Author: Emil Lazarian

45,000 in Armenian army
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 20 2006
Baku, April 19, AssA-Irada — Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian
has said his country’s troops are 45,000 people strong, explaining
this by the current situation in the South Caucasus region.
Touching upon the plight and structure of the three-million nation’s
military, Sarkisian said it is common knowledge that the Armenian
military consists of infantry regiment units and the air force. The
troops are not centralized in any way and have no local headquarters.
“There is only one chief HQ overseeing all of the armed forces. This
entails commanding separate corps, artillery units and air defense
forces,” said the minister, who also serves as secretary of the
Armenian National Security Council.
With regard to further impact of the rising tension in Georgia’s
breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on regional states,
Sarkisian said any given conflict flaring in the South Caucasus region
could play a role of a “detonator”.
He said the Caucasus is a very small area, which makes regional
countries dependent on each other. “For this reason, a resumption of
military action [in the region] could bring about negative consequences
for us,” the Armenian defense chief said.
As for the current situation in Georgia, the minister said a possible
disruption of stability there would not benefit his country. His
concern could be explained by the fact Georgia is the only country
facilitating Armenia’s access to the rest of the world.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Service de base francais
19 avril 2006
Developpement Relations Suisse-Turquie Les avions Pilatus boycottes
par Ankara: Berne intervient
Berne (ats) Nouvel accroc dans les relations entre la Suisse et la
Turquie: le ministère de la defense turc a decide d’exclure l’usine
d’avions Pilatus, basee a Stans, d’un appel d’offres pour de nouveaux
avions d’entraînement. Berne est intervenue auprès des autorites
d’Ankara.
Pilatus, en tant qu’entreprise suisse, ne peut pas participer a cet
appel d’offres, a indique mercredi a l’ATS le patron de Pilatus,
Oscar J. Schwenk, citant une lettre des autorites turques. “On ne
nous a donne aucune raison a cette reponse negative”, a ajoute M.
Schwenk, confirmant une information du “Tages-Anzeiger”.
L’entreprise de Nidwald n’a tout simplement pas pu deposer d’offre.
“Cela n’est encore jamais arrive dans l’histoire de notre entreprise,
c’est tout simplement incroyable” a declare M. Schwenk.
Contrat de 500 millions de francs
L’avion d’entraînement PC-21 correspondait pourtant parfaitement a
l’appel d’offres turc, auquel Pilatus s’etait prepare durant quatre
ans, selon M. Schwenk. Un contrat aurait represente une somme d’au
moins 500 millions de francs, a-t-il releve.
Pilatus n’a pas la possibilite de contester la decision turque.
“C’est desormais un problème politique entre les deux Etats” a
declare M. Schwenk. Il suppose que l’attitude des responsables
d’Ankara est une mesure de retorsion suite aux polemiques entre la
Suisse et la Turquie sur la question du genocide armenien.
Intervention de Berne
La decision des autorites turques a pousse Berne a intervenir. “Nous
suivons cette affaire avec une grande attention” a affirme Carine
Carey, porte-parole du Departement federal des affaires etrangères
(DFAE). Le departement de Micheline Calmy-Rey a evoque ce dossier au
niveau diplomatique aussi bien a Berne qu’a Ankara, a ajoute la
porte-parole, sans apporter plus de precisions.
Le Departement federal de l’economie (DFE) s’est aussi saisi du
dossier. Son chef Joseph Deiss a assure le patron de Pilatus qu’il
s’engagerait a resoudre le problème lors d’une visite en Turquie, a
rapporte le porte-parole du conseiller federal, Christophe Hans.
Jusqu’a present, aucune date n’a encore ete fixee, après qu’Ankara
eut deplace pour une duree indeterminee une visite initialement
prevue en septembre 2005.
La question armenienne provoque des tensions recurrentes entre Berne
et la Turquie. Si Ankara reconnaît la realite des massacres perpetres
par l’Empire ottoman contre la minorite armenienne, elle recuse le
terme de “genocide” et conteste le nombre de morts.
Parmi les derniers episodes en date figurent les enquetes pour
negation du genocide armenien ouvertes en Suisse contre des
intellectuels turcs.
NOTE: depeche entièrement remaniee
–Boundary_(ID_pjeAA+1XVITlgH/tz2QHDg)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Die Opfer des Genozids
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
20. April 2006
Zur Rezension des Buches von Guenter Lewy uber den Genozid an den
Armeniern (F.A.Z., “Politische Bucher” vom 23. Marz) durch Professor
Eberhard Jackel: Das Osmanische Reich geriet nicht erst nach den
Balkankriegen (1912 bis 1913) in eine Existenzkrise. Diese Krise trat
nach dem Scheitern der zweiten Belagerung Wiens (1683) und der
anschließenden Zuruckdrangung der Turken aus Europa in Richtung
Sudosten auf. Sultan Abdul Hamid II. (1876 – 1909) meinte zunachst,
die Krise durch die Turkisierung der ethnisch nicht definierten
islamischen “umma” zu uberwinden. Der Versuch scheiterte vor allem am
Widerstand der Araber. Abdul Hamid II. organisierte dann 1894 bis
1896 die ersten Massaker von Christen im Osmanischen Reich. Die
Jungturken strebten den Aufbau einer “turkischen Nation” nach
europaischen Vorbildern an und verubten daher Genozid an allen
christlichen Minderheiten Kleinasiens. Opfer dieses Genozids waren
nicht nur die Armenier, sondern auch Griechen, Syrochaldaer und
Aramaer.
In der Nicht-Deportation der Armenier aus Konstantinopel 1915 ein
Indiz zu sehen, daß kein Genozid gegen sie stattgefunden hat, setzt
eine arge Unkenntnis der Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches voraus.
Die Christen in Konstantinopel konnten allein wegen der dortigen
Anwesenheit der diplomatischen Vertretungen der europaischen Machte
nicht eliminiert werden. Der Bau der Bagdadbahn begann 1903 und war
1915 weit nach Osten, bis kurz vor der heutigen turkisch-syrischen
Grenze, fortgeschritten.
Die primaren Quellen uber den Genozid an den Armeniern und den
Christen Kleinasiens stammen aus den Federn europaischer – zumal
deutscher – und amerikanischer Diplomaten im Osmanischen Reich, die
ihn erlebt hatten. Dazu gehort auch Otto Liman von Sanders Pascha.
Schade fur sie, daß sie nicht einen Herrn Lewy bei sich hatten, um
ihnen zu erklaren, was sie sahen. Schade auch fur die Richter des
Schwurgerichts des Landgerichts zu Berlin, die von Lewy nicht
erleuchtet werden konnten und deshalb den armenischen Studenten
Salomon Teilirian freisprachen, nachdem er den Schlachter der
Christen Kleinasiens, Talaat Pascha, in Berlin erschossen hatte.
Schade aber auch, daß Rezensent Jackel kein Wort uber die Diskussion
in den Vereinigten Staaten bezuglich der Rolle der auch in
Deutschland sehr wohl bekannten amerikanischen Agentur Hill und
Knowlton verloren hat, die seit 1989 von der turkischen Regierung
beauftragt ist, die turkischen Interessen in Amerika publizistisch zu
fordern. In dieser Sache arbeitet Hill und Knowlton, bei Einsatz von
erheblichen Geldmitteln, in den amerikanischen Universitaten.
Dr. Gregor M. Manousakis,
Kropia, Griechenland
–Boundary_(ID_plF1fZzSJEl4MsiKKNMH1 Q)–

DESECRATORS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL WILL BE PUNISHED
Yerevan, April 20. ArmInfo. Minister for Internal Affairs of France
Nicolas Sarcosy considers unbearable the desecration of the memorial
of the Armenian Genocide victims. As it was previously reported,
on April 17 the memorial of the Genocide, erected in Lyon, was
desecrated. The memorial was to be officially opened on April 24,
the 91-th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in eth Ottoman Turkey.
‘France Presse’ agency reports that Mr. Sarcosy called the writings
on the memorial denying the fact of the Genocide unacceptable and
promised the desecrators to be punished. In the person of Jules
Martirosian, Minister for Protection of Monuments, Nicolas Sarcosy
expressed solidarity to the Armenian community of France. He reminded
that France has recognized the Genocide of 1915.
It should be noted that unknown barbarians wrote the following:
‘There was no genocide’, ‘One must be happy of being Turk’. On March
18 the Turkish community protested against erecting the memorial.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AMBASSADOR OF USA TO RA JOHN EVANS WITH WIFE DONNA TO CELEBRATE WORLD
DAY OF LAND IN ARAGATS REGION’S KARIN VILLAGE
Yerevan, April 20. ArmInfo. The Ambassador of the USA to Armenia-
John Evans with his wife Donna will celebrate the World Day of Land in
the Aragats region’s Karin village, where an action for tree planting
will be held.
As ArmInfo was informed in the Yerevan office of the “Armenia Tree
Project” American organization, representatives of the Armenian
government and a number of international organizations will also
participate in the action to be held April 21. To be noted, planting
of 900,000 trees was carried out in 550 communities of Armenia since
1994 by the efforts of the Armenia Tree Project.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

POSSIBILITY TO TAKE UNAWARES NKR DEFENCE ARMY BY AZERBAIJAN IS
EXCLUDED, SEYRAN OHANIAN ASSURES
YEREVAN, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN. “We have the respective intelligence
services and the possibility to take unawares our army by Azeris
is excluded”. NKR Defence Minister Seyran Ohanian informed about at
the meeting with journalists. According to him, “if even they manage
to occupy our trenches, they do not know what they can expect from
the NKR Defence Army”. S.Ohanian also emphasized that the engineer
constructions and barriers are perfected year by year.
As S.Ohanian affirmed, in order to have long-term peace we should be
first of all ready for a war. According to him, the preferable variant
of settlement of the problem is a way of negotiations. S.Ohanian
considers that though RA leadership carries on this process rather
consistently, it would be desirable that NKR leadership also take
part in the negotiations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN: RUSSIA’S STEPS TOWARDS ARMENIA MAKE ANXIOUS EVEN THOSE
WHO ARE FOR FIRM ALLIANCE WITH RUSSIA
YEREVAN, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The solutions to energy problems
between Armenia and Russia that have an economic character indeed
are considered as a political compulsion. Vahan Hovhannisian,
RA NA Vice-Speaker, member of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun Bureau,
expressed such an opinion at the April 20 meeting with journalists,
commenting upon the sale of the 5th power unit of Hrazdan Thermal
Power Plant (TPP) to Russia for the purpose of mitigating the tariff
for gas. “Everybody understands that Russia could also propose
other ways out, more beneficial for Armenia but it did not do it,”
he mentioned. According to V.Hovhannisian, in the economic plan the
solution is optimal “as if you have a nothingness having a cost of
several dozens of millions, i.e. a half-built building, and have
neither a possibility to complete nor to run it, it is beneficial
to sell it at the maximum price”. The only problem, according to
the speaker, is the difficulty of looking for an alternative but
it should not be connected only with Russia. Because of Armenia’s
geographic position this alternative is connected with Iran which is
currently in rather a hard position itself. According to the speaker,
we should also think about internal resources, not only in the respect
of development of energy also development of economy in general. “I
think that the main work to be done at present should be aimed at
building the second, more secure, powerful and modern nuclear power
plant,” NA Vice-Speaker mentioned. Answering journalists’ questions,
Vahan Hovhannisian said that “as a result of Russia’s steps towards
Armenia being not well thought-out” really a growth of anti-Russian
moods takes place in the country. “Such steps taken by Russia towards
Armenia really make anxious also those who are for a firm alliance
with Russia,” V.Hovhannisian declared.
According to him, it becomes obvious that economic interests start to
dictate a political direction to the Kremlin. “Therefore, the debt
of 100 mln is not remitted to Armenia and we pay for gas a larger
sum than Turkey,” NA Vice-Speaker emphasized.

