Author: Kajoyan Gevork

TRIAL OF DINK KILLER ON TERROR CHARGES RESUMES

Today’s Zaman
Sept 18 2012
Turkey

The trial of Ogun Samast, the man who killed Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink in 2007, for allegations of membership of a
terrorist organization resumed on Tuesday.

Samast did not attend the hearing, which was held at the Ä°stanbul 2nd
Juvenile High Criminal Court as the hit-man was a minor at the time
of the assassination. Cem Halavurt, a lawyer for the co-plaintiffs,
attended the trial.

Presiding Judge Celal Unal said the court hearing the trial of
Ergenekon, a clandestine network charged with plotting to overthrow
the government, has sent the relevant indictments to the court.

Samast is suspected of having links to some suspects standing trial as
defendants in the Ergenekon matter based on phone communication logs.

Judge Unal also said Samast had expressed his unwillingness to attend
the sessions.

The Dink trial was heard by the Ä°stanbul 14th High Criminal Court,
which announced in February its reasons concerning an earlier ruling
that there was no involvement of an organized criminal network in
the 2007 killing of journalist Dink, citing insufficient evidence to
prove wider involvement in the murder.

The Ä°stanbul 14th High Criminal Court said in its 216-page decision
that the court could not establish that the journalist was killed by
an organized criminal network. In what many said was a shocking and
frustrating ruling in the five-year-long Dink trial, the Ä°stanbul
court also cleared all suspects of charges of membership in a criminal
organization, angering lawyers and many others who say the trial
failed to shed light on alleged connections between the suspects and
state officials.

The court convicted Yasin Hayal, a major suspect in the killing of
Dink, of instigating a murder and sentenced him to life in prison.

Another suspected instigator, Erhan Tuncel, was acquitted by the court.

Dink was shot dead on Jan. 19, 2007 by ultranationalist Samast outside
the offices of his newspaper in Ä°stanbul in broad daylight. Even
though five years have passed since his assassination, Dink family
lawyers and civil society organizations have long remained concerned
that evidence relating to the real perpetrators of the crime is being
covered up, and that even if the court’s ruling punishes the hitmen,
the public’s sense of justice will not be satisfied. The assassination
is suspected of being the work of Ergenekon, a clandestine network
many of whose alleged members — including generals, military officers
and many civilians — are currently in jail on charges of plotting
a military takeover.

CHECHNYA ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR KADYROV

DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 17, 2012 Monday

Why the conflict between Kadyrov and Yevkurov is not over

Source: Moskovskie Novosti, September 14, 2012, p. 1 by Sergei
Markedonov

SERGEI MARKEDONOV SPEAKS ABOUT THE SITUATION IN THE NORTH CAUCASUS
AND ABOUT INFORMAL RUBLES OF THE GAME IN THE REGION; Interview of
research fellow of the center of strategic and international research
in Washington Sergei Markedonov

The Kremlin responds with silence to all latest events in the
North Caucasus, no matter if this is organization of people’s
militia in Dagestan or quarrel of Ramzan Kadyrov and Yunus-Bek
Yevkurov. Sergei Markedonov, research fellow of the center of strategic
and international research in Washington, speaks about informal rules
of the game.

Question: is the conflict between Kadyrov and Yevkurov personal or
are they simply used for aggravation of the situation in the Caucasus?

Sergei Markedonov: Of course, the conflict is not personal because
it has not appeared today. The problem of separation of Chechnya and
Ingushetia appeared since the moment of breakup of the Soviet Union
when two different parts of formerly united Chechen-Ingush Autonomous
Soviet Socialist Republic chose different paths of development. One of
them declared republic Ichkeria and the other one declared republic
Ingushetia within Russia. The question at what it is necessary to be
oriented, at which borders and documents, appeared already then.

