Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

STEPANAKERT AIRPORT TO REOPEN SOON

news.am
September 26, 2012 | 22:27

STEPANAKERT. – The Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] capital city Stepanakert
airport will be reopened next week.

“The airplanes will soon take off and land in the airport,” head of
the Civil Aviation at the Government of Arstakh Dmitriy Adbashyan
told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Perspectives of resuming works of the airport bring forth hysteria in
Azerbaijan. It threatens to shoot civilian jets flying to Stepanakert.

Such threats directly contradict to the international law on civil
aviation.

The airport is going to serve for 100 passengers in an hour, while
the Air Artsakh will implement the flights.

From: Baghdasarian

SON OF DEPUTY PROSECUTOR THREATENS RESTAURANT STAFF WITH GUN IN ARMENIA

news.am
September 26, 2012 | 20:53

ARMAVIR. – Shots were heard in Armenia’s Armavir Region on Wednesday,
as Sevan Minasyan, who is the son of the deputy prosecutor Serjik
Minasyan threatened the Karmir Kamurj restaurant staff as they dared
to ask to pay the bill.

Sevak did not pay for the dinner, and came back with his friends to
settle the issue with the restaurant staff, owner of the restaurant
Misak Ter-Poghosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am adding the dispute
ended with skirmish.

Criminal case is instigated on Article 258. Hooliganism committed
with a weapon, spokesperson for the Attorney General Sona Truzyan
informed the agency.

From: Baghdasarian

LAKE SEVAN WATER LEVEL EXCEEDED 1905 M. IN 2011 – DEPUTY MINISTER

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 26, 2012 – 20:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Lake Sevan water level for the first time exceeded
1905 m. in 2011, Deputy Minister of Nature Protection said.

Simon Papyan noted forest clearances, launch of 3600 young fish into
the Sevan, works on 3 public beaches, with 100 thous, having visited
them among the works accomplished.

According to Minister Papyan, 70 hectares of the planned 274 were
cleaned by villagers before the flush in 2011, with 2012 envisaging
clearance of 180 more hectares.

From: Baghdasarian

SAFAROV FACTOR: EXTRADITION OF CONFESSED AZERI CRIMINAL CONTINUES TO HAMPER ARMENIAN-HUNGARIAN RELATIONS
By Julia Hakobyan

ArmeniaNow
Politics | 26.09.12 | 15:01

YSU Young Students Union organized a march to the Yerablur military
cemetery in Yerevan to honor Gurgen Margaryan on his 34th birthday

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Students of the Yerevan State University and members of the Gurgen
Margaryan NGO organized a march to the Yerablur military cemetery
in the Armenian capital – the resting place of the officer who was
hacked to death while being asleep by Ramil Safarov, an Azeri fellow
student at NATO-sponsored English language courses in Budapest,
Hungary, in 2004.

Enlarge Photo

Safarov, who struck the sleeping man 16 times, cutting his head off the
body with an axe he had purchased the night before has not repented
his heinous crime. In 2006 he was sentenced to life in Hungary
without the right of pardon for the first 30 years, but on August
31 this year Hungary agreed to extradite the criminal to Azerbaijan,
where he was met as a hero, was pardoned by the presidential decree
and was promoted to the military rank of a major.

Safarov also received his back salary for the eight and a half years
he spent in jail in Budapest.

Safarov’s extradition caused a great wave of criticism from the
international community and a strong reaction from official Yerevan
that suspended diplomatic ties with Budapest. The Armenian National
Assembly accused Hungary of “creating a precedent encouraging ethnic
hate crimes against Armenians.”

At a press conference in Yerevan today expert on international law
Levon Gevorgyan said that Armenia and Hayk Makuchyan (Margaryan’s
classmate in Budapest, who escaped death at the hands of Safarov)
should demand material compensation from Azerbaijan as well as to
get the political levers of pressure.

He said that the lawsuit against Azerbaijan should be based on its
violation of a person’s right to life, as well as violation of the
international convention on elimination of discrimination on ethnic
grounds.

Gevorgyan also noted that such a legal process will demonstrate the
impossibility for Karabakh people living under the rule of Azerbaijan,
the country, where a murder is being justified only for the reason
that the victim was an Armenian.

Meanwhile, the Safarov Affair continues to affect not only the
political relations but also the joint cultural projects between
Armenia and Hungary.

Renowned Armenian pianist Hayk Melikyan called off his tour of Hungary
where he was due to perform in late October at the concert hall of
the Moholy-Nagy University of Art in Budapest. The pianist made a
statement saying that he felt insulted by the humiliating step of
the Hungarian state aimed against the Armenian nation.

Early in September the Yerevan State University cancelled the earlier
confirmed participation in a conference to be held at the Central
European University’s Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies.

A note of protest did not bypass the upcoming HighFest either. The
10th International Theatre Festival is due to be held in Yerevan
on October 2-9. Still in summer it was planned that the headliner
of the festival will be the Center of the renowned Hungarian dancer
and choreographer Jozsef Nagy, who was to present a performance of
Hungarian dances. As a result the HighFest organizers themselves
asked the Center to cancel their performance in Yerevan.

