Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

LEADER OF TURKISH PARTY INSULTS HIS MOTHER REJECTING HIS ARMENIAN HERITAGE

news.am
May 16, 2012 | 00:04

There are Armenians in Turkey who must not be scared and bravely
return to their roots, said head of the Union of Armenians of Dersim
Mihran Prkich Gultekin.

In an interview with the Turkish Akit newspaper, he said 75 percent of
the population of Dersim has Armenian roots. Some of them are Alawite,
while others have merged with the Kurds.

Speaking about opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Chairman
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Gultekin said that his mother was Armenian and
it is not a secret for all the residents of this region.

“However, Kilicdaroglu prefers to hide his Armenian roots thus
insulting his mother. The area where he lives is an Armenian
settlement. In Dersim everyone knows about it. His mother’s name is
Emosh, and she is also named Emush,” he said.

Gultekin said that he used to be a member of the Kurdish party HADEP,
stressing that even today many Armenians join the Kurdish Peace and
Democracy Party.

“The Kurdish party respects the Armenians realizing that had gone
through a lot of sufferings. But some Kurds have negative attitude
towards the Armenians still calling them ‘gyavur’ [unafithful],”
Gultekin concluded.

From: Baghdasarian

FRANCE-TURKEY: ‘LE CHANGEMENT, C’EST MAINTENANT’
by Helene Flautre*

Today’s Zaman
*.html
May 14 2012
Turkey

It was not a coincidence that “le changement, c’est maintenant,” the
campaign slogan of Francoise Hollande, who won a landslide victory in
the French elections, which literally means “change now,” or “time
for change,” was used by Le Monde in its headline to draw attention
to relations between France and Turkey.

The discourse opposing Turkey’s membership of the European Union that
Sarkozy relied on in his election campaign in 2007, as well as the
French veto of the five negotiation chapters that were pre-requisite
for membership, marked the worst period in the Turkish-French
relationship. Sarkozy has made these two Mediterranean countries,
which have common interests in many fields, strong opponents over
the last five years.

Hollande’s election victory is a big chance to turn a page in
French-Turkish relations. In these days of turmoil in the Mediterranean
area, France and Turkey may devise new policies, and France may
rebalance the center of the EU, taking it from central Europe to the
Balkans and the Mediterranean via Turkey. For the euro-Mediterranean
region, the time for change is now!

Strong common interests

Turkey holds importance for France not only because of trade reasons,
but also strategic factors, considering that it is a country where
French businessmen make huge investments. To this end, it should be
noted that the most important factor in bilateral relations between
Turkey and France is their common interests in the Mediterranean
region. The economic and political stability in the region, which is
experiencing a state of political and economic crisis in the north
and a state of turmoil because of the Arab Spring in the south, is
crucial for both Turkey and France. Without the attainment of peace
and a settlement in this region, neither France nor Turkey can achieve
economically sustainable programs. I am not sure if I need to stress
the importance of France and Turkey in the Mediterranean region in
these times of global anxiety over the Syrian issue.

Due to the ongoing economic crisis, the dimensions of the political
crisis that has become widespread in Europe unfortunately cannot be
properly identified and perceived. Not only the French elections, but
the elections held in Greece once more demonstrated that the coming
danger of the racist far right is becoming a pressing problem in the
continent. Even though this is not a new problem, it is attracting
growing popular attention and interest. In addition to the conventional
European far right that holds anti-Semitic sentiments, we are now
facing a new European far-right movement that promotes a strong
political discourse opposed to Islam. It appears that the policies
of the French political parties will be determined by their approach
towards the far right in the upcoming parliamentary elections. It is
now possible to argue that policies, as evidenced by Sarkozy’s election
campaign, seeking to appeal to far-right supporters by reliance on
their discourse backfires. For this reason, not only the relations with
the Arab world, but also Turkey’s EU membership, will be affected by
the way far-right arguments are dealt with. In his election campaign,
Hollande has spoken consistently against the populist far right
theses. There is no doubt that a discussion on Turkey’s EU membership
will take place between the political movements promoting secular and
universal values and the nationalist, anti-democratic movements that
are opposed to Europe. In other words, Turkey’s EU membership is a
discussion that is relevant both to Turkey and to the future of the EU.

