Author: Kajoyan Gevork

BATUMI MAYOR PREPARED TO COOPERATE WITH ARMENIA

epress.am
10.28.2011

RA Consul General Garik Israyelian met with Batumi mayor Robert
Chkhaidze on Oct. 27 in the Georgian seaside resort town of Batumi.

Outlining Batumi’s development prospects, Chkhaidze emphasized
municipal authorities’ willingness to broaden cooperation in the
culture, economy and tourism sectors with Republic of Armenia state
agencies and private businesses.

The parties discussed prospects for developing trade and cultural
ties, opportunities for qualitative progress in the tourism sector,
as well as several other issues of mutual interest, according to a
press release issued by the Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

AZERI OFFICIAL ACCUSES ARMENIA OF ANTI-TURKISH CAMPAIGN

Tert.am
28.10.11

Certain world countries, especially Armenia, have been conducting an
anti-Turkish campaign since 2001, according to an Azerbaijani official.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Second Media Forum of
Turkic-Speaking Countries, Ali Hasanov, the head of the Social and
Political Department at Azerbaijan’s presidential office, complained
of what he called a pressure on the country’s international projects.

According to the Azerbaijani news website 1news.az, he also addressed
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, calling for a pan-Turkish assistance
to his country’s efforts.

“Taking into consideration all this, I am addressing the Turkic
countries at today’s meeting, asking them to raise Turkic nations’
problems in their local media, as well as provide information on the
development and culture of those countries,” he said.

EXPERT: MOLDOVAN AMBASSADOR’S EXCUSES TO AZERBAIJAN SHOULDN’T BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 28, 2011 – 09:24 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Moldovan ambassador’s excuses to Azerbaijan for
the sale of armament to Armenia shouldn’t be taken seriously, an
expert said.

“After Azerbaijan learned that Moldova, its GUAM partner, sold armament
to Armenia, the ambassador had to apologize. It’s an ordinary move
in diplomacy,” Sergey Minasyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to Azerbaijani media reports, Moldovan ambassador in
Baku, Igor Bodyu, said that during the Eastern Partnership Summit
in Warsaw last month, Moldovan President Vladimir Filat apologized
to his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Alivev for the sale of weapons
to Armenia.

“Although, no armament sanctions are imposed on Armenia, it was a
wrong political move, as Azerbaijan and Moldova are allies and GUAM
members. Commissions have been already formed in Moldova to investigate
the issue,” the ambassador said.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT URGES PROTECTION FOR CHRISTIANS IN EGYPT, SYRIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 28, 2011 – 09:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The European Parliament has adopted a joint text
urging the halt of violence and the provision of more protection for
Christian Communities in Egypt and Syria.

“We ask in a very clear way that from now on Coptic Christian
communities of Egypt do not fall victim to violent attacks again,
can live in peace and can freely express their beliefs across Egypt,”
said MEP Joseph Daul, Chairman of the EPP Group, following the approval
of a joint resolution text on the situation of Christian Communities
in Egypt and Syria by the European Parliament.

“The Egyptian authorities should give the adequate protection to the
Coptic Christian Communities and to their churches in order to put
an end to the continuous aggression and destruction of churches by
Islamic extremists,” said MEP Mario Mauro.

“Now more than ever, during this critical period of democratic
transition, Egypt needs to protect and involve the Coptic Christian
communities in building the future of the country. Freedom of religion,
conscience and thought, as well as the protection of minorities must be
solidly anchored in the new constitutional text that will be adopted
in Egypt,~T added Cristian Dan Preda, MEP.

“In case there are serious violations of human rights in Egypt the EU
should consider the adoption of alternative measures. The Egyptian
authorities have to ensure full respect of all fundamental rights,
including freedom of association, freedom of peaceful assembly,
freedom of expression and freedom of religion, conscience and thought
for all citizens in their country, including the Coptic Christians
communities that have been victims of violent aggressions for a long
time now,~T explained Mauro.

