Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Abkhazian Minister refutes reports about attack on local Armenians

18:47 | January 28,2015 | Politics

The Minister of Internal Affairs of Abkhazia, Raul Lolua, has refuted
the reports of a Georgian news agency (Íàøà Àáõàçèÿ) that Russian
border guards attacked the local Armenian population in the country’s
Achadara community. Taking to Yerevan-based Armenpress news agency, Mr
Lolua said it views the reports as provocation.

`I officially announce that the reports are false. This is a
provocation. This is the first time I hear about the incident,’ said
the Abkhazian official.

Achadara is a village near the Abkhaz capital, Sukhum (which the
Georgians call Sukhumi) and there are not any Russian border guards.
`They are stationed in Sukhum and as a rule, do not leave the area,’
Mr Lolua said.

Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey establishes foundation

18:46, 28 Jan 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has established a foundation under
the name `Hovagim 1461,’ in order to formally acquire a legal
personality, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The foundation is named after the first Armenian patriarchate Hovagim
and the date when he was appointed to his position.

Istanbul’s 22th civil court of first instance registered the
foundation officially. The foundation’s board of trustees will be made
up of 10 members of the patriarchate and headed by the Deputy Armenian
Patriarch Archbishop Aram AteÃ…?yan.

The patriarchate will be able to give decisions on financial issues
via the Hovagim 1461 foundation.

The activities of foundations in Turkey are detailed under the law as
follows: Organizing seminars, workshops, conferences, providing
information, documents and data, publishing magazines, newspapers, and
articles in line with the aims of the patriarchate, and accepting
donations from Turkey and abroad.

The foundation also has the right to own property by inheritance,
purchase or donation. It will also be able to make investments through
cooperation with other foundations.

Amal Clooney: This court is well aware of Turkey’s attitude to
protection of freedom of expression

17:38 28/01/2015 >> LAW

The European Court of Human Rights hearing in the case of Perincek v.
Switzerland is closed. All parties involved in the case made remarks.
Dogu Perincek and his lawyers spoke first. Then Switzerland, the
respondent in this case, spoke, and Turkey and Armenia, acting in the
case as third party, spoke next.

Armenia’s representative to the European Court of Human Rights Gevorg
Kostanyan drew the court’s attention to a huge number of historical
facts which prove that the Ottoman Empire in the last years of its
existence “planned and cynically” perpetrated the Armenian Genocide.

Lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, representing Armenia, stressed that Dogu
Perincek traveled to Switzerland in 2005 with an aim to deliberately
violate the Swiss law by making a statement denying the Armenian
Genocide.

Amal Clooney, who defends Armenia’s interests, presented irrefutable
historical facts about the Armenian Genocide, noting that the facts of
mass killings obviously confirm that what happened in 1915 was
genocide and the organizers pursued a goal to perpetrate genocide.

In response to the remarks by the representatives of Turkey about the
need to defend the freedom of expression, she said, “This court is
well aware of Turkey’s attitude to the protection of freedom of
expression,” referring to the hundreds of cases under Article 10 of
the European Convention on Human Rights.

Dogu Perincek in his closing remarks tried to present his views about
the “Armenian Genocide – an imperialist lie,” but the court chairman
interrupted him, not allowing him to make such statements as “Talaat
was a fighter of freedom” and use the court for spreading propaganda
theses.

The verdict in the case is expected to be announced in 6-8 months.

In 2008, a Swiss court convicted Dogu Perincek for denying the
Armenian Genocide. In December 2013, the ECHR ruled in favor of
Perincek’s lawsuit, filed against Switzerland. Then the government of
Switzerland decided to petition that the Dogu Perincek case be
referred for a review by the ECHR Grand Chamber. Later, Armenia
petitioned to the ECHR and it now acts as a third party in this case.

Amal Clooney accuses Turkey of hypocrisy on freedom of speech in
Armenian genocide trial

17:14, 28 Jan 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The human rights lawyer, representing Armenia, criticised Turkey’s
double standards on freedom of expression.

Amal Clooney, the human rights lawyer, has accused Turkey of double
standards on freedom of expression for defending a Turkish Leftist who
called the Armenian genocide an `international lie,’ The Daily
Telegraph.

The barrister, who is representing Armenia on behalf of Doughty Street
Chambers along with Geoffrey Robertson QC, said Turkey’s stance was
hypocritical `because of [its] record on freedom of expression’.

Mrs Clooney took on the case against DoÄ?u Perinçek, chairman of the
Turkish Workers’ Party, who was found guilty of racial discrimination
in Switzerland in 2007, but had his conviction overturned by the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Switzerland has laws against the denial of the genocide as part of its
anti-racism laws but the ECHR ruled that Mr Perinçek’s Article 10
right to freedom of speech was violated when Mr Perinçek made his
claims.

Three countries ban the denial of freedom of speech including Greece,
Slovakia and Switzerland. A French law was overturned on free speech
grounds in the country’s constitutional court.