Messages on Turkey

As soon as he starts considering the Turkey file, the new president
will have to deal with these facts. We could say that in his
election campaign, Hollande delivered three messages that are
relevant to Turkey. The two messages on EU membership should be
considered carefully. Hollande said that he would lift the veto on
the five chapters that are crucial for membership. His second message
suggests that Turkey will not be able to become an EU member during his
presidential term. If we take these two messages into consideration,
we can say that this is a fairly realistic standpoint because the EU
has not absorbed its 12 new members (with Croatia, 13) and is not
considering Turkey’s membership seriously because of the ongoing
economic crisis. However, it should also be noted that this stance
means support for Turkey’s negotiation process. What really matters for
Turkey in the years to come is a move towards membership rather than
membership at some hypothetical time in the future. The conditions are
not ripe for discussions on full membership for Turkey, which cannot
be easily integrated because of its history, population, geography,
culture and potential influence. Moreover, Turkey is still not ready
for membership. The biggest obstacle, Sarkozy, has been removed from
the path by the election of Hollande, and this is actually a huge
development. If Turkey takes this chance and makes progress along
the negotiation process that would also include the blocked chapters
within the scope of the “positive agenda” of the Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy tefan Fule, it will
effectively be following the agenda offered by Fule and Hollande.

The Armenian issue, which Hollande has made reference to a few times,
is the most important and crucial problem. However, there are some
important facts that nobody can ignore. Above all, even during
Sarkozy’s term, EU institutions did not lay down acceptance of the
genocide as a precondition for Turkey’s EU membership even though
it is obvious that only a Turkey that faces up to its past will be
part of Europe. Secondly, Hollande did not rely on this matter in
his election campaign and did not use this as a card against Turkey.

Thirdly, even though he promised that he would work on a project on
this issue, Hollande cannot ignore the most recent decision by the
French Constitutional Court on the penalization of denial of genocide
allegations. The point is that 135 deputies from different parties
filed an application with the Constitutional Court for an annulment of
the parliament’s decision. This shows that the idea of the rule of law
is still alive and respected in France and that venturous policies do
not work. It should also be noted that many people in France believe
that such legislation prevents free and constructive discussion.

Undoubtedly, Hollande will focus on this matter in consideration of
all these points. Hollande’s approach to the issue suggests that he
is sensitive to the sufferings and the problems of the Armenians, who
are members of an influential social group in France. In other words,
he will not use it to oppose Turkey. For this reason, Ankara should
seek dialogue. I believe that the most important and constructive
development is the new perception in Turkey which has become stronger
through the protests over Hrant Dink’s murder, the last victim of
the Armenian issue. The policies of denial are no longer reasonable;
there is a Turkey that is ready to confront its past. In the end,
the wounds will be healed in Ankara, not in Paris. Armenians are
expecting a genuine gesture from Turkey, not from France. If friends
of Turkey focus on this matter, they are doing so because they want
to underline the presence of a still-bleeding wound. If Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan expresses readiness to talk with Holland on this
matter, he will have an influential position in relations with both
France and Armenia.

To conclude, it is now time for change in Turkish-French relations:
“le changement, c’est maintenant.” However, even if it had the right
to expect France to initiate the process of change, Turkey should
recall that it is also influential in the turning of this new page.

The first thing that needs to be changed is the style and attitude
that has been used in recent years. Turkish-French relations have been
strongly affected and undermined by the developments in last five
years. But the conditions are good in both Ankara and Paris. And it
is up to the captains to bridge the gap. I am now happy not only with
the change in France, but also with watching Turkey trying to write
a new constitution, confronting its history, trying to face up to
incidents like Dersim and developing exciting political dynamics. And
I do not know if there is any luckier political position in Brussels
than being a French deputy responsible for policy on Turkey.

