Author: Kalantarian Kevo

OFFICIAL: TURKEY PREPARED TO INVESTIGATE SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Trend
Nov 18 2011
Azerbaijan

Turkey is prepared to establish a joint commission to investigate
events relating to the so-called Armenian genocide, Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmed Davutoglu reported at a joint press conference with
his French counterpart Alain Juppe, Turkish television channel TRT
Haber reported.

“Turkey is ready to establish a joint commission to carry out a
thorough background investigation of this issue,” Mr. Davutoglu said.

Armenia and its lobby claim the Turkish Republic’s predecessor, the
Ottoman Empire, committed genocide against Armenians in Anatolia in
1915. Pressured by Armenian propaganda, the governments of a number
of countries have recognised the so-called 1915 genocide.

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS IN WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP

Panorama
Nov 18 2011
Armenia

Four representatives of Armenia are going to take part in the World
Youth Championship which is to be held in Caldas Novas, Brazil on
November 18-26, 2011, “armchess.am” informs.

GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan and FM Robert Aghasaryan are going to play
in the U18, IM Karen H. Grigoryan and FM Hovhannes Gabuzyan – in the
U16 groups.

FRENCH POLICE BUST GEORGIAN CRIME RING

RF1

Nov 18 2011
France

French police have busted an alleged Georgian criminal gang working
with an Armenian network to sell goods robbed across the Paris region
and south-west France.

A huge team of 300 gendarmes rounded up 23 Georgians and Armenians,
most of them living in the foothills of the Pyrenees, on Friday.

They are accused of theft, receiving stolen goods and money-laundering.

The gang was highly structured with a well established hierarchy,
according to police.

It came to light after a spate of robberies, mainly targeting digital
products and jewellery, of businesses and homes across the south-west
of France.

The profits of the crimes were sent back to the two Caucasian
countries, police say.

The accused will be charged and questioned in the western city of
Bordeaux.

19% OF RUSSIAN SUPPORT ARMENIA’S JOINING COMMON ECONOMIC SPACE IN FUTURE

news.am
Nov 18 2011
Armenia

Nineteen percent of Russians would like to see Armenia a member of
the Common Economic Space if it is enlarged, says public opinion poll.

According to the survey held among 1,500 Russian citizens of 43
regions, 43% of respondents welcome formation of the Common Economic
Space between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, saying it would do more
good than harm for Russia, Interfaxreported.

Twenty-eight percent of pollees said they never heard about the
initiative. The number one state welcomed in the Space is Ukraine(24%),
whereas only 14% spoke for Azerbaijan and 6% for Georgia.

On the whole, majority of respondents (61%) support integration of
former Soviet Republics.

UNITY SHOULD BE BUILT ON THE SYSTEM OF VALUES AND LAWS, ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS

Mediamax
Nov 18 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said today that
“unity should be built on the system of values and laws”.

The head of state said this during the ceremony of inauguration of
the newly elected Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan.

“An important period is lying ahead of us. Many people if not everyone
will speak about unity. Of course, it’s a right approach and we
welcome it. But we should specify the frames around which the unity
is going to be built. I think the answer is clear – unity should be
built on the system of values and laws. Each person who makes part
of this value system is considered to share ideas with us and he is
our natural team-mate”, said Serzh Sargsyan.

TURKISH MPS CONDEMN RAGIP ZARAKOLU’S ARREST

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 18, 2011 – 15:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Co-chair of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)
Selahattin Demirtas and BDP Istanbul deputy Sirri Sureyya Onder
together signed books at the book stand of the Belge publishing house,
which was established by arrested publisher, writer and activist
Ragip Zarakolu.

“We are here today for Ragip Zarakolu as well as all other arrested
intellectuals and journalists. Zarakolu built this publishing house
with a major effort. We condemn his arrest,” Demirtas said at a press
meeting at the TUYAP Book Fair in Istanbul yesterday.

Both Demirtas and Onder signed books for those who bought books
from the Belge publishing house. Among the most sold were books on
Kurdish history and Ahmet SÑ~Mk’s book “000Kitap.” The manuscript
for “000Kitap” was seized by the police before it was published
in March. The book was released yesterday by some 125 journalists,
activists and academics, who co-authored the book.

Stressing the arrests of journalists Ahmet SÑ~Mk, Nedim Sener as well
as academic Busra Ersanli and publisher Zarakolu, Demirtas said the
government was making a big mistake.

“Unfortunately we see that understanding of the law has failed in
Turkey. The prime minister thinks what he is doing is democracy. But
this is a major mistake,” Demirtas said.

Publisher Ragip Zarakolu, along with 43 others, was arrested on
Nov. 1 in connection with the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) case,
Hurriyet Daily News reported.

WOODROW WILSONS ARBITRAL AWARD HAS NO LEGAL POWER, RICHARD HOVANNISIAN SAYS

Sona Hakobyan
“Radiolur”
18.11.2011 18:32

Professor Richard G. Hovannisian, AEF Chair in Modern Armenian History
at UCLA, delivered a lecture on Woodrow Wilson’s Arbitral Award today.

Under the Wilson’s Arbitral Award, Armenia was granted the provinces of
Van, Bitlis, Erzurum, and Trabzon. US President Woodrow Wilson issued
the Arbitral Award on November 22, 1990, while the Supreme Council
of the Allied Powers had decided to apply to the President in April.

In reality, this was a trap, Richard Hovhannisian says. “They would
like to lay the responsibility for the Armenian Cause on Woodrow
Wilson. What’s surprising is that Wilson fell into that trap. Why,
if he knew that the Senate would never accept that mandate? Senators
were advising him not to pose the question, as it could turn worse
for Armenians.”

Wilson is a hero for Armenians today. However, his political mistakes
further contributed to the Armenian tragedy. “Look, the Supreme
Council applied to him in April, but the directive came to Senate
only in November. Wilson signed it in ten days, it was sent to the
US Ambassador in December. When the decision was handed to the great
powers, the Republic of Armenia had already stopped existing.”

Part of Armenia was conquered by the Turkish army. The other part
voluntarily declared a Soviet Socialist Republic on December 2,
1920, which is now the Republic of Armenia. “If the Arbitral Award
was implemented, it would grant Armenia 160 000 square km instead of
the current 30 000.”

As for the Treaty of Sevres, it was not ratified by any country. It
was followed by the Treaties of Moscow and Kars, as well as the Treaty
of Lausanne of 1923, with which the great powers actually buried the
Armenian Cause.

Thus, Richard Hovhannisian does not attribute any legal importance
to Wilson’s Arbitral Award. He says, however, that the Armenian
authorities must use the document as a diplomatic tool and draw
lessons from the past not to face similar problems in the future.

ARMENIAN MPS ON THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION
Artak Barseghyan

“Radiolur”
18.11.2011 19:02

The Presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed an accord
in Moscow to create a Eurasian economic union, an EU-style project
championed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Armenia has no common borders with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan,
and the effectiveness of our country’s joining the union is extremely
dubious, member of the Heritage faction Armen Martirosyan told a
briefing today.

Member of “Orinats Yerkir” faction Khachik Harutyunyan believes that
the issue should become a matter of serious consideration.

Secretary of the ARF faction Artyusha Shahbazyan stands for Armenia’s
joining the Union, first of all from the perspective of establishment
of multipolar relations both in political and economic fields.

Member of Prosperous Armenia Party Naira Zohrabyan underlined that
“the issue of membership is being considered by the executive body,
taking into consideration the interests of our country.”

Republican MP Artak Zakaryan noted that “the new union is rather
targeted at the expansion of the economic cooperation.”

A STATE DINNER IN HONOR OF THE ARTSAKH REPUBLIC PRESIDENT BAKO SAHAKYAN

Noyan Tapan
18.11.2011

On 17 November US Eastern Regional body of the “Hayastan” All-Armenian
organized in New York a state dinner in honor of the Artsakh Republic
President Bako Sahakyan with the participation of Armenian community
representatives.

President Sahakyan introduced to the attendees socioeconomic situation
in the NKR, problems it faces and development prospects. The Head
of the State underlined that the people of Artsakh is resolute in
further strengthening their independent statehood and within this
context called the Artsakh-Armenia-Diaspora trinity the basis of all
achievements. Bako Sahakyan rated high the role of the “Hayastan”
All-Armenian fund in the development of Artsakh qualifying it one
of the most important junctions in practical cementation of the
inter-Armenian ties.

Head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop
Pargev Martirosyan, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary
of the Republic of Armenia to the USA Tatoul Markaryan, permanent
representative of the Republic of Armenia to UN Karen Nazaryan,
head of the central information department of the office of the NKR
President David Babayan, NKR permanent representative to USA and
Canada Robert Avetisyan and other officials partook at the event.

12TH EUROPEAN PHONEATHON KICKED OFF IN PARIS

armradio.am
18.11.2011 13:40

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund~Rs 12th European Phoneathon, the second
largest annual fundraising event after the Telethon, kick off in
France on November 17 and will run through November 20.

Some 700 volunteers from France, Germany, and Switzerland work the
phones throughout the four-day event, with calls being placed 12 hours
a day. Stationed in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, and Toulouse, the
volunteers will call close to 60,000 Armenian families, businesses,
and organizations across Europe to request financial support for the
ongoing development of Armenia and Artsakh. Also participating in
the Phoneathon will be the Armenian communities of the Netherlands
and Greece.

Funds raised during Phoneathon 2011 will be dedicated to vital
water-infrastructure projects in close to ten rural communities
throughout Artsakh and the Tavush Region of Armenia.

Proceeds from last year~Rs Phoneathon, totaling around 1.4 million
euros, were used for the construction or renovation of water
infrastructures in the Hartashen, Togh, Aknaghbyur, and Ukhtadzor
villages of Artsakh~Rs Hadrut Region as well as the construction of
a school in Ashotsk, a rural community in Armenia~Rs Shirak Region
(please visit himnadram.org for detailed information about these
projects).