Author: Chavushian

ECONOMIC ENTITIES COMPLAIN: COMMITTEE TO DECIDE TOMORROW

Panorama.am
16:40 11/12/2007

The Economic Competition Protection State Committee (ECPSC) will hold
its regular session tomorrow.

Committee press secretary Armine Udumyants said that the committee
will discuss administrative complaints filed by companies which were
fined for anti-competition arrangements reached in the market of
butter and natural oil.

Several of the companies requested to hold the session in closed
door session saying they are going to unveil commercial secrets. The
committee satisfied this request. Other complaints will be discussed
in an open door session.

The committee will issue a warning decision tomorrow on ungrounded
price rising or keeping to high prices applied by economic entities
in the commodity market.

SIX PERSONS INVOLVED IN EXCHANGE OF FIRE IN GYUMRI SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT OF UP TO 5 YEARS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 11, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Last week the Shirak regional
court of first instance (chairman – Judge Shirak Hakobian) examined
the case of the exchange of fire in Gyumri on May 20 and made a
ruling. The court found Telman Karapetian guilty by the RA Criminal
Code’s Article 258 Part 4 (hooliganism by using arms or other
objects as arms), Article 235 Part 1 (illegal carrying of arms),
Article 112 Part 1 (causing harm to a person’s health deliberately)
and sentenced him to 5 years’ imprisonment. Hovhannes Soloyan was found
guilty by Article 258 Part 4 and Article 235 Part 1 snd sentenced to
4.5-years’ imprisonment. Spartak Ghukasian (son of the Gymri mayor
Vardan Ghukasian) was found guilty by Article 258 Part 3 Points 1 and 5
(hooliganism committed with exceptional cynicism by a group of people
or an organized group) and sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. Kolya
Ghukasian was found guilty by Article 258 Part 3 Points 1 and 5 and
Article 271 Part 1 (use of narcotic drugs) and sentenced to 18 months’
imprisonemnt and to a fine of 50 thousand dram. Rustam Sargsian was
found guilty by Article 258 Part 1 Points 1 and 5 and sentenced to
imprisonment of 1 year and 5 months. Norayr Soloyan was found guilty
by Article 258 Part 2 (hooliganism by committing violence against a
person ot threatening to commit violence and by destroying or damaging
the property of a person) and sentenced to 9 months’ imprisonment.

Rustavi-2 TV, Georgia
Dec 7 2007

SPECIAL BALLOT PAPERS TO BE PRINTED FOR GEORGIA’S ETHNIC MINORITIES

[Presenter] Special ballot papers will be printed for [Georgia’s]
ethnic minorities for the 5 January [2008] presidential election, the
head of electoral administration has informed the Georgian ombudsman
[Sozar Subari] and representatives of the Religions’ Council. Ballot
papers, electoral lists, and instructions will be printed, along with
Georgian, in Russian, Azerbaijani, and Armenian languages.

[Subari] It is important that every [ethnic] group in this country
participate actively in elections and realize that this is their
future. Therefore, we welcome the decision by the chairman of the
Central Electoral Commission [Levan Tarkhnishvili] to meet the
Religions’ Council and the Ethnic Minorities’ Council that are
attached to our office.

[Tarkhnishvili] We have deemed it important that our voice reach each
of our citizens. On the one hand, elections are a tool that move this
country forward. Given this, it is very important to have every
citizen participating in elections. This is one message. A second
message is that every citizen should necessarily make a thought-out
and well-informed choice.

GUAM submits draft resolution on frozen conflicts to the UN General
Assembly

armradio.am
08.12.2007 14:52

GUAM member states (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) have
submitted the UN General Assembly draft resolution on the frozen
conflicts to this international organization.

RIA Novosti reports the Four calls the world community to reaffirm the
territorial integrity of these states which faced `separatist-minded
ethnic groups’ (Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and
Transdniestria) during the Soviet Union.

The draft resolution says that the protracted conflicts continue to
threaten the peace and stability of the region and calls on all the
countries and international organizations to help settle the conflicts
in the GUAM area.

