Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIANS IN UZBEKISTAN MARK UN DAY
by Georgiy Saakov

Published: Monday November 26, 2012

At the Armenian booth in Tashkent.

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Armenia featured in Uzbekistan school event

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN – Since 1948 the United Nations Day has been
marked on October 24. The celebration at Tashkent International School
(TIS) took form of national cultures festival.

Students in national dress of about 40 countries with their parents
attended the pavilion expositions introduced by the embassies of 15
countries. Armenia was represented by the Uzbekistan Armenian Cultural
Centre. Various cultures cookeries tasting was especially delightful
for the participants who also felt the cause of the occasion.

At the UN Day celebration in Tashkent very few visitors knew anything
specific about Armenia. Being met by TIS host-students Migran
Miskirijyan and Stephan Khachatryan and the young reporters of “DEPI
APAGA” Uzbekistan Armenian magazine the guests from the USA, Germany,
France, Turkey, Arabian and South-East Asian countries heard about
history, traditions and the typical features of Armenian culture.

It turned out that one of the visitors was going to go to Armenia
soon with others already been there. They shared their impressions
after visiting Echmiadzin, Geghard, Garni and Tsitsernakaberd. They
showed their awareness of the Armenian genocide, a crime against
humanity and civilization which continues to pain the hearts of the
Armenian generations causing solidarity of people of good will all
over the world.

Tigereda Kulessa seemed extremely impressionable. Looking at the
board with the Armenian letters created by Mesrob Mashtots in the
V century caused plenty of her emotions. Without any hesitation the
Ethiopian citizen named “ayb, ben, gim”, one by one all the letters
of the Armenian alphabet and after that she began to tell about the
striking similarity of Armenian and Ethiopian writing. Actually, both
Armenia and Ethiopia have deep historical and spiritual ties. Both
nations are not only happy owners of their writings (there are only
a couple dozen of linear alphabets in the world), their clerical
dogmatism is the same and both Churches are among the oldest on Earth.

We’re all the UN. All the festival participants were similar in their
wish to know better and understand each other. With our personal
preferences and values we’re all different. But the human being
with his inalienable rights and freedoms remains the main value in
the world.

Modern world has been changing. It doesn’t get any better or worse,
it becomes just different. At the UN 60th anniversary presidents and
kings once had attempted to reform it but didn’t come to an agreement.

Seven years later it has become clear that both the UN and its Security
Council require immediate fundamental changes. Not so much in order
to achieve the short-term 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) but for the happy future of the next generations. Having
been faced today’s threats the developed countries have to think
seriously. We are all in the same boat and its comfortable seats
never provide any guarantees.

Consequently all members of the international community must search
wisdom and common interest to establish global world order with peace
and stability.

– Georgiy Saakov is editor in chief for “Depi Apaga” Uzbekistan
Armenians magazine

Egoyan, Bohjalian, Khanjian, and Nazarian to Speak in NY Dec. 9

November 25, 2012

NEW YORK (A.W.) – Four prominent Armenian artists who have made their
mark on film and literature in North America will converge in New York
on Sunday, Dec. 9, to take part in a panel discussion titled
`Atrocities and Expressions: Pursuing Justice through Art.’

Four prominent Armenian artists who have made their mark on film and
literature in North America will converge in New York on Dec. 9 to
take part in a panel discussion titled `Atrocities and Expressions:
Pursuing Justice through Art.’
Organized by Armenian Genocide Justice, an ARF Eastern Region
committee, the event features filmmaker Atom Egoyan, novelist Chris
Bohjalian, actress Arsinee Khanjian, and filmmaker Eric Nazarian.
Armenian Weekly editor Khatchig Mouradian will moderate the panel.

Hosack Hall, where the panel discussion will be held.
The panel discussion is co-sponsored by the AGBU Young Professionals
of Greater New York, the National Association for Armenian Studies &
Research (NAASR), the AYF-YOARF NY Hyortik Chapter, and the NY
Armenian Students’ Association.

The event will be held on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 4:00p.m. at Hosack Hall,
The New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
10029. It is free and open to the public.

