Author: Frangulian Shushan

Azadliq, Azerbaijan
February 24, 2008

Gul’s congratulation generates discontent of historians

Views expressed in the letter are inappropriate

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has congratulated Serzh Sargsyan on
his election as Armenian president

[Turkish President] Abdullah Gul’s congratulatory letter [to Armenian
president-elect] said: "I hope your new position will permit the
creation of the necessary environment for normalizing relations
between the Turkish and Armenian peoples, who have proven over
centuries they can live together in peace and concord. I sincerely
wish that our concerted efforts will contribute to regional peace and
prosperity and create an atmosphere based on stability, mutual
confidence and cooperation. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I
want to convey my best wishes for your health and happiness as well
as for the peace and welfare of the Armenian people."

We asked the deputy chairman of the PFAP [People’s Front of
Azerbaijan Party], Ibrahim Valiyev, to comment on Abdullah Gul’s
letter. He said that he did not approve of Abdullah Gul’s views full
of respect: "The Turkish president’s view about the peaceful
coexistence of Turks and Armenians can be justified because actually
during the Ottoman Empire, Armenians were highly respected as a loyal
nation. Almost all conditions were created for Armenians. At the same
time, Armenians were resettled to the Caucasus as well as Azerbaijan
with the help of Russia where they were also created all conditions
there.

"However, as time passed, Armenians’ treacherous intentions surfaced
and they have never made a secret of their intention to seize Turkish
lands. Armenians have always stabbed Turkey in the back in its
difficult days. Their attitudes towards Turks emerged in difficult
days of the fraternal country. Abdullah Gul should not have lost
sight of historic facts. The Turkish president did not take into
consideration that it is impossible to peacefully coexist with
Armenians. Apparently, he invited Armenians to rapprochement at the
international level."

The deputy chairman of the Citizen and Development Party, Aflatun
Quliyev, does not consider this congratulatory letter relevant given
the systematic and worldwide anti-Turkish propaganda of Armenians:
"True, I would not like to comment on views of the Turkish president.
Nevertheless, it would be possible to wait for the final results of
the election. From this point of view, the letter made to surprise.
As for the views sounded in Gul’s congratulatory letter, people even
with insufficient knowledge of the history are suspicious of those
opinions. As a citizen, my assessment of the congratulatory letter is
that it was a step made in haste in a time when Armenians are engaged
in worldwide activities to have the so-called Armenian genocide
recognized by various states. I consider that the views expressed in
the letter were irrelevant."

Mediamax, Armenia
Feb. 23, 2008

ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE’S HEADQUARTERS CALL FOR RECOUNTING OF
VOTES

Yerevan, 23 February: The campaign headquarters of Artur
Baghdasaryan, the presidential candidate [from the OrinatsYerkir
(Law-Governed Country) Party], have urged the Central Electoral
Commission [CEC] to "take immediate measuresand instruct local
[election] commissions to restore the real picture of the [19
February] election with a properrecount of votes".

"Otherwise, the legitimacy of the election will be seriously
questioned, which may lead to a publicconfrontation and seriously
harm Armenia’s international reputation," Baghdasaryan’s headquarters
say in a statement forwarded to Mediamax news agency today.

"The CEC’s indifference has resulted in the last opportunity to
restore justice – a responsible stage indisputing the results of the
election – being accompanied by illegal actions of individual
electoral commissions," the statement says.

The headquarters say that at some poling stations the commissions
refused to accept applications from ArturBaghdasaryan’s proxies who
demanded a recount of votes. As for the applications accepted, in
these cases, accordingto the candidate’s headquarters, artificial
obstacles were created to the recounting of votes by obstructing
aquorum at sessions of local [electoral] commissions.

Interfax, Russia
Russia & CIS General Newswire
February 24, 2008 Sunday 7:40 PM MSK

Ter-Petrosian supporters march in downtown Yerevan

YEREVAN Feb 24

Former candidate for the Armenian presidency Levon Ter-Petrosian has
accused the authorities of persecuting their political opponents.

"By holding demonstrative force actions and by arresting people, the
lost authorities demonstrate nervous convulsions," Ter-Petrosian said
at an opposition rally in Yerevan.

