Author: Harutyunian Christine

Novruz Mamedov: The joint visits of Armenian and Azerbaijani
intellectuals were useful

armradio.am
07.07.2007 14:53

Turning to the visit of Azeri intellectuals to Nagorno Karabakh and
Armenia, Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Office to the
President of Azerbaijan Novruz Mamedov said that Azerbaijan’s position
on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict has remained unchanged. `The
conflict must be solved on the basis of principles of international law
and norms, and first of all, on the basis of the principle of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,’ he said in an interview with
Day.az.

Novruz Mamedov expressed the opinion that protracting the conflict
resolution is impermissible. In this regard, the visit of Azerbaijani
intellectuals to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh must be viewed as an
acceptable action. According to him, their contacts with the people of
Nagorno Karabakh, familiarization with the atmosphere there provides
useful information. He said the visit of the Armenian delegation to
Baku was also useful, due to which the latter had the opportunity to
see the Azerbaijani reality with their own eyes.

Novruz Mamedov noted that the international community and the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chair countries keep to the opinion that the settlement
of the conflict is not far away. However, he reminded that no progress
was reached during the last meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents in this regard.

PRESS RELEASE
July 2, 2007
Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region, US
P.O. Box 419, New York, NY 10108
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918

EASTERN REGION LEO SARKISIAN INTERNS WRAP UP THEIR SECOND FULL WEEK
OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Washington, DC ` Entering their third week, ANCA Leo Sarkisian
Eastern Region interns Nyree Naljian and Alidz Oshagan have gone
above and beyond the expectations of most summer interns. While
spending their days at the ANCA office, both have attended
functions on Capitol Hill, visited Congressional offices, and
worked on the various projects and tasks at hand reported the
Armenian National Committee of America, Eastern Region (ANCA-ER).

"We are so honored to have two young, bright, young, and motivated
activists from the eastern region interning in the office this
summer. Having an opportunity to meet all seven interns, it is
clear that each one of them brings their own expertise to the
organization and work collectively to strengthen our cause,"
commented ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director Karine Birazian.

Naljian, a New Jersey native, is a junior at Pace University in the
Masters program for Business Accounting. She applied for the
internship to gain first hand experience in the American political
system while becoming more involved with Armenian issues.

"So far this internship has been even more than what I expected. I
have been to Capitol Hill for several occasions, participated in
lectures with Armenian American leaders and professionals from
various fields, and also have met key figures in the House of
Representatives and Senate including the Speaker of the House,
Nancy Pelosi," commented Naljian.

Oshagan, originally from Michigan, is a sophomore at University of
– Show quoted text –
Wisconsin Madison, and is majoring is Sociology, with plans to
attend law school in the future. She applied to the internship to
increase her knowledge on how a grassroots organization operates.
Oshagan and Birazian even spent her second day on Capitol Hill
distributing a magazine created by the North Farmington School
District to help raise awareness about genocide, to the entire
Michigan Congressional delegation.

"The ANCA Leo Sarkisian internship has allowed me to contribute to
the Armenian cause in a hands-on way that I have not been able to
do in the past. I also have the opportunity here to go to Capitol
Hill and meet with staffers which helps build communication skills
regarding informing offices about Armenian issues," commented
Oshagan.
Naljian and Oshagan have spent their first few weeks in the office
working on several projects, including advocacy outreach to help
with H. Res. 106 (the Armenian Genocide resolution), participating
in lectures by prominent individuals, attending Congressional
Baseball games, as well as working on their own personal projects
which focus on advancing the Armenian cause.

Now in its 23rd year, the ANCA LSI Program provides student
leaders and activists an opportunity to participate in an intensive
8-week program designed to give them the tools necessary to
effectively advance issues of concern to the Armenian American
community on the federal, state and local level. The LSI Program is
a competitive and prestigious internship program and is widely
considered to be the best program of its kind for Armenian American
college students.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.
#####

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Nyree Naljian
Photo 2: Alidz Oshagan

PanARMENIAN.Net

Constitution is firm base for strengthening democracy
and stable development of Armenia
05.07.2007 14:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President of Armenia Robert
Kocharian congratulated the Armenian nation on the
Constitution Day. Particularly, the message of the
President underlines that Constitution has a special
meaning for any country, it outlines the ways of
development of the state. `The RA Constitution is a
firm base for strengthening democracy and stable
development. The Constitution guarantees basic rights
and freedoms of people. It provides balance between
power branches and effective cooperation between them,
guarantees strengthening of local self-government
bodies,’ Robert Kocharian stressed. The Armenian
President expressed assurance that the Organic Law
will serve to the stability of the state and welfare
of people.