For details, go to the event’s Facebook page.

ARMENIA FUND TELETHON ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED BY ARTSAKH PEOPLE AS WELL

Friday, 23 November 2012 13:30

During November 20 session of the NKR government Prime Minister
Ara Haroutyunyan called for everybody’s active participation in the
15th International Armenia Fund Telethon 2012 which will commence on
November 22.

The Prime Minister reminded that Karabakh had always taken an active
part in the national fundraising and this time should not be an
exception.

“The 15th International Armenia Fund Telethon will commence at 8 p.m.

on November 22 according to Yerevan time zone and will last till 8
a.m. It will be broadcast from Los Angeles by cable and satellite
television as well as via the Internet connection on the website
In Armenia people can follow the Armenia
Fund Telethon by H1, Armenia, Shant, Yerkir Media TV channels,”
the website of the fund informs.

The amounts of money collected as a result of the Telethon carrying
the title “Our Village” will be allocated to the construction of
rural administration centres in some village communities and to the
settlement of some urgent problems of the Syrian Armenians.

ARMENIA’S LAW ON PERSONAL GUARDS NEEDS AMENDING

tert.am
23.11.12

Ten thousand people will lose their jobs if the Law on Personal Guard
is not amended, as no necessary conditions for licensing security
guards are available.

According to the law, all the organizations rendering security services
are to be licensed from January 1, 2013, Hovhannes Petrosyan, Head
of the Association for Training Personal Guards, told journalists
on Friday.

“Our priority task now is to ensure transitional provisions in the
law after which the law will be amended. The law contains numerous
points that need to be harmonized with Armenia’s Constitution and
other laws,” Petrosyan said.

The lawyer Nazeli Vardanyan says nothing has been done for facilitating
practical application of the law. One of the problems is that all
the security organizations are obliged to get licenses.

Mher Kakosyan, Deputy Director of the ArmMobil security service,
says that one more problem is that even watchmen have to carry arms.

“Under law, all the security guards have to carry arms. But they have
to take four-month training courses,” he said.

OBAMA’S RE-ELECTION NOT TO BRING DRAMATIC SHIFTS IN US POLICY ON SOUTH CAUCASUS

news.am
November 23, 2012 | 15:17

The re-election of President Barack Obama will not bring dramatic
shifts in U.S. policy on the South Caucasus, Jeff Sahadeo, a director
of the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at Carleton
University said in an interview with Turan agency.

The administration will continue efforts into finding solution to the
Karabakh conflict but they will hardly bring anything new to the table,
“perhaps at best pressing the interested parties to do so.”

He emphasized that the growth of oil and gas production means U.S.
might be less interested in Azerbaijan.

“Azerbaijan might be used as an example of a relatively secular Muslim
country across the region. But I think that much will depend on who is
named the next Secretary of State to follow Hillary Clinton, and how
her or his team views the South Caucasus,” Sahadeo said adding that
Azerbaijan has a considerable role in terms of logistical support to
Afghanistan, and the issues concerning Iran.

As to Karabakh peace process, the political analyst does not believe
Washington has really taken initiative beyond encouraging dialogue
within the Minsk Group.

“For the Turkey-Armenian rapprochement, I am sure the last thing
Washington wants to do is get entangled in a delicate situation when
there are clear political risks at stake. Any change that will come
in these issues will come from the states themselves; if any bold
initiatives are produced, then that will increase the pressure on
the US administration to get involved,” he added.

ITALIAN SCIENTIST RECEIVES ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

10:08 23.11.2012

President Serzh Sargsyan received the Honorary President of Synaptics
Company Federico Faggin, who was awarded the Presidential Award 2012
for the global contribution to the area of Information Technologies.

The meeting was followed by the reception held at the Presidential
Palace in honor of Mr. Federico Faggin and Mrs. Elvia Faggin. At the
reception, the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Committee of
the Global Information Technologies (GIT) Hovik Musayelyan presented
the process of selecting the winners while the Co-Chairman of the
Award Committee Rich Goldman in his speech spoke about the idea and
mission behind the RA Presidential Award and introduced the awardee,
Mr. Federico Faggin.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Serzh Sargsyan said, in part:

“Distinguished Mr. Faggin, Mrs. Faggin,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am glad to greet in Yerevan the Honorary President of Synaptics,
a brilliant engineer Mr. Federico Faggin.

