Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIAN MP SLAMS PACE REPORT ON AZERBAIJAN

tert.am
16:30 ~U 24.01.13

In speech delivered at the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly
(PACe), Arpine Hovhannisyan of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
criticized the authors of the report concerning Azerbaijan.

Hovhanisyan particularly expressed deep concerns that the document
failed to provide an impartial coverage of the country’s commitments
to the Council of Europe.

“Instead we witnessed the Azerbaijani authorities’ foreign policy gaps
and the miserable attempts to cover up the existing shortcomings,”
she said, pointing out to the Safarov case as a flagrant manifestation
of racism.

“Surprisingly enough, the co-rapporteurs made no reference to the
anti-racism and intolerance commission’s 2011 report, its name being
only slightly indicated in Paragraph 194 of the document. The authors
just noted that the report reflects repeated concerns over religious
freedoms,” Hovhannisyan said, noting that the paragraph makes no
mention of the serious concerns and the proposals voiced.

Hovhannisyan added that the current conflict over Karabakh is no
obstacle to the development of democracy and freedoms in the country.

“We do believe that the PACE co-rapporteurs will not follow the
Azerbaijani government’s logic and confirm instead that nothing can
justify their failure to comply with their obligations.

The current Azerbaijani leadership is actually protracting the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement in order to use it as a tool of
pressure against a democratic or social government. There have been
successful democratization attempts in several conflicting countries
(Cyprus, India, Israel etc.),” said the Armenian MP.

Hovhannisyan emphasized at the end that the strengthening of democracy
and recognition of human rights will offer good a good precondition
for resolving the conflict.

From: Baghdasarian

WHICH PARLIAMENT RECOGNIZED THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FIRST?

24.01.2013

Haykaram Nahapetyan
Armenia Public TV correspondent in the United States

International efforts directed to the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide have a century-long history. About twenty countries recognized
Armenian Genocide over the last 50 years. Over that period documents
about the recognition of the Genocide were passed at the local levels
either, e.g. by 43 states in the U.S., by Brazil’s biggest state –
San Paulo, by the municipality of Rome, in Wales, by the municipality
of Edinburg (Scotland), in the Basque Country, Crimea, Australia’s
New South Wales state, etc.

Universal recognition of the Armenian Genocide especially in the 21st
century reached the extent where considerable growth of awareness
has been observed not only at political but also at public levels.

Hitler’s words said in 25 years after the Genocide “Who does remember
Armenians today?” have become senseless70 years later.

In this aspect words of the Belgian Turk political figure Sait Kose:
“There is no political party in Belgium which does not believe in the
fact that there was the Armenian Genocide”1 are worth mentioning. The
last voting on the Armenian Genocide in the U.S. Congress took place
on March 4, 2010 in the Foreign Relations Commission. The document
was approved by 23 votes for and 22 against. Hence none of those who
voted against the document rejected the fact of the Armenian Genocide
in their speeches.

Looking back to the Armenian Genocide recognition campaign many
remarkable facts can be seen. The half-century long process of the
Armenian Genocide international recognition can really become a
subject of special study.

In 1965 the beginning of the process of international recognition
of the Armenian Genocide was marked in faraway Uruguay where on
April 20, 1965 historical resolution on the Genocide was passed. Of
course Uruguay’s decision was not the only initiative coincided
with the 50th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Even under
the totalitarian Soviet regime thousands of Armenians who flooded
the street of Yerevan were shouting “Our lands”. After that the
legislative body in Montevideo passed first resolution No13.326 titled
“The day of Remembrance for the Armenian Martyrs”. On that day neither
representatives of the Armenian communities nor the Turkish politicians
could imagine what kind of foundation of far-reaching and extensive
process was laid by the Latin American politicians.

The Uruguayan resolution is historical. Hence it should be mention
that it did not specify the word “genocide”. This historical resolution
particularly specified:

The Decree “Declares the following 24th of April “Day of Remembrance
for the Armenian Martyrs”, in honor of the members of that nationality
slain in 1915. The stations of the Official Radio Service must on that
date conduct part of their broadcast in honor of the mentioned nation.

Armenian descendants who are public servants are authorized to miss
work on the mentioned date. Designate with the name of “Armenia”,
the 2nd Grade School, No. 156, in the Department of Montevideo.

Communicate, etc.

President of Senate: Martin R. Echegoyen; secretary: Jose Pastor
Salvanach”.

The official text of the decree is placed at the web-site of the
Uruguayan parliament2.

The absence of word “genocide” is the resolution does not coincide
with today’s logic. Today the head of the White House and different
international politicians prefer to avoid using it and substitute
word “genocide” with equivalent descriptive formulations or “Mets
Yeghern” Armenian phrase as the incumbent U.S. president Barak Obama
did. The parliament of Uruguay would not face any difficulties while
carrying out this resolution in 1965. Later Uruguay at least four
times condemned the Armenian Genocide. On the 90th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide Uruguay appealed to the UN to initiate
profound recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Till now there is no
Turkish embassy in Uruguay which nullifies possibility of any Turkish
opposition. The diplomatic relations with Uruguay are maintained
through the Turkish embassy in Buenos Aires. In May 2005 during
the meeting with the head of the foreign relations commission of
Uruguay the ambassador of Turkey to Argentina Sukur Tufan repeated old
statement of Erdogan about the necessity to study history together. On
other occasion the Turkish ambassador said in jest that while the
ambassador will get from Argentina to Montevideo the law would be
passed so any anti-lobby made no sense.

Sometimes the president of Uruguay participates in the events organized
in memory of the Armenian Genocide. The correspondents of the Turkish
service of BBC accept that the Armenians carry weight in the political
life of Uruguay3.

Taking this all into consideration, why is there no formulation
“Armenian Genocide” in the 1965 document? It should be mentioned that
in those years the process of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide only started. Under the newly formed circumstances there was
no distinct idea of what conceptual provisions the Armeniancy would
take as a guideline. Even the idea of recognition had not been shaped
yet. In practice conceptual gaps can still be observed today and it is
natural that in 1960s under the absence of statehood and on the initial
stage of the Armenian lobby formation most of the efforts were rather
in the reminding phase than in the phase of political recognition.

Another remarkable example: in the same 1965 in Boston by the efforts
of the local Armenian community the audio records of the witnesses of
the Armenian Genocide were issued. The records were titled “Turks’
Genocide” and not “Armenian Genocide”. At that stage the American
Armenian unions took it as a genocide perpetrated by Turkey i.e.

Turkish genocide instead of the Armenian Genocide. Nevertheless in
our days no such formulation is used though it was possible in 1965
when the process was just initiated.

This is one of the reasons that, in terms of chronology, the facts
of the recognition of the Genocide decades ago were not of active
character. After the 1965 historical resolution another document
condemning the Genocide was carried in 1975, i.e. in a decade, on a
60th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

And which parliament passed a document characterizing what happened
in 1915 as the Armenian Genocide?

Here we speak about… the United States of America. On April 9,
1975 the Congress passed document No148 reading the following:

“To designate April 24, 1975, as “National Day of Remembrance of Man’s
Inhumanity to Man”. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That April
24, 1975, is hereby designated as “National Day of Remembrance of
Man’s Inhumanity to Man”, and the President of the United States
is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon
the people of the United States to observe such day as a day of
remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially those of
Armenian ancestry who succumbed to the genocide perpetrated in 1915,
and in whose memory this date is commemorated by all Armenians and
their friends throughout the world”.

The similar document containing even more strict formulations
was passed in 1984 (resolution No257). By that time the Armenian
Genocide had been condemned by the parliament of Cyprus in 1983. So,
American legislative body was one of two parliaments which condemned
Armenian Genocide first. It is also known that in 1981 president
Ronald Reagan characterized the events in which happened in 1915 as
genocide. Later on, in 1987 when a draft of the Armenian bill was
again on the agenda Reagan wrote in his diary: “August 6. Our Turk
friends are getting nervous. Congress again discusses a resolution
which demands from the Turks to assume the responsibility for the
persecutions of the Armenians under the Ottoman Empire rule” 4. In
the years to follow the stance of the U.S. became even more evasive
and the calling back of the ambassador John Evans for calling the
1915 events Genocide was the climax. And all this happened when a)
president George W. Bush promised to recognize the Genocide during
his electoral campaign, b) the father of the latter – George Bush
Senior – while being vice-president also used term Armenian Genocide,
c) during George Bush Senior’s vice-presidency the Armenian Genocide
was condemned both on Congress and parliament levels.

