Author: Jidarian Alex

G8 leaders to discuss CIS trouble spots – Putin

RIA Novosti, Russia
July 16, 2006

STRELNA (near St. Petersburg), July 16 (RIA Novosti)-Leaders of the
Group of Eight industrialized nations will discuss the situation
in the former Soviet Union, particularly troubled areas, Russian
President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.

"I am certain that we will talk about the entire post-Soviet space,
particularly those problem areas that are not yet quiet," Putin told
a briefing in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He told journalists that he and U.S. President George Bush had talked
about conflicts in territories neighboring Russia earlier in the day.

"We mostly talked about Georgia," he said.

Talking about the breakaway region of South Ossetia in Georgia, which
has been the source of tension between Moscow and Tbilisi this year,
Putin said it was a concern.

"The situation is tense and is not being defused," he said.

He called on Georgia to find ways to cooperate with South Ossetia.

Putin also said the G8 leaders would touch upon the problem of
Nagorny-Karabakh, a territory disputed by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The president said the U.S. and French leaders were particularly
involved in the problem, but added Russia and its partners were ready
to become guarantors of any agreements on the issue.

"We will not foist a decision on either the Azerbaijani nor Armenian
side," he said.

&phrase_id=47805

07/11/2006 02:01:45 
First symbolical Gay wedding in Armenia
"There are absolutely no obstacles to forbid a gay marriage in Armenia
(…)  I believe that in 10-15 years gay marriages will be celebrated in
Armenia" says Misha
 
While Russia celebrated last May 27th, the 13th anniversary of
decriminalization of male homosexuality, the same, happenned in Armenia less
than 3 years ago. Thanks to its entrance in the Council of Europe, the ex
Soviet Republic had to amend its criminal code. The big fight for gay rights
is only rising in this small country of 3 million inhabitants. With its tiny
gay community, Armenia is not yet thinking of holding a gay pride festival
in Yerevan. Homophobia is still high like in any emerging country. Although
gay Armenian activists regularly take part to LGBT conferences in Europe,
some have decided to go further. A few gays and lesbians Armenians living in
France have created their own organization (AGLA) in which they try to
promote tolerance towards LGBT in their home country. They have their web
site. They also have their float every year at the Paris Gays Pride. 
 
Misha and Harut, who both live in France where they became lovers, have
decided to symbolically seal their love in their home country. Last week,
they both returned to Echmiadzin’s Cathedral, an equivalent to Vatican for
Armenian Christians, and organized their own wedding ceremony.

 
Misha is part of this new wave of Eastern European activists who do not want
anymore to maintain the "status quo" : "If during the last 30 years, the
situation of GLBT people has improved in the Western world, because each
year queers walked in the streets and stood up for their dignity. You cannot
achieve any improvement just by sitting there and waiting for better time.

Nobody will never give anything to us. There will be no gifts. We should
fight for our rights".

 
Read below our interview with Misha.

 

GayRussia : How it was possible to make this ceremony in a church ?

 
In January 2006 I met Arnaud here in Paris. He came to our association’s
monthly gathering in the Gay Center. He is a French-Armenian. We liked each
other and started dating. Two months later we decided to move to a new
apartment and live together. I’m atheist and have no religion, though my
family has Christian background. Arnaud is a believer and he always wanted
that we celebrate our union in a church. I love him and I know how important
it was for him to seal our commitment in a religious place. So I said that
I’d agree to go to a church and exchange the rings, no matter if our
marriage is approved by the priest or not. Arnaud somehow hoped that priests
would accept our marriage, so he called the Armenian church in Paris and
introduced himself under his Armenian name – Harout. He asked the priest if
we can marry in the church. The cleric cursed and hang up on him. He was
very upset. I said : damn the priest, we’re going to make it our way. I
suggested that we make a trip to Armenia and get married in Echmiadzin’s
Cathedral without any cleric’s authorization or approval. For Arnaud this
plan was very exciting and it was more than symbolic trip. Echmiadzin is the
Holy See of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is an equivalent of Vatican
for Armenian Christians. So we bought tickets and went to Armenia. On June
19, we came to the Cathedral. I asked Arnaud if he accepts to be the man of
my life for the best and the worst, until the death separates us. I knew the
answer, but it was still a very nervous moment. We kissed each other
after exchanging the rings that we had prepared for each other in secrecy.

