RAFAYEL VAHANIAN DEFEATS LAYOSH PARTISH IN 9TH STAGE OF INTERNATIONAL CHESS TOURNAMENT HELD IN ROMANIA
Noyan Tapan
Jun 26 2007
BAZNA, JUNE 26, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 25 Rafayel Vahanian defeated
Layosh Portish (Hungary) in the ninth stage of the International Chess
Tournament held in the city of Bazna in Romania. The Armenian grand
master and Alezandre Khalifman (Russia) are in the lead with six points
each. They will meet each other in the last stage of the tournament.
TURKEY ISN’T CONTENTED WITH HRANT DINK’S MURDER AND NOW DINK’S SON IS BEING CHASED
PanARMENIAN.Net
Analytical Department
16.06.2007 GMT+04:00
The question is what measures Ankara will take if all the citizens
of the Ottoman Empire of non-Turkish origins, who have systematically
been annihilated, are charged with "insult to Turkishness".
The hearings of the case of Hrant Dink’s murder in Istanbul will
be held on July 2, 2007. The sessions will be held behind closed
doors and the dissemination of any information about the course of
the hearings is strictly forbidden. Journalists will be deprived from
the right to give any reports on the course of the case and will not
be given any information about the hearings either.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Dink was murdered by 17-year-old nationalist
Ogyun Samast, who grounded the committed crime with "Dink’s insult
to Turkishness". It seemed that after the crime, which would have
tragic outcomes for any country fighting its way to Europe, the
attitude towards the Armenian-Turkish Press would change. However,
the Office of Public Prosecutor in Istanbul thinks that "Agos" has
once again violated provisions of the Article 301 and demands Hrant
Dink’s son’s and his colleague’s Sarkis Serobyan’s imprisonment with
the period of up to three years.
They are charged with the same "insult to Turkishness" and the cause
for the charge was the repeated publication of Hrant Dink’s interview
where he had touched upon the issue of the Armenian Genocide.
During the first court session Arat Dink blamed the prosecutors
in having their certain role in his father’s murder. "The biggest
absurdity and the most dangerous thing is that the determination of
the historical event like the Armenian Genocide is considered to be
offence for the Turkish Nation," quotes his words the Turkish Daily
News. In case Arat Dink is recognized guilty, which is beyond doubt, he
is facing imprisonment with the period of from 6 moths up to 3 years.
If we take a look at the county’s home policy on the threshold of
general elections, the launch of the military operations against the
Kurds and rather possible EU rejection of resuming the negotiations,
the decision of the Office of Public Prosecutor in Istanbul is
quite natural. In fact Turkey is not going to abandon its policy of
denying the Armenian Genocide for anything and carries on according
to its main principle – gain as much time as possible, maybe the
international community will one day get tired of raising the issue
of the crimes committed by the Ottoman Empire during the World War
I. The truth is that if the problem was with the Armenians only,
this variant would still work out, but there are also the Assyrians,
Pontiac Greeks, and the very Kurds with the hands of which the Young
Turks slaughtered whole nations. The question is what measures Ankara
will take if all the citizens of the Ottoman Empire of non-Turkish
origins, who have systematically been annihilated, are charged with
insult to Turkishness.
On the same day 86 Turkish scientists, writers and diplomats sent
letter to 53 Nobel Prize laureates, having called Armenia and Turkey
upon establishing relationships, co-operation and tolerance between
the two nations. "The present initiative will help to create the
world culture, which will have its fruits in the future. We declare
that we are ready to put all the efforts and have our certain
asset in putting an end to the created situation. The Armenians and
Turks have lived together in the Ottoman Empire and this can’t be
denied. Our nations share common cultural values and we assume that
these common values may serve as bases for the development of future
relationships. Turkey doesn’t define the tragic events of 1915 as
Genocide. After many researches and studies of different documents
some Turkish and foreign academicians came to the conclusion that no
Armenian Genocide had ever been committed in the Ottoman Empire. We
would like to say that we are ready to discuss this issue in united
commissions together with the Armenian historians and all the parties
interested. We assume that the dialogue is the only way to solve our
problems," the Turkish scholars write.
