Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Victoria Times Colonist, BC, Canada
Sept 21 2012

Ottawa unveils monument to slain Turkish diplomat, as Armenians recall genocide

OTTAWA – The Harper government has unveiled a controversial monument
to slain diplomats on the spot where a Turkish diplomat was gunned
down in Ottawa 30 years ago, allegedly by Armenian terrorists.

The cone-shaped metal-and-wood monument is dedicated to Col. Atilla
Altikat, the slain military attache of the Turkish embassy, and is
also meant to commemorate all fallen diplomats.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird referred to the recent killing of
the U.S. ambassador to Libya as he unveiled the monument with his
Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutolu, who travelled to Ottawa for the
event.

The monument also represents an olive branch from Canada to Turkey
because of rift caused by the Harper government’s decision in 2006 to
recognize as genocide the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the
First World War.

The move angered Turkey, a NATO ally, and led to the temporary
withdrawal of its ambassador to Ottawa.

An internal foreign policy review carried out last year for Baird
identified Turkey has a key player in the world, and a country that
Canada should be focused on.

The monument was designed and built in Turkey and shipped to Canada
under tight security.

`Sadly, both Turkey and Canada have lost talented and distinguished
diplomats through senseless acts of violence directed at our
countries,’ Baird said in a statement.

`Recent events prove, tragically, that the dangers facing diplomats
and public servants in foreign postings are still an unfortunate
reality.’

Armenian Canadians were happy with the government’s 2006 decision to
recognize the genocide.

But Thursday’s visit by Davutolu sparked the Armenian National
Committee of Canada to call on Baird to take Turkey to task for its
human-rights record, including what it called Turkey’s continued
denial of the Armenian genocide.

The organization pointed to Amnesty International’s 2012 report that
cited a lack of constitutional legal reforms and flawed anti-terrorism
laws.

`Canada must not turn a blind eye to Turkey’s centuries-old and
continued disregard for human rights,’ the committee’s president,
Girair Basmadjian, said in a statement.

`Canada must condemn Turkey’s attempts to deny the historical truth of
the Armenian Genocide.’

Russian army commander could head CSTO Joint Staff

news.am
September 21, 2012 | 15:19

MOSCOW. – The Russian Defense Ministry plans to nominate Russian
Airborne Troops Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Shamanov to the position
of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Joint Chief of
Staff, Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov informed.

But if the CSTO leadership does not support this nomination, the
Ministry will `look for an alternative.’

The matter concerning the appointment of the new Joint Chief of Staff
and making a change in the format of the Organization’s activities
will be discussed on December 19 in Moscow.

Aside from changing the Joint Chief of Staff, raising the latter’s
capacity is likewise being proposed, so that he would also be able to
assume solely the headship of a Home Office of CSTO country, RIA
Novosti News Agency of Russia reports.

To note, the Collective Security Treaty Organization is an
intergovernmental military alliance which was signed on May 15, 1992.
And on October 7, 2002, the presidents of Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan signed a charter in
Tashkent founding the CSTO.

And the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force recently held joint
multinational military exercises, entitled `Cooperation 2012,’ in
Armenia.

Naira Zohrabyan: there are people, there are powers which are beyond
Constitution and laws

2012-09-21 19:07:21

`I have the impression, that Independence Day in our society is
transferred into a day of saying toasts,’ PAP faction secretary Naira
Zohrabyan told Lurer.com on Independence Day.
According to her, when the same sentences are repeated `Independence
is a high value for us’ and etc, we lose the conceit of the day.
According to Zohrabyan, to say that we have done and we do to
everything, to be worthy to our Independence, is wrong: `Yes,
independence is a high value, but I don’t want to say a toast today,
as you have heard for many times.’
Speaking on shortcomings and acquisitions, Zohrabyan noted, that one
of our acquisitions is Artsakh victory: `It’s here, that we have
serious problems to solve that this victory was internationally
registered. I’d consider a stabilization of the Fourth republic of the
years of Independence, when the voice of media was heard from the
totalitarian society. Unfortunately, the recent years perception of
freedom of speech and free press has essentially been degraded, and
I’m very sorry that acquisition of independent years – the Fourth
republic, in our society is being degraded both by objective and
subjective reasons.’
Zohrabyan also stated, that during these years we haven’t had a just
judicial system.
`We couldn’t have had a just judicial system. Our citizen wasn’t able
and until now doesn’t believe in justice and truthfulness of its
country. This is a serious crisis. When I meet our compatriots, which
left Armenia recent years, even people which lead a good life in
Armenia, as a primary problem mention that there is no justice in the
country. This is the leading problem, which we not only failed to
solve these years, but the crisis is going deep,’ he said and noted,
that its reason is very clear: `Laws in the country works by choice,
Constitution is also optional.’
According to her, there are people, there are powers, which are beyond
the Constitution and laws. According to Zohrabyan to settle the
situation, many things are not required: `Political will power is
needed to hold free elections, political will power to have a free
court, that the courts weren’t the joint part political will power
not to suppress free press and not make press a joint part of state
agencies or this or that representative. This is the problem, and we
should be able to solve it, to have an Armenia, which will have its
worthy place among civilized countries.’

Gayane Hambardzumyan

Bako Sahakyan congratulated 40th anniversary of the Armenian Assembly of America

16:04, 21 September, 2012

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: On the 40th anniversary of the Armenian

Assembly of America President of Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan sent a
congratulatory address to the organization’s Board of Trustees
chairman Hrair Hovnanyan. As Armenpress was informed from NKR
presidential informational department it was mainly noted in the
message

“On behalf of the Artsakh people, authorities and myself I cordially
congratulate You and all members of the Armenian Assembly of America
on the 40th anniversary of the organization. The Armenian Assembly of
America is one of the structures that has been involved in the
processes of elaboration and realization of pivotal pan-Armenian
projects for already four decades. The role of the Assembly in
maintaining Armenian national identity in the Diaspora, international
recognition and condemnation of the Genocide, objective presentation
of the Artsakh issue, strengthening and developing the Motherland is
indeed invaluable. The organization’s input in boosting the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic socioeconomic development is very much tangible too.
We in Artsakh know and rate high this national and patriotic mission.

I congratulate You on the glorious jubilee once again and wish
inexhaustible strength and energy, new successes on the way of
realizing our national aspirations and goals”.

Ilham Aliyev in Paris: incomprehension and big anger of the Armenians

by Jean Eckian, Paris

On September 18, more 900 French of Armenian descent expressed their
dissatisfaction about the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
in Paris, only a few days after the favor granted to the murderer of
Gurgen Markarian, Ramil Safarov.

In front of Azerbaijan embassy, several members of French parliament
and senators, among which François Rochebloine, René Rouquet, François
Pupponi, Philippe Kaltenbach and Valérie Boyer (author of the bill
condemning of the Armenian genocide denial), declared that Safarov
affair is ” a crime of Azerbaijan against Armenia”, “a violation of
the international justice “.

The leaders of the Armenian organizations of France, Ara Toranian,
Mourad Papazian ( CCAF), Harout Mardirossian ( CDCA), Hratch
Varjabedian ( BFCA) and Yeriche Gorizian (Nor Seround), condemned
vigorously the presence of the “dictator Aliyev” on French ground.
Besides ask the right to self-determination for the Nagorno-Karabakh.

Among slogans, the crowd shouted “Aliev fascist, outside France!”,
“Safarov in prison!” and “Karabakh belongs to us not in Baku! ”

19.09.12, 14:10

More number of Azerbaijanis visits Armenia – newspaper

news.am
September 19, 2012 | 08:04

YEREVAN. – The Syrian Armenians’ arrival in Armenia in recent periods
has increased the prices of rental homes, Zhamanak daily reports.

`Those who look for rental homes say rental home prices have increased
by close to 25-30 percent. Now, it is impossible to rent a normal
furnished one-room apartment in the city’s [that is, capital, Yerevan]
center at a price of no less than 100 thousand drams [approx. $243,
per month].

