Author: Kalantarian Kevo

VETERAN TURKISH JOURNALIST FREED AFTER CRITICISM

Gulf Times
March 24 2008
Qatar

ISTANBUL: A veteran Turkish journalist, rounded up as part of a probe
into a shadowy anti-government network, was released yesterday after
a storm of criticism over his detention, the Anatolia news agency said.

Ilhan Selcuk, 83, chief columnist of the secularist Cumhuriyet
daily and a fierce critic of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
Islamist-rooted government, was however banned from leaving Turkey
until the probe is over, Anatolia quoted his lawyer Akin Atalay
as saying.

Selcuk was arrested in a pre-dawn operation on Friday along with 11
other people. Four others were also released yesterday, Anatolia said.

They were questioned as part of an investigation into a group
of suspected ultra-nationalists who reportedly plotted unrest and
political assassinations in Turkey in a bid to discredit and eventually
topple the government.

Selcuk’s arrest unleashed accusations from civic groups and opposition
parties that the government is using the probe to intimidate critics
at a time of simmering political tensions.

Some accused the government of seeking vengeance against secularist
forces after a prosecutor asked the Constitutional Court last week
to outlaw the ruling Justice and Development Party for undermining
Turkey’s secular system.

The probe was launched in June after the discovery of explosives in
an Istanbul house.

Retired soldiers, journalists, lawyers and underworld figures are
among 39 people who have so far been jailed, awaiting trial.

Officials have made no statement on the investigation and prosecutors
are yet to draw up an indictment to detail the charges and start
a trial.

The Turkish media, citing unnamed sources, say police are investigating
whether the suspects were involved in acts of political violence
aiming to discredit the government.

This would include the murders of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink, Italian Catholic priest Andrea Santoro and a senior judge,
they say.

Reports claim some of the jailed suspects also planned to assassinate
2006 Nobel literature laureate Orhan Pamuk, a pro-government journalist
and several Kurdish politicians.

The media largely considers the probe as an onslaught against the
"deep state" – a term used to describe members of the security forces
acting outside the law to preserve what they consider Turkey’s best
interests.

ARMENIA SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.03.2008 18:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian authorities should not close eyes
to the Azerbaijani resolution adopted by the UN, NKR former Deputy
Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan said.

"This is an international document and its adoption is a failure of
Armenian diplomacy," he said.

"Passage of the resolution is not a calamity for Armenia. Our problem
is that we focus on prevention of hostilities, failing to understand
the international interests correctly," he said. "Armenia should
take the lead in Karabakh settlement. Armenia needs new approaches
and new negotiators," he added, Novosti Armenia reports.

On March 14, the UN General Assembly with 39 votes ‘in favor’, 7
‘against’ and 100 abstentions adopted the resolution "On the situation
in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan."

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair states – Russia, U.S. and France –
voted against the measure.

HUNDREDS GATHER IN ARMENIA TO PROTEST ELECTION RESULTS AFTER STATE OF EMERGENCY LIFTED

The Associated Press
March 21, 2008

YEREVAN, Armenia: Hundreds of people are taking to the streets of
Armenia’s capital to protest election results after the government
lifted a state of emergency.

The opposition supporters are gathering in small groups Friday,
apparently to avoid provoking a police crackdown after authorities
denied them permission to hold a rally.

Public gatherings were banned during the 20-day state of emergency that
ended at midnight Thursday. It was imposed by the government following
clashes between police and protesters that left eight people dead.

The opposition claims the government rigged Armenia’s Feb. 19
presidential election in favor of Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian,
who is to be inaugurated next month.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT UPHOLDS RULES FOR PAYING STATE BENEFITS TO DEAD HEROES’ FAMILIES

ARKA
March 20, 2008

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Armenian government approved rules for
paying state benefits to killed national heroes’ families.

Governmental press office told ARKA News Agency on Thursday that the
benefit amounts to AMD 200,000 (about $650).

The government gave instruction to the social minister to settle
necessary formal matters with benefit payments.

GENERAL STAFF HEAD OF ARMENIAN FORCES, CSTO REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSS RUBEZH 2008 MANEUVERS

ARKA
March 20, 2008

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Head of the General Staff of Armenian
Forces Seiran Ohanian, CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization)
representatives, as well as Russia’s and Tajikistan’s defense ministers
discussed on March 19 Rubezh (Border) 2008 upcoming maneuvers in
Armenia.

The participants to the meeting touched upon organizational issues of
the military exercises, RA Defense Ministers’ Press Secretary Seiran
Shakhsuvarian reported.

Rubezh 2008 four-stage joint military exercises will be held in Russia
and Armenia in summer-fall 2008. About 4,000 servicemen from Armenia,
Russia and Tajikistan will participate in the maneuvers.

Armored troops, conventional artillery, army artillery groups, ground
attack aircrafts and engineer troops will participate in the exercises.

Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan are CSTO members.

JOINT STATEMENT OF LEADING ARMENIAN-AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS ON RECENT EVENTS IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
19.03.2008 18:03

The Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian General Benevolent
Union, the Armenian National Committee of America, the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern/Western) and the Prelacy of
the Armenian Apostolic Church of America (Eastern/ Western) issued
a joint statement on the recent events in Armenia.

"As leading Armenian-American organizations, we stand in solidarity
with the state and the people of Armenia as the nation confronts the
current political crisis.

We are deeply saddened by the violence, divisiveness, and deaths
during the post-electoral street unrest in the capital and extend our
heartfelt sympathies to all the families of the victims. We condemn
all violent acts, including assaults, vandalism, and looting, and
expect, consistent with due process of law, that the organizers and
perpetrators will be brought to justice.

We urge all parties to work peacefully within Armenia’s civic and
legal structures to address their outstanding differences and restore
Armenia’s political environment to a state of normalcy in as timely
and responsible a manner as possible. We join with all Armenians
in reaffirming our people’s common commitment to the security of
Armenia and Artsakh in a challenging and often dangerous region,
and to cooperate toward our shared aim of strengthening an open and
democratic Armenian homeland, based upon the rule of law, social
and economic justice, freedom of expression and the media, and equal
opportunity for all.

As Armenian-Americans, proud and vital partners in the future of the
Armenian nation, we are ready to cooperate with the newly-elected
president and the government. We remain committed to doing our
part to serve our homeland and the Armenian Nation as we have done
throughout our long history. Armenia will continue to inspire and
sustain generations of Armenians who have lived, as we do today,
beyond her borders."

AUTHORITIES PROVED TOO SOFT WHEN PROTECTING NATIONAL VALUES: VICE CHAIRMAN OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

arminfo
2008-03-19 13:41:00

ArmInfo. ‘Frankly speaking, it is not so important for me how the
world community will perceive the incidents of March 1 in Yerevan’
, Vice Chairman of Armenian Parliamentary Commission for Foreign
Affairs Vazgen Karakhanyan told ArmInfo. Nevertheless, he stressed
that one should not rule out the significance of the assessment of
domestic political processes in Armenia by the world community since
the Millennium Challenge Account Compact and the future activity of
Lincy Foundation are threatened. Various envoys arrive in Armenia
and demand discussing human rights and democracy protection in the
country at the negotiating table. ‘Indeed, they would like Armenia to
be a weak country headed by a weak president. However, I think that
the authorities of Armenia acted too softly when protecting national
values’, the parliamentarian said.

PACKAGES GIVEN TO VULNERABLE FAMILIES OF 3 COMMUNITIES OF TAVUSH REGION WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND’S OROROTS PROGRAM

Noyan Tapan
March 18, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Within the framework of the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund’s program under the title Ororots, National Care
of New-born Babies, packages with necessary things have been given
to families having children aged below one year in the Ijevan,
Noyemberian, and Berd communities of the Tavush region. Clothes,
shoes, children care items are included in the packages.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Fund’s Public Relations Department,
the program is implemented jointly with the Coordinating Council of
the Women’s NGOs. Every year, when making a decision on choosing the
area, priority is given to families of people, who suffered from war,
families of border regions, and those having a low birth rate.

The money needed for the program implemented since 2003 is given
by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s Brazilian, New York (U.S. East
Coast local structure), Toronto (Canada local structure), as well as
by individual benefactors residing in Armenia and abroad.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SEES NO NEED FOR PROLONGING EMERGENCY RULE – SPOKESMAN

Mediamax
March 17 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 17 March: Spokesman of the Armenian President Viktor
Soghomonyan stated today that up till now no cases ofviolation of
the state of emergency order, imposed on 1 March by the decree of
the President, were registered.

Mediamax reports that, speaking at a briefing in Yerevan today,
Viktor Soghomonyan stated that the President does notsee perquisites
for prolonging the term of effect of the state of emergency.

"The limitations of the media are of temporary nature. Besides, these
limitations were considerably mitigated,and we gave clear directions
as to what actions are banned," the Spokesman of the President stated.

Today, Azerbaijan
March 15 2008

Araz Azimov: "Adoption of the resolution by UN General Assembly
should become a serious message for Armenia and a serious warning for
the co-chairs"

15 March 2008 [15:37] – Today.Az

"We have already been informed that the resolution, reflecting basic
principles of the conflict settlement and presented by Azerbaijan,
was adopted at a session of the UN General Assembly in New York".

The due announcement was made by Araz Azimov, deputy Foreign Minister
of Azerbaijan.

He said 39 countries attending the session voted for Azerbaijan, 7
against and 100 abstained from voting.

"Our opinion on the issue is positive. We consider that a document of
utmost importance has been adopted".

He said during adoption of the resolution, its discussion and
throughout the whole campaign Azerbaijan faced sharp resistance.

"It came not only from Armenia. Armenia was supported by the
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group including the United States, Russia
and France and they worked hard to make positions of other countries
closer to theirs. Position of these three countries seemed so
miserable when they were supported only by a small island state
Vanuatu, which perhaps does not know the location of Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Among the states, which voted against the resolution,
there was such a large state as India. But we do hope that next time
India will change its position basing on principles of international
law", he said.

He called on the Azerbaijani people not to be frustrated by results
of voting.

"I will cite an example. Each year Cuba presents its resolution
against the United States under which the United States keep this
country in economic isolation, to the UN. Several years ago the
resolution was supported by only 40 countries and over 120 countries
abstained from voting. Now Cuba managed to get support of 184
countries".

He voiced hope that next year we will not have a reason to promote
this resolution in the UN.

"Until Azerbaijani lands are under occupation, Azerbaijan will do
everything possible and no one will be able to make us give up this
way. Yesterday’s voting proved that".
According to him Azerbaijan has always made everything possible for
continuation of discussions and will do it in the future as well.

"The resolution also supported the activity of the Minsk Group. This
indicates the fact that Azerbaijan, which is the only author of this
resolution, by introducing the paragraph on support to Minsk group’s
efforts, has demonstrated its position on the issue", Araz Azimov
noted.

He said the world community has stated its position on the issue and
Armenia should realize that there are definite principles and norms.
"This resolution was timely", said Azimov.

He said the recent deterioration of the state on the front line
proved that the Armenian leadership made use of the old famous
example-violation of ceasefire-after the political situation in the
country complicated.

"Adoption of the resolution by UN General Assembly should become a
serious message for Armenia and a serious warning for the co-chairs
that we will not move in a dark direction. We want clarity which is
possible only within the territorial integrity", said Azimov.

He noted that the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group should continue on
basis of the UN resolution, adopted yesterday.

/Day.Az/

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