Interestingly, territorial claims against Ingushetia were stated both
by separatist authorities and by pro-Russian authorities. Pro-Russian
Doku Zavgaev announced that Chechnya had claims for the territory
of Ingushetia in 1996. When Aushev and Zyazikov were presidents of
Ingushetia there were such disputes too. So, it were not Yevkurov
and Kadyrov who started this topic.

Question: But why did Kadyrov decide to return to the land issue now?

Sergei Markedonov: Struggle for domination in the North Caucasus is
going on and Kadyrov has demonstrated that Chechnya alone is not
sufficient for him a long time ago. He deliberately speaks about
some topics that exceed the framework of the republic, for example,
the incident in Kondopoga or situation in Lebanon or organization of
the world congress of Chechens. He tries to play the dominating role
in the Caucasus. Of course, he also needs to demonstrate that he is
simply an indispensable person for the Kremlin. That is why a certain
information line is being pursued. It is aimed at demonstration that
authorities of Ingushetia are not efficient. So, if you give powers
to us we will show how it is necessary to stabilize the Caucasus.

Question: The conflict was formally started by Yevkurov who announced
that Chechens did not conduct any special operation in Ingushetia.

Yevkurov will have elections a year later, can this be connected with
this circumstance?

Sergei Markedonov: The conflict is not very beneficial for Yevkurov.

He has much less internal resources and resources of influence at the
Kremlin than Kadyrov. Prigorodny District will be recalled for him
immediately. His own Ingush public will ask, “Why did, Mr. Yevkurov,
behaved in such a compromising way with regard to Prigorodny District
between 2008 and 2010? You negotiated with Mamsurov about giving up
of the claims for Prigorodny District. You are a traitor.” Along with
this, it is beneficial for Kadyrov who pursues an offensive policy
but does not risk anything in general. The matter is not only about
domination but also about satisfaction of ambitions. The reasons also
the fact that land is a resource that is in deficit in conditions of
the Caucasus. Who controls the land has the power and money.

Question: Representative of the President Alexander Khloponin
prohibited leaders of the republic to arrange a public quarrel about
the border. Can the conflict be considered resolved?

Sergei Markedonov: Of course, it cannot. Khloponin is an insufficient
authority.

Question: He seems to be a governor in the Caucasus.

Sergei Markedonov: He develops tourism in the Caucasus but, in my
opinion, it is impossible to speak about his political functions
seriously. So far, I saw only a strategy of social and economic
development of the Caucasus prepared by him. The text of the strategy
reminded me about the food program of the Brezhnev epoch. It is also
necessary to bear in mind that leaders of the Caucasus often settle
many issues bypassing Khloponin.

Question: One region wants to take a territory of the other region.

Why did this become possible at all in a seemingly united country?

Sergei Markedonov: I remind that breakup of the Soviet Union
has started from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Heads of the two
republics, communist parties of Armenia and Azerbaijan, could not
divide Nagorno-Karabakh. The center did not react on time.

Incidentally, I do not see a reaction of the center now too. Instead
of flying with cranes Putin had to invite the two leaders to talk to
them in front of television cameras and tell them, “Guys, stop it,
this is a Russian territory and there are the same laws and the same
order.” Various signals are sent instead of this and they are read
by Kadyrov as complete approval. Moscow keeps silent about all issues.

People’s militia is organized in Dagestan and there is silence.

Cossack police is organized in Krasnodar Territory and there
is silence. Two rounds of the discussion about the border between
Chechnya and Ingushetia have passed and there is silence again. How
is this read? It is read as if everything is permitted.

Question: Is it possible to say that Moscow is losing control over
the situation in the Caucasus?

Sergei Markedonov: It has lost it a long time ago if we speak not
about the portraits of Putin in Grozny as an indicator of control
but about observance of the Russian laws and rules of the game.

Question: But leaders of the republics are subordinated to the
President.