Incidentally, Zhamanak has ascertained that the number of Azerbaijanis
coming to Armenia has increased in recent times. They come to Armenia
from Iran [and] as tourists,’ Zhamanak writes.

Vladimir Zakharov: Although Aliyev is disgustful to Washington, the
alliance between the USA and Azerbaijan will go on developing
ArmInfo’s Interview with Vladimir Zakharov, Director of Institute of
Political Studies of Black Sea and Caspian Region

by David Stepanyan

arminfo
Wednesday, September 19, 08:26

Whose interests do you think the murderer Ramil Safarov’s case has
taken a new turn for?

Extradition of Safarov, murderer of the Armenian officer, to
Azerbaijan and Baku’s actions following it indicate that the
negotiations for peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict under
the aegis of the OSCE Minsk Group may be suspended unilaterally. The
operation on extradition of Safarov is a multi-step combination that
had been prepared for a long period of time. The South Caucasus is at
the threshold of global processes, which are impossible to avoid or
evade. Irrespective of our desire, the situation with the Islamic
Republic of Iran and its confrontation with the West is growing tense
day by day. The murder of the Armenian officer raises a lot of
questions in the EU, Russia, Armenia and other countries. In this
light, the anti-Russian statements and ‘analyses’ on some Armenian
websites look quite symptomatic, for they again blame Russia for
everything. However, those ‘analysts’ do not criticize NATO, EU and
others for some unknown reasons, though carelessness of those
structures is what leads to such genocidal actions by monsters like
Safarov and their impunity. In Meanwhile, many in Russia have realized
the true role of Azerbaijan and our officials have already made their
statements.

Is Hungary’s role in that multi-step combination restricted to
receiving 3 billion dollars or are there any other motives?

The negotiations for Safarov transfer with Hungarian Prime Minister
Viktor Orban, who allegedly trusted in Aliyev’s promises to buy
unsecured government bonds of Hungary, were just another fraud of a
cunning dealer. It is interesting that President Putin has also been
implicated in that shameful deal. The Azerbaijani press reported that
businessman Ilham Ragimov, who is a university friend of Vladimir
Putin, was directly involved in the deal of Baku and Budapest. All
this fits into the anti-Putin policy of the West and its hangs- by in
the post-Soviet area. It is very much necessary for them to see Putin
as a bargaining chip. And they do not care that Hungary proved
disappointed in its expectations, Azerbaijan refused to buy Hungarian
bonds, and Tallish Ilham Ragimov bears no relation to that deal. In
the meanwhile, some forces in Armenia have taken advantage of the
speculations of Azerbaijani websites, and the anti-Russian and
anti-Putin campaign in Armenia has gathered pace, unfortunately. There
are people in the state machine of Armenia who are biased and who
conceal their anti-Russian orientation behind their smiles. Their
names and the analysts they patronize are well known. In this light, a
new allegation against Russia and the Russian president plays into the
hands of the trimmers working for the West. The decision of the
Hungarian authorities is so shameful that fully cancels their
commitment to the European and Christian values they have declared.
But Russia bears no relation to all that. In this light, I can just
welcome President Sargsyan’s decision to freeze the diplomatic
relations with Hungary.

Let’s speak on the United States’ role in these processes…

As regards the USA, although Aliyev is disgustful to Washington, the
alliance between the USA and Azerbaijan will go on developing. Aliyev
has long ago gone under America. Numerous airdromes were given to
America and Israel long ago, where their military contingent and
armament, prepared against Iran, were deployed. As for the extremely
high price for renting of the Gabala radio location station, it was
issued under express indication of Washington. Aliyev’s anti-Russian
dog and pony show is not surprising to anybody any more. He
purposefully organized the meeting of the US new Ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Richard Morningstar, and Prime Minister of Turkey,
Edgogan, just in Gabala. Moreover, the USA is already ready to leave
the negotiating process on Karabakh. For this reason, the efforts by
Armenia’s Foreign Minister, Edward Nalbandian, who said that
“Safarov’s release will not force Armenia leave the negotiating
process” are in vain. Armenia should be a step ahead of the event that
may happen, taking into consideration the rumors that a decision to
liquidate the OSCE Minsk Group may be adopted at the first sitting of
the autumn session of the UN General Assembly. It is very much
possible that its functions will be transferred to NATO or the latter
may become the third co-chair of the Minsk Group or of the structure,
which may appear on its ruins. Numerous supporters of diplomatic talks
on Karabakh may object that Armenia should not recognize Karabakh at
present. But I can ask – would not you be late, gentlemen? The war
against Iran is around the corner.

Why does the USA so much need the war against Iran given the fact that
the USA can no way leave Afghanistan?

The United States will unleash a war against Iran if they fail to keep
the dollar stable. But, such probability is very low. War that will
allow writing off trillions and saving the dollar is meat and drink to
the United States. But it is still a big question whether that war
bring stability to the South Caucasus and Iran. Washington has already
understood that the Minsk Group is no longer effective. Therefore,
Armenia should anticipate the decision on its liquidation and adopt
the right decision. Today Armenia has a direct chance to recognize the
sovereignty of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. It could sound
paradoxical, but it is necessary to use that chance as soon as
possible. The Government of Armenia must realize that Karabakh should
be recognized as an independent state before the terrible events that
may start at any moment. It will help Karabakh save itself without
interference on the so-called peacemakers, specifically, the U.S.
military contingent that has been already deployed in Azerbaijan and
Georgia and ready to be deployed in Karabakh without any mandates.
Everyone is waiting for announcement of the date of attacking Iran.
Before that Azerbaijan will have to unleash large-scale aggression
against Karabakh. In response to that the USA will immediately deploy
troops in the territory of the NKR without a relevant mandate
explaining that they are short of time and should allegedly establish
peace. Such a scenario is quite possible and fully depends on the
decision of the Armenian Government.

So, is the recognition of the NKR’s independence the only way out of
the current situation?

Yerevan should realize that Karabakh is not a part of the Republic of
Armenia, but a sovereign state. If Armenia recognizes the NKR and this
is followed by recognition of other states, the new republic will have
a chance to conclude military agreements and save itself in the
upcoming bloodshed between the West and Iran. I am convinced that
Armenia knows what to do in response to Safarov’s release. In my
opinion, on September 2 the President of Armenia should have convened
an extraordinary session of the Parliament to raise only one issue –
the issue on immediate recognition of the NKR. If this had happened
those days, the whole world would have fully understood this decision.
The problem would have been solved by itself. Nobody would have
started to find out whether the recognition was legal or not. In this
context, one should point out the significance of recognition of the
NKR, first and foremost, by Armenia.

May the pardoning and glorification of Safarov become an important
argument if Yerevan decides to take that step?

The monsters like Safarov the Azeri President is so proud of, as well
as his decision on Safarov have demonstrated to the whole world that
all the proposals on peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict will
never be put in practice. Now the whole world understands that if the
residents of Karabakh suddenly find themselves under Azerbaijan’s
control, they will face total annihilation, and one should not trust
the world’s promises to the people Azerbaijan hates so much.
Consequently, Aliyev’s step once again demonstrates that in the peace
process held by the OSCE Minsk Group Karabakh can by no means be
considered a part of Azerbaijan, because it is doubtless that the
residents of Karabakh will be totally annihilated. And all those
killers of the Karabakh residents, who are currently living in
Azerbaijan like pigs in clover, will immediately start a new massacre,
exterminating everyone living in the NKR. Russia should express its
opinion on what is going on as soon as possible both as a member of
the OSCE Minsk Group and as Armenia’s ally. It’s time to finish the
policy of leveling. Many things still depend on Russia’s position and
foreign policy, especially as the matter concerns its security, too,
particularly, in the context of Middle East developments and the
situation around Iran. All this demands the support of Armenia, the
ally of Russia, and ensuring of Russian interests, which coincide with
the Armenian interests in terms of security.