The extraordinary thing about this is that as many as 25 theaters
representing 18 countries including Turkey will take part in HighFest,
but Hungary will not be represented.

Nevertheless, the Turkish “factor” has became an occasion for
indignation in connection with another cultural event in Budapest,
where the Armenian community reacted angrily to plans to erect a
monument to Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish state.

The monument is due to be unveiled in the Hungarian capital
on September 29. Representatives of the community say that the
establishment of this monument does not meet the interests of Hungary
against the background of the continuing scandal around Safarov’s
extradition.

Hungarian media, citing Russian sources, write that renewed hostilities
in Karabakh are possible in the current tense atmosphere between
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“The Safarov Affair suits the interests of both Yerevan and Baku to
abort attempts to achieve peace. They have not decided to go to war
yet, but they’ve already turned away from peace,” writes Nepszava
Online.

In Armenia, meanwhile, another controversial decision related to the
world of sport has elicited a mixed reaction. In early September
international chess’s governing body FIDE decided to grant Baku
the right to host the 2016 World Chess Olympiad. Armenian sports
functionaries threatened to boycott the event.

Before the final vote on the decision at the FIDE Executive Committee
its officials reportedly got guarantees of security for all athletes
from Azerbaijan. President of the Chess Academy of Armenia Smbat
Lputyan stated, however, that if the Olympiad in 2016 is held in the
Azerbaijani capital, Armenian players will refuse to participate in it.

From: Baghdasarian

MEETING AT THE ARMENIAN CULTURAL CENTER IN CANADA

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2012-09-26 17:01

On September 23, a meeting with public representatives took place
at the Armenian Cultural Center in Canada. Member of the Canadian
Parliament Jim Karygiannis also participated in the meeting. The
parliamentarian, in particular, shared his impressions on the recent
presidential elections in the NKR, in which he had participated as
an international observer. Mr. Karygiannis noted that the elections
had been held at a high level, and in this regard, Artsakh could
be an example for many countries. According to the Deputy, he saw a
fully-formed and well-functioning state system.

NKR Permanent Representative to the USA and Canada Robert Avetisian
made a speech at the meeting, after which he answered the attendants’
questions related to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement and
the situation in the NKR. The issue of Ramil Safarov’s extradition
and pardon was also touched upon. The NKR Permanent Representative
expressed hope that the international community would take a more
principled position not only on this fact, but also on Azerbaijan’s
destructive policy in general.

The Azerbaijani party’s actions were criticized also by Jim
Karygiannis, who pledged to continue his efforts to ensure that the
political circles in Canada learn more about Artsakh and the real
situation in the Republic.

From: Baghdasarian

NO DISTORTED STATISTICS WILL HELP BAKU ESCAPE RESPONSIBILITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 26, 2012 – 18:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – It’s impossible to assess the damage Azerbaijan
inflicted on Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia with its aggressive
anti-Armenian policy, RA deputy foreign minister said.

According to Shavarsh Kocharyan, in response to Artsakh people’s right
to self-determination Azerbaijan committed pogroms and ethnic cleansing
of Armenians, unleashed massive aggression against the self-determined
Nagorno Karabakh Republic, causing numerous victims and destructions.

“Azerbaijani leadership, which has given its axe-killer a hero’s
welcome, refuses to withdraw snipers, create incident investigation
mechanisms and observe the ceasefire.

No distorted statistics, manipulation of international law will help
the Azerbaijani leadership to escape responsibility for the losses
of the conflicting parties and undermining the mediators’ efforts
to settle the conflict and maintain the peace and stability in the
region,” deputy minister said.

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economic Development has assessed the
“total damage” inflicted on the country as a result of the so-called
“occupation” by Armenia, in fact liberation of historical Armenian
territories at USD 431,5 bln. Baku claims “the process of calculation
is still in process.”

From: Baghdasarian

CANADIAN MP HAILS ELECTION PROCESS IN ARTSAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 26, 2012 – 17:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On September 23, a meeting with public
representatives took place at the Armenian Cultural Center in Canada,
with member of the Canadian Parliament Jim Karygiannis attending.

The parliamentarian, in particular, shared his impressions of the
recent presidential elections in the NKR, in which he participated as
an international observer. Mr. Karygiannis noted that the elections
were held at a high level, and in this regard, Artsakh could be
an example for many countries. He said he saw a fully-formed and
well-functioning state system.

NKR Permanent Representative to the U.S. and Canada Robert Avetisian
made a speech at the meeting, after which he answered the attendants’
questions related to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement
and the situation in the NKR.

The issue of Ramil Safarov~Rs extradition and pardon was also in
the focus. The NKR Permanent Representative expressed hope that the
international community would take a more principled position not only
on this fact, but also on Azerbaijan’s destructive policy in general.

The Azerbaijani party’s actions were severely criticized also by Mr.

Karygiannis, who pledged to continue his efforts to ensure that the
political circles in Canada learn more about Artsakh and the real
situation in the republic, reported the NKR MFA press service.

