Author: Kajoyan Gevork

THREE FACTIONS OF RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ISSUE STATEMENT CONCERNING INTERVIEW OF NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF PACE WITH APA NEWS AGENCY

Noyan Tapan
Jan 28, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. "Republican Party of Armenia"
("RPA"), "Prosperous Armenia" and "Country of Law" factions of the
RA National Assembly issued a statement on January 27. Below is the
text of the statement:

"The Statement of "Republican Party of Armenia", "Prosperous Armenia"
and "Country of Law" factions of the RA National Assembly.

We call attention of the heads of the RA National Assembly to
the interview that the newly elected President of the PACE Mevlut
Cavusoglu gave to APA news agency on January 26, 2010, in which the
newly elected President of the PACE expressed biased opinions about
the Nagorno Karabakh problem.

Some comments made by the PACE president regarding "reality" call
into question his impartiality in perception of the Nagorno Karabakh
problem. The PACE president does not perceive well the nature and
elements of the conflict, as well as the current negotiation process
over it. He obvioulsy prefers to ignore the fact that the peaceful
settlement is based on adherence to several principles, including
the principle of self-determination. Evidently, the PACE president is
also indifferent to the problems related to the security of Nagorno
Karabakh’s people that are constantly endangered by Azerbaijani
authorities, now also through propaganda of hatred towards Armenians
and xenophobia. Moreover, we regret that being guided by Turkey’s
position on the problem and stressing that "this conflict seems to
hinder the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia",
the PACE president calls the authority of his tenure into question
from the viewpoint of playing a positive role in solution of regional
problems. This interview proves once again that conducting negotiations
is the competence of the authorized body only – in the given case the
OSCE and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and that any irresponsible
undertaking outside this format complicates and harms the negotiations
on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Given
the aforementioned circumstances, "Republican Party of Armenia",
"Prosperous Armenia" and "Country of Law" coalition factions of the
National Assembly urge the speaker of the RA National Assembly to
get more specific information from the PACE president concerning the
veracity of the interview, to request explanations from Mr.

Cavusoglu and to understand whether his words can be considered an
official position of the PACE, and in case of need, to seriously
discuss the issue of suspending Armenia’s participation in the PACE
work during the presidency of Mevlut Cavusoglu."

Later the PACE president explained to the members of the Armenian
delegation that "the Azerbaijani agency APA commented on his
words, as a result of which the meaning of what he said was
distorted. According to Mr. Cavusoglu, he did not use the phrases
mentioned in the interview, but he spoke about regional problems,
including Russian-Georgian, Armenian-Azerbaijani, and Armenian-Turkish
realtions that should be normalized through negotiations, saying that
the Nagorno Karabakh problem should be resolved in the format of the
OSCE Minsk Group and that the PACE can assist with solution of all
conflicts, especially in humanitarian problems.

NEW EXHIBIT AT TUTUN DEPOSU DISPLAYS KURDISH ISSUE

Hurriyet Daily News
Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A new exhibition on the Kurdish issue opened at the Tutun Deposu
(Tobacco Depot) in Istanbul’s Tophane. The exhibition titled
‘Confrontations: The Other Side of Fýrat’ displays photographs by human
rights defender, journalist and documentary photographer Mujgan Arpat

Having already stirred up controversies in previous exhibitions, the
Tutun Deposu (Tobacco Depot) in Istanbul’s Tophane is now hosting a
striking new exhibition from journalist and documentary photographer
Mujgan Arpat.

Arpat has been following the Kurdish issue for 20 years, and is now
displaying 100 photos chosen from her archive of more than 10,000
photos.

Arpat’s earlier work "Gavur Mahallesi Kalanlar – Gelenler" (The Gioar
Neighborhood Those Who Remain – Those Who Come), which she opened
in 2008 at the Karþý Sanat Calýþmalarý in Beyoðlu, became a hot
issue, too. She displayed the remaining structures from Armenians
in Diyarbakýr. The most striking photo in the exhibition was a
ruined historic Armenian church in the city. The church was put on
a renovation agenda and work began shortly after the exhibition.

She followed the Yeþilyurt case

Speaking to the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review about her new
exhibition, Arpat explained why she had chosen the title "Fýrat’ýn
Ote Yanýnda: Karþýlaþmalar" (Confrontations: The Other Side of Fýrat)
rather than "Guneydoðu" (Southeast), saying: "I would create a problem
if I used a word highlighting Kurds. This is why I chose this title. I
observed the experiences in the Southeast, namely the emergency region,
for 20 years. It was too hard to work on the other side of Fýrat. This
inspired me to choose this name."

