Author: Jagharian Tania

ASSISTANCE RENDERED TO ARTSAKH WAR INVALIDS

DE FACTO
Nov 14, 2008

STEPANAKERT, 14.11.08. DE FACTO. Assistance in the amount of 250,
000 drams has been rendered to the invalids, who lost their sight
during Artsakh war.

According to DE FACTO own correspondent in Stepanakert, assistance
has been rendered due to donations of Israelian and Melian, Armenian
philanthropists from Moscow.

The funds were allocated at the Kantegh society; assistance was
given by Hakop Apresian, Celibate Priest of the Artsakh Eparchy of
the Armenian Apostolic Church.

ARMENIANS CRITICIZED GONUL WITH A LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN

ArmInfo
2008-11-13 16:29:00

ArmInfo. A group of more than Turkish-Armenians, in an open letter
to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have voiced their grievances
about remarks from Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul that defended the
deportation of Greeks and Armenians from Anatolia at the beginning
of the last century, describing his comments as "praising ethnic
cleansing and crime." Today’s Zaman reports Gonul, in a speech at
the Turkish Embassy in Brussels on the occasion of the anniversary
of the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on Nov. 10, claimed that if
Greeks and Armenians were still living in the country, Turkey would
not be the same nation-state it is today. He also hinted that Armenia
is supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

"If there were Greeks in the Aegean and Armenians in most places in
Turkey today, would it be the same nation-state? I don’t know with
which words I can explain the importance of the population exchange,
but if you look at the former state of affairs, its importance will
become very clear," Gonul said. The group, in their open letter
published on a Web site, stated that Gonul’s remarks contradict the
Constitution, which says that anyone bound to the Turkish Republic
by the citizenship is called a Turk.

"It is very difficult to understand, if we are talking about a
Turkish nation, why the Armenians and Greeks [non-Muslims] cannot
be a part of this nation, when Kurds, Arabs and Albanians [Muslims]
can be? To what extent does this mentality, which underlines that
religious unity is required in order to be a nation, fit in with the
contemporary state of law?" the letter asked. The letter suggested
that the changes made by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK
Party) toward democratization were considered by intellectuals to be
"positive," but that the rivals of the AK Party claimed these changes
are just a disingenuous effort to get the financial support of the
European Union. "The reaction of the AK party to Gonul’s scandalous
remarks will be a very good indicator of the sincerity of the policies
[of AK Party]," the letter claimed.

PRESENTATION OF GAZAROS AGHAYAN’S TORK ANGEGH TRANSLATION TO BE HELD IN MONTREAL

Noyan Tapan

Nov 12, 2008

MONTREAL, NOYEMBER 12, ARMENIANS – NOYAN TAPAN. Presentation of
Gazaros Aghayan’s Tork Angegh translation will be held on November
16 in Monreal’s A. Aharonian Hall. Agop Hacikyan is the translator
and the author of the book. It is illustrated by Talleen Hacikyan
and versified by Edward F. Franchuk.

FILMMAKER EXAMINES GENOCIDE
by Sarah Probst

UW Badger Herald
filmmaker_examines_g.php
Nov 12 2008
WI

Over 90 years after its onset, the murder of over 1 million Armenians
by the Turks in the Armenian genocide in 1915 is still a contentious
issue — and it most certainly hasn’t been forgotten. Documentary
filmmaker Dr. Carla Garapedian made this clear Tuesday night during
a lecture where she addressed this issue head-on.

The event, sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Genocide Awareness
Week and the Armenian Students’ Association, featured a screening of
her documentary "Screamers," a bold glimpse at the gruesome nature
of genocide seen through the lens of the band System of a Down and
set to the soundtrack of their music.

"If you came to see the political issues, I’ve got to warn you about
the music," Garapedian warned. "If you came to hear the music, I’ve
got to warn you about the genocide images."

"Screamers," which has won three awards and been translated into
12 languages, shows members of System of a Down — all four men are
Armenian — as a politically charged unit set to educate lawmakers
and fans alike about the Armenian genocide. At one point in the
documentary, frontman Serj Tankian demands the Turkish government pay
for what it’s done, and the band launches into the song "P.L.U.C.K.,"
or politically lying, unholy, cowardly killers.

Although the documentary begins a political travel diary of the band’s
European tour, the film, released in 2006, eventually evolves into
a broader look at genocide, the tragedies that follow the already
horrific events and why the public has long had little knowledge
about the Armenian genocide in particular.

"The Armenian genocide is actually well-documented — we just don’t
have moving picture," Garapedian explained, acknowledging that videos
from the genocide in Darfur or the ethnic cleansing in Sarajevo have
increased the public’s awareness of these atrocities.

Despite the countless photographs, many world nations — including the
United States — have yet to acknowledge the atrocities that occurred
in Armenia in the early 1900s as actual acts of genocide. For many
countries, Garapedian explained, this is to protect the political
interests of certain countries; some nations may fear that, by
acknowledging the acts of another country as genocide, that country —
the U.S., for example — may be accused of war crimes.

Still, acknowledging any situation as genocide isn’t the end, and
Garapedian indicated there’s still a long road to travel before the
Armenian government may take steps toward doing so.

"[Dealing with genocide is] a process; it’s as if the perpetrators
(are) still going through the process of what’s done," Garapedian
said. "That hasn’t happened in Turkey."

ESTONIA TO DEVELOP COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.11.2008 14:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Estonia’s newly appointed Ambassador to Armenia
Toomas Lukk (residence in Tbilisi) handed Tuesday the copy of his
credentials to Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, the RA
MFA press office reported.

