Armenia’s MP Says Minsk Group Fails To Register Success Because Of U

ARMENIA’S MP SAYS MINSK GROUP FAILS TO REGISTER SUCCESS BECAUSE OF UNCONSTRUCTIVE POSITION OF AZERBAIJAN

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 29, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group has not registered
big success in the Karabakh conflict settlement issue but it had huge
significance in the preservation of peace, MP from the Republican
Party of Armenia Hamlet Harutyunyan told a news conference.

“The Minsk Group fails to register progress because of unconstructive
activity of Turkey and Azerbaijan. Without doubt the Minsk Group left
a positive impact during these years,” Hamlet Harutyunyan said, adding
that war is not beneficial for either of the conflicting parties as
the armament level of Armenia and Azerbaijan will cause huge damages
to the parties leaving irreversible consequences. He said both parties
have become much more battle-worthy as compared with the 90s and it
will result in disastrous war. “It is not desirable both for us and
Azerbaijan,” Hamlet Harutyunyan said.

HPR: Turkey’s Hypocritical Regarding French Bill

HPR: TURKEY’S HYPOCRITICAL REGARDING FRENCH BILL

armradio.am
28.03.2012 12:11

In an article in the Harvard Political Review, “France, Turkey, and
the Politics of Genocide,” author Joe Mazur calls Turkey’s response
to the passage of a set of bills that opted to criminalize the denial
of the Armenian Genocide in France as “hypocritical.”

“The Turkish response to the legislation can best be described as
apoplectic,” the author writes, adding that “Turkey’s righteous
indignation might be more convincing if it was not also glaringly
hypocritical.”

“When Erdogan, in a speech to parliament, insisted that the French
bill “murdered freedom of thought”, he seemed to have forgotten that
Article 301 of the Turkish penal code makes it illegal to insult the
Turkish nation, ethnicity, or government. Since its implementation
in 2005, Article 301 has been used on many occasions to prosecute
writers, journalists, and scholars who have criticized Ankara’s
policy of vehement genocide denial or who have otherwise run afoul
of the regime. It would seem, therefore, that Erdogan’s definition of
“freedom of thought” is as fluid as is politically convenient.

Whatever the French motives for promulgating its genocide denial
legislation and regardless of whether or not such legislation truly
suppresses freedom of thought, Turkey simply cannot claim the moral
high ground when it comes to free expression,” the author writes.

“Moreover, Turkey’s hysterical reaction to the bill has made it
abundantly clear that the country is being forced to confront its
own checkered history,” adds Mazur, who also interviewed Harvard
Professor of Armenian Studies James Russell about the matter.

“In Turkey itself, denial of the genocide is one of the cornerstones of
the culture. There has been a very systematic effort by the Turkish
state not only to deny that the genocide took place, but also to
eradicate signs that Armenians lived there,” Russell said in an
interview with HPR.

Another Witness In Artak Nazaryan Trial Refutes Earlier Testimony

ANOTHER WITNESS IN ARTAK NAZARYAN TRIAL REFUTES EARLIER TESTIMONY

epress.am
03.28.2012

In a Tavush regional court on Tuesday in the trial of rifle platoon
commander Artak Nazaryan, who died during a period of non combat on a
military base on Jul. 27, 2010, Judge Samvel Mardanyan rejected the
victim party’s motion for the judge to withdraw on the grounds that
he is not impartial.

This news was conveyed to Epress.am by Ruben Martirosyan, who is
representing the victim’s legal successor in the case. Martirosyan
added that state prosecutor Harutyun Harutyunyan said he doesn’t
refute the opinion that testimonies were fraudulently exhorted from
witnesses; however, he was not by the investigator’s side at the time
testimonies were made and was unaware any such illegal actions.

Examined in court on Mar. 27 was witness Misha Gabrielyan, who, in
2010, was the commander of the military outpost where Nazaran served.

In court, Gabrielyan said he knows nothing, but the prosecution found
contradictions between his pre-trial testimony and the one he made
in court, so he read the pre-trial testimony, according to which the
witness said he discovered that soldiers accused of killing Nazaryan
had beaten Artak Nazaryan. In court, however, the witness, Gabrielyan,
refuted this, saying he said no such thing to the investigator.

