Author: Jilavian Emma

DAY OF MINER, METALLURGIST TO BE MARKED IN ARMENIA

ARKA
April 28, 2008

YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. The third Sunday of July will be marked
in Armenia as Day of Miner and Metallurgist. The RA Government made
a relevant decision at its sitting last Friday.

RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan stated that the fields in
question are among the priority sectors of Armenia’s economy, and
much is expected from their development, particularly in the aspect
of their influence on other industries.

The Minister added that the Union of Miners and Metallurgists made
a proposal for marking their professional holiday.

AZERBAIJANI OMBUDSMAN CALLS ON INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS AGAINST ARMENIA

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 25 2008

Azerbaijan, Baku, 25 April / corr. TrendNews S. Agayeva/ The Ombudsman
of Azerbaijan considers the election of ombudsman of self-declared
Nagorno-Karabakh to be illegal.

"This step undermines the peace process to settle the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, covers up Armenia’s tracks of violating
the rights of millions of Azerbaijanis and its citizens by holding
the recent presidential elections in Armenia," said the statement by
the Ombudsman.

Yuriy Ayrapetyan, the chairman of the standing commission of National
Assembly of self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh on government and judicial
issues was elected the Ombudsman (human rights activist). According
to the correspondent of REGNUM news agency in Stapanakert, the
Ombudsman was elected during the meeting of the National Assembly of
Nagorno-Karabakh held on 25 April through a secret ballot. He was the
only candidate for the post and this nomination was agreed upon by all
factions. According to the NGR constitution, the human rights activist
is an independent official who defends citizens whose rights and
freedom were violated by state bodies, municipalities and officials.

The Azerbaijani Ombudsman believes that such a situation
necessitates sanctions being imposed against Armenia by international
organizations. "We state once again that only those organizations
established in the Azerbaijani territory and based on the country’s
laws can be considered as legitimate," the statement by the Ombudsman
said.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Eileen Mansoorian

Daily Sundial, CA
California State University at Northridge
April 24 2008

After 93 years of fighting for recognition, there still seems to be
no light at the end of the tunnel.

Exactly 93 years ago today, soldiers from the Ottoman Empire were
given orders to execute high-ranking males of the Armenian community
in Constantinople. They went into the homes of religious leaders,
educators, and artists and said to come with them. There was no
remorse, no warning, and no chance to fight back. It was, what the
United States government has not recognized, a genocide.

It is no secret that the Armenian Genocide happened. There are pictures
and documentations on the atrocities that can fill up a museum. If
a person has done their research, there is no way they can deny the
inhumane acts of the Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th
century as an act of genocide.

The U.S. government, on the other hand, still has not come forth and
declared to the world that they, as a nation, recognize the crimes
committed upon the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire. There have
been governors and senators that publicly recognized the incident as
genocide, but the nation as a whole has failed to do so.

In October 2007, there seemed to be some hope for Armenians to the
genocide recognized by the U.S. government. House Resolution 106,
which was introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff [D-CA] on Jan. 30, called for
the President "to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States
reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues
related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented
in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide, and
for other purposes."

There were petitions and rallies in support of the legislation, which
resulted in a 27-21 win and the House Foreign Affairs Committee
adopting the resolution. The support for the resolution seemed
astounding, and the Armenian community believed recognition was on
the horizon after all these years.

Unfortunately, once the momentum for the passage of this resolution
began to pick up speed, the voting on the bill was postponed until
the timing for the recognition of the resolution was more favorable,
as was said in a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on October
25, 2007 by lead author of the resolution Rep. Schiff and others.

At the rate the U.S. government is going, the chances of the resolution
being brought back onto floor doesn’t look so good. When is the
timing right to bring this resolution into discussion? When there is
world peace and all relations between the U.S. and the Middle East
are friendly?

If that is the case, then I suppose the resolution will never be
brought back into the light if politicians are waiting for the world’s
political climate to be at a stable temperature.

Excluding the U.S., other countries have recognized the atrocities
committed on the Armenian people as genocide. France and Canada both
recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1998. When will it be the U.S.’s
turn to do so?

Even though having other countries publicly recognize the genocide
will always be one step closer to having worldwide recognition, if
the U.S. doesn’t pass legislation that announces to the world that
the events that occurred in the beginning of the 20th century were
an act of genocide, then the Armenians have a long way to go.