The strategy of the current authorities is to lower the mobilization
potential of the people and to show nothing has been lost so far to
their satellites, he said.

"Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sargsyan show their might to their
entourage, that is why no one, as they think, should take the side of
the people. However, their attempts are futile. And one can finds
proves for this every day," Ter-Petrosian said.

Nothing threatens former Armenian Deputy Prosecutor General Gagik
Dzhangirian, leader of the New Times party Aram Karapetian and former
head of the tax agency Smbat Aivazian, he said. Moreover, there is no
serious threat to the whole nationwide movement, he said.

Ter-Petrosian also said that Liberty square, where the opposition
rally is taking place, has become a home for him. "I will not leave
the square until I moves in the presidential palace," Ter-Petrosian
said.

About 8,000 ralliers began a march in downtown Yerevan, after which
they are expected to return to the square. They protest against
arrests of Ter-Petrosian supporters, saying this is political
persecution. Road traffic in downtown Yerevan has been paralyzed.

Ter-Petrosian and leaders of political forces that back him remain on
the square.

Interfax, Russia
Russia & CIS General Newswire
February 24, 2008 Sunday 7:44 PM MSK

Armenian authorities confirm New Times leader held

YEREVAN Feb 24

The Armenian National Security Service has confirmed the detention of
Aram Karapetian, the leader of the New Times party.

Reports that officers of the National Security Service have detained
Karapetian are true, service’s spokesman Artsvin Bagramian told
Interfax.

It was reported earlier that according to eyewitnesses, several
masked people forced Karapetian and his entourage into cars with
license plates of the Armenian National Security Service on Erebuni
Street in Yerevan at about 3.30 local time and drove away in an
unknown direction, the press secretary of Petrosian’s campaign Arman
Musinian told Interfax on Sunday. The kidnappers also beat up
Karapetian’s bodyguards with clubs, he added.

The New Times party endorsed Ter-Petrosian in the Armenian
presidential election of February 19. Karapetian has also been head
many times making appeals to the public to overthrow the regime at
opposition rallies.

PRESS RELEASE
UCLA AEF Chair in Armenian History
Contact: Prof. Richard Hovannisian
Tel: 310-825-3375
Email: [email protected]

FEBRUARY 26, 2008

UCLA CONFERENCE FEATURES MUSA DAGH, KESSAB, DORT-YOL

UCLA-A leap-year international conference on the Armenian communities
of the Northeastern Mediterranean will take place on the weekend of
February 29-March 1, 2008. The seventeenth in the UCLA AEF Chair’s
conference series `Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces,’ the
two-day gathering will focus on region extending from Dort-Yol
(Chork-Marzban) to Musa Dagh and Kessab. Serving as co-sponsors are
the Mousa Ler Association of California and the Kessab Educational
Association of Los Angeles, along with the UCLA Centers for Near
Eastern Studies and European and Eurasian Studies, International
Institute, and Department of History

Participants include scholars from Armenia, France, Great Britain,
Netherlands, Syria, and several institutions in the United States. The
opening session in Armenian will take place on Friday evening,
February 29, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Kalaydjian Hall of the
Armenian Church Western Diocese at 3325 N. Glenoaks Boulevard in
Burbank (Buena Visa exit from the 5 Golden State Freeway).

Following an introduction by Professor Richard Hovannisian, AEF Chair
at UCLA, Dr. Hagop Tcholakian of Aleppo, the author of a three-volume
history of Kessab, will give an overview of the Armenian communities
from Beylan to Antioch and Latakia. He will be joined by Dr. Verjine
Svazlian of the Armenian Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, who
will discuss the oral tradition of Musa Dagh, and by Ms. Isabel
Mavian, both of Paris and of Yerevan, who will examine how the people
of Kessab responded to calamitous situations between 1909 and 1947.

The all day sessions on the UCLA campus on Saturday, March 1, from 10
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., will be in English and take place in the
refurbished Broad (formerly Dickson) Auditorium. The morning program
will include an illustrated presentation by Ms. Ruth Thomasian of the
Project SAVE Archives, Watertown, Massachusetts. Dr. Minas Kojayan of
the AGBU High School in Canoga Park will examine the repeated
self-defense of Chork-Marzban (Dort-Yol) from 1896 to 1921, with
Mr. Aram Arkun of New York City making additional comments in
writing. Dr. Vahram Shemmassian of CSU Northridge will offer an
overview of the history of Musa Dagh in the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries.