The draft also calls attention to the rights of refugees from the
ethnic conflict zones, their return to their native home and their
security.

The draft is intended to add an Item `Protracted conflicts in the GUAM
area and their implications for international peace, security and
development’ to the provisional agenda of the sixty-third regular
session of the General Assembly.

YEREVAN WILL ANSWER MEDIATORS IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT NEXT YEAR

KarabakhOpen
06-12-2007 11:37:05

Self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh remains among the main issues
of the talks over the settlement of the conflict, said the press
secretary of the Armenian foreign ministry Vladimir Karapetyan in an
interview with the Regnum.

He refutes the information in the Russia-based Commersant. Karapetyan
says the plan of the settlement of the conflict the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs extended to the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia
in Madrid is "the same document which has been on the table of the
talks for over two years."

Karapetyan says the presentation of proposals on November 29 in
Madrid during the meeting of the foreign ministers of the OSCE is a
wish to present a document at a higher level and to impart the talks
with additional importance. At the same time, Karapetyan said the
Armenian side will answer the proposal of the mediators during the
visit of the co-chairs to the region.

The Commersant had written that the plan of settlement involves gradual
return of the territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian force
withdraw from the region of Kelbadjar, except a limited contingent, the
road from Azerbaijan to Nakhidjevan is opened. The region of Kelbadjar
will have an international government under the aegis of the OSCE,
but gradually the territory will pass to Azerbaijan. According to
the Russia-based newspaper, a corridor will be created in the region
of Lachin connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The territories
will be demilitarized, and international peacekeeping force will be
deployed there. Finally, the international community will encourage
the return of Armenian settlers to the hinterland of Armenia, and in
a few years the Azerbaijani refugees will return to the region of
Kelbadjar. According to the newspaper, the UN Council for Security
will guarantee the peace settlement.

Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 N. Belmont, Suite 208, Glendale, CA 91206
Tel. (818) 500-1918
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
2007-12-07
Contact: Haig Hovsepian ~ Tel: (818) 500-1918
*Advocacy Week 106 Takes Capitol Hill by Storm*

*Washington**, DC* – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western
Region (ANCA-WR) is pleased to report that human rights advocates from all
over the western United States traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate
in "Advocacy Week 106" from
Monday, December 3 through Friday, December 7. The Armenian Genocide
resolution (H. Res. 106) passed through the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs on October 10, 2007 by a vote of 27-21 despite unprecedented
opposition by President Bush and other facets of the administration,
including current and former high-ranking cabinet officials from the
Departments of State and Defense.

"We have seen scores of constituents expressing deep concerns over the
inaccurate, misrepresented and distorted nature of media coverage on the
resolution in October," stated ANCA-WR Executive Director Andrew Kzirian.
"These human rights activists traveled to Washington, DC to help set the
record straight and remind Members what the resolution is really all about
– ending the cycle of genocide and not succumbing to Turkey’s denial," he
added.

Convening at the ANCA’s Washington headquarters, constituents from Idaho,
Arizona, Texas and California conducted over 150 meetings on Capitol Hill
with Members of the House and Senate. Although not usually in session at
this time of year, Congress will likely convene well into December to
address various pieces of appropriation legislation. Constituents viewed
this extra time in session as an opportunity to help raise awareness of
recent developments regarding the resolution and the Turkish government’s
denialist activities.

John Kazian of Kuna, Idaho attended meetings with members of the Idaho
delegation in the House and Senate, and also joined activists at numerous
other meetings with other districts. A veteran of the Korean War and a
child of Armenian Genocide survivors, Kazian relayed his unique perspective
on what Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide represents in the
context of perceived and coerced national security threats. "Turkey will do
what it wants – and that is what it has been doing resolution or not,"
stated Kazian. "Congress passing this resolution symbolizes a strong sense
of closure for survivors and their descendants – tolerating denial
constitutes the last stage of genocide and we must address this," a
passionate Kazian added.