Sergei Markedonov: Formally, yes. But can you go to Chechnya now
and strike some deal with real estate? Will you do this? I think
that 99% of the population of the country will not. There is also
another example: will you go to Dzheiraksky District of Ingushetia
for mountain skiing together with your family? You will hardly do this.

This is all.

The state itself has created a system in which informal agreements
in the North Caucasus mean more than the law. If I have reached an
agreement with Kadyrov this means something. In principle, Russian
laws do not mean anything there. When Kadyrov summons generals of
the federal structures to a meeting and cracks down on them, is this
control? This did not start today. Caucasus is simply a serious
problem and it is necessary to work on its solving systemically
but nobody wants to do this. That is why the scheme of looting and
external loyalty is working: we will shut the eyes to what you loot
and divide there but you give us 90% of votes for One Russia and
Vladimir Putin. So, they give this percentage.

Question: With regard to the conflict some experts started saying
that a new war was possible in the Caucasus.

Sergei Markedonov: Such conversations are just guessing. Yes, situation
in the Caucasus is unstable. The conflict of Yevkurov and Kadyrov may
provoke growth of tension but what kind of war will this be? A war
of entire Caucasus against Russia? No, this will not be. A conflict
between Ingush and Chechen people? It is possible if the necessary
decisions are not made on time but it is possible as a conflict
and not as combat operations. There are many conflict places in the
Caucasus. In the situation regarding the murder of sheikh Said Afandi
Chirkeisky it is possible to speak about growing confrontation between
Sufi Moslems and Salafite Moslems in Dagestan. This is one place. In
case of growth of the conflict between Yevkurov and Kadyrov it will be
possible to speak about the confrontation between the republics. This
is another place. However, a war in the Caucasus sounds too general
like “there will be a world war.”

[Translated from Russian]

NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT CANNOT BE LEFT AS IT IS NOW, PEACEFUL SOLUTION NEEDED – LITHUANIAN DM

Baltic News Service
September 17, 2012 Monday 3:14 PM EET
BNS

VILNIUS, Sep 17, BNS – Lithuania’s Defense Minister Rasa Jukneviciene
has dismissed the current situation of Nagorno Karabakh as
unsatisfactory, saying the long-standing conflict between Azerbaijan
and Armenia should be settled peacefully.

“Status quo is unsatisfactory and it is entirely clear that there’s
no other alternative than a peaceful solution to the conflict,”
Jukneviciene said at a meeting with Azerbaijan’s visiting Defense
Minister Colonel General Safar Abiyev.

According to the press release issued by the Lithuanian Defense
Ministry, the two officials signed an agreement on defense cooperation
and discussed regional security and NATO-led operation in Afghanistan.

In the last decade of the 20th century, Azerbaijan and Armenia were
engaged in a brutal war over the disputed Nagorno Karabakh region.

SYRIAN-ARMENIANS FACE SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN ARMENIA

news.am
September 18, 2012 | 19:10

YEREVAN. – Syrian-Armenians face serious problems after they arrive
in Armenia in connection with the Armenian legislature obligations
and restrictions of their opportunities. Those issues, raised by
the Syrian-Armenians in the Ministry of Diaspora, where analyzed in
details, discussed and optimal solutions offered by corresponding
departments of the Ministry, ministerial press service reports. Among
such issues raised by over 200 compatriots at the Minister Hranush
Hakobyan is the the possibility of car duties dismissal. The Minister
once again said that all the agencies are ordered by the President
to focus on the problems of Syrian Armenians and secure the quickest
solutions for them as soon as possible.

