Author: Kajoyan Gevork

RUSSIA, ARMENIA DISCUSS MILITARY COOPERATION PROSPECTS

Trend, Azerbaijan
April 17 2013

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has negotiated with his Armenian
counterpart Seyran Ohanyan in Moscow today, Mediamax reported referring
to the Russian Defense Ministry.

The sides discussed the state and prospects of bilateral military
and military-technical cooperation and exchanged views on a number of
urgent issues related to ensuring security in the Caucasus. They also
considered the areas of cooperation to maintain peace and stability
in the region.

The positive dynamics in strengthening cooperation between the defense
ministries of the two countries was stressed at the talks.

NEW CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN ARMENIA

RAPSI – Russian Legal Information Agency
April 17 2013

YEREVAN, April 17 – RAPSI, Gamlet Matevosyan. New charges have been
brought against Armenian epic poetry expert and former presidential
candidate Vardan Sedrakyan, who was arrested on charges of ordering
the murder of another presidential candidate, head of the opposition
Union for National Self-Determination Paruyr Hayrikyan.

Sedrakyan was charged on March 5 under the article on attempted murder
of a statesman, politician or public figure and was arrested the same
day. The new charges brought against him on April 16 concern the same
crime, but accuse him of committing it with the help of accomplices.

This carries a longer sentence, up to life imprisonment.

The politician has not admitted guilt and has refused to testify.

Hayrikyan was shot in the shoulder on January 31. Two suspects were
detained on February 7, Khachatur Pogosyan, 47, previously convicted
for drug dealing, and Samvel Arutyunyan, 41. They have admitted their
guilt. The police found the revolver used in the assassination attempt
in Pogosyans flat. It has also emerged that they both used to work
for Sedrakyan.

BABUKHANYAN: ARMENIA SHOULD CHOOSE ITS WAY FOR INTEGRATION IN EURASIAN UNION

YEREVAN, April 17. /ARKA/. Hayk Babukhanyan, head of the
Constitutional Right Union party, thinks Armenia should choose its
way for integration in the Eurasian Union within 1.5 or 2 years.

He told journalists that there are certain terms, and a clear concept
of the Eurasian Union is expected to be shaped by January 2015.

Armenia, he said, should decide how it will be involved in this
process.

Babukhanyan said that the Eurasian Union has outdone the European
Union by economic indicators.

In his opinion, Armenia should join the Eurasian Union, especially
given the ongoing economic, financial and political instability.

He singled out free movement of people and goods, intensification of
investments and availability of energy resources among the advantages
of Armenia’s possible membership in the union.

Babukhanyan said that Armenia will also take advantage of humanitarian
cooperation among the union’s countries.—0—

PRESSE ARMENIENNE : REVUE DU 15 AVRIL 2013

Publie le : 17-04-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
presente cette Revue de Presse parue sur le site de l’Ambassade de
France en Armenie le 15 avril 2013.

Ambassade de France en Armenie

Revue de la presse armenienne du 15 avril 2013

I. Politique interieure

1. Raffi Hovhannissian minimise sa visite a Moscou et annonce la
creation d’un ” front national ” pour lutter contre les autorites / Les
quotidiens rendent compte de la manifestation du leader d’Heritage,
le 12 avril, au cours de laquelle, contrairement aux attentes du
public, il a garde le silence sur sa visite inattendue de deux jours
a Moscou. Il a seulement dit qu’il n’avait pas rencontre le President
Poutine.

S’agissant de la manifestation du 9 avril suivie d’un accrochage
entre manifestants et forces de l’ordre, M. Hovhannissian a reconnu
avoir commis des ” erreurs ” organisationnelles, mais s’est felicite
qu’elle se soit dans l’ensemble deroulee dans le calme. Il a accuse
les leaders d’autres formations de l’opposition de ne pas avoir
rejoint son rassemblement, les qualifiant de ” fausse ” opposition.

M. Hovhannissian a appele toutes les forces soucieuses du destin de
l’Armenie a se reunir, le 19 avril, pour former un ” front national ”
afin de poursuivre la lutte contre le regime. Reagissant aux critiques
de M. Hovhannissian a l’adresse d’autres groupes d’opposition, Armen
Roustamian du parti Dachnak, a declare que ” lorsque l’on fixe des
objectifs maximalistes sans etre en mesure de les atteindre, on cree
de la deception parmi le peuple “.

