Armenian president calls emergency meeting after premier’s death
A1+, Yerevan
25 Mar 07
25 March: In connection with the sudden death of Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan, [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan has called
an emergency meeting with the country’s high-ranking officials in
attendance.
The Messenger, Georgia
March 23 2007
Rock the Kavkaz!
Creating an artistic infrastructure for the Caucasus
By Ekaterina Basilaia
Funk, acid house, electronic music, punk… if you can dance to it,
Georgian punk supreme Lado Burduli and German artist Micha Wiederhold
can give directions.
Sometimes fast and hard, sometimes soft and soulful music rings out
in Mtatsminda from the Art Café, usually heaving with music lovers
when Lado and Micha put on an event.
"We create an open space to bring people together, the rest they make
on their own," Micha said.
Micha and Lado are trying to build a dialogue among people, a network
involving musicians, artist, and anyone interested.
The pair organise events once a week with Georgian bands. They say
that the main is that these events must be regular to create a
lasting impact.
"We ask everybody, it is open for everyone. There are two things that
we want to achieve-we want to set up a meeting point for people where
they have opportunity for dialogue, and at the same time create a
place where people can bring something they have to discuss. We
provide the initial energy that makes people get in contact," Micha
added.
The organisers are seeking to establish an artistic infrastructure
all over the Caucasus. Last Saturday the stage was given to an
Armenian band ‘LSD Flying Tea’. This was the first time an Armenian
band had performed at the event. The organisers say they are planning
to bring more Armenian bands, bands from Azerbaijan, Abkhazia, South
Ossetia, Chechnya, and across the region, to their events. Their
Phoenix Caucasus project will take these bands not only to Tbilisi,
but to other Georgian, Armenian, Azeri, Abkhazian and South Ossetian
cities and towns.
"This is what we want to achieve in the end… bring understanding that
in turn will help bring peace."
Micha is dissatisfied that everything takes place in the capital
cities and nobody takes any notice of the provinces. This made them
organise one of their events in the small Georgian town of Samtredia.
"This does not usually happen there, and what I noticed is-they loved
it, it was so nice," Micha says.
The arrangements are done through their website
where the bands interested make proposals,
and Lado and Micha sort out the rest.
Among the many different angles that Phoenix Caucasus aims to
promote, popularisation of contemporary art plays the key
role-contemporary art of all genres. Hence the bands they want to
attract are not established bands, or the multitude of competent
cover bands, knocking out Pretty Woman night after night. They target
those that are starting out, coming up with new and fresh ideas.
"Mostly the people making this kind of music are young people, who
are in most cases not professionals. For these kinds of musicians
there is not a stage, and we give them the opportunity to perform. We
look for potential. We do not invite cover bands," the organisers
say.
Musicians taking part in the events can join in their partner project
‘CaucasusROCKS’, through which bands from across the Caucasus are
being promoted via the internet, compilation and live concert CDs,
after all, "If you don’t offer anything, nobody will be interested."
After the years of crisis that Georgia had to undergo, Lado and Micha
worry that people have started to forget about art and, at a certain
point, even stopped creating anything new.
"Art is not luxury, it is not something that needs money. It opens
minds to different things and brings you one step further. Maybe
someone is against some piece of art or not, it doesn’t matter. If
you give them something, that’s what’s important," Micha says.
Therefore they named their project Phoenix Caucasus. The Phoenix, the
mythical bird that dies in flames and is reborn from the ashes,
represents what they hope to achieve with art and creativity in the
Caucasus.
"It is always possible to be reborn and start something from the
beginning," Micha says.
"And slowly the changes will become even more noticeable, and they
are already evident if we look back even three years ago".
First on the Georgian stage -LSD Flying TEA
Yerevan’s LSD Flying Tea play Acid Punk and usually consist of seven
people. But this time only three graced the stage in Tbilisi. Arek,
Anush and Vardan, playing Acoustic, tambourine and electric guitar
respectively, laid on a two hour set last Saturday, accompanied by
ethereal vocals from Anush.
"It is an experiment that we are doing now with three people," says
band leader Arek.
This was only the second time vocalist Anush had performed with LSD
Flying TEA.
"We chose her as she has got a very specific and rare timbre of voice
and I like her artistic skills," Arek says.
The music that they play is inspired by famous psychedelic tunes of
the sixties.
"It comes when you try to reproduce some famous tunes, but you end up
with something different, an alternative version of it. This is
something like rendering music in an innovative way," Arek says.
Initially they planned to bring their fans with them, but this
changed at the last minute and they arrived alone.
"The main thing about this concert is that we are here, in Georgia,"
Arek says, "and that we are playing for a large group of people."
But as part of creating an artistic infrastructure, reciprocity is
necessary, and in April Micha and Lado plan to take Georgian band to
Yerevan, this time accompanied by loyal fans.
Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
March 24 2007
Turkish General Staff publishes Russian officers book about Armenians
Ankara, 24 March: The Turkish General Staff published the journal of
a Russian lieutenant colonel, who witnessed the Armenian violence at
the Eastern Front during World War I.
The book titled "I witnessed and lived through" consists of the
memoirs of Russian Lt-Col Tverdokhlebov, who was the commander of the
2nd Armenian-Russian Fortress Artillery Regiment in eastern province
of Erzurum during the war, between late 1917 and early 1918.
While explaining the Armenian atrocity and massacres, the Russian
soldier describes Armenians as an "incapable, parasite and greedy
nation that can live only at another nation’s expense".
The book, which was published in English, French and its original
language Russian, was placed on the General Staff’s website as well.
The General Staff stressed on the website that the "Russian soldier’s
book could be the best answer to Armenian allegations".
Armenia-Iran gas pipeline must not harm environment – ministry says
Arminfo
23 Mar 07
Yerevan, 23 March: The project of the construction of the 49km-long
Kajaran-Sisian section of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline was rejected
today by the Armenian commission on ecological examination headed by
Environmental Protection Minister Vardan Ayvazyan.
Ayavzyan said during the sitting of the commission that he could not
give a positive conclusion [concerning the project] although he
realized the importance of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
construction. The matter is that around 8-9km of the section goes
through forests which means that trees would presumably be cut
down. The minister said that ecologists would not give their consent
[to the project] until an agreement is signed between the Armles
[Armenian forest] joint-stock company and the HayRusgazard
[Armenian-Russian gas] joint-stock company.
The assistant director of HayRusgazard, Gagik Margaryan, said that the
company had sent a draft agreement to the Agriculture Ministry a month
ago but had not received a reply yet. The Armles is a unit within the
Agriculture Ministry. Damage caused to the environment is being
estimated, will be included in the company’s expenditure on the
project and compensation will be made, he said. The diameter of the
Kajaran-Sisian pipeline is 700 mm. The pipeline should be constructed
by August-September 2008 and be connected to the Meghri-Kajaran
pipeline, Margaryan said.
The Meghri-Kajaran section was inaugurated by the Armenian and Iranian
presidents on 19 March 2006.
ARSHAK SADOYAN WITHDRAWS HIS CANDIDATURE FROM ELECTORAL DISTRICT N 12
YEREVAN, MARCH 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Arshak Sadoyan, Chairman of Union of
National Democrats Party, withdrew his candidature from electoral
district N 12 in favor of RA MP, PPA member Vardan Khachatrian. As
Chairman of Union of National Democrats stated at the March 23 press
conference, "with this step he supported the opposition." Besides, in
A. Sadoyan’s words, in consideration of the circumstance that he has
been also nominated by the proportional list of Democratic Way Party,
he will concentrate his forces in the issue of organizing Democratic
Way’s agitation campaign in the country.
AAA gifts manuals to the NATO Information Center in Armenia
ArmRadio.am
23.03.2007 13:30
The Armenian Atlantic Association (AAA) gifted a number of teaching
manuals to the NATO Information Center in Armenia.
Mediamax was told at Armenian Atlantic Association that henceforth the
visitors of the NATO Information Center will have the opportunity to
get the manuals issued by the Association free of charge. These
include: `The North-Atlantic Treaty Organization,’ `The North-Atlantic
Treaty Organization and Euro-Atlantic Cooperation’ and the
`North-Atlantic Treaty Organization: Collection of Educational
Materials.’
