Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

RAFFI QUALIFIE POUR LES DEMI-FINALES SUR M6
Jean Eckian

Le jeune Raffi qui participait hier au concours de La France a un
incroyable talent (M6) a ete selectionne pour les demi-finales avec
les 3 OUI de Sandrine Corman, Gilbert Rozon et Dave.

Avec son interpretation decapante de l’emblematique Rock Blue Suede
Shoes (Elvis Presley), Raffi a mis la salle et le jury de l’emission
dans sa poche en 1,15 mn. Il est donc qualifie pour les demi-finales.

Cette fois-ci ce sont les telespectateurs qui devront se prononcer
en direct au mois de decembre… avec notre aide.

Le 1er septembre dans l’emission de TF1 Qui sera le meilleur ce soir
animee par Christophe Dechavanne, Raffi avait ete elimine par deux
votes contre lui signes Dove Attia (producteur de comedies musicales)
et Mathieu Madenian qui n’en n’est pas a sa première bevue en regard
de la communaute armenienne. Seule Helène Segara etait tombe sous le
charme, ainsi que Christophe Dechavanne qui se paya un jeu a quatre
mains avec Raffi.

J.E

son histoire, voir lien plus bas

mercredi 14 novembre 2012, Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

STADTRATE DISKUTIEREN UBER VOLKERMORD AN ARMENIERN [HALLE CITY COUNCILLORS DISCUSS THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE]

Mitteldeutsche Zeitung

12 nov 2012
Deutschland

HALLE (SAALE)/MZ. Hunderttausende Armenier sind zwischen 1915 und
1917 im Osmanischen Reich einem Volkermord zum Opfer gefallen. Fast
100 Jahre spater sind die Ereignisse nun ein Fall fur die hallesche
Kommunalpolitik. Auf Initiative der armenischen Gemeinde und von OB
Dagmar Szabados (SPD) beschaftigt sich gerade der Stadtrat damit:
Wenn sich 2015 die armenische Tragodie zum hundertsten Mal jahrt, soll
ein armenischer Kreuzstein, ein Chatschkar, in Halle errichtet werden.

Dagegen scheint auch keiner der Stadtrate etwas zu haben – gegen den
Begriff Volkermord aber schon. Der Kulturausschuss hat sich gegen
die Verwendung des Begriffs ausgesprochen – was nun zu Kritik fuhrt.

Vor funf Jahren hatte sich auch der Bundestag mit der armenischen
Tragodie befasst – den Begriff Volkermord mit Rucksicht auf die
Beziehungen zur Turkei aber ebenfalls vermieden. Die offizielle
turkische Geschichtsschreibung bestreitet namlich, dass es uberhaupt
einen Volkermord gegeben hat. In der Vorlage der Stadtverwaltung
Halle hingegen tauchte der Begriff ursprunglich mehrfach auf –
bis der Kulturausschuss intervenierte. Nun wird in Anlehnung an die
Bundestagsresolution von “Vertreibungen und Massakern” gesprochen. Die
Errichtung des Gedenksteines wurde vom Ausschuss dagegen beschlossen.

Die Armenische Gemeinde, die in Halle-Ammendorf eine Kirche betreibt,
hat irritiert auf die Streichung des Begriffs reagiert. Harutyun
Manukyan, der Vorsitzende der Gemeinde, sagte zur MZ: “Der Volkermord
ist die historische Wahrheit. Davon etwas abzustreichen ist keine
richtige Losung.” Zwar wolle man mit der Stadt weiter in positiven
Gesprachen bleiben, doch ist die Haltung der Armenier eindeutig. “Wenn
wir die Dinge nicht richtig benennen, dann kann sich so etwas
wiederholen”, so Manukyan.

Auch aus der Uni Halle, die traditionell enge Beziehungen zu Armenien
hat, kommt Kritik. “Halle sollte Mut zeigen, die Stadt mit gutem
Beispiel voran gehen”, sagt Armenuhi Drost-Abgarjan, Professorin fur
Armenologie. Vor dem Hintergrund weltweiter Bemuhungen, im Jahr 2015
die Anerkennung des Genozids an den Armeniern allgemein durchzusetzen,
sei die hallesche Position ein Ruckfall.

Deutliche Worte findet auch der hallesche Dichter Wilhelm Bartsch:
“Die Verleugnung des Volkermords, in den Deutschland tief verwickelt
war, kann sich Halle nicht erlauben. Die Stadt muss hier Vorreiter
sein. Alles andere ware ein Barendienst, den die Politiker Halle
erweisen wurden. Die Stadt ist in Armenien vielen Menschen ein
Begriff.”

