Author: Jalatian Sonya

CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OF ESTONIAN DEFENCE FORCES: "OCCUPIED TERRITORIES ARE INTEGRAL PART OF AZERBAIJAN"

Azeri Press Agency
May 29 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Mahbuba Gasimbayli-APA. Lieutenant-genera Ants Laaneots, Chief of
the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces paid two-day official
visit to Baku on May 29 at the invitation of Colonel-General Safar
Abiyev, Azerbaijani Defense Minister, the Defense Ministry’s Press
Service told APA.

The guest laid a wreath at the grave of Heydar Aliyev in the Alley
of Honor and commemorative monument of those, who died for the
independence of Azerbaijan in the Alley of Martyrs.

The Defense Ministers had one-on-one meeting in Defense
Ministry. Abiyev spoke about cooperation between the two countries and
sated that Estonian experience as NATO member country is important for
Azerbaijan. Abiyev provided information about successes achieved as a
result of cooperation with NATO within the framework of Partnership
for Peace Program (PfP) and stressed that Azerbaijan gained much
progress within the framework of Individual Partnership Action Plan
(IPAP). He stated that fist stage of plan has been implemented
successfully and second stage of plan has been started. Abiyev
touched upon military-political situation in the region and noted
that Armenia occupied 20% territories of Azerbaijan, create obstacles
to the peaceful settlement of the conflict and refuse to implement
demands of resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.

"Unfortunately, efforts of OSCE MG remained without result",
he said. The Minister added that Azerbaijan would not settle for
compromise in restoration of its territorial integrity.

"If Armenia continues to delay peaceful solution to the conflict,
Azerbaijan will take serious steps against it and will liberate its
lands. Armenia should understand it once and for all", he said.

Chief of the General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces noted
that the two sides were interested in development of relations. He
stated that restoration of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was
of principal importance for Estonia and stressed that occupied lands
were integral part of Azerbaijan.

The sides exchanged views on prospects of military cooperation and
other issues of mutual interests.

ARMENIAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND NGOs CALLED FOR EXPRESSING THEIR
POSITION OVER ISSUE OF BANISHING ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN FROM ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of Elders of Armenian Forum
of Intelligentsia and its Coordinating Council sent an open letter to
all political parties and NGOs of the Republic of Armenia asking them
to express their position over a number of issues connected with
Zhirayr Sefilian. "The term of imprisonment of Zhirayr Sefilian,
first-class Combat Cross holder, Lieutenant-General, a Diasporan
Armenian voluntary freedom-fighter, expires on June 9, 2008," the
letter read. It mentions the issues, about which the parties and
organizations are asked to express their position: they are issues of
immediately granting RA citizenship to Z. Sefilian and banishing the
latter from Armenia.

"Taking into consideration these issues’ urgency for Armenia and all
Armenians, we ask you to briefly express your opinion in press, as
well," the letter of the Council of Elders of Armenian Forum of
Intelligentsia and its Coordinating Council read.

Several public organizations of Armenia condemn attacking Arsen
Kharatyan

2008-05-30 11:31:00

ArmInfo. Several public organizations of Armenia made a statement
condemning May 28 attack at member of "Sksela" (Started) oppositional
organization Arsen Kharatyan.

The statement, received by ArmInfo today, emphasizes that violence
carried out with respect to the activist of a youth organization, does
not testify of the authorities-declared policy of overcoming the split
between the power and the society. On the contrary, such facts prove
that the authorities have no such a desire, that aggravates the
society’s distrust to the authorities. "We condemn such behaviour of
the authorities and claim that each action, aimed at formation of an
atmosphere of fear, more intensifies the public’s indignation. We
demand impartial investigation of the incident and punishment of its
clients and executers", the statement says.

The statement has been signed by the "Transparency International"
Anticorruption Center, "Hyus" public organization, the Armenian
Helsinki Committee, Helsinki Association of Armenia and a number of
other organizations.

