Author: Kalantarian Kevo

RA NA PRESIDENT RECEIVES CHARGES D’AFFAIRES OF CZECH REPUBLIC

14.06.2012

On June 14 the RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan received Peter Mikiska,
Charges d’affaires of Czech Republic to RA.

Hovik Abrahamyan congratulated Peter Mikiska in connection with
assuming the diplomatic mission and expressed confidence that his
activity would promote more developing the Armenian-Czech friendly
relations. The NA President has noted that Armenia highlights the
development of comprehensive cooperation with Czech Republic and the
opening of the RA Embassy in Prague is the best evidence of it. “We
are sure that the opening of the diplomatic representation of Czech
Republic in Armenia will also have positive impact on providing
continuity of our political dialogue, boosting the trade-economic
cooperation and activating the human contacts,” Hovik Abrahamyan said.

The NA President deemed necessary the activation of parliamentary
cooperation, expressing conviction that dialogue at the level
of parliaments could be useful for raising mutual cognition from
the view of getting good picture on inner and foreign political
agenda issues, supporting each other on the issues of bilateral
interest. Mr Abrahamyan underlined the necessity of the development
of trade-economic relations.

The Charges d’affaires of Czech Republic to RA congratulated Hovik
Abrahamyan on the occasion of being elected NA President and conveyed
the congratulatory message of the head of the parliament of Czech
Republic. Mr Mikiska ensured that he would do his best to develop and
deepen the bilateral relations. He also highlighted the activation
of inter-parliamentary relations and in that context informed the
NA President that Czech-Armenian Friendship Group had been set up in
the parliament of Czech Republic, and in September the parliamentary
delegation of Czech Republic would arrive in Armenia.

WITH EYE ON TURKEY, ISRAEL DEBATES ARMENIA DEATHS

Today’s Zaman
June 12 2012
Turkey

The Israeli parliament has begun a debate over whether to recognize
the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I
as genocide.

Such a move would enrage Turkey and further strain the already tense
ties between the two countries.

For years, Israel has refrained from commenting on the matter for
fear of angering Turkey, which until recently was its closest ally in
the Muslim world. But as ties have frayed under the Islamic-oriented
rule of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israel appears
to be changing course.

Parliament speaker Reuven Rivlin denied that Tuesday’s debate was
related to deteriorating ties with Turkey. In a radio interview,
he said there is no intent to provoke, only to remember.

OSCE CONCERNED ABOUT INCIDENT ON ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI TROOPS’ CONTACT LINE

Trend
June 13 2012
Azerbaijan

The OSCE is concerned about the recent incident on the contact
line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, the OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, told reporters in Baku
on Wednesday.

“I am and the OSCE concerned about recent incident on the contact line
between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops. There is no retaliation and
I would like to see put in place investigation mechanism through which
the OSCE will look at the activities when they occur,” Gilmore said.

“Ultimately, we would want to achieve this and I hope that this will
contribute to peaceful and negotiated resolution of the conflict.”

It should be recalled that on June 5 Armenian sabotage group’s efforts
to enter Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ positions in Ashagi Eskipara village
in the Gazakh region failed and it retreated by suffering losses.

As a result of the fight, 4 soldiers of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
were killed.

Another Azerbaijani soldier was killed as a result of fire opened
from nameless heights in Gazakh region.

During his visit to Baku, which began on Wednesday, Gilmore will
hold meetings with Azerbaijani officials, as well as leaders of
political parties. OSCE activity in the region, cooperation between
OSCE and Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and other issues will
be discussed at the meeting.

Previously, Gilmore visited Georgia and Armenia as part of his South
Caucasus tour.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the US –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

RIVLIN: WE CANNOT IGNORE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Elad Benari

Arutz Sheva

June 13 2012
Israel

Knesset holds special discussion on the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Rivlin: This is not an accusation at the current Turkish government.

The Knesset held a special discussion on Tuesday regarding the 1915
Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian Genocide, also called the Armenian Massacres or the Great
Crime, was the planned and systematic destruction of the Armenian
population of the Ottoman Empire around the time of World War I
through massacres and forced marches.

Between 1 and 1.5 million Armenians died during this period, but
Turkey refuses to use the word genocide for the tragedy perpetrated
on the Armenian minority. A previous discussion on the issue by the
Knesset’s Education Committee, initiated by MKs Aryeh Eldad (National
Union) and Zehava Galon (Meretz), was postponed.

In his opening remarks at Tuesday’s discussion, Knesset Speaker Reuven
Rivlin said that the Armenian Genocide cannot be ignored.