NEGATION DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN ENQUETE OUVERTE CONTRE DEUX PROCHES DE DOGU PERINCEK
Winterthour ZH

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
1 juillet 2007 dimanche 12:45 PM CET

Une enquete penale pour discrimination raciale a ete ouverte contre
deux proches de Dogu Perincek a Winterthour (ZH). Les deux hommes
sont soupconnes d’avoir nie le genocide armenien samedi lors d’une
reunion nationaliste turque, a indique la police.

Ils ont persiste dans leurs propos lorsqu’ils ont ete interroges par
le parquet, a indique la police cantonale zurichoise dimanche dans un
communique. Ces declarations violent la norme penale antiraciste. Le
representant du Parti du travail turc en Allemagne et l’organisateur
de la rencontre a Winterthour estiment neanmoins ne pas etre coupables,
a precise le procureur Andrej Gnehm.

Les deux hommes ont ete interpelles puis remis en liberte samedi
deja. L’enquete se poursuit. M. Gnehm n’etait pas en mesure de dire
combien de temps elle devrait durer.

La police a egalement releve en marge de la reunion les identites d’une
vingtaine de personnes qui defilaient avec des affiches qualifiant
le genocide armenien de mensonge.

Le president du Parti du travail turc Dogu Perincek, condamne a
Lausanne pour negation du genocide armenien, n’a pas pu intervenir
lors de cette conference. Il semble qu’il n’ait pas obtenu de visa
d’entree pour la Suisse. Il n’est toutefois pas clair si un tel visa
a effectivement ete demande.

M. Perincek a ecope en mars de 90 jours-amende (100 francs par jour)
avec sursis pendant deux ans et d’une amende de 3000 francs. Le
Tribunal de police de Lausanne lui a egalement demande de verser
1000 francs "symboliques" a l’Association Suisse-Armenie (ASA), qui
s’etait constituee partie civile. Dogu Perincek a annonce vouloir
faire recours auprès du Tribunal federal.

–Boundary_(ID_Pek1mdkxDI3yh4Bwt/V1dw)–

"DISAPPEARED" LAWYER APPEARED

A1+
[04:43 pm] 03 July, 2007

Inhabitants of some districts in Yerevan gathered in front of the RA
President’s residence and demanded to return their lawyer, head of the
"Community and Right" NGO Samvel Lazarian. The dwellers of Kozern
community ensured that some employees from the National Security
Service (NSS) inquired information about Samvel Lazarian and his
activities in Kozern. No one was able to find Samvel Lazarian and
that made the dwellers to suppose that their lawyer was detained by
the National Security Service.

Samvel Mkrchyan is protecting the rights of the dwellers who are
deprived of property rights. "Samvel told me a month ago that
authorities did not approve of his activities and initiated some
activities against him. Then Samvel told that he had a tape where
definite names were mentioned and in case of necessity it would be
released", told Anahit Hovhannisyan from Kozern.

A Yura from Kozern district told that the NSS asked him who helped
them and how much they paid for it. "I told them that Lazarian did
it unselfishly. They said that he did everything to collect votes
during the elections. I ensure that no one has offered money to him",
said Yura. Samvel Lazarian was nominated during the parliamentary
elections in the majority system in number 12 precinct. Aida Sargsyan,
head of letter department of Robert Kocharyan met the demonstrators
and promised to search Samvel Lazarian.

While the demonstrators were continuing the action with "Samvel
Lazarian equal to democracy", "We will not allow new political
prisoners" slogans, suddenly Samvel Lazarian appeared. The
demonstrators were delighted to see him. The latter informed that he
was resting with his family and had turned off his mobile phone. He
mentioned that about 20 days ago employees in the Yerevan Municipality
told him: "Go, go the NSS will take up your problem".