From: Baghdasarian

US AMBASSADOR HOPES FOR PROGRESS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Trend
Nov 13 2012
Azerbaijan

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will be discussing in the region
their ideas how to get progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution and make the process moving, Ambassador of the U.S. to
Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar told journalists on Tuesday.

“Minsk group has always been active, but it particularly was active
over the past few weeks,” Morningstar said.

“So we will see what happens and hopefully progress will be made,”
he added.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will visit the region in late
November, the OSCE official website said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: Baghdasarian

ELMAN ABDULLAYEV: ONE CAN NOT REGARD LACK OF ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES’ POLITICAL WILL TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM THE OCCUPIED AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES AS READINESS FOR COMPROMISE

APA
Nov 13 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Anakhanim Hidayatova-APA. “One can not regard the continuation
of the occupation and lack of Armenian authorities’ political will to
withdraw troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories as readiness
for compromise,” spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry Elman
Abdullayev told APA.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan had said in his interview to The
Wall Street Journal that Armenia is ready for compromise and to
solve Nagorno Karabakh conflict: “The situation is indeed tense,
but we have never made hostile statements. The conflict must be
solved through negotiations. Military operations are inadmissible,
because it would harm Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, but most harm would
come to the Azerbaijani people.”

Elman Abdullayev commented on Armenian President’s views.

“I wonder, who has made the situation in the region tense? Bloody
ethnic cleansing was carried out, one million people were expelled
from their historical lands as a result of the militaristic policy
of Armenia,” he said.

He said due to the unbearable economic situation in Armenia a lot of
citizens are obliged to leave for other countries.

According to the diplomat, the approach of Armenia to the issue
resulted in its isolation from all regional processes: “In this case,
such a question arises: Who creates the tense situation? In general,
what does Yerevan want to achieve – to harm the future of the region
and its people?”

The spokesman said that the establishment of a puppet regime in the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan and attempts to carry out artificial
settlement in these areas are not the ways out of the situation:
“Is it necessary to harm the region and people for the sake of
their ambitious and nationalist approach? One can not regard lack
of Armenian authorities’ political will to withdraw troops from the
occupied Azerbaijani territories as readiness for compromise. What
do we mean when speaking about the attempts on the maintenance of
the status-quo? Don’t they mean maintenance of the occupation fact?”

Elman Abdullayev said that Azerbaijan is interested in changing the
current status quo most of all: “We clearly understand that the region
can never fully develop without changing the current tense situation
and the people of the South Caucasus will suffer from this.”

From: Baghdasarian

FOREIGN MINISTRY: AZERBAIJAN SENDS PROTEST NOTE TO URUGUAY

Trend
Nov 14 2012
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has sent a protest note to Uruguay due to the recent
statements made by this country’s MP and his illegal visit to the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Spokesman of Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry Elman Abdullayev said at a briefing on Wednesday.

“The visit of several Uruguayan MPs does not change anything except
escalate the situation. Armenian forces are behind it and it harms
the negotiating process. Armenia realises that Azerbaijan is able to
return its territories back, but at this stage it adheres to peaceful
solutions to the conflict. Azerbaijan is able to return its lands,”
Abdullayev said.

He said unfortunately some foreign MPs have turned this into a kind
of tool for the Armenian side and so harms the peace process.

“Uruguay should realise that such steps are dangerous to the fragile
peace process. All should realise that sooner or later Azerbaijan
will restore its territorial integrity,” he said.

Abdullayev said that the Azerbaijani Embassy in Argentina, also
accredited to Uruguay, is instructed to present a protest note to
the Foreign Ministry of Uruguay.

If MPs from Uruguay illegally visit the occupied territories, then
it means that they are disrespectful to the violation of rights of
refugees and IDPs, Abdullayev said.

Uruguay could become the first country to recognise the independence of
the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh, co-chairman of the Armenian-Uruguayan
inter-parliamentary friendship group and member of the Commission on
Foreign Relations of Uruguay’s Parliament, Ruben Martínez Huelmo said
on Tuesday night in Khankendi, ARKA reported.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. are
currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: Baghdasarian

Mediamax, Armenia
Nov 14 2012

ARMENIA TO HAVE A MODERN ENERGY SECURITY SYSTEM

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The energy security concept will be submitted to
the Armenian National Security Council (NSC) for approval.

As NSC press service informed Mediamax, the interdepartmental task
force for the elaboration of the draft energy security conception
approved the draft today.

Addressing the session of the interdepartmental group, Secretary of
the Armenian National Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan said that the
main task of the energy security should be the provision of Armenia’s
energy self-sufficiency both in a short-term and long-term perspective.