"Armenia attaches importance to development of cooperation with Estonia
both at bilateral level and within the European Neighborhood Policy,"
the Armenian Minister said.

For his part, Ambassador Lukk said Estonia intends to develop
cooperation with Armenia and stressed the necessity to strengthen
economic and cultural ties.

The two also referred to a number of international and regional
problems.

HACKERS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH INTERNET BREAKDOWN

A1+
[03:28 pm] 12 November, 2008

Some Armenian websites have been unavailable for already a few
hours. They all subscribe to "Arminco" Internet provider. The company’s
technical service ensures that the malfunction is not caused by
hackers attack. Simply the websites are presently under preventive
maintenance. It is still unknown when the websites will resume work.

E. SHARMAZANOV: MOSCOW DECLARATION VICTORY OF ARMENIA

Panorama.am
20:27 11/11/2008

"Since 1994 the first declaration signed in Moscow by the Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan is a successful achievement of Armenian
authorities," says Edward Sharmazanov, Republican Deputy during
National Assembly session. He mentioned that the declaration states
that NKR conflict should be regulated through peaceful negotiations.

"After Armenia-Turkey football meeting, it was said that Armenia wants
Turkey to become a side of the negotiations, but the declaration states
that the conflict should be regulated in the frames of Minsk group,"
says the Deputy.

ARTHUR ABRAHAM DEFEATS RAUL MARQUEZ TO DEFEND IBF TITLE

armradio.am
10.11.2008 10:52

Armenian boxer Arthur Abraham defeated Raul Marquez by technical
knockout after six rounds Saturday to defend his IBF middleweight
boxing title for the eighth time and remain undefeated.

Abraham landed two rights to Marquez’s right eye in the sixth round
and the challenger’s camp called off the fight just before the seventh
was due to start.

"King Arthur" improved his record to 28-0 with 22 knockouts while
Marquez dropped to 41-4-1 with 29 knockouts.

The 37-year-old Marquez, who was the mandatory challenger, said he
lost to a better fighter.

Abraham came out more aggressive than usual in the first round and
then connected on two heavy rights, a right-left combo and a flurry
of hits in the third round.

The defending champion began gesturing for Marquez to come closer
in the fourth and the challenger responded by trying to pound the
Armenian-born German’s body.

In the decisive sixth round, Abraham landed his two rights to Marquez’s
head midway through the round and continued to take the initiative.

RUSSIAN, AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS SIGN DEAL ON NAGORNY KARABAKH
by Ivan Petrov

RusData Dialine – Russian Press Digest
November 6, 2008 Thursday

The Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents signed on Sunday a
declaration to resolve the dispute over Nagorny Karabakh, the first
ceasefire document over the issue since 1994. The agreement, signed by
Dmitry Medvedev, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan at Meiendorf Castle
outside Moscow, does not stipulate any specific obligations for the
parties and does not contain any instruments of settling the conflict
– yet, it could be called a historic one, with Moscow managing to
achieve the almost impossible task of persuading the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents to sign the document.

The Azerbaijani -Armenian conflict over Nagorny Karabakh has
been under control of the Minsk group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), co-chaired by Russia,
France and the United States, for over 15 years. Despite the lack
of any breakthroughs, analysts say the absence of any new conflict
in the territory is an achievement in itself. According to Levon
Melik-Shakhnazaryan, a political expert at Yerevan’s Anania Shirakatsi
University of International Relations, avoiding the war is the main
aim of the Minsk group’s activities. "It is of no interest to OSCE
whether or not Nagorny Karabakh gets the status of an independent
territory or becomes part of Armenia or Azerbaijan or Sudan – the
main target is the absence of war, as the territory is a supplier of
energy resources for OSCE members," Melik-Shakhnazaryan emphasized.

This might be the reason Matthew Bryza, U.S. Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, made an
unexpected statement saying he is satisfied with the outcome of
Russia’s efforts over the issue.

According to Alexei Malashenko, a member of the scientific council
of the Moscow Carnegie Center, keeping the conflict over Nagorny
Karabakh frozen is actually quite beneficial for all the countries
concerned. "Currently, there is no solution which would be equally
satisfying for all the sides involved, so holding meetings and signing
some unremarkable documents will give the advantageous impression
that the issue is being settled," he said.

Meanwhile, the declaration has once again proved Russia to be the key
political player in the Caucasus and showed Moscow, not Washington
or Paris, as the center for major diplomatic activities to settle the
conflict. The country, which has been strengthening its positions in
the region, needed yet more evidence of its growing power – and this
was brilliantly achieved by signing the Meiendorf Declaration.

OPENING OF BORDER WITH ARMENIA TO GIVE TURKEY ADVANTAGE IN DIALOG WITH OBAMA

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2008 17:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey should not fear that U.S. President-elect
will recognize the Armenian Genocide, a Turkish expert said.

"What needs to be done is further improving the relations with Yerevan
and marginalizing the Armenian diaspora in the United States,"
said Omer Taspinar, an expert on Turkey with the Washington-based
Brookings Institution. "By opening borders with Armenia and taking
other appropriate steps, Turkey will have the trump card in its hands."

Marc Grossman, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, advised the Turkish
government to keep improving ties with Armenia during a teleconference
at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara early on Wednesday. "Dialogue and open
borders with Armenia will give Turkey an advantage in discussing the
issue with the Obama administration," he said, Today’s Zaman reports.