death threats after the
court decision.

Turkey has long been criticized for a lack of press freedom and
dozens of journalists are in detention, accused of plotting against
the Islamist-rooted government or having links with outlawed movements
such as the Kurdish rebels.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN AND IRAN: WRESTLING OVER POLO-LIKE GAME

EurasiaNet.org
Dec 13 2013

December 13, 2013 – 1:25pm, by Shahin Abbasov

Azerbaijan and Iran have tussled over weighty issues relating to
religion and energy development in the Caspian Sea in recent years.

And now they’re haggling over ponies.

The neighboring states can’t see eye to eye when it comes to the
origins of chovgan – the Eastern, polo-style game that UNESCO recently
deemed an “intangible world heritage” closely connected to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s first lady, Mehriban Aliyeva, a UNESCO Goodwill
ambassador, reportedly worked hard behind the scenes to promote
chovgan’s cause among UNESCO officials.

At first glance, chovgan doesn’t seem much of a cause for an
international spat. It is not a professional sport, and it has no
cache among the jet-set. Horse-riding instructors make up most of
Baku’s two teams; farmers often fill the ranks of regional teams.

Overall, about 20 teams in Azerbaijan compete in the sport, with
matches often drawing only sparse crowds. With 12 players to a side,
it has only a few differences from polo – its ball is larger and the
150-to-200-meter-long playing field is sandy rather than grass.

Players wear traditional clothes rather than white breeches; and
chovgan matches last just 30 minutes, with one 10-minute break.

It is chovgan’s similarity to polo, and that sport’s affiliation with
the rich and powerful around the world, that is apparently a factor
in the Iranian-Azerbiajani dispute.

Movers and shakers in Baku seem to believe that UNESCO recognition
can provide Azerbaijan with entree into the world of polo. Chovgan
players will make up Azerbaijan’s new national polo team – the
country joined the International Federation of Polo on December 7 –
local coaches say. The team played a friendly match with Argentina’s
polo team in October.

“Polo is a modernized and, I would say, more civilized form of
chovgan,” said 48-year-old Shukur Valiyev, coach of Baku’s Serhedchi
(Border Guard) team, and a prominent chovgan player from the Soviet
era.

That Azerbaijanis are now trying to cast their country as the
cradle of polo, and that is raising hackles in Iran. Many Iranians
believe the game’s origins are found in Persian, rather than Azeri
lands. In October, the Islamic Republic announced a campaign against
including chovgan on the UNESCO list as an “Azerbaijani game.” Lately,
Tajikistan, a Central Asian country with Persian cultural influences,
has entered objections as well.

Baku, having become accustomed to criticism from its southern,
fellow Shi’a neighbor, are adopting a somewhat conciliatory course,
acknowledging that the sport is not Azerbaijan’s alone. “Chovgan is
popular in all countries of the East,” said Azerbaijani Culture and
Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev said at a December 3 news conference.

Iran’s zeal for chovgan must be aimed at “the development of the
game,” Garayev reasoned, generously. “I do not think that small
misunderstandings could harm the friendly relations between Azerbaijan
and Iran.”

Chovgan isn’t the only cultural area that has spurred bilateral
sparring. Currently, the countries are disputing the origins of the
legendary 12th-13th-century poet Nizami Ganjevi, who lived in the
central Azerbaijani city of Ganja.

Chovgan’s Turkic origins – the game mostly has been played in Turkic
countries — are plain to Fizuli Bayat, a scholar at Azerbaijan’s
National Academy of Sciences’ Folklore Institute. Fragments from
ancient Azerbaijani miniatures and one 11th century vessel portray the
game, which is also mentioned in the Turkic epic Kitabi Dede Korkut.

Historical manuscripts describe its rules.

“It was also played in Iran and India, but by the Turkic population
in these lands,” Bayat said. Similar games with different names
are played in Afghanistan and the Balkans, he added. Azerbaijan’s
northern neighbor Georgia itself has a chovgan-like game called isindi,
Valiyev noted.

Azerbaijan evidently feels that UNESCO recognition can also help
promote its political agenda. As advertisements broadcast on CNN and
Euronews indicate, chovgan may serve as a PR tool in the country’s
efforts to focus international attention on the long-stalemated
Nagorno-Karabkah conflict.

A distinctive feature of the sport, according to Azerbaijan’s UNESCO
application, is its reliance on a short-legged breed known as the
“Karabakh horse.”

“Due to the Karabakh conflict, this sport is endangered,” declared
Culture and Tourism Minister Garayev. “The population of Karabakh
horses is not growing.”

Work on preserving the mild-mannered Karabakh horse is centered in the
northern town of Sheki, which hosts two annual chovgan tournaments,
including a December 16 “presidential cup” competition involving
16 teams.

Aside from Sheki, a nine-time national chovgan champion, a team
from the Azerbaijani-controlled section of the occupied Agdam
region, neighboring Karabakh, is another top-ranked contender. The
northwestern town of Agstafa, not far from the Armenian border,
ranks as the current champion.

The State Border Guard Service sponsors Baku’s Serhedchi (Border
Guard) chovgan team, while the Service’s head, Elchin Guliyev,
runs the Azerbaijan Federation of Equestrian Sports. The Federation
cares for all chovgan horses, supplies players’ equipment, maintains
playing fields and provides transportation to tournaments, according
to Valiyev, the Serhedchi coach.

While Baku and Tehran may be arguing over chovgan, they are planning
to join forces to have another sport – zorkhana, a type of wrestling –
recognized as an Olympic sport.

In October, Iranian Ambassador Mohsen Pakayin met with local zorkhana
participants to discuss recognition efforts, Trend news agency
reported. “Zorkhana is the shared cultural heritage of Azerbaijan
and Iran,” Ambassador Pakayin said. “This sport contributes to the
rapprochement not only of the two countries, but also of the two
nations.”

No joint application has been filed yet to have the sport considered
by the International Olympic Committee, according to one informed
source. The sport, though, is expected to feature in the 2017 Islamic
Solidarity Games, to be held in Baku.

Editor’s note: Shahin Abbasov is a freelance correspondent based
in Baku.

From: Baghdasarian