“The energy security strategy is the most important document from the
point of view of provision of our country’s national security. The
document, which includes about 120 proposals, is ready for discussion,
and by adopting it we take many important steps not only in terms of
implementation of our international commitments but also in terms of
fulfillment of provisions envisaged by Armenia’s National Security
Strategy,” said Artur Baghdasaryan.

From: Baghdasarian

CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF URUGUAY VISITS STEPANAKERT AND MEETS WITH NKR PRESIDENT

Mediamax, Armenia
Nov 14 2012

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Chairman of the House of Representatives of
Uruguay Jorge Orrico visited Stepanakert and met with NKR President
Bako Sahakyan on November 13.

Bako Sahakyan noted that Artsakh and Uruguay are friendly countries
which have much in common both in history and philosophy of
state-building which creates favorable prerequisites for development
of cooperation between the two states.

The NKR President hailed Uruguay’s contribution to the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, its balanced policy in the NKR
recognition and settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict.

Both sides highlighted the importance of deepening of ties between the
two countries and necessity of taking up certain steps in this area.

Azerbaijan already sent a protest note to Uruguay, Trend reports.

“The visit of several MPs from Uruguay doesn’t change anything but
escalates the situation. It’s initiated by the Armenian forces which
jeopardize the negotiation process”, stated spokesman for the
Azerbaijani Foreign minister Elman Abdullayev.

“Uruguay should understand that such steps are dangerous for the
fragile peace process. Everyone should understand that Azerbaijan will
restore its territorial integrity sooner or later”, he said.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN LEADER’S STATUE IN MEXICO DRAWS PROTEST

National Public Radio
November 13, 2012 Tuesday
SHOW: Morning Edition 11:00 AM EST

ANCHORS: Carrie Kahn

GUESTS: Rigoberto Saucedo, Ambrosio Ariza, Felipe Leal, Thomas De Waal

RENEE MONTAGNE: In the most prominent park in Mexico City, you can
find statues to international heroes like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin
Luther King and now Heydar Aliyev. He was a Soviet-era autocrat in
Central Asia. The late leader’s government paid for the statue and
restoration of a nearby plaza. And as NPR’s Carrie Kahn reports,
that’s created quite a stir in the Mexican capital.

CARRIE KAHN: Strolling through Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park is one
of the few green pleasures in this concrete mega-metropolis. So when
the corner of a busy intersection was covered in marble and topped
with a huge golden statue, heads turned.

RIGOBERTO SAUCEDO: (Foreign language spoken)

CARRIE KAHN: Rigoberto Saucedo passed by the intersection on a recent
Sunday. He says it’s not right to put up a statue of a dictator in
Mexico, a country that proclaims its freedom. Like most passersby,
Saucedo had never heard of Aliyev until the statue went up in August
and the controversy spread in the media. Ambrosio Ariza came by to
see what all the fuss was about and take some pictures. He wasn’t
thrilled either.

AMBROSIO ARIZA: (Foreign language spoken)

CARRIE KAHN: He said there are many great Mexican heroes, why put
up a statue up to this man? So how did this one-time KGB insider and
controversial leader of a country thousands of miles away get a huge
statute in Mexico City? The head of Urban Development for the city,
Felipe Leal, says it was simple.

FELIPE LEAL: We made a mistake. We don’t research enough, no?

CARRIE KAHN: Leal says no one looked into Aliyev’s background or
questioned the wording on the plaque in front of the statue that
touts him as a shining example of universal ideas and world peace.

Aliyev ruled Azerbaijan from 1969 through the Soviet break-up, then
again headed the country in 1993 until his death ten years later.

Worldwide, he’s better remembered for a legacy of corruption and
one-party rule. Leal says the Azerbaijan government’s offer to spruce
up the park and another dilapidated downtown plaza seemed like a good
deal at the time. He says the mayor has now appointed a three-member
panel to decide what to do about the statue.

FELIPE LEAL: We need to be sensible about the feelings of the Mexico
citizens, no? They don’t want this sculpture in that place.

CARRIE KAHN: Having a statue of a man with such a questionable human
rights record in a city known as one of the most liberal in the
hemisphere, puts Mexico City’s mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, in a sticky
situation. Ebrard is often talked about as a leading presidential
candidate.

Yet he isn’t the first head of a city tackling this problem. Thomas de
Waal, a Caucasus expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace says recently Azerbaijan, rich with oil wealth, has gone on a
worldwide public relations campaign.

THOMAS DE WAAL: They’ve paid for cultural festivals, parks, you name
it right across the world and particularly in places where there is
a big Armenian community to try and match their enemies, the Armenians.

CARRIE KAHN: Mexico doesn’t have a large Armenian population, but in
a press release, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Mexico accused the small
yet vocal Armenian community for the uproar. Urban development head
Felipe Leal says it’s unfortunate that Mexico City got caught up in
this international conflict.