Gabrielyan only said that, according to his information, there was
an argument and a scuffle between the soldiers accused of the crime
and Nazaryan. Note, this is not the first time discrepancies were
noticed between a witness’ testimony in court and the one he gave
before the trial.

The next court date was set for Apr. 17.

Azerbaijan Boycotts "Eastern Partnership. 4th Platform" Youth Event

AZERBAIJAN BOYCOTTS “EASTERN PARTNERSHIP. 4TH PLATFORM” YOUTH EVENT IN YEREVAN IN RESPONSE TO ARMENIA’S BOYCOTTING EUROVISION IN BAKU

arminfo
Wednesday, March 28, 12:47

ArmInfo-Turan: Azerbaijan has refused to participate in the “Eastern
Partnership. 4th Platform” youth event in Yerevan on March 26-38,
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Youth and Sport Affairs of Azerbaijan
Samaya Mamedova explained that as a step in response to Armenia’s
refusal to participate in various international events in Baku,
in particular, in the Eurovision 2012 Song Contest.

The event in Yerevan is held under slogan “Contacts Between People”.

The objective of the program is to give young people in Western and
Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus access to informal education,
to help them find jobs, to improve their awareness and to strengthen
their cultural, political and public ties. Young people from Armenia,
Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the EU will take
part in the event.

Youth events in the EU EPP member-states are held as part of the EU
program Youth in Movement for 2007-2013. Official membership of Belarus
has been frozen over democracy and human rights problems in that
country. Nevertheless, representatives of Belarus are participating
in the event in Yerevan.

Armenian President’s Singapore Visit Kicks Off With Orchid Naming Ce

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S SINGAPORE VISIT KICKS OFF WITH ORCHID NAMING CEREMONY

news.am
March 28, 2012 | 10:34

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan on Tuesday headed from Seoul to
Singapore on a state visit.

Sargsyan’s Singapore visit agenda commenced on Wednesday morning,
and his first stop-over was at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where
an orchid naming ceremony took place.

This is a Singaporean ceremony in honor of high-level guests and
personalities, and the reason is that the orchid-more specifically, its
type called “Vanda Miss Joaquim”-is the national flower of Singapore.

But Armenian President’s attendance to this ceremony had another
meaning, too. And the reason is because Vanda Miss Joaquim was
discovered by Armenian botanist Agnes Joaquim (Ashkhen Hovagimian),
and it was named after her.

And because of this fact, Armenia’s President wrote the following
in the Gardens’ Book of Honorable Guests: “May this beautiful flower
also become a symbol of the Armenian-Singaporean lasting friendship.”

Jusqu’Oes Jusqu’A Quand ? Par Jacques Panossian

JUSQU’OES JUSQU’A QUAND ? PAR JACQUES PANOSSIAN
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 28 mars 2012

Jusqu’où et jusque quand allons-nous accepter l’abus de pouvoir et
allons-nous nous soumettre a l’arbitraire dans l’Eglise Apostolique
Armenienne de France ?

Le traitement qui vient d’etre applique dans ce dernier episode de
la crise de Nice n’est pas le seul cas, ni meme peut-etre le plus
important, mais il est exemplaire.

1-. Souvenons-nous d’abord qu’en decembre 2009 les troubles provoques
par le Père V dans la paroisse de Nice avaient atteint un niveau qui
a amene l’intervention des forces de police. Le 21 mars 2010, les
fauteurs de troubles qui, a quelques exceptions près, ne sont pas de
la paroisse ont empeche par leurs violences la tenue de l’Assemblee
Generale (AG) de l’association paroissiale et le renouvellement de
son Conseil d’administration. Les peripeties qui ont suivi donnèrent
pretexte a la “decision primatiale” du 19 mai 2010. Dans ma Lettre
Ouverte publiee le 11 juin 2010 j’ai denonce l’illegitimite de cette
“decision primatiale” consistant a evincer le Conseil Paroissial
et a le remplacer par une commission designee, non elue, composee
pour moitie de non-adherents a l’association et dotee de pouvoirs
exorbitants.