The fact that a world power such as the U.S. still has not recognized
the Armenian Genocide shows their moral compass is not pointed towards
truth, but in the direction of political agenda. Their inability to
do the right thing gives the connotation that we should forget about
the 1.5 million lost lives and concentrate on the all to important
naval base Turkey holds in the palm of their hands.

I suppose the reasoning behind the U.S. stalling action towards
recognizing the Armenian Genocide is to prevent any political strains
with their relationship with Turkey.

The Los Angeles Times writer Richard Simon reported on October 26, 2007
that Turkey was threatening the U.S. if they passed the resolution that
recognized the Armenian Genocide there would be serious repercussions
that would affect the U.S. military efforts in Iraq.

Since the situation in Iraq was and still is highly sensitive, support
for the resolution quickly subsided. This came to the satisfaction
of the Turkish government, who do not recognize the killings of the
Armenians as an act of genocide.

The withdrawal of support for the resolution could have legitimately
prevented any further damage to the War in Iraq. With direct threats
coming from Turkey, the U.S. would naturally do everything necessary
to keep their political relationship with Turkey on good terms. By not
having the resolution pass, the U.S. can continue sending supplies to
Iraq through Turkey and not have to worry about any military attacks
that would worsen the War in Iraq.

But when does it become right to put human rights on the back burner?

Due to the political state of the world, the passage of this resolution
could have had a negative effect on the U.S. But how long can our
government continue making excuses for not recognizing a genocide
that is as real as the genocide occurring in Darfur?

As human beings, the U.S. owes it to the 1.5 million perished lives to
recognize the Armenian Genocide in hopes of it bringing the Turkish
government’s moral compass into focus, recognizing the killings of
the Armenian people as an act of genocide and not casualties of war.

AL JAZEERA FILM DOCUMENTS ARMENIAN MASSACRE OF TURKS

Hurriyet, Turkey
776018.asp?gid=231&sz=49536
April 24 2008

A team from the international TV channel Al Jazeera is currently in
the eastern province of Igdir to shoot a documentary program on the
massacres committed by Armenians on Turks.

Al Jazeera, an Arab news channel broadcasting in Arabic and English,
planned to shoot a program about the massacres committed by Armenians,
the channel’s Turkey bureau chief Yousef Sharif told reporters on
Thursday.

Sharif said the TV channel’s team arrived in Igdir to collect
information from witnesses of the massacres. He said the monument
erected in memory of the Turks massacred by Armenians, which is
the highest monument in Turkey, would also be highlighted in the Al
Jazeera program.

The TV channel’s team had conducted an interview with Ali Asker Turk,
a witness to the massacre, in Igdir. They also shot scenes in Oba
village, where 97 Turks were burnt alive by Armenians.

Al Jazeera is a television network headquartered in Doha,
Qatar. Initially launched as an Arabic news and current affairs
satellite TV channel with the same name, Al Jazeera has since expanded
into a network with several outlets, including the internet and
specialty TV channels in multiple languages, and in several regions
of the world.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA AMENDS BROKERAGE LICENSE OF LEADER BROCK LIMITED

ARKA
April 23, 2008

YEREVAN, April 23. /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) amended
the brokerage license of Leader Brock Limited ("Straxovoy Broker
Leader"). The respective decision was made at the sitting of CBA Board
of Directors presided over by Vice-Chairman of CBA Artur Javadian.

At the same sitting the Directors Board approved the regulations 4/03
on reporting to the CBA by people who render investments services. The
Board has also decided to publish annual statistical guidebooks of
the Central Bank.

So far 10 insurance companies and 5 insurance brokers have been
operating in Armenia.

SARGSYAN: STATE WILL SUPPORT STRENGTHENING OF CHURCH

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.04.2008 17:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s President Serzh Sarsgyan met Monday with
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and Cilician Catholicos Aram I,
the RA leader’s press office reported.

His Holiness Aram I emphasized he arrived in Armenia to congratulate
Serzh Sargsyan on assuming the presidential office.

For his part, the President said that much can be done with support
of both Catholicoses. "The state will support strengthening of the
Church. The Armenian Apostolic Church was and will remain the pillar
of the Armenian nation," he said.