That’s how I became a married man. It was a very memorable day.

 
GR : Did many people attended your ceremony ?

 
We didn’t look for publicity trying to make this ceremony in a very
confidential way. We were taking risks by going to Echmiadzin. I kind of
a feared the religious fanatics who could agress us if they knew what we
were doing there. So we have chosen Monday morning, so the Cathedral would
be not crowded. I called some friends among local gays and lesbians to
assist us and be our witnesses. I invited also my sister who lives in
Yerevan and a couple of straight friends. We were seven. A lesbian friend
was filming the ceremony with a video camera and my sister was taking the
pictures. She was so touched by the event that she missed the moment when we
exchanged rings and kissed each other. So we have no pics of our kiss, but
we have it on the tape. Ouf!

 
GR : What was the reaction in your city ?

 
As I said above we didn’t publicize the event in Yerevan. My family, my mom,
sister and nephew still live there. My mom asked me to be very discreet and
avoid any move that can put their lives in danger. We agreed to give an
interview to an online weekly called ArmeniaNow.com
This was our only contact with a media outlet in Yerevan. We asked the
reporter to publish his article after we leave the country.

 
GR : You both live in France and this ceremony was only symbolic. Did you
want to provoke a reflexion in the Armenian society ?

 
Since December 1, 2001 the day our association was founded in Paris we
strive to promote queer issues in the Armenian society. Our first action was
to put pressure on the Armenian authorities so they would abolish the
anti-gay article in the penal code. We have constantly protested against any
homophobic move from the Armenian government or mass media. In October 2004,
we organized a protest picketing in front of the Armenian Embassy in Paris
when the country was caught by homophobic hysteria provoked by extreme right
activists. We sent open letter to the president and PM of Armenia
by demanding them to take legislative measures which will punish hatred
towards gays the same way racism and xenophobia are condemned by law in
Armenia. There was no reply from the President neither from the PM. But we
know that they had read our letter, because it was published in the
newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak.

 
 We realize that our action has limits. We are in Diaspora and not in
Armenia. We do the pressure from outside and nothing happens inside the
country. That’s why we strongly boosted and favoured any move from local
gays and lesbians to get organized. This year a group of local queer
activists has created "Menk". It is the first organisation of its kind aimed
at supporting gays and lesbians but also working in the area of AIDS
prevention. We hope that this group will start growing because there is a
huge need for it in Armenia. The reality is that the Armenian
society remains extremely homophobic where the homosexuality is still
considered a disease. Whenever the media outlet speaks about gays,
it presents homosexuality as a depravation or immorality. This subject is
always approached from a negative point of view. Until the country’s
political class and the mainstream intelligentsia view homosexuality as a
threat there won’t be any debate in this country. The few intellectuals who
speak out in our support are gently silenced or ignored. For the time
being nor the government neither the Armenian society is open for a public
debate on the queer issue. And our marriage will not provoke any reflexion,
because nobody will let the debate take place.

 
GR : Did you get a coverage in the Armenian papers ?

 
Not in the papers, but on the website of ArmeniaNow.com – it is a bilingual
Armenian/English weekly. They have interviewed us and published an article
about our wedding. You may read the article here.

 
GR : Does Armenian law says that marriage is only between a man and a woman
?

 
The Armenian constitution doesn’t precise if the civil marriage should be
held between a woman and a man. So legally, there are absolutely no
obstacles to forbid a gay marriage in Armenia. But who will dare to marry in
Armenia ? I mean gays in Armenia are just starting to come out of a closet.

Speaking of marriage is a little bit pre-mature. But I believe that in 10-15
years gay marriages will be celebrated in Armenia without being considered
as a phenomenon. 
 
