Author: Kalantarian Kevo

THE SAME SELF-DETERMINATION RIGHT THAT ALLOWED AMERICANS TO DECLARE THEIR INDEPENDENCE MUST PLAY DECISIVE ROLE IN REGULATION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT: THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY

17:01, 13 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The same self-determination right
that allowed the Americans to declare their independence must play
a decisive role in regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The
Armenian Weekly English-language periodical published an article,
where the author – Armen Sahakyan – draws parallels between the
national liberation movements in Artakh and the United States and lays
a heavy emphasis on the fact that the right to self-determination
of the Artsakh-Armenians must serve as a pivotal principle for the
regulation of the Artsakh conflict.

The article states: “The same right that allowed Americans to declare
their independence in 1776 and the same right that the U.S. has
vowed to protect for other nations should always be provided for all
the people living on this planet. Now is the time to reaffirm our
principles and stand up for the same rights upon which this great
American republic was founded. The Artsakh Republic has constantly
proven that it is capable of sustaining itself as a democratic,
prosperous, secure, and independent country, and it deserves its own
place among the free countries of this world.”

According to the article Azerbaijani authorities, drunk with
petrodollars, have escalated their threats and acts of aggression.

They have exponentially increased their military budget and begun a
phase of unprecedented armaments buildup; declared the Armenians of the
world as “their number one enemy”; pardoned and praised an Azerbaijani
soldier who murdered an Armenian soldier at NATO’s Partnership
for Peace Program; intensified ceasefire violations on the border;
and claimed Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia that will soon be
celebrating its 2,800-year anniversary, is “historical Azerbaijani
territory.” The list goes on. Sadly, Azerbaijan’s destructive actions
undermine prospects for regional security and prosperity, and even
its own democratic development. Azerbaijan’s aggressive stance is
enabled by the “diplomatically balanced” statements coming from
the OSCE Minsk Group and other world powers in the wake of every new
Azerbaijani outrage. Rather than constraining Baku, these artificially
even-handed responses only encourage greater aggression. Whereas,
Artsakh and Armenia have always maintained a position of resolving
the conflict exclusively through peaceful means.

Among other things the author noted: “Martin Luther King, Jr. once
said, ‘In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends.’ Where are the friends of peace when
they are needed the most? Why expect Azerbaijan to step back from
its march toward war if no one is willing to stand in its way?”

EXHIBITION ‘KARS’ OPENS AT YEGHISHE CHARENTS HOUSE-MUSEUM (PHOTOS)

16:39 13/03/2013 ” CULTURE

Exhibition ‘Kars’ opened today, March 13, at the House-Museum of great
Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents on the occasion of his birthday. The
exhibition features 10 paintings (by Mariam Petrosyan and Karen
Smbatyan), representing the home town of Charents, Kars.

The paintings, kept in the Museum’s fund, are displayed for the first
time now, Lilit Hakobyan, director of House-Museum, told Panorama.am.

The exhibition will run through March 20.

Intellectuals, literary critics, experts in Charents studies, admirers
of Charents poetry attended the exhibition’s opening.

Also, the Writers’ Union of Armenia organized an event near the
monument to Yeghishe Charents to mark the 116th birthday of the
great poet.

See photos here

GEORGIA HAS “PROBLEMATIC” SECTIONS ON BORDER WITH ARMENIA

NEWS.AM
March 14, 2013 | 16:33

YEREVAN.- Georgia has “problematic” sections on the border with
Armenia, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said during his Thursday
meeting with representatives of regional media.

“Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister is arriving in Tbilisi today and
I want to discuss certain sections of the border,” he said.

Ivanishvili pointed at active work on demarcation and delimitation
of Georgia-Armenia border.

“We have good relations with the President of Armenia. We have
recently talked on phone and I think the issue will be settled,
taking into account the interests of both states,” Ivanishvili added.

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II CONGRATULATES NEWLY ELECTED POPE FRANCIS I

17:19 14.03.2013

On March 14, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians congratulated His Holiness Francis I, Pope, Bishop
of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church on his election.

The Pontifical congratulations stated in part:

“Dear Brother in Christ,

On the joyous occasion of Your election as successor to the Holy
See of St. Peter, we convey to Your Holiness greetings of fraternal
love and congratulations. We pray that the Lord will grant to your
Holiness a most fruitful pontificate blessed with many ever-lasting
accomplishments for the glory of God and the splendor of the Church
of Christ.

We fondly remember our meetings and prayers together with Your Holiness
in Argentina, during which we came to know you as a good shepherd,
and a courageous, wise, and just Church Leader. We are happy to avow
Your sincere love and affection shown towards the Armenian people.

It is also spiritually comforting that the historical relationship
between our Churches has been distinguished with fraternal warmth. We
greatly value the significant progress that our Churches have made, a
result of the collaborative efforts undertaken during the pontificates
of ourselves and our predecessors. This has been manifested through
mutual visits and elaborated through many educational and charitable
programs.

It is our prayer that our cooperative efforts will continue to
grow into the future and that the relations between our two sister
Churches will blossom with new achievements for the sake of meeting
the challenges facing humanity, and in promoting and fortifying the
dialogue and solidarity between nations and religions.”

