Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Serzh Sargsyan Did Not Give Time

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 14 March 2015, 17:31

Serzh Sargsyan’s meeting with the political forces has caused a
backlash, often with tough accents. The focus is on the bare fact of
the meeting, not the content. As is known, Sargsyan has met with the
PAP, ARF, Armenian Pan-National Movement, Rule of Law, Free Democrats,
Heritage, United Labor Party.

The Armenian National Congress was not invited though when Serzh
Sargsyan was pushing Gagik Tsarukyan to the ground, Levon
Ter-Petrosyan suggested that they meet.

The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the amendments to the
Constitution. No other details are available.

However, the society does not care for the purpose. The fact itself is
criticized in the general domestic political context.

The point is that the political forces have actually opted for
negotiating with Serzh Sargsyan. Because if their purpose was not
negotiations but expression of their standpoint, the 21stcentury
allows one to express themselves without sitting in front of Serzh
Sargsyan. For example, it is possible to type a text and post in the
social media or circulate via the press, expressing a stance on Serzh
Sargsyan’s concept.

Instead, they opt for meeting with Serzh Sargsyan, which means that
the conscious goals and objectives are different, and at least the
option of not rejecting Serzh Sargsyan was chosen. In other words, the
negotiations have kicked off.

Was it necessary to reach 26 Baghramyan Avenue to express a standpoint?

If they have reached, it means they have either appeared in Serzh
Sargsyan’s trap or they opted for talking to Serzh Sargsyan and
adjusting their destiny in the upcoming political developments rather
than expressing their stance.

The meeting itself should not be taken as a criterion. It is too
ingenuous to think that Serzh Sargsyan’s criterion of the game is
meeting or not meeting him, and a force that did not meet with him is
more opposition than a force that met with him.

Of course, this is not a criterion of being or not being opposition.
At the same time, a meeting with Serzh Sargsyan under the topic of
constitutional amendments is a bar itself, if not a bar of honesty, at
least a bar of political maturity or lack of such maturity.

The negotiation is a political category, it is not something bad but
it must have a subject that is comprehensible to the public. What was
the subject of the meeting of the political forces and Serzh Sargsyan?
I repeat that if the purpose was to express their stance, there were
tens of other means of expressing a stance without meeting Sargsyan in
his office, which are more political and substantial, by the way.

Besides, was there another subject? Where is it? For example, Serzh
Sargsyan had the subject on his part: he invited the political forces
to discuss an issue with him and they went, accepting his rule of the
game at least for this part. Because Serzh Sargsyan has picked the
means of expressing their stance for them. And since they did not
contribute any context for their part, at least they did not do so
publicly, the public rightly assesses the meetings as a concession to
Serzh Sargsyan.

After all, nobody has been threatened to be dispelled from politics,
to have their businesses, their tax liabilities or criminal records
checked if they did not go.

After the action against Gagik Tsarukyan, expressing a standpoint in
front of Serzh Sargsyan is equal to leaving politics. Because after
Tsarukyan anyone else in politics should start writing “open letters”
or express a stance to the public, not to Serzh Sargsyan.

Serzh Sargsyan does not need the stance of the political forces. At
best, he may want to know the standpoint of a force but he will make
the final decision. Serzh Sargsyan used what happened to Gagik
Tsarukyan to demonstrate this to the entire field.

This is both the problem and the public backlash to this fact. Such an
assessment is an indicator of political maturity, unlike the political
forces. Hence, there is no need to duck from the public backlash, it
is necessary to learn lessons.

After all, most forces may have been confused and did not make the
right decision; little time has passed since the shock therapy. There
is still a chance to return to politics but not in the way they
usually return in Armenia but after admitting to their own mistakes
and apologizing to the public.

What can we do? It happened so that politics in Armenia starts with an
apology, and there is no need to be afraid of this.

From: Baghdasarian

Zhoghovurd: Freedom Fighters’ Union to hold closed-door meeting

10:21 14/03/2015 >> DAILY PRESS

The Freedom Fighters’ Union, formed to serve the interests of
Prosperous Armenia Party, will convene a closed-door meeting on March
18 to decide on its future actions, Zhoghovurd reports.

After former leader of Prosperous Armenia Gagik Tsarukyan left
politics, the freedom fighters plunged into uncertainty and now they
have no idea about their future plans, the newspaper notes.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

L’ARMENIE A L’EUROVISION 2015
Inga Arshakyan complètera le groupe Genealogy qui représentera
l’Arménie à l’Eurovision 2015 à Vienne (Autriche)

Après Essaï Altounian (Europe), Tamar Kaprelian (Amérique), Vahé
Tilbian (Afrique), Stephanie Topalian (Asie) et Mary-Jean O’Doherty
(Australie), c’est Ia chanteuse Inga Arshakyan qui complètera la liste
du groupe Genealogy qui représentera l’Arménie à l’Eurovision 2015 en
main prochain à Vienne (Autriche). Le groupe formé ainsi des
petits-enfants des survivants du génocide des Arméniens répartis sur
les cinq continents complété par la représentante de l’Arménie Inga
Arshakyan interprètera Don’t Deny (ne niez pas). Un appel qui
s’adresse aux négationnistes du génocide des Arméniens tout en
appelant à la paix, à l’unité et la tolérance. En cette année du
100ème anniversaire du génocide des Arméniens, Genealogy pourrait bien
créer l’évènement de l’Eurovision 2015. Même si les alliances
politiques et culturelles des pays participant à l’Eurovision ne
profiteront pas forcément à l’Arménie généralement boudée dans les
votes par les scandinaves et les pays d’Europe centrale au passé
ottoman et disposant d’affinités avec la Turquie.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 14 mars 2015,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

TURQUIE : LE COUP D’ETAT DU 12 MARS 1971

Publie le : 12-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cette information publiee sur le site Info-Turk le 12
mars 2015

Info-Turk

Le 12 mars 2015

N’oubliez jamais le coup d’etat du 12 mars 1971 en Turquie

Le 12 mars est un des anniversaires noirs de la famille europeenne,
car il y a 44 ans, en Turquie, membre du Conseil de l’Europe et
l’OTAN ainsi que membre associe de l’Union europeenne, les generaux
avaient renverse le gouvernement et ouvert une periode de repression
sans precedent.

En effet, depuis plus d’un siècle, le processus de democratisation
en Turquie a ete interrompu souvent par des pratiques repressives et
des coups d’etat militaires: le coup d’etat des Jeunes Turcs en 1908,
le genocide des Armeniens et des Assyriens en 1915, l’oppression du
peuple kurde et des forces de gauche suivie par la proclamation du
regime parti unique en 1925, le pogrom des minorites non-musulmanes
en 1955, le coup d’etat de 1960…

Les 44 ans derniers ont ete marques de deux putschs sanglants des
generaux turcs en 1971 et 1980: arrestations massives, tortures,
pendaisons, violations des libertes d’expression, renforcement de
l’injustice sociale, negations des droits fondamentaux du peuple
kurde et des minorites armenienne, assyrienne, grecque, etc.

Durant les deux ans suivant le coup d’etat du 12 mars 1971: Des
milliers de personnes ont ete jugees par les tribunaux militaires de
la loi martiale sous l’inculpation de delits pour la plupart anterieurs
a la proclamation de l’etat d’exception.

Plus de 10.000 personnes dont 3600 enseignants, 118 journalistes,
traducteurs, editeurs, ecrivains, artistes, 67 universitaires ont
ete mis en garde-a-vue, arretes ou juges et condamnes.

37 journaux ou periodiques ont ete interdits ou suspendus.

Plus de 200 titres de livres ont ete saisis et demi-million
d’exemplaires detruits.

28 personnes ont ete tuees dans la rue par les forces de l’ordre,
dans des circonstances douteuses.

Les inculpes, detenus souvent depuis plusieurs semaines, ont denonce
lors de leurs procès les tortures qu’ils ont subies au cours de
l’instruction. Ces accusations sont aujourd’hui confirmees par les
rapports de plusieurs organismes internationaux de juristes.

Malgre l’indignation de l’opinion mondiale, trois leaders de la
jeunesse progressiste, Deniz Gezmis, Yusuf Arslan et Huseyin Inan,
ont ete condamnes a mort et executes. D’autres condamnations a mort
sont prononcees et 151 requises par les procureurs militaires.

Trois partis politiques ont ete dissous. Les dirigeants du parti
socialiste TIP ont ete condamnes a de lourdes peines de prison,
allant jusqu’a 15 ans.

La repression s’est durcie au sujet des minorites ethniques et les
operations repressives contre les Kurdes generalisees non seulement
dans le Kurdistan mais aussi dans les grandes metropoles du pays.

111 personnes ont ete condamnees a de lourdes peines de detention
allant jusqu’a 16 ans, sous l’inculpation de “separatisme”.

Le droit de grève et de syndicalisation a ete limite par l’adoption
des amendements legislatifs sous la pression des militaires.

Toutes les associations d’etudiants ont ete dissoutes.

Le Syndicat des Enseignants de Turquie (TOS), groupant plus de 100.000
enseignants a ete dissout, ses dirigeants condamnes a des peines
de prison allant jusqu’a 8 ans, des milliers de ses membres ont ete
poursuivis. Tous les syndicats des secteurs publics ont ete dissous.