Arpat is not only interested in journalism and taking documentary
photos. She is also an activist concerned about human rights
violations. She has played active roles in projects regarding racism
and violence against women. She worked as the deputy manager for the
International Human Rights Union in Germany in the 1980s.

In Turkey, where she came to work, she first followed the case known
as the Yeþilyurt Feces Case, which left its mark on Turkey’s recent
history. The Yeþilyurt village of the southeastern district of Cizre
was besieged by the gendarmerie in 1989. It was alleged that Cmdr.

Cafer Tayyar Caðlayan and his soldiers made villagers eat feces.

Following the incident, villagers went to court and as they did not
get results from the process, they applied to the European Court of
Human Rights. In 1994, the state was found guilty and sentenced to
pay compensations.

Victims of mine

"I wanted to take a step with this exhibition," said Arpat, and
continued: "The words that describe what happened in the Southeast are
‘civil war.’ Since one side of me is German, I compare the situation
with Germany. For example, Germany has never described the events in
Afghanistan as war. Because it would take responsibility if it did.

"The most striking photos in the exhibition are the photos of people
who became disabled from land mine explosions. There are one million
land mines laid by both the state and the terrorist organization the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in the Southeast, the other side
of Fýrat. United Nations reports confirm it. The number is obvious
but it is not known where these mines lay," said Arpat, adding:
"I had feared when I went to talk to land mine victims. Because I
knew that there were land mines in the area I passed."

Income of catalog for Human Rights Foundation

Arpat said whatever Turkey had for human rights and racial
discrimination also existed in Europe with a different shape. "But
there is a difference between Turkey and Europe. There is a strong
public opinion supporting human rights defenders. This support is
almost nonexistent in Turkey because society could not overcome of
the fear embedded after the 1980 coup," she said.

According to Arpat, the biggest handicap for Turkey’s European Union
membership is the hypocrite manner of Europe. "The EU behaves like
it backs Turkey’s membership process but this is not true. Turkey’s
inner problems are used by the EU," she said.

Arpat explained her views about the Kurdish initiative lingering in
Turkey’s agenda for sometime. She said, "I don’t believe that the
initiative will be successful."

Arpat’s exhibition will remain open through Feb. 21. The funds raised
by the catalog of the exhibition will be donated to a human rights
foundation. The catalog is available at Anadolu Kultur in Istanbul’s
Elmadað.

‘TURKEY’S FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS MADE A MISTAKE’

Aysor
25.01.2010, 14:18

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement [on Armenian
Constitutional Court’s decision on Armenia-Turkey protocols] without
any detailed pointing out of the controversial issues, said analyst
at the St. Petersburg Center for the Modern Middle East Studies
Alexander Sotnichenko.

He said the short statement shows that Turkey’s officials are
displeased with some new preconditions limiting the signed in Zurich
documents. Meanwhile, they do not point out any of those ‘controversial
preconditions’, according to analyst. It looks like Turkey’s Foreign
Ministry is displeased with Court’s decision on primacy of two points
— ‘the establishment of the diplomatic relations and ‘the opening
of the common border’. This in some ways means that Armenia doesn’t
wish for recognition of Turkey’s territorial integrity.

"In my opinion, Turkey’s Foreign Minister has made a mistake when
it issued a short negative statement instead of a detailed report on
Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision. This will lead to statements
by anti-Turkish forces that Turkey is fastening down the process of
ratification for protocols. But, on the other hand, we still don’t
know what the text was used by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry as the
non-official translation into English of the Court’s decision had
been still published. This lets Armenian side change its base."

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has welcomed Armenian
Constitutional Court’s decision on Armenia-Turkey protocols. It’s a
positive step forward in the ratification process of the protocols,
said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon.

"The court decision permits the protocols, as they were negotiated
and signed, to move towards parliamentary ratification. Court’s
decision does not appear to limit or qualify protocols in any way,"
Philip Gordon stressed.

VLADIMIR ZHIRINOVSKY COMMENTS STATEMENT ON KARABAKH’S RECOGNITION

Aysor.am
Tuesday, January 26

Today, in an interview with the Russian Service of Voice of America,
Russian Duma’s vise-speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky has commented
the situation around his statement on Karabakh’s Independence,
in particularly, when he said if Karabakh declares independence,
then Russia must recognize it.

"The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is so deep that I can’t
say it’s possible to surrender Karabakh to Azerbaijan without war. So
it’s necessary to look for certainly new status which is expected to
be acceptable for all sides. Azerbaijan’s government feels aggrieved
with me when I say this, but it is not me the causer of this conflict.

I am just stating obvious and clear matters as a specialist who has
lived and worked in that region," he said.