*Hélène Flautre is the co-chairperson of the EU-Turkey Joint
Parliamentary Committee.

From: Baghdasarian

THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS

Kirkus Reviews
May 15, 2012, Tuesday

The granddaughter of an Armenian and a Bostonian investigates the
Armenian genocide, discovering that her grandmother took a guilty
secret to her grave. Laura, the narrator of Bohjalian’s latest,
is doing genealogical research, attempting to learn more about a
fact that has always intrigued her: Her Boston Brahmin grandmother,
Elizabeth, and her grandfather, Armen, were brought together by the
Armenian genocide. Flash back to 1915. Elizabeth has journeyed to the
Syrian city of Aleppo, along with her father, on a mission sponsored
by an American relief group, the Friends of Armenia.

They have come in an attempt to deliver food and supplies to the
survivors of the Armenian massacre. The Turks are using Aleppo as
a depot for the straggling remnants of thousands of Armenian women,
who have been force-marched through the desert after their men were
slaughtered. Elizabeth finds the starved women, naked and emaciated,
huddled in a public square, awaiting transports to Der-el-Zor, the
desert “relocation camp” where, in reality, their final extermination
will take place. Elizabeth takes in two of these refugees, Nevart and
an orphan Nevart adopted on the trail, Hatoun, who has been virtually
mute since she witnessed the beheading (for sport) of her mother and
sisters by Turkish guards. By chance, Elizabeth encounters Armen,
an Armenian engineer who has come to Aleppo to search for his wife,
Karine. Armen has eluded capture since murdering his former friend,
a Turkish official who had reneged on his promise to protect Armen’s
family. Despairing of Karine’s survival–and falling in love with
Elizabeth–Armen joins the British Army to fight the Turks. Among
archival photos viewed by Laura decades later is one of Karine, who
did reach the square mere days after Armen left Aleppo. How narrowly
did Karine miss reuniting with Armen, Laura wonders, acknowledging
that, but for tragic vagaries of fate, the family that produced her
might never have come to be. A gruesome, unforgettable exposition
of the still too-little-known facts of the Armenian genocide and its
multigenerational consequences

Publication Date: 2012-07-17 Publisher: Doubleday Stage: Adult ISBN:
978-0-385-53479-6 Price: $25.95 Author: Bohjalian, Chris

From: Baghdasarian

LOOKING AT ARMENIA’S ELECTION ON THE (CREDIT-) POSITIVE SIDE
by Giorgi Lomsadze

EurasiaNet.org

May 15 2012
NY

Armenia’s May 6 parliamentary election may have left less space for
political checks and balances than desired, but it could lead to more
financial cheques. While opposition parties cry fraud and observers
frown at irregularities, the triumph of Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan’s ruling Republican Party of Armenia at the polls is a “credit
positive” event for Armenia, according to Moody’s Investor Service.

That the Sargsyan-loyal parliamentary majority has become even a
larger majority will have a stabilizing effect on Armenia’s national
creditworthiness, Bloomberg reported, citing Moody’s Investor Service.

The election outcome “will ensure a degree of political stability
and policy continuity,” Moody’s analysts are quoted by Bloomberg as
saying. And that policy has been to reduce government deficit and
improve tax collection.

Yet Armenia’s creditworthiness still carries a junk rating. The Ba2
grade on Moody’s list of naughty-and-nice countries (ranked by their
ability to repay loans) means that lenders to Armenia run “significant”
risk. Armenia has little external shock-absorption capacity thanks to
its high dependence on the volatile Russian and EU markets, Moody’s
wrote in November last year. Though Armenia has convalesced from
its 2009 slump, Moody’s assessment for Armenia’s credit outlook has
remained “negative” ever since.