“As brutal repression persists in Syria, we are also concerned for the
Christian communities in this country. Their safety is increasingly
put at risk by actions aimed at fuelling sectarian tensions. Syrian
authorities must immediately launch a process of deep democratic
reforms and ensure full respect of fundamental rights, notably freedom
of religion, belief, conscience and thought,~T said Cristian Dan Preda.

The resolution approved stresses the importance of an independent,
thorough and transparent investigation into the events of Maspero in
Egypt, in order to hold all those accountable for their actions. The EP
firmly condemns the disproportionate and brutal use of force against
peaceful protesters in Syria and has expressed its deepest concern
at the gravity of the human rights violations reiterating its call on
Bashar al Assad to relinquish power immediately in order to facilitate
a democratic transition.

THE ARMENIAN PLANE CARRYING HUMANITARIAN AID HEADED FOR TURKEY

ARMRADIO.AM
28.10.2011 14:28

The Il-76 plane carrying humanitarian aid to Turkey took off from
Yerevan’s “Erebuni” airport at 2 p.m. today, the Ministry of Emergency
Situations reports.

The 40-ton containers include more than 100 tents, 500 sleeping bags,
more than 7 000 bedding sets.

A major earthquake rocked Turkey at 15:41 Sunday, leaving hundreds
dead and wounded.

On October 27 Armenia received an official aid request through
diplomatic cables.

REVUE DE PRESSE N°1 – 28/10/11 – COLLECTIF VAN

Publié le : 28-10-2011

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN [Vigilance
Arménienne contre le Négationnisme] vous propose une revue de presse
des informations parues dans la presse francophone, sur les thèmes
concernant la Turquie, le génocide arménien, la Shoah, le génocide
des Tutsi, le Darfour, le négationnisme, l’Union européenne, Chypre,
etc… Nous vous suggérons également de prendre le temps de lire ou
de relire les informations et traductions mises en ligne dans notre
rubrique

Par ailleurs, certains articles en anglais, allemand, turc, etc,
ne sont disponibles que dans la newsletter Word que nous générons
chaque jour. Pour la recevoir, abonnez-vous a la Veille-Média :
c’est gratuit ! Vous recevrez le document du lundi au vendredi dans
votre boîte email. Bonne lecture.

Turquie : une loi pour les crimes de haine Info Collectif VAN –
– ” Il existe une loi sur le crime de haine aux
Ã~Itats-Unis et dans les pays européens. En Turquie, il n’y a ni loi
sur le crime de haine ni aucune enquête détaillée ”, a déclaré
Cengiz Algan qui dirige le comité de l’Association pour le changement
social. L’association est en train de rédiger l’ébauche d’une loi
qu’elle veut soumettre aux partis politiques du nouveau Parlement. ”
Les crimes de haine sont profondément enracinés en Turquie, dans des
structures étatiques telles que la gendarmerie, la police et l’armée
”, a déclaré Algan. L’assassinat de Hrant Dink, du père Santoro
pour ne citer que ceux-la en sont de malheureux exemples flagrants. Le
Collectif VAN vous livre la traduction de cet article en anglais paru
le 9 octobre 2011 sur le site du quotidien turc Today’s Zaman.

Turquie : les journalistes pris en otage dans l’offensive contre le
PKK Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cette information publiée sur le site des Reporters
Sans Frontières le 26 octobre 2011. “Alors que l’offensive militaire
s’intensifie dans l’est de la Turquie et jusque dans les pays voisins,
la presse est plus que jamais prise en otage dans l’affrontement entre
les autorités et les rebelles kurdes du PKK (Parti des travailleurs
du Kurdistan, interdit). Procès en cascade, détentions prolongées,
et maintenant directives gouvernementales a destination de la presse…

L’amalgame entre combattants rebelles et journalistes abordant la
question kurde d’un point de vue critique se perpétue, au nom de la
lutte antiterroriste”.