It is open question whether today the institutional memory still
remembers the aforementioned facts of the Genocide recognition. In
2009 during the meeting with the Armenian community in Washington the
then U.S. ambassador to Armenia Marie Jovanovic stated that Barak
Obama took it a step further in his April 24 speech as compared to
any other president before. On April 27, 2012 I asked Barak Obama’s
press-secretary Jay Carney about institutional memory. In his oblique
answer Carney mentioned that Barak Obama’s stance on this issue is
known. But the pause which followed the question and surprised look
leaved an impression that Carney did not even know anything about this
fact and this was expectable. Ambassador Jovanovic’s formulation also
proved the absence of institutional memory as the ambassador did not
even know that before Obama there was recognition on the presidential
level. We guess that it is the Armenian party that should underline
by means of propaganda and other mechanisms that the Congress of
the United States of America was the first legislative body in the
history that passed a resolution condemning Armenian Genocide.

Such an information activity may also promote the process of a
re-recognition, thus allowing the Genocide recognition process
advocates in the American governing system to use the precedent
counterargument against the machinations of the Turkish lobby.

1 “Ermeni Soykırımı yasa tasarısına karşı iceriden mucadele
ediyoruz”, , 27.10.2006.

2 Dia de Recordaction de los Martires Armenios,

3 1915 olayları ve Uruguay, BBC, 27.01.2012

4 The Reagan Diaries, Harper Collins Publishers, NY, 2011, p. 524.

“Globus” analytical journal, #1, 2013

Return Another materials of author NAGORNO-KARABAKH BALANCES BETWEEN
PEACE AND WAR[11.07.2011] ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IS STILL WAITING TO HEAR
FROM CONGRESS[10.01.2011] ON TURKISH-AZERBAIJANI ACTIVATION IN THE
US ANALYTICAL STRUCTURES[30.08.2010] TURKS FROM BULGARIA: RECENT
DEVELOPMENTS[04.03.2010] YEREVAN-ANKARA NEGOTIATIONS: DERIVATIVE
PROCESSES[11.01.2010] PRIME MINISTER ARA HARUTIUNIAN SPEAKS OF
KARABAKH’S GROWING ECONOMY, AND OPPOSES RETREAT ON NATIONAL ISSUES Ara
Harutiunian discusses policy and politics [23.11.2009] PUBLICATIONS
IN AMERICAN PERIODICALS CONCERNING NAGORNO-KARABAKH IN 1918-20
[22.10.2009] INSTITUTE FOR ARMENIAN STUDIES IN ANKARA[06.10.2008]
PROPAGANDISTIC ACTIVITIES OF AZERBAIJANI “DIASPORA”[07.07.2008]
DISCUSSIONS ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION DAY IN TURKISH
MASS MEDIA[19.06.2008]

From: Baghdasarian

EXPERT: ARMENIA-RUSSIA TRADE TURNOVER MAY GROW SIGNIFICANTLY

YEREVAN, January 24. /ARKA/. Trade turnover between Armenia and Russia
may grow significantly and economic development may be promoted if
the countries stop talking on prospects and start acting, director
of Eurasian economic cooperation institute Vladimir Lepekhin said.

If the countries launch even a couple of major projects in Armenia
with involvement of Russian capital, the economic effect will manifest
straight away, Lepekhin said at a Yerevan-Msocow videobridge on the
Eurasian project for the South Caucasus in the framework of Journalism
Skills School held in Novosti-Armenia agency.

He said the figures show that more than 50% of Armenia’s trade turnover
is with the European Union and over 40% is with the joint economic
zone. On the other hand, share of Russia in Armenia’s trade turnover
with CIS countries is about 95%, he added.

Apart from this, according to Lepekhin, Russia and Armenia have always
had close cultural ties.

“In terms of geopolitical interests Russia has always considered
Armenia a key partner and ally. We do understand what problems Armenia
has today. Russia has always been on Armenia’s side,” the expert said.

It is the regional complications and Armenia’s relations with
neighbours that make Russia not to state its pro-Armenian position
on a number of issues rigidly, according to the expert.

Armenia’s foreign trade turnover with Russia amounted to 1.2bln in
January-November, an increase of 22.1% against the same period of 2011.

Armenia’s foreign trade turnover with the EU was 1.5bln in the period,
a 6% reduction compared to January-November 2011. -0-

From: Baghdasarian

JOINT COMMISSION TO EXAMINE 5 ARMENIAN CHURCHES IN GEORGIA

Thursday 24 January 2013 14:19
Photo: Mediamax
Surb Nshan

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The first working session of Armenian-Georgian
commission which will examine the issue of five Armenian churches in
Georgia was held today.

“Georgia Online” reports this quoting the Georgian MP Nana
Keinishvili. Representatives of the Ministry of Culture of Georgia,
Georgian Orthodox Church, Armenian Apostolic Church and NGOs made part
of the Commission.

The members of the Commission will examine five churches which
belonging is argued on by the Armenian and Georgian churches – Surb
Nshan, Surb Gevorg, Norashen, Surb Minas and Karmir Avetaran.

According to one of the members of the commission, Chairman of “21st
Century” organization Paata Gachechiladze, “there is no issue of
belonging of the churches – we mean their preserving”.

The decision on establishing a joint commission was made during
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishivili’s recent visit to
Yerevan.

From: Baghdasarian

SOME 275,000 PEOPLE VISIT YEREVAN ZOO IN 2012

YEREVAN, January 23. / ARKA /. Around 275,000 people visited the
Yerevan Zoo in 2012, up from 255,000 in 2011 and 90,000 in 2010,
Zoo director, Ruben Khachatryan, told a news conference today.

He said in addition to various park amusements, landscaped gardens
and stalls, the Zoo created last year an educational center that
offers visitors a variety of educational programs and guided tours.

He said in summer the zoo offers free screening of environmental films,
animal feeding shows and various exhibitions. In 2012 it also started
publishing The Zoo magazine designed for schoolchildren.

Khachatryan said the Zoo administration plans to build new spacious
enclosures for animals and repair the existing ones. He said they
will establish a therapy center at the Zoo this year for children
with disabilities who will contact with specially trained animals.

The ultimate objective, according to Ruben Khachatryan is to develop
the Zoo into a modern zoological and botanical park. The project is
initiated by the Foundation for Protection of Wildlife and Culture.

-0-

From: Baghdasarian

DEVELOPING STRATEGIC RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA WAS ONE OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES IN 2012 – ARMENIAN MFA

news.am
January 24, 2013 | 13:02

YEREVAN. – The regular and trustworthy political discourse was eventful
in 2012 in the relations between Armenia and the Russian Federation
(RF), the Armenian MFA’s 2012 Report states.

“It was an anniversary year, in connection with 20th anniversary
of the diplomatic ties between Armenia and the Russian Federation,
and 15th anniversary of the Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation and
Mutual Assistance.

Developing the allied interaction and strategic partnership with RF
continued to remain one of the most important foreign policy priorities
of Armenia in 2012.

The regular, trustworthy political discourse was eventful. Around
a dozen meetings were held between the senior leadership of Armenia
and RF. The interparliamentary cooperation developed, the long-term
economic cooperation program was signed until 2020.

Second conference of the Armenian-Russian interregional cooperation
was convened in [Armenia’s capital city] Yerevan. Numerous mutual
visits were held. The economic cooperation developed, the trade volume
increased, the militaro-technical interaction strengthened further,
[and] the humanitarian ties enlarged.

The political consultations between the MFAs of both countries were
regular,” the Armenian MFA’s 2012 Report reads in particular.

From: Baghdasarian

ARTSAKH MFA: AZERBAIJAN AIMS TO FAIL THE CURRENT FORMAT OF NEGOTIATIONS

On January 23 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh Republic Karen
Mirzoyan has hosted lecturers and students of Johns Hopkins, who
visited Artsakh. Press service of Artsakh MFA informs about this.

During the meeting the sides referred to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
history, current round of conflict and the negotiations, opportunities
of the solution. Some other regional issues were on agenda as well.

K. Mirzoyan especially underlined that Artsakh nation managed not only
to protect Motherland during the unequal war but also managed to create
an independent state based on democracy and human rights principles.

“Artsakh is for the peace solution of the conflict”, said K. Mirzoyan.

He also underlined that Azerbaijan aims to fail the current format
of negotiations.

24.01.13, 13:38

From: Baghdasarian

EURASIAN INTEGRATION MAY GIVE ARMENIA ADVANTAGE OF ADDITIONAL 5-6% GDP GROWTH

YEREVAN, January 23./ARKA/. Armenia~Rs involvement in Eurasian
integration process will give the country an opportunity of additional
5-6% growth, as compared with aggregate GDP under no integration
circumstance, director of North-South Political Science Center Russian
historian Aleksey Vlasov said during a journalism skills course at
Novosti international press center Wednesday.

This 5-6% additional growth can be achieved over five years, according
to Vlasov.

Earlier, Armenian minister of finance Vache Gabrielyan said GDP
growth is expected to reach 7-7.1% as of the end of 2012, as compared
with 2.4% planned under the budget. The 2013 budget projects a 6.2%
GDP growth.

According to Vlasov, economy should be re-equipped and an enterprise
chain should be built to ensure such an additional growth. Yet,
a year or a year and a half will be needed for adaptation, he said.

The expert stressed that opening of new jobs in all integrating
countries and distribution of resources will be the first priority
in the Eurasian integration.

The course on journalism skills held in Novosti-Armenia Agency on
January 22-26 is initiated by North-South Political Science Center,
RIA Novosti Agency, together with Novosti-Armenia International News
Agency. ~V0–

From: Baghdasarian

TURKOLOGIST: NO FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES SHOULD BE EXPECTED IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS IN 2013

arminfo
Wednesday, January 23, 14:45

No fundamental changes should be expected in the Armenian-Turkish
relations in 2013, says turkologist Artak Shakaryan. He told media,
Wednesday that Ankara has faced much more serious challenges connected
with the situation in Syria, Iraq, and the Iranian problem.

Improving relations with Yerevan is not a priority for Ankara, he
said. Political ambitions of Turkish Premier Erdogan are another
factor impeding the Armenian-Turkish dialogue, he said. Erdogan
intends to initiate Constitutional amendments in 2013, which will
significantly expand the powers of the president like it is in France,
USA and Armenia, he said.

After amending the Constitution, Erdogan will try his best to win
the presidential election in 2014, Shakaryan said. In this light,
the expert believes that any concessions to the Armenian party in
the issue of the Armenian Genocide or the Karabakh conflict may cost
Erdogan a certain part of voters.

Earlier in 2012 many Turkish mass media reported that Erdogan
suffers from cancer. Asked if the disease will hold Erdogan from
fulfilling his goals, Shakaryan said that the information on the
Turkish premier’s disease has not been refuted. At the same time,
nowadays medicine allows prolonging the life of a cancer patient for
several years. For instance, Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela,
is currently undergoing similar treatment. Consequently, he said,
Erdogan has chances to enforce his plans.

Armenia and Turkey signed the “Protocol on the establishment of
diplomatic relations” and the “Protocol on the development of bilateral
relations” in Zurich on October 10. Following Turkey’s unwillingness
to ratify the protocols and attempts to link ratification with the
Karabakh conflict made President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sign a
decree on suspension of the procedure of ratification of the Armenian
-Turkish protocols.

From: Baghdasarian

YEREVAN-LATAKIA-YEREVAN FLIGHTS TO BECOME ONGOING: “SYRIAN AIRLINES”

15:34, 23 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan-Latakia-Yerevan flights will
become ongoing. The next flight to Latakia will take place on January
29. The manager of the Yerevan Office of “Syrian Airlines” Svetlana
Hovhannisyan stated this in a conversation with “Armenpress”. The
Manager of the Office of “Syrian Airlines” Svetlana Hovhannisyan noted:
“The flight to Latakia scheduled to January 22 ended successfully. 23
passengers departed and 55 arrived.” In addition she stated that
there is still no information about the flights to Aleppo.

Armenian populated Aleppo seems to be caught in a trap, land routes
are dangerous to get out of the city, the airport is closed. Clashes
flare up nearby the Aleppo Airport between the governmental forces
and rebels.

In accordance with the UN data 60 thousand people have been killed
in Syria as a result of 22 months ongoing clashes. Land roads have
become especially dangerous; the air communication has become rather
difficult as Turkey has closed its airspace for Syrian planes.

From: Baghdasarian