GR : In Russia, some says that organizing gay prides is a provocation to the
society as well as any other form of fight that involve the medias. Do you
consider your action as a provocation ?

 
Those who think that Gay Pride is a provocation, may be before making such
quick and stupid statements they should learn the history of the gay
movement. The first Gay Pride march took place in New York in the end of
60s. There were gay riots due to police harassment. In 1970, a year after
the riots, gays and lesbians organised a March commemorating those
events. The New York has launched the gay movement in the West. Today, the
LGBT people around the world organise a Gay Pride march each year. It is a
pacific way for us to express our anger and claim our civil rights. If
during the last 30 years, the situation of GLBT people has improved in the
Western world, because each year queers walked in the streets and stood up
for their dignity. You cannot achieve any improvement just by sitting there
and waiting for better time.

 
Nobody will never give anything to us. There will be no gifts. We should
fight for our rights. Here in France, the gay movement has achieved a
relative improvement, but the gay couples are still considered as a
second-zone citizens. The gays can still be beaten and insulted in Paris.

The only thing that has changed in France is that now the State (along with
the public opinion) condemns the violence towards gays, but it is not yet
ready to accept gays as equal citizens. I’d say there is no place on earth
where gays do not have to fight for their rights. Would it be in Moscow, in
New York, in Paris, in Yerevan, in Tokyo or in Baghdad, it is difficult to
be gay. We are still considered as outcasts. Everywhere we endure the
violence. The only difference is in the ways the violence is expressed
towards us. In Russia and in Armenia the anti-gay violence is brutal,
because the government, intelligentsia and the media are all together
homophobic, in France, in the US, in the West, in general, the violence is
more delicate and sophisticated, but it exists.

 
When it comes to our marriage being a provocation. I don’t care anymore what
people think about us. I don’t care if the church or the public opinion in
Armenia approve our marriage. What counts for me is that we decided
to celebrate our love in a symbolic way, in a symbolic place. And we did it.

We did it for us, first of all. There is no possibility for us to marry in a
religious or in a civil way. So when you have no possibility, you improvise.

And the advantage of improvising is that you do not need any authorisation.

Any gay couple can enter the church, synagogue or mosque and celebrate its
union the way it considers to be acceptable for them. Any way, when you live
in a society where the straight majority rules, whatever you do as a gay
person it will be considered as a provocation or subversion. So if being
free in this world means to be subversive, than let us be provocative.

 
GR : Do you think it can be possible to hold a gay pride in Armenia ?

 
In the year 2020 may be (laugh). I honestly do not think that Gay Pride
march should take place everywhere. Each gay movement has to be specific to
the society in which it brews. It is up to the local gays to decide. If the
gays and lesbians in Armenia will need to do a march, I’m sure they will
have all our support. If they don’t, we won’t push them. All I know for the
time being is that the Armenian gays and lesbians need to get organized.

When there will be many gay organisations, I’m sure the movement will find
its own way of fighting. For the time being, the gays in Armenia lack
courage and solidarity.

 
GR : How big is estimated the Armenian gay and lesbian community ?

 
I think it is a desperate affair to give any figures in this matter. I never
believed in gay statistics. Some people in the Western world believe that
10% of the human population is gay. I suspect it to be introduced by some
smart ass marketeers willing to sell products and services to gay
clientele. If we follow this ridiculous assumption than there should be
300.000 gays in Armenia. For me, it is just a nonsense. I think that
sexuality is a very incertain and fluid matter and we will never have even
the approximatively fair statistics about it. How about they gays who ignore
that they are gay ? And what about those gays who refuse to admit that they
are fags ? Should we count them or not ?

 
GR : What is the legal status of homosexuality in Armenia ?

 
Armenia was part of the USSR up until 1991. In 1936, when Armenia became the
Armenian SSR, it has copied the Stalin-era soviet penal code. So, according
to the article 116 of the old penal code the homosexual relations between
men were punishable up to 5 years of imprisonment. After the break-down of
the Soviet Union, almost all ex-Soviet republics have abolished the anti-gay
law in their new penal code. This was not the case in Armenia. When Armenia
decided to join the Council of Europe in 2001, one of its accession
conditions was the abolition of the article 116. Officially, the anti-gay
law has disappeared in August 2003. As you see, the gay liberation movement
started in this country only 3 years ago. Still a long way to go.

