Author: Hambardsumian Paul

VERDICT IS ALREADY PREDETERMINED

A1+
07:19 pm | May 26, 2009

Politics

"This trial against the newspaper is only aimed at silencing the
newspaper and declaring the publisher bankrupt."

"Why is judge Arayik Melkumyan turning me into a tool for wicked
forces? My petition is a chance for you to free yourselves from
this horrible regime," said advocate Tigran Atanesyan during today’s
hearing on the file against "Haykakan Zhamanak" newspaper.

Atanesyan filed a challenge petition today and according to him,
the trial against the newspaper is aimed at shutting the newspaper
down and declaring the publisher bankrupt.

"We knew that this was the scenario for the trial. The verdict is
already predetermined and it completely meets the demands of the
appeal. That verdict is going to become a precedent and a serious
tool for the regime to demolish the free press. I declare that nobody
will be able to silence free speech," declared advocate Atanesyan
adding that he has no hopes with the "assassin judges and doesn’t
have any illusions." Judge Melkumyan applied a sanction against the
advocate for this and a number of other expressions stated in the
challenge petition.

The trial against the newspaper began after the February 6 publication
about Robert Kocharyan’s younger son Levon according to which Levon
Kocharyan was arrested in Dubai for getting drunk and misbehaving. The
Kocharyans demand the newspaper edition to deny the information and
compensate the 16 million 120 thousand drams in damages. The judge
will announce the verdict on June 5 at 5 p.m.

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH AZERBAIJANI PREMIER

Anadolu Agency
May 26 2009
Turkey

BAKU (A.A) – 26.05.2009 – Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu,
who is currently paying an official visit to Azerbaijan, held talks
with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade in Baku on Tuesday.

Regional developments and the Upper Karabakh issue were on the agenda
of the meeting between Davutoglu and Rasizade.

Earlier on Tuesday, Davutoglu was received by President Ilham Aliyev
of Azerbaijan.

Davutoglu also visited the Azerbaijani parliament and met with
Parliament Speaker Oktay Esedov. (DO-EO)

"WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE EQUAL MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY"

International Society for Human Rights

May 26 2009

The ISHR Armenian working group started a long term project for
disabled people

"Our Right of Leisure"

Bela Shikaryan, President of the ISHR Armenian working group

ISHR charity concert: the blind Armenian singer Sasha Isaev

Illios Yannikakis (ISHR France) introduced the audience about the
ISHR activity

ISHR Armenian working group arranged a great three-hour-charity-concert
in the large hall of the State Opera and Ballet Theatre of Yerevan
on March 31, 2009.

More than 20 Armenian stars singers and dances, some of them disabled
themselves like the blind singer Sasha Isaev were on the stage. The
concert hall with 1500 places was full, disabled people from all
over Armenia – mostly disabled children and young people – as well
as representatives of state and international organizations came to
the concert and were a grateful audience. According to the statement
of the Armenian Ministry for Culture this concert was in the scope
of its destination and quality the best in the last half a year.

We are thankful for the participation of Illios Yannikakis,
representative of the ISHR France, who came to Armenia to work out
our Armenian-French project "Free Journalist status". He introduced
the audience about the ISHR activity and welcomed our program.

The concert was the start of our project "Our Right of Leisure".

Short about our project:

There are a lot of leisure places in Armenia which are not available
for disabled people, not suited for them and are too expensive. About
85% of disabled people are unemployed; the benefit of disabled is
very small, they are the fringe group of the society. Therefore they
feel very uncomfortable in such public places.

In the scope of this our long lasting program we envisage buying a
space (building) for establishing a kind of a club which will be free
for disabled people. It will have a training room, a small concert
hall, a café etc. This kind of leisure centre for disabled will be
a pioneer in Armenia.

We have already opened an account for sponsors and foresee in future
to take measures to organize a marathon to gather financial means.

The next event will be a trade exhibition show. It will take place
in June 2009 and will show and sell handworks made by disabled
young people.

A lot of state and nongovernmental organizations approved our program
as well as the Armenian Diaspora too.

We are also expecting the participation and support of ISHR sections
in our program.

TURKEY’S FM APPEALED AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA TO ACHIEVE PROGRESS IN SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Azerbaijan Business Center
May 26 2009

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Today Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
appealed in Baku Azerbaijan and Armenia to achieve progress at the
upcoming next round of talks between Presidents Ilham Aliyev and
Serzh Sargsyan to be held this June in Saint Petersburg.

Ahmet Davutoglu said he hoped this meeting would be fruitful and lead
to certain advancements in settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"I attach an extreme importance to this meeting and appeal the sides
to reach certain results. They must not let this historical moment
slip away," Davutoglu stated.

He also spoke about the importance of the world community to be active
in process of settling the conflict.

"Russia, Turkey, United States and western countries should
contribute to this issue as well. Turkey really works on settlement
of the conflict. If we don’t reach peace in the region, the strained
situation will still remain," Davutoglu underlined.