Trade aspects aside, Armenia’s eternal feud with Azerbaijan over
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave is also bad for credit. Same goes for
Azerbaijan, but, thanks to its massive oil-and-gas wealth, Baku has
little to worry about with its credit reputation. Moody’s recently
upgraded by a notch the country’s rating to Baa3; ergo, acceptable
ability to repay a short-term loan.

With a Ba3 rating, Georgia also does not fall into any of the star
categories in Moody’s ratings, but its outlook is stable. A recent
decision to sell a 25-percent stake in the state-owned railway
monopoly was also a “credit positive” move by Georgia, according to
the financial wonks.

From: Baghdasarian

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS DISCUSS CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES

ITAR-TASS
May 14, 2012 Monday 08:19 PM GMT+4
Russia

During their meetings with the presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia in Baku and Yerevan, the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) discussed
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement efforts.

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Robert Bradtke
of the United States, Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, and
Jacques Faure of France) and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office) travelled May 11-14
to Yerevan and Baku, where they met with Presidents Sargsyan and Aliyev
to discuss the most recent efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, the OSCE said.

The Co-Chairs continued their discussions with the sides on how to
implement the commitments made by Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan in
their January 23 joint statement in Sochi, including to “accelerate”
reaching agreement on the Basic Principles as a framework for a
comprehensive peace settlement, to work on the mechanism to investigate
ceasefire violations, and to develop humanitarian contacts. The
Co-Chairs expressed their concern over recent incidents along the
frontlines, and urged the sides to exercise restraint and refrain
from retaliation. The Co-Chairs welcomed the sides’ reaffirmation of
their commitment to seek a peaceful settlement.

The Co-Chairs also discussed with the sides “the development of
confidence-building measures in the military and people-to-people
spheres to enhance trust and strengthen implementation of the 1994
ceasefire.” In addition, the Co-Chairs discussed “the importance of
assessing and preserving at-risk sites of Armenian and Azeri cultural
and historical value, in order to protect the shared heritage of
the region’s peoples while negotiations continue toward a final and
lasting peace”.

The Co-Chairs plan to continue discussions with the Foreign Ministers
of the two countries in the near future.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began on February 22, 1988. On November
29, 1989 direct rule in Nagorno-Karabakh was ended and Azerbaijan
regained control of the region. However later a joint session of the
Armenian parliament and the top legislative body of Nagorno-Karabakh
proclaimed the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.

On December 10, 1991, Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh held a referendum,
boycotted by local Azeris, that approved the creation of an independent
state.

The struggle over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated after both Armenia and
Azerbaijan obtained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By
the end of 1993, the conflict had caused thousands of casualties and
created hundreds of thousands of refugees on both sides. An unofficial
ceasefire was reached on May 12, 1994.

As of August, 2008, the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group were
attempting to negotiate a full settlement of the conflict. On August
2, 2008, Aliyev and Sargsyan travelled to Moscow for talks with
Medvedev. As a result, the three presidents signed an agreement that
calls for talks on a political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

From: Baghdasarian

ROADS IN ARMENIA ESSENTIALLY IMPROVED – IRANIAN AMBASSADOR

news.am
May 15, 2012 | 18:06

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Transportation and Communication Minister Manuk
Vardanyan received on Tuesday Iran’s outgoing Ambassador Seyed Ali
Saghaeyan.

By the request of the Ambassador, the Minister presented the process
of those regional projects, which are of bilateral interests, adding
the activation of economic relations may promote for the multi-sided
contacts between the two nations and deepen and expand friendly
relations, ministerial press service reports.

The Ambassador in his turn said that the roads in Armenia have been
essentially improved, including the traffic signs.