Tout en soutenant le mouvement de R. Hovhannissian et les
manifestations post-electorales, le parti Dachnak a dit que
l’opposition armenienne ne serait pas en mesure de forcer S.

Sarkissian a demissionner et devrait plutôt se concentrer sur la
realisation d’une reforme radicale de l’Etat. À cet egard, ce parti a
insiste sur l’importance de la prochaine election municipale a Erevan.

La victoire des forces de l’opposition a l’issue de ce scrutin
ouvrirait la voie a un ” changement de regime ” progressif dans
le pays.

2. Le Congrès national armenien s’est enfin transforme en parti
politique/ Le congrès fondateur du nouveau parti dont la creation
avait ete suggeree par Levon Ter-Petrossian a eu lieu samedi 13 avril.

LTP a ete unanimement elu President du parti Congrès national
armenien. Son conseil politique est constitue de 45 personnes.

Dans son discours, Levon Ter-Petrossian a explique les raisons
pour lesquelles il ne s’est pas joint a Raffi Hovhannissian et a
son mouvement post-electoral : ” Je ne participe qu’aux processus
politiques. Or, dans les actions de Raffi Hovhannissian, l’on a
constate tout, sauf des elements politiques”. Il a rappele que le
CNA avait ete le seul parti d’opposition a declarer publiquement que
Raffi Hovhannissian l’avait emporte face a Serge Sarkissian. LTP a
regrette qu’une union entre les groupes d’opposition n’ait pas ete
possible en vue des elections municipales d’Erevan, celle-ci etant
la dernière chance pour ” faire echouer le regime “. Aux yeux de
Ter-Petrossian, Serge Sarkissian, etant une personnalite ” rancunière
“, ne pardonnera jamais a Raffi Hovhannissian d’avoir recueilli 37%
des voix, ni a Gaguik Tsaroukian d’avoir mene, depuis deux ans,
une demarche independante.

3. Les ” millions ” des candidats au Conseil municipal d’Erevan/
Haykakan Jamanak consacre sa ” une ” aux declarations de patrimoine
presentees a la Commission electorale ce ntrale par les candidats,
se concentrant notamment sur celles du fils d’un depute du parti
Republicain, Mher Sedrakian, et d’un proche de l’homme d’affaires,
Samvel Alexanian, celui-ci egalement depute du parti Republicain.

Ainsi, le fils chômeur de 29 ans du depute contro verse Mher Sedrakian,
ancien maire de district d’Erevan, a officiellement declare posseder
12 immeubles d’une surface de 5000 m3. Au jour de la presentation de
sa declaration a la CEC, il a dit posseder 400 000 euros… Le proche
du depute Samvel Alexanian, Arthur Petrossian, directeur-adjoint
d’une des societes de M. Alexanian a declare posseder 34 immeubles,
dont 7 dans un quartier residentiel d’Erevan.

La surface de ses appartements, maisons, immeubles et garages serait
de 40 000 m3 et les terrains lui appartenant de 155 hectares.

Son salaire officiel de directeur-adjoint n’atteindrait toutefois
pas 200 euros… Haykakan Jamanak se concentre aussi sur les biens
du maire actuel d’Erevan, Taron Margarian, fils de feu le PM Andranik
Margarian. Il a declare posseder 11 immeubles a Erevan et dans la ville
de Djermouk d’une surface de 6699 m3. Le quotidien indique, a titre de
comparaison, que l’ensemble des bureaux des partis FRA/Dachnaksoutioun
et Armenie prospère a travers l’Armenie n’atteignent pas cette
surface. Au jour de la decla ration, il a dit posseder 115 millions
de drams (220 000 euros), 50 000 $ et 50 000 euros. Il est aussi
actionnaire (50%) d’une societe de taxi. Selon Haykakan Jamanak, les
avoirs des 195 personnes figurant sur la liste du parti Republicain
depasseraient quelques centaines de millions de dollars.