Since 1991 Armenia occupies 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory. In May
1994 the sides concluded an armistice.

Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will meet at the Economic Forum
in Saint Petersburg to be held June 4-5.

BULGARIAN CULTURAL PROJECT TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA MAY 29-JUNE 4

ARMENPRESS
MAY 26, 2009
YEREVAN

Within the frameworks of year of Bulgarian culture in Armenia a
cultural project will be conducted from May 29 – June 4 with the
participation of well known groups of Bulgarian ethnic and classic art.

Head of the Public relations department of Armenian Culture Ministry
Gayane Durgarian told Armenpress that during the project a photo
exhibition "Temples and Sanctuaries of Bulgaria" will open, afterwards
a gala-concert will take place in the National Academic Theatre
after Al. Spendiarian dedicated to the year of Bulgarian culture in
Armenia. Events will also be organized in the Armenian provinces. The
"Arabek" ballet group and "Sofia soloists" chamber orchestra will
have concerts in the Dilijan culture house, Gyumri state dramatic
theatre after V. Achemian and in the Yerevan state comedy theatre
after H. Paronian. The "Bistritsa grandmothers" ethnic ensemble and
"Nayden Kirov" ethnic dance theatres will perform in the Vanadzor
and Armavir culture houses.

The 2009 is announced a year a Bulgaria in Armenia and reciprocally in
Bulgaria the 2010 will be celebrated as a year of Armenia. Within the
frameworks of year of Bulgaria in Armenia days of Bulgarian films,
exhibitions, great concert programs, opera performances and other
cultural events are intended.

GENERAL SHAMANOV APPOINTED COMMANDER OF AIRBORNE TROOPS

Itar-Tass
May 25 2009
Russia

MOSCOW, May 25 (Itar-Tass) – Lieutenant-General Vladimir Shamanov was
appointed as commander of the Russian Airborne Troops, spokesman for
the Russian Defence Ministry Alexander Drobyshevsky told Itar-Tass
on Monday.

General Shamanov earlier occupied the post of the chief of the main
department of combat training and military service of the Russian
Armed Forces. He replaced Lieutenant-General Valery Yevtukhovich,
who was dismissed upon reaching the retirement age this May.

Vladimir Anatolyevich Shamanov was born in Siberia on February 15,
1957. He graduated from the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School in
1978 and from the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1998. He
is a candidate of sociological sciences. He began the military
service as a platoon commander, then served at various posts in the
Airborne Troops. Shamanov also fought in several flashpoints in the
Transcaucasia, including Nagorno Karabakh. He was the commander of
the 7th airborne division.

In 1995-1996 Shamanov served as an assistant commander of the United
Army Group of the Federal Troops in the Chechen Republic. He was in
command of a storming operation of several villages in the Chechen
highlands (Bamut and Tsentoroi). In 1995 he was injured, but remained
to fight in Chechnya. In 1996 Shamanov was appointed as commander of
the United Army Group of the Russian Defence Ministry in Chechnya. He
commanded the troops storming the Chechen highland settlements of
Dargo and Vedeno. He carried out a special operation in the highlands
in western Chechnya, where the Bamut stronghold of militants was
captured. In 1998-1999 – the commander of the 20th All-Arms Army
deployed in Voronezh, in 1999-2000 – the commander of the 58th Army in
the North Caucasus military district and simultaneously the commander
of the western grouping of the United Army Group in the North Caucasus,
after that an assistant commander of the United Army Group.

On December 24, 2000, Shamanov was elected as chief of the
administration in the Ulyanovsk region. On November 16, 2004, he
dropped his candidacy during the repeated gubernatorial elections in
the Ulyanovsk region and was appointed as Russian premier’s aide for
social security of servicemen. In 2006 he was appointed as adviser
of the Russian defense minister, since November 2007 he has headed
the main department for combat training and military service of the
Russian Armed Forces.

Shamanov is awarded the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation. He
is married. He has a son and a daughter.