“In the Land of Israel of 1915, people did not deny the Armenian
Genocide,” he said. “Jerusalem residents saw Armenians arriving in the
thousands, starving. The evidence of the massacre was clear and sharp.

“The Jews then asked themselves two questions: Who’s next, and will we
shed tears over the Armenians? We were next in line, but did not even
know it at that time, nor could we have guessed it. Whoever conceived
the Final Solution for Jews was impressed by the fact that, one day,
the world will say nothing about it, the same way it was silent over
the murder of the Armenians,” added Rivlin.

Some have suggested that it would be in Israel’s interests to avoid
recognizing the Armenian Genocide or even discussing it, in the wake
of the strained relations between Turkey and Israel. Referring to
this issue, Rivlin said, “It is our moral duty to remember and remind
of the tragedy that befell the Armenian people, who lost more than a
million of its sons during the First World War, and we must not make
this a political issue. I am aware of the sensitivity of this issue.

But let us be clear: This is not an accusation of Turkey today or of
the current Turkish government.”

Rivlin added, “It is because of the fact that the citizens of the
State of Israel have heard many outright denials of the horror that
befell us, that I think it is inconceivable that the Knesset will
ignore this tragedy, of which there are historical and solid facts. We
find it hard to forgive others for their disregard of our tragedy,
and we must not ignore other people’s tragedies. It is our moral
obligation as human beings and as Jews.”

MK Eldad told Arutz Sheva in December that the chill in relations
between Jerusalem and Ankara is the perfect opportunity to recognize
the Armenian Genocide.

“A genocide against the Armenian people was conducted in Ottoman
Turkey during the first world war,” he said. “This is a historical
fact that cannot be denied and should not be denied.

“The fact that for many years Israel avoided any declaration on this
issue because we have very sensitive diplomatic relations with Turkey
should not affect our decisions [in the present],” Eldad said.

The Armenian issue has been a sensitive one for the Turkish government
for many years. When France ratified a bill in parliament which
stipulated that denying the Armenian Genocide would be punishable by
a jail sentence of up to one year and a 45,000 euro fine, a furious
Turkey responded by canceling all political, economic and military
meetings between representatives of Turkey and France.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also forbade French
aircraft from landing in Turkey and said French ships were no longer
welcome in Turkey’s ports.

ISRAEL LAWMAKERS NOTE ARMENIA MASS KILLINGS
by: Steve Weizman

European Jewish Press

June 13 2012

JERUSALEM (AFP)—Israel’s parliament on Tuesday held a discussion
marking the Turkish mass killings of Armenians, in a move likely to
further strain already tense relations with Ankara.

“It is our moral obligation to remember and remind others of the
tragedy that befell the Armenian people, which lost over a million
of its sons during the First World War,” speaker Reuven Rivlin told
lawmakers.

Tuesday’s discussion was the third consecutive year in which the
Knesset has held such a hearing to note “the anniversary of the killing
of the Armenian people,” as requested by seven MPs from various ranks.

Parliament rejected in 2007 a motion to recognise the Turkish mass
killings of Armenians beginning in 1915 as a “genocide.”

Rivlin opened the plenary discussion by saying Jews in Ottoman-ruled
Palestine in 1915 had been only too aware of what was happening to
the Armenians.

“Residents of Jerusalem saw them arriving in their thousands,
starving,” he said. “Testimonies of a massacre were clear and sharp.”

He said the Armenian killings were noted by the later architects of
the Nazi Holocaust against the Jews.

“We were next in line,” Rivlin said. “Those who conceived the Final
Solution regarding the Jews got the impression that when the time
came the world would be silent, as it was silent during the murder
of the Armenians.”

But he said recognising the tragedy was not meant as casting blame
on modern Turkey “or against the present Turkish government.”

“Perhaps the government of Israel will at last recognise — like
27 other countries around the world — the massacre of the Armenian
people,” said Zehava Galon of the opposition Meretz party.

Environment Minister Gilad Erdan, who represented the government during
the discussion, said the Knesset should seriously debate the issue,
and recognise it as genocide if it reaches that conclusion.

“The whole discussion is taking place on the background of relations
with Turkey,” he said. “As Jews and Israelis, we should have a special
obligation to learn about human tragedies.”

In December, a parliamentary committee held a landmark public debate
on recognising genocide in Armenia. Past hearings had taken place
behind closed doors.

Proposals by lawmakers to hold debates on the issue had been rejected
by Israeli governments over the years, when ties with Turkey were
warmer.