Expert: Azerbaijan’s atmosphere has changed

15:56 19/09/2012 » Analysis

Hungary’s extradition of Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan and Ilham
Aliyev’s pardon of the convicted killer have aggravated tension in the
region, but national minorities residing in Azerbaijan are a
restraining factor for Azerbaijani authorities, Azeri studies expert
Sargis Asatryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

In return, Iranian studies expert Vardan Voskanyan noted that instead
of saying `national minorities’ we should say `indigenous population,’
because, firstly, they don’t constitute a minority, secondly, they
lived on that territory before the state of Azerbaijan was established
in 1918.

Azerbaijan’s atmosphere has changed, according to the expert.

`Let’s leave aside figures close to Aliyev clan. The indigenous
population is concerned over the heroization of a murderer. In any
country, making a hero out of a murderer would cause a problem,
distorting the whole system,’ Mr Voskanyan concluded.

Source: Panorama.am

Is War of Compromises Off?

HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:11:33 – 20/09/2012

Robert Kocharyan’s former adviser, president’s representative in the
National Assembly up to recent times, Garnik Isagulyan made a
sensational statement in an interview with Hayeli.am about a secret
list on the governmental `elite’ of all time. Garnik Isagulyan stated
that the Armenia-based Mher’s door organization has this list which
includes names of governmental figures of Armenia started from the
Karabakh committee up to nowadays as well as information on their
private and public activities. Isagulyan stated that according to that
list, over 17 billion has been taken out of Armenia since 1994.

Actually Isagulyan `revealed’ the Armenian `masons’. He states that
the amount of the information owned by Mher’s door is unavailable even
to the law enforcement and special bodies of Armenia.

Garnik Isgulyan is one of the most reliable people of Kocharyan’s
staff. Serzh Sargsyan started decreasing his importance. First, he
abolished the Institute of political studies headed by Isagulyan. Then
Serzh Sargsyan got rid of him as his adviser appointing him
president’s representative in NA. And quite recently, Serzh Sargsyan
gave this office to Viktor Dallakyan.

Days after this event, Isagulyan announces about the large-scale
compromise on the former and present governments of Armenia. Isagulyan
is surely not alone. Someone supports him.

The point is about quite a serious factor which may be a bomb in the
presidential elections. Consequently, there are local and foreign
subjects interested in the outcome of this story.

By the way, there were rumors on such a list also in 90ies, during
Ter-Petrosyan’s tenure when Garnik Isagulyan went underground during
the criminal persecution against the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.

Even if the list is just a bluff, it is not invented by Garnik
Isagulyan but other subjects because the effect may be very serious,
while Isagulyan could hardly have any reason to run such a great risk.

The fact that the list was mentioned right after Isagulyan had been
fired, hints that Robert Kocharyan stands behind this `disclosure’
since Isagulyan is considered a person of the Kocharyan wing for which
Serzh Sargsyan got rid of him little by little.

But when the point is about a list containing information since the
Karabakh committee, i.e. USSR, it becomes evident that Robert
Kocharyan would hardly have possibility to ensure such a scale of the
compromises. Only the special services of a country could own such
huge information. That country is surely not Armenia because here the
definition `special services’ is quite relative since these services
during the 90ies, maybe even up to now, were/are a branch of the
Russian services.

In other words, the sponsor of Garnik Isagulyan’s game is not Robert
Kocharyan but Moscow.

This game is apparently launched due to the Russian dissatisfaction
with Armenia’s friendly ties with the West. It is not ruled out that
in this context Serzh Sargsyan and the rest of the political class
will be blackmailed for Sargsyan to limit his flirt with the West and
act for Russian interests.

But there is one interesting nuance which creates grounds to view the
disclosure of the list from another angle.

