Young Turks’ Policy Continues In Turkey – Arf-D Rep

YOUNG TURKS’ POLICY CONTINUES IN TURKEY – ARF-D REP

13:31 ~U 12.02.13

The recent incidents in Turkey are mainly the reflections of the
existing Armeniaphobia and xenophobia. It is the continuation of
ideology of the Young Turks, Kiro Manoyan, head of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun Political office, told a news
conference Tuesday.

“Though today the ruling party in Turkey is trying to present its
country in other atmosphere, the anti-Armenian policy there continues,”
he said, adding that the word Armenian may be accepted there as a
curse and no one will be subjected to responsibility for it.

The ARF-D rep said according to reports the atmosphere in Samatya
raises concerns as the Armenians there are really scared. There are
homes of Armenians on the doors of which are crosses and people are
afraid to open the door not to be attacked.

“At the same time there is a pressing atmosphere, with the
representatives of the Armenian community often saying that the
police is doing everything to press the criminals. While the fact
is that there was no state comment on the incidents with only police
relating to it and presenting the attacks on elderly Armenian women
as usual robbery cases,” Kiro Manoyan said.

The more we come closer to the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide,
the more these cases will grow in number.

“There is no need to reconcile, it is necessary to voice about the
existing atmosphere. The first responsible is the Turkish authority and
it is the result of the policy they are conducting. A very small circle
in Turkey condemns the attacks and tie them with genocide,” he said.

Manoyan said an all-Armenian concord should be formed over the issues,
which does not mean that all must say just one and the same thing,
but it is necessary to understand what we want.

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/02/12/youthturks-policy/

George Garanyan’S Widow On Her Husband’s Love Towards Armenia

GEORGE GARANYAN’S WIDOW ON HER HUSBAND’S LOVE TOWARDS ARMENIA

10:19, 12 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. George Garanyan’s name is linked
to the history of the Soviet jazz. His music sounds in more than
50 movies. Notwithstanding the legendary jazzman, People’s Artist
of Russia passed away from cardiac arrest at the age of 75 in 2010,
the musical heritage he left to the generations is inestimable.

“Armenpress” had a conversation with George Garanyan’s widow Nelli
Garanyan about the activity of the foundation after George Garanyan
and his love towards Armenia.

– In the end of 2012 George Garanyan’s foundation and “Accord” music
store initiated an action aimed to support the regional musical
libraries of Russia. Will the foundation implement programs in Armenia?

– Sure, we would love to cooperate with Armenia, but the matter is
that there is a lack of initiative. I personally have no contacts
with Armenia. Notwithstanding, George was dreaming about taking me
to Armenia and showing everything there. We would love to cooperate
with the Armenian society, cultural, and governmental figures and
give concerts in Armenia. Eventually the “Garanyan” family cannot be
against the cooperation with Armenia.

– Once Garanyan noted: “Look at my nose and you will know everything
about the Armenian element of my biography.” In addition he noted that
he is a master in making traditional Armenian tolma. What Armenian
traditions your family keeps until now?

– By all means I could not compete with him in making tolma. I
always follow attentively all the events in Armenia. For instance,
Sergey Manukyan is our favorite musician and George always used to
say that is one of the unique musicians to work on the international
level. As to the traditions, which are preserved in distant Armenian
villages, than I should say that they are not followed in our family,
as we have a modern family, although one cane find all the attributes
of the Armenian household in our family. We have two pictures with
Ararat hanged in our house. Actually he had a very gentle attitude
towards his Armenian roots and cherished immense love towards Armenia
and everything relating to Armenia.

– Did Your husband use any Armenian expression while talking to You?

– He used to say “tsavd tanem”. (THE FULL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW
IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)

Interview by Tatevik Grigoryan

La Banque Vtb (Armenie) Poursuit Un Membre Du Parlement

LA BANQUE VTB (ARMENIE) POURSUIT UN MEMBRE DU PARLEMENT

La banque VTB (Armenie) a demande la mise en faillite involontaire
d’un membre du Parlement armenien.