ARMENIAN TEAM OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS UNDER 19 NOT TO TAKE PART IN FINAL
OF EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

13877

YEREVAN, MAY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian national team was defeated
by the team of the Ukraine with the score of 0:1 in the seventh group
tournament of the elite stage of the European Championship of football
players under 19 on May 24. The 3:0 score was recorded in the Spain –
Turkey game. The games of the last third stage are scheduled for May
27. The football players of Armenia will compete with Spaniards.
Irrespective of the results of the last stage among the seventh group
teams that of Spain will take part in the final to be held in Czechia
in July. The other three teams have been deprived of the pass for the
final.

JUSTICE MINISTERS OF ARMENIA AND SLOVAKIA SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT

arminfo
2008-05-26 20:51:00

ArmInfo. Today justice ministers of Armenia and Slovakia Gevorg
Daniyelyan and Stefan Harabin signed a cooperation agreement.

The agreement is aimed at ensuring further development of bilateral
cooperation in the judiciary and is based on the agreement signed by
the prosecutors general of the two countries two months ago. Harabin
pointed out that the agreement envisaged exchange of experience and
visits by experts groups. Slovakia is ready to share its experience
with Armenia so as to help the country to improve its judiciary and
to avoid problems. Harabin invited his Armenian colleague to visit
Slovakia.

Le Monde, France
24 mai 2008 samedi

Atom Egoyan perdu dans son labyrinthe

Le nouveau film du Canadien, en compétition

Le scénario d’Adoration tient un peu du jeu de société : à partir d’un
seul terme, il faut accumuler le plus de définitions possible.

Adoration pour Atom Egoyan, c’est aussi bien le culte que porte le
jeune Simon à la mémoire de sa mère morte que les figures de bois
découpé, représentant l’adoration des mages à la crèche, placées
devant la maison à chaque Noël par l’oncle qui a élevé Simon (Scott
Speedman). Il y a la foi musulmane d’une femme voilée qui fait
irruption dans la vie de Simon et son oncle. Il y a l’enthousiasme que
suscite sur Internet une fiction que l’adolescent a écrite, et qu’il
fait passer pour la réalité.

On retrouve dans ce film en compétition à Cannes, tourné assez
simplement à Toronto et dans sa région, la profusion de réflexions, de
questionnements et de jeux de l’esprit qui faisaient la force et les
faiblesses d’Ararat, le film par lequel Atom Egoyan a voulu faire le
tour de la question de l’identité arménienne en 2002.

Adoration souffre des mêmes défauts, sans être nourri de l’énergie
historique qui propulsait Ararat. Ici, l’artifice finit par dévorer
toute la fiction, réduisant les personnages aux éléments d’un rébus.

Les premières minutes font illusion. Mais très vite, les retournements
de situations, les révélations sur la double identité des personnages
tombent à plat. Malgré quelques moments spirituels (essentiellement
dus au personnage de professeur qu’incarne Arsinée Khanjian, la
compagne du cinéaste), toutes les intrigues d’Adoration se résolvent
de la façon la plus plate qui soit, à la manière des feuilletons
familiaux de la télévision nord-américaine.

Thomas Sotinel

Adorationd’Atom Egoyan Film canadien.Avec Rachel Blanchard, Arsinée
Khanjian, Scott Speedman. (1 h 40).

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Legal, historical and cultural factors should be taken into account

PanARMENIAN.Net

Legal, historical and cultural factors should be taken
into account while resolving Karabakh problem
24.05.2008 18:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The international conference on the
20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement is called to
attract the attention of the international community
to legal settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
to reveal the obstacles in the process, the Speaker of
the NKR National Assembly said.

?The Karabakh movement aimed to prevent deportation of
the native Armenian population, to secure the right to
make choice and methods of establishing friendly
relations with all neighbors. So, the final decision
should be taken with account of legal, historical and
cultural factors,? Ashot Ghulyan said.

?The current slippage in the negotiation process and
the looming threat of deadlock speak about
misunderstanding,? he added, Novosti Armenia reports.