Russia has not interest to gain one-sided better hands for Armenia,
according to Vladimir Zhirinovsky. He pointed that Russia’s interest
is to see stability in the region, so this brings some common basis
for Russia-U.S. cooperation.

It’s worth mentioning, that on January 16, Azerbaijan’s Embassy to
Russia sent to Russian Foreign Ministry a Stiff Note of Protest over
Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s statement on recognition of Karabakh.

VARUZHAN AKOBIAN HARD TO GET AHEAD AT CORUS CHESS FESTIVAL

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.01.2010 14:40 GMT+04:00

7th and 8th rounds of Corus Chess Festival held on January 23 and
24 in the Dutch city of Wijk aan Zee. Armenian grandmaster Varuzhan
Akobian in the 7th round met with Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (Romania)
and played a draw, while in the 8th round he lost to Dmitry Reiderman
(Netherlands). After the 8th round Akobian with 2 points still ranks
last, and 16-year-old Anish Giri (The Netherlands) is the leader of
the tournament "B".

Varuzhan Akobian (born November 19, 1983) is an American Grandmaster
of chess, originally from Armenia, who now resides in Los Angeles.

He became an International Master at age 16. In 2001, he moved to
the United States and one week after his 20th birthday in November,
2003, earned the title of Grandmaster.

Akobian won the World Open tournament in Philadelphia on three separate
occasions; he shared first place in 2002 and won it outright in 2004
and 2007. In 2006 he tied for first in the San Marino tournament with
a performance rating of 2796.

He played on the bronze medal winning USA team in the 2006 and 2008
Chess Olympiads.

In 2007, Akobian came equal first in the American Continental
Championship in Cali, Colombia. This qualified him for the Chess
World Cup 2007, where he was eliminated in the first round.

As of November 2009, he is the sixth highest rated player in the USA,
with a rating of 2624.

In 2007, Akobian was featured on MTV’s True Life documentary series,
in an episode titled "I’m a Genius".

Corus Chess 2010, the 72nd Corus Chess tournament is held from 15
January – 31 January 2010 in Wijk aan Zee.

Caucasus Research Resource Centers – Georgia
16 Zandukeli str.
0108, Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel: (+995 32) 50 52 90; 50 52 91; 50 52 92
Cell: (+995 99) 38 80 64

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
T +995 32 75 19 03/04
F +995 32 75 19 05
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<;

UC Berkeley Scholars Workshop

April 17 – May 1, 2010

The Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ISEEES) at the
University of California, Berkeley (UCB), in collaboration with the Caucasus
Research Resource Centers (CRRC), is soliciting proposals from scholars in
the Social Sciences and History from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to
participate in a two-week workshop at UCB from April 17 to May 1, 2010.

Who is eligible to participate?

* Citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
* Scholars who hold a "Kandidatskaya" degree or higher
* Scholars who have a level of proficiency in written and spoken
English that is sufficient to conduct independent research and engage in a
debate.

How to apply/documents to submit

* Completed application form
* A statement of purpose (the applicant’s research and teaching
experience and future plans, not exceeding 3 pages)
* A sample of scholarly research (not exceeding 10 pages)
* Curriculum Vitae

Application forms can be found at
< #app>
ml#app. The website also has a
detailed description of the purpose and design of the workshop. Applicants
should be sure to read the Program Description to ensure that they are
familiar with the design and requirements of the program.

Applications should be submitted via email to
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] by
February 12, 2010.

For detailed information, please see attached documents.
Kristina Vacharadze
Program Manager

CONSTRUCTION OF UNDERGROUND CAR PARK IN LIBERTY SQUARE TO FINISH IN MAY

Noyan Tapan
Jan 25, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. It is envisaged finishing the
construction of the underground car park in Yerevan’s Liberty Square
in May of this year. After familiarizing himself with the process of
construction work, Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglarian said on January 23
that the car park is important for easing traffic congestion in the
city as the modern three-story car park located under the square is
designed for 500 cars.

4 billion 150 million drams will be spent on the car park’s
construction. "This car park will enable to ease traffic congestion
in the city center. We also plan to build several other car parks in
Yerevan," the mayor said.

Construction work started in the 4th quarter of 2008. According to
Tiziano Ronci – Technical Director of Renco Armestate LLC implementing
construction work, the best air conditioning, lighting, and safety
systems will be installed at the car park. There will be signboards for
drivers, as well as elevators for disabled persons. The manucipality
will work out a policy and a price-list for users of the car park. The
special computerized systems will show how many vacant parking spaces
are on each floor and how to use them. The mayor underlined that
there will be no stalls at the underground car park and truck drivers
will not allowed to park their vehicles there. It was mentioned that
after the completion of construction work, the monuments to Hovhannes
Tumanian and Alexander Spendiarian will be put in their former places
and the square will have its previous appearance. Asphalt work will
finish soon. The installation of fire water supply pipes and the
interior decoration have been completed, and electrical equipment is
currently being installed.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN HANDED 2009 STATE AWARDS IN THE AREAS OF LITERATURE AND ART

president.am
Jan 22 2010
Armenia

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan handed 2009 state awards to a group
of professionals for their achievements in the areas of literature
and art as well as music, visual arts, architecture, and urban
development. The winners were nominated for the awards by their
respective professional Unions.

The President of Armenia congratulated the winners and expressed
satisfaction with the fact that this ceremony has become a good
tradition. "This is a very pleasing duty for me on behalf of the
people and the state to once again express gratitude and appreciation
to those individuals, who develop our culture, who, at least in the
contemporaries’ opinion, have been able to create lasting works.

Undoubtedly, time is the best judge; however we, the contemporaries,
should offer our appreciation to the individuals who have been able
to breathe a new life into our centuries-long cultural traditions. If
we are remiss to do it, it means that we are not appreciative and
are not able to recognize the good when we see it.

I believe that in the recent years the bulk of the works honored with
the state awards, have really been able to withstand the test of time,
I am sure of it.

With this regard, I would like to thank the Chairmen and members of
the commissions, who know extremely well all the difficulties you went
through. In a small country, with our mentality and our traditions it
is extremely difficult to make choices, and I am glad that they were
able to display a principled approach. With this regard, it is not only
acceptable but also agreeable that the members and the Chairpersons of
the commissions put forward their proposals regarding the awards. We
gladly take them into consideration," the President of Armenia said.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that the time has come to extend the field
for state awards and establish two new nominations – in the areas
of precise and natural sciences as well as humanitarian and social
sciences. President Sargsyan informed that it has also been decided
to increase the award fund and to double the financial component of
the award.

He also said that even though the global economic and financial crisis
had a severe impact on the economy of Armenia and its consequences have
not been overcome yet, the state ought not to forget the importance
of literature, culture, and science and prove it not only by words
but also in practical terms.

The President of Armenia wished the recipients of the awards great
artistic enthusiasm, high spirits, and multiple happy creative moments.

The winners expressed their gratitude to the President of Armenia
for the state’s continued attention toward the cultural life of the
Republic and noted that that attitude was the best incentive for
achieving new creative heights.

ANC: RA CONSTITUTIONAL COURTS VERDICT PRESENT FOR TURKEY

news.am
Jan 22 2010
Armenia

The RA Constitutional Court returned a verdict confirming the
constitutionality of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, attaching a
wordy declaration to it. Although the declaration has no legal force,
the state propaganda and the "opposition" Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF) hyped it up as a "neutralizer of
Turkey’s preconditions," regarding it as "a correction of diplomatic
blunders," reads a statement issued by the Armenian National Congress
(ANC).

According to the ANC, the Constitutional Court pit on a show by
returning a disgraceful verdict. "That trick is intended for ‘domestic
use’, slurring over the blunder and saving of the ‘opposition’
Dashnaktsutyun may turn into a trap for Armenia," the statement reads.

The RA Constitutional Court gave Turkey an expensive present, the ANC
states. "Like the Armenian authorities, the Turkish authorities take
the declaration attached to the verdict seriously," statement reads.

After Turkey "discovers" preconditions and points "running counter"
to the protocols, it will demand the revision of the verdict and lay
the responsibility for the failure of the process on Armenia.

"After getting as much as it wanted from the signing of the protocols,
Turkey has got ‘a legal’ pretext for not providing Armenia with the
minimum (the reopening of roads), which would be possible only after
the protocols are ratified," the statement says.

The ANC also states that "falling into one more trap is the result
of not only illegitimacy of the incumbent Armenian authorities, but
also complete incompetence of the relevant Armenian officials. New
failures are inevitable as long as, according to the most important
representative of the ruling regime, the following standard is in
effect there: you do not have to be a man of great intellect to become
a politician. This standard actually applies to all the officials at
all the level," says the statement.

TURKEY’S MINISTERS COUNCIL TO DISCUSS ARMENIAN COURT’S DECISION ON PROTOCOLS

Tert.am
18:10 ~U 21.01.10

A ministers council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, will take place in Turkey today. As reported by various
Turkish media, discussed during the meeting, among other issues, will
be the RA Constitutional Court’s decision on the Armenian-Turkish
Protocols.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 12:30 pm, local time,
in Ankara.