Author: Chmshkian Vicken

A DAY IN ARMENIA

KarabakhOpen
25-06-2008 15:38:10

Yesterday several notable events regarding Armenia took place. In
particular, the PACE decided to prolong the time set for Armenia to
implement resolution 1609. It means that the Armenian government
will be under heavy pressure for another 6 months, "reminding" it
constantly that its legitimacy is at least doubtful. On the other hand,
the Armenian government has apparently found the way of influencing
the PACE and will continue to make use of it.

While the West was discussing the issue of Armenia, Serge Sargsyan had
gone to the North, to Russia. Sargsyan and Medvedev praised each other
and hailed the volume of Russian investments in Armenia. Although they
did not discuss the fate of the immense industries which Armenia gave
to Russia in return for nobody knows whose debt. They did not discuss
the gas pipeline Iran-Armenia either. Instead, they spoke about the
incredible reconstruction of the railway.

However, Serge Sargsyan made an interesting statement in Moscow. He
invited his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to Yerevan to watch
football. This invitation was made at the Kremlin and "nullified"
the efforts of the United States for the conciliation of Armenia
and Turkey.

It is interesting that a few days ago the U.S. assistant secretary
Daniel Fried said "Turkey needs to come to terms with a dark chapter
in its history" and "Armenia must be ready to acknowledge the existing
border and disavow any claim on the territory of modern Turkey". The
Public Television of Armenia immediately stated that Armenia has no
territorial claims.

And the most interesting thing. On the same day the other assistant
secretary of the United States David Kramer arrives in Armenia
unexpectedly.

He talks to the prime minister of Armenia about the anti-Semitist
publications in the Armenian press. It is known that the most horrible
accusation against the Armenian opposition is that they act under
the flag of Israel.

The Armenian prime minister assured that Armenia has nothing against
Israel, and we are even going to plant 60 trees to mark the Armenian
and Jewish friendship.

A day in the life of Armenia and what a story! Take the visit of
the U.S.

assistant secretary to Armenia at the moment when the president is in
Moscow. And after all that, someone is claiming that Armenia can live
in isolation. It cannot. It has never been able. Simply once politics
used to be visible, and diplomacy used to be the art of the elite,
whereas now nobody hides their interests. We only need to make a
correct evaluation of those interests and follow that track.

ADMISSION TO NATO TO BE DISCUSSED IN AZERBAIJAN-US MILITARY CONSULTATIONS: AMBASSADOR

TREND News Agency
June 24 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s admission to NATO will be one of the subject of
discussions during the Azerbaijan-US consultations on security to
be held in Baku, Anne Derse, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan said to
journalists on 24 June.

The Ambassador expressed her hope that the military consultations
where a wide range of security issue will be discussed will be held
in June 2008.

The military consultations between Azerbaijan and the United States
have been held for already 10 years.

Araz Azimov, the deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan and high rank
officials of the appropriate ministries of Azerbaijan will represent
Azerbaijan in the consultations.

The Azerbaijan-US security consultations were to be held on 23 to
25 April in Washington, but they were postponed by the official Baku
because of the amendments by the US State Department to the report on
situation of human rights in Armenia published on 6 March. The initial
draft of the report indicated the fact of the Nagorno-Karabakh region
of Azerbaijan and its 7 surrounding regions have been occupied by
Armenia. However, this formula was changed on 20 April.

The US official representatives substantiated the changes by saying
that their previous positions were wrong. Therefore, the official Baku
postponed the visit of the government delegation headed by Azimov to
Washington to hold security consultations.

On 25 April, the State Department restored the initial draft of
the report.

OMBUDSMAN RECEIVES REPORTS

KarabakhOpen
24-06-2008 12:36:30

Since June 2 22 citizens appealed to the office of the human rights
defender, of which 7 lodged oral complaints. Part of the applications
were forwarded to relevant agencies because the issues were not in
the competency of the ombudsman, the defender of human rights Yuri
Hairapetyan told Karabakh-Open.com.

Five of 15 cases were dismissed because either they were not in the
competency of the ombudsman or no breaches were registered. 10 cases
are being studied. On the whole, they have a social nature and are
related to housing and household problems. According to the ombudsman,
no breaches by officials were reported.

On June 21 Yuri Hairapetyan visited the penitentiary of the town
of Shushi where he met with 15 convicts. The administration of the
prison allowed him to talk vis-a-vis to the convicts, and during the
talk they turned to the ombudsman for early release and assistance
to their families. The convicts did not complain of conditions.