Darfour : des progrès dans le processus de paix malgré l’insécurité
Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN
vous propose cette information publiée sur le site de l’ONU le 25
octobre 2011. “Le Secrétaire général adjoint des Nations Unies aux
opérations de maintien de la paix, Hervé Ladsous, a estimé mardi que
des progrès ont été effectués dans la mise en Å”uvre de l’accord
de paix au Darfour et a indiqué que l’Opération de l’Union africaine
et des Nations Unies au Darfour (MINUAD) continuait d’Å”uvrer sur le
plan politique et sécuritaire afin de promouvoir la paix dans cette
région du Soudan”.

iPhone : l’application “juif ou pas juif ?” devant la justice “Juif ou
pas juif ?”, l’application pour iPhone et iPad permettant d’interroger
une base de données contenant les noms de 3 500 personnalités
d’origine juive, a entamé un parcours judiciaire qui s’annonce long
et tortueux.

L’info vue par la TRT (1) Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet article
publié sur la TRT (Télévision & Radio de Turquie). Les articles
de ce site ne sont pas commentés de notre part. Ils peuvent contenir
des propos négationnistes envers le génocide arménien ou d’autres
informations a prendre sous toute réserve. “Le 6ème Sommet tripartite
Turquie-Afghanistan-Pakistan présidé par le président de la
République Abdullah Gul se tiendra la semaine prochaine a Istanbul”.

L’ONU demande aux rebelles et au gouvernement soudanais de faire
la paix Le Secrétaire général-adjoint des Nations unies pour les
opérations de maintien de la paix, M. Hervé Ladous, a insisté mardi
sur la nécessité de davantage d’efforts concertés pour amener a la
table des négociations les groupes rebelles qui se battent toujours
contre le gouvernement soudanais.

Dimitry Medvedev prêt a continuer la médiation du conflit
du Karabakh Le président russe Dimitry Medvedev a indiqué son
intention d’organiser de nouveaux pourparlers de paix de haut niveau
entre arméniens et azéris et de faciliter les communications de
l’Arménie avec le monde extérieur après sa réunion avec son
homologue arménien Serge Sarkissian.

Turquie : l’aide d’IsraÔl ne plaît pas a tout le monde Les
premières tombées de neiges dans l’est de la Turquie inquiètent
les autorités. Le terrible séisme qui a frappé la province de
Van a touché près de 700.000 personnes. La plupart ont perdu leurs
logements. Ankara a accepté l’aide internationale d’une trentaine de
pays, dont IsraÔl avec qui les relations diplomatiques sont tendues.

Un accord de libre-échange entre l’Arménie et l’UE Un
haut-fonctionnaire de l’UE a déclaré mercredi que la décision de
l’Arménie quant a sa volonté de rejoindre la zone de libre-échange
avec la Russie et d’autres anciennes Républiques soviétiques
ne nuiera pas a la signature d’un accord similaire avec l’Union
européenne.

Turquie : L’aide d’IsraÔl finalement acceptée Après avoir refusé
une première fois l’aide d’IsraÔl pour cause de relations très
tendues entre les deux pays depuis la mort de huit Turcs après un
raid de l’armée israélienne contre un navire d’aide humanitaire
a destination de Ghaza en 2010, la Turquie a fini par accepter
l’assistance d’IsraÔl qui a envoyé un avion transportant, entre
autres, cinq logements préfabriqués.

Retour a la rubrique

SHOULD THE CAUCASUS EXPECT A NEW WAR?
By Zaza Jgharkava

Georgia Today

Oct 27 2011
Georgia

The dark clouds in the Caucasus are gathering over Karabakh this time.

Officials in Baku and Yerevan are accusing each other of status
quo violations.

With the increase in military budgets of Armenia and Azerbaijan set
as the backdrop, the argument about the inevitable outcome of war
is getting stronger and stronger, especially after the recent clash
that ensued on the border of Karabakh that ended claiming victims on
both sides.

With the growing confrontation, the position of officials in Tbilisi
is becoming more and more important. Georgia could play a crucial
role in the upcoming turmoil.