Quels qu’aient ete les torts des differents acteurs de la crise, le
Primat n’avait en rien le droit de dissoudre le Conseil Paroissial ni
d’ordonner aucune des dispositions concernant la gestion de la paroisse
: il avait deliberement viole les statuts du Diocèse et des Paroisses
(dates de septembre 2005 et toujours en vigueur) et enfreint le droit
des associations.

2-. Le Diocèse pendant deux ans s’est obstine a vouloir faire appliquer
la “decision primatiale” legalement irrecevable. Il a poursuivi la
politique d’obstruction a la convocation de l’AG, y compris par
procedure judiciaire, mais a echoue finalement. Convoquee par un
administrateur judiciaire l’AG s’est tenue le 6 fevrier 2012 avec
164 presents ou representes sur 256 membres adherents, un Conseil
Paroissial a ete elu par 154 voix.

A l’annonce de la convocation de l’AG, l’echec de l’obstruction –
pourtant previsible – a mis en effervescence le Saint Siège, le
Primat et le Diocèse qui ont proclame une serie de decisions d’une
extreme gravite, totalement illicites et injustifiees, prenant cette
fois ouvertement pour cible l’association paroissiale tout entière,
precedant meme la reunion effective de son AG :

– immixtion du Catholicos et du Conseil Spirituel Supreme (CSS)
dans un problème interne a l’Union-Diocèse et concernant la gestion
d’une paroisse

– ejection arbitraire, par le Catholicos et le CSS, de cette paroisse
hors de l’Eglise, sans un quelconque motif recevable

– irrespect des statuts par le Primat, le Conseil Diocesain et
l’Assemblee des Delegues Diocesains, manquement a leur responsabilite
d’elus en acceptant une ingerence exterieure dans le fonctionnement
du Diocèse

– exclusion d’un membre fondateur de l’Union-Diocèse, alors qu’aucune
disposition a cet egard n’est prevue dans les statuts

– declaration d’intention de deposseder une association de son
patrimoine.

3-. Dans cette affaire, rien ne concerne le culte proprement dit :
l’Evangile, la doctrine, les sacrements ou les rites de l’Eglise.

3.1 Pour l’organisation et le fonctionnement de l’Eglise Apostolique
Armenienne, après le genocide et la bolchevisation, le seul canon
de reference est la “Règlementation speciale pour la reunion de
l’Assemblee Ecclesiale Nationale” du 19 juin 1945. Cette Règlementation
precise que l’Assemblee Ecclesiale Nationale est l’organe legislatif
supreme de l’Eglise et que sont dans ses attributions l’election du
catholicos et des membres du Conseil Spirituel Supreme, l’etablissement
de sa propre constitution, l’instruction et la resolution des problèmes
affectant l’Eglise et les questions canoniques : le rejet hors de
l’Eglise d’une communaute est suffisamment grave et extraordinaire
pour relever de cette dernière categorie. Jamais cette Assemblee
elue representant les religieux et les fidèles laïcs repartis dans
le monde n’a prononce une telle sanction.

3.2 Que disent nos statuts ? L’article 1.2 stipule que le Diocèse est
“sous l’autorite spirituelle du Catholicos”, et non pas que ce dernier
y exerce une autorite administrative ou de gestion. Il est vrai que
le Catholicos, a la difference de ses predecesseurs, a defroque
des pretres par douzaines ; s’engagerait-t-il a present dans une
campagne sans precedent d’abus de pouvoir : l’expulsion de communautes
paroissiales entières – plus de 250 membres a Nice ! Quant au Conseil
Spirituel Supreme, il n’est pas cite dans nos statuts ; d’ailleurs,
constitue aujourd’hui de religieux et quelques laïcs choisis par le
Catholicos, ce n’est guère plus qu’une chambre d’enregistrement.

3.3 Le Primat, le Conseil Diocesain, les Delegues ont ete elus dans
leur fonction par les membres de l’Union-Diocèse, c’est-a-dire les
associations paroissiales, pour promouvoir leur cooperation dans
l’Eglise armenienne de France, non comme representants du Catholicos
ni aucunement mandates pour detruire ou spolier l’une d’elles.