Extending warm welcome to the eminent guests of our country is a
pleasant duty for the Head of State. Yet the nice and easy part of
it ends right there, to be followed by the political discussions,
usually conducted behind the closed doors.

However, this is not the case today. Our guest is a great scientist,
whose visit is triggered by the recognition of his creative
achievements. Today, in Yerevan Mr. Federico Faggin is being awarded
with our Prize that is granted in recognition of his global and
outstanding contribution to humanity in the area of Information
Technologies.

Mr. Faggin is well-known for his numerous innovative ideas. But
his name has been forever engraved in gold into the history of the
Information Technologies for designing the first microprocessor and
leading the works on its development.

This Award is an extraordinary input by the Republic of Armenia to
the development of the global IT area. With this Prize, we pay tribute
to Mr. Faggin and all his colleagues for making knowledge accessible
everywhere in the world through the information technologies.

Computers and the internet truly contribute to the advancement of the
entire humankind, enhancing the spread of knowledge and, therefore,
development and prosperity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In recent years Armenia has registered considerable progress in the
area of information and digital technologies. This Award is aimed
at fostering that development even further and, most importantly, at
focusing the attention of our young people at the broad opportunities
provided by the area of information and digital technologies. We have
already been doing it and we will continue doing it, thus attempting
to reveal creative talents of our children from the youngest age.

I am confident that it is the right path to promote Armenia’s
development. Only through the best education we provide to our children
we will be able to ensure Armenia’s rightful place not only in the
region but also in the world.

Some of our neighbors lose no opportunity to chatter about their desire
to isolate us, to leave us out of the projects, which are expected to
bring economic development. But in reality, it is their society that
is being isolated. They are disseminating war and xenophobia. They
are restricting freedom of speech and information.

They perceive internet and social networks only as means to spread
hatred, lies and futile bragging – and all that is not very far from
axing a sleeping person. The time will show to whom that harm is done
and what exactly is being ruined through these khan-like policies.

We are building Armenia’s future through bringing up a well-educated
new generation, and its achievement of professional excellence. The
Armenia of tomorrow will be a much better place than it is today,
and that new Armenia will be created through all those investments
which we are making today in our greatest asset – our people. We are
glorifying brilliant individuals like Mr. Faggin as role models for
our children, examples of how one should live and work.

The Tumo Center for Creative Technologies has been functioning for
just about more than a year. Today that Center is remarkably expanding
and broadening its activities, engaging more and more children. At
the Center conditions have been established for children to receive
special training and education. I attach great importance to the
fact that our children have this opportunity to display their talents
regardless of their families’ social standing.

This is just the beginning of our long journey towards the development
of the information and digital technologies. Our progress and
development in this area will be steadfast and upward.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Mr. Faggin,

We are getting ready to take leading positions in the IT area with due
contribution of our talented people and assistance of our friends. I am
confident that you, Mr. Faggin, will always be by our side throughout
that journey.

I once again congratulate you on receiving this Award. I am happy
that you are here, with us. I also hope that during this brief visit
you will be able to familiarize with our country and our culture.. As
for us, we are always happy to meet again with our friends and are
waiting for their new visits keeping our hearts warm.

I once again congratulate you and wish you all the best.”

Federico Faggin is the third recipient of the RA Presidential Award
for global contribution to the Information Technologies area. The first
recipient of the Award was the former President of the Intel Company’s
Board of Directors Craig Barrett in 2010. The second recipient of
the award was Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of the Apple Computer
Corporation.

The RA Presidential Award in the area of Information Technologies was
established by the July 6, 2009 decree of President Serzh Sargsyan
and is aimed at the encouragement of the area’s development. It is an
annual award and is given to the individuals who have made or continue
to make exceptional – technological, educational, administrative,
financial or other kind of contribution to the considerable development
of the area.

