Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 17 2012

Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Georgia being held today

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is going to Georgia on
Saturday on a working visit, the press service of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry reports. The meeting of Nalbandian with the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Georgia Grigol Vashadze is scheduled in Tbilisi,
according to RIA Novosti.

The last time Nalbandian visited Tbilisi was on a short working visit
in June 2011. Then the agenda included the problems concerning the
Armeniancommunity of Georgia and the steps taken to address them. In
addition, Nalbandian and Vashadze discussed issues related to
improving the legal framework, cooperating within international
organizations and simplifying border crossing procedures and
transportation.

At a meeting with Nalbandian, Vashadze mentioned that
Armenian-Georgian relations are unprecedentedly active. “Relations
between Armenia and Georgia have not been as active as they are now
since the day of the establishment of independence,” the Georgian
Minister said.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 16, 2012 Friday 04:17 PM GMT+4

Air defence force of Russia military base begins muster in Armenia

YEREVAN March 16

The air defence force of the Russian military base in Armenia began a
muster at the highland training centre Alagyaz, Capt. Kirill Kiselev,
who is an officer of the press service in the Southern Military
District in Gyumri, where the major facilities of the military base
are deployed, told Itar-Tass on Friday.

Russian servicemen passed a 100-kilometer march to the fire training
range. The field muster, which will last more than a month, will end
with special exercises and live fire drills from the air defence
self-propelled system Shilka, the air defence system Strela-10 and the
mobile air defence system Igla.

At the tactical exercises the air defence troops will drill the tasks
of a defensive battle in the highlands, when the enemy uses high
precision weapons and electronic countermeasures, Kiselev said.

As part of scheduled drills the servicemen will have live fire drills
on air targets in the conditions, which are very close to combat
conditions, from reinforced positions and at a brief stop in the
movement of the military convoy.

More than 200 servicemen, about 30 pieces of weapons and military
hardware are involved in the field exercises.

The staff of the air defence units at the Russian military base that
are on combat duty in the CIS united air defence system will show the
level of their skills at fire drills at the Kapustin Yar fire range in
the Astrakhan Region this spring.

The Russian military base is deployed in Armenia under the
Russian-Armenian interstate agreement. The republican authorities
consider the deployment of the Russian military base in the country
along with Russian border guards as an important component of Armenian
national security.

Deutsche Welle, Germany
March 17, 2012 Saturday 6:07 PM EST

Tens of thousands protest German award for Turkish premier

More than 20,000 people have taken part in a protest against the
Turkish prime minister in Germany. They were undeterred by the fact
that Recep Tayyip Erdogancanceled his appearance to collect an award
for tolerance.

Police said around 22,000 people participated in a protest march
against Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the western German
city of Bochum.

Alevi Muslims made up the majority of the demonstrators as they
protested against oppression of minorities in Turkey, according to
police. The Alevi, who believe in a distinct form of Shi’ite Islam,
primarily live in Turkey.

“We do not feel like we are represented by Erdogan,” the secretary
general of the Alevi community in Germany, Ali Dogan told news agency
DPA. He is a full-fledged anti-democrat who should not receive any
prize for humanity and straightforwardness.”

Hundreds of Kurds and Armenians also protested.

The demonstration was meant to coincide with Erdogan’s visit to the
city to receive the Steiger Award for tolerance. However, the awards’
organizers announced earlier on Saturday that Erdogan had canceled his
evening appearance due to a Turkish helicopter crash in Afghanistan
that killed 17 people.

The Steiger Award stems from a private initiative and honors
personalities for tolerance, humanity and a record of social
advancement. Now in its seventh year, the current laureates include
Sweden’s Queen Silvia, former German President Horst Köhler, fashion
designer Wolfgang Joop and rock musician Lou Reed.

Erdogan was due to collect the award as a representative of the
Turkish people in honor of 50 years of Turkish-German friendship.

‘Opposite of tolerance’

Conservative and Green politicians had on Friday criticized presenting
the award to Erdogan.

The secretary general of the CSU, the Bavarian sister party to
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, Alexander Dobrindt,
described bestowing the award on Erdogan as “tasteless” and “bizarre.”

“The gross opposite of tolerance prevails in Erdogan’s country, namely
repression of religious and ethnic minorities, insufficient press
freedom and an absence of equal opportunities for women,” Dobrindt
said.

Green party spokesman Memet Kilic said Erdogan neither promoted
improved ties with Europe “nor tolerance and religious freedoms.”

The German journalists’ association DJV was also critical. Erdogan
carried “the political responsibility for permanent violations of
press freedom in Turkey, for reprisals against journalists critical of
the government and for arbitrary arrests of reporters,” said DJV head
Michael Konken on Freitag in Berlin. Honoring Erdogan amounted to
ignoring the fundamental right to freedom of expression, he added.

The organizers said the Steiger Awards ceremony would still be held on
Saturday despite Erdogan’s absence.

Ex-President of Croatia hopes upcoming parliamentary elections in
Armenia will be in compliance with European standards

15:04, 17 March, 2012

YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS: Prosperous Armenia Party holds a
convention in a period, when Armenian society is getting ready for
elections, Stjepan MesiÄ?, Ex-President of Croatia said, expressing
hope that the upcoming elections will correspond to up-to-date
European standards, Armenpress reports.

“Our country has passed the entire path of European integration and
will soon become full and equal member of the European Union. Our
experience can be useful for our Armenian partners and we are ready to
share that experience,” Stjepan MesiÄ? noted.

He also stressed that the Armenian-Croatian friendship has deep roots.
As its example, MesiÄ? noted that St. Vlas, patron saint of Dubrovnik,
was of Armenian descent.

“The cooperation of Peoples Party of Croatia and Prosperous Armenia
Party will promote cooperation of our two peoples,” Ex-President of
Croatia said.

YEREVAN TO BECOME VENUE FOR MOBILE MICROWORK INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

NEWS.AM
March 16, 2012 | 16:56

YEREVAN. – The “m2Work” Mobile Microwork International Competition
will be held in Armenia’s capital Yerevan on Saturday.

A variety of educational institutions from Armenia, students and
young professionals representing Information Technology companies
will compete in the event. The competition aims to encourage
Armenia’s youth and to help them compete in the World Bank’s m2Work
International Competition. The objective of this international contest
is to stimulate the growth of the Microwork markets and to help the
potential Microworkers in the developing countries by creating sources
of employment and income for them.

THE GENOCIDE WE ALL PREDICTED
Michael Dobbs

Thursday, March 15, 2012 – 10:56 AM

The Srebrenica genocide — as the massacres-cum-ethnic cleansing of
July 1995 has been described by the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal —
did not happen just like that, out of the blue. It was an avoidable
tragedy predicted well in advance. While the organized murder of 7,000
unarmed Muslim and boys took the world by surprise, there were numerous
warning signals that Western governments failed to take seriously.

I have assembled a partial list of warnings/predictions that a mass
atrocity was in the works in Bosnia, and specifically Srebrenica,
which was declared a United Nations “safe area” in April 1993. The
warnings came from representatives of institutions as diverse as the
United Nations, the United States government, and the World Court.

Most striking of all, the authors include the same Bosnian Serb
leaders, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, who are now defending
themselves against charges of genocide in the Hague. They, better
than anyone else, understood the horror of ethnic cleansing.

Pay attention to the dates on these quotes — 1992 and 1993, more
than two years before the Srebrenica tragedy. Some quotes, such as
the one from Clinton, relate to the general situation in Bosnia,
but most are prompted specifically by events in Srebrenica. (I have
omitted the numerous warnings of genocide from Bosniak leaders.)

We cannot cleanse, nor can we have a sieve to sift, so that only
Serbs could stay, or that the Serbs would fall through and the rest
leave…That would be genocide. — General Ratko Mladic, speech
to Bosnian Serb assembly on his appointment as military commander,
May 12, 1992 I think we cannot afford to ignore what appears to be a
deliberate, systematic extermination of human beings based on their
ethnic origin.