From: Baghdasarian

LETTER BY ASSEMBLY OF THE ARMENIANS OF EUROPE TO MARTIN SCHULTZ

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:12:06 – 26/09/2012

His Excellency

Martin Schultz Esq.,

President – Parliament of the European Union

Your Excellency,

The Declaration you have published concerning the need for the Turkish
State’s acknowledgment of the Genocide of the Armenians as such,
which you have kindly raised during your meeting with the Turkish
Minister Mr. Egemen BagiÅ~_ within the context of Turkey’s membership
of the European union, caused an enormous satisfaction and produced a
profound gratification among the Diaspora Armenians spread throughout
the world, as a direct result of that very genocide back in 1915,
which deprived our native nation of its historical country from time
immemorial. We thank you from the depths of our hearts and minds.

We would like to emphasize and underline the fact that, by
making Turkey’s Membership of the European Union contingent on
Turkey’s acknowledgment of the genocide, your Excellency has, not
only displayed a great respect for the universal European values,
but also with your formal declaration have confirmed the overall
superiority and supremacy of our continental humanitarian constructs
of Democracy and Freedom intended ultimately to protect Human Rights,
devastated daily in the modern but backward looking State of Turkey,
longing for Ottoman domination and slavery of nations.

We expect that the pan-European socio-political structures, albeit
late, but hopefully soon now, assume their historical responsibilities
against the horrendous holocaust perpetrated upon our nation by the
Ottoman State of Turkey, robbing it of its historical territories,
to finally see justice done by their return according to The Treaty
of Sèvres (10 August 1920).

We thank you yet again in the name of Assembly of the Armenians
of Europe.

Very Truly Yours

Garo Hakopian Esq.,

President – the Assembly of the Armenians of Europe.

September 22, 2012

Uppsala, Sweden

[email protected]

From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY FOLLOWS SITUATION AROUND SO-CALLED “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” LAW IN FRANCE

Trend
Sept 25 2012
Azerbaijan

Turkey is following the situation around possible reconsideration
of the adoption of the law on the so-called “Armenian genocide” in
France, which envisages criminal punishment for denying the so-called
“Armenian genocide,” Anadolu agency quotes Turkish Minister for EU
Affairs Egemen Bagis as saying on Tuesday.

He said the Turkish Embassy in Paris is closely following the
developments around the possible inclusion of the law on “Armenian
genocide” in the agenda. To date Turkey has not received information
on the reconsideration of the issue.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of the
Turkey – the Ottoman Empire had committed the 1915 genocide against
the Armenians living in Anatolia and achieved recognition of the
“Armenian Genocide” by the parliaments of several countries.

From: Baghdasarian

DIGNITARIES ARRIVE IN BKIRKI TO PARTICIPATE IN MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN SUMMIT

National News Agency Lebanon (NNA)
September 24, 2012 Monday

NNA – 24/9/2012- Muslim-Christian spiritual summit is held today at
10:30 in the Patriarchate in Bkirki.

Kamil Mnassah, Hareth Shehab and Michel Abd representing Christian-
Muslim dialogue committee; relation coordinator among religions in
Bkirki, Priest Hady Daou; Ashourian sect representative Amanouil
Youhanna; Orthodox Syriac Bishop George Saliba, representative of
Orthodox Copts , Father Roueis Al-Orshalimi; Head of Higher Angelic
Sect compound in Syria and Lebanon, Priest Salim Sahyouni; Priest
Riyad Jarjour, General Patriarchate Deputy Bishop Boulos Sayyah,
representative of Chaldean Catholic Syriac, Bishop Michel Kasarji ;
Patriarch Mar Ignatius Youssef the Third Younane arrived consecutively
in Bkirki.

Greek Orthodox Metropolite in Beirut Elias Audi, Higher Shiite Islam
Council General Director Nazih Jammoul, Alaouite Sect head Sheikh
Assad Allah Assi, Catholic Armenian Orthodox Aram the First Kichichian
heading a delegation of the sects Priests; Higher Islamic Shiite
Coundil head Sheikh Abdel Amir Cabalan and Al-Mufti Jaafar Al0Momtaz
SheikhAhmad Cabalan; Latin Bishop Boulos Sayyah Representativa of
Catholic Armenian Patriarch Narciss Bedros the Nineteenth Moseigneur
Patrick Mrad; Republic Mufti Sheikh Mohamad Bashir Qabbani; Sheikh
Akl Al-Druz Al- Mouahiddine sect Naim Hassan, also arrived in Bkirki.

Patriarch Al-Rai started the Summit by a work in which he confirmed
that “offending the Islam Prophet Mohammad is an insult for Muslims
and Christians”, saying we should reach a final decision not only
condemned that act .

Rai stressed the need that “the International Community should shoulder
its responsibility “, considering that such “insults threaten safety
of people.” He added that those who belittle religion are actually
belittling God, stressing “the need to take a position which leads
to a final decision’.

From: Baghdasarian