The award program is implemented by the Award Committee designated
by the RA President and international selection commission. The
award comprised the Medal signifying Armenia and high technologies,
a diploma and a special souvenir.

LE JUGE GIOVANNI BONELLO ET LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : AFFIRMATIONS ABSURDES SUR LES PROCES DE MALTE
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 23 novembre 2012

Le Juge [maltais] Giovanni Bonello a descendu en flammes la thèse du
ministre des affaires de l’UE de Turquie, thèse selon laquelle son
pays a ete acquitte de la responsabilite du Genocide Armenien de 1915,
parce qu’aucun procès de ce genre n’avait jamais eu lieu a Malte.

Bien que le ministre turc ait eu raison de dire que plus de cent Turcs
avaient ete conduits a Malte par les Britanniques en 1919 pour y etre
accuses de crimes de guerre, le Genocide Armenien y compris, le defaut
de preuves materielles et l’absence d’une necessaire juridiction
supranationale ont finalement debouche sur le rapatriement puis la
liberation des inculpes turcs, en echange de 22 Britanniques retenus
prisonniers par Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk).

Ce chapitre important mais semble-t-il oublie de l’histoire coloniale
moderne a ete traite par le Juge Bonello dans l’un des volumes de la
serie Histoires de Malte, publies par Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti
dont il est l’auteur.

A la suite d’une nouvelle rendue publique hier par ce journal
citant le ministre de l’UE turc qui a fait reference au Genocide des
Armeniens comme a un ‘incident’, le Docteur Bonello a alerte le Malta
Independant pour faire savoir que ces remarques sont tout simplement
absurdes. Il nous a renvoyes au volume neuf de la serie Histoires de
Malte dans lequel un chapitre particulier titre “Les Procès de Malte’
et la Question Turque-Armenienne ‘ est consacre a ce sujet controverse.

Le Docteur Bonello explique qu’a la suite de la Première Guerre
Mondiale, il n’existait pas de norme internationale relative au crimes
de guerre. Selon lui, ce n’est qu’a la suite de la conjugaison d’un
certain nombre de faits deliberes que la Première Guerre Mondiale ne
s’est pas terminee, comme la Seconde Guerre Mondiale, en un procès
de Nuremberg. Il y definit le vide juridique ressenti en 1919 comme
“un cauchemar juridique, un domaine inconnu qui defia pour la première
fois les esprits devant un phenomène inconnu jusque la dans l’histoire
des conflits et de ses consequences”. Bien que les evenements qui se
sont produits a Malte a cette epoque ont eu un impact tout a fait
majeur dans l’histoire de Turquie, ils sont restes selon l’auteur
totalement inconnus ou ignores a Malte.

Les premières etapes relatives a la Question Armenienne

Selon l’Institut Turc de Politique Etrangère, a la suite de l’armistice
impose par les allies le 30 octobre 1918, les Britanniques designèrent
l’amiral Sir Somerset Arthur Gouch Calthorpe et le contre-amiral
Richard Web comme Haut-commissaire et Assistant Haut-commissaire
de la puissance ottomane vaincue. Le 2 janvier 1919, Calthorpe fit
une requete auprès du Foreign Office pour obtenir l’arrestation et
la presentation de tout ceux qui s’etaient rendus responsables des
incessantes entorses aux termes de l’armistice et du mauvais traitement
des Armeniens.

Calthorpe recut a la fois une equipe d’assistants devoues, dont
faisait partie un Irlandais notoirement antiturc, Andrew Ryan, eleve
au titre de lord par la suite, qui publia ses memoires en 1951. Dans
son nouveau rôle de Drogman en chef de la Haute-Commission britannique
et Officier Politique adjoint, il se retrouva charge de la Question
armenienne. Il compta pour beaucoup dans l’arrestation d’un grand
nombre des deportes de Malte.