According to Yuri Hairapetyan, most complaints to the ombudsman are
out of his competency. The human rights defender thinks it is regular
because the institution of the ombudsman is just forming. It is also
regular that the persons who turn to the office of the ombudsman are
provided with free legal advice.

The ombudsman informed that soon the citizens can turn to the ombudsman
by e-mail.

ARMENIA PRESIDENT SERZH SARKISYAN TO ARRIVE IN RUSSIA

ITAR-TASS
June 23 2008
Russia

MOSCOW, June 23 (Itar-Tass) — Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan
will arrive on an official visit in Russia on Monday. The Russian
visit of the Armenian president will last until June 25.

The Armenian president is planning to meet with Russian counterpart
Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, speakers of the
Federation Council and the State Duma Sergei Mironov and Boris Gryzlov.

Sarkisyan will lay down a wreath to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
at the Kremlin walls, the Armenian presidential press service told
Itar-Tass. Meanwhile, Sarkisyan intends to meet with representatives
of the Armenian diaspora and Russian political experts.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 21 2008

Earthquake strikes NE Armenia, no destruction reported

21.06.2008, 10.00

YEREVAN, June 21 (Itar-Tass) — An earthquake struck northeastern
Armenia on Saturday. It was recorded at 04:41 local time (03:41 Moscow
time). The tremours measured 5.0 on the 12-point macroseismic scale in
the epicenter, 12 kilometres southeast of Noyemberyan, a district
centre. There were no victims and no destruction.

Residents felt tremors in the district centre of Berd (4.0-5.0) and
the regional centre of Idzhevan (3.0-4.0) located not far from the
epicenter.

NAREG SCHOOL’S GRADUATION CEREMONY
Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra

Gibrahayer

J une 18, 2008

On Wednesday, 18 June 2008, at Nicosia Nareg Varjaran’s outdoor
amphitheatre, Gibrahayer’s nor serount had its day: the graduation
ceremony for the school year 2007-2008. The three Nareg Elementary
Schools (Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol) and Nareg Gymnasium
(Junior High School) held a wonderful graduation ceremony. This
year’s graduation was different than previous held by the school,
for two main reasons: Nicosia’s Nareg Varjaran celebrated its 35th
anniversary at its present location and, for the first time, Nareg
Gymnasium had its first graduates!

The ceremony started at 18:30 with the entrance of Nareg’s Headmaster,
Mr Arto Aivazian, followed by the 25 graduates, 20 girls and 5
boys. Ara Kevorkian’s musical synthesis "Garod" (nostalgia for the home
country) accompanied their entrance. After the graduates were seated,
the school choir sang the National Anthems of Cyprus and Armenia,
as well as the School Anthem. The opening speeches were delivered
by Mrs Yeran Kouyoumdjian, Secretary of the School Committee, and by
Headmaster Aivazian.

For the first time since the school’s opening in 1972, the Headmaster’s
speech included a page in Greek, for the benefit of the Inspector
and Greek Cypriot Nareg Staff.

After the two concise speeches, two poems were recited by the
graduate students: one for the school’s graduates, and one for the
Armenian people. Then, the graduation diplomas were presented to
the 20 Elementary School graduates (17 from Nicosia, 1 from Larnaca
and 2 from Limassol) and to the first 5 Gymnasium graduates by the
Armenian MP at the House of Representatives, Mr Vartkes Mahdessian,
with the blessings of Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, followed by the
delivery of two awards by the Chairman of the School Committee, Mr
Krikor Haroutunian, one for athletic performance to Elena Kaprielian,
and one for model student to Marita Aredjian.

The awards were given in the loving memory of the late Toutoundjian
family, killed onboard the Helios Airways’ tragic flight 522 to
Athens on 14 August 2005; both Ara (aged 16) and Baret (aged 12) were
students at Nareg Varjaran, killed along with their mother, Hilda,
and their father, Hagop who was a member of the School Committee at
the time of his death. May they always rest in peace…

Later on, Christina Argyridou greeted us in Armenian on behalf of
the Elementary School graduates, and Maneh Tunjikian greeted us with
a moving Greek speech on behalf of the Gymnasium graduates. After
the two speeches, retiring teacher, Sarah Vorsganian, delivered an
encouraging speech addressed to the graduates.