4. Nouvelle Commission nationale de defense des droits de l’Homme/
L’Ombudsman Karen Andreassian et le Secretaire du Conseil de
securite nationale, Arthur Baghdassarian, ont annonce la creation
imminente d’une nouvellenstructure en charge de la defense des
droits de l’Homme, qui sera dirigee par M. Baghdassarian. Toutes les
institutions etatiques auront un representant au sein de cette nouvelle
commission, de meme que des organisations non gouvernementales et
internationales. La Commission se chargera non seulement de la defense
des droits de l’Homme, mais aussi de l’application des lois ayant
trait a ce domaine. La presse d’opposition exprime son etonnement
face a la creation d’une nouvelle institution, alors que l’Armenie
dispose d’un Ombudsman. / Hayots Achkhar, Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun,
Haykakan Jamanak, Joghovourd

5. Les attaches militaires accredites en Armenie, dont celui de
la France, ont visite des entreprises d’armements/Hayots Achkhar,
Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun

6. Au cours des mois janvier-fevrier de cette annee, le montant des
transferts monetaires envoyes depuis l’etranger par des personnes
physiques a atteint 187 M USD / Ce montant depasse de 17 M USD celui de
la meme periode de l’annee dernière. Le principal pays source demeure
la Russie (150,5 M USD), suivie par les Etats-Unis (10,1M USD). /
Haykakan Jamanak

II. Questions regionales

1. La Ministre des AE georgienne a Erevan/ Maya Panjikidze s’est
entretenue avec le President Sarkissian, le PM Tigran Sarkissian, le
Ministre des AE Edouard Nalbandian et le President du Parlement Hovik
Abrahamian. Le President Sarkissian a transmis ses remerciements au PM
georgien, Bidzina Ivanichvili, pour l’attention portee aux monuments
historiques armeniens en Georgie. La Ministre georgienne a discute
avec ses interlocuteurs d’un large eventail de questions bilaterales
et regionales dont la delimitation des frontières entre les deux pays.

Le PM Tigran Sarkissian a souligne l’importance de la creation d’un
” marche unique ” entre les deux pays : ” Dans ce contexte, une
cooperation pourrait etre envisagee dans les domaines de l’agriculture,
des transports, ainsi que dans d’autres secteurs “. La Ministre
georgienne a par ailleurs declare a la presse que la Georgie n’avait
pas encore commence a travailler sur le projet de re-exploitation
du chemin de fer abkhaze. ” Nous allons identifier les interets de
la Georgie, former un groupe de travail qui etudiera la situation,
après quoi une decision pourra etre prise. Il est encore trop tôt
pour parler de remise en etat [du chemin de fer]. C’est juste une idee
lancee ici lors de la visite du Premier ministre [Bidzina Ivanishvili]
a Erevan. Mais rien de concret pour l’instant “.

III. France-Armenie

1. Entretien de l’Ambassadeur de France avec Lragir.am/ L’agence
de presse Lragir.am publie une interview avec l’Ambassadeur de
France consacree aux relations entre la France et l’Armenie,
les echanges commerciaux et les perspectives en la matière et la
conjoncture regionale. L’entretien est disponible en trois langues
sur

Redaction : Meri Hakobian

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Ambassade de France en Armenie

ARMENIE : APRES LE DUEL DES CEREMONIES, L’OPPOSITION A LA CROISEE DES CHEMINS

Alors que Serge Sarkissian a prete serment le 9 avril avant de
commencer un nouveau mandat en tant que president de l’Armenie, son
principal challenger, Raffi Hovhannisian, a promis de maintenir la
pression pour des changements. Mais de nombreux membres de l’opposition
se demandent si Raffi Hovhannisian est la bonne personne pour mener
la charge suivante.

L’investiture de Serge Sarkissian a eu lieu au complexe Sportif et
des concerts Karen Demirchyan a Erevan, la capitale armenienne. Des
unites de la police lourdement armes entouraient le complexe. Devant
des milliers de participants, et en placant sa main sur une bible
datant du 7e siècle Serge Sarkissian a promis de promouvoir et
de proteger une ” Armenie securisee. Le Catholicos Karekine II de
l’Eglise Apostolique Armenienne a aussi beni le presidence Sarkissian.

” Je jure de manière inconditionnelle repondre aux exigences de la
Constitution, de respecter les droits de l’homme et les libertes
civiles, de proteger l’independance de la Republique, son integrite
territoriale et sa securite pour la gloire de la Republique d’Armenie,
et au profit du peuple de la Republique d’Armenie “, a declare Serge
Sarkissian. Raffi Hovhannisian, avec ses partisans, affirment que des
elements pro-Sarkissian ont fraude lors de l’election presidentielle.

Afin de demontrer qu’ils considèrent le second mandat de Sarkissian
comme illegitime, des dizaines de milliers d’Armeniens se sont reunis
Place de la Liberte a Erevan pour mettre en scène ce qui devait etre
une investiture ” alternative ” de Raffi Hovhannisian. ” Peut-etre que
l’Armenie est sûre pour Serge Sarkissian et ses allies, mais notre
Armenie est dans un etat terrible. Les gens quittent le pays chaque
jour et nous sommes venus ici pour defendre nos voix et notre pays
” a declare un militant de l’opposition de la ville de Vanadzor a
EurasiaNet.org Place de la liberte.

Après que Raffi Hovannisian ait fait son propre serment presidentiel
avec sa main sur un exemplaire de la Constitution armenienne, il a
declare qu’il allait continuer a travailler pour rendre le pouvoir au
peuple. Mais il a laisse de nombreux participants decus en ne decrivant
les prochaines etapes de la lutte politique contre l’administration
de Serge Sarkissian.

” Je demande que M. Serge Sarkissian et le Catholicos viennent Place de
la Liberte et demandent pardon au peuple ” a declare Raffi Havannisian.

Un echantillonnage aleatoire d’opinion des personnes presentes Place
de la liberte suggère que les partisans de l’opposition ont faim d’une
vision positive de changement. Depuis les elections presidentielles
contestees, Raffi Hovhannisian a conduit la soi-disante Barevolution .

Mais au-dela de se moquer de la validite de l’election de Serge
Sarkissian, il n’a pas offert une alternative politique globale au
statu quo.

” Nous ne comprenons pas souvent ce que Raffi Hovhannisian veut, mais
les gens ne peuvent pas compter sur quelqu’un d’autre. Quand j’entends
les discours de Raffi, je me rends compte que rien ne changera dans
ce pays et, demain, les taux d’emigration va encore augmenter, car
les gens ne peuvent tout simplement pas placer tous leurs espoirs sur
quelque chose ou quelqu’un “, a declare un partisan de l’opposition
a EurasiaNet.org.

” J’ai des parents qui sont venus de Moscou et de Los Angeles pour
participer a cette manifestation, et maintenant nous allons etre decus,
car nous ne voyons pas ici la personne qui peut conduire les gens et
faire la difference “, a dit un autre critique de l’administration
Sarkissian.

Armen Badalyan, un expert politique a Erevan, a declare que la
prochaine etape pour le Parti Heritage d’Hovhannisian esr de gagner
beaucoup de sièges au sein du Conseil municipal d’Erevan lors des
prochaines elections debut mai.

Si l’opposition a Sarkissian peut fonctionner a Erevan, le soutien a
Hovhannisian pourrait s’averer ephemère, a suggere Manvel Yeghiazarian,
un ancien commandant militaire pendant le conflit du Haut-Karabakh et
maintenant critique eminente de Serge Sarkissian. ” Nous avons survecu
a la famine et avons combattus la faim et les epidemies dans les
annees 90. Nous l’avons fait parce que nous savions que nous etions
en train de construire l’Armenie ” a declare Yeghiazarian. ” Mais
cette situation floue est en train de tuer les gens maintenant. Nous
avons besoin d’un macon maintenant, pour dire les choses crûment,
tandis que Raffi est un teinturier. Cela ne veut pas dire que nous
n’acceptons pas le teinturier. Il construit une maison aussi. Mais
aujourd’hui, il est imperatif d’avoir un macon “.

Après les festivites place de la Liberte, Raffi Hovhannisian a
conduit les partisans de l’opposition en direction de la residence
presidentielle. La police antiemeute a bloque l’accès a la residence,
et, au milieu des affrontements, environ 20 personnes ont ete
arretees. Plus tard, Raffi Hovhannisian s’est rendu au memorial de
Tsitsernakaberd, dedie aux victimes du genocide armenien de 1915. La,
il a prie avec le chef de la police armenienne, Vladimir Gasparian. ”
Je prie pour Serge Sarkissian, pour le Catholicos et la police ”
a declare Raffi Hovhannisian.

Note de l’editeur :

Marianna Grigoryan est une journaliste independante basee a Erevan
et redacteur en chef du MediaLab.am.

EurasiaNet.org

mercredi 17 avril 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

SENIOR IRANIAN CLERIC: HISTORY WILL JUDGE TURKEY’S BETRAYAL OF SYRIA

16:49 16/04/2013 ” REGION

The Syrian fire will one day reach Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar,
Iranian Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi was quoted as saying by
Iran’s Mehr news agency.

Commenting on Turkey’s Syria policy at a meeting with Syrian
ambassador to Tehran Adnan Mahmoud, the senior Iranian cleric said, in
part, “One day the history will judge the betrayal of those countries
which sent terrorists to Syria to carry out killings in universities,
schools and mosques. Those like Erdogan and the Kings of Saudi Arabia
and Qatar will be fairly condemned in the course of history.”

Earlier, referring to Turkey’s policy to its neighbors, particularly
Syria, Naser Makarem Shirazi said, in part, “The Turkish authorities
have turned off 180 degrees from the path of Islam. They arm
terrorists and send them to Syria to kill their Muslim brothers. State
relations have nothing to do with us, but we announce that our entire
nation feels disgust for you.”

Related: Senior Iranian cleric to Turkish authorities: Our entire
nation feels disgust for you

AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH BLASTS SEPARATIST REGIME’S STATEMENT

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 16 2013

By Sara Rajabova

The Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan
has harshly responded to a statement by the “prime-minister” of the
so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” Ara Harutyunyan about the
Khojaly airport in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“If Harutyunyan supports resolving the issue within the framework of
human rights, then, first of all, he should raise the issue of
restoration of the rights of the Azerbaijani population expelled from
Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, and their return to the native
lands,” chairman of the coordinating council of the Azerbaijani
Community of Nagorno-Karabakh Public Union Orkhan Akbarov told
journalists. “If it is a question of human rights, why are the rights
of Azerbaijanis from Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions not
protected?”

During a press conference held earlier, the “prime minister” of the
so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” Harutyunyan said that the issue
of commissioning the Khojaly airport should be resolved not in the
political arena, but within human rights.

“No international entity recognizes the so-called ‘Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic’, established as a result of the occupation of Azerbaijani
lands by Armenia, while the international community recognizes the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,” Akbarov said.

According to him, Harutyunyan and others like him who support the
separatist regime should be punished under international law for the
expulsion of the Azerbaijani population of Nagorno-Karabakh from their
homes, the ethnic cleansing perpetrated in the region, the Khojaly
genocide and other crimes.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy
war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20
percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory,
including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security
Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenia’s withdrawal from the
Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.

A precarious cease-fire was signed in 1994. However, units of the
Armenian armed forces commit armistice breaches on the frontline
almost every day.

Armenian media frequently reports that the airport in Khojaly is to be
commissioned in the near future.

Recently, Chief of the General Department of Civil Aviation (GDCA) of
Armenia Artyom Movsisyan said that this body will allow civil aircraft
to fly to the occupied territory of Azerbaijan.

According to Movsisyan, flights will be carried out on board 19-seat
Armenian planes. He declined to disclose dates.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that commissioning of
the airport is an open violation of the Convention on International
Civil Aviation adopted on December 7, 1944 in Chicago.

Besides, Azerbaijan’s Civil Aviation Administration recently condemned
Armenia over the statement on the opening of flights from Yerevan to
Khankendi and vice versa, saying these actions are not in line with
international law.

Azerbaijan has banned the use of airspace of its Armenian-occupied
territory Nagorno-Karabakh, as no one can guarantee the safety of the
area.

The International Civil Aviation Organization and European Civil
Aviation Conference support Azerbaijan’s position on the issue.

Document No.121 on airports of the ICAO cited the Khojaly airport as
property of Azerbaijan.

International flights from the Khojaly airport, constructed in 1978,
were prohibited after the occupation of territories by Armenia. The
Khojaly airport, which has been registered in international
organizations with the name UB13, is a facility with military
purposes.

OBAMA’S TALKS WITH TURKEY: LET US PREACH WHAT WE PRACTICE

Forbes
April 16 2013

By James D. Zirin

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Washington May
16 to meet with President Obama, largely to discuss his country’s
relationship with the US and the European community, and most probably
Erdogan’s on-again off-again relationship with Israel. Undoubtedly,
a strong US alliance with Turkey, with its vibrant economy and
geo-political position, is of tremendous strategic importance to the
United States. In the run-up to the meeting, however, Obama might
well consider Turkey’s human rights record, particularly how many
nations are left on this planet where someone could go to jail over
a Twitter post? North Korea, Iran, China? Maybe. But Turkey is the
latest to win that dubious distinction.

Fazil Say, 42 years-old, is an internationally recognized Turkish
pianist and composer, who has performed with major orchestras
throughout the world, including the New York Philharmonic and the
Berlin Symphony. His personal style of composition, rooted in the
folk music of Turkey, evokes Bartok: a fantasia-like basic structure;
and a variable dance-like rhythm.

An Istanbul court convicted Say of inciting hatred, insulting Islam
and offending Muslims on Twitter. Although not sentenced to jail,
he is on probation for five years on condition that he not re-offend
Muslims, even if he is just re-tweeting what someone else said. Say
could have been sentenced to 18 months in prison. The case renewed
brewing concerns about the influence of religion on Turkish politics.

Say’s “crime” was a series of tweets posted earlier last year. In one
message he retweeted a verse from a poem by Omar Khayyam in which the
11th-century Persian poet attacks pious hypocrisy: “You say rivers
of wine flow in heaven, is heaven a tavern to you? You say two huris
[companions] await each believer there, is heaven a brothel to you?”

In other tweets, he made fun of a muezzin (a caller to prayer),
implying that the particular muezzin’s call lasted only 22 seconds
because he wanted to go out for a drink. Another retweet by Mr. Say
posits: “I am not sure if you have also realized it, but if there’s
a louse, a non-entity, a lowlife, a thief or a fool, it’s always an
Allah-ist.” Bad taste, maybe, in a country where Muslims comprise
roughly 98% of the population, but hardly a crime?

Turkey is not a particularly safe place for artists and intellectuals,
or women for that matter, who may wish to criticize Erdogan’s
government. In 2007, a journalist Hrant Dink, who had written about
the Armenian genocide of 1915, was shot dead on an Istanbul street. A
judge last year fined Orhan Pamuk, the Nobel laureate writer, $3,700
for saying in a Swiss newspaper that Turks “have killed 30,000 Kurds
and 1 million Armenians.”

Pointing to the Say and Pamuk cases, as well as the prosecution of
numerous journalists, artists and intellectuals for voicing their
views, critics have accused the governing AK Party of undermining
the secular values of Turkey’s founder Kemal Ataturk, and pandering
to Islamists, who have recently asserted themselves with renewed
intensity. Say himself claimed that his prosecution was politically
motivated. An atheist, Say had often criticized the Islamist-rooted
party, accusing it of having a secret agenda to promote conservative
values.

The European Union, which Turkey seeks to join, admonished Erdogan
about the Say conviction. A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton said Brussels was “concerned” by the prosecution,
which “underlines the importance for Turkey to fully respect freedom
of expression.” Amnesty International said in a report last month
that “freedom of expression is under attack in Turkey,” calling for
legislative reforms to bring “abuses to an end.”

Dozens of journalists are in detention in Turkey, as well as lawyers,
politicians and lawmakers – most of them accused of plotting against
the government or having links with the outlawed Kurdish rebel movement
the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Meanwhile, Erdogan continues with
his sultanic project to build at state expense over the Bosporus the
largest mosque in Turkey, as Fazil Say calls his conviction “a sad
day for Turkey.”

Madeleine Albright has said that foreign policy is getting other
countries to do what you want them to do. Obama should use the
occasion of the Erdogan meeting to take heed of the clarion call of
another British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who said in his
“Iron Curtain” speech delivered in Fulton, Missouri March 5, 1946,
“All this means … that freedom of speech and thought should reign;
that courts of justice, independent of the executive, unbiased by any
party, should administer laws which have received the broad assent of
large majorities or are consecrated by time and custom. Here are the
title deeds of freedom which should lie in every cottage home. Here
is the message of the British and American peoples to mankind. Let
us preach what we practice – let us practice what we preach.”

Turkey’s human rights record is execrable. When Obama meets Erdogan
next month, he should preach a little of what we try to practice.

THE TRUE HISTORY OF AZERIS’ RESETTLEMENT FROM ARMENIA

The Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR helped the resettled
population sell their houses, with monetary compensation also provided.

Azerbaijan continues its habit of distorting history: while accusing
Armenia of every mortal sin, it pretends to be a lamb, misunderstood by
everyone in the world except Turkey. It was ex-President Heydar Aliyev
who first tried to “rewrite” the history. Even now, Baku is trying
to prove that the resettlement of Azeris from Armenia was “the doing
of Armenians.” March 29, 2013 PanARMENIAN.Net – Clearly, current
generation of Azerbaijanis has no idea of Stalin, the USSR or the
fact that back then, all the issues were solved in Moscow. There is an
actual document on the resettlement dated December 23, 1947. Authored
by the USSR Council of Ministers, the resolution â~D~V4083 stipulated
for resettlement of the Azeri population of the Armenian SSR to
the Kura-Araks Lowland of the Azerbaijani SSR. In 1948-1950, 100000
Azerbaijanis were voluntarily resettled. The same resolution allowed
Armenian SSR’s Council of Ministers to use the vacated houses for the
settlement of Diaspora Armenians who repatriated to their historic
homeland. The resolution was signed by the chairman of the USSR
Council of Ministers Jоseph Stalin and the executive Chadaev.

According to the document, the Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR
was to help the resettled population sell their houses, with monetary
compensation also provided. The resettlement was by no means an act
of repression contrary to what Baku is trying to insinuate.

Some â~@~historiansâ~@~] however, insist that the
â~@~deportationâ~@~] was planned by the first secretary of the
central committee of Armeniaâ~@~Ys Communist Party Georgy Arutinov
in order to â~@~regain historic lands.â~@~]

But then, how could ever impose any plans on Stalin unless he latter
was not interested in them?

True, Stalin was interested in repatriation of Armenians which were
followed by customary Stalin-era repressions. Thousands of Armenians
were sent to Altai over a mythical connection with ARF Dashnaktsutyun,
outlawed in USSR. In July 1949, mass deportations of Armeniaâ~@~Ys
intellectual elite to Central Asia, where half of them died, were
orchestrated.

It so happens that the history of the last 20-30 years becomes
rewritten for the benefit of current rulers, turning yesterdayâ~@~Ys
villains into heroes. Still, regardless of â~@~interpretations,â~@~]
factual documents canâ~@~Yt be rewritten like they were in Orwellâ~@~Ys
â~@~1984.â~@~]

But the explanation could be much easier: Baku has conjured up an
imaginary world, like Alice did, behind the looking glass. Still,
Azerbaijan would do well to remember: those who live in glass houses
should not throw stones.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan

IT WAS THE KURDS THEMSELVES WHO DID NOT ASK FOR A KURDISH STATE: TURKISH HISTORIAN

Tuesday, April 16, 21:36

It was the Kurds themselves who did not ask for a Kurdish state, says
Professor Dogu Ergil, one of the most renowned political sociologists
from Turkey.

Ergil explains that the Kurds “cooperated” with the Turks against
the Armenians to deport them and seized the goods and property left
behind by the Armenians. He says that the Treaty of Lausanne was
crafted with the consent of the Kurds. “They did not want a Kurdish
state for several reasons. But the primary reason was the ambition
of some to create a separate Armenia in the same lands. The Kurds
wanted to prevent this from happening,” says Ergil.

Zaman quotes the Turkish professor as saying that the Kurds played
an extensive role in the expulsion of Armenians from Turkey and the
appropriation of their properties.

“Kurds and Armenians used to live together in East Anatolia. They
cooperated with Turkish official circles in the deportation of
Armenians and played a primary role in the redistribution of the
property and land of the deported Armenians. Their return would mean
that everything should be restored and reversed. They converted their
children to Islam and took them into Kurdish families. And, of course,
there was no Turkism back then; there was a state approach based on
an understanding of Islam. This was pretty understandable for the
Kurds. They have lived like this for centuries. No room was left for
Kurdishness when Turkishness in a political sense was invented because
this place was declared as being the land of the Turks,” says Ergil.