The second morning session will feature Dr. Susan Pattie of University
College London who has chosen the title, `Even Paradise Isn’t Perfect:
Memories of Kessab.’ Dr. Hagop Tcholakian will speak on Kessab after
becoming a diasporan community, following brief readings and
explanations of the Musa Dagh and Kessab Armenian dialects will be
given by Dr. Hagop Panossian of the Mousa Ler Association and
Dr. Hrair Atikian of the Kessab Educational Association.

In the afternoon sessions, Mrs. Sona Zeitlian will present the
findings of her study on the oral tradition of Musa Dagh. Mr. Ara
Soghomonian, Ph.D. student at UCLA who has investigated primary source
materials on the projected filming of `The Forty Days of Musa Dagh’
will reveal little known aspects of this case of Hollywood
censorship. Dr. Keith Watenpaugh of UC Davis will focus on the
Armenian and Alwaite responses to the Alexandretta crisis in the
1930s.

During the final afternoon session, Dr. Herant Katchadourian of
Stanford University will speak on culture and personality, based on
his field research in Anjar after the relocation there of most of the
natives of Musa Dagh. Dr. Shemmassian will conclude the program with a
sketch of Vakef or Samandagh, the only remaining Armenian village in
Musa Dagh and in all of Turkey. As in most previous conferences in
this series, Mr. Richard and Mrs. Anne Elizabeth Elbrecht of Davis,
California, will mount a related photographic exhibit.

The conference is open to the public without charge. Parking on the
UCLA campus will be in Structure 3, entrance from Hilgard Avenue near
Sunset Boulevard. Daily parking fee: $8.00. For further information,
please e-mail Professor Hovannisian at [email protected]

END

KOCHARIAN SACKS AMBASSADORS, STRIPS OF DIPLOMATIC RANKS

ARMENPRESS
Feb 25, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: On Saturday president Robert
Kocharian sacked a deputy foreign minister Armen Bayburdian
and stripped him of his rank of ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary.

Kocharian also sacked Levon Khachatrian, who served as Armenia’s
ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and also striped him of his
rank of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary.

The third diplomat who lost his job and the rank was Ruben Shugarian
who served as ambassador to Italy, Spain and Portugal.

The news was reported by Kocharian’s press office which did not
elaborate.

Xinhua, China
Feb. 24, 2008

Armenian president vows to take measures to safeguard social order

2008-02-24 13:05:33

MOSCOW, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) — Armenian President Robert Kocharian
said Saturday that his country will take various measures to
safeguard law and order, said reports from Yerevan.

No one will be allowed to undermine Armenia’s political
stability, one of the most important achievements made by the
ex-Soviet nation in recent years, Kocharian said during a meeting
with top law enforcement officials.

"Our actions will be resolute and harsh and aimed at preserving
stability and constitutional order," he said. "No organization
canplace itself above the law and constitution and engage in illegal
activities."

Kocharian made the remarks as crowds of opposition supporters
gathered for a fourth straight day in the capital’s central Freedom
Square, demanding authorities annul the results of the Feb. 19
presidential election won by Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan.

The Armenian military will take actions to safeguard constitution
and carry out all orders issued by the president, who is also the
supreme commander of the armed forces, senior army officials said at
the meeting.

Earlier, Armenia’s national police office said in a statement
that police will crack down on any activities undermining social
order and national stability and will protect citizens’
constitutional rights.

On Wednesday, the Central Electoral Commission announced that
Sargsyan won 52.86 percent of ballots in preliminary results from all
1,923 polling stations, followed by former president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan with 21.5 percent.

Supporters of the Armenian opposition have accused the
authorities of rigging the results of the presidential election. They
alleged that Ter-Petrosyan won the election and called for a recount
of the ballots or a new election.

The final results will be announced next Tuesday.

