Author: Kanayan Tamar

TURKISH PRESSURES, THREAT WON IN THIS ROUND – ARMENIAN POLITICIAN

news.am
February 29, 2012 | 12:50

YEREVAN. – It is not the end of the world that France’s Constitutional
Council deemed unconstitutional the bill that criminalizes the
denial of genocides-including the Armenian Genocide-, the opposition
ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party’s Political Affairs Bureau and Armenian
Cause Office Chief Giro Manoyan stated during a press conference
on Wednesday.

In his words, the Turkish pressures and threat-and to some extent, the
bribes, too-won in this round, which does not bring honor to France.

As per Manoyan, the French Armenian community already has announced
that everything does not end with this, since the activities will
commence with a new force so that the aforesaid bill is adopted.

TER PETROSSIAN N’EXCLUT PAS UNE COOPERATION AVEC ARMENIE PROSPERE
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 28 fevrier 2012

Si le parti Armenie prospère (BHK) de l’homme d’affaires Gaguik
Tsaroukian, semble avoir pacifie ses relations avec ses partenaires
de la coalition gouvernement, et au premier chef avec le Parti
republicain (HHK) du president Serge Sarkissian, a l’approche des
elections legislatives, le Congrès national armenien (HAK) n’a pas
renonce a l’idee d’une collaboration avec le parti au pouvoir.

Lundi 27 fevrier, Levon ter Petrossian, le leader de ce bloc de
formations d’opposition non parlementaires, a une fois encore tendu
la mains au parti de G. Tsaroukian, en laissant entendre que dans le
principe, il etait toujours dispose a cooperer avec le deuxième parti
de la coalition gouvernementale pour les prochaines legisaltives, en
mai. “Dans l’etat actuel des choses, et a en juger aux declarations
de ses leaders, le Parti Armenie prospere (BHK), est favorable a la
confrontation politique” a indique Arman Musinian, le porte parole
du HAK en ajoutant que “si Armenie prospère demontre dans les mois a
venir et le jour de l’election qu’il tient reellement a des elections
justes et libres, alors je pense qu’il y aura une large place a
la cooperation”.

Levon Ter Petrosian avait publiquement exprime sa disposition a
mettre en ~uvre une telle cooperation en novembre 2011en depit des
speculations sur les liens etroits unissant G. Tsaroukian a l’ancien
president Robert Kocharian, ennemi jure du HAK, dont on avait alors
suggere qu’il pourrait le soutenir au cas où il briguerait un autre
mandat en 2013.

S’exprimant lors d’une manifestation a Erevan, Ter Petrosian avait
declare que cela “pourrait radicalement changer l’equilibre des forces
politiques” dans le pays a l’approche du scrutin de mai 2012, et ”
servir de base a une coalition plus large des forces d’opposition”.

Ter Petrossian avait alors souligne les tensions croissantes entre
le BHK et le HHK, en appelant dans le meme temps G. Tsarukian a
“prendre clairement ses distances” avec Kotcharian.

Le BHK n’avait pas repondu a cette offre impromptue de Ter Petrossian,
les resposnsables du parti justifiant leur silence par le fait qu’ils
n’avaient recu aucune proposition officielle du HAk en vue d’une
cooperation et moins encore d’une alliance. Mais Musinian a reitere
l’offre de Ter Petrossian deux semaines après le ralliement remarque
au BHK de l’ancien ministre des affaires etrangères de R. Kotcharian,
Vartan Oskanian. Ce dernier avait alors invoque la necessite d’une
“reelle competition” entre le BHK et le HHK de S. Sarkissian. M.

Musinian a reaffirme que le president et son parti seront la “cible”
principale de l’alliance conduite par Ter Petrossian dans la campagne
electorale a venir. Et dans cette perspective, le BHK est activement
courtise.

LES ARMENIENS PROTESTENT DEVANT L’AMBASSADE D’AZERBAIDJAN A WASHINGTON
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mardi 28 fevrier 2012

Malgre la pluie et le froid, les Armeniens de Washington DC se sont
rassembles devant l’ambassade d’Azerbaïdjan, le 24 fevrier, pour
commemorer les victimes de l’agression azerbaïdjanaise et exprimer leur
solidarite au peuple de la Republique independante du Haut-Karabakh.

Une protestation silencieuse organisee par la Federation Armenienne
de la jeunesse “Ani” et l’organisation de jeunesse de l’eglise
armenienne Sainte-Marie, a coïncide avec le 24ème anniversaire des
pogroms Azeri contre les Armeniens a Soumgaït, ouvrant la voie a des
attaques a Bakou en 1990. Une agression azerbaïdjanaise, et un cycle
de la violence contre les Armeniens, qui continue jusqu’a ce jour.

Les manifestants ont rappele la destruction du cimetière armenien de
Julfa (Nakhitchevan).

“Nous sommes reunis ici devant l’ambassade d’Azerbaïdjan afin
d’honorer la memoire de ceux qui sont morts a Sumagaït et Bakou,
et condamner la menace permanente des representants du regime
Aliyev et les attaques contre l’Artsakh et l’Armenie”, – a declare
le president de la Federation de la jeunesse “Ani” Tevin Polatyan,
ajoutant : “Cette semaine, un tireur d’elite azeri a tue un soldat
armenien – ceci est devenu un fait trop commun, et resulte du fait
que la communaute internationale ferme les yeux sur l’escalade de
la puissance militaire d’Aliyev . Nous allons continuer a defendre
fermement la Republique d’Artsakh, tandis que son peuple continue a
defendre son droit a l’autodetermination.”, a-t-il conclu.

Les manifestants ont allume des bougies et expose les photos de ceux
qui ont ete tues au cours des pogroms de la population armenienne.

LES POGROMS ANTI-ARMENIENS EN AZERBAIDJAN 1988-92
Ara

armenews.com
mardi 28 fevrier 2012

Publication d’un dossier special de Nouvelles d’Armenie Magazine
consacre aux massacres commis contre les civils armeniens en
Azerbaïdjan, entre 1988 et 1992.

En novembre 1938, a Darmstag, sous l’Allemagne nazie, le chef des
Sturmabteilungen local recut a 3 heures du matin le message suivant
: ” Sur ordre du chef de groupe, il faut faire sauter ou incendier
immediatement dans le secteur 50 l’ensemble des synagogues juives. Les
maisons voisines qui sont habitees par une population aryenne ne
doivent pas etre endommagees. L’action doit etre menee en tenue de
civil. ” C’etait la fameuse Nuit de Cristal : 208 synagogues detruites,
7 500 magasins pilles, 91 Juifs massacres et plus de 30000 autres
deportes. Le monde ne bougea pas. On sait ce qu’il advint.

Cinquante ans après, dans la nuit du 27 au 28 fevrier 1988, en
Azerbaïdjan, des unites azeries en civil entrent dans la ville de
Soumgaït et se livrent aux memes exactions. Plus de deux cents maisons
incendiees, des dizaines de magasins pilles, des centaines d’innocents
traînes dans les rues et battus a mort. D’autres tortures. Certains
brûles vifs. Les massacres dureront jusqu’au 29 fevrier. En novembre
1988, les nervis du pouvoir entrèrent dans la ville de Kirovabad.

Nouveau massacre : officiellement 18 Armeniens tues, 11 femmes
violees, 60 personnes disparues, 74 personnes grièvement blessees,
1 376 maisons pilles. L’intervention de l’armee sovietique retablit
l’ordre jusqu’a son retrait. La, ce fut le tour de Bakou en 1990.

Nouveau pogrom et deportation d’Azerbaïdjan en Armenie de 350 000
personnes, qui abandonnent tous leurs biens, tous leurs morts et
tout leur passe. Enfin, en 1992, celui de la population du village
de Maragha. Le monde ne bougea pas plus.

En ce mois de fevrier 2012, 20 ans après ces derniers evenements,
Nouvelles d’Armenie Magazine s’adresse une fois de plus a l’opinion
publique pour que le souvenir de ces exactions ne tombe pas dans
l’oubli, surtout a l’heure où, comme toujours dans les crimes
contre l’humanite, les auteurs nient l’existence de ces faits,
comme on nie aujourd’hui l’existence ou l’importance de la Shoah. Ce
dossier de presse a deux objectifs : d’abord, face aux tentatives
de falsifications de l’Azerbaïdjan, rappeler les faits tels qu’ils
ont ete relates par les temoins ; ensuite, par ce rappel, prevenir
la repetition de tels crimes en demontrant a ceux qui les ont commis
que l’opinion publique internationale ne les oublie pas.

Dans l’hypothèse où, a votre tour, vous souhaiteriez les rappeler
dans vos colonnes, dans vos discours ou dans vos ecrits, Nouvelles
d’Armenie Magazine se tient a votre disposition pour vous fournir
toutes les informations complementaires qui vous seront utiles.

Toute l’equipe redactionnelle vous remercie par avance de l’attention
que vous porterez a ce dossier.

Rene Dzagoyan,

pour Nouvelles d’Armenie Magazine.

ARMENIA BOYCOTTS 2012 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST IN BAKU

Vestnik Kavkaza
Feb 27 2012
Russia

Sietse Bakker, Event Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest,
said that the Armenian Public Television has not informed about
the country’s refusal to attend the song contest in Baku this year,
Mediamax reports.

The official said that not letter on Armenia’s refusal to attend
the song contest filed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
has been received.

A group of Armenian singers started signed a note approving the
Armenian Public Television’s initiative to boycott the contest in
Baku. The television has not commented yet.

MEMBER STATES URGE EARLY END TO CONFLICTS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

Europolitics.info

Feb 27 2012

While welcoming the progress made in negotiations of association
agreements between the EU and Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, the
Foreign Affairs Council expressed its concerns, on 27 February, over
the ongoing conflicts in the region between Armenia and Azerbaijan
and between Georgia and Russia. “The EU reiterates its firm support
for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within
its internationally recognised borders and reiterates its concern
about continuing Russian military and security-related presence and
infrastructure reinforcements in the Georgian breakaway regions of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” the Council said in a statement. The
ministers called on Russia to “fulfill its obligations under the
ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008”. They said they were ready to
enhance their engagement with the two breakaway regions, “including
to the benefit of the people living in these regions”. Ministers also
expressed concerns “at the slow progress in the negotiations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,”
especially since the recent increase of tensions along the line of
contact between the two states. They underlined “the importance of
urgent steps to implement the ceasefire and to adopt appropriate
confidence-building measures,” which they said they were ready
to support.

The Council participants welcomed the imminent start of visa
facilitation and readmission agreement negotiations with Azerbaijan
and Armenia and confirmed their readiness to promote the mobility of
citizens of Georgia by taking gradual steps, “including establishing
a two-phased visa action plan”. Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is
travelling to Georgia on 28 February to launch negotiations on a deep
and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA).

NRANYAN: ARMENIA LACKS OF PROVISIONAL POLICY FOR DIASPORAN INVESTORS

February 24, 2012

ARFD Member of Parliament, Ara Nranyan was invited as one of the
guest speakers of a public discussion event organized by the Group
for the Defense of the Diaspora Investors, held on February 24 at
the Armenia-Marriott hotel. According to Nranyan stated
that presently there is no provisional policy for Diaspora investors
as is the case for Armenian businessmen, as well.

“There is a general problem in the financial spectrum of Armenia… We
have to work and optimize the business field so as to attract foreign
investments” he argued. In his view there are no major foreign
investments taking place in Armenia except from a few, and there are
almost no SMEs based on foreign capital.

Styopa Safaryan, Heritage (Zharangutyun) party’s MP, said that from
government circles to individual citizens, Diasporan Armenians are
seen as money pouches. They do not comprehend the Armenian reality
and that complicates things even more, said Sarafyan.

The First Deputy Head of the State Revenue Committee, Armen Alaverdyan
said that diasporan Armenians enjoy the same rights as the citizens
of Armenia. Problems mainly arise because diasporan Armenians are
not fully aware of the legislation, said Alaverdyan and added that
in that sense state institutions must assist the Armenian Diaspora’s
businessmen. The First Deputy also mentioned that humanitarian aid
and business should be distinguished from each other.

The cases of “Narekatsi” Art Union chairman and director of GH Storage
Enterprises Narek Hartunyan and of Parisian Cafe owner Valerie Ashkhen
Gordunyan were also brought into the audience’s attention as examples
of diasporan Armenian businesspeople facing legal problems in Armenia.

BAKU TO UNDERSTAND FINAL DECISION AFTER KARABAKH

Panorama.am
28/02/2012

International crisis group has released a report stating that the
parties should launch atmosphere of trust in order OSCE Minsk group
can establish peace. Panorama.am talked to experts and politicians
regarding the subject.

Edgar Hovhannisyan, deputy director of national archive, thinks there
is only one way to reach trust – Azerbaijan must come to terms with
the current situation and be able to demonstrate political will.

“Atmosphere of trust is possible only if Azerbaijan comes to terms
with the current situation, and adopt constructivism in negotiating
process. In this respect, it would be of great importance to withdraw
the snipers from the front line,” he said.

MP Karine Achemyan has mentioned that atmosphere of trust is possible
only if the reached agreements with Azerbaijan are preserved.

“It’s difficult to speak about formation of that kind of atmosphere,
when Azerbaijan refuses talks with Artsakh. Baku must understand
that the final word belongs to Karabakh, and that the involvement of
Artsakh in the negotiating process is a requirement.”

Davit Babayan, head of NKR President’s public relations department
told Panorama.am that measures of mutual trust are pivotal elements
of conflict resolution.

“Official Stepanakert repeatedly reveals its disposition. We’ve
recommended a package of political, economic and military events,
but Azerbaijan prefers to strain the unstable situation.”

VATICAN ARCHIVES ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE DISCLOSED

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 28, 2012 – 14:55 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Vatican starts disclosing its secret archives dating
back to 1621. The oldest document goes back to the 8th century.

Documents on the Armenian Genocide have been found among the archives,
according to Turkish media outlets.

The exhibition at the Capitoline Museums will run until September 2012.

Prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives, Bishop Sergio Pagano announced
that the documentary evidence “on tortures of Armenians by Turkish
army” will be published.

ARMENIAN MPS COMMEMORATE VICTIMS OF SUMGAYIT POGROMS

AEMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2012
YERVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: The National Assembly of Armenia
started its sitting today with a minute of silence to commemorate the
victims of the Sumgayit pogroms. Chairman of the National Assembly
Samvel Nikoyan said the tragic days of Sumgayit pogroms have been
sealed in the memories of all Armenians.

The Sumgait pogrom was a pogrom that targeted the Armenian population
of the Azerbaijani town of Sumgayit during February 1988. On February
27, 1988, mobs made up largely of ethnic Azeris formed into groups
that went on to attack and kill Armenians both on the streets and in
their apartments; widespread looting and a general lack of concern
from police officers allowed the situation to worsen. The violence
in Sumgait was unprecedented. On February 29, a small contingent of
soviet troops entered the city and unsuccessfully attempted to quell
the rioting.

The massacres were nothing but a response to the peaceful
demonstrations of the Nagorno Karabakh people demanding their
constitutional right to self-determination.