 
GayRussia.Ru

–Boundary_(ID_7JTV4pA/Z OxBo4xqtKmYgQ)–

NKR defence ministry denies Azeri reports of arson

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
13 Jul 06

The defence ministry of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic has flatly
denied Azerbaijani media reports that all facilities located on the
contact line between the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Karabakh were
set on fire on the night of 12 July.

The Azerbaijani side insists that all villages in the foothill area
of Agdam and Agdam airport were set on fire as well.

The Karabakh defence ministry recalled that the monitoring held by the
OSCE factfinding mission on the contact line between the armed forces
of Azerbaijan and Karabakh, as well as the latest three monitoring
missions held at the request of Karabakh proved that all allegations
of Baku propaganda are groundless.

Henry Cuny: July 14 Holiday Not Only for French but Also for Armenians

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.07.2006 14:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "July 14 is a holiday not only for French but
also for Armenians. The ideas of July 14 – freedom, equality and
human rights – are congenial for Armenian people. No single nation
has achieved all its goals but these goals are lodestars for us,"
said French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny on the occasion of the
French national holiday, the Bastille Day. The diplomat underlined
that he celebrates July 14 for the fifth time in Armenia. "I am very
glad to work in Armenia. I like its history, culture and talented
people. Let the warm sun of this day always shine above all Armenians,"
Henry Cuny said, reported the French Embassy’s press office.

"KAPUTAK SEVAN" INTERNATIONAL CHESS TOURNAMENT STARTS IN SEVAN

SEVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 12, the "Kaputak Sevan"
Traditional International Tournament of the 9th category started
in Sevan on the initiative of the Chess Academy of Armenia. 10
chess players from Georgia, Iran, Russia and Armenia who have an
international recognition, take part in the tournament. Tigran
Torosian, Arman Pashikian, Zaven Andreasian, Levon Babujian, Armen
Haroutiunian and Hrant Melkonian represent Armenia in the tournament.

The tournament will end on July 21.

Shamil Basayev Annihilated in Special Operation in Ingushetia

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.07.2006 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Shamil Basayev is annihilated in Ingushetia,
along with several bandits, who were arranging acts of terrorism,
Russian Federal Security Service Director Nikolay Patrushev reported
to Russian President Putin. The Russian leader called annihilation
of Basayev "a condign punishment" for acts of terrorism in Beslan and
Budennovsk and ordered to award participants of the special operation.

To finally affirm the fact of annihilation of Basayev a genetic
expertise will be held, though the special services are a hundred
percent sure in his death.

In 1993 Shamil Basayev along with a detachment of Chechen Vakhabbits
took part in the war against NKR on Azerbaijan’s side. Azerbaijan
does not pay money to Basayev’s detachment, but provides arms and
ammunition for fighting against Russian authorities.

FOR DASHNAKTSUTIUN STABILITY IS DEARER THAN LAND

Lragir.am
11 July 06

With regard to the settlement of the Karabakh issue Armenian diplomacy
has proceeded from the presumption of intolerance of Azerbaijan since
1998, said Hmayak Hovanisyan July 11 at the Hayeli Club, who discussed
the present state in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict with
ARF member Kiro Manoyan. Hmayak Hovanisyan believes that this tactics
has led to an unfavorable situation for Armenia and Karabakh.

Kiro Manoyan says forecasts on possibility of settlement in 2006 were
optimistic but groundless. The ARF representative, however, disagrees
with this evaluation about a deadlock. Kiro Manoyan thinks that the
dominance of the principle of self-determination in the settlement
after 1998 is thanks to the Armenian diplomacy. The ARF member
believes that the mediators recognize the fact of self-determination
of Karabakh, and eventually Karabakh will unite with Armenia.