FELIPE LEAL: Armenian and Azerbaijan problem, it’s not part of Mexico
policies. It’s not our problem.

CARRIE KAHN: He says maybe the two countries can work this out
somewhere else, maybe the United Nations – but not in Chapultepec Park.

Carrie Kahn, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

RENEE MONTAGNE: This is NPR News.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERI CORRESPONDENT RECEIVES THREATS TIED TO REPORTING

BAKU. November 14, 2012. Yafez Hasanov, a correspondent for RFE/RL’s
Azerbaijani Service, has received telephone threats since investigating
the death last year of a man in the custody of Azerbaijan’s Ministry
of National Security.

The man, Turac Zeynalov, was found dead in August 2011 in a detention
facility run by the Ministry of National Security’s Naxicivan bureau,
where he had been summoned the day before and accused of spying
for Iran.

Hasanov, who has been investigating information he recently obtained
about the case, told RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani service that he has received
repeated telephone calls and text messages over the last four days
from unidentified persons threatening reprisals against him and his
family if he does not stop reporting. In one text he was warned,
“you’ll end up like Zeynalov.” In one phone call he was told, ~Sif
you do not stop [reporting], you~Rll be shocked by what you see.~T

Hasanov changed his phone number, but the calls continued. He has
submitted the phone numbers from which the threats came to Ramil
Usubov, Azerbaijan’s Interior Minister, for investigation.

Hasanov, a free-lancer based in Naxichivan, an Azeri exclave, was
kidnapped last year after first reporting on the case. Following a
meeting with the family to investigate the circumstances of Zeynalov’s
death, he was stopped on the street by several unknown men and pulled
into an unmarked car. He was told not to report about the case,
and warned that to do so could lead to “embarrassment.” Hasanov was
driven to a customs office on the Iranian border where he was left
to return to Baku via Iran. He was warned not to return to Naxcivan
for a month or “it would cost him.”

The Azeri government has not responded to calls by RFE/RL and other
organizations to investigate the incident.

Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova requested in
September last year that the Prosecutor-General and National Security
Minister investigate Zeynalov’s death.

Hasanov has reported for RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani service, Radio Azadliq,
since 2010. (RFE/RL)

From: Baghdasarian

HASAN CEMAL’S “1915. ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” IS AN HONEST BOOK. GERMAN KULTUR RADIO STATION

18:28, 14 November, 2012

YEREVAN, November 14, ARMENPRESS: “Brave book”, this is how the book
of Turkish writer Hasan Cemal “1915. Ermeni Soykirimi” which means
“1915. Armenian Genocide” was considered by German “Culture” radio
station. As reports Armenpress on November 13 outstanding German radio
station has devoted a whole program to Cemal’s book, his observations
on Armenian Genocide and their friendship with Hrant Dink. The program
mainly referred to the confession of Hasan Cemal about his grandfather
who participated in the massacres of Armenians.

“The issue of Armenian Genocide has been a taboo in Turkish history
for a long time, and Hasan Cemal has been raised with this taboo. His
own approaches, issues and perceptions Cemal has collected in his
book “1915. Armenian Genocide”. The cover of the book reflects Cemal
putting white carnations near the flame in Tsitsernakaberd memorial”
noted the radio station. The station quoted Cemal as saying “I was
feeling to destroy the “wall” of taboo inside me. But I remembered
the word of my friend, Hrant Dink when saying “Lets finally come
together and respect our pain””.

The author of the book has earlier stated “We cannot move forward
without confronting and taking into consideration the events of the
past. We cannot keep an eye on the anguish of the past. Moreover the
pain of 1915 is not a story, it is a current day issue”.

The first chapter of the book runs how Hasan comes to know 1915
events. Then the author dwells on how he became to be called
“parricide” after coming forth with his obtained information and
statements in the course of Hrant Dink’s assassination hearings
in 2006. The second chapter of the book tells the author’s way of
thinking before reveal of 1915 events and reportedly how it changed
in the course of the time. The most interesting part of the book is
the third chapter entitled “Pasha Grandfather or Cemal Pasha family”.

This chapter tells about 1915 Armenian Genocide organizer Cemal Pasha
and his family. Hasan Cemal has repeatedly stated he recognizes 1915
events Genocide. He visited Tsitsernakeberd and laid a wreath at the
Genocide Memorial in 2008.

German “Culture” has concluded its program referring to the 100th
anniversary of Armenian Genocide which will be respected by Armenian
all over the world.” Whether Turkey will manage to conclude peace
with Armenia or not. This process should be supported by such brave
and courageous people as Hasan Camal” noted German journalist.

From: Baghdasarian