After the “football diplomacy” of the West fell flat and the agreement
reached in Switzerland was failed to be ratified in the parliaments of
Armenia and Turkey, the Armenian-Azerbaijani confrontation reloaded:
snipers have already killed tens of soldiers and officers on both
sides.

As the negotiations on peaceful resolution of the conflict bring
no results, it is not excluded that Baku “tests” Moscow- makes one
“shot”- one attack, to see what Moscow’s reaction is.

If Baku sees that Russia is actively supporting its major ally in
the Caucasus – Armenia (which will probably be the case), it will
quit military actions and level the front line. However, then Baku
will take an anti-Russian position in issues most sensitive to Russia
(the trans-Caspian pipeline and the NATO air bridge to Afghanistan)
and if it is hesitating on the Nabucco project right now, it will
give it a green light later.

The Caucasian knot is even more complicated now after the Georgian
parliament decided to restrict air-space over Georgia for Russian
transport. Because of this, experts have started to discuss how Russia
will manage to supply military bases in Armenia. There is talk about
using the air space of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Iran.

If Russia uses the air space of Turkey, it will have to declare its
military cargoes and, therefore, make the transits transparent to
its theoretical or potential enemy. If it uses the space of Iran,
the latter will try to make the maximum use of this concession from
Russia or from Armenia. In this case, Russia will not allow Iran and
Armenia to move to closer cooperation without Russia.

When appearing on TV Kavkasia, a Georgian military expert Giorgi
Tavdgiride did not exclude that due to certain isolation of the
Gyumri base, if military actions start between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
Moscow will exercise military intervention on Georgia again and make
this step to punish it.

On this stage the situation is so “complicated” that it is almost
impossible to make any specific calculations. However, there are
several scenarios in the development of events.

As much as there is high probability that if a war erupts, Russia will
get involved in it, it is hard to imagine that Moscow chooses to fight
on two fronts and gives up the Georgian area. It would question its
presence in the region as Moscow knows that in case of total military
confrontation in the Caucasus, other big players in the region will
not suffice with only “being concerned” about it.

First of all, Turkey is a strategic partner of Azerbaijan and under
the Kars agreement has certain security obligations on the territory
of Georgia.

Taking all the factors into consideration an unanswered question
arises – is it truly in the interests of the Russian government to
provoke military confrontation between Baku and Yerevan?

As for Azerbaijan and Armenia, it is obvious that Baku has not made
a decision on starting the war yet. As for Yerevan, it looks like it
is very important for it to have at least a neutral Georgia (if not
an ally) behind it.

Tbilisi seems to do its best to preserve neutrality in the conflict
around Karabakh. The “confederation idea” with Azerbaijan voiced by
Tbilisi, is balanced with the opening of the Larsi way and Goderdzi
pass and so vital for Armenia.

The same impression is in terms of the flow of investments. No one is
blocking the Armenian capital in Georgia; the same for Azerbaijan,
which has been considered the second trading partner for Georgia
after Turkey.

ARMENIA’S OCCUPATION OF KARABAKH IS UNDENIABLE FACT – SWEDISH MP

news.az
Oct 27 2011
Azerbaijan

Nagorno-Karabakh is a land of Azerbaijan and it is undeniable that
it has been occupied by Armenia.

The statement came from member of the Swedish Parliament and also
European Parliament Anna Ibrisagic, the sources in the State Committee
for Diaspora Affairs said.

As a very strong state, Azerbaijan is capable to regain its own
territories, she said.

BAKU HAILS U.N. VOTE, ARMENIA NOT WORRIED

United Press International UPI

Oct 27 2011

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 27 (UPI) — Azerbaijan hailed its election
to the U.N. Security Council this week while an Armenian leader said
the vote won’t much affect the countries’ strained relations.

After 17 rounds of voting Monday, the U.N. General Assembly selected
Azerbaijan as the Security Council’s non-permanent representative
for Eastern Europe, prevailing over fellow finalist Slovenia.

Azerbaijan received 155 votes from U.N. member countries — 26 more
than the 129 votes necessary for accession to the two-year Security
Council position.