Ceux-ci peuvent etre classes en trois categories : ceux qui
continuaient a enfreindre les termes de l’armistice, ceux qui
contre qui etaient designes comme s’etant rendus coupables de
mauvais traitements envers les prisonniers de guerre allies, et
ceux responsables d’excès envers les Armeniens, en Turquie et dans
le Caucase.

Calthorpe convoqua pour une entrevue particulière Reshid Pacha,
ministre des affaires etrangères, pour l’informer que la Grande
Bretagne considerait l’affaire armenienne et les mauvais traitements
subis par les prisonniers de guerre comme “extremement importants”
meritant ” la plus grande attention”.

Deux jours plus tard, Calthorpe demanda formellement l’arrestation
de sept dirigeants du Comite Union et Progrès (CUP). Tandis que 160 a
200 personnes etaient arretees, 60 autres suspectees d’avoir participe
au massacre des Armeniens etaient laisses libres.

Calthorpe avait deja engage le transfert des prisonniers a Malte, pour
au moins 50 a 60 d’entre eux. Il informa Lord Plumer, Gouverneur de
l’île, de la necessite de recourir a Malte pour assurer leur securite
hors de la Turquie. A ce moment, quelques 40 parmi les suspects
les plus importants etaient detenus en sûrete par les autorites,
mais cinq autres listes noires avaient ete dressees par la section
armenienne et grecque de la Haute Commission Britannique.

Il faut noter aussi que le gouvernement francais de l’epoque avait
souleve diverses objections, l’extradition des detenus turcs a Malte,
entre autres.

Ces mesures, insistait la France, “loin d’avoir les caractères d’une
bonne justice”, risquait de laisser une impression de vengeance par
les vainqueurs.

Arrivee des premiers detenus a Malte

Entre temps, des developpements politiques en Turquie, principalement
la montee de Mustafa Kemal (qui deviendra plus tard le charismatique
Ataturk) forcaient les Britanniques a changer precipitamment leurs
plans. L’amiral Webb prit la decision de transferer les prisonniers
en un lieu eloigne des soulèvements populaires d’Istanbul, tels que
l’attaque par des emeutiers sur les prisons de Seriaskeriat et de Bekir
Aga, où des detenus politiques etaient incarceres, en l’attente d’un
jugement devenu impossible a organiser. Webb assuma la responsabilite
de ne pas informer le gouvernement turc de ses intentions avant de
les mette a execution, faisant foi a un souhait non acte de Ferid
Pacha que ces detenus soient transferes a Malte.

67 detenus furent embarques sur le SS Princess Ena, dont 12 chefs
politiques et ex-ministres etaient prevus d’etre debarques a Moudros ,
et 55 a Malte. Un supplement de 11 deportes fut ajoute a ceux d’entre
eux qui devaient debarquer a Malte. Ceux-la avaient ete arretes a la
suite des emeutes de Kars, et n’etaient pas concernes par les crimes
de guerre. Le transfert des exiles se termina dans les baraquements
a Salvatore, Polverista et Verdala, laisses vacants depuis l’annee
precedente par les prisonniers de guerre des puissances centrales. Le
Princesse Ena pris la mer le soir du 28 mai 1919. Parmi ceux destines
a rester a Malte se trouvaient 41 leaders politiques, dont environ
la moitie avaient ete consideres comme responsables d’atrocites
commises sur les Armeniens et les autres faisant l’objet d’une
“mesure preventive de temps de guerre”. 14 autres officiers, accuses
de traitement inacceptable de prisonniers de guerre britanniques,
etaient egalement joints a eux.

Des complications juridiques commencent a apparaître

L’auteur explique que c’est a ce moment la que les complications
juridiques commencèrent a faire surface. Aucune loi n’existait pour
permettre un procès Les cours militaires britanniques pouvaient
engager des procès pour trois des sept infractions commises (rupture
des termes de l’armistice, obstacles a leur mise en application,
mauvais traitement des prisonniers de guerre britannique), mais
dans les seuls territoires occupes, pas a Malte. Toutes les autres
infractions, y compris les excès contre les Armeniens, menacèrent de
ressembler a un desert juridique et devoir au mieux etre laissees a
un futur traite de paix.

A la conference de la Paix de Paris, une base legale, vague et mince,
avait a la rigueur ete etablie. Compare a la charte de Nuremberg,
un fantôme de base legale.

Entre temps, le nombre de detenus turcs deportes a Malte avait augmente
au-dela de 100. A ce moment la, il etait deja clair que personne ne
savait comment s’y prendre avec eux, et on commencait a realiser qu’
“il serait très difficile de soutenir dans un tribunal allie des
accusations incontestables devant beaucoup de ces personnes “.

Une nouvelle vague d’arrestations suivit l’occupation de la chambre
des deputes turcs par les troupes britanniques, et 30 importantes
figures politiques furent deportees a Malte sur le HMS Benbow, où
ils arrivèrent le 21 mars 1920. D’autres deportes turcs arrivèrent
petit a petit a Malte et vers le 20 novembre, leur nombre atteignit
144. Cela decida Mustafa Kemal a arreter 20 officiers britanniques en
Anatolie, qui joueront un rôle majeur sur le sort en dernier ressort
des detenus turcs de Malte. Parmi eux se trouvait le Colonel Rawlinson,
un parent de Lord Curzon et frère de Lord Rawlinson.

A la suite d’un memorandum secret mis en circulation par Winston
Churchill, secretaire d’etat a la guerre le cabinet Britannique se
decida pour une revision de la liste des detenus par le Procureur
General. Ceux contre qui aucune poursuite criminelle ne paraissait
possible “devront etre relâches a la première occasion convenable”.

Dans ces circonstances, Lord Plumer se retrouva complètement perdu
a Malte quant a la ligne a suivre. Il mentionna les 115 prisonniers
turcs (les autres n’etaient pas techniquement turcs ou avaient ete
relâches) qui appartenaient aux classes sociales les plus elevees. Ils
avaient tous pesamment invoque le principe constitutionnel britannique
selon lequel ils devaient etre consideres et traites comme innocents
jusqu’a ce que la preuve de sa culpabilite soit etablie. Ils niaient
tous leurs accusations, les attribuant a des informations malsaines de
leurs ennemis, Grecs, Armeniens, et a des erreurs d’identite. Toutes
leurs demandes, ajoutait Plumer, sont restees sans reponse, et jamais
la possibilite de se defendre contre quelque accusation que ce soit ne
leur a jamais ete donnee. Ils demandèrent une liste des accusations
portees conter eux, avec une indication des preuves. Plumer soutint
toutes leurs demandes.

Rumbold, de son côte, soutenait qu’il ne fallait rien dire aux
prisonniers – excepte qu’on allait finalement les accuser de massacre
et de deportation, ou de cruaute envers les prisonniers de guerre.

La couronne envisage un echange des prisonniers de guerre

Vers le mois de mars 1921, Lord Curzon informa Rumbold que la couronne
envisageait un echange des prisonniers de guerre et qu’il n’y avait
aucune raison de garder ceux contre qui aucune accusation criminelle
ne serait soutenue. Au debut, Rumbold maintînt qu’au moins quelques
uns des deportes de Malte soient retenus et accuses. Le 16 mars 1921,
le ministre des affaires etrangères turc et le Foreign Office signèrent
un accord a Londres.

En echange des 22 prisonniers britanniques, la Grande Bretagne
libererait 64 prisonniers turcs de Malte. Ceux-ci ne comprenaient
pas ceux qu’on entendait poursuivre sur les infractions commises en
violation des lois et coutumes de guerre ou pour des massacres commis
où que ce soit dans l’empire turc après que la guerre ait eclate.

La valeur des preuves disponibles contre ceux detenus a Malte restait
cruciale. Aucune preuve les concernant n’etait detenue a Londres
ou a Malte, et tous les espoirs reposaient sur le Haut Commissaire
a Constantinople.

Rumbold avanca les preuves qu’il avait sur les 56 deportes qu’il
pensait pouvoir etre poursuivis. Il devint evident que cela etait
base principalement sur le concept de “presomption de culpabilite” :
il fallait que des hauts fonctionnaires gouvernementaux puissent etre
connus pour avoir ete au courant, et acquiesce, aux massacres. Les
autorites britanniques etaient bien conscientes que ce dont ils
disposaient serait insuffisant devant une cour criminelle quelconque.