He was coming from the Government, where he was protecting the
interests of the citizens. He heard about the action from a citizen
on Buzand Street. "The problem is not that vital at the moment,
however it may become so", announced Samvel Lazarian. "We should
control so that no one from the NSS broke in into the houses to find
out something about me". The NSS persecutes him and his NGO trying to
hamper his activities to protect the property rights of the citizens.

"We understand that someone has ordered this, we’ll try to find out who
that person is. 20-25 citizens were forced to announce that they have
given money to Samvel Lazarian. I declare that I have not accepted
a penny from anyone", stated Samvel Lazarian.

ARMENIAN-CAPTURED AZERI SUPPOSED TO BE ASHRAF JAFAROV

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 3 2007

Azerbaijani captured by Armenians on June 30 in Aghdam is being
identified. Armenian mass media writes that the man is Samandar Guliyev
(patronymic Namaz), but Aghdam and Susha executive powers told the APA
Karabakh bureau that this man has not been registered in the regions.

The Jafarovs living in the village of Uchoglan Ashraf Jafarov
(patronymic Mohubbet) left on June 30 and never came back. The village
residents last saw him at about 11-12 in the field. No one ever saw
him after that. Artesian well the Jafarovs use is situated in some
kilometers from the contact line.

Ashraf Jafarov’s brother Ramil Jafarov told the APA that Jafarov
once left home about a month ago, but a week later they found him
in their relation’s house in Baku. Ramil Jafarov said that Ashraf
wanted to go and work in Baku, but they did not let him due to his
intellectual defect.

Ashraf Jafarov did not take identification card and money with him.

His relations do not believe that he passed the contact line. His
uncle Nusret Jafarov said that there is no reason why he could do it.

Ashraf Jafarov lost both of his parents as a child. He is Baku
resident. Along with his five brothers and sisters he was brought up
by his uncle in the village of Uch oglan, Aghdam region.

APA reports that no other analogous fact was found out in the region
recently.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told the APA that
the committee was informed of the captured Azerbaijani citizen but
has not yet met Azerbaijani State committee on Prisoners of War,
Hostages and Missing Persons investigates the fact.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN RECEIVED THE AGO GROUP DELEGATION

armradio.am
03.07.2007 14:57

President Robert Kocharyan today received the delegation of the Ago
Group of the Council of Europe Committee of Foreign Ministers headed
by Sweden’s Ambassador to the Council of Europe Per Sjogren. The
delegation comprises the Ambassador of Sweden, Austria, France,
Germany, Russia, Romania and Latvia to the Council of Europe, officials
of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

Emphasizing the importance of the Group’s periodic visits, the parties
agreed that ever since joining the Council of Europe, Armenia has
passed an important way and has registered a great progress with
respect to reforms.

In Robert Kocharyan’s words, the reforms embracing different spheres of
life are implemented with the deep conviction that these are primarily
necessary for us and we have no other way of development. "Armenia is
not rich in natural resources. Instead, our main wealth is the human
factor, which can find its full expression only due to effective,
deep and broad reforms," the President underlined.

The interlocutors turned to the current stage of the negotiation
process on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, the meeting of
the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Saint Petersburg. They
exchanged views on the results of the parliamentary elections and
their international assessment, as well as the preparation of the
presidential elections. Positively assessing the past elections,
members of the Ago Group stressed the importance of further improvement
of the electoral legislation and the electoral processes.

DINK’S KILLERS GO ON TRIAL

Reuters
Gulf Times, Qatar
July 3 2007

ISTANBUL: Eighteen suspects went on trial yesterday for the murder of
ethnic Armenian editor Hrant Dink in a case seen as a litmus test for
the rule of law and the right to free speech in Turkey, a European
Union candidate country.

Dink, whose comments about the massacre of Armenians in Turkey in 1915
angered Turkish nationalists, was gunned down outside his Istanbul
office in January by a 17-year-old who has confessed to the killing.

Up to 1,000 supporters of Dink and his family, including human
rights activists, gathered outside the heavily guarded courthouse in
Istanbul’s Besiktas district to demand justice amid claims that some
policemen were involved in the murder.

"Shoulder to shoulder against fascism", they chanted.

Dink’s lawyers have said the murder has not been properly investigated
and have expressed fears for the independence of the court, reflecting
concerns about the possible involvement of Turkey’s so-called
"deep state".

The "deep state" is a loose term used to describe hardline nationalists
in the bureaucracy and security forces ready to subvert the law for
their own political ends.

Several Turkish newspapers yesterday quoted one of the main suspects,
Yasin Hayal, as saying he and his comrades murdered Dink on the orders
of police officers.

"I do not know what this ‘deep state’ means. I don’t know whether
it’s legal or illegal, but one thing is sure – there was a group
controlling us in the police," the Radikal daily quoted Hayal as
saying in a letter to prosecutors.

"Although you saw this, you have not protected our rights. Now I
ask you, if we were used in the service of the state, is it not the
state’s duty to protect our rights?"

Police have not publicly commented on the accusations.

Dink family lawyer, Fethiye Cetin, said the teenager accused of
shooting Dink exercised his right to remain silent in yesterday’s
hearing. Hayal and another suspect traded accusations in their
statements to the court, Cetin added.

The EU and human rights groups have shown a strong interest in the
Dink case, saying it is a crucial test for a justice system often
criticised for political bias.

"We will be closely watching how the court handles any evidence
that may implicate the security forces," said Holly Cartner, Europe
and Central Asia director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch,
in a weekend statement.

Several officials, including the head of police intelligence in
Istanbul, have been sacked over their handling of the case.

Shortly after Dink’s murder, video footage came to light showing
his suspected killer striking a heroic pose alongside security force
members apparently commending him for his act.

Dink, who received many death threats, worked for understanding
between Turks and Armenians through his bilingual Agos newspaper. But
his writings on the 1915 massacres and deportations of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks touched a nerve in Turkey.

Ankara denies Armenian claims, backed by many historians and by a
growing number of foreign parliaments, that the killings amounted
to genocide.

It says large numbers of both Muslim Turks and Christian Armenians
died in ethnic fighting as the Ottoman Empire collapsed during World
War I.

ARMENIAN ‘COUP PLOTTERS’ GO ON TRIAL
By Ruzanna Stepanian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
July 2 2007

Two prominent veterans of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh and one of
their former comrades-in-arms went on a high-profile trial on Monday,
accused of plotting to overthrow Armenia’s government.

Zhirayr Sefilian and Vartan Malkhasian appeared before a court in
Yerevan seven months after being arrested on what they and their
supporters call trumped-up and politically motivated charges.

Sefilian is a Lebanese citizen of Armenian descent who leads a
naitonalist pressure group opposed to Armenian concessions to
Azerbaijan, while Malkhasian is a leader of a small opposition party.

The two men were arrested by officers of the National Security
Service (NSS) in December just days after presiding over the founding
conference of a new organization opposed to the return of any of the
occupied Azerbaijani territories surrounding Karabakh. Regime change
in Yerevan is another declared aim of their Union of Armenian Alliance
(HKH).

The case against Sefilian and Malkhasian is essentially based on
statements made by them during the HKH gathering held behind the
closed doors. They appeared to justify violent actions as a legitimate
method of struggle against the administration of President Robert
Kocharian. Publicly calling for a "violent overthrow of the government"
is a crime in Armenia.

The third defendant, Vahan Aroyan, was arrested later in December
after NSS investigators claimed to have found a massive arms cache in
his village in southern Armenia. The former soldier has since been
kept under arrest despite reportedly refusing to implicate Sefilian
in the alleged illegal arms possession.

The courtroom, packed with supporters of the three men, burst into
rapturous applause and chants of "Freedom! Freedom!" as Sefilian,
Malkhasian and Aroyan took their seats in the dock surrounded by
armed guards. Aroyan wore wartime military uniform.

Several dozen protesters also gathered outside the court of first
instance of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nor-Marash. Organizers of the protest
claimed that the authorities want to imprison the three nationalist
activists due to a presidential election due early next year. "They
want to prevent consolidation of Armenian volunteers during the
pre-election period, which could in turn consolidate the opposition
and seriously threaten the authorities," said Armen Aghayan, another
HKH leader.

The first hearing at districts adjourned until July 6 shortly after
its start, with the defense lawyers demanding the replacement of the
presiding judge, Mnatsakan Martirosian. They said Martirosian can
not be impartial because he has repeatedly and ujustly refused to
release the suspects on bail.