After these speeches, the school’s dance troupe performed a folkloric
Armenian dance (choreographer A. Mkhitarian), dressed in traditional
Armenian costumes, cheering the spectators with their rhythm,
co-ordination and liveliness, and then the school choir (under music
teacher music teacher Sarkis Demirdjian) kicked in, singing a melodious
Armenian song; right after that, Nareg graduates joined the choir
in singing the farewell song. The graduation ceremony finished at
around 19:40 with a prayer by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, der
Momik Habeshian and der Mashdotz Ashkarian.

After the community’s prominent figures and the proud parents and
other family members congratulated the 25 bright graduates, indeed
the future of the great GibrosI Armenian community, everyone went
to a nice cocktail inside the school. For about an hour and a half,
social conversation and gossip came and went between those who enjoyed
the variety of drinks and food available. The catering was excellent!

Towards the end of the cocktail, the schoolchildren spontaneously
started dancing the "Miasnoutian Shourchbar" on the upper floor
of Nareg Varjaran, accompanied by confetti and presenting us with a
lovely sight and sound, under the yellowish full moon and the slightly
breezy night.

Occasions like this remind us that the future of all communities,
especially of a small one like the Gibrahayer, lies in the hands, minds
and spirits of a well-educated nor serount, and that these youngsters
will soon become the future leaders of the community. We were also
reminded of the importance of a solid and comprehensive education,
which ensures that the students are equipped with an invaluable asset
to deal with the adversities of tomorrow’s competitive society.

I think that the school administration and, particularly Headmaster
Aivazian, deserve a bravo for the excellently organised graduation
ceremony.

INTERNATIONAL WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS CONDEMN THE SENTENCING OF RAGıP ZARAKOLU

BÄA
ategori/english/107762/international-writers-and-p ublishers-condemn-the-sentencing-of-ragip-zarakolu
June 20 2008
Turkey

The International Publishers Association (IPA) and the Writers in
Prison Committee of International PEN strongly condemn the sentencing
of publisher Ragıp Zarakolu in Istanbul on 17 June for "insulting
the State" (Article 301 TPC).

The organizations are especially alarmed that this is the first
conviction since this article was slightly amended on 30 April 2008,
after over 1,000 people, including hundreds of writers, publishers
and journalists, have been brought to the courts in the three years
since its inception in 2005.

IPA and PEN have been calling for the repeal of this law ever since it
was presented in draft form, and are deeply disappointed that rather
than remove this legislation, the amendments are simply cosmetic.

Around 29 writers and journalists are on trial today under Article
301. They are among a total of 79 charged under a range of laws that
impinge on the right to free speech, including Article 318 that has
led numerous commentators on conscientious objection to the courts,
and a raft of articles under Anti Terror legislation and against
"incitement" that have been used against writers on the Kurdish issues.

There is clearly much more to do to bring Turkey in line with its
international requirements that safeguard free expression.

Ragıp Zarakolu, recipient of the 2008 IPA Freedom to Publish Prize
and an Honorary Member of several PEN Centres worldwide has said that
he will appeal the sentence and is determined to go as far as the
European Court of Human Rights if need be. IPA and PEN support him
in demanding that Publisher Zarakolu be acquitted in appeal and urge
the Turkish Judiciary to complete this trial swiftly, efficiently,
quickly and fairly.

The case leading to the conviction of Ragıp Zarakolu was initiated
in December 2004 for the publication of London-based author George
Jerjian’s book entitled: The truth will set us free/Armenians and Turks
reconciled. The first hearing of this case took place in Istanbul on
16 March 2005 and since then there have been more than ten hearings.

Ragıp Zarakolu was originally charged under Article 159 TPC,
which criminalized acts that "insult or belittle" various state
institutions . This article was abolished in 2005 and replaced with the
now notorious Article 301. In some cases, defendants on trial under
Article 159 benefited from the changes by having their cases closed,
but this was not so for Zarakolu. Instead he found that his trial
continued under the new law. When Article 301 was slightly amended
on 30 April 2008, Zarakolu hoped that this time the case would be
dropped, or at the very least referred to the Ministry of Justice
for review as now provided under the amendments. However the judge
ruled that as Zarakolu was tried under the old Penal Code Article 159,
the new amendments do not pertain.

Observers believe that Zarakolu is being singled out by the more
conservative elements of the judiciary because of his decades of
struggle for freedom of expression, and particularly his promotion
of minority rights. Throughout his life, Ragıp Zarakolu has
been subjected to a series of long, time-consuming and expensive
court hearings. The conduct of the trial in itself took the form of
harassment and punishment against the defendant for daring to produce
works, which touch on sensitive issues such as the Armenian question,
Kurdish and minority rights.