Le Procureur general montra clairement sa reticence quant a etre
entraîne dans une querelle politique quelconque, et selon lui, seules
les poursuites des huit prisonniers accuses de mauvais traitement
des prisonniers de guerre allies etaient juridiquement fondes.

Pour des raisons qui ne furent jamais expliquees, les autorites
britanniques ne semblent pas avoir jamais considere avoir recours a
Malte aucune preuve – pour la plupart documentaires – des atrocites sur
les Armeniens dont les prisonniers turcs ont ete accuses et convaincus
par les cours militaires turques tout de suite après l’armistice –
des documents substantiels et alarmants.

De meme, les Britanniques trouvèrent repugnant le système inquisitoire
continental de la procedure penale employee en Turquie, compare
a leur propres principes de justice criminelle et doutèrent de
la pertinence de leur emploi. Il est possible egalement que les
gouvernement turc ne se resolut jamais a transmettre les documents
utilises par les tribunaux militaires. Pour une raison ou pour une
autre, avec l’accession au pouvoir d’Ataturk, tous les documents sur
lesquels les tribunaux militaires avaient base leurs procès et leurs
convictions, ont ete ‘perdus’.

Opportunement, ajoutent les historiens armeniens.

Confrontes a ce manque concerte de preuves materielles, les politiciens
se tournèrent une fois encore vers le Procureur General qui lui aussi
s’en lava les mains. Le gouvernement saisit l’allusion.

“”De ce courrier (celui du Procureur General) on peut deduire que
les chances d’arriver a des accusations sont presque nulles”.

Echange a Inebolu sur la Mer Noire, le 31 octobre 1921

Les obstacles a un procès par un tribunal international devenus
presque insurmontables, Sir Lindsay Smith, juge a la Cour Supreme
ecrivit dans ses minutes : ” La seule possibilite est donc de les
retenir comme de simples otages, et de les relâcher contre des
prisonniers britanniques”.

Les negociateurs, cependant, recurent l’instruction secrète d’inclure
‘les huit’ aussi si cela devait assurer la liberation des prisonniers
britanniques detenus par Mustafa Kemal. Le gouvernement turc delegua
Hamid Bey, du Croissant Rouge ottoman, pour negocier avec les
Britanniques. Il annonca clairement que pour la Turquie, la seule
solution envisageable etait le tout pour le tout, ce qui comprenait
‘les huit’.

Rumbold retint sa reponse jusqu’au premier octobre. Les envoyes
discutèrent la procedure de l’echange dans un port anatolien.

Ensemble, ils tombèrent d’accord sur Inebolu sur la Mer Noire. Les
prisonniers de chacune des parties devraient arriver dans le port
le meme jour. A ce stade, les Britanniques acceptèrent de liberer
‘les huit” sans conditions.

Lord Plumer a Malte prepara la liberation des 59 prisonniers restants
et ils prirent la mer en deux groupes, 17 sur le Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Montenol et 42 sur le HMS Chrysanthemum. Ils touchèrent Inebolu le
31 octobre 1921.

Une note finale qui merite l’attention est la declaration faite
par Lord Curzon au Parlement, que le docteur Bonello a deterre des
archives du Foreign Office :

Très embarrasse par l’echange des otages, Lord Curzon ecrivit :
“le moins on en dira sur ces gens (les Turcs liberes au cours de
l’echange) le mieux cela vaudra…J’ai dû expliquer (au Parlement)
pourquoi nous avons libere les deportes turcs de Malte, patinant sur
une glace très mince aussi vite que j’ai pu…Dans leur for interieur,
les Membres (du Parlement) est qu’un prisonnier britannique vaut un
chargement entier de Turcs, et c’est ainsi que l’echange a ete excuse”.

Le Docteur Bonello conclut ce chapitre particulier en mettant la
lumière le fait que la controverse sur le Genocide Armenien continue
après près de 100 ans avec de très faibles possibilites de trouver
une solution.