According to Manoyan, this is the reason why Armenia represents
Karabakh to the talks.

However, the ARF member does not always agree with the Armenian
diplomacy. Kiro Manoyan considers clarity on status and Armenia’s
willingness to return territories insufficient. But when the moment
of returning territories comes, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
will prefer stability to territories "to keep what we have".

Kiro Manoyan says if the Armenian president signs an agreement on
territories, they will oppose proceeding from the law. They will
not demand resignation of the head of state under the law, however,
in case Robert Kocharyan tries to return the territories. "We will
demand putting the question to a referendum," says Kiro Manoyan,
implying the problem of territories. He says Dashnaktsutiun has never
violated and will not violate an important principle – stability –
under any government.

The ARF member says, however, that the Karabakh issue is equally
important for them. It is so important that the ARF is ready to secede
from the coalition if it is required.

Considering this, Hmayak Hovanisyan suggests renaming Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Armenian Stability Federation.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS DETERMINED BRYZA’S STATEMENT

Lragir.am
11 July 06

50 percent of the readers, who voted to the poll of the Lragir,
think Mathew Bryza’s statement is connected with regional developments.

In answer to the question what determined Mathew Bryza’s statement
offered to our reader for over two weeks 50 percent of participants of
the poll answered "regional developments". 22 percent of the readers
of the Lragir voted for the "conflict over Karabakh". 17 percent
chose the answer "promotion of democracy in Armenia". 11 percent of
readers chose the answer "hot political summer".

Armenian Prime Minister To Pay Working Visit To Adjara

Daily Georgian Times, Georgia
July 7 2006

Andranik Marganian, Prime Minister of Armenia will pay a three-day
working visit to Batumi.

The Armenian Prime Minister will arrive in the Autonomous Republic
of Adjara on Friday, say the Armenian news agencies.

According to them, Andranik Margarian is to take part in the fifth
session of the Georgian-Armenian Inter Governmental Commission for
Economic Cooperation.

Within the frameworks of his visit Andranik Margarian will meet his
Georgian counterpart Zurab Noghaideli. The meeting will be dedicated to
priorities in economic and humanitarian cooperation and urgent issues
with that regard, as well as elaboration of a better legislative base.

Andranik Margarian is accompanied by the delegation, which includes
Vardan Khachatryan, Finance and Economic Minister, Gegam Garibjanian,
Deputy Foreign Minister, Armen Avetissia, Head of the Customs
Department of the Armenian government, Areg Galstian, Deputy Energy
Minister, Stepan Marganian, Advisor of Prime Minister, Ararat Khramian,
Executive Director of JS Armenian Railways and other officials.

The Armenian MPs and businessmen are also paying visit to Batumi.

The visit by the Armenian delegation lasts through July 10th.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
July 7 2006

NATO ARRANGES INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP IN BAKU
[July 07, 2006, 20:36:49]

On 6-7 July, NATO has organized in Baku an international seminar
attended by some 50 representatives from 32 world countries.

Minister of national security Eldar Mahmudov made opening remarks.
The Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov greeted the participants on
behalf of the Azerbaijan Government.

Minister Eldar Mahmudov wished success to seminar participants to
make contributions to combat against terrorism, noting effective and
important character of the 12-years long cooperation between
Azerbaijan and the NATO.

The Minister, in particular, stressed the important role of the Plan
of Operations within the Individual Partnership approved by
Presidential Decree and being implemented on base of certain programs
in the frame of NATO-Azerbaijan ties.

Despite Azerbaijan is a country that undergone threat of aggressive
separatism, religious extremism and international terrorism, Minister
Mahmudov said quick and dynamic economic development, political
progress, raising regional and international reputation of Azerbaijan
sets firm ground for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, the reality of which should be understood by
Armenians, too. The Minister also underlined the importance of the
Baku Seminar in strengthening of regional and international safety.

The experts and policy makers from NATO and Partner countries have
discussed ways and means for further cooperation on
counter-terrorism, also noted active participation of Azerbaijan in
the anti-terror collation.