But relations plunged into deep crisis in 2010, when Israeli forces
killed nine Turks in a raid on a Turkish ferry, part of an activist
flotilla seeking to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

Last year Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador and axed military
ties and defence trade, while Israel cancelled completion of a contract
to sell Turkey aerial surveillance equipment.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen died in orchestrated
killings during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey strongly denies this, saying 300,000 Armenians and as many
Turks were killed in civil conflict when the Christian Armenians,
backed by Russia, rose up against the Ottomans.

US SENATE TO CONSIDER MORNINGSTAR AS AMBASSADOR TO BAKU

Vestnik Kavkaza
June 13 2012
Russia

The Committee for Foreign Relations of the US Senate will consider
Richard Morningstar as the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, 1news reports.

President Barack Obama announced plans to appoint 67-year old
Morningstar in late April. The diplomat has been the Special Envoy
for Eurasian Energy.

Elnur Aslanov, head of the section for political analyses and
information support of the Presidential Administration, called
Morningstar a professional diplomat and a well-known figure in
the region.

Ambassador Matthew Bryza’s mandate expired in late December 2011.

Armenian lobbyists did not allow him to be approved at the session
in January 2012.

Morningstar will also be considered as an Ambassador to Netherlands
and Suriname.

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER GETS ACQUAINTED WITH THE PREPARATION FOR THE “COOPERATION 2012” EXERCISE

Mediamax
June 12 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. “Cooperation 2012” joint military exercise of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization Collective Rapid Response
Forces (CSTO CRRF) will be held in Armenia in September.

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, head of the Armed Forces
General Headquarters, Colonel-General Yuriy Khachaturov, leadership
of the Ministry of Defense and General Headquarters of the Armenian
Armed Foreces visited the military polygon after Marshal Baghramyan
to get acquainted with the preparation for the exercises today,
Mediamax reports.

Seyran Ohanyan got acquainted with the current construction works,
state of educaitonal points and places of stationing of the national
military units.

During the session of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and
General Headquarters, issues related to the preparation for exercises
were dicussed and relevan instructions and assignments were given.

YOUNG WOMAN’S HUSBAND BETRAYS, BEATS AND INFECTS HER

news.am
June 14, 2012 | 00:01

YEREVAN. – An Armenian woman named Mara, 36, who got married at
a younger age, finds out that her marriage was based on financial
interest, besides, her husband married her so she would take care
of her parents-in-law, both of whom had cancer, she told Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

She said that her husband had betrayed, beaten, cursed, and even
infected her with sexual decease. In addition, he infected their son
as well. Bearing no more her life, she decided to divorce and turned
to the Women Right Center. She got free legal and psychological
assistance in the center.

All those women who are subjected to physical, sexual, economic
violence may turn to Center or call the hot line 54 28 28 and get
free assistance.

DOLLAR STOPS AT AMD 416/$1 IN ARMENIA

news.am
June 13, 2012 | 16:54

YEREVAN. – The US dollar’s exchange rate against the Armenian Dram
(AMD) continued to rise, at NASDAQ OMX Armenia stock exchange on
Wednesday, and stopped at AMD 416/$1.

It is noteworthy that all trading at the stock exchange was conducted
with the same exchange rate, which also can be considered a sign
of stability.

And the total sales were $2.35 million.

Armenia’s exchange offices buy the US currency at a maximum of AMD
415/$1 and sell it at a minimum of AMD 417/$1.

OSCE CHAIR IN AZERBAIJAN ANSWERS QUESTION, WHICH HE AVOIDED IN ARMENIA

news.am
June 13, 2012 | 19:29

BAKU. – ‘As OSCE chairman I am really concerned about the
recent incidents on the border line’, Eamon Gilmore, OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office and Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
told reporters in Baku. According to him, the main topic of discussion
in Baku is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution.

“Tomorrow I shall meet Azerbaijani officials and representatives
of political parties. The main topic of discussion is to be the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We are really concerned about the recent
incidents on the border line, because of which people died. During
the meetings with Azerbaijani officials the ceasefire and withdrawal
of snipers from the front lines will also be discussed,” he said.

Commenting on Armenia’s invitation to visit Nagorno-Karabakh Gilmore
announced that he does not intend to visit the conflict zone, APA
agency reports.

“I shall discuss that topic tomorrow with Azerbaijani officials. But
I announce, I do not intend to visit Nagorno-Karabakh,” Gilmore added.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, during his visit to Armenia
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Eamon Gilmore avoided to directly answer
whether he is going to visit Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.