Slovenia, which polled 77 votes to Baku’s 116 in the 16th round,
dropped out of the running after that, opening the way to what
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called a historic event for
his nation.

“This is a great victory indeed,” Aliyev told the Russian news agency
RIA Novosti. “The U.N. Security Council is the most authoritative
structure in the world and Azerbaijan as an independent state is now
a member of this structure.”

He thanked “all countries that put their trust in us, rely on us and
have shown great respect for us,” adding, “The number of our friends
around the world is growing.”

Baku’s status in 2012-13 will give it a chance to bring some of its
issues to the fore — including its troubles with Armenia over the
disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

Azerbaijan two years ago shepherded a non-binding resolution through
the General Assembly referring to Armenian-occupied Karabakh as a part
of Azerbaijan and demanding an “immediate, complete and unconditional
withdrawal of Armenian forces” from occupied Azerbaijani lands,
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

The resolution had strong support among Muslim nations.

Aliyev didn’t say Monday whether Baku would use its new perch to
press the Nagorno-Karabakh issue but Azeri Member of Parliament
Ganira Pashayeva told the Azeri-Press Agency the development “gives
Azerbaijan the right to immediately include the issue on the violation
of territorial integrity in the agenda of the U.N. Security Council.”

The seat, she said, will allow Baku a chance “to submit the issue
of non-fulfillment of the resolutions adopted by the U.N. Security
Council directly to the council’s agenda. Thus, the council will pay
more attention to this issue.”

Armenia didn’t issue an official statement on Azerbaijan’s accession to
the Security Council. But some members of President Serzh Sargsyan’s
Republican Party of Armenia did indicate they believe development is
unlikely to affect the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations, RFE/RL said.

Lawmaker and Republican Party leader Eduard Sharmazanov said that
while Azerbaijan won its U.N. post thanks to support from “Muslim and
Third World countries,” the vote “cannot have any serious influence
on the resolution” of the dispute.

Rather, he said, the ongoing talks conducted by the Minsk Group of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe remain the
decisive forum to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh argument, since its
co-chairs — the United States, Russia and France — are permanent
members of the Security Council.

Those three countries wrapped up the latest round of the Minsk Group
talks Monday in Yerevan, saying Armenia and Azerbaijan have tentatively
agreed to jointly investigate ceasefire violations along their main
“line of contact,” RFL/RE reported.

The co-chairs said the most recent rounds of talks focused on
persuading the two sides to seek a way to tamp down recent incidences
of violence along the still-simmering Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“The co-chairs offered several proposals for measures to enhance
confidence in different fields,” they said in a joint statement. “The
sides agreed in principle on (a) draft mechanism to investigate
incidents along the front lines that the co-chairs proposed in April,
and which Presidents Aliyev, Sargsyan and (Dmitry) Medvedev (of Russia)
agreed to pursue in their March joint statement in Sochi.”

PHILANTHROPISTS SUED BY MAN CONVICTED OF SWINDLING THEM

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Editor

LINCOLN, Mass. – K. George Najarian and Carolann Najarian, MD,
philanthropists, are being sued in a civil court by Grigor Igityan,
the man convicted of swindling them of both property and money.

Igityan was convicted on all counts in the criminal courts after more
than eight years of hearings, trials and appeals up to the highest
court in Armenia. He is now serving out his prison sentence in jail.

>From jail, Igityan has launched a civil suit through the Kentron Court
of First Intention, Yerevan, against the Najarians. He is claiming
damages for financial losses he reportedly sustained due to being
tried and convicted for crimes he had committed. In addition to the
court case, the Najarians’ properties have been attached by the court.

This is unprecedented in legal practice not only in Armenia, but
elsewhere.

According to the Najarians’ attorneys in Armenia, all demands made in
Igityan’s claim have been resolved through multiple court decisions in
the criminal case brought against him. The evidence to substantiate
these decisions against Igityan was confirmed by the highest court
there.