Author: Kalantarian Kevo

TURKISH JOURNALIST SPEAKS ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GEONOCIDE
By Charlie Breitrose

Patch.com

Feb 3 2012

The Armenian Library and Museum of America audience welcomed the editor
of a left-wing Turkish publication, the Armenian Mirror-Spectator
reports.

The subject of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 is a touchy one in Turkey,
where the government has refused to recognize the events as a genocide.

Turkish journalist Ahmet Altan was welcomed Saturday Jan. 28 by a
crowd at the Armenian Library and Museum of America interested in
hearing from the editor of the left-wing publication Taraf.

Altan has picked up the mantle of getting the Armenian Genocide
recognized in Turkey which has landed him and the publication in court,
the Armenian Mirror-Spectator report.

ST. SARGIS HOLIDAY HAS BECOME MORE POPULAR

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 3, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS: St. Sargis Holiday has become more
popular in the recent several years, ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan
told a news conference, Armenpress reports. “In our days it is marked
as a holiday of love, and St. Sargis is considered a mediator saint
between lovers,” said Hranush Kharatyan.

St. Sargis Holiday is celebrated 63 days before Easter, on a Saturday
falling sometime between January 18 and February 23.

On the night of the holiday young people eat salty pies and don’t
drink water to encourage dreaming at night. They believe that St.

Sargis decides their fate, that the person who gives them water to
drink in their dreams will become their future spouse.

People also put a plate with flour outside their homes to have a
record of St. Sargis’s horse riding through the flour. They believe
St. Sargis appears with lightening speed on his radiant horse, and
that the traces left on the flour serve as a good omen to bring them
luck. In people’s imagination St. Sargis is handsome and appears with
a spear, a gold helmet and gold armor.

This year the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the holiday
February 4.

THOUSANDS HECTARES OF FOREST HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN ARMENIA’S FOREST FUND

news.am
February 03, 2012 | 20:31

YEREVAN. – After the investigations it came out that around 23 thousand
hectares of forest was not included in Armenia’s Forest Fund, was
reported during the consultation with regional governors hosted by
Armenian deputy PM, minister of Territorial Administration Armen
Gevorgyan on Thursday.

The deputy PM assigned the regional governors to start works in order
to include the forests in the Forest Fund.

TURKEY HAS EFFECTIVE ROLE

Anadolu Agency (AA)
February 1, 2012 Wednesday
Turkey

Appeal of French denial law step to protect freedom of expression
Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek said Turkey had effective
roles in several international organizations.

PALEMBANG Speaking to AA correspondent regarding the 7th conference of
the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in
Indonesia, Cicek said that they were pleased that Mahmut Erol Kilic
was re-elected the secretary general of the Union.

Cicek has praised a move by French lawmakers to appeal a law that
makes it a crime to deny Armenian allegations on Ottoman era incidents
of 1915.

“Contesting this law on the merits of its constitutionality is a
positive step taken towards protecting the principle of freedom of
expression,” Cemil Cicek said in a press release.

TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER WHO ACKNOWLEDGED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PRIZE

news.am
February 03, 2012 | 00:04

Several Swedish MPs have applied to the Nobel Peace Committee with
the proposal to give the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to famous Turkish
human rights defender Ragip Zarakolu.

As the Turkish Evrensel website informs, the Swedish MPs mentioned
in their proposal that Zarakolu published materials on the Armenian
Genocide and the Kurdish issue which are taboos in Turkey. He has
been sentenced for that publications several times.

One month ago Zarakolu has sent a letter to the Turkish parliament
calling them to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

“Yes, Turkey must face its history. It is not only an obligation
towards the victims but also a duty for securing healthy way of
thinking for the society. The acknowledgement of the genocide will
not belittle Turkey but will strengthen it,” Zarakolu wrote.

Ragip Zarakolu is a known human rights defender and publisher in
Turkey. Many materials on the Armenian Genocide have been published
in his Belge publishing house. On February in 2011 Zarakolu visited
Armenia.

RUSSIAN ROSTELECOM PURCHASED ARMENIAN OPERATOR GNC-ALFA

news.am
February 02, 2012 | 19:35

MOSCOW. – Russian national telecommunications operator Rostelecom
CJSC purchased 75% shares of the Armenian operator on main Internet
and data transmission GNC-Alfa for $22.5 million, Russian company’s
release reads.

Having the control over GNC-Alfa will allow Rostelecom to acquire a
well-developed basic infrastructure to offer broadband services and
digital TV in the telecommunications market in Armenia, which has a
great potential to expand.

To note, Rostelecom disclosed its intentions to purchase shares
of GNC-Alfa main internet operator in Armenia on Jan. 13. GNC-Alfa
makes 2% in the broadband market in Armenia. However, the company
intends also to purchase major independent Internet provider Ucom
(11% of broadband market), thus Rostelecom’s shares in the broadband
market in Armenia will make 13% in future.

UN APOLOGIZES INSTEAD OF AZERBAIJAN

news.am
February 02, 2012 | 18:43

It was found out on Wednesday that Azerbaijan as a regional conference
hosting state had showed a film on the state during the break at the
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) annual non-official session
on Jan. 26-27 in Budapest. As a result of anti-Armenian information
in the film, the Armenian delegation has left the session room as
a protest action. Organizers of the session on behalf of the FAO
Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Europe
and Central Asia Fernanda Guerrieiri qualified the video as improper.

FAO Assistant Director General apologized on behalf of the organization
to the Armenian delegation, which returned back to session after
consultations with Yerevan and assured no such things will happen
later. Meantime, she thanked and praised the Armenian delegation and
authorities for showing constructive approach.

YOUNG ARMENIAN COMMITTED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF DEBTS?

news.am
February 02, 2012 | 20:46

GYUMRI. – Vladimir Karapetyan, 26, Shirak village resident, committed a
suicide in Armenia’s Gyumri city on Wednesday, Jajur community leader
Sokrat Suvaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, the young man has left a note before committing a
suicide claiming he takes the step for justice. He had no enemies,
Shirak community leader stated.

Whereas, Gyumri police claims that the man had large debts and
personal problems. Criminal case is instigated for committing a
suicide and keeping arms illegally, police press service informs
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WAS NOT JUST GENOCIDE – RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN

Tert.am
03.02.12

If there is ever any reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, it
should never be based on foreign countries’ laws, the leader of the
opposition Heritage party has said.

Addressing the French Senate’s recent decision to punish the denial
of genocides, Raffi Hovhannisyan told reporters on Friday that such
reconciliation should be based only on truth and justice.

As for the Armenian Genocide proper, the Heritage leader said its
definition could not be limited simply to an ordinary crime of genocide
as its impact went far beyond.

“The Armenian Genocide was not simply a killing of people; it is not
an ordinary genocide. It is dispossession,” he said.

Hovhannisyan further expressed their party’s respect for the French
lawmakers’ decision.

“We do respect them, and the law [i.e. the bill] which is now being
debated at the constitutional level. We also hail the Turkey based
Armenian public figures who struggle for justice,” he added.

THERE IS NO CHILD PROSTITUTION IN ARMENIA – POLICE FORCE

news.am
February 03, 2012 | 14:04

YEREVAN. – In 2011, 54 cases of sexual violence against minors were
recorded in Armenia, Police Force representative, Police Colonel
Nelli Duryan stated during a press conference on Friday.

Also, she did not agree with the assertion that most sexual violence
cases occur among needy families. “It is just that sometimes such
families are ready to speak about it. Our people’s mentality assumes
that such incidents are family affairs,” Duryan noted.

She also informed that in 2011 Armenia’s law enforcement agencies
did not record any cases of child pornography on the Internet.

With respect to the query as to strange-content websites’ accessibility
to children, the Police Colonel said this is under the parents’
responsibility. And in regard to child prostitution, Nelli Duryan
stressed: “We can say that such phenomenon virtually does not exist
in Armenia. But there is another problem linked with the girls’
conduct.” She added that such girls lead an unbridled lifestyle.