Author: Kanayan Tamar

TURKEY PESSIMIST ON HALT OF ‘GENOCIDE’ BILL

Hurriyet
Jan 26 2012
Turkey

The head of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission voiced pessimism
over the prospect of a court action by French lawmakers to seek the
abolition of the genocide denial law.

Ankara seeks 60 French senators to appeal to the Constitutional
Council to halt the law adopted by the French Senate on Jan. 23
that criminalizes denial of incidents in World War I as Armenian
“genocide.” “I don’t think there could be 60 people [to make the
application] in the current political climate,” Volkan Bozkır,
head of the Foreign Affairs Commission, told reporters yesterday,
according to Anatolia news agency. “I hope I will be wrong and we will
be able to see 60 persons who believe in the friendship of Turkey
and France and respect the values the West was built on.” Foreign
Minister Davutoglu also criticized Nicolas Sarkozy.

The French president was giving a message “not only to Armenian
voters, but also to ultra-rightists who have a phobia of Islam,”
Davutoglu said, adding, “such maneuvers aiming at the ultra-right
voter, radical nationalists and Islamophobic circles are a very
dangerous game, and they threaten European culture.”

Turkey’s sanctions against France will not include any measures
against French-language schools in the country, Education Minister
Omer Dincer said. Meanwhile, Turkish First Lady Hayrunnisa Gul did
not invite France’s Ambassador to Turkey Laurent Bili’s wife to a
lunch organized in the Presidency today as a reaction.

ARMENIAN COUPLE NAMES BABY ‘SARKOZY’ IN HONOR OF FRENCH LEADER

News |
26.01.12 | 11:24

Photo:

A couple in Armenia named their newborn baby on Wednesday after French
President Nicolas Sarkozy in appreciation of his role in the passage
of the French law criminalizing the public denial of the genocide of
Armenians during World War I.

The Avetisyans, a family in Gyumri, said they had originally planned
to name their firstborn Gevorg, in honor of the child’s grandfather,
but after the Monday passage of the bill in Paris decided to name the
expected baby after the French leader, whose party initiated the
legislation.

“Let our baby, Sarkozy Avetisian, become a man as brave and just as
his namesake,” the newborn’s grandmother said.

The baby born in the Gyumri maternity hospital on Wednesday afternoon
is said to be a healthy child. The little Sarkozy weighs 3 kilograms
(6.6 pounds) and is 50 centimeters (19 inches) tall.

In 2001, when France first recognized the Ottoman-era mass killing of
Armenians as genocide, another couple in Armenia named their newborn
twins “Jacques” and “Chirac” in honor of then-French President Jacques
Chirac.

ENVOY SAYS FRANCE TO REMAIN KARABAKH MEDIATOR

APA
Jan 25 2012
Azerbaijan

The French envoy in Azerbaijan has said that France will continue its
mission as the OSCE Minsk group co-chair that mediates the Karabakh
conflict settlement, Baku-based APA news agency reported on 25 January.

“France will continue its constructive and completely unbiased
role within the [OSCE] Minsk Group to achieve a just and sturdy
peace agreement based on international principles,” the news agency
quoted the French envoy in Azerbaijan, Gabriel Keller, as saying on
25 January.

The remarks of the French ambassador comes after Turkish ambassador
to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic said on 23 January that the bill adopted
by the French Senate to criminalize the denial of Armenian genocide
would cast a shadow on France’s role as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair,
the report said.

[translated from Azeri]

TURKISH DIPLOMAT SLAMS FRANCE FOR PASSING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LEGISLATION

Interfax
Russia
Jan 25 2012

France called into question its ability to act as a mediator in
settling the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh by adopting legislation
criminalizing the denial of the 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman
Empire, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic said.

“This issue has called into question France’s mediating role [in the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process],” Kilic said at the presentation
of a book dealing with Azeri-Turkish relations in the past 20 years
in Baku on Wednesday.