The conference brought together political scientists
and experts from Russia, U.S., a number of European
states, Armenia, Iran, Abkhazia, South Ossetia,
Transnistria and Nagorno Karabakh.

IT IS EARLY TO TALK ABOUT CROP YIELD

KarabakhOpen
23-05-2008 13:45:10

The hurricane of March 22 inflicted considerable harm on arable crops
but rains in May revived the crops, said the minister of agriculture
Armo Tsatryan in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com, who noted that
it is early to estimate the yield this year.

Strong hails damaged crops in the region of Kashatagh, about 40 to
50 hectares. The hail affected potato fields. Vegetables were not
damaged because were sown after the hurricane.

Spring sowing continues the volume of which is up by 9 percent compared
with last year. Area under crop is 3689 hectares. Vegetables were
sown on 662 hectares, compared with 524 ha last year.

In answer to the question whether this year vegetables will be imported
from Stepanakert, the minister said it is inevitable because soon a
cannery will open in Stepanakert.

DELEGATION OF ARMENIAN WRITERS TO TAKE PART IN A NUMBER OF EVENTS ON MAY 24-30 IN TBILISI

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 23, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 24-30, a delegation of Armenian
writers will leave for Georgia to take part in the events dedicated
to the 110th anniversary of Vernatun founded by Hovhannes Tumanian
in Tbilisi, in the annual Vardaton (rose holiday) dedicated to
Sayat-Nova’s memory to be held in the Saint Gevorg Armenian church,
as well as in the Festival of Armenian Poetry. As Levon Ananian,
the Chairman of the Union of Writers of Armenia, said at the May 23
press conference, not only Armenian, but also Georgian intellectuals
will take part in the events. The events will be held jointly with
the RA Ministry of Culture and the Union of Writers of Armenia.

According to L. Ananian, like every year, this year also it is
envisaged to solemnly organize the annual Vardaton dedicated to
Sayat-Nova’s memory. The holiday originated in 1913, when Sayat-Nova’s
200th birth anniversary was marked on Hovhannes Tumanian’s initiative
in Tbilisi. Since that day, every year on the last Sunday of May,
a festivity, Vardaton, is organized in the yard of the Saint Gevorg
church, during which lovers of Sayat-Nova’s songs lay red roses to
the great goosan’s (Armenian national poet) grave. The Chairman of
the Union of Writers of Armenia expressed the hope that Vardaton,
which has been also marked in Yerevan since 2006, will be also marked
in Azerbaijan in the future.

Touching upon the Festival of Armenian Poetry to be held in Tbilisi,
L. Ananian said that though the two peoples’ literary ties were broken
off in the 1990-s, it is two years that literary bridge has been
restored. In particular, steps are undertaken in the two countries
to translate creations of Armenian and Georgian writers into Armenian
and Georgian, as well as various events are organized. L. Ananian also
said that a launching of Modern Armenian Poetry’s Anthology willtake
place within the framework of the festival.

RETURN OF TURKS MESKHETIANS IN ARMENIAN-INHABITED REGIONS PREGNANT WITH NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 15:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Return of Turks Meskhetians in the Armenian-inhabited
regions of Georgia is pregnant with negative consequences, said Giorgi
Gogsadze, director of the department of human geography at Tbilisi
State University.

"Like 10 years ago, I do state now that the Council of Europe’s
urge on return of Turks Meskhetians to Georgia will do no good. But
unfortunately, we are under pressure," Govsadze told Caucasus 2007
international conference.

"Armenian-inhabited Samtskhe Javakheti region has always been
remarkable for loyalty toward the authorities. Armenians of Samtskhe
Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli voted for pro-governmental forces at all
elections. In 2003 they supported Eduard Shevarnadze; after the ‘rose
resolution’ votes were given in favor of Mikheil Saakashvili. The
same happened on January 5, 2008, although the official figure of
90 per cent of votes is exaggerated, since majority of Javakhetians
usually leave for Armenia or Russia to earn living in winter" the
Georgian expert said.