Editor: An Lu

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext. 202
Fax: +37410. 565601
Email: [email protected]

Minis ter Oskanian Explains Diplomatic Dismissals

President Robert Kocharian relieved three ambassadors of their posts and
ranks, and Minister Vartan Oskanian relieved another seven diplomats, all
for acting in contradiction to Armenia’s law on diplomatic service.
Reporters asked the Minister to explain these developments.

Minister Oskanian responded, `Those holding positions in the diplomatic
service do not have the right to take public political positions. This
contradicts the law of the Republic. Beyond the ambassadors who were
relieved of their posts by the President, there were six others at the
Ministry, who were relieved by me, today. For the same reason – the law
precludes a diplomat’s engagement in political activity.

`Regarding the ambassadors who were relieved of their positions, let me say
this. Those ambassadors joined a movement whose leader, during the entire
campaign, clearly and repeatedly labeled this state a `kleptocracy’ and the
President, `the gang leader.’ How do you imagine that these ambassadors who
represent this president and this state would continue to work, if they
obviously agree with that label?

`Second, if we look at those who have been released from their positions,
there are those who are deeply connected to the former administration, they
are either friends or old colleagues, they are either related to high-level
officials, or were high-level officials themselves in the former
administration. And here’s the pity. Because they struck, first of all, at
tolerance. When President Kocharian came to office, he articulated a clear
policy: we don’t touch our cadres. Ambassadors grow into their positions,
they’re not born into them. We invest in our cadres, so long as they have
decided to serve the state, this is the normal state of affairs in normal
countries. So, this action was an assault on tolerance. That is what hurts
me most. It pained me to sign those orders, and to hear the president’s
orders being read on TV. I view this as a strike at our institution, at
something that we had suceeded in embedding in our ministry. Not only did
they continue to work, but they had continued to rise in the ranks, without
experiencing any discrimination. It is exactly these people who should have
been the last to resort to such a step. But unfortunately, they somehow
succumbed.

`I’ve been asked whether there other people in the same category? I’m not
even going to try to find out. Our principles will not change. There won’t
be a witchhunt. Those who have not made public announcements will continue
to work. Just because some have broken the law, doesn’t mean we will.’

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Feb 21 2008

Babacan tells Russian press: Upper Karabakh should be given back to
Azerbaijan

The New Anatolian / Ankara
21 February 2008

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Turkey believed Upper
Karabakh should be given back to Azerbaijan.

Babacan, who was in Russian capital on Wednesday, replied to
questions of Russian journalists after completing his talks.

Commenting on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, Babacan said Turkey
desired UN Security Council’s decisions to be implemented regarding
the Karabakh issue and the invasion on Azerbaijani territory should
be ended.

Replying to a question on Iran’s nuclear program, Babacan said
problems related to such issue should be solved through diplomatic
means and in a peaceful manner.

Upon a question, Babacan said Turkey had no secret agenda regarding
Middle East and its only desire was to see peace and stability in the
region.

He said Turkey had a balancing role and a reliable position in the
region, adding that Turkey was ready to use the important
communication channels it had as a tool to solve the problems and to
provide peace.

Commenting on the cooperation between Russia and Turkey regarding
energy issue, Babacan said, during his talks with Russian Energy
Minister Viktor Khristenko, they discussed the current and potential
cooperation opportunities between the countries.

Babacan said Russia and Turkey were not rivals but they had
complementary roles regarding energy issue.

Replying to a question on Kosovo, Babacan said the international
community was divided and had different views on the issue.

"Every country has a different legal and political position. We
respect Russia’s posiiton as well. However, ours are different.
Consequently, we recognized Kosovo’s independence on Monday," he
said.

RA PRESIDENT ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECURING ORDER IN THE REPUBLIC

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.02.2008 18:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian held a meeting
with Police leaders Saturday to discuss the domestic situation,
the President’s press office reported.

Noting that the current developments cause artificial tension, Mr
Kocharian said, "Worthy defeat in a political struggle is one of the
most important constituents of democratic culture which, unfortunately,
has not been formed in Armenia yet.

"Our measures will be aimed at maintenance of stability and order in
the country," he stressed.

The RA President issued appropriate instructions while the Police
leaders assured that there is sufficient potential for securing the
order in the republic.