LES MEURTRIERS PRESUMES DANS L’AFFAIRE DU RESTAURANT HARSNAKAR PASSENT EN PROCES
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 18 septembre 2012

Six hommes employes par l’un des plus chefs d’entreprise les plus
fortunes d’Armenie ont comparu jeudi 13 septembre sur le banc des
accuses d’un tribunal de Erevan, sous le chef d’accusation d’avoir
battu a mort un medecin militaire lors d’un incident survenu dans
le restaurant Harsnakar, situe dans les faubourgs de la capital,
où il dînait en compagnie d’amis. Cet incident, survenu le 17 juin,
avait suscite une vive indignation dans tout le pays, et l’affaire du
” meurtre au restaurant ” a occupe la une des journaux armeniens, qui
s’etendent aussi longuement sur l’ouverture de ce procès aux accents
politiques, en raison des liens entre le monde des affaires et le
monde politique. Les prevenus, employes du restaurant en qualite de
vigiles ou de serveurs, risquent de longues peines d’emprisonnement
pour avoir agresse le docteur Vahe Avetian, et plusieurs de ses
amis et collègues lors de la violente dispute qui a eclate dans le
restaurant. Le docteur Avetian a succombe a ses graves blessures a
la tete durant son hospitalisation, deux semaines après les faits.

Deux autres medecins militaires avaient ete grièvement blesses et
avaient dû etre hospitalises. Le tribunal de Erevan où est jugee
l’affaire a ouvert le procès a l’issue d’une enquete criminelle
menee par la police armenienne, qui a ete vivement critiquee par la
famille du defunt ainsi que par ses avocats. Ces derniers affirment
que les enqueteurs ont deliberement ignore des faits importants afin
d’absoudre le proprietaire du restaurant Harsnakar, Ruben Hayrapetian,
dont les liens avec le pouvoir sont connus, de toute responsabilite
dans ce drame. Le père de la victime, Garnik Avetian, a quant a lui
boycotte la première audience du procès en signe de protestation.

Cette première audience a ete marquee par un echange de propos plutôt
vif entre des fonctionnaires du tribunal et les trois avocats de
la famille Avetian. Les avocats avaient refuse de subir la fouille
règlementaire a l’entree du tribunal, en arguant que les officiers de
police assistant au procès n’avaient pas a passer par de tels contrôles
de securite. Davit Harutiunian, le juge âge de 30 ans qui preside la
eance, a finalement ordonne aux gardes de les laisser entrer dans le
tribunal sans passer par la fouille. L’avocat de l’un des inculpes,
Norayr Hayrapetian, a lui aussi critique le deroulement de l’enquete
policière et demande le remplacement de l’un des procureurs siegeant
a l’audience. L’avocat, Yerem Sargsian, a affirme que l’arrestation
de son client avait donne lieu a de graves vices de procedure.

Il a aussi deplore que les enqueteurs aient refuse de proceder a
un deuxième examen, plus detaille, du corps de la victime durant
l’autopsie, en vue de determiner lequel des inculpes avait provoque son
decès. L’acte d’accusation lu devant la cour n’etablit pas clairement
ce point, faisant porter la faute sur tous les inculpes.

L’affaire Harsnakar a ete largement mediatisee en Armenie et a
suscite une vive reaction dans l’opinion, qui y voit une nouvelle
manifestation des m~urs violentes dans les milieux d’affaires,
dont les representants sont assures de leur impunite garantie bien
souvent par leurs relations avec le pouvoir politique. Plusieurs
manifestations se sont deroulees devant le restaurant a l’appel
des associations de defense des droits de l’homme et de certaines
formations politiques cet ete pour protester contre l’impunite des
“oligarques” et de leurs gardes du corps, proteges par le pouvoir. Ces
reactions avaient contraint M. Hayrapetian a renoncer a son siège
de depute au Parlement armenien et a presenter ses excuses a la
famille Avetian, mais l’homme d’affaires a recuse jusqu’au bout toute
responsabilite dans cette triste affaire.

ICRC representatives visit Armenian family held in captivity in Azerbaijan

APA
Sept 17 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. Executives of the International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Azerbaijan visited Armenians –
five members of a family held in captivity, media contact person for
the ICRC Delegation to Azerbaijan Ilaha Huseynova told APA.

According to her, the delegation visited captives on September 14.