Thus the Turkish side didn’t come up with anything new, from one side
there is the charges according to the Article 301 brought forward,
and from the other side there is the call for discussions with the
historians. Perhaps the French President Nicola Sarkozy is right in
his strong conviction that Turkey has no place in Europe. In fact he
is right, as the denial of one’s own responsibility in the harsh crime
committed against humanity and the rejection of the right of freedom
of speech only contradict the values adopted and advocated in Europe.
COURT HALTS TRIAL OF EX-MP
By Hovannes Shoghikian
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
June 19 2007
A controversial businessman and former parliamentarian who reportedly
provoked a mass brawl outside Yerevan last fall secured on Tuesday an
indefinite suspension of his trial thanks to his allegedly poor health.
Hakob Hakobian, who is affiliated with the governing Republican Party
of Armenia (HHK), went on trial in the southern town in Artashat last
month on charges of "hooliganism," tax evasion and other financial
irregularities. The high-profile case was brought last October
immediately after fellow lawmakers agreed to lift his legal immunity
from prosecution. The parliament’s decision was in turn prompted
by a violent incident in a village just south of Yerevan involving
Hakobian and his loyalists.
They reportedly stormed a local gas distribution facility that cut
supplies to nearby liquefied gas stations owned by Hakobian. The
pro-government businessman, better known as Choyt, was detained on the
spot and kept in custody for three days. He has denied responsibility
for the violence, saying that he arrived at the scene stop a "manly
fight" between security guards and local residents.
Hakobian, who was controversially barred from contesting the May
12 parliamentary elections, has failed to attend any of the court
hearings on the case so far, citing serious health problems. His
defense counsel, Mkrtich Vasakian, submitted to the Artashat court
on Tuesday a written statement by a Yerevan hospital saying that
Hakobian is suffering from a number of cardiac diseases and should
be spared the need to attend court hearings for at least three months.
The presiding judge, Gagik Sargsian, said the hospital reaffirmed this
assertion in response to a formal inquiry filed by the court. He said
the criminal proceedings against Hakobian will therefore be suspended
"until his recuperation."
The trial prosecutor, Vardges Gevorgian, did not protest against this
decision after the judge agreed to press ahead with the prosecution
of seven other defendants connected to Hakobian. They will now be
tried separately.
Speaking to RFE/RL, Vasakian insisted that his burly client is really
sick and needs a reprieve. He said he is confident that the judge’s
final verdict on Hakobian will be "fair."
The fraud charges leveled against Hakobian stem from his business
activities of the past 15 years. The former lawmaker, who is no
stranger to controversy, has vehemently denied them as well.
Addressing the National Assembly last October, he implicitly alleged
that he was not prosecuted earlier because he has for years bribed
law-enforcement and tax officials inspecting his businesses.
NAGORNYY KARABAKH MIGHT SWAP LANDS FOR INDEPENDENCE – POLL
Arminfo
18 Jun 07
Yerevan, 18 June: Part of [Nagornyy] Karabakh’s population is ready to
"pay" for the independence of the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic]
with liberated territories.
Head of the Sociometer research centre Aharon Adibekyan told a
news conference at the Urbat club today that around 8 per cent of
respondents in a survey conducted in the NKR are ready to exchange
the liberated territories for its independence. He noted that more
than 90 per cent of the people questioned wanted Nagornyy Karabakh
to either be independent or become part of the Armenian Republic.
Adibekyan said that most of the respondents said that an NKR
presidential candidate and former head of the NKR National Security
Service, Bako Sahakyan, was likely to find a solution to the Karabakh
conflict.
A total of 700 people took part in the poll in Stepanakert, six
regional centres and 11 large populated areas.
ARS TO OPEN 13TH NURSERY SCHOOL IN KARABAKH
KarabakhOpen
15-06-2007 11:25:40
The Armenian Relief Society has recently opened another nursery school
in the village of Khndzristan, Askeran.
"It is the 12th nursery school. The sponsor is the Blue Cross of
France.
55 children already go to the nursery school. We are also likely to
involve children from the neighboring village," said Margaret Taranyan,
head of the Artsakh branch of the ARS.