This story is unveiled after Serzh Sargsyan’s consultation in the
government. This meeting was nothing else but an instruction to the
prime minister, prosecutor general and NSS head to restrain prior to
the presidential elections the capital that may be used for political
projects and plans against Serzh Sargsyan. Though no concrete names
are mentioned, but the owners of the names know very well what Serzh
Sargsyan means.

In this sense, the revelation of the compromise list may be viewed in
the context of `self-defense’: the capital is trying to defend itself
from Sargsyan’s instructions.

It is not ruled out that the `information sponsor’ is again Russia
which is trying to make the governmental intrigue in Armenia tenser
hence enhancing its influence on the election processes.

At the same time, there may be other possible versions. For example,
the `disclosure’ of the list of compromises may be initiated by Serzh
Sargsyan thinking that he can do that now or never prior to the
presidential elections. If this version is possible then Serzh
Sargsyan could finally show that he controls the situation and all
attempts to resist are vain. Here, the fact that Serzh Sargsyan has
long held the office of the minister of internal affairs and national
security may be interesting which could provide him with certain
information. Though, despite this circumstance, Russia’s help would
surely be necessary to own such a list.

Anyway, it is interesting that the list is revealed against the
background of dynamic foreign events around Armenia, when the Safarov
affair is still fresh, which, by the way, enabled the government to
call on the political forces for consolidation around Serzh Sargsyan.
It is also interesting that the information is revealed when there are
rumors on the group of Taliban terrorists in Armenia, which was not
refuted for a couple of hours after its spread but only in the second
half of the day.

This information harmed Russia’s presence in Armenia as the security
guarantor. Russian frontier troops are on the border with Armenia,
consequently, it is their mistake if terrorists could pass the border.
In this sense, it may sound unimaginable, but it should be ruled out
that the official Yerevan, with Washington’s support, /worth
mentioning the U.S. appeal to its citizens in Armenia to be alert
relating to possible terrorist attacks/, exchanged the information on
the Taliban in the result of hours of negotiations with the Russians’
list: Yerevan refuted, Russians gave the permission to partially
reveal the list.

There is one worrying question. Real wars are unfolded around Armenia
one of which touches the life and security of our compatriots in
Syria; there is danger of new wars, including the Karabakh issue,
which may touch also the lives and security of the Armenian citizens,
while the Armenian government is getting ready for the war of
compromises.

Though, on the other hand, maybe it’s for the best. After all, it may
be beneficial for Armenia if this war is started and all the `saints’
are revealed. The point is that for a population of three million, for
the small Armenia, the `saints’ are too many and the society with the
burden of these `saints’ will find it hard to resist to the possible
military challenges.

Consequently, such lists are encouraged if they are disclosed up to
the end because when they are unrevealed, they become dangerous for
the country. This means the prosecutor general and the NSS need a new
`special instruction’ to find out what the list is about and if it
contains proves on illegalities and abuses, it should be considered at
the state level. And the managers of the list should explain why they
knew everything but didn’t let the society know about it.

And if all this is just a bluff, then it is necessary to reveal the
bluff because Armenia, as a country, unfortunately, is very often
unable to react equivalently to not only serious challenges but also
unserious bluffs.

ARMENIE
L’Arménie ratifie l’accord de zone de libre-échange de la CEI

L’Assemblée nationale d’Arménie a ratifié un accord sur les zones de
libre-échange de la CEI avec 97 députés en faveur de la ratification
et 2 contre.

Ainsi, l’Arménie est devenue le quatrième Etat membre de la CEI après
la Russie, la Biélorussie et l’Ukraine à ratifier le document.

La Russie, l’Arménie, la Biélorussie, le Kazakhstan, le Kirgyzstan, la
Moldovie, le Tadjhikistan et l’Ukraine ont signé l’Accord de Zone de
Libre-échange de la CEI le 18 octobre 2011. L’Azerbaïdjan, le
Turkménistan et l’Ouzbekistan, de leur côté, ont pris la décision
d’évaluer l’accord.

jeudi 20 septembre 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com