Depuis novembre 2010 des negociations ont ete eu lieu avec un depute du
Parlement armenien, membre de la commission de Protection des Droits
de l’homme et de la Commission des Questions Publiques et appartenant
au parti Armenie Prospère.

Depuis novembre 2011 Tigran Stepanyan a recu a plusieurs reprises
des notifications de la banque lui demandant de rembourser ses dettes.

Selon la banque M.Stepanyan a deliberement evite de rembourser sa
dette, et par consequent, en avril 2012, la banque l’a poursuivi en
justice pour recuperer la somme dûe.

La cour a donne raison a la banque et la decision a ete publiee en
août 2012 et est entree en vigueur en septembre 2012.

La Banque VTB (Armenie) demande desormais la reconnaîssance de la
faillite involontaire de Tirgan Stepanyan.

mardi 12 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

Lydie Belmonte En Concert De Jazz A Marseille

LYDIE BELMONTE EN CONCERT DE JAZZ A MARSEILLE

Lydie Belmonte donnera un concert de jazz a Marseille. Lydie Belmonte
sera au chant, Joëlle Genisson au piano et Christophe Castan a la
guitare, pour la Saint Valentin le 14 fevrier de 20h a minuit a
La Cour du Palais, 24 rue Fortia a Marseille (1er). Lydie Belmonte
-d’origine armenienne- est chanteuse de jazz et egalement l’auteur
de plusieurs livres sur les Armeniens de Marseille. Renseignements,
tel : 04 91 54 34 07.

Krikor Amirzayan

mardi 12 fevrier 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Succes De L’Exposition Des Caricatures De Krikor Amirzayan Et Sarkis

SUCCES DE L’EXPOSITION DES CARICATURES DE KRIKOR AMIRZAYAN ET SARKIS PACACI A MARSEILLE

Un très large public avait repondu present samedi 9 fevrier au
vernissage de l’exposition des caricaturistes Krikor Amirzayan et
Sarkis Pacaci au Centre culturel armenien Sahak-Mesrop (339 Avenue
du Prado) a Marseille (8e).

L’exposition est realisee par le Centre culturel Sahak Mesrop en
collaboration avec l’Association culturelle des Armeniens d’Istanbul
dirige par Khatchig Yilmazian. De nombreuses personnalites etaient
egalement presentes. Parmi ces dernières Mgr Norvan Zakarian primat
de l’Eglise armenienne de France ainsi que Robert Azilazian, president
du conseil paroissial de l’Eglise armenienne de Marseille.

Remerciant le nombreux public pour sa presence au vernissage, Khatchig
Yilmazian a tout d’abord presente l’~uvre de Krikor Amirzayan ”
dont les caricatures et ecrits paraissent dans la presse armenienne
de France mais egalement d’Armenie et de la diaspora “. Il ajouta
” etre fier de presenter Krikor Amirzayan au public marseillais qui
connait largement ses ~uvres a travers Les Nouvelles d’Armenie ou
d’autres titres de la presse armenienne “.

Puis Khatchig Yilmazian presenta Sarkis Pacaci qui est egalement un
caricaturiste armenien connu en Turquie. Il a publie ses ~uvres dans
nombre de journaux turcs et a Agos egalement. L’exposition de Marseille
permettra de faire decouvrir davantage ce dessinateur de talent.

Krikor Amirzayan et Sarkis Pacaci ont tour a tour remercie les
organisateurs de cette très belle exposition ainsi que le soutien du
public venu en très grand nombre pour le vernissage. Un public qui
continuera a visiter l’exposition jusqu’au samedi 16 fevrier.

Krikor Amirzayan et Sarkis Pacaci ont commente nombre de leurs
caricatures au pubic et parmi ce dernier, de nombreux jeunes.

L’exposition des caricatures de Krikor Amirzayan et Sarkis Pacaci,
se tiendra jusqu’au 16 fevrier au Centre Culturel Sahak Mesrop de
Marseille (339 Avenue du Prado, 8e). Exposition visible de 9h a 12h
et de 14h a 17h.

Photos Isahak Akkayan

mardi 12 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

http://www.armenews.com/article.php3?id_article=86879

Une Nouvelle Donnant Des Causes Armeniennes Une Image Sympathique Pr

UNE NOUVELLE DONNANT DES CAUSES ARMENIENNES UNE IMAGE SYMPATHIQUE PROVOQUE UNE VIVE AGITATION EN AZERBAIDJAN – NEW YORK TIMES

BAKOU Azerbaïdjan – La nouvelle d’un auteur azeri qui depeint les
Armeniens avec sympathie a provoque une vive agitation en Azerbaïdjan,
avec des avocats azeris denoncant l’~uvre et des protestataires
brûlant le portrait de l’auteur devant sa maison.

La nouvelle, ” Stone Dreams ” [ Reves de Pierre ], a ete publiee a la
mi-decembre par Ekrem Eyisli, un ancien depute, mais la condamnation
n’a atteint son paroxysme que la semaine passee, après que les
principaux media en aient fait des reportages et l’aient commentee.

Jeudi, une foule de plusieurs douzaines de personnes se reunissait près
de la maison de Eylisli et a brûle son portrait. Lors d’une session
du parlement vendredi, des deputes s’en sont pris a la nouvelle,
l’un d’entre eux allant jusqu’a demander qu’il soit dechu de sa
citoyennete et le pressant de demenager en Armenie.

Un autre depute, Melahet Ibrahimqizi, a dit, ” Il n’a pas seulement
insulte les Azerbaïdjanais, mais toute la nation turque “, en reference
aux passages du livre qui evoque la violence turque a l’egard des
Armeniens “.

L’~uvre raconte l’histoire de deux Azeris qui essaient de proteger
leurs voisins armeniens de la violence raciste, un sujet incendiaire
en Azerbaïdjan, un pays toujours pris dans une guerre qu’il a entrepris
il y a deux decennies avec l’Armenie. Depuis que la guerre a pris fin,
l’Azerbaïdjan s’efforce de reprendre le contrôle du Haut-Karabagh,
une region enclavee dans ses frontières, habitee majoritairement par
des Armeniens, et d’assurer le retour des Azeris qui ont ete chasses
de leur maison.

M. Eylisli, 75 ans, a dit qu’il savait que son livre, qu’il avait
termine en 2007, pourrait declencher une agitation. Il a dit avoir
decide de le publier l’an passe dans un journal relativement peu connu
en langue russe, Friendship of Peoples, [Amitie entre les Peuples],
par ce que ceux qui pratiquent la langue russe tendent a etre mieux
eduques et plus progressistes.

” Pour moi, les Armeniens ne sont pas des ennemis “, a-t-il dit dans
une interview. ” Comment pourraient-ils l’etre ? Je suis un ecrivain
du 21ème siècle. Une solution au Haut-Karabagh tarde a etre trouvee,
et l’hostilite ne cesse de s’accroître entre les deux nations. Je veux
contribuer a une solution pacifique “. Il a ajoute avoir ete surpris
par la ferocite de la reaction.” Je n’ai rien dit d’insultant. Je
n’ai pas trahi mon pays “, a-t-il dit. ” J’ai montre comment un
Azerbaïdjanais porte secours a un Armenien. Qu’y a-t-il de mal en
cela ? “.

Vendredi, les protestataires ont place un exemplaire du journal
comportant ” Stone Dreams ” dans un cercueil et ont simule des
funerailles près d’un monument en l’honneur des Azeris morts au cours
de la guerre.

Via les media sociaux, des jeunes discutent de passages du livre qu’ils
ont trouve particulièrement de mauvais goût, comme par exemple le
desir du jeune hero de se convertir au christianisme et ” demander a
Dieu de pardonner les Musulmans pour ce qu’ils ont fait aux Armeniens
“. L’Armenie est en majorite chretienne alors que la plupart des
Azeris sont musulmans.