“I believe that, instead of passing legislation regarding the events
that happened a hundred years ago not without France’s involvement,
not to mention that their origin is doubtful, France should express
its judgment about the occupation of Azeri lands and the existence
of hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons,” he said.

Kilic praised Azerbaijan’s reaction to the legislation passed by the
French Senate. “The presidential administration, the Foreign Ministry,
the leaders of political parties, NGOs, and individual parliamentarians
and ordinary people expressed their immediate reaction to the French
Senate’s decision. We are grateful for this reaction on the part of
Azerbaijan. This shows to the whole world that Turkey and Azerbaijan
are united,” he said.

The legislation passed by the French Senate might produce even more
hatred and enmity between peoples in the region, he said.

Speaking to journalists later, Kilic said Turkey and the Turkic
world condemn the French legislation. “This legislation goes
against fundamental principles of human rights, freedom of speech and
expression. This is a game played by a limited number of politicians,
which casts a shadow on the history of the French people,” he said.

RED CROSS VISITS ARMENIANS IMPRISONED IN AZERBAIJAN

Vestnik Kavkaza
Jan 26 2012
Russia

The International Red Cross Committee has visited three Armenian
military prisoners and five civilians, members of a family, at an
Azerbaijani prison. The Red Cross gave them four letters and received
three letters and three messages from the prisoners, Trend reports.

Armenia has one Azerbaijani military prisoner. Junior Sergeant
Akhundzade Mamedbagir Talyb oglu was captured in Armenia a few
days ago.

According to Geneva conventions, the Red Cross in Azerbaijan and
Armenia has been operating since 1992 due to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

BAKO SAHAKYAN: KARINTAK DEFENSE ONE OF OUR FUNDAMENTAL VICTORIES

Panorama.am
26/01/2012

On 26 January Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited the
Shushi region and attended a solemn event dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of heroic battle in Karintak village.

The President noted that the defense of Karintak village, being
one of our first and fundamental victories, had its unique place
in the history of our national liberation struggle. This battle has
proved that patriotism, faith and dedication are able to neutralize
quantitative advantage of the enemy and eventually defeat it.

The President stressed that this and all other victories have been
achieved through blood, and the best way to preserve the memory of
our martyrs is the development of the country, Karintak village and
other settlements in the republic.

NKR high ranking officials, guests from Armenia and abroad attended
the event, Artsakh President’s press office reported.

BRITISH DIPLOMAT: ‘STATUS QUO ON NAGORNO KARABAGH IS UNACCEPTABLE’

Today.Az
26 January 2012

“I felt very privileged and proud to be chosen as British Ambassador to
Azerbaijan, particularly at such an exciting time in its history and
when bilateral relations are so close,” UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Peter Bateman said in his interview.

“Azerbaijan is a friend and close strategic partner of the UK. We
have a warm and wide ranging relationship. There have been a number
of senior visits between Baku and London, including most recently
Charles Hendry, the UK Minister of Energy and Climate Change. We hope
there will be many more in the months and years ahead,” he noted.

There is an equally close relationship at a commercial and people to
people level. The UK is the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan
and BP’s partnership with Azerbaijan has been a huge success story
for both parties. Azerbaijan is home or a regular destination for a
large British business community. The UK welcomes many Azerbaijani
students to our universities as well as tourists to our country.

“Baku will host the Eurovision song contest in May which will be
a wonderful opportunity for Azerbaijanis to introduce the country
to visitors – of which we expect many to be British. And of course,
for our part, we look forward to welcoming many Azerbaijani visitors
and athletes to the London Olympics and Paralympics this summer,”
Bateman said.

He noted Azerbaijan is strategically important to Europe, not just the
UK, as it holds the key to diversifying Europe’s energy supply. He
said the UK is concerned that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains
unresolved and is therefore a source of regional instability.

“The status quo on Nagorno Karabagh is unacceptable and the UK is keen
to see a peaceful resolution of the conflict as soon as possible,”
he stated.

ARMEN AVAGYAN APPOINTED MINISTER – HEAD OF NKR GOVERNMