Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO CZECH REPUBLIC: AZERBAIJANI PROPAGANDA RESULTS ARE OBVIOUS IN CZECH REPUBLIC

13:33 22/02/2013 ” SOCIETY

A seminar-film watching was organized in the Chamber of Deputies of the
Czech Parliament on the initiative of the Armenian Embassy in Prague
and the Chairman of the Czech Republic-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary
Friendship Group Robin BÅ’hnisch and the head of “Diverbium” civic
association Pavla Truhlarova, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of
Karabakh movement and Sumgait massacres.

The information and public relations department of the RA MFA informed
that Mr. BÅ’hnisch has made an introductory speech. He has stated
that Czech Republic wishes to develop friendly relations with all the
South-Caucasian states and they have managed it due to the balanced
position of the Czech Republic regarding the Karabakh conflict
which remains stable regardless of anything. He also stated that
very often the positions and announcements of MP-s are abused. This
happened also one day before, when the Azerbaijani press published
the well-known resolution before it was officially announced by the
foreign relations committee.

As the source informs, Tigran Seyranyan, the Armenian ambassador to
Czech Republic, made an extensive speech. He first introduced the
beginning of the Karabakh conflict when in response to peaceful
rallies Sumgait massacre was implemented by the Azerbaijanis as
well as a number of other acts of violence. They also started a war,
which brought to death of thousands.

Afterwards the RA Ambassador has applied to the Czech MPs and has
touched upon the unilateral resolution of the foreign relations
committee of the Chamber of Representatives about the Khojalu events.

The ambassador has stated that Azerbaijan is spending big amount of
money over anti-Armenian racist and militant campaign, and is using
all the possible means.

“The results of that campaign unfortunately can be seen in the
Czech Republic as well,” he has noted. “Some of the MPs, without
regarding the historical realities and facts, the witness of which
is Dana Mazalova, have adopted a pro-Azerbaijani statement which is
within the interests of Azerbaijan only – a country where Armenofobia
and racism are state policy, where there are hundreds of political
prisoners, where murderer Safarov is awarded as a hero, where the
famous writer Ekrem Eylisli is being chased and censured publicly for
telling the truth about the massacres and for making solidarity call,”
the ambassador continued.

Fragments from the documentary film “Sumgait: Ordinary Genocide”
was presented after the speech of the ambassador. After that the film
of the Bulgarian journalist and publicist Tcvetana Paskaleva “My dear
survivors and dead” was presented. Tsvetana Paskaleva’s speech followed
the film. She has presented how she appeared to be in Karabakh and
stressed that the events and the truth made her to stay in Artsakh
and to cover the struggle of the heroic people. Paskaleva called on
the PMs to thoroughly study the facts before adopting a decision.

“If Czech Republic wants to show that its country has neutral
position in Karabakh issue then the same committee has to adopt
another resolution condemning the Sumgait massacre,” she has noted
and has added that her documentaries about Karabakh war are calls on
politicians of the world to demonstrate a political will instead of
cynicism and to recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh. Only
after that the Armenians and the Azerbaijani will be able to leave
in peace as neighbors.

Chairman of the Inter-parliamentary group of friends Czech Republic –
Turkey Václav Kubata also made a speech and said that the committee
has had no aim to adopt a resolution on supporting only one of the
sides, but has been determined to condemn the violence used against
the peaceful citizens. He has confessed that the resolution has been
adopted hastily without studying the facts properly and it needs to
be additionally discussed.

Czech journalist Dana Mazalova also made a speech at the end of
the event. She as a witness has once again denied the Azerbaijani
disinformation concerning the events of Khojalu and has condemned
the unilateral statement of the foreign affairs committee.

Source: Panorama.am

NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS STATEMENT ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION MOVEMENT
Lusine Avanesyan

“Radiolur”
13:47 22.02.2013
Stepanakert

The NKR National Assembly adopted a statement on the occasion of the
25th anniversary of the Artsakh National Liberation Movement.

Reminding about the Artsakh Movement and its consequences, the NKR
National Assembly noted in the statement that “today the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic is a full-fledged, independent, sovereign, democratic
and social state, which independently solves all issues connected
with domestic and foreign problems and relations with neighbors.”

“On this basis the people of Nagorno Karabakh see their future and the
life of the coming generations in the Motherland,” the statement reads.

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST ARMENIAN JUDOKA IS RUSSIA’S SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL ATHLETE

February 22

Russian Olympic judo team’s Armenian member, Arsen Galstyan (60 kg),
who was the first to win gold for the Russian delegation at the 2012
London Olympics, is announced as Russia’s second most successful
athlete for 2012.

The respective rating was conducted by R-Sport News Agency. Analysts
and partners took part in this evaluation.

Aside from athletic accomplishments, the panel also considered the
given athlete’s personal qualities, the degree of impact on people’s
decisions toward maintaining an active lifestyle, the print media
references, and online surveys.

To note, Arsen Galstyan was also included in the 2012 list of top
ten athletes of Russia.

NEWS.am Sport

LE NOMBRE D’ARMENIENS DE SYRIE ARRIVES EN ARMENIE EST ESTIME A 7000, SELON USA TODAY

Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun fait etat de l’enlèvement d’un pretre
catholique armenien dans la ville de Homs. Les kidnappeurs ont
demande une rancon. Par ailleurs, selon Armenpress, un Syrien
d’origine armenienne de 43 ans a ete tue a Alep, le 14 fevrier,
et un autre enleve.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 15 fevrier 2013

vendredi 22 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

AZERBAIDJAN : COUP BAS A BAKOU

Dans l’Azerbaïdjan du president Ilham Aliev, republique turcophone du
Caucase, aussi riche en petrôle que pauvre en democratie, on ne rigole
pas avec l’image de l’ennemi armenien. L’ecrivain septuagenaire Akram
Aylisli, l’a appris a ses depens.

Avec son dernier livre, Reves de pierre, publie en decembre dernier
dans le mensuel litteraire russe Drujba narodov, l’ecrivain azeri
Akram Aylisli, 75 ans, est brusquement devenu un renegat dans son
pays, Son crime ? Avoir signe une saga sur les rapports armeno-azeris,
decrivant une amitie entre deux voisins armenien et azeri au Karabakh,
enclave majoritairement peuplee d’Armeniens, et rattachee en 1923 par
Staline a l’Azerbaïdjan. Or, une guerre y a oppose les deux peuples
entre 1990 et 1994, qui s’est soldee par une victoire armenienne
et un cessez-le-feu. Depuis lors, l’Armenien fait a Bakou figure
d’ennemi n.1.

Convaincu que chaque nation doit avoir le courage d’affronter les
pages obscures de son passe, Aylisli relate dans son livre les
exactions commises contre la minorite armenienne au Nakhitchevan
pendant les annees 1920, puis a Soumgaït et a Bakou a la fin
de l’ère sovietique. Un tabou et une heresie, aux yeux du regime
autocratique du president Ilham Aliev, qui attise a dessein des idees
belliqueuses et revanchistes au sein de la population. Dès l’annonce
de la publication de ” Reves de pierre “, que très peu de gens ont lu
en Azerbaïdjan puisqu’il n’y a pas ete publie, une violente campagne
s’est dechaînee contre Aylisli, romancier et traducteur jusque la
reconnu et respecte. Taxe de traître a sa patrie par la propagande
officielle, relayee par les media infeodes au pouvoir, il est jete
en pâture a la fureur de ses compatriotes..

Le 7 fevrier, par decret, le president Aliev dechoit Aylisli de
son statut d'” auteur national “, le privant des 950 euros mensuels
qu’il recevait a ce titre. Sa femme, Galina, qui dirigeait depuis
de longues annees la Bibliothèque pour enfants Nazim Hikmet a Bakou,
est licenciee de son poste, tout comme son fils, Najaf Naibov, chef
de section, depuis 12 ans, dans le service financier des Douanes.

Poussees par cette campagne, des foules, aussi indignees que zelees,
brûlent publiquement des portraits de l’ecrivain ainsi que ses livres,
l’invitant a ” quitter le pays “. Toujours devoue, Hafiz Haciyev, le
leader du parti pro-gouvernemental Muasir Musafat (Egalite moderne)
annonce le 10 fevrier qu’il offre une recompense de 10.000 manats
(environ 10.000 euros) a qui lui apporterait l’oreille d’Akram
Aylisli !…. Trois jours plus tard, c’est le Sheikh-ul-Islma Hajdji
Allahshukur Pashazade, chef de l’Office musulman du Caucase et proche
du pouvoir a Bakou, qui le traite d’ ” infidèle “, tandis que la très
officielle Academie des sciences annonce l’ouverture d’une enquete
sur son roman ! Enfin, un depute aussi patriote qu’inventif suggère
que l’ecrivain se soumette a un test ADN, pour que celui ci determine
d’eventuelles origines armeniennes…

Du coup, l’ONG Human Rights Watch a appele Bakou a faire respecter
la liberte d’expression et assurer la securite de l’ecrivain :
“Les autorites ont le devoir de proteger Akram Aylisli”, mais elles
“font en sorte de l’intimider, le mettant en danger avec une campagne
de denigrement et de declarations hostiles”, souligne HRW.

Heureusement, quelques opposants et defenseurs des droits de l’Homme
ont pris le parti de l’ecrivain. President du PEN-Club azeri, l’auteur
de romans policiers Tchinguiz Abdoullaïev l’a publiquement defendu, au
nom de la liberte d’expression, le comparant au Nobel de litterature
turc Orhan Pamuk, poursuivi dans son pays pour avoir mentionne le
genocide armenien, et contraint a s’exiler. Refugie du Karabakh,
le poète azeri Gunel Movlud dit avoir lu ” avec grand plaisir ”
Reves de pierre, qu’il dit ” magnifiquement ecrit “. Originaire de
l’enclave, et donc victime directe de ce conflit, il assure n’y avoir
” rien de choquant ”

A l’etranger, le romancier russe d’origine georgienne Boris Akounine
apostrophe ainsi Bakou : ” Voulez-vous repeter l’histoire de Salman
Rushdie ? Voulez-vous devenir un Etat voyou ? Montrez que l’Azerbaidjan
est un pays civilise, où les livres ne font pas l’objet de represailles
“.

Un brin choque, l’ecrivain compare ce deferlement de haine aux pires
heures du stalinisme. ” Je ne veux pas quitter l’Azerbaidjan, j’ai 75
ans ! Mais il semble bien que je devrais demander l’asile politique
quelque part ” se desole-t-il.

Neanmoins, il persiste et signe : ” J’ai voulu dire aux Armeniens que
nous pouvons encore vivre côte a côte “, explique-t-il. Force est de
constater que le courageux ecrivain a agi en connaissance de cause.

Ardent critique du president actuel, et de son père Heidar Aliev, qui
regna d’une main de fer en Azerbaidjan depuis l’epoque sovietique,
avant d’imposer son fils comme heritier, c’est, dit-il, un episode
particulièrement sordide qui l’a incite a publier ” Reves de pierre “.

Lorsque, en septembre dernier, Aliev a grâcie, promu et traite en heros
national Ramil Safarov, un officier azeri condamne a perpetuite en
2004 en Hongrie, pour avoir decapite a la hache un collègue armenien,
lors d’un stage du partenariat pour la paix de l’Otan a Budapest.

” Quand j’ai vu cette reaction delirante et la surenchère artificielle
de haine entre Armeniens et les Azeris, j’ai decide de publier mon
roman “, a-t-il confie au site Eurasianet.org. Et le meilleur est
sans doute encore a venir. Reves de pierre fait partie d’une trilogie,
dont un volume est tout entier consacre au defunt president-autocrate
Heidar Aliev….

Anne Dastakian – Marianne

vendredi 22 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

JACQUES HONOURED TWICE

Northern District Times (Australia)
February 20, 2013 Wednesday
1 – Main Book Edition

by Scott Howlett

A SYRIAN-born Armenian living in North Ryde has been thanked in
Federal Parliament for his volunteer work.