ACCORDING TO TURKISH NEWSPAPER, 65% OF PBS STATIONS AIRED ROND TABLE
FOLLOWING DEMONSTRATION OF “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”
ISTANUL, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The film “The
Armenian Genocide” of Andrew Goldberg was aired on April 17 by the
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Citing BBC Radio, the newspaper
“Marmara” (Istanbul) reported that over 348 TV stations aired
the film. Prior to the airing, it was announced that many Armenian
organizations and families have assited with the film making. According
to the one-hour film, the mass extermination of the Armenians in Turkey
started in the 1890s under Sultan Abdul Hamid. During their deportation
in 1915, the Armenians were killed on the orders and decison of the
central authorities. Such leaders of “The Young Turks” as Enver Pasha,
Taleat Pasha and Jemal Pasha were sentenced to death and pleaded guilty
to committing the genocide. It is noted that the Armenian massacres
are qualified as a genocide. Taner Akcham, of the Minnesota University
(US), Fatma Myuge Gochek, of Michigan University, historian Halil
Berktai express their opinions in the film, their position on the
issue of the Armenian Genocide differing from the official position
of the Turkish state. The documentary also features some ordinary
citizens of Istanbul and Eastern Anatolia, telling in Turkish or
Kurdish what they heard from their grandparents, undelining that,
to put it simply, these events were massacres. Some young Turks note
that there is no information about such a genocide in the history of
Turkey they know and that “the Turkish people is not the one to have
committed a genocide”. At the same time, the Turkish daily “Sabah”
reported in the April 18 issue that following the demonstration of
“The Armenian Genocide”, 65% of PBS TV stations aired a round table
with the participation of American Armenian scientist and writer
Piter Balakian and progressive Turkish intelelctual Taner Akcham,
from one side, and such deniers of the Armenian Genocide as Turkish
historian Omer Turan and American historain Justin McCarthy, from the
other. To recap, prior to it, tens of thousands of Armenians from the
US and many other countries called on PBS not to broadcast the round
table, pointing out that the Armenian Genocide is an established fact,
and the issue of whether it was committed indeed should not be made
a subject of debate.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERGE SARGSIAN DOES NOT THINK THAT THERE ARE CHANGES IN NEAREST FUTURE
IN ISSUE OF INVOLVEMENT OF KARABAKH IN NEGOTIATION PROCESS
STEPANAKERT, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Azerbaijan
wants to tear many things for its benefit, to make new proposals
what is inadmissible for us,” Serge Sargsian, the Secretary of the
RA National Security Council attached to the President, the Defence
Minister stated at the press-conference taken place at the end of
the military exercises held in Nagorno Karabakh. “If each of us makes
an attempt to tear for him more things for obvious, clear purposes,
we can hardly come to common denominator,” the Minister emphasized.
According to Serge Sargsian, the Armenian side never violates
conditions of cease-fire: “We just respond to press, and there are
few shots.” As for the issue of involvement of Nagorno Karabakh in
the negotiation process, Serge Sargsian mentioned: “I do not think
that there will be changes in future. Of course, it’s desired that
Nagorno Karabakh as well participates in the negotiations, but not
everything happens according to our wish.” The Minister estimated
normal the political situation in Armenia: “The political process
seems to develop in normal way, and, of course, such a situation
have a more favourable influence than when political passions are
imflamed. Of course, a more favourable atmosphere may be created, but
this one is also enough.” According to Serge Sargsian, a tolerance
is necessary for a favourable atmosphere as well as it is necessary
to avoid unwarranted political ambitions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The US mediator had meetings at the Minitry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
ArmRadio.am
20.04.2006 13:35
The Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia informs
that “preceding the visits to Baku and Yerevan, US Co-Chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group Steven Mann was received April 19 at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.”
“Issues related to the coordination of further steps for the progress
of the settlement process in the OSCE Minsk Group format were discussed
during the meeting,” the press release of the Russian MFA says.
Today Steven Mann will arrive in Yerevan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress