TWO CHILDREN COMMITTED SUICIDE IN AZERBAIJAN
epress.am
09.06.2011 15:14
One more child reportedly committed suicide in Azerbaijan today,
reported RFE/RL’s Azeri service (Azadliq), citing Baku-based news
agency APA.
Resident of the village of Amir, Azer Haghverdiyev, 13, hung himself
from a tree in a forest near his home. The reasons for the suicide
are unknown.
Yesterday, a 7-year-old child reportedly killed himself in the Baku
municipality of MaÅ~_taga (Mashtaga).
PRESS WATCHDOG ‘APPALLED’ AT EXPULSION OF AZERI REPORTER FROM NAKHICHEVAN
asbarez
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
Reporter Yafez Hasanov
NEW YORK–The press watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
issued an announcement Tuesday decrying the recent abduction and
expulsion of Azeri reported, Yafez Hasanov from Nakhichevan.
Below is the RSF announcement:
Reporters Without Borders is appalled by the unacceptable escalation in
harassment of the media by the authorities in Nakhchivan, an autonomous
Azerbaijani exclave between Armenia and Iran, especially last week’s
expulsion of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reporter Yafez Hasanov.
Hasanov was abducted on 31 August by three unidentified men in
plain-clothes using the kind of car that government security officials
normally drive. They drove him to the Iranian border and told him to
return to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku via Iran. If he set foot
in Nakhchivan during the next month, “it will cost you,” they told him.
“After death threats and intimidation, Nakhchivan’s authorities
are displaying exceptional inventiveness in expanding their already
complete repressive arsenal against the media,” Reporters Without
Borders said.
“Their latest invention, deporting a journalist from his own country
to one that criminalizes journalism, shows a complete contempt for
legal appearances and a feeling of complete impunity. How far will
they have to go before the central government and the international
community decide to do something to half this escalation?”
Hasanov had gone to the Julfa district of Nakhchivan to investigate
Turac Zeynalov’s death in detention, a story that the local authorities
are trying at all costs to suppress because it exposes the cruelty
of the methods they use. Hasanov’s abductors told him not to meddle,
took his passport and returned it with an exit stamp when they reached
the border. Once inside Iran, Hasanov managed to return to Baku by
taxi the next day. This entailed a degree of risk as RFE/ RL has been
classified as an “illegal organization” by the Iranian authorities.
Malahat Nasibova (Ð~аДахаÑ~B Ð~]аÑ~Aибовa), a
Nakhchivan-based reporter for the independent news agency Turan,
has meanwhile been subjected to intense pressure since receiving a
summons from the Ministry of National Security (MNS) for trying to
interview members of the Zeynalov family.
She and her husband have received death threats by telephone and SMS
in recent days. After she reported that an MNS official had called
her an “enemy of the people,” the official’s mother threatened her
yesterday outside her home. “Who are you to quote my son’s name on
the Internet,” the woman said. “You will see what I can do to you. You
can do nothing against us. The MNS supports us.”
At a news conference on 2 September, Nasibova described the Nakhchivan
Autonomous Republic as a “laboratory of repression” for the rest of
the country. “The repressive methods tested in Nakhchivan are then
applied on a larger scale throughout Azerbaijan,” she said. “It was
in Nakhchivan that demonstrators were first confined to a psychiatric
hospital. It was in Nakhchivan that journalists were kidnapped for
the first time.”
There was no comment from the government in Baku in response to her
comments about human rights violations in this remote province. The
deafening silence makes an international reaction all the more urgent,
so that violations of this kind do not spread to the rest of the
country.
Reporters Without Borders joins Nasibova and other journalists
and human rights activists in urging the national media and foreign
embassy personnel to go to Nakhchivan in order to shed light on these
unacceptable practices.
NORTHERN AVENUE ACKNOWLEDGED THE MOST ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION OF YEREVAN
arminfo
Tuesday, September 6, 20:04
According to an internet public opinion poll, the Northern Avenue is
acknowledged the most anti-environmental architectural construction
of Yerevan, the group “We Are the Owners of Our City” says.
According to the source, the majority of votes has been given for
the Northern Avenue, which is famous for almost full lack of green
territories.
The buildings in the Students’ Garden rank next, because dozens of
trees were cut to erect these buildings.
The building in the Ring Garden is the third on the black list,
as it cripples the image of Yerevan.
Then come the private houses being built at the expense of green
territories of the Monument, as well as the supermarket Yerevan
City in Komitas Street, which “has swallowed” several trees, and the
multi-storey building in Koghbatsi 42/Pushkin 40.
To note, the year 2010 was distinguished with scandals concerning
destruction of green territories.
CHARKOUDIAN RUNS FOR CITY COUNCIL IN TAKOMA PARK
Armenian Weekly
Tue, Sep 6 2011
Lorig Charkoudian, a Massachusetts native, recently announced her
candidacy for city council in Takoma Park, Md. Charkoudian has a
progressive agenda, including environmental initiatives and economic
development policies that support small and micro-enterprises. She
underscores the importance of harnessing the potential of participatory
democracy and making the city more accountable to its residents. She
hopes to increase and enhance opportunities for residents to have input
in policy decisions, and to develop a year-round pro-active budget
process, coordinated with a committee made up of council members,
residents, and staff.
Lorig Charkoudian with her family Charkoudian holds a Ph.D. in
economics from Johns Hopkins University.
She has developed and worked with community-based programs throughout
the state of Maryland and has worked professionally in dispute
resolution for 16 years, including work with a variety of public
agencies and law enforcement. She has raised revenue and managed
budgets as a non-profit executive director, and increased revenue
and programming during the economic downturn. She is currently active
with the Takoma Junction Task Force and the South of Sligo Citizens
Association, and has served on the Board of the TPSS Co-op.
Charkoudian has been working with several local non-profits to start a
commercial kitchen to be used for micro-enterprise development. Local
food is one of the many policy initiatives she is promoting.
“Supporting the development of a local food system can address several
important areas-economic development, job creation, environmental
stewardship, and health. And food gives us a chance to celebrate
different cultures and build community,” she said.
She credits her appreciation for the power of food as an economic
engine and community builder to her Armenian upbringing. “I grew up
eating the churtmah, merjumek, dolma, tabouli, and babaganoush that
my grandmothers and mother made from food grown in their gardens. It
fed the community and our souls, and it was good for our bodies and
the environment.”
Lorig Charkoudian was raised in a political family, with both father
and mother involved in local politics. Her mother, Bethel Bilezikian
Charkoudian, was active in the civil rights movement in the early
1960’s, and currently serves on the Newton Parks and Recreation
Commission. Her father, Levon Charkoudian, was commissioner of the
Massachusetts Department of Community Affairs under Governor Sargent.
Her family has always had a strong presence and active involvement
in the Armenian community. Three of her Marashtsi grandparents were
survivors of the Armenian Genocide. Her aunt, Arppie Charkoudian,
was the international president of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS).
Lorig Charkoudian herself attended the AGBU Armenian Elementary School
in Watertown, Mass.
Lorig Charkoudian lives in Takoma Park, Md., with her husband, Matt,
and their children Aline and Raffi. For more information and to
support her campaign, visit lorigcharkoudian.com.
ANTI-TURKISH MOODS IN ISRAEL BECOME STRAINED
ARMENPRESS
20:55, 6 September, 2011
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Israel has some cards for exerting
pressure on Turkey, according to Hagob Sevan, member of the Armenian
National Committee of Jerusalem. Commenting on the recent unprecedented
tension in the Turkish-Israeli relations, Hakob Sevan mentioned
that the tension is proved with the fact that the military and trade
relations between the two countries have been broken off.
“Before yesterday people were speaking on some hopes that it will be
possible to restore the relations in the near future: Israel expected
Turkey not to break off the relations, however the two sides evidently
showed that their relations will not develop in a good direction,”
Hagob Sevan said. He added that currently the anti-Turkish moods in
Israel become more strained.
ON 5 SEPTEMBER PRESIDENT OF THE ARTSAKH REPUBLIC BAKO SAHAKYAN MET PHILANTHROPIST ARTHUR VARZHAPETYAN
Monday, 05 September 2011 09:56
Issues related to the realization of different philanthropic programs
in Artsakh were discussed during the meeting.
Bako Sahakyan awarded the philanthropist with “The Gratitude” medal
rating high his contribution to the realization of different programs
in the republic.
Thereafter the Head of the State partook in the Stepanakert Veratsnund
square at the solemn ceremony of handing over keys for the cars within
the frameworks of realizing social programs.
Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, speaker of the National Assembly Ashot
Ghoulyan, premier Ara Haroutyunyan, ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Russian Federation
Oleg Yesayan and other officials partook at the meeting.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS ECOSYSTEM CHANGES OF LAKE SEVAN
news.am
Sept 5 2011
Armenia
YEREVAN. – Yerevan will host international conference on “State
ecological monitoring and risks of the administrative region” on
September 27-29.
The organizers of the conference are the “Collective security treaty
organization” institute, Municipality of Gegharkunik region, Armenian
State Polytechnic University and Armenian Youth Foundation (AYF),
AYF informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.
Famous scientists from Russia, U.S., Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia,
Israel, Italy, Germany, Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania,
Iran and Jordan will participate in the conference.
A number of issues will be discussed including the current condition
of Lake Sevan, ecosystem changes of water resources under human
influence, risk evaluating models of chemical-technological objects,
prevention of radioactive pollution of water reservoirs and lakes in
case of major accidents.
The conference will stress on results and dangers of business activity
on geological environment. The conference is especially important
for the Armenia as it faces many environmental problems. Ecosystem
changes of Lake Sevan will be referred to particularly. It has a great
importance not only for Armenia but also for the region as it is the
only sweet water store in the region.
DEMANDS FOR RESIGNATION OF ARMENIAN CATHOLICOS ARE NONSENSE – HOLY SEE OF ETCHMIADZIN
news.am
Sept 5 2011
Armenia
YEREVAN. – Issues related to the problems specified by We Demand
Resignation of the Catholicos social initiative on the current state
of the Church of Holy Astvatsatsin (Virgin) in Yerevan, have been
honored with due attention and necessary actions have been taken even
prior to the signal by any group, Holy Etchmiadzin Information System
head Father Vahram Melikyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
As for demands of resignation of the Catholicos Karekin II Father
Vahram called it a noncense.
“We are not going to respond to nonsense. One cannot be that uneducated
and illiterate. The language used by the members of this group is
already an indication of who they are,” he said.
Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that members of by We
Demand Resignation of the Catholicos social initiative revealed an
unbelievable scene at Yerevan’s St. Astvatsatsin church, located near
Khachatur Abovyan House-Museum at Kanaker district.
The statement which the initiative has released in this connection
reads as follows:
“As a result of inaction by the Armenian Apostolic Church, the St.
Astvatsatsin church – which is one of the several medieval churches
still preserved in Yerevan – has turned from an Armenian sanctuary
into a gathering place for the Word of Life sect. According to the
residents, they [sect members] loudly chant their prayers at the
yard of the Armenian Apostolic church early in the morning and in
the evening hours, and disturb the peace of the residents. On many
occasions, the neighboring residents of the church have appealed
to different state bodies, depicting the abandoned condition of the
church and its unbelievable consequences.
In addition, the residents also maintain that the area around the
abandoned church has become a spot for couples and their activities,
as well as a fighting place for the neighborhood youth. The area
of medieval tombstones, which surround the church, has turned into
a garbage dump. Thanks to a local resident, the church has a door,
albeit lacking art, and a lock, and the locals have brought inside
the church religious icons from their homes; incidentally, Russian
icons constitute a large number.
The person responsible for this situation is the Catholicos of
All Armenians Karekin II and the Araratian Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church. This condition is but one of hundreds of occurrences,
and we believe that more telling reasons cannot be brought forth for
those who demand the resignation of the Catholicos.
The initiating groups calls on the media and involved persons to be
persistent and attain a just solution to the matter.”
WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO INSIST ON REDUCING TIES TO ZERO?
by Hasan Cemal
Milliyet
Sept 3 2011
Turkey
>From the beginning, Turkey has been right about the Mavi Marmara and
Gaza issue and it has to continue putting on the pressure. Nonetheless
would it have been wiser to do this in a more cool-headed manner, by
spreading it to a wider timetable or by reducing the relations to zero?
When Israel launched the Mavi Marmara attack in the beginning of June
last year I wrote the following in this column:
“Israel does not surprise. It continues with attacks that ignore the
conscience of humanity and that make the humanity’s heart bleed. It
continues to defy peace. It does not give up independent aggressive
policies that add fuel to the flames. It is impossible to interpret
in any other way the massacre conducted by the Israeli commandos in
the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara ship which carried humanitarian aid
to Gaza. Unfortunately this is the painful reality on which the Prime
Minister Netanyahu-Foreign Minister Lieberman understanding is based
in Israel.”
I still stand behind these words today.
It is impossible to say that Israel’s harsh stand in the
apology-compensation-Gaza blockade triangle has changed in its essence
during the past one year.
As a matter of fact, when announcing yesterday [ 2 September] that the
ties between Turkey and Israel have been reduced to the lowest level
– in other words have been de facto cut off – and that the military
ties between the two countries have been suspended, Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu drew attention to the following points:
“The crime committed by Israel is not a simple one. Attacking civilians
in a boat in an aid convoy and killing unarmed persons by shooting
them repeatedly in the neck constitute a crime of humanity.
It committed a war crime in international water. We held a total of
four rounds of talks at different times and we voiced our demands. Our
demands are known and unless these demands are met our ties with
Israel will not normalize.”
>From Ankara’s standpoint the last straw that broke the camel’s back
was the report of the UN investigation panel that was leaked to the New
York Times yesterday. Referring to this issue, President Abdullah Gul
voiced Ankara’s reaction by saying “from our standpoint [the report]
is void.”
There is no need to beat around the bush.
By reducing the diplomatic ties between the two countries to zero
the tension between the two countries will seriously rise.
As of now both countries will exert utmost efforts for hurting
each other.
And Israel has long arm where this issue is concerned. Israel has
manoeuvre fields such as damaging Turkey’s ties with the United States,
meddling with issues that concern Turkey including the 1915 [Armenian
genocide claims] in the US Congress, and inciting the Kurdish issue
and the PKK and it may hurt Turkey.
There is no doubt that it is impossible to belittle Turkey’s power.
Primarily it is right.
In addition to being right in the Mavi Marmara and Gaza blockade
issues, Turkey’s “stock exchange value” in the international arena
has risen especially in terms of the US Administration due to issues
such as the Arab Spring, Syria, Libya, and Iran.
Furthermore Turkey is also right in the reaction that it has displayed
thus far.
However it is necessary to add a “but.”
To be right is not everything in international relations.
You may be right but you may eventually lose a case or you may
encounter difficulties at the most unexpected time.
Do you want to know what I am trying to say?
Yes, Turkey should continue to put on the pressure in the Mavi Marmara
and Gaza issues, regarding which it is right.
Nonetheless would it have been wiser to do this in a more cool-headed
manner, by spreading it to a wider timetable or by reducing the
relations to zero? Only time will tell what the correct answer is.
Answer to Question from Foreign Ministry
In response to the question that has formed in the corner of my mind a
high-level official from the Foreign Minister said to me the following
yesterday evening:
“We have waited for exactly 15 months. We have held talks with Israel
for nine months. We were extremely constructive. Israel, however,
expected us to forget about the attack. If you do not adopt such a
stand, no one will take notice of you. Maybe, as of now, they will
seriously sit at the table. They have adopted an irrational stand
that cannot be explained logically from the very beginning. We have
constantly given them chances for the normalization of the ties. We
were the victim in this incident. Despite this we were the side that
showed them understanding. Nine months have passed in this manner.
They have requested six more months. We constantly tried to go back to
friendship, but they created hostility. You will arbitrarily attack
a ship in international waters, outside you territorial waters, you
will kill 10 of our citizens, including one cerebral death, everything
that should be done in response will be done, but you, as Israel,
will continue with your intransigence. Under such circumstances,
we have no choice other than saying ‘Go to hell’.”
These were the words of the high-level official from the Foreign
Ministry.
We hope that Israel will soon come to its senses.
THE STRONGEST PEACE IS ACHIEVED BY NEGOTIATIONS
by Yury Simonyan
WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY
September 5, 2011 Monday
Russia
Unrecognized independence of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic turns 20
years old
INTERVIEW OF PRESIDENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC BAKO SAAKYAN;
President of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Saakyan speaks about the main
achievements of the republic in 20 years of its independence and
about the main tasks that it faces now.
Question: Name, please, three main achievements of Nagorno-Karabakh
in 20 years of its independence in your opinion.
Bako Saakyan: I would combine the main achievements of our republic in
years of independence into the following three categories. First, this
is establishment of independence statehood and its institutions. All
three branches of power have been established and function
efficiently in the republic. Nagorno-Karabakh has a combat-capable
army that is not only the main guarantor of its independence but
also a stabilizing factor in the region. Our country firmly set
its feet on the path of democratic development and existence of the
independent Nagorno-Karabakh state does not pose a threat for anyone
both in the South Caucasus and in the world. Second, we managed
to overcome consequences of the terrible war imposed by Azerbaijan
that had practically destroyed our economy. At present, Artsakh (the
Armenian name of Nagorno-Karabakh) is a state with a dynamically
developing economy. I would mention the unbreakable triunity of
Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora as the next most important achievement.
Question: Which main priority tasks is the republic facing?
Bako Saakyan: I would divide the main tasks faced by our country into
military political and social economic ones. The following issues
are the priorities among the military political tasks. First, this
is maintenance of a strategic balance with Azerbaijan and peaceful
resolving of the Azerbaijani-Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. These tasks
are interconnected and maintenance of peace in the region depends
primarily on efficiency of the strategic balance between Artsakh and
Azerbaijan. Along with this, we are supporters of peaceful resolving
of the conflict through negotiations. International recognition of
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is also one of the most important political
matters for us.
As to the social economic tasks, for Nagorno-Karabakh the most pressing
are the issues of increasing of living standards of the population,
measures for improvement of the demographic situation and development
of such sectors of economy as energy sector, mining and processing
industries, agriculture and tourism.
Question: Unlike, for example, Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence
of which has been recognized by a limited quantity of countries,
Nagorno-Karabakh does not have this yet. Are there signs showing that
sovereignty of Nagorno-Karabakh will be recognized by someone in the
near future?
Bako Saakyan: Recognition of independence of Nagorno-Karabakh by the
international community is one of priority tasks faced by our state.
There are actually no legal grounds for non-recognition of our
independence and in this aspect are arguments are immaculate. This is
just another matter that there are geopolitical motives, interests
of various kinds etc that delay our recognition a little. However,
I think that geopolitics and conflict of interest retreat from the
right and morality and the obvious evidence of this is transition of
the process of recognition of the previously unrecognized states into
a qualitatively new phase in the last three or four years. Nonetheless,
for us achievement of recognition of our independence is not determined
by presence of only the relevant precedents alone. We will struggle
for international recognition regardless of whether other unrecognized
states are recognized or not.
Question: When we study nuances of the negotiation process on
Nagorno-Karabakh there is an impression that the matter is driving
to a situation when representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh return to
the table of negotiations soon.
Bako Saakyan: Participation of Nagorno-Karabakh in all stages of the
negotiation process in the role of a fully equal party is the only
opportunity for comprehensive resolving of the conflict. Incidentally,
international intermediaries, for instance, co-chairs of the Minsk OSCE
group, recognize this. Stepanakert is ready for direct negotiations
with Baku and with discussion of any matters. I think that restoration
of the normal format of the negotiation process is only a matter of
time and the sooner this happens the less time will be needed for
the final resolving of the conflict.