IVANISHVILI WANTS TO ORGANIZE ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BUSINESS FORUM

NEWS.AM
March 14, 2013 | 15:39

Georgian PM Bidizina Ivanishvili has offered to organize a large
Armenian-Georgian business forum in Tbilisi. He offered to invite
businessmen from Armenia and Armenian communities all over the globe.

During the Thursday meeting with the representatives of regional
media, Ivanishvili said he would discuss the issue with MP, member
of his political team Ruslan Poghosyan, Gruziya Online reported.

“We want to invite not only Armenian and Georgian businessmen, but
Armenian entrepreneurs from around the world,” he noted. Premier is
hopeful that the forum will help Georgia attract investments.

“EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE”

03:03 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

“The Russians love Georgians but their preferable ally is
Armenia”,-political scientist Levon Shirinyan is convinced.

During today’s meeting with the reporters he referred to Serzh
Sargsyan’s visit to Moscow.

“Vladimir Putin has not raised the issue of the European Union,
taking into consideration the post-election processes in RA and made
concessions”,-the political scientist is confident.

He believes that it is high time to demand Russia to recognize
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) independence, because we are strategic
partners.

To the question of “A1+” if new Pope Francis 1st Jorge Mario Bergolgio
recognized Armenian Genocide when he was Archbishop in Bunenos Aires,
how it can affect the international recognition of the genocide,
the political scientist said:

“When positions are changing, the requirements are also changing.

Those who stood beside Robert Kocharian, once had been from
Pan-Armenian National Movement (HHSH) party. Everything is relative”,
– Mr. Shirinyan concluded smiling.

FRENCH JOURNALISTS PUBLISH “TURKEY AND THE ARMENIAN GHOST” BOOK

March 14, 2013 – 15:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – French journalists Laure Marchand and Guillaume
Perrier conducted an extensive research on the Armenian Genocide,
when residing in Turkey.

They discovered genocide survivors converted to Islam, descendants of
Turks who saved Armenians, as well as evidence buried in churches. The
authors published “Turkey and the Armenian Ghost” book, based on the
abundant evidence.

The stories, reports and meetings picture a country, chased by the
past, even if some Turks struggle against the official ideology. The
preface of the book was written by Turkish historian, Clark University
professor Taner Akcam, Nouvelles d’Armenie reported.

Marchand is a reporter at Le Figaro magazine and Le Nouvel Observateur
in Turkey; Perrier is a reporter at Le Monde journal.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH GERMAN MPS

13:04 14.03.2013

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with MPs
from different parties represented in the German Bundestag.

Hailing the high-level political dialogue between Armenia and Germany,
Minister Nalbandian attached special importance to the existing
close cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries – the
reciprocal visits of the heads of legislative bodies, the activity of
friendship groups, the cooperation within international parliamentary
assemblies.

The interlocutors exchanged views on regional issues and the ways of
their solution. Edward Nalbandian presented the efforts of Armenia
and the international community towards the peaceful settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Edward Nalbandian next met with Christoph Heusgen, the national
security adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The interlocutors
discussed the ways of reinforcement of Armenian-German friendly
relations, reference was made to a wide range of international and
regional issues.

Edward Nalbandian delivered an extended speech on Armenia’s foreign
policy at the German Council on Foreign Relations, responded to the
questions of the high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, diplomats, political scientists and journalists.

NAGORNO KARABAKH’S FREEDOM CELEBRATED ON CAPITOL HILL

12:19 14.03.2013

The Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce
(R-CA), joined with fellow members of the Congressional Armenian
Caucus and the visiting Minister of Youth and Culture from the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, Narine Aghabalyan, in a bipartisan
Capitol Hill celebration today marking the 25th anniversary of the
Artsakh democracy and freedom movement.

“Nagorno Karabakh is all about freedom. Freedom was the inspiration
for the Nagorno Karabakh democracy movement back in 1988. Freedom
has been the cornerstone of this proud Republic’s remarkable growth
over the past quarter century. And, today, twenty-five years later,
freedom remains the key to finding a peaceful and democratic way to
finally bring an end to Azerbaijan’s aggression,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian.

“We would like to thank Minister Aghabalyan for joining with us today,
and to all our Congressional friends, from both sides of the aisle –
including, of course, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce
and our new Republican Co-Chairman of the Armenian Caucus, Michael
Grimm – for celebrating the awesome power of freedom, for America,
for Artsakh, and for all the peoples of the world.”

The event, hosted by the Congressional Armenian Caucus in the historic
CannonBuilding, featured a keynote address by Minister Aghabalyan,
remarks by Chairman Royce, comments by the two Co-Chairman of the
Armenian Caucus, Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Michael Grimm (R-NY), a
moving speech by Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), and messages by
Congresswomen Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Jackie Speier (D-CA). Congressman
David Cicilline (D-RI) welcomed Minister Aghabalyan to the event,
and participated in the evening’s celebration. Staff representing
over two dozen Congressional offices also participated.

In her remarks, Minister Aghabalyan explained that: “The
NagornoKarabakhRepublic is a legal state, which was created through
the free expression of the democratic will of the people of Karabakh,
and it is, in fact, the non-recognition of this state that contradicts
international laws and norms. Our unrecognized status prevents the
full realization of the rights of the people who live in Artsakh. It
is appropriate to cite the words of the third President of the United
States, an outstanding public figure, Thomas Jefferson: ‘Everything
is changeable in the world except the natural rights of people.'”

Rep. Grimm, the newly announced Republican Co-Chairman of the Armenian
Caucus, reflected on the growing international support for Karabakh’s
independence. “If history has furnished any conclusion, it’s that
Nagorno Karabakh’s assertion of independence is hardly a fleeting or
temporary desire, it’s actually an ancient and salient aspiration that
must be part of any permanent resolution if the avoidance of future
conflict is going to be a serious goal,” explained Rep. Grimm. “And
I believe that realization is gaining increasing traction in the
international community for it is the only realistic solution to
resolve the dangerous status quo of Azerbaijani and Armenian border
guards locked in a stand-off with that fragile 1994 ceasefire square
in their cross-hairs.”

Rep. Pallone concurred, noting that “There are those on the other side
that keep insisting that somehow the principle of self-determination
should not be supreme – and it should always be. . . Karabakh is an
independent republic, it should be recognized as such. Any ultimate
negotiation through the OSCE Minsk Group or through any other means
has to provide for the right to self-determination of the people of
Artsakh, either to remain as an independent country or to join with
the Republic of Armenia, if that’s how they see fit.”

Chairman Royce and Representative Schiff both reminded attendees about
Azerbaijan’s pardon, praise, promotion of convicted axe-murderer
Ramil Safarov, who killed Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in his
sleep during a NATO Partnership for Peace English-language training
program in Hungary.

“It’s been entirely too long, and too many people have died since
Nagorno Karabakh voted for independence,” said Chairman Royce. “We
believe it is time for peace. We believe it is time for the angry
rhetoric to cease.” Condemning the Safarov scandal, Chairman Royce
noted, “You can only have peace when you have sincerity of intent
on both sides. And what we are asking is that there be a reflection
on the actions that Azerbaijan took to elevate, and commemorate and
celebrate the murder of another human being by an axe-murderer.”

“Safarov’s rapturous welcome in Baku is testament to the degree of
anti-Armenian hatred that is being incited in contemporary Azerbaijan.

That a man, who nearly decapitated a comrade, in his sleep, could
be treated as a national hero is so inexplicable and appalling, it
vindicates the concern of many Armenians that the forced imposition of
Azeri sovereignty over the free people of Artsakh would result in a
blood bath,” stated Rep. Schiff, who went on to call for the zeroing
out of all U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan. “By cutting off
military aid to Azerbaijan, the U.S. can signal its disgust with the
Safarov affair but also remind Aliyev that the U.S. will not tolerate
any acts of aggression against Armenia or Artsakh.”

In her address, Rep. Eshoo stressed that: “This milestone for the
people of Nagorno Karabakh holds particular meaning for me as an
Armenian American. Nagorno Karabakh has faced much difficulty in its
history, but its continued push for growth and democracy demonstrates
the determination of its people to progress beyond intolerance
and violence.” Rep. Speier’s message underscored Nagorno Karabakh’s
progress, noting that: “the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh have fought
back against attacks on their institutions, their livelihoods, and
their very right to exist, and against all odds they have succeeded in
creating a democratic society with a vibrant culture and an enduring
respect for the pursuit of peace and justice.”

Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S., Tatoul Markarian and the
Representative of the NagornoKarabakhRepublic in Washington, DC,
Robert Avetisyan both offered policy-driven remarks on the part of
their government. ANCA Executive Director shared the Armenian American
community’s enduring support for Artsakh’s national and democratic
aspirations, as manifested through a broad array of federal and
state-level advocacy initiatives undertaken by the community to
support and sustain the NagornoKarabakhRepublic.

Ambassador Markarian, in his speech, said that: “By revising reality
and cultivating anti-Armenian hatred, Azerbaijan is seeking to
prepare the moral ground, both domestically and internationally, for
restarting the war against Nagorno Karabakh.” He went on to explain
that, “Azerbaijan is just buying time for preparing a new war, which
underscores the urgency of the recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh’s
independence by the international community.”

GEORGIAN-ARMENIANS VOICED ABOUT A NUMBER OF ISSUES IN MEETING WITH ZAKAREISHVILI

09:56, 14 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS: Georgia’s Armenian community department
representatives had a meeting with Georgia’s State Minister for
Reintegration Issues Paata Zakareishvili. As Georgia’s Armenian
community press secretary told Armenpress, issues concerning the
Georgian-Armenians, including involvement of the ethnic-Armenian
Georgian citizens in local, regional and central administration
systems, possibilities of ratification of the European Charter for
Regional or Minority Languages, current problems and difficulties
existing in educational system, in particular issues and similar
other problems regarding manuals, training of teachers, optimization
issues in the Armenian language schools in Tbilisi 2003- 2012 have
been under discussion during the meeting.