Vatche Hovsepian and Taleen Asadourian of Houston, Texas conducted over
twenty meetings with Members of the Texas delegation. Hovsepian, as Texas
ANC Chairman and Asadourian, as a leading activist at the University of
Texas – Austin updated offices on local activities and development, focusing
on the need to pass H. Res. 106 and work toward ending the cycle of
genocide. "We are pleased to work with Members of the Texas delegation in
raising awareness on this important human rights bill," stated
Hovsepian. "Turkey’s
destabilizing activities in Iraq are occurring regardless of the timetable
for scheduling a vote on H. Res. 106," Asadourian added.

Elen Asatryan, Executive Director of the Glendale ANC also traveled to
Capitol Hill to advocate on the Armenian Genocide resolution. Asatryan
attended numerous meetings, expressing concern that the resolution’s
explicitly stated goals of acknowledging the United States record of
humanitarian assistance during the Armenian Genocide were being exploited by
a foreign government that is overtly conducting destabilizing military
operations in peaceful areas of Iraq. "Having a chance to meet with Members
of Congress provided me with the opportunity to share the community’s
concerns on this important issue," stated Asatryan. "In 2003 there was no
Armenian Genocide resolution, and Turkey did not allow the United States to
utilize the ‘northern front’ to aid the Iraq war effort. Developments in
the past two months after the resolution passed through committee shed light
on the reality that Turkey continues to conduct military activities in Iraq
regardless of the status of the Armenian Genocide resolution," she added.

Arby Eivazian, an intern with the Glendale ANC’s newly launched Internship
program expressed concerns over the recent Genocide Prevention Task Force to
be led by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Secretary
of Defense Robert Cohen. "This task force is the epitome of obnoxious
hypocrisy," stated Eivazian. "How can Albright and Cohen participate in
anything related to genocide when they worked against H. Res. 106? Sharing
this sad irony with Members of Congress was necessary to raise awareness of
the dangers of emboldening and abetting denialist policies," he added.

Salpy Demirjian, Chairwoman of the Arizona ANC helped to inform Arizona
Congressional and Senatorial Members of the rapidly growing and energized
Armenian American community of Arizona. Demirjian has also conducted
outreach through the state Democratic party. Demirjian also updated offices
on recent news pertaining to the resolution. "It is every Armenian
American’s responsibility to engage their elected officials and raise
awareness of the importance of ending the cycle of genocide," stated
Demirjian. "I greatly look forward to returning to Arizona to update the
community," she added.

William Bairamian of Glendale, California has volunteered with the ANCA for
the past two months, beginning in October of 2007. During his time in
Washington, DC Bairamian worked with ANCA-WR Executive Director Andrew
Kzirian to monitor news articles pertaining to H. Res. 106. This project
culminated in the production of a 300 page bound media document chronicling
over 100 positive and accurate news stories covering the resolution. Over
the past week, Bairamian attended numerous meetings and helped to ensure
that Members received this critical collection of press. "My time in
Washington, DC showed me the importance of properly and effectively
conducting our grassroots efforts so that Members’ offices have access to
the right information to make informed and intelligent decisions," stated
Bairamian.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian-American grassroots political organization. Working
through a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the US and
around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the
Armenian-American community on a broad range of issues.

###

Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan-funded daily Aso
3 December 2007

PKK REPORTEDLY TO MOVE CAMPS FROM NORTHERN IRAQ TO NAGORNYY-KARABAKH

by Sarkawt Latif: The Armenian government helps them and the Azeri is
against them – the PKK moves its camps to the Azerbaijan border area

The PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] is moving more than 10 camps from
Qandil [mountain range in Iraqi Kurdistan] to the Azerbaijan border
area. The government of Azerbaijan is not prepared to support them. A
number of intelligence reports reveal that more than 450 PKK gunmen
are hiding in northern Iraq.

Following the [Iraqi] Kurdistan regional government’s blockade of the
border areas with a view to preventing aid to reach the PKK, the
Turkish Today’s Zaman web site reported that many intelligence
reports had revealed that the PKK planned to move 10 of its camps,
previously established in the Qandil mountain range in the border
areas of the Kurdistan Region, to the Azerbaijan border areas,
specifically to the areas close to the Turkish border. According to
the web site report, 450 [as published] PKK gunmen are in hiding in
the Qandil mountain range, although they had said that they were
evacuating the mountains. The reports also says that a number of PKK
gunmen have visited 12 Kurdish villages in the Nagorno-Karabakh
region on the Azerbaijan border and asked the villagers to help them.

The Turkish Today’s Zaman web site also reported that some
intelligence information, which has become available to security
officials, reported that a PKK gunman had escaped from Charchala camp
a few days ago and surrendered to the Turkish forces, and has given
them important information on the PKK and their plan to move their
camps to the Azerbaijan border area.

In another development, the Azerbaijan authorities have expressed
their readiness to assist the Turkish security forces attack the PKK
gunmen and made clear that they were not prepared to shelter the PKK.
In that context, Azeri officials have given some important
information to Turkey regarding the movements of the PKK gunmen in
the border areas and have told them that a large number of PKK
officials had Turkish passports and used them to pass through their
country’s territory.

A senior official at the Azeri Justice Ministry has said that his
ministry planned to issue an order to evict the PKK gunmen, ban the
party and prevent anyone from helping them.

Secretary-General of the Azeri-Turkish Cooperation Commission
Mohammad Azeri Turk strongly criticized the Armenian authorities for
their attempts to settle the PKK in the Nagorno-Karabakh region
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, specifically in the towns of Shusha,
Lachin and Fuzuli. He told Today’s Zaman: These towns will be
separated from Azerbaijan if they fall into the hands or become the
property of the PKK forces.

The Azeri consul in the Turkish eastern city of Kars, Hasan Sultan
Oglu told Anatolia news agency: At the moment there is only one
country in the region, where the PKK may seek and be given refuge,
which is Armenia. We have received information that some PKK
officials have visited Armenia for talks with the country’s officials
with a view to settling their gunmen in the Nagorno-Karabakh region
and there are rumours that they have reached an agreement. Another
factor that may encourage the PKK gunmen to move to that region is
because there is a large number of Kurdish villages in the area which
will be of great help to the gunmen.

In another development, the German government has handed over two
Kurdish citizens of Turkey to the Turkish government and plans to
hand over some more people who are identified by Turkey as PKK
members and accused of terrorist acts. The Turkish justice minister
has said: Turkey has been asking for the extradition of those two
people who are guilty of committing terrorist acts in Turkey, but the
German judicial authorities kept them under detention in Germany
because of the existence of capital punishment in Turkey. It has been
decided that scores of other criminals will be handed to Turkey.

Translated from Kurdish

TERM OF SERVICE OF ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS IN IRAQ EXTENDED

armradio.am
04.12.2007 15:00

With 79 pro, 10 con votes and 11 abstentions the National Assembly
of the Republic of Armenia took the decision extend the term of
the memorandum of understanding on "Management of the multinational
division within stabilization forces in Iraq and regulation of similar
issues" for one year.

Armenia joined the memorandum in 2004 and sent a 46-member peacekeeping
platoon to Iraq. The term of participation of divisions of Armenian
Armed Forces within the stabilization forces in Iraq has been extended
twice in 2005 and 2006.

Rotation of peacekeeping divisions takes place every six months. 276
Armenian servicemen have carried out peacekeeping mission in Iraq
ever since 2005. The term of service of the sixth shift of Armenian
peacekeepers will come to an end on 25 December, 2007.

RA Defense Minister Michael Harutyunyan noted yesterday that
the humanitarian mission in Iraq greatly promotes the rise of
Armenia’s international fame and reputation, reinforcement of trust
in the Armenian Armed Forces, and expansion of opportunities for
implementation of mutually beneficial military cooperation programs
with the United States and European countries.

WILL ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHETI SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT THIS TIME?