Le coup du 12 mars 1971 marque egalement le declenchement de
l’emigration politique vers les pays europeens. Le premier exode
massif de Turquie vers les pays etrangers etait sans aucun doute
celui des Armeniens et des Assyro-chaldeens suivant le genocide et la
deportation de 1915. L’emigration politique des opposants du regime
et des gens appartenant aux minorites ethniques et religieuses a
repris après le coup d’etat de 1971 et s’est fort acceleree après le
deuxième coup d’etat militaire du 12 septembre 1980.

C’est après ces coup d’etats que l’ingerence du regime d’Ankara
dans la vie politique des pays accueillant des immigres turcs a ete
bien structuree et un système de pression et d’intimidation a ete
instaure afin d’etouffer toute voix s’elevant en dehors du contrôle
du lobby turc.

Source/Lien : Info-Turk

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES POPE FRANCIS ON 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ELECTION

15:40, 13 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

President Serzh Sargsyan today sent a congratulatory message to His
Holiness Pope Francis on the second anniversary of his election to
the See of Rome. The message reads:

“I’m hopeful that your godly service and care will contribute to the
establishment of peace, wellbeing and tolerance in the world on these
hard days.

Armenia highly appreciates the constructive dialogue with the Mother
See in different spheres and the expansion of multifaceted bilateral
ties stemming from the same Christian value system.

We expect our special relations that stand out for high-level dialogue
to continue to develop and reinforce in compliance with the kind
traditions formed between Armenia and the Mother See.

I wish you health and inexhaustible strengths.

Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration.”

From: Baghdasarian

INHUMAN CYNICISM TOWARDS ARMENIAN POWS IN AZERBAIJAN

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 13 March 2015, 13:47

The U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick twitted on
the decision of the Armenian Olympic Committee to participate in the
first European Olympics in Baku in 2015. Warlick hailed this news
and held out hope that Baku will welcome the decision.

It is hard to tell what the American co-chair means by Baku’s welcome.

Does he mean that Azerbaijan should refrain from border incidents
and steps what will cause losses to the Armenian side at least until
the Olympics? And hence does this mean that the decision on the
participation of Armenia had been agreed at a higher political level?

And the next question comes to one’s mind: what will happen after
the so-called European Olympics? Will Azerbaijan resume sabotages
and murders at the border? What is to be welcomed then? Are there
any guarantees that after the participation of the Armenian side
Azerbaijan will completely stop sabotages at the border and official
anti-Armenian hate speech? Do the co-chairs, including Warlick,
have such guarantees and can they give such guarantees?

If there are no such guarantees, it turns out that Armenia is taking
part in an advertising campaign for Baku, since the European Olympics
will be such.

Besides, it is interesting to know James Warlick’s opinion on the
decision of the United States and allies to boycott the Summer Olympics
in Moscow in 1980 due to the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan.

Does he think it was a good or bad decision?

Azerbaijan has not invaded Armenia, of course, unlike the
USSR in Afghanistan but it announces to destroy Armenia almost
every day, imposes a slow war on Armenia and regularly launches
reconnaissance-in-force on Artsakh and Armenia, fires at the border
villages, kills soldiers and civilians, tortures hostages, violating
all the international law and humanitarian clauses. Azerbaijan makes
a super hero out of Safarov who hacked to death the sleeping Armenian
officer for the new generation.

All this is enough to compare to the invasion in Afghanistan. Hence,
Armenia has all the moral and political reasons to boycott, and these
reasons are no less powerful than those that were underlying the 1980
decision of the United States and the allies.

Hence, if Armenia decides to boycott, there will be no grounds to
blame Armenia for not being constructive.

The impression is that the mediators are always expecting some
“humanitarian” step from Armenia; if it is not returning the saboteurs,
it should at least take part in the Olympics. And in the current stage,
the National Olympic Committee of Armenia seems to have taken this
step. However, it is not clear why.

At any rate, the discussion of the issue of Armenia’s participation
could be justified in one case – if Azerbaijan commits in written
form to refrain from attempts at violation of the ceasefire, return
all the Armenian PoWs, and the international mediators establish a
mechanism of liability for violation of this commitment.

Otherwise, the participation of Armenia in the European Olympics in
Baku is a humiliation of Armenia’s national dignity, profanation of
the memory of civilians and soldiers killed by Azerbaijan, inhuman
cynicism towards Armenian prisoners of war kept and tortured in
Azerbaijani prisons.

The attempts of the mediators to achieve peace and mutual understanding
are commendable but it is impossible to achieve peace and tolerance
through profanation of the dignity and memory of Armenia and Armenians.

Peace, mutual understanding and tolerance are highly important
and desirable but it is impossible to achieve this purpose through
unilateral gestures at the expense of Armenia and the Armenians which
have never been followed by Baku’s response but further aggravated
intolerance and hatred in Baku.