ACCORDING TO RA MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ARMENIA WILL CONTINUE ITS CONSISTENT EFFORT TOWARDS DEVELOPING INCREASED TIES WITH EUROPE

Noyan Tapan
April 18, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. "Armenia will continue its consistent
effort towards developing increased ties with the Europe, on the basis
of the commitments undertaken within the framework of cooperation with
the European organizations and the common values, which we share." This
statement was made by Eduard Nalbandian, the newly-appointed Minister
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, in his interview with
the Mediamax agency.

The MInister mentioned that Armenia attaches great importance to
the relations with those immediate neighboring states, with which
it is engaged in a friendly cooperation, and is ready to exert every
effort to improve the relations with those of its neighbors with whom
problems still exist.

According to Eduard Nalbandian, the special strategic cooperation
of Armenia with Russia will continue to strengthen based on the
traditional ties of the two peoples. Armenia will also be after the
development and deepening of the friendly cooperation with the United
States of America.

Touching upon the problem of Nagorno Karabakh, the Minister reaffirmed
Armenia’s commitment to continue the existing process in order to reach
a solution. "However, our readiness alone is not enough. Azerbaijan’s
readiness is also needed for reaching a settlement.

I would like to believe that, together with my Azerbaijani counterpart,
we will demonstrate due responsibility, put aside the practice of
communicating through the media and declarations, and of giving public
lessons and advise," Eduard Nalbandian has said. He has also mentioned
that it is impossible to call for compromise and, at the same time,
make militant statements and openly prepare for a war.

According to the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs, the key issue of
the negotiations is the status of Nagorno Karabagh and it should be
resolved through the peace process, on the basis of a plebiscite,
which will give the people of Karabagh an opportunity for a free
expression of their will. This is the essence of the current stage of
negotiations. In the opinion of Eduard Nalbandian, there is a window of
opportunity today, and a solution can be reached with a political will.

Commenting on the current stage of the Armenian-Turkish relations and
the prospects thereof, the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs has said:
"With regard to our relations with Turkey, we have, on various
occasions, expressed our readiness to normalize them without any
precondition.

The Genocide is a dark page of our common history and together,
we have to turn this page, and together must we build a secure future."

ARMENIA NEEDS NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY SYSTEM, MINISTER SAYS

ARKA
April 18, 2008

YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. Armenia needs to develop a national higher
education quality system which should be in line with its European
counterpart, RA Minister for Education Levon Lazarian said.

He believes the system is essential for Armenia, taking into account
modern education and scientific trends. For this purpose, the country
first of all needs to implement a national certification system in
the local labor market.

"First of all, we need to have a national quality system and bring
it in line with its European counterpart," the Minister said.

The only way to achieve this goal is to cerate necessary legislation
underpinnings for higher school activities, according to Lazarian. Big
universities should assume the role of locomotives in education
reforms, he said.

TURKEY: GOVERNMENT AMENDMENTS WILL NOT PROTECT FREE SPEECH

Reuters
April 18 2008

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this
article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are
the author’s alone.

(Istanbul, April 17, 2008) The government’s proposed revision to the
infamous Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which has been used to
investigate and prosecute hundreds of people for peacefully expressing
themselves, will not remove the article’s restrictions on free speech,
Human Rights Watch said today. The government’s draft revision of
the article is likely to be considered by the Turkish parliament in
the coming days. Since the article’s adoption in June 2005, writers,
broadcasters, academics, politicians, artists, representatives of
civil society, and public figures across the political spectrum have
been, and continue to be investigated and prosecuted for comments
"publicly denigrating Turkishness, the Republic, the Parliament … the
Government, judicial institutions, military or security organizations
of the state."

"Article 301 should have been abolished a long time ago. The revisions
proposed by the government will not change the fundamental flaws in
the law," said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director of
Human Rights Watch. "The government’s half-hearted revision is a real
disappointment. The government has missed an important opportunity
to reinvigorate the reform process and underscore its commitment to
free speech."

Prosecutors broadly interpret the vaguely worded article and use it
against those who have raised human rights issues or debated matters
of history and politics.