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 27 2007

There is an essential difference between the interests of the
Javakheti Armenians and the Armenians of other parts of Georgia,
stated the leader of the Javakheti Union of Fellow Countrymen, Member
of Parliament Shirak Torosyan on November 27 at the Pastark club. He
said this in a news conference, answering the question of reporters on
the moods in Javakheti as the early presidential election in Georgia
is drawing nearer.

"I may say that the Georgian Armenians were generally passive but
let us focus on the attitude of the Armenians of Javakheti. Since
the collapse of the Soviet Union the Armenians of Javakheti have
always been beside the government, opposition by their goals, not
by essence," Shirak Torosyan says. According to him, having great
expectations from every new president, the Armenians of Javakheti have
always felt frustration. Shirak Torosyan says none of the presidents
of Georgia has solved the problems of Javakheti.

"This time the Armenians of Javakheti will review the lessons of
the past and vote for the candidate who will uphold the interests
of ethnic minorities, especially the status of language, in their
programs," Shirak Torosyan says.

NEW BIO TURNS THE LENS ON KARSH’S LIFE AND CAREER
CTV.ca News Staff

CTV.ca
s/story/CTVNews/20071128/karsh_book_071128/2007112 8?hub=Entertainment
Nov 28 2007
Canada

Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh — most famous for his iconic
portrait of Winston Churchill — is the subject of a new authorized
biography that recounts how he managed to capture the British prime
minister’s glowering expression.

"Portrait in Light and Shadow: The Life of Yousuf Karsh," by Dr. Maria
Tippett, tells the full story of how the Armenian immigrant came to
Canada in the 1920, eventually becoming the most prominent portrait
photographer of the twentieth century.

Karsh, who died in 2002, immortalized generations of world leaders,
royalty, actors, scientists and authors through his camera lens.

Tippett’s book is illustrated throughout with pictures of Queen
Elizabeth II, Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, Humphrey Bogart,
Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Crawford, Ernest Hemingway, Pope Pius XII,
Nikita Khrushchev, John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy, Pablo Picasso and
Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

But it was how Karsh captured the iconic photo of British Prime
Minister Winston Churchill that made him the stuff of legend.

On Dec. 30, 1941, Churchill visited Canada to speak to Parliament
and had agreed to sit for a portrait with Karsh.

But Churchill, in a grumpy mood, only gave him two minutes and wanted
to keep his cigar in his mouth.

"Karsh said I don’t want to take another one of those damn cigar
portraits," Tippett told CTV’s Canada AM.

"When Churchill wouldn’t take the cigar out of his mouth, Karsh did it
for him and he (Churchill) scowled at him and there was that wonderful
image to match the rhetoric of Churchill himself."

Karsh also photographed Bill and Hillary Clinton but was never happy
with the result.

"At the beginning of that shoot, which was done in the Oval Office,
Clinton came in and was rather gruff with Karsh… and this put him
off," said Tippett.

"Of course the irony is (that) in the Oval Office itself, Clinton
has Churchill’s portrait hanging there (that Karsh took)."

Karsh was born in Mardin, a city in the Ottoman Empire on Dec. 23,
1908, but left to escape the Armenian genocide. He came to Canada in
1924 to live with his uncle, a photographer, in Sherbrooke, Que.

Karsh wanted to be a doctor but couldn’t afford medical school, so
after a brief apprenticeship his uncle sent him to Boston to study
photography under the portraitist John H. Garo.

It was in Boston’s museums and galleries that Karsh refined his eye
for light and shadow.

He launched his Ottawa studio in 1932, but didn’t install himself
into his famed digs at the Chateau Laurier until 1972.

"If he photographed you he’d know everything about you in advance,
he’d have research done on you," said Tippett.

"He would do so with a mixture of flattery and being a bully and
that way he could catch you slightly off-guard and this is why he
got beneath the veneer of these very, very well-known figures."

The Karsh Photographic Studio closed in 1992 and in 1997 Karsh left
Ottawa, along with wife Estrellita, a medical researcher, for Boston.

He was the recipient of 17 honorary degrees and the only Canadian
named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century by
the International Who’s Who

Karsh died in Boston in 2002 at the age of 93.