The United Nations was set up to stop things like that, and we ought
to stop it. — Bill Clinton, Democratic candidate for president,
August 5, 1992 If we don’t watch out, this could become a slow-motion
genocide. — United Nations special envoy to Srebrenica Diego Arria,
April 25, 1993 Today, Srebrenica is on the verge of falling, in part
because we have failed to take forceful action against Bosnian Serb
forces…We are only attempting to end the genocide through political
and economic pressures such as sanctions and intense diplomatic
engagement. — Letter from twelve State Department officials to
secretary of state Warren Christopher, April 1993 We used to say,
‘never forget, never again. Now the same thing is going on in Bosnia
because people are Muslims…We are legitimating genocide. — Senator
Daniel P. Moynihan, May 23, 1993 If we had entered Srebrenica, those
people entering would be those whose families were killed. 1,200
Serbs were killed (allegedly by Srebrenica Muslims). There would be
blood to the knees, and we might lose the state for that. — Republika
Srpska president Radovan Karadzic, speech to Bosnian Serb assembly,
July 20, 1993

The likely consequences of war in Bosnia were evident long before
hostilities erupted in April 1992. “Bosnian Republic Resembles
Tinderbox Waiting to Explode” was the headline on a front-page article
I wrote for the Washington Post following a brief visit to Sarajevo in
September 1991. One of the people I interviewed was Bosnian president
Alija Izetbegovic who said the following:

It would be a catastrophe if the war was extended here. There would
be neither victors nor vanquished, only victims. Every second person
in this republic has a weapon. All of Yugoslavia would be drawn into
the conflict. Muslims in Serbia would rise up. Europe would not be
able to keep out of such a war.

The politicians were correct in their grim forebodings, although that
did not prevent them from leading their country to disaster. There
was indeed “blood to the knees” after Karadzic ordered Bosnian Serb
troops to capture Srebrenica.

So my question is simple: If so many people had predicted exactly
such an outcome, why was it permitted to happen?

G. MELIKYAN: AZERBAIJAN ESCAPING FROM RESPONSIBILITY

Panorama.am
16/03/2012

“Azerbaijan is evidently instigating violations of ceasefire regime
on the line of contact. Hence, agreement to launch investigative
mechanisms is being withdrawn,” Gagik Melikyan, RPA faction Secretary,
told Panorama.am remarking on Armenian Foreign Minister’s statement
that advancement is failed because Azerbaijan withdraws from
agreements.

In a news conference held on Friday Armenian FM Eduward Nalbandian
emphasized that a vital statement was made during Sochi-hosted meeting
of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents unveiling measures
to be undertaken to materialize advancement in Karabakh conflict.

“Such statements used to be made repeatedly, before Sochi meeting,
a year ago in March the presidents focused on a number of issues. They
are halted as Azerbaijan has, in fact, withdrawn from the agreements.

In particular, agreement was reached to establish mechanisms for
investigation of incidents occurring on the contact line. Within
a year Azerbaijan has done everything to fail those mechanisms,”
Armenian FM said.

The MP has noted that Azerbaijan escapes from the responsibility of
accidents instigated by them on the contact line.

“Investigation will unveil Azerbaijan’s operations, which obviously
doesn’t favor Azerbaijan. If established, official Baku will fail to
hide those incidents.”

COMPREHENSIVE ASSISTANCE

Friday, 16 March 2012 08:06

Years ago, when creating the NKR Union of Missing Freedom-Fighters’
Relatives, we set out two main goals – to find the NKR citizens missed
as a result of the conflict and then the Artsakh War and to render
comprehensive assistance to their families.

For already many years, we have implemented corresponding programs
that still have not lost their relevance. And while the second
issue can be somehow resolved independently, the solution of the
first issue, which relates to great politics, is fraught with serious
difficulties. Especially that we are dealing with the opposing party,
which does not want to “understand” either us or the corresponding
international structures…

In our work, many held out a helping hand to us, but in this
publication, I want to call an organization that has cooperated with
us for many years – this is the Stepanakert Office of the International
Committee of the Red Cross.

The Office changed several managers, but all of them tried to help
us with great understanding and willingness, making their utmost to
solve the issues of our concern. The cooperation of our organization
with the NKR State Commission on POWs, Hostages and Missing Persons
and with the ICRC Stepanakert Office gives good results. Today’s Head
of Office is Roman Paramonov. We can say that with his appointment
our cooperation has acquired a new quality. Last year, the Office
of the Red Cross, through our help, opened personal cards for 360
missing people – for their transfer to the commission, inclusion in a
specialized database and later use for the benefit of missing persons’
families. And the new initiative of the ICRC on collecting the DNA of
the relatives of missing persons has become another ray of hope for
members of the Union Board members. This initiative, in accordance
with the agreed plan, should be put into practice this year and I
think it will play a crucial role in the issue of clarifying the fate
of our children and other missing persons…

In the years of 2009-2010, the ICRC staff worked with us to study
and assess the social-economic situation of the neediest families. As
a result of the study, a program consisting of several projects was
compiled – economic, agricultural, educational, on getting mini-credits
and on facilitating the repair of houses of elderly and lonely people.