In this regard, generation of “good news” by Armenia, as experience
showed, only made Azerbaijan more aggressive. Hence, Armenia should
stop such generation for the sake of stability and tolerance in the
region until the mediators teach Azerbaijan at least one fourth of
Armenia’s knowledge of the language of tolerance.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN NSS AND POLICE PUT KINGPIN LEVON GHAZARYAN MURDER SUSPECTS ON THE WANTED LIST

by Ashot Safaryan

Friday, March 13, 14:02

The National Security Service and the Police of Armenia have put the
March 4 murder suspects on the wanted the list. To recall, on March 4,
kingpin Levon Ghazaryan (a.k.a. Yerrordmastsi Lyovik) was killed near
Nubarashen penitentiary. According to media reports, three persons
closest to Mher Sedrakyan, MP from the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia, have already been detained.

In particular, Sargis Grigoryan (born in 1986), Sargis Akhanumyan
(born in 1984) and Vahan Hakobyan (born in 1984) are wanted.

The police urge the citizens having any data about the specified
persons to call the police or visit the nearest police station.

Privacy is guaranteed.

From: Baghdasarian

RED CROSS VISITS AZERBAIJANI SABOTEURS IMPRISONED IN KARABAKH

17:41, 13.03.2015
Region:Armenia, Karabakh, Azerbaijan
Theme: Politics

The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) representatives
have visited the two Azerbaijan citizens who are imprisoned in the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR; Artsakh).

The communication officer of the ICRC mission in Artsakh, Eteri
Musayelyan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that this tenth visit took
place on Thursday, during which family news was exchanged.

As reported earlier, Azerbaijani sabotage and intelligence-gathering
team member Dilham Askerov was charged with espionage; unauthorized
border trespass; kidnapping and violence against a minor, committed by
an organized group; murder committed by an organized group motivated
by ethnic hatred; and attempt of murder of two persons, committed
by an organized group, motivated by ethnic hatred. The other team
member, Shahbaz Guliyev, on the other hand, was charged with espionage;
unauthorized border trespass; kidnapping and violence against a minor,
committed by an organized group; and murder committed by an organized
group motivated by ethnic hatred.

On December 29, 2014, the First Instance General Jurisdiction Court
of the NKR had sentenced Askerov and Guliyev to life and 22 years,
respectively, in prison.

The saboteur’s attorneys, however, had appealed these sentences. But
on March 10, the NKR Court of Appeal upheld the earlier court verdict
that was reached with respect to Dilham Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

ISTANBUL-ARMENIAN ARCHITECT LEVON KYUREGHIAN’S EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

18:21, 13 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 13 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Armenian society still doesn’t know
a lot about Armenian architects living abroad. One of the famous
Armenian architects of the world was Armenian Genocide survivor,
Istanbul-Armenian architect Levon Kyureghian, whose name and
career will definitely find their place in the history of Armenian
architecture. The March 15 exhibition showcasing Levon Kyureghian’s
works at the National Museum-institute of Architecture of the Republic
of Armenia will serve as a good opportunity for Armenian art lovers
to become more familiar with Kyureghian’s life and career.

“The purpose of this exhibition is to reveal the life and career of
gifted Istanbul-Armenian architect Levon Kyureghian that has been
unknown to many to this day. In addition, with this exhibition, we
also want to show that the works of Kyureghian and those of Armenian
architects abroad are located in different parts of the world. They
are an inseparable part of Armenian culture and say a lot about
the potential and creativity of Armenians,” said Director of the
National Museum-Institute of Architecture of the Republic of Armenia
Ashot Grigoryanduring a March 13 press conference, adding that the
opening of Levon Kyureghian’s exhibition will be held at the National
Museum-Institute of Architecture of the Republic of Armenia on March
15 at 15:00.

Levon Kyureghian’s grandson, Italian-Armenian architect, former deputy
mayor of the Italian city of Asolo Armen Kyureghian and current
deputy mayor of Asolo Franco Dalla Rosa have arrived in Armenia to
participate in the exhibition.

From: Baghdasarian

YSU TO HOST EVENTS DEDICATED TO THE GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

March 13, 2015 12:24

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Yerevan State University is organizing several
dozens of events dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial.

Deputy President of the committee on coordination of preparatory works
of the events, Deputy Director of YSU Institute of Armenian Studies
Mher Hovhannisyan has stated at his meeting with journalists that they
are going to organize a dozen of scientific conferences (including
an international one), open lessons, contests and exhibitions.

“Alley of Gratitude will open where the busts of 12 foreign people
contributing to the recognition of the Genocide will be placed. A
reading room supplied with Armenian and foreign literature on the
Genocide will open in the library. 25 research works will be published
including works in foreign languages”, said Mher Hovhannisyan.

– See more at:

From: Baghdasarian