Erdogan`s statement unsettles Yerevan

news_id=12489
19-05-2009 23:48:52

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s statement made during a
visit to Baku last week has been met with considerable concern in
Yerevan, prompting reactions at the highest level of the Armenian
government. Following Erdogan`s assurances to Azerbaijan that Turkey
will not open its border with Armenia before the occupation of
Azerbaijani territories ends, Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian
claimed in a meeting with Brian Fall, the UK Government Special
Representative for the South Caucasus, that if Turkey is indeed trying
to facilitate a settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh conflict, it should not meddle in the peace process.
"Any interference with the conflict resolution by Ankara could only
jeopardize the process," the Armenian leader warned.
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian has also commented on
Erdogan`s statement, claiming that this position of the Turkish premier
was impeding the process of rapprochement between Yerevan and Ankara.
Erdogan`s comments came during a joint news conference after talks with
President Ilham Aliyev in Baku last Wednesday in reply to a question on
the possibility of re-opening the border, which has been shut since
1993 due to Yerevan`s policy of occupation and its claims on alleged
World War I-era genocide occurring within the Ottoman Empire. The
Turkish premier made it clear that Ankara`s position on the Garabagh
conflict remains unchanged, adding that any speculations on the border
opening issue were unacceptable.
"I am telling you this as Turkey`s prime minister. To my mind, no one
can make more assuring expressions here. Turkey closed its border with
Armenia in 1993 due to the occupation of Azerbaijan`s territories. And,
so long as occupation persists, that door will remain closed. Any
speculation on this topic is unacceptable, neither will this be
accepted afterwards."
President Aliyev welcomed the statement as "the best answer to a simple
question that Azerbaijan had asked of Turkish authorities." He stressed
that speculating on the issue was currently inappropriate.
"I appreciate both this question and the answer. There couldn`t have
been a more open and clear-cut answer than this.
"It is known that concerns have emerged to a certain extent among the
Azerbaijani public in past months about the border opening. Standing
here before the Azerbaijani people today, I say that there is no room
for any doubts any more. The Turkish leadership has repeatedly
clarified this issue, and today, Prime Minister Erdogan once again
articulated this in the best way possible," Aliyev said.
There have been recent signs of normalization in Ankara-Yerevan ties.
Earlier reports alleged that the Turkish-Armenian border is expected to
re-open soon, and the governments of Turkey and Armenia agreed to a
"road map" in April, which caused a cool-down in Baku-Ankara relations.
However, Ankara immediately assured Azerbaijan that its ally`s
interests are among its priorities. The Turkish premier had said, prior
to leaving for his first visit to Baku since the roadmap agreement,
that it aimed to "eliminate misunderstandings and false impressions."

Actuphoto.com
May 23 2009

Kathryn Cook – The memory of trees

Kathryn Cook puts her trust in trees, the earth and the roads taken by
the Armenians to pose questions on their genocide by the Young
Turks. Cook does not intend making accusations with her work, but
trying rather to understand, to penetrate the mysterious story of the
Armenian people, whose â?`disappearanceâ?? began in
Istanbul on the night of 23 April 1915. Members of the Armenian elite
were arrested then transported to the interior of Anatolia and
massacred on the road, along with about a million others so as not to
leave any trace. Kathryn Cook went in search of these traces,
travelling through Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey and Armenia. She
looked for what remained of the Armenian churches, on the roads taken
by these people, to the now Kurdish village of Agacli (populated by
Armenians 95 years ago), which in Turkish means â?`place with
trees’. Trees thus become a metaphor for this extensive research in
memory of an entire people, through an inquisitive and subtle eye.

pictures-from-afghanistan.html

Armenian schools hold graduation ceremony
23.05.2009 19:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today, all Armenian schools organized graduation
ceremony. In that connection, RA President Serzh Sargsyan addressed
his congratulatory messages to school-leavers.
`Dear graduates,
Today you are leaving school, turning a new leaf in your life. Your
biographies will consist of many pages full of new achievements, Many
of you have already chosen their path, others are still facing
choice. I am sure that those who leave school today will contribute to
the growth of your young democracy tomorrow,’ runs the address.
Education Minister Armen Ashotyan’s congratulatory message runs as
follows: `Knowledge in market relations appears to be the only
wealth. I wish all of you to acquire knowledge and pave your way to
your future as good specialists, citizens and human beings.’

GERMAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA TO BE OPENED IN YEREVAN

ArmInfo
2009-05-22 19:33:00

ArmInfo. German University of Armenia (GUA) will be officially
inaugurated in Yerevan July 4.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University Edward
Saroyan says that GUA was established as a legal organization
in 2005 and has conducted different training courses and research
projects since then. It has established cooperation with many German
univesities: Kassel University, CVJM, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg,
etc. Presently, GUA is negotiating with the Free University of Berlin
and Humboldt State University. With some of the universities GUA has
concluded dual magistracy diploma agreements.

Over 30 professors from Germany have already expressed wish to give
lectures at GUA.

This year GUA will announce admission to a European behavior
magistracy course covering international relations and politics,
innovative economics, culture, general management. The university
will also offer Modular Architecture, Spiritual Theology course as
well as intensive German language courses.

Saroyan says that many German professors will give their lectures in
English. So, excellent German will not be a must at the initial stage.

GUA will also have different reseach institutes where students and
professors will be able to carry out practical research. "As a result
our graduates will be competitive in both Armenia and Europe. We have
already established an Institute of Inter-religious and Inter-Cultural
Communications, an Institute of Practical Psychology, an Institute of
East-West Studies. The tuition of one year will be 600,000 AMD. But
the first students will enjoy discount," says Saroyan.

To note, Armenia already has American University, French University,
Armenian-Russian (Slavonic) University and European Regional Academy
of the Caucasus (ERIICTA).