What is the main purpose of this program? It is that every family
can give preference to a project and to choose the most important for
itself. In general, this program aims at creating a stable source of
income for a missing person’s family (which lost the breadwinner).

Last year, the program was implemented in the Askeran, Martuni, and
Hadrut regions. 48 families of missing persons were assisted by the
following projects: cattle (24 families were given a cow with a calf),
sheep and goats (5 families), poultry (5 families), beekeeping (9
families), and tailoring (2 families were provided with a Germany-made
sewing machine with raw materials). Assistance was rendered to three
more families involved in photography, recording, and woodworking.

This process will be continued in the current year.

In 2011, we provided assistance in food products to bedridden patients
from the families of deceased soldiers, which were also provided to
us by the ICRC.

In conclusion, I would like to note another peculiar assistance –
social-psychological care, integration of missing persons’ relatives
into the society. In accordance with this program, in 2011, the ICRC
organized meetings for members of our organization in Stepanakert,
Martuni, Askeran, and Martakert. The meetings were attended by
representatives of the State Commission on POWs, Hostages and Missing
Persons and regional administrations. Surely, the special thematic
talks and lectures of qualified psychologists from Artsakh, Armenia
and the Diaspora invited to these meetings were helpful.

Vera GRIGORIAN

Chairwoman of the NKR Union of Missing Freedom-Fighters’ Relatives

DINK’S WIFE FINDS THE TURKEY’S OFFICIALS’ ACTIVITIES SIMILAR TO THE “THREE MONKEYS'” SERVICE

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 16, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. “Agos”daily editor Hrant Dink’s wife
Raquel Dink talked about Dink’s assassination and the threats to
her husband before it during the press conference with her lawyers,
Armenpress reports citing CNN Turk.

Speaking about different threats to Dink, demonstrations in front of
“Agos” editorial, Raquel asked where Turkey’s Prime Minister, Minister
of Internal Affairs, Minister of Justice, security bodies were then.

“They have no right to neglect, pretend blind and deaf occupying
these posts”, Raquel Dink mentioned.

She compared the activities of Turkish officials with the “three
monkeys'” service who refuse to “hear, speak or see” thus supporting
the crime. “Nothing will change for me even if 100 people are
condemned. Hrant Dink’s case is the one that should be faced, that
should show Turkey’s position in regard to justice”, Raquel Dink said.

VARTAN OSKANIAN’S PRESENCE AT FREE DEMOCRATS’ CONGRESS DOESN’T RELIEVE HIM OF MAR. 1 RESPONSIBILITY

epress.am
03.16.2012

All political parties except for those in the ruling coalition have
been sent invitations to the Free Democrats’ second congress, the
party’s vice chair Anush Sedrakyan told Epress.am. Asked then how is
it that new Prosperous Armenia Party member Vartan Oskanian (pictured)
was at the congress, Sedrakyan said he was there as an analyst.

Speaking to reporters in the capital today, Free Democrats
representative Ararat Zurabyan said Oskanian’s presence at the
congress doesn’t relieve him of the responsibility of the events of
Mar. 1, 2008.

Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian, during his address, welcomed
the Free Democrats’ congress but didn’t say whether his party is
prepared to enter the parliamentary race in an alliance with the
fairly new political party.

Hovhannisian, speaking to Epress.am, said the Heritage Party
will decide on Sunday its format for participating in the May 6
parliamentary election.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Bureau member Armen
Rustamyan in his welcoming speech thanked the Free Democrats for its
support in the push to move to a 100% proportional representation
system in parliament.

“Unfortunately, there hasn’t yet been normal elections in Armenia:
the authorities have always been ‘reproduced’ not re-elected. We
agree with the Free Democrats, that the system of ‘reproduction’
has to be eradicated,” he said.

New Times party leader Aram Karapetyan, in conversation with Epress.am,
expressed hope that the Free Democrats will secure parliamentary
seats. According to him, this way “a balanced, Western party will get
into parliament and perhaps will give new birth to the collision of
pro-Western and pro-Russian ideological poles.”

In Karapetyan’s opinion, the Heritage Party’s and Free Democrats’
chances will be greater if they join forces.