All the manuals are in Armenia.
CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF SLOVAKIA AND TURKISH AMBASSADOR AGREE TO
START LOBBYIST ACTIVITY AIMED TO IMPROVEMENT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 21 2007
BRATISLAVA, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ashot Grigorian,
the Chairman of the Armenian Organizations’ Representation in Europe,
Armenian community of Slovakia met on March 29 with Tunc Ugdul,
the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
Turkey to Slovakia.
As A. Grigorian informed Noyan Tapan. he addressed to the Embassy
with the issue to define the way to leave for Turkey to participate in
opening of the Aghtamar Surb Khach (Saint Cross) Church: as Grigorian
prepares to leave for Van with an Armenian delegation, he addressed
to the Turkish Ambassador for the latter negotiates with the Foreign
Ministry of Turkey for temporarily opening the Margara or Gyumri-Kars
customs point. The Turkish Ambassador assured that he will do his
best to define which customs point will be opened during those days in
front of the Armenian delegation. Owing to it, in Grigorian’s words,
the road will become few hundreds of kilometres shorter.
The Armenian-Turkish relations were touched upon during the meeting.
Ambassador Egdul stated that the Armenian-Turkish relations "must
be turned from the loss-loss principle into the benefit-benefit
principle. That’s, those voluminous works that the Armenian lobbyist
structures do and those huge expenses that Turkey incurs against the
genocide recognition, can surely be used for helping one another. It
was bilaterally mentioned that the most important thing for improvement
of the Armenian-Turkish relations is to find joint edges in the issue
of the Armenian Genocide recognition. T. Ugdul stated that he is
against them who state in Turkey that "as the Armenian massacres do
not bear resemblance with the Jewish Holocaust committed by Germans
and that’s why it may not be called a genocide." In the Ambassador’s
words, the fact of deportation itself strengthens the committed
crime and one must not ignore it and the argument on the genocide
must surely be finished with finding a term satisfying both sides,
even if that term is the "genocide" word. In response, A.
Grigorian attached importance to the fact that let the term be
"genocide" or "holocaust" it does not change the reality as the
consequences arisen from that term are the important one. "We demand
the "genocide" term as the genocide brings compensation with it,
according to the internationally accepted terminology. It is a very
important task for us to come to a common denominator in the issue of
compensation," A. Grigorian said. He mentioned that Turkey must surely
conciliate with some losses and it must itself be able to decide the
size of it with Armenia. "If Turkey allows that great states do it,
that variant will be the most unfavourable one for it, especially if
we take into consideration that foundation of Kurdistan is inevitable
today. And it depends on today’s diplomatic flexibility of Turkey on
what lands Kurdistan will be founded, what lands Turkey will lose."
In A. Grigorian’s words, the Turkish Ambassador was interested in
the expressed opinion and the sides expressed a wish to start a
lobbyist activity in Bratislava, each of them with his government,
for diplomatic relations are established between Armenia and Turkey
as soon as possible and the sides come to a common denominator in
the issue of genocide and liquidation of its consequences.
The Ambassador mentioned that the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations and
the Nagorno Karabakh issue also have an important place in the issue
of improvement of relations. A. Grigorian expressed an opinion that
Turkey, being a nearest friend of Azerbaijan, can not ignore the
Azerbaijani position, but it must be able to find a way in the issue,
what Azerbaijan must also do. In Grigorian’s words, the latter can
improve the relations with Armenia in two ways: with a small loss,
or big one. The small loss is that Azerbaijan quickly agree with the
fact of independence of Artsakh and gets back a part of the "occupied"
territories. "In my opinion, the sooner Azerbaijan agrees with this
variant the better it will be for it, as during the time power shift
may take place in Armenia, and the new authorities will refuse to give
Azerbaijan in a peaceful way the territories taken by blood during
the war what will bring to catastrophic consequences for Azerbaijan
and the whole region. Today’s moods are much more beneficial for
Azerbaijan," he emphasized. A. Grigorian also stressed that there is
not a diplomate in the world who will have a doubt that Karabakh can
not ever appear in the structure of Azerbaijan.