Jacques Baran was announced as the Ryde Citizen of the Year on
Australia Day for his work at North Ryde Community Aid and Information
Centre, where he volunteers for 10 hours a week.

Mr Baran, 66, was praised in Federal Parliament by Bennelong Liberal
MP John Alexander.

“In 1985, Jacques migrated to Australia with his family, embracing
his new home, while also celebrating his Armenian background,” Mr
Alexander said.

“In 2011, Jacques joined the North Ryde Community Aid and Information
Centre as a volunteer, assisting disabled and aged clients with their
transport needs and providing his specialist language skills for
Armenian seniors to interact with the community.”

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN SKIRT WAR IN DISPUTED ENCLAVE

The Toronto Star, Canada
February 21, 2013 Thursday

Nagorno-Karabakh caught up in 20 years of ethnic conflict

In the 1990s, the aftershocks of the Soviet Union’s collapse kept on
coming in the fractious southern Caucasus.

Georgia fought two separatist wars. Russia battled Chechen rebels. And
the tiny disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh exploded into conflict
between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In the 21st century, two out of the three – Georgia and Chechnya – went
back to war. And this week – on the 25th anniversary of a vote that
launched two decades of unresolved ethnic strife in Nagorno-Karabakh,
a leading expert on the little known region says it could be next.

“The risk may seem relatively low,” said Thomas de Waal of the Carnegie
Endowment, “but the only thing that is stopping a war is the leaders’
own calculation.”

Nagorno-Karabakh was shared for centuries by Muslim Azeris and
Christian Armenians. But after the First World War, the newly
formed Soviet Union created a largely Armenian autonomous region of
Nagorno-Karabakh within the republic of Azerbaijan.

In February 1988, the local Soviet parliament for Karabakh voted to
join Armenia, touching off an inter-ethnic explosion.

Some 30,000 people died in conflicts that left ethnic Armenians
as victors, who occupied new territory in Azerbaijan to create a
buffer zone and corridor linking Karabakh and Armenia. The enclave
was declared an independent – but unrecognized – republic.

War broke out again, and pogroms of Armenians and Azeris forced both
groups to flee their homes. A Russian-brokered ceasefire ended the
fighting in 1994. But more than 1 million ethnic Azeris and Armenians
still cannot return home.

Since then, the tiny territory of about 160,000 people – one-fifth
the area of Nova Scotia – has become a “frozen conflict” zone despite
rounds of peace talks to settle its status.

Meanwhile, said de Waal, Azerbaijan has become an economic oil giant
in the region, but with a democratic deficit. President Ilham Aliyev’s
regime is using its new-found wealth to equip and expand the army. It
is also ratcheting up tensions with anti-Armenian rhetoric.

In one of the most extreme cases, 75-year-old writer Akram Aylisli
was burned in effigy for a book he wrote to heal relations between
ethnic Azerbaijanis and Armenians, and a pro-government party offered
a $13,000 bounty for cutting off his ear.

“Azerbaijan doesn’t want a compromise with people who ‘stole our
land,'” de Waal said last week at the University of Toronto’s Munk
Centre. “It spends $4 billion a year on its army.”

As Karabakh Armenians see themselves losing the arms race, some favour
a “knockout blow” against Azerbaijan before the point of no return
is reached.

“There’s also the possibility of an accidental war started along the
ceasefire line – one day someone could lob a mortar shell across it,”
said de Waal. In an uneasy neighbourhood that includes traditional foes
Iran, Turkey and Russia, a renewed conflict could have a ripple effect.

Both sides routinely attend sporadic peace talks and say they want a
peace deal. But with Azerbaijan demanding a return of Karabakh, with
some autonomy, and Armenia insisting on independence, it’s unlikely
to happen soon.

“There are perfectly sensible plans for peace, but there have to be
basic levels of trust,” de Waal said. “Now there’s a lack of both
trust and interaction.”