From: Baghdasarian

STEPAN GRIGORYAN: CHANGE OF PRESIDENT IN FRANCE WILL NOT AFFECT THE LATTER’S STANCE ON THE KARABAKH ISSUE
Nvard Davtyan

“Radiolur”
15.05.2012 17:49

Francoise Hollande was sworn in as France’s President today. Will
the change of power in France affect the latter’s position on the
Karabakh issue?

Political scientist Stepan Grigoryan does not think there will be
any change in France’s stance on Karabakh. “France has always stood
for the peaceful settlement of the issue. Therefore, it will continue
its policy on the Karabakh issue,” he said, adding that no shift is
expected in France’s attitude towards the Madrid Principles, either.

“France’s policy and interests do not change with the change of the
President,” he said. It may, however, affect the country’s activeness
within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Stepan Grigoryan does
not rule out that France might somewhat intensify its efforts in the
Minsk Group, but it will not aspire to play a greater role. According
to the political scientist, France is well aware about its place in
this process. “It’s obvious that Russia and the United States play
a greater role in the process,” he said.

Stepan Grigoryan does not remember Hollande speaking about the Karabakh
issue during the meetings with representatives of the Armenian
community. It has been noted only that France will remain loyal to
its commitments within the framework of the OSCE and other structures.

According to Stepan Grigoryan, the Armenian community in France is
more active in promoting the issue of international recognition of
the Armenian Genocide.

“Of course, the Genocide issue is of primary importance to us, but we
have expectations from the French authorities on the Karabakh issue,
as well,” head of the Armenian National Committee of France Hrach
Varzhapetyan told “Radiolur.”

Stepan Grigoryan says the change of President will not lead to changes
in France’s attitude towards Armenia, since the latter is France’s
primary ally in the region.

From: Baghdasarian

EARTHQUAKE REGISTERED IN GEGHARKUNIK MARZ

armradio.am
15.05.2012 13:05

The Armenian National Survey for Seismic Protection registered a 3.0
magnitude earthquake at 08.13 a.m. local time. The quake measured 4
at the epicenter.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the epicenter of
the earthquake was 9 km to the southeast of the village of Shorzha.

The hypocenter was at the depth of 10 km.

From: Baghdasarian

ALAVERDI PROSECUTOR CHANGES STORY RE: IDENTITY OF 2ND SUSPECT IN SEXUAL ASSAULT OF MINOR
Larisa Paremuzyan

hetq
13:04, May 15, 2012

Readers will remember the Hetq story about a 17 year-old girl who
claimed to have been sexually molested on March 19 in the town of
Alaverdi.

Tumanyan municipal police had arrested Alaverdi resident Aramo Avetyan
and another individual on charges of committing a violent sexual
assault against the minor. Now it turns out that local prosecutors
say there isn’t enough evidence to press criminal charges.

Rudolph Stepanyan, who heads the Alaverdi Prosecutor’s Office,
recently told Hetq that nothing has changed in the case.

In an apparent about-face, Stepanyan now says they don’t have
sufficient evidence as to the identity or whereabouts of the second
culprit, a man called Varuzhan, to issue a search.

Back in April, Stepanyan had told Hetq that they had revealed the
identity of the man who wasn’t a citizen of Armenia, and that law
enforcement was ready to issue an all points bulletin for him.

Lori Regional Prosecutor has since freed Aramo Avetyan from pre-trial
detention on his promise that he doesn’t leave Alaverdi.

Stepanyan told Hetq that the case would be sent to the courts but he
couldn’t say when.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT EXAMINES BILL ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

news.am
May 15, 2012 | 13:48

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s PM Tigran Sargsyan on Tuesday chaired the
Cabinet’s consultation in regard to the draft law On the Use of
Genetically Modified Organisms.

Summing up the consultation results, the PM noted: “The law must
contain strict rules that ban the import of genetically modified
organisms into Armenia. The Government will withdraw this bill from
the National Assembly in order to amend it.

To note, this draft law defines the basic principles of and mechanisms
for securing biosafety in Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian