Author: Kalashian Nyrie

STREET IN LYON NAMED AFTER HRANT DINK 22-01-2008

ArmRadio.am
22-01-2008

On January 19, first anniversary of assassination of the Armenian
Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, the Mayor of the Lyon, Mr. Gerard
Collomb, inaugurated the street after Hrant Dink, in homage to the
courage of this man of peace, independent correspondent Jean Eckian
reports from France.

Joined together near Le Progres newspaper, several personalities
followed one another at the microphone to evoke the course of the
journalist and read a letter of thanks of AGOS.

Pasteur Rene Leonian, a friend of the Dink family who had specially
come from Armenia, conveyed the thanks of Rakel Dink. Among the guests
was the Consul General of Turkey, Ismail Hakka Musa, surrounded with
body guards, precipitately left the meeting after having criticized
certain speakers who referred to the "events" of 1915.

DEFENCE MINISTRY SAYS AZERI, ARMENIAN SOLDIERS KILLED IN CEASE-FIRE VIOLATION INCIDENTS

Day.Az
Jan 22 2008
Azerbaijan

22 January: A soldier of the Azerbaijani armed forces was killed in
the village of Cayli in Tartar District as a result of a cease-fire
violation by Armenians yesterday [21 January], the press service of
the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has reported.

The killed soldier is Ismayil Afqan oglu Agamammadov who was born in
1989. He was drafted into the army by the Sabirabad District enlistment
office in April 2007.

The press service noted that an Armenian soldier was killed during
the exchange of fire in Fuzuli District yesterday.

BARACK OBAMA PLEDGES TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IF ELECTED PRESIDENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.01.2008 16:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presidential candidate Barack Obama shared with
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) a strongly worded
statement today calling for Congressional passage of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 & S.Res.106), and pledging that,
as president, he will recognize the Armenian Genocide.

"America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian
Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be
that President," Sen. Barack Obama said.

In his statement, the Presidential hopeful reaffirmed his support
for a strong "U.S.-Armenian relationship that advances our common
security and strengthens Armenian democracy." He also pledged to
"promote Armenian security by seeking an end to the Turkish and
Azerbaijani blockades, and by working for a lasting and durable
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict that is agreeable to
all parties, and based upon America’s founding commitment to the
principles of democracy and self determination."

In recent weeks, the ANCA has invited each of the candidates to
share their views on Armenian Americans issues, and to comment
on both the growing relationship between the U.S. and Armenian
governments and the enduring bonds between the American and Armenian
peoples. Questionnaires sent to the candidates have invited them
to respond to a set of 19 questions, including those addressing:
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, U.S.-Armenia economic, political,
and military relations, self-determination for Nagorno Karabakh,
the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, and the genocide in Darfur.

PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Mexique Street- Kantari- Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748
Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Tel: 961-1-349230/1

"Here, There and Yonder": The Recent Works of Missak Terzian at
Haigazian University

On Friday the 18th of January 2008, under the high patronage of the
Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon, H.E. Dr. Vahan Der Ghevontian, opened
the painting exhibition of Missak Terzian, at the Haigazian University
Art Center, Matossian Gallery, amidst a big crowd of diplomats,
religious leaders, artists, and media representatives and art
appreciators.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, Haigazian University President, Rev.
Dr. Paul Haidostian welcomed the audience and explained the new vision
of the recently renovated gallery.

"Named after the late Arthur Matossian, spouse of Maggie Matossian,
founder of the University’s Women’s Auxiliary, Beirut Chapter, and
longtime member its Board of Managers and Trustees, the Matossian
Gallery operates under the supervision of a committee who’s vision is to
promote various forms of art, and to enrich the Center with an artwork
collection, offered as a gift by exhibiting artists", stated Haidostian.

Ambassador Der Ghevontian delivered a short speech, congratulating
Haigazian University for its leading role in promoting culture, as well
as the artist for his creativity and the splendor of his work. Der
Ghevontain added that the Embassy of Armenia is always ready to sponsor
and collaborate in such activities, thus encouraging cultural
interchange between the two countries, Lebanon and Armenia.

Terzian, expressed of his pride and gratitude towards Haigazian
University, for giving him the opportunity to introduce his recent works
in the University’s Art Center.

Terzian shared with the audience the spirit of his exhibition, "Here,
There and Yonder", stating that it represents the reality of the
Lebanese and the Armenian people, who, due to wars, are spread apart in
various regions of the world. Basically these two populations are here
and there and yonder.

"It is my wish to see Lebanon free, independent and stable, the Lebanese
people and families reunited in their country, as my paintings of the
different regions of Lebanon are united under one roof", Terzian
concluded.

In his 52nd exhibition, Missak Terzian is exhibiting 50 oil and acrylic
paintings of various sizes, in addition to limited editions of original
lithographs.

Missak’s (as he signs his paintings) favorite theme is the "Couples",
presented in an abstract and semi-abstract style. After 25 years of his
career, Missak reintroduces the different Lebanese heritage regions. The
Citadels of Byblos and Sydon, the Ruins of Baalbeck, the Waterfalls of
Jezzine, and the Pigeons Grotto of the Rock of Raouche were the
highlights of this exhibition.

It is worth noting that right after this exhibition, Artist Misak
Terzian will feature his works in the Jacob Javits Convention Center,
Artexpo, in New York City, from February 28 till March 3, 2008.

Lragir, Armenia
Jan 17 2008

KARABAKH’S PARTICIPATION IS ARMENIA’S BUSINESS

The agreement of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh is needed for any
decision concerning the fate of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh,
stated the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on January 17 in Yerevan. This
time they went to Stepanakert, the U.S. co-chair Matthew Bryza said
to get acquainted with the people and government of Artsakh. The
French co-chair Bernard Fassier says they once again told the NKR
government the sooner Karabakh returns to the table of negotiations
as a party in the talks the better. The co-chairs do not think they
are responsible for this return and advise to ask relevant questions
to the government of Armenia. Fassier reminds that Karabakh had been
participating in the talks before Robert Kocharyan became president
in 1998, but when he became president, a decision was made that
Armenia will represent Karabakh better. So says Fassier, noting that
it is up to the Armenian government to decide to represent Karabakh
or not.

In that case the reporters asked if Robert Kocharyan leaves office
which will happen a short period later how the new president of
Armenia will be perceived, whether he will continue to represent
Karabakh or not. Bernard Fassier asks to ask this question to the
Armenian government because he says it is up to them to decide. At
the same time, however, the French co-chair of the Minsk Group says
the situation with the participation of Karabakh is much more
complicated, and a number of other issues should be solved to solve
that one. The co-chair perhaps hints at the agreement of Azerbaijan.
The Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov also says this, saying that the
co-chairs are not thinking about how to persuade Azerbaijan to accept
the format when Armenia and Karabakh decide that each represents
itself. Merzlyakov says they are not making far-fetched plans, and
solve the problems along their emergence. Besides, the Russian
co-chair also stated that judging by the stance of Karabakh, the
current stage of the talks, they can say there is no sheer necessity
for a change of the format.

Agence France Presse — English
January 18, 2008 Friday 1:47 AM GMT

Thousands to rally on anniversary of divisive Turkish murder

by Nicolas Cheviron
ISTANBUL, Jan 18 2008

Thousands are expected to gather in Istanbul Saturday in memory of
Armenian-Turk campaigning editor Hrant Dink, on the first anniversary
of his hate-slaying outside his weekly newspaper’s offices.

The grassroots tribute to the Agos founder, gunned down by an
unemployed ultra-nationalist on January 19, 2007, comes days before
Turkish parliament reform of a controversial law against insulting
‘Turkishness’ that some hold responsible for his murder.

Already the subject of a series of prosecutions, Dink was given a
six-month suspended sentence in October 2005 after a court ruled that
one of his pieces described Turkish blood as dirty. An appeal was
also rejected.

He had called on Armenians to reject symbolically "the tainted part
of their Turkish blood" and "turn now towards the new blood of an
independent Armenia, the only thing capable of freeing them from the
weight of the diaspora".

Over and above the actual sentence, the judgment "confirmed," in the
words of his killer’s lawyer, that Dink was "a traitor to the
fatherland," handing him on a plate to ultra-nationalists with
reprisal in mind.

"There is no doubt that article 301 has contributed to a targeting of
intellectuals and, for some, like Dink, the paying of the heaviest
price," said Erol Onderoglu of press rights campaigners Bia2.

Sentences were imposed in only six out of 55 cases last year, and not
one of those involved time behind bars.

But that doesn’t make the law any less harmful, according to Ragip
Zarakoglu, a publisher being tried himself for releasing a book which
classed as "genocide" the 1915-17 massacres of Armenians, a claim
denied by Turkey.

Countries like France, Argentina, Greece and Russia, where
descendants live, have formally recognised Armenian genocide, but
Turkey argues the killings of hundreds of thousands of natives under
the Ottoman Empire — virtually clearing their heartland — was
related to the First World War.

"This article (301) is used to trigger (Turkish) nationalist
campaigns and in this way to force intellectuals to censor
themselves," said Zarakoglu.

He cited a new-found "silence" on the part of other high-profile
writers in Orhan Pamuk, the 2006 Nobel prize winner for literature
whose trial on charges of "insulting Turkishness" was dropped last
year, as well as French-born author Elif Safak.

The amendment being voted on next week is intended to define more
precisely what article 301, or insulting Turkishness, is meant to
cover.

It will also reduce the maximum prison term from three to two years
and introduce the need for the justice minister to sign off
prosecutions — in Zarakoglu’s eyes, a move that threatens judicial
independence.

It also risks, he believes, creating a two-tier system whereby
lesser-known individuals may be prosecuted free from the prying eyes
of the media or the European Union while "stars will be untouchable
because the ministry will refuse to sanction a trial in order to
avoid the hassle".

For Etyn Mahcupyan, current director of Agos, the changes should,
nevertheless, be sufficient to halt a good number of cases.

"We can guess that with all these new little details, they will be
unable to open the majority of cases," he said.

Asked about article 301’s influence on the death of his friend, the
journalist preferred to point to other factors.

"We know full well that there is a small group of judges and
prosecutors (the extremist self-styled Union of Lawyers) who are very
nationalist and statist, and who act apparently in a deliberate
fashion," he added.

SITUATION IN ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI COOPERATION IN SCIENCE REMAINS DESPERATE, AN EXPERT SAYS

2008-01-16 17:48:00

ArmInfo. The situation in Armenian-Azerbaijani cooperation in
science remains desperate, Head of the Armenian branch office of the
International Science & Technology Center (ISTC) Hamlet Navasardyan
told ArmInfo correspondent.

"They establish contacts at no level. For instance, the ISTC and
the Science & Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) organized a
conference on commercialization of scientific results in Baku in
October 2007. All our efforts to involve Armenian scientists in the
work of the conference gave no results. In this issue we came across
Azerbaijan’s severe resistance", Navasardyan said. At the same time,
he pointed out with content that at the end of 2007 the first joint
project of ISTC and STCU, which includes Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova
and Uzbekistan, was approved in 2007. This was the project of the
Institute of Physical Research of Ashtarak (Armenia). The head of
the ISTC office in Yerevan emphasized that the implementation of this
project will vividly show how two structures can cooperate, as in this
case financing will be through the ISTC and STCU, and all financial and
organizational issues will be coordinated by both organizations. "If
the cooperation is successful, one may also hope for implementation
of other joint projects in the future", Navasardyan said.

STRUCTURAL REFORMS WERE LAUNCHED IN CITY HALL OF STEPANAKERT FROM JANUARY 1

KarabakhOpen
17-01-2008 13:22:45

The deputy mayor of Stepanakert Georgy Hairiyan told us that the
structure of the City Hall has undergone changes, and new departments
have been set up, namely the department for culture, youth and tourism,
as well as the computer department. The department for housing was
renamed department for housing, communal services and environmental
issues. The social department was transformed into the department
of health and social security. The department for architecture,
town planning and upkeep was set up.

According to the deputy mayor, the reforms opened new jobs. By the
way, the number of deputy mayors has increased by one. Structural
changes in the City Hall continue.

BERNAR FASSIER: MEDIATORS WANT KARABAKH TO BE INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS SOON

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Jan 17 2008

OSCE Minsk Group mediators want Karabakh to be involved in the solution
of the conflict as full participant of negotiations process.

It would be better in Karabakh joins to negotiations process as one
of the sides, French co-chair Bernard Fassier said in press conference
in Yerevan, APA reports quoting Novosti-Armenia.

"There is no necessity in bringing the Karabakhi side back to the
talks. In 1998 when Robert Kocharian was elected President, we decided
that Armenia will represent Karabakh at the negotiations.

Presently, change of format is inexpedient. Any change will take lots
of time," the French diplomat said.

He said that it is difficult to join Nagorno Karabakh to the
negotiations as one of the sides and everything needs time.

"We already focused on all sides’ familiarizing at basic principles and
if agreement is achieved on these principles, Karabakh can participate
in the negotiations after the consent of Armenia," he said.

ACCORDING TO ARAM MANUKIAN, VAZGEN MANUKIAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN SECOND PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Jan 16 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The only possible way of getting
rid of the current Armenian authorities is to form a multi-party
political coalition around the first president Levon Ter-Petrosian,
member of the Armenian National Movement (ANM) board Aram Manukian said
at the January 16 press conference. In his words, simple political
calculations show it, and those unable to make such calculations
either do not know arithmetic or help intentionally the authorities.

A. Manukian said that many representatives of all state and local
government bodies already work secretly in favor of L. Ter-Petrosian,
and in the second half of February when the pre-election race will
become most active, there will be sharp changes in the power and
political system.

According to A. Manukian, the prime minister Serge Sargsian has a
stable rating, while rating of L. Ter-Petrosian is increasing slowly
but steadily.

If these dynamics continue, the latter will win at the first round
of elections.

He expressed confidence that the forces supporting the first president
will be able to prevent election rigging. "I guarantee that those
to commit falsification against us will not benefit from it, we have
all resources to prevent rigging," A. Manukian stated. In his words,
the best option is that the authorities resign of their free will,
which has been proposed to them.

In this case there will be no tension and shocks in the country,
and the current authorities "will remain in their historical role as
organizers of the Karabakh movement".

A. Manukian said there are almost no ideological contradictions
between L. Ter-Petrosian and Vazgen Manukian, and it would be logical
if the latter backed the candidacy of L. Ter-Petrosian. According
to him, Vazgen Manukian should have been the second president of the
country, and it would have been so if he had been a bit more patient
at that time.