HOVANNISIAN CALLS ON CROWD TO WELCOME SARGSYAN TOMORROW AT FREEDOM SQUARE

18:00, February 20, 2013

At a rally this evening in Yerevan’s Freedom Square, Raffi Hovannisian
called on his supporters to return tomorrow to witness the arrival
of Serzh Sargsyan and the ultimate transfer of power to the people.

Hovannisian claims that he, not Sargsyan, won the February 18 election
for president.

The American-born Hovannisian, Armenia’s first minister of foreign
affairs, officially won some 37% of the vote to Sargsyan’s 58%.

BAKO SAHAKYAN: OUR NATION’S STRUGGLE WAS AT THE VERY BASIS OF 1988 MOVEMENT

17:31 20/02/2013 ” REGION

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan issued a congratulatory
address on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Artsakh
National-Liberation Movement.

Respected compatriots,

Dear people of Artsakh,

25 years ago this day proved to be pivotal for Artsakh and the
whole Armenian people. The entire nation stood with a peaceful and
legitimate demand corresponding to fundamental norms and principles of
international law to restore historical justice, defend our violated
dignity, rights and liberties.

Our nation’s struggle against foreign yoke, nearly seven decades of
persistent violence and oppression was at the very basis of the 1988
Movement. Despite all of that, the national-liberation outburst did
not cultivate national hatred and animosity towards the neighboring
nation. However, authorities of Azerbaijan responded to our civilized
demands and peaceful demonstrations by organizing massacres, exiles
and persecution. They once again tried to solve the Armenian issue
through already applied policy – genocide.

Nevertheless, this time their infernal intensions were doomed to
failure. The whole Armenian nation consolidated for the sake of
defending Artsakh, the native country and people, its honor and
reliable future. At the cost of the best Armenian sons’ blood, due
to their heroic deeds and selflessness we succeeded in protecting
our independence and freedom as well as gave a worthy rebuff to the
enemy establishing peace and stability in the whole region. Eternal
glory and honor to all the martyrs!

Dear compatriots,

Valuating the 25-year long path we can say with honor and dignity
that realizing the ideas of the objective of 1988 Movement the
Armenian nation restored its statehood, and today due to the
Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora unshakable trinity it carves its own fate
independently, keeps inviolable the native country’s frontiers,
develops the land of ancestors and always maintains bright the
hearth fire.

All of us, the whole nation will do everything possible for continuous
strengthening of our independent statehood that has been reached
at such a high price. It is an exclusive value without which it is
impossible to think about the immortality and development of the
Fatherland and the native people.

Dear citizens of Artsakh,

On behalf of the republic’s authorities and personally myself I
congratulate you, all our sisters and brothers in Armenia and the
Diaspora on this great holiday. I wish all of you peace, robust health
and great success.

Source: Panorama.am

RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN’S RALLY KICKS OFF IN YEREVAN FREEDOM SQUARE (LIVE TRANSMISSION, UPDATED)

17:28 ~U 20.02.13

Rally of the leader of the Heritage party Raffi Hovhannisian launched
minutes ago in Yerevan Freedom Square. Earlier Hovhannisian stated
that the elections have been rigged and he is the newly-elect president
and not the incumbent Serzh Sargsyan.

Yesterday at an open-air news conference Hovhannisian called on Serzh
Sargsyan to meet today before 5 pm and transfer the power to people.

Earlier president’s spokesperson told Panorama.am that Serzh Sargsyan
is ready to meet with the leaders of political forces and Raffi
Hovhannisian is not exclusion.

Addressing thousands of people in the square Hovhannisian said the
time has come to assess the past, to learn from the mistakes. “From
tonight we will look to the future. It is the first de jure victory in
these 20 years. I was mistaken saying yesterday that it was the first
victory. Vazgen Manukyan, Stepan Demirtchyan, Levon Ter-Petrosyan
have also won. But this one will not be just moral victory, it will
be real. The power will belong to people,” he said.

Reminding that today is the 25th anniversary of Karabakh movement,
Hovhannisian said the Armenian people are victorious people.

Raffi Hovhannisian interrupted his speech, saying he will continue
it at 6 pm.