Just as the trial of the alleged coup plotters got underway, another
Kentron court judge allowed the NSS to keep Aleksandr Arzumanian,
a well-known opposition politician charged with being illegally
financed from abroad, under pre-trial arrest for two more months.

Following a short hearing held behind the closed doors, the court
ruled that Arzumanian should remain in detention on the grounds that
he will obstruct justice if set free now. It also cited continuing
"investigative actvities" conducted by Armenia’s National Security
Service (NSS) as part of the politically charged criminal case. It
also ignored a written statement by 19 Armenian parliamentarians who
guaranteed that Arzumanian would not flee the country.

Arzumanian’s lawyer, Hovik Arsenian, rejected the verdict as
"unfounded" and pledged to appeal it. He stood by his claims that
the Armenian successor to the Soviet KGB lacks any evidence to jail
his client and is artificially dragging out his release.

There have been no known cases of Armenian courts rejecting arrest
petitions filed by the ex-KGB.

Arzumanian was arrested on May 7 on charges of illegally receiving
a large amount of money from Levon Markos, a fugitive Russian
businessman of Armenian descent. His arrest came two days after NSS
officers searched his Yerevan apartment and confiscated $55,400 worth
of cash kept there. Arzumanian, who had served as foreign minister
from 1996-1998, denies the accusations as politically motivated.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

July 02, 2007

Ecumenical Friends Join in Congratulating
Archbishop Oshagan on 40th Anniversary of
Ordination at Reception in New York

By Iris Papazian

NEW YORK, NY-Ecumenical friends gathered at the offices of the Eastern
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America in New York on Friday
afternoon, May 4, to offer congratulations to the Prelate, Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his ordination.
On the eve of the three celebratory banquets in various parts of the
northeast and Midwest, many of His Eminence’s ecumenical friends came to
personally convey their congratulations. The guests enjoyed a sumptuous
buffet of Armenian delicacies and the company of their brothers and sisters
in Christ.
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, the Prelacy’s Vicar General, welcomed the
guests with brief remarks on behalf of the Religious and Executive Councils
of the Prelacy. "I would like to welcome you here this afternoon to honor a
humble servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, a servant who has faithfully
manifested the talents entrusted to him as a zealous priest, an inspiring
teacher, an insightful theologian, an active ecumenist, a self-educated
church musician, a skillful translator of the Holy scriptures, and most
importantly a shepherd mirroring the image of the one and true Good
Shepherd."
Noting that he did not want to take time away from personal interaction
of the guests, Bishop Anoushavan told one story which he said embodies the
personality and character of the honoree. "As some of you know, Archbishop
Oshagan was the Prelate of Kuwait and the Arab Emirates prior to his current
service in the United States. At the time when Iraq invaded Kuwait, he was
on vacation in New York. As soon as he heard the news, he was determined to
return to Kuwait immediately." The Vicar remembered how everyone tried to
convince him not to go back because of the danger, not to mention the
difficulty of traveling to Kuwait, but he had made up his mind. "I need to
be with my flock," was his only answer, and he flew to the Middle East and
found a way of entering Kuwait by land.
Archbishop Oshagan thanked the many guests who were in attendance.
"Thank you for taking the time out of your hectic schedules to come here
this afternoon and express your Christian love and unity." He noted that he
has come to know many of them through ecumenical services, meetings and
conferences. "Our friendship grows stronger and I look forward to the future
enrichment of our friendship and cooperation in our mutual service to our
Lord." His Eminence noted how much he has gained through his participation
in the worldwide ecumenical movement since the earliest days of his service.
He said that he continues to be guided by the words of St. Paul, "Therefore,
be steadfast, immoveable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because
you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
Attendees included leaders of the Armenian Catholic Exarchate, Armenian
Missionary Association of America, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch,
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the
World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, General
Theological Seminary, Assyrian Church of the East, Catholic Near East
Welfare Association, The Episcopal Church, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch, Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, Orthodox Church in America, ,
Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Salam Arabic Lutheran Church, St. Vladimir
Orthodox Seminary.
In addition many letters of congratulations were received from various
parts of the country congratulating Archbishop Oshagan on his milestone
anniversary.