The civilians are the members of one family – Yegishe, Rosanna,
Alfred, Guyane and Petros Gevorkian. They said they wish to be sent
to the third country.

POLITICAL SCAPEGOATS?: PRESIDENT SARGSYAN SCOLDS GOVERNMENT FOR ‘KICKBACKS’
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
18.09.12

Photo:

Social networks over the past weekend were actively discussing
information about a government meeting where President Serzh Sargsyan
sharply criticized the government and made some serious accusations.

The head of the Control Service under the President, Hovhannes
Hovsepyan, presented the results of audits in the system of procurement
during which the service concluded that serious violations are
committed in the sphere. In particular, state agencies squander budget
money by holding non-transparent tenders and buying goods at prices
higher than elsewhere in the market.

Sargsyan said that in a number of areas, such as urban development,
transportation and communications, defense, health, and especially in
the market of medicines, there are many problems associated with the
procurement and disposal of public funds. The head of state instructed
the National Security Service and the Prosecutor General’s Office
to seriously address this issue. “I want you all to become not only
formal, but real, allies who are interested in solving these problems,”
Sargsyan underscored.

This attitude drew skeptical comments from many who remembered similar
statements by the president that remain without legal consequences.

The opposition has already described it as a “theatrical show”. On
the other hand, it led some experts to assume that Sargsyan is going
to dismiss his government in order to comply with the demand of the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and ex-president Robert Kocharyan,
who stands behind it. The PAP and Kocharyan apparently want to see
“their” man as prime minister.

Commenting on such assumptions, spokesman for the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA), deputy speaker of parliament Edward Sharmazanov
said that the statement of President Sargsyan simply means that those
in the upper echelons of power do know what is really going on.

“Yes, there are problems. We say that there is corruption in the
country. But we also say that the RPA has not discussed the issue of
changing the prime minister and the party trusts the political course
of its government,” he said.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan assured President Sargsyan that
the government will discuss in detail the issues raised and will
provide a schedule of its activities to address them. “All of these
estimations that you gave have sobered us and force us to make major
adjustments in our activities, and we will do it by all means,”
said Prime Minister Sargsyan.

The sphere of procurements has always been considered one of the most
corrupt in Armenia. Under the guise of tenders deals are concluded
as a result of which businessmen receive government contracts at
overestimated prices, and in return responsible government officials
receive “kickbacks”.

This is a corrupt practice typical of Russia where many foreign
investors say kickbacks are a usual phenomenon.

A few years ago more than 400 foreign companies operating in Russia
wrote a petition agreeing not to pay bribes and kickbacks. But after
a few months, many admitted that without such kickbacks it was simply
impossible to obtain government contracts.

Businessmen say the same thing about Armenia, and recipients of
government contracts are usually large oligarchs who are represented
both in power and in business.

A few days ago information appeared in the Armenian press that a U.S.

federal court in New York ordered Armenia’s ex-minister of environment
and current MP Vardan Ayvazyan to pay more than $37 million in damages
to a U.S. mining company that has accused him of corruption.

The Global Gold Corporation publicly accused Ayvazyan in 2006 of
demanding a $3 million bribe from its top executives after the Armenian
Ministry of Environment terminated the company’s license to carry out
exploratory and mining operations at a small gold deposit in Hankavan.

A new Facebook group, “Fighting Oligarchs”, has emerged online,
with hundreds of users already joining it. This matter became
particularly topical after last summer’s deadly beating of military
doctor Vahe Avetyan at a restaurant belonging to Ruben Hayrapetyan,
a government-connected MP and affluent businessman.

Vahe Avetyan’s sister and the ‘Vahe Avetyan’ civil movement appealed
to the international community and foreign states with a demand to
block entry to their countries to Armenian officials involved in the
violations of laws and human rights. They suggest creating a so-called
“Avetyan list” like the famous “Magnitsky list” created by the U.S.