Qan Turali, 28 ans, un auteur de nouvelles a la mode, a dit qu’il
discernait le merite artistique du livre, mais qu’il pensait que M.

Eylisli avait choisi un mauvais moment pour publier un livre decrivant
les Armeniens sous un jour positif.

” C’est un grand ecrivain, sa nouvelle est bonne, mais le moment n’est
pas le bon “, a-t-il dit. ” Le peuple azeri est encore dans la douleur
et agressif. Au lieu de favoriser la tolerance envers les Armeniens,
l’ecrivain a provoque plus de haine “.

Il a dit que l’~uvre de M. Eylisli aurait ete mieux recu s’il avait
ajoute des descriptions d’Azeris tues par des Armeniens. Un autre
ecrivain, Oktay Hajimusali, 32 ans, a ete plus categorique, disant
que promouvoir la paix avec les Armeniens est un non sens.

Par Shahla Sultanova

Ellen Barry a contribue au reportage depuis Moscou

New York Times

Commentaire et traduction de Gilbert Beguian

Cet article prouve deux choses a mon sens :

Les Azeris (et les Turcs) savent très bien ce que les Turcs ont
fait aux Armeniens. La preuve, ce sont les affirmations courageuses
de Eylisli, qui se retrouvent d’ailleurs dans les propos mesures
de Tureli.

Mais les reactions de ces jeunes intellectuels azeris Tureli mais
surtout Hajimusali prouvent qu’ ils sont loin, encore très loin
de l’admettre. Ils prefèrent se refugier dans le mensonge. Par une
alteration du jugement qu’il faudrait developper, ils en veulent aux
Armeniens du mal qu’ils leur ont fait.

mardi 12 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

http://www.armenews.com/article.php3?id_article=86878

Georgians collects 1mln signatures demanding Saakashvili’s departure

Georgians collects 1mln signatures demanding Saakashvili’s departure

TBILISI, February 8 (Itar-Tass) – Over 1.2 million signatures
demanding President Mikhail Saakashvili’s resignation were collected
in Georgia, representatives of the non-governmental organization
Unanimity for the Rights of Society told reporters on Friday.
They believe that `Saakashvili’s term of office expired on January 20,
2013.’ `The parliament should fix this fact and powers of the
president should be handed over to the parliamentary speaker until the
new presidential election is held.’
These signatures have been collected by several non-governmental
organizations over the past three months in different regions of
Georgia and `prove that the majority of Georgia’s population seek
Saakashvili’s departure.’
Under the Constitution the Georgian president is elected for five
years. However, the basic law states that the next presidential
election should be held in October after the president’s term of
office expires.
Saakashvili, who had been elected as president in January 2008,
announced that he had no intention to step down ahead of time and
insisted that the election would take place in autumn.
There are 4.5 million people in Georgia, of them 3.613 million are
eligible voters. Collection of signatures has no legal force, but
politicians and public figures believe that this move reflects
position of the population.

Abiyev’s letter to Samvel Babayan draws huge public response

Publication of Safar Abiyev’s letter to Samvel Babayan draws huge
public response in Azerbaijan

ARMINFO
Thursday, February 7, 21:40

Spokesperson of the Azerbaijani Party “Umid” (“Hope”) Haynur Imranova
disseminated a letter in social media. The letter goes back to 1993.
In the letter then acting defense minister of Azerbaijan Safar Abiyev
(current defense minister -ed.) promises Defense Minister of Nagorno
Karabakh Samvel Babayan to stop all kind of military actions for three
days in connection with the meeting of the two countries’ presidents.

The publication of the letter and the comment by Imranova, wherein she
asks by the Azerbaijani authorities still deceive the people with
false negotiations if yet in 1993 they recognized Nagorno Karabakh and
were making arrangements directly with Stepanakert when necessary,
have drawn huge public response and discontent in Azerbaijan,
Faktxeber.com writes.

Azerbaijan: Difficult Year Ahead

Azerbaijan: Difficult Year Ahead

Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 10 Issue: 6
January 14, 2013 04:16 PM Age: 27 days
By: Anar Valiyev

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (L) and Georgian Prime Minister
Bidzina Ivanishvili in Baku, December 26, 2012 (Source: Bidzina
Ivanishvili Facebook page)

Several key developments in 2012 had a tremendous impact on Azerbaijan
and its foreign policy. First of all, the `reelection’ of Vladimir
Putin as president of Russian could be considered one of the major
events that influenced Azerbaijan. Putin’s triumphal return buried the
last hopes of some Azerbaijani idealists that Russia would take a
neutral position in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. Instead,
the negotiation process on the resolution of the Karabakh conflict
stalled and reverted to where it was four years ago.

Moreover, Azerbaijan’s stance over the Gabala Radar Station greatly
irritated the Russian establishment. Azerbaijan had been leasing the
Gabala site to Russia since 2002. The lease expired in 2012, and the
Russian side was urging Azerbaijan to extend it for another 25 years.
The Russian government intended to substitute the old station with a
new mobile, modular station, specifically mentioning that the new,
second station would be the property of Russia. In response,
Azerbaijan then increased its proposed leasing fee by 40 times,
demanding $300 million from Russia instead of the current annual rate
of $7 million. However, none of the visits by high-ranking Russian
authorities were able to force Baku to yield to Moscow’s demands.
Finally, Russia gave up all efforts and withdrew from Gabala by the
end of the year
().

Another important event that affected Azerbaijani politics was the
agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Turkey to construct the
Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP) with further connection to
European markets. Natural gas shipments through TANAP would disrupt
Russia’s gas monopoly in Central and Eastern Europe and diminish
Moscow’s role as energy supplier to Europe. With this pipeline,
Azerbaijan will thus be able to help bolster the energy security of
Eastern and Central European countries.

Last but not least the election of Bidzina Ivanishvili as prime
minister of neighboring Georgia had a strong effect on Azerbaijan
itself. After the elections, Ivanishvili made several statements
doubting the construction of the Baku-Akhalkalaki-Kars railroad being
built across the South Caucasus. The new Georgian prime minister also
criticized the energy policy of his country’s previous government
(Civil Georgia, December 21, 2012). Such statements could endanger
Azerbaijani energy and transportation projects in Georgia and,
therefore, worried Baku. However, after visiting Azerbaijan on
December 26, Ivanishvili retracted his previous statements and spoke
positively about future cooperation between the two countries (Georgia
Today, December 27, 2012). Nevertheless, Baku remains cautious about
Ivanishvili and continues to closely watch the political development
in Georgia.

Azerbaijan will face presidential elections in October of 2013, and
outside powers may use this event to put pressure on Baku. Russia
would hardly be interested in President Ilham Aliyev losing power
since Moscow does not want to destabilize the situation in Azerbaijan.
Russia perfectly understands that stability in Azerbaijan is the key
to stability in the neighboring, volatile Dagestan region where Avar
and Lezgin separatism could take an irreversible course. Nevertheless,
Russia will try to maximize Aliyev’s possible vulnerability. With
political uncertainty in Georgia, Azerbaijan remains the only state in
the former Soviet Union (except for the Baltic States) that is
conducting a policy contradictory to Russian interests. Whether it is
the intention of Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company (SOCAR) to build an
oil refinery in Kyrgyzstan that would help this Central Asian country
to gain energy security, or rushing to save the Belarusian enterprise
Belaruskaliy from being privatized by the Russian government through a
Kremlin-controlled oligarch, Baku has acted independently without
looking to Moscow. Such policies cannot continue forever and it is
expected that the Kremlin will sooner or later turn its attention
toward Azerbaijan.

It cannot be ruled out that, in order to put pressure on Azerbaijan
during the elections, Russia will use several old and traditional
tools. First, the Russian establishment may use the Karabakh conflict
and the fear of a resumption of war. Russia could easily initiate
military clashes on the contact line between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
for example, to send a certain signal to Baku. Of course, the military
clashes would not be allowed to turn into a full-scale war since that
would undermine Russian efforts to maintain the status quo.
Nonetheless, fresh hostilities would add pressure on the Azerbaijani
establishment. Second, as in Yeltsin’s time, Moscow may put pressure
on Azerbaijani labors migrants and create bureaucratic hurdles for
them at border crossings and checkpoints. A consequent return of
hundreds of thousands Azerbaijani migrant laborers from Russia is one
of the nightmares of Azerbaijan’s government. Third, Russia will
continue to prolong negotiations over the Caspian Sea’s status as long
as the talks of the Trans-Caspian pipeline from Turkmenistan to
Azerbaijan and further to Europe remains on the agenda.

One also cannot exclude the possibility that Georgia under Ivanishvili
will slowly become more pro-Russian. In its turn, and bolstered by
such developments in Tbilisi, Moscow may act to endanger Azerbaijani
energy and transportation projects. Furthermore, continued
international pressure on Iran and the possibility of military strikes
against Azerbaijan’s southern neighbor remain one of the problematic
areas for Baku. Tehran, on the other hand, continues to watch
Azerbaijan closely and from time to time warns Baku to `behave’
properly. Azerbaijan will hardly participate in military actions
directed against Iran. But nevertheless, any scenario involving armed
strikes against Tehran will have a tremendous impact on Baku such as
refugee flows, possible retaliatory attacks or the threat of domestic
political violence instigated by Iranian agents inside Azerbaijan.

Overall, 2013 is expected to be difficult for Azerbaijan. Continued
and mounting Russian political pressure, uncertainty over Iranian,
Armenian provocations and Western indifference to the region will
definitely make this upcoming year quite challenging for Baku to
navigate.

[tt_news]=40301&tx_ttnews[backPid]=620

http://jamestownfoundation.blogspot.com/2012/12/russia-to-cease-using-gabala-radar.html
http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews

Music Concert: Northern Sinfonia/Gourlay

The Times (London)
February 6, 2013 Wednesday
Edition 1; National Edition

Northern Sinfonia/Gourlay
Concert

by: Geoff Brown

Queen Elizabeth Hall ****

Last weekend the focus in the Southbank’s Rest is Noise series was on
nationalism’s rise early in the 20th century. Four concerts, seven
films and 25 talks were featured – but none, I bet, was as warming and
foot-tapping as the Northern Sinfonia’s tribute to classical music’s
“folk pioneers”. The Sinfonia’s sound, sturdy and fresh, was pleasure
enough, particularly when we had just the strings, coursing so crisply
and succulently through Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances and four
wonderfully heart-aching songs gathered by Komitas Vardapet, the
tragic saviour of Armenian folk music who lost his mind in 1915 during
the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian genocide.

Vigorously conducted by Andrew Gourlay, the concert also worked very
well as a welcome pack for classical music. Everything was shortish
and pungent, scattered with friendly commentary from the programme’s
deviser, the queen of the Northumbrian pipes, Kathryn Tickell, who
should have played her noble instrument more often. The geographic
spread was admirable, with North Country folk settings nestling
alongside soul-shakers from Eastern Europe, bumptious American
delights such as Ives’s marching band mash-up Putnam’s Camp, Percy
Grainger’s iconoclastic wonders and hot blooms from Brazil and Spain.

Individual musicians were equally on show. The Sinfonia leader Bradley
Creswick’s smiling brio proved essential in the tuneful chaos of
Ives’s violin sonata movement In the Barn, while the cellist Louisa
Tuck easily survived the testing work-out of Gaspar Cassadó’s Sardana,
a spin through Catalonia’s national dance. Another cap must be doffed
to the pianist Kate Thompson, valiantly bashing with elbows and fists
during Henry Cowell’s The Lilt of the Reel, but swaying tenderly in
the Atraente polka of Chiquinha Gonzaga, the Brazilian feminist
extraordinary. Such joyful, inspiring and lifeenhancing music-making.

Geoff Brown