The ARS launched the project of nursery schools in 1996, when after
the war the children of Karabakh needed nursery schools. The first
Sose nursery school opened in Stepanakert, for the children of
killed azatamartiks. Next the ARS opened nursery schools in border
villages. Now there are nursery schools in Stepanakert, Shushi,
Karin Tak, Aigestan, Khndzristan, Karega (Kashatagh), Avdur, Ashan,
Mets Tagher, Togh and Haghorti. Margaret Taranyan said 530 children
go to Sose nursery schools.
"Each nursery school has a sponsor who provides stationery, clothes,
shoes, food. Since there are no more children of killed azatamartiks
who go to nursery school, fortunately, the nursery schools start
to admit children of disabled persons, large families, orphans and
children of underprivileged families. We are opening another nursery
school in the framework of the ARF project in Yeghegnut, Karvachar
on September 1."
The ARS was set up in 1918 in the United States. It is the only
Armenian organization, which is member of the UN Economic and Social
Council. A branch of the ARS was opened in Karabakh in 1996. The
head of the Artsakh branch Margaret Taranyan says women work for the
Society, and any woman aged 18 and up can become a member of the ARS.
"The ARS implements several projects. One of them is the nursery
school project. The second project involves aid to 3000 children of
killed azatamartiks until age 18, 120 U.S. dollars each. The third
project is Yeremian Scholarship. The annual fund is 500 dollars. The
Yeremian family based in the United States help five students every
year. Besides, the ARS opened Sirun Optic in Stepanakert which provides
free services to people. It also provides free glasses. Formerly
it provided services to the families of killed azatamartics, now it
provides services to everyone."
EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA JUNE 15
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.06.2007 16:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU Special Representative in the South Caucasus
Peter Semneby will arrive in Armenia June 15. Political advisors Mark
Fawcett and Kaupo Kand accompany him during the trip. Most likely
the Special Representative will go to Nagorno Karabakh from Yerevan,
Semneby’s office told the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist.
WASHINGTON INVITE L’ARMENIE A COMBATTRE LE TRAFIC D’ETRES HUMAINS
RIA Novosti, Russie
14 juin 2007
EREVAN, 14 juin – RIA Novosti. Pour accroître l’efficacite de la lutte
contre la traite des personnes en Armenie, il faut intensifier les
processus d’instruction, de poursuite penale et de condamnation des
fonctionnaires gouvernementaux impliques dans ces pratiques, indique
l’agence Armenia-News, citant le rapport annuel du departement d’Etat
americain sur le trafic d’etres humains en 2007.
Selon le rapport, le gouvernement armenien devrait implanter au niveau
national un système officiel ayant pour but de decouvrir les victimes
du trafic et de les confier aux associations sociales chargees de
leur protection. Il faut egalement sensibiliser l’opinion publique
a ce phenomène et intensifier les efforts en vue de le prevenir.
Le rapport constate que l’Armenie est plutôt un pays d’origine que
de transit des femmes transferees vers les Emirats Arabes Unis (EAU)
et la Turquie en vue de leur exploitation sexuelle commerciale.
En outre, des hommes et des femmes armeniens sont illegalement
transferes en Russie pour y etre employes a des travaux "forces". De
leur côte, de nombreuses femmes et jeunes filles transitent elles
aussi via Moscou avant de gagner les Emirats Arabes Unis.
Le document constate que malgre les efforts importants qu’il deploie
pour eradiquer le trafic d’etre humains, le gouvernement armenien ne
remplit pas complètement les exigences formulees dans ce domaine.
"Depuis trois ans d’affilee l’Armenie occupe la deuxième position
dans la liste d’observation (watch list), car elle n’arrive pas a
fournir de preuves a l’appui de sa volonte d’intensifier la lutte
contre la corruption et de preter assistance aux victimes de la traite
des personnes", souligne le rapport.
Le departement d’Etat americain estime qu’en 2006, le gouvernement
armenien n’a pas pris de mesures suffisantes pour proteger les
victimes du trafic d’etres humains. Cette constatation repose sur
le fait qu’aucune aide materielle ni financière n’a ete fournie aux
organisations sociales chargees de secourir les victimes de ce trafic.
"Pour pouvoir combattre le trafic d’etres humains, le gouvernement
compte sur l’assistance des organisations sociales et des structures
internationales pour completer ses propres efforts visant a
sensibiliser l’opinion publique", indique le rapport.
Le document souligne qu’en 2006, l’Agence chargee de la migration
auprès du ministère armenien de l’Administration territoriale a
continue de cooperer avec la Direction generale de l’aviation civile
du pays et avec une organisation sociale a la diffusion de tracts sur
le danger du trafic d’etres humains parmi les personnes se rendant
en Turquie et aux EAU.
"Le gouvernement de l’Armenie coopère egalement avec une agence
analogue russe a la diffusion d’une brochure appropriee parmi les
travailleurs immigres en Russie", dit le document.
–Boundary_(ID_+NkUgYaVl/ARR0/0IuP5yw)- –
AZERBAIJANI MPS PROPOSE STARTING WAR AGAINST ARMENIA
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 16 2007
Proposal on Azerbaijan’s starting war against Armenia was made today at
the final meeting of the spring session of the parliament, APA reports.
Azerbaijani MP, chairman of Ana Vatan (Motherland) Party Fazail
Agamali addressing the meeting proposed announcing war against Armenia
stressing that Azerbaijani society should prepare for the war.
Agamali related it with the prolongation of negotiations for the
solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
"Everybody should join the struggle for liberating our territories.
Actually, Azerbaijan should declare a war to Armenia. Azerbaijan’s
military budget allows it," he said.
Parliamentarian Panah Huseyn also touched on the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. The MP said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s position
regarding the conflict satisfies local political parties and NGOs.
VIOLINIST BORYA
KarabakhOpen
14-06-2007 10:01:45
Everyone in Stepanakert knows the violinist Borya. His violin plays in
parties and funerals. The violin is also already an old acquaintance
of the people of Stepanakert, which has become part of him.
Borya did not learn to play the violin at a young age. He says he had
no teacher, he learned to play this instrument thanks to good ear. He
says the violin is the queen of music. "Any other instrument could
be the king because the queen can get on well with every one of them."
The renowned violinist is often seen playing in funerals and parties.
However, his heart is the most rigorous client. "When I feel bad, I
take the violin and go to the memorial. My soul finds peace there. I
knew lots of guys who got killed. And I promised to visit them every
day and play for them. I knew they loved to listen to the violin,"
Borya said to us.
"One of them was fond of jazz. He said he wanted to play with me and
one day we would play together. Now I often come to him and every
time I try to play something interesting. David liked slow music,
I play slow music for him," Borya says.
It is difficult for him to play in funerals. "But I know the sound
of violin calms people in times of sorrow, and I cannot refuse to
help them."
He is already used to playing in funerals in the morning and in
parties in the evening.
They say this elderly musician used to be a handsome young man. They
say the war changed his life, and all good things are memories.
Borya can also play the guitar, the drums, the duduk and the piano.
Sometimes also an alternative instrument – the glasses.
CANADA JUMPS 38 SPOTS IN FIFA RANKINGS
CBC News, Canada
fifa-rankings-canada.html?ref=rss
June 13 2007
Canada climbed 38 spots in the FIFA rankings released Wednesday by
soccer’s world governing body.
Buoyed by a pair of victories over Costa Rica and Haiti in the
CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Canadian team jumped to No. 56 in the monthly
rankings. Canada was No. 94 in May.
Only Armenia, which improved by 48 spots, made a bigger jump in the
rankings than Canada.
Canada, which plays Guatemala on Saturday in the Gold Cup
quarter-finals, has rebounded after reaching an all-time low 103rd
spot in March.
The United States is the top team from CONCACAF, the soccer
confederation that covers North and Central America and the Caribbean,
in this month’s ranking at the No. 16 position.
Canada ranks sixth among CONCACAF nations behind the U.S., Mexico
(No. 26), Costa Rica (No. 46), Panama (No. 52), and Honduras (No. 55).