By Keith Micallef – The Malta Independent Online

?newsitemid=143007

Traduction et commentaire de Gilbert Beguian

Ainsi donc, contrairement a leurs engagements du 25 mai 1915, ni les
Anglais, ni les Francais n’ont ete capables de juger les coupables du
Genocide après l’armistice de novembre 1918. Le vide juridique, les
difficultes de procedure, invoques par les responsables britanniques,
le peu d’empressement montre par les autorites francaises, la
destruction des preuves par Mustafa Kemal ne sont que de vagues
explications.

Absurde et ec~urante en effet les remarques du ministre turc : “il n’
y a pas eu de Genocide des Armeniens en 1915, que des incidents. Mais
la Turquie est innocente, puisque les prevenus ont tous ete liberes
par les grandes puissances”. Innocente de quoi, des incidents ?

Il a raison, le Juge Bonello, la controverse risque de durer encore
longtemps, aussi longtemps que des ministres auprès de l’UE se
livreront a des affirmations absurdes.

vendredi 23 novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

Turkish, Iranian, and Azerbaijani FMs scheduled to meet late November

news.am
November 19, 2012 | 15:53

BAKU. – The next meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Iran, and
Azerbaijan – namely, Ahmet Davutoglu, Ali Akbar Salehi, and Elmar
Mammadyarov – will be held late November in Turkey, Trend News Agency of
Azerbaijan reports referring to the Turkish foreign ministry.

The last trilateral meeting of the three FMs was held in Nakhichevan
in March and it ended with the adoption of a final declaration.

During the Nakhichevan meeting, Davutoglu, Salehi, and Mammadyarov
discussed the peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region and the
need to create favorable conditions to achieve this goal. The
ministers also discussed measures for the implementation of joint
projects in the interest of stability and prosperity in the region,
Trend reports.

BIAnet.org, Turkey
Nov 22 2012

ECHR Rule Two Verdicts Against Turkey

The European Court of Human Rights ruled against Turkey in two cases
less in a week, ordering the Turkish state to pay Ahmet Sami Belek,
Evrensel Daily Newspaper owner, and Murat Çelik, lawyer, a total of
23,320 Euros.

Strasbourg – BIA News Desk22 November 2012, Thursday In a week, the
European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of torture, harsh
treatment, violation of freedom of expression and union rights abuses
in two separate cases.

The court awarded the applicant Ahmet Sami Belek, the owner daily
newspaper Günlük Evrensel, a sum of 10,320 Euros compensating
pecuniary damage, non-pecuniary damage, costs and expenses.

“Relying in particular on Article 10 (freedom of expression), he
complained that he had been convicted on three occasions under the
Anti-Terrorism Act – which made it an offense to publish declarations
or leaflets emanating from terrorist organizations – for having
published articles containing statements by members of the illegal
armed organization PKK (Workers’ Party of Kurdistan), including its
president, Mr Öcalan,” the November 20 verdict said.

Police torture punished

In November 15, the court also ruled against Turkey with violation of
Article 3 and 11 in the Murat Çelik case, finding the Turkish State
guilty of torture, harsh treatment, insufficient investigation and
union rights abuse.

The court awarded the applicant Murat Çelik a sum of 13,000 Euros.

In 2000, Çelik and plenty of protestors became subject to police
violence when their attempt to make a public declaration concerning an
amendment on Turkish Prison Act was blocked by the police forces.

In his ECHR application, Çelik complained that official police
investigations on his case did not yield any results and the statute
of limitation has run out. (EÖ/HK)

Interfax, Russia
Nov 23 2012

Man detained in Armenia for firing at president’s bodyguards

YEREVAN. Nov 23

Law enforcement services have detained a man who is suspected of
firing in the direction of cars carrying the Armenian president’s
bodyguards, the National Security Service and police told Interfax on
Friday.

The incident occurred on November 21, according to a local newspaper.

Police promised to provide further details of what happened later.

There have been no reports of injuries.