Then the Turkish Ambassador said that though he was aware that owing
to Grigorian’s lobbying, the resolution on the Armenian Genocide was
adopted at the Parliament of Slovakia and a memorial khachkar (cross
stone) was placed in Bratislava but he expressed an opinion that it
is not the best way to come to a common denominator with Turkey in
the issue of the genocide. He stated that the memorial dedicated to
the Armenian Genocide which is placed in the center of Bratislava
causes great pain to Turks, on the occasion of what A. Grigorian
expressed perplexity. In response the Ambassador said: "Imagine,
if Armenia has a problem with any country and that country place
in Europe a monument which arises bad memories among us." Grigorian
asked to observe the memorial as an art memorial which was placed as
a sign of gratitute on the occasion of adoption of the resolution on
the Armenian Genocide at the Parliament of Slovakia. And if Armenians
and Turks reach agreement in the genocide issue, it will be only a
good memory and a cultural memorial.
An agreement was reached to meet after Grigorian’s visit to Van and
continue the issue of discussing the next stages of the cooperation.
The Ambassador mentioned that he appreciates the Armenians’ cultural
contribution in Turkey. He said that every Turk intellectual knows
that the author of big architectural structures of Istanbul is the
Balian family. Besides, Armenians have had a great contribution in the
Turkish diplomacy, gave foreign ministers, parliamentarians to Turkey,
and the Armenian-Turkish relations must be based on the historic
friendship. "This must be the future of our neighborhood amd road of
our two countries towards the European Union," the Ambassador said
and finishing the meeting with the head of the Armenian community of
Slovakia, said: "We must compete who will earlier be in the European
Union structure and help one another in the issue of appearing there."
RECURRENT ATTEMPT OF TURKEY TO PREVENT THE PASSAGE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
ArmRadio.am
21.03.2007 14:20
On behalf of Turkish Parliament members, Parliament Speaker Bulent
Arınc sent a letter to his US counterpart Nancy Pelosi today not
to endorse the Armenian Genocide resolution, the Turkish Daily News
reports.
In the 4-pages letter obtained by Arınc said, "Armenians do not
accept the invitations of Turkey to the historians for an impartial
research purified from prejudices to find the real truth" and in
the last part of his letter he adds, "With respect to 1915 events,
Turkey is not in a state of irresponsible denial."
In the first page of his letter, Arınc underlined the importance of
relations between the two countries in the last 50 years and continued,
"If resolution 106 is accepted by the House of Representatives, it will
be considered by Turkish society as US support to Armenian claims."
–Boundary_(ID_8wyWfDbNye4f2nqpAGDR nw)–
ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES INTERESTED IN HOLDING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2007 15:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian had a
meeting with Ambassador Boris Frlec, head of OSCE’s ODIHR (Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) observation mission, which
will closely watch the May 12 parliamentary elections in Armenia. Boris
Frlec informed the minister about OSCE’s ODIHR mission goals, which
opened its representation in Armenia for long-term monitoring of
electoral campaign and the process of parliamentarian elections. On
the eve of elections some 300 observers will arrive in Armenia from
OSCE member-states with a short-term mission.
In his part the RA FM expressed readiness to assist the mission and
underlined that Armenian authorities are interested in holding free
and fair elections. The two particularly underscored the necessity of
participation in elections of all political parties in the republic,
the RA MFA Press Office reports.
MOSCOW MAYOR TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN MARCH 23
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2007 19:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov will arrive in Yerevan
March 23. The delegation at the head of Yuri Luzhkov arrives in the
Armenian capital in the framework of the agreement with Yerevan Mayor
Ervand Zakharian. Russian delegation will participate in opening
solemn ceremony of Moscow House in Yerevan.
The same day delegation will return Moscow, "Novosti-Armenia" reports.
The laying of the first stone of Moscow House in Yerevan took place
October 8, 2005 in the presence of Luzhkov and Zakharian. The project
totals $10 million.