Civil society groups have long called for the repeal of Article 301
and similar provisions in the Penal Code and Anti-terror Law that
allow prosecution of peaceful expression. Finally, under intense
pressure from the European Union, the government submitted the
proposed rewording of Article 301, which is expected to be adopted
by the parliament next week.

However, the government’s proposal merely tinkers with the wording
of the law, while maintaining its most problematic features. It
substitutes "Turkishness" with "Turkish nation," and the Republic with
"the Republic of Turkey." The government does propose a reduction
of the maximum sentence from three to two years of imprisonment,
which means that the sentence would be automatically suspended for
first-time offenders. However, someone with a second conviction could
face imprisonment. Under the proposed revision, the president would be
responsible for granting permission for prosecutors to proceed with
a prosecution. (In the past, the Minister of Justice was responsible
for authorizing investigation under Article 159, 301’s predecessor in
the previous Penal Code.) Additionally, the revised article removes
the current requirement that the sentence be increased by one-third
when the crime is committed abroad.

The government has repeatedly argued that laws similar to Article
301 exist in other European countries and that Turkey needs such a
law. However, the government fails to note that in those countries
such antiquated laws are rarely if ever used. The situation is
entirely different in Turkey. According to figures supplied by
Turkey’s Ministry of Justice, 1,533 individuals stood trial under
Article 301 during 2006; the comparable figure for the first quarter
of 2007 was 1,189. In any event, the European Convention on Human
Rights allows for state interference in free speech only in strictly
limited circumstances. Criminal prosecution of persons for exercising
their freedom of speech in an entirely peaceful way is a violation
of the European Convention.

The draft revision of Article 301 has been sent by the speaker of
the Turkish Parliament to the Parliamentary Justice Commission. If
the commission approves it, the draft will then be submitted to
parliament and then on to the president. The main opposition parties
(the Republican Peoples’ Party and the Nationalist Action Party)
have stated their strong opposition to any alteration of Article 301,
including even the cosmetic changes proposed by the government.

Article 301 achieved particular notoriety when journalist and
human rights defender Hrant Dink was prosecuted three times,
receiving a six-month suspended prison sentence in July
2006. The repeated prosecution and conviction under Article
301 appears to have made Dink a target of nationalist groups
as an Armenian traitor who had been convicted for "publicly
denigrating Turkishness." Dink was assassinated in January 2007
( y17817.htm). Although
few others have actually been convicted, many who were prosecuted �
including novelist Orhan Pamuk in 2005 � found themselves harassed
by ultra-nationalist groups at court hearings.

"The history of 301 is a tragic one. It is a cruel irony that the
government has found it impossible to take a principled position
and repeal this law," Cartner said. "The real reason to repeal 301 is
because Turkey’s citizens deserve the right to be able to speak, write,
and publish freely and peacefully on all issues, without the threat
of criminal investigation or other harassment under cover of this law."

There are also many other laws in Turkey that are used to restrict free
speech through criminal prosecutions and investigations including:
The Anti-terror Law and related articles in the Turkish Penal Code;
The law on crimes against Atat�rk;

Many articles of the Penal Code including Article 318: alienating
people from military service; Article 288: the attempt to influence
a fair trial; and Article 216: inciting enmity and hatred among
the population on the basis of social class, race, religion, sect,
language or regional differences.

One of the major problems in Turkey is that prosecutors and judges
do not interpret these restrictions on freedom of speech narrowly,
as required by the European Convention on Human Rights.

–Boundary_(ID_ZTTxqZyzZ9eUPNmiUllFgw)–

WIVES OF ARRESTED ARMENIAN PROTESTERS PICKET US EMBASSY

Haykakan Zhamanak
April 18 2008
Armenia

The wives of political prisoners held another protest yesterday
near the US Embassy. In contrast with the staff of the French and
German embassies, the US embassy staff allowed the women to enter
the premises.

One of the diplomats, (?Daniel Hastings), met the women and inquired
about the state of health of the prisoners. The women handed him a
letter which said their husbands were imprisoned for their political
views only. They wished to see their demands discussed during the
Helsinki Assembly session held yesterday [17 April], where the US
Assistant Deputy State Secretary [for European and Eurasian Affairs ],
Matthew Bryza, participated as a representative. The diplomat promised
to pass on to Bryza either the letter or its content.