3.4 L’article 6 des memes statuts decrit les precautions et les
recours a mettre en ~uvre dans la procedure d’exclusion d’un membre
physique, un individu, par son association paroissiale ; mais rien
n’est mentionne pour l’exclusion d’une association par l’Union-Diocèse
: il faudrait pour le moins modifier les statuts avant d’envisager
cette hypothèse, en prevoyant – au minimum – autant de precautions
et de recours que pour un simple individu !

3.5 Quant au projet de spoliation, il est très exactement contraire a
l’article 9 alinea e et a l’article 13 des “Statuts Types des Paroisses
Armeniennes”, modèle annexe aux statuts du Diocèse, declarant : “le
patrimoine present et futur” demeure la propriete de l’association
paroissiale.

4-. Nos eglises se depeuplent. Le renouvellement des generations n’est
pas assure dans nos associations paroissiales. Les jeunes estiment
que notre Eglise n’est plus de notre temps. L’autoritarisme arbitraire
de l’un, la soumission ou la passivite des autres, l’incantation aux
règles et traditions d’un monde disparu, l’interdit sur toute remise
en question donnent l’image d’une institution figee, depassee où le
message chretien est devenu fade.

L’Eglise ne retrouvera son caractère populaire que par le dynamisme
libere des associations qui animent les paroisses, associations
vivantes, ouvertes – solidaires mais diverses et autonomes. Alors le
Saint Siège sera source d’inspiration, non centre de standardisation et
de contrôle, le Diocèse sera un espace d’echanges et de mutualisation
et non un organe de repression. Car c’est aux associations paroissiales
de definir l’organisation et de fixer les règles de fonctionnement
de leur Union, de veiller a leur application : c’est donc a elles
d’affirmer leur determination en ce sens, de pratiquer le respect
mutuel mais de refuser l’amalgame entre guide spirituel d’une part,
direction des associations et Union d’autre part.

Deces De Garbis Artin

DECES DE GARBIS ARTIN
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 28 mars 2012

Nous avons appris avec tristesse le decès de Garbis Artin, president
de l’association ARAM (Association pour la Recherche et l’Archivage
de la Memoire ) qui avait realise a Marseille un grand travail de
collecte, d’organisation de presentation de documents sur l’histoire
armenienne.

Garbis Artin, patriote s’il en est, etait un grand militant de la cause
armenienne et une figure incontournable de la communaute armenienne
de France. La Redaction de NAM presente a sa famille et a ses proches
toutes ses condoleances.

http://www.webaram.com/webaram/.

Serge Sarkissian Au Sommet De La Securite Nucleaire A Seoul

SERGE SARKISSIAN AU SOMMET DE LA SECURITE NUCLEAIRE A SEOUL
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 28 mars 2012

Le president armenien Serge Sarkissian a reaffirme l’engagement de
son pays pour assurer la securite nucleaire lors de sa visite mardi
27 mars 2012 en Coree du Sud.

Devant les representants de plus de 50 pays participant au Sommet sur
la securite nucleaire a Seoul, y compris les dirigeants des Etats-Unis,
de Russie et de Chine, Serge Sarkissian a evoque les efforts deployes
par son pays du Caucase du Sud afin d’ameliorer la securite de sa
centrale nucleaire et etablir des mecanismes pour un contrôle plus
efficace sur les matières nucleaires.

Le sommet de deux jours en Coree du Sud a porte sur l’examen des
moyens pour contrer la menace croissante du terrorisme nucleaire dans
le monde.

Dans une declaration a l’issue de la reunion du 27 mars, les leaders
mondiaux ont affirme qu’il etait de la responsabilite de chacun de
proteger le nucleaire et de les garder hors des mains des terroristes.

Sarkissian a rassure la communaute mondiale affirmant que le contrôle
des centrales nucelaires est stricte et que l’Armenie envisage de la
remplacer prochainement. L’Armenie coopère avec l’Agence internationale
de l’energie atomique (AIEA), un organisme de surveillance nucleaire
mondiale.

A Seoul, Serge Sarkissian a egalement repondu aux remarques faites
par le president azerbaïdjanais Ilham Aliyev qui avait annonce que
la station nucleaire armenienne constitue une menace pour la region.

” Cette information erronee presentee par le president de l’Azerbaïdjan
au sujet de la centrale nucleaire armenienne ne me surprend pas, parce
que la diffusion d’informations deformees sur l’Armenie a longtemps ete
le mode d’action de l’Azerbaïdjan “, a declare le president armenien,
selon son attache de presse.

Seoul Fallout: Sargsyan Raps Aliyev Over Remarks At S. Korea-Hosted

SEOUL FALLOUT: SARGSYAN RAPS ALIYEV OVER REMARKS AT S. KOREA-HOSTED NUCLEAR SUMMIT

News | 28.03.12 | 00:38

Photo:

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has slammed his Azerbaijani
counterpart before world leaders over remarks made by the latter
about the safety of the Armenian nuclear power plant.

Addressing the heads of more than 50 nations, including the United
States, Russia and China, at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul,
South Korea, on Tuesday, Sargsyan called Ilham Aliyev’s statement that
the nuclear facility in the Armenian town of Metsamor poses a threat
to the region “slander and misinformation” directed against Armenia.

Enlarge Photo “I am not surprised by the sheer disinformation against
the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant voiced by the Azerbaijani President
here.

Azerbaijan has long pursued the policy of disseminating slander
against Armenia. Distorted information concerning not only Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh but the international community and particularly the
documents we and you adopted is presented from the highest bleachers.

They even misrepresent the well-known UN Security Council resolutions
on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem forgetting that it was them who started
the military actions, it was them that refused to stop the actions
and it was them who make bellicose statements every day and refuse to
resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue based on the international law”,
the Armenian leader stressed.

“We underlined the central role of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) in controlling the nuclear security and radioactive
substances at the 2010 Washington Summit. As a producer of nuclear
energy, Armenia deepens comprehensive cooperation with the Agency.

Safe operation of the Armenian NPP and enhancement of its security
level is a priority goal for our government. We strictly adhere to
the requirements of IAEA international norms proposed for the nuclear
plants of this generation. OSART mission confirmed that the Armenian
NPP fully meets the norms last year,” he added.

At his speech at the summit Sargsyan also confirmed Armenia’s
commitment to combating illegal turnover of nuclear substances as
well as its resolution in combating nuclear terrorism.

http://armenianow.com/news/36843/armenia_serzh_sargsyan_aliyev_nuclear_summit
www.president.am

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry: In Contrast To Words, Serzh Sargsyan’s

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY: IN CONTRAST TO WORDS, SERZH SARGSYAN’S ACTIONS ADVERSELY AFFECT FUTURE OF REGION’S PEOPLES

Trend
March 27 2012
Azerbaijan

It is glad to hear that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at least in
words began to care about the future of the region and its people,
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev told Trend
commenting on Sargsyan’s recent statements.

“Unfortunately, in practice Armenian authorities’ efforts for stability
and prosperity of the region are not felt. President Sargsyan hampers
development of the region with his destructive approach to the peace
process over Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

In contrast to words, Sargsyan’s actions adversely affect the future
of the region’s peoples, Abdullayev said.

Armenia will continue constructive activities within the OSCE Minsk
Group in the context of the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in his congratulatory
letter on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of establishment
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Armenian presidential press service told
Novosti-Armenia Agency.

“Being deeply interested in the Karabakh conflict resolution, Armenia
will continue its positive and constructive activities within the
OSCE Minsk Group in the context of the peaceful resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for the benefit of stability and security
in our region, for a better future for our peoples,” Sargsyan said.

“The Armenian leadership should seriously think about the future
of the region, the future of Armenia itself and its people and to
demonstrate constructivism and pragmatism in its approach to the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution,” Abdullayev said.

Resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an essential condition
for the development of the region and its economic prosperity,
he underlined.

“Desire for stability and security in the South Caucasus should
not only consist in rhetoric. The region’s prosperity depends on
political will of the Armenian authorities to resolve the conflict
and on specific actions that have not been taken by Yerevan yet,”
Abdullayev said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.