During the ECHR case, the Turkish government also submitted written
comments as a third party questioning the veracity of the genocide.
Now Armenia is a third-party in the case and is appealing the ECHR
decision.

Mrs Clooney told the Strasbourg court’s 17-member Grand Chamber on
Wednesday she wanted to correct the record on the Armenian genocide
because the previous ruling `cast doubt on the reality of genocide
that the Armenian people suffered a century ago’.

`Armenia must have its day in court. The stakes could not be higher
for the Armenian people,’ she added.

Mr Perinçek had said in 2005 that calling the 1915 massacres and
deportations of Armenian a genocide was an `international lie’, but
did not dispute that the killings had taken place on a smaller scale.

The ECHR upheld his right to question in a `debate of clear public
interest’ without ruling on whether massacres were a genocide, a
policy of deliberate extermination by Turks, or not in December 2013.

The European judges concluded that there was not a `general consensus’
on whether what happened was a genocide.

Four and half minutes into her evidence of the historical record
concerning events in 1915, including Ottoman Empire admissions of war
crimes, the barrister was asked to conclude by the judges.

`Mrs Clooney may I draw your attention to the fact that the Armenian
government has gone over the time allocated, so I ask you to
conclude,’ said Dean Spielmann, the president of the court.

She insisted that Armenia did not want to limit free speech or
historical debate and accused Turkey of having double standards
because it’s own poor record on freedom of expression.

`Armenia is not here to argue against freedom of expression anymore
than Turkey is here to defend it. This court knows very well how
disgraceful Turkey’s record on freedom of expression is. You have
found against the Turkish government in 224 separate cases on freedom
of expression grounds,’

The Lebanese lawyer made a reference to Hrant Dink, the
Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor, who was prosecuted by Turkey for
inviting that the 1915 massacres were genocide.

Mr Dink was then assassinated by a Turkish nationalist in 2007 for his
views and ethnicity as an Armenian.

`Armenia has every interest in ensuring that its win citizens do not
get caught in a net that criminalises speech too broadly. As the
family of Hrant Dink know about all too well,’ she said.

Asked about the feverish speculation about what she would be wearing,
Mrs Clooney laughed and pointed to her barrister’s robes.

`I’m wearing Ede and Ravenscroft,’ she told the Telegraph, in a
reference to famous English company of legal robe makers and tailors
since 1689.

Mr Robertson QC, was surprised at the rows of paparazzi when they
arrived in court after she was mobbed in Greece after being involved
in the Elgin marbles case.

`It is not about white gloves or yachts. It puts the record straight,
she is a human rights lawyer,’ he said.

Genocide Education Project establishes course at University of Rhode Island

12:43, 28 Jan 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The University of Rhode Island is offering “The Armenian Experience:
History and Culture,” a course on Armenian history, at its Kingston
campus for the spring 2015 semester, beginning Jan. 26, Asbarez
reports.

As part of its “GenEd-HigherEd” initiative, The Genocide Education
Project Rhode Island branch co-chairs, Pauline Getzoyan and Esther
Kalajian, developed and proposed the honors seminar course, which went
through a rigorous approval process by the university during the fall
semester. Getzoyan and Kalajian will teach the course, which will
focus on diasporan studies as they relate to the Armenian experience.
Topics will include an understanding of genocide and the implications
of genocide on culture, identity, and religion.

The course will include a robust offering of guest speakers, including
author Chris Bohjalian and filmmaker Talin Avakian, who will speak
about “Literature and Film: An Author’s and Filmmaker’s Responsibility
to Truth – Exploring history, fiction, and non-fiction;” Tom
Zorabedian, Assistant Dean of the URI College of Arts and Sciences and
the Harrington School of Communication and Media; Dr. Catherine Sama,
professor of Italian at URI, who will speak about Armenians in the
diaspora with a focus on Italy and about the subject of genocide in
Italian literature and film; George Aghjayan and author/professor
Marian MacCurdy, who will be part of a panel discussing “The Aftermath
of Genocide: the Issue of Denial and Justice Specific to the Armenian
Genocide;” Berge Zobian, owner of Gallery/Studio Z in Providence, RI,
who will introduce the students to Armenian art and architecture, pre-
and post-Genocide; and Charles Kalajian, who will introduce the
students to Armenian musical instruments and the aural tradition of
learning music, with assistance from Ken Kalajian and Leon Janikian.

“This course, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, is the realization of a ten-year-long dream for us,
as genocide education advocates in the state of Rhode Island,” said
Pauline Getzoyan. “Through this course, we intend to convey to
students the many layers of history and social experience surrounding
the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath. In doing so, we not only
honor the memory of the victims, but we seek to help students make
more informed choices as they become global citizens confronted with
related issues.”

Teghout and Hazard Jeopardizing Environment

16:45 January 26, 2015

Hrachya Avagyan, Dr.in Geological and Mining Sciences, the “Gitutyun” newspaper

Teghout copper and molybdenum mine is located in Tumanyan area, Lori
Region, 3.5 km south-east from Teghut village.

The geological prospecting of Teghut mine has been carried out not
thoroughly with drawbacks and not multilaterally.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Jan 27 2015

Armenia has received a “green corridor” from the EEU

27 January 2015 – 10:36am

Armenian citizens are exempt from customs clearance procedures at the
airport of Sochi.

A “Green Corridor” for people with Armenian passports was opened due
to the country’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union. Customs
control at the post of “Sochi Airport” is not being carried out on
passengers and baggage arriving from Armenia. At the same time,
Armenian citizens must still pass through border and immigration
control, the Sochi customs service reported.

“In 2014, the proportion of aircraft to and from the Republic of
Armenia was 18% of the total number of aircraft and passengers and the
proportion of passengers to and from the Republic of Armenia from all
the passengers was 13%. During 2014, 260 cases of administrative
offenses were opened, 28 of them regarded citizens traveling to and
from the Republic of Armenia,” Epress.am cited the statement of the
Sochi customs service.

The treaty of accession of Armenia to the EEU was signed at the CIS
summit in Minsk on October 10th 2014. Armenia joined EEU on a common
basis in the fields of services and trade in goods provided for a
gradual transition to the Common Customs Tariff Union until 2022.

Business Recorder
Jan 27 2015

OSCE calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to cease hostilities

Wednesday, 28 January 2015 00:02
by Shoaib-ur-Rehman Siddiqui

VIENNA: The OSCE called Tuesday on Armenia and Azerbaijan to end
deadly fighting in the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh where four
Armenian soldiers were reportedly killed this month.

“I would like to urge the sides to ensure a full ceasefire and
cessation of hostilities,” said Ivica Dacic, foreign minister of
Serbia, the security body’s current chair.

“I deplore the upsurge in acts of violence resulting in loss of lives,
and I call on the sides to demonstrate responsibility and avoid steps
that would lead to further escalation,” Dacic said in a statement.

Ethnic Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of
Nagorny Karabakh, a mountainous largely ethnic Armenian enclave in
Azerbaijan, during a 1990s war that left some 30,000 dead.

Despite years of negotiations brokered by the OSCE’s Minsk Group, the
two sides have never signed a final peace deal, with Karabakh still
internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan.

Violence increased last year with firing across the Armenia-Azeri
border and along the Karabakh frontline.

Last August more than 20 troops from both sides were killed and four
Armenian troops have reportedly died this month.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian on Monday warned Azerbaijan his
country could conduct a “preventative strike” if there is a “major and
menacing (military) concentration” by the other side.

The OSCE said in a separate statement that the co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group — Russia, the United States and France — met in Krakow,
Poland on Tuesday with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov.

The group expressed its “serious concern” and called on Azerbaijan to
“observe its commitments to a peaceful resolution of the conflict” and
on Armenia “to take all measures to reduce tensions”.

It said it plans to meet Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
in the near future and then travel to the region.

Iran Daily
Jan 26 2015

Blasphemous cartoon, insult to divine prophets: Younesi

President’s Special Advisor for Religious Affairs Ali Younesi said
Iran’s religious and cultural teachings stress respect for all divine
religions, adding that the Islamic Republic is committed to support
the rights of all religious minorities.

In a meeting with the Archbishop of the Armenian Church Neses Bedros
XIX here on Sunday, Younesi said Iranian Armenians are part of the old
history of the country and all Iranian ethnic groups have lived
together peacefully throughout history, IRNA reported.

He thanked the Pope Francis 1st for his firm position on the abusive
cartoon in the French magazine, saying it was not only an insult to
Islam but to all divine prophets.

Stressing that all such sacriledges are masterminded by Zionists,
Younesi said, ‘Certain sophisticated and secret activities are pushing
the world toward atheism and insecurity. While the Middle East needs
security, the Zionists are creating insecurity, hatred, and enmity in
different ways.’

Referring to President Rouhani’s proposal at the United Nations to
make a world without extremism and violence, he said the Islamic
Republic is fighting against terrorist groups.

The Archbishop of the Armenian Church, for his part, expressed
pleasure over his trip to Iran and meeting with high-ranking officials
and minority members of the Parliament, saying it is obvious that the
minorities in Iran are living in peace having no special problem which
is resulted from the government’s efforts.

Referring to the insulting cartoon in the French magazine, the
archbishop said freedom of speech does not let anyone insult other
religions.

Interfax, Russia
Jan 26 2015

Three Azeri soldiers killed, two wounded in a day – Nagorno-Karabakh
defense ministry

YEREVAN. Jan 26

The defense ministry of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
said on Monday that the Azeri armed forces violated the ceasefire
about 800 times on January 24 and 25.

The Azeri forces used weapons of various caliber, including mortars
and grenade launchers, firing over 14,000 shots at Armenian positions
on these days, the defense ministry’s press service told Interfax.

“The forward combat units of the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh
retaliated, inflicting losses on the enemy: three servicemen were
killed and two others wounded. The Armenian side did not sustain
losses,” the defense ministry said.

No comments on this report from the Azeri side are available to Interfax.