The condemnation of Ragıp Zarakolu shows that the recent cosmetic
change to Article 301 TPC was not enough to put an end to freedom of
expression trials in Turkey. Turkish legislation (new Article 301, Law
5816 etc.) must be amended or repealed to meet international standards,
including the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Ragıp Zarakolu will be awarded the 2008 IPA Freedom to Publish
in Amsterdam on 18 September 2008 during the opening the opening
ceremony of the International Seminar on Neo-censorship (18-20
September 2008). This seminar is part of the Amsterdam World Book
Capital 2008 programme. For more about the seminar, please see:
age=agenda&y=2008&m=9&d=18

More about IPA and PEN:

IPA, established in Paris in 1896, represents the publishing industry
worldwide through 65 national, regional and specialised publishers
associations in 53 countries.

International PEN was founded in 1921 in London. It is represented
worldwide through 140 centres in over 100 countries. Both organisations
are accredited Non-Governmental Organisations enjoying consultative
status to the United Nations and seek to promote and defend the
fundamental freedoms to publish, to read and to write, defending the
rights of authors and publishers to create and distribute intellectual
works in complete freedom.

For further information, please contact:

Alexis Krikorian Director – Freedom to Publish International Publishers
Association 3, avenue de Miremont CH – 1206 Geneva Tel: +41 22 346 3018
[email protected]

Or Sara Whyatt Programme Director Writers in Prison Committee
International PEN Brownlow House 50-51 High Holborn UK – London
WC1V 6ER Tel: +44 20 7405 0338 [email protected]
www.internatio nalpen.org.uk

–Boundary_(ID_ywRtTOc4f6HLqx9bEXQV uQ)–

THIS YEAR 2000 SCHOOLCHILDREN WILL REST IN CAMPS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT

KarabakhOpen
18-06-2008 12:06:03

This year no camps will be set up at the schools of Karabakh, but the
camp Karkar in Stepanakert will open, which is now being renovated,
said the deputy minister of education and science Slava Asryan in
an interview with Karabakh-Open.com. The project of summer camps
for children has been presented to the government, and is awaiting
affirmation.

According to the deputy minister, about 600 children of killed
soldiers, large and underprivileged families will rest in
Karkar. Health camps will be set up in the villages of Avetaranots,
Badara and Khndzristan of the region of Askeran, the town of Martuni
and the village of Karmir Shuka in Martuni, in the villages of Haterk
and Arajadzor of the region of Martakert, the village of Mets Tagher
in Hadrut and in Shushi. Up to 1300 children will rest in the health
camps funded by the government.

In various regions of the republic military and sports camps will be
set up where about 1000 senior school children will go.

10 children of killed soldiers will rest in Kislovodsk, and another
20 children will rest in Greece on the funding of the local Armenian
community.

MINISTER OF CULTURE HEADED FOR TELEVISION

KarabakhOpen
18-06-2008 12:07:13

The minister of culture and youth Norek Gasparyan has applied for the
contest for the vacant place in the Board of the Public Television
and Radio, the head of the General Information Department of president
Davit Babayan told Karabakh-Open.com, who is the head of the contest
commission.

This confirmed the rumors about the likelihood of the minister of
culture to resign.

SERZH SARGSYAN: TRULY FREE PRESS NEEDS TO BE FORMED IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2008-06-18 11:39:00

Participants in the working conference at RA president on fulfillment
of the provisions of PACE Resolution N1609 discussed the activity
of the Armenian Mass Media, including the RA Public Television,
the presidential press service told ArmInfo today.

According to the message, RA president emphasized during the conference
that gain of confidence of the country’s population should become the
primary task of Armenia’s Public TV. He said that the TV channels have
changed the format and structure of their programmes over recently,
they started to invite peoples with different thinking, even with
radical ideas calling up to the revolution. However, this is not
important. ‘It is important for our PTV can meet the requirements of
all the strata of the society’, the president said and added that it
is necessary to form a truly free press in the country.

As Chairman of the Permanent parliamentary Commission for science,
education, culture, youth and sports Hranush Hakopyan said, four draft
laws regulating the activity of the TV and press have already been
prepared, which were also signed by "Heritage" oppositional party,
the message reports.