Congress that prohibits entry to the United States for officials who
violate the law and human rights in Russia.

59% OF HUNGARIANS BLAME AZERBAIJAN FOR EMERGING TENSION

news.am
September 18, 2012 | 14:15

The survey shows the majority of Hungarians are familiar with Ramil
Safarov’s case and blame Azerbaijan for emerging tension.

The survey conducted by Szazadveg Foundation from Septemebr 7 to 12
showed that 94 percent of respondents were familiar with the story and
74 percent of Hungarians said the case was important from Hungary’s
point of view, MTI agency reported.

Fifty-nine percent of the population believed the Azerbaijani
government was responsible for the situation that has developed,
while 32 percent blamed the Hungarian government.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant
in the Azerbaijani military, was extradited on August 31 from Hungary,
where he was serving a life sentence-and with no expression of
either regret or remorse-for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership
for Peace program in Budapest back in 2004. And Armenia’s President
Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31 that Armenia is suspending its
diplomatic ties with Hungary.

ALI HASANOV: KARABAKH CONFLICT’S RESOLUTION WILL BE A PRIORITY TOPIC AT MEETING OF AZERBAIJANI AND FRENCH PRESIDENTS

arminfo
Tuesday, September 18, 10:51

The resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be a priority issue at
the upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani and French presidents, Azerbaijani
Presidential Administration Social and Political Department Head Ali
Hasanov said, commenting on the current visit of Azerbaijani President
to France, Trend reports.

Hasanov noted that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains a priority
during all the visits and meetings of Azerbaijani President with
other countries’ presidents.

“France is a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, and during the
meeting with this country’s president, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,
as well as situation and prospects of conflict regulation, processes
happening around the conflict, Azerbaijan’s position and OSCE Minsk
group’s activity and future steps will be discussed,” Hasanov said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict broke out on February 28 1988 in the
Azerbaijani Sumgait with massacre of Armenians as a peculiar response
of Azerbaijanis to the peaceful demand of the Nagorno-Karabakh
autonomous Region, part of the Azerbaijani SSR, to unite with the
Armenian SSR. This resulted in other pogroms of Armenians in Baku,
Kirovabad and other regions of Azerbaijan populated with Armenians. In
1991 Azerbaijan unleashed war against peaceful populations of
Nagorno-Karabakh, expulsing ethnic Armenians from the territory of
Azerbaijan. Dozens of thousands of peaceful residents on both parties
were killed in the military actions, and hundreds of thousands were
left homeless and have become refugees. In 1994 in Bishkek in mediation
of the OSCE MG, the NKR, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Protocol on
Ceasefire that is observed more or less so far. Since 1992 the OSCE
Minsk Group represented by co-chairs from Russia, U.S.

and France has been mediating in resolution of the conflict unleashed
by Azerbaijan in 1988. At present the peace process is based on the
Madrid Principles suggested by the OSCE MG in 2007 in Madrid and
renovated in 2009.

WHAT ARE MINING INDUSTRY’S DAMAGES TO ARMENIA?

news.am
September 18, 2012 | 12:02

YEREVAN. – A total of 9,700 hectares of Armenia’s lands are allocated
to mining enterprises; 8,725 hectares from these lands are abused,
whereas 1,400 hectares are under tailings dumps, the Nature Protection
Minister’s report states.

In line with the report, around 220 million cubic meters of tailings
are accumulated in these dumps, and this degrades the landscape and
the biodiversity. In addition, the open-pit mines completely break
down the natural landscape and the ecosystem.

Also, the groundwater’s flow and content is changing. There also
are water basins whose flora and fauna have lessened, or changed
considerably.

Furthermore, since some mining ventures are located on high terrain,
they cause a serious damage to the landscape located much below.

The mining industry directly impacts the surface covering, too, and
this contributes to greater desertification in Armenia and includes
85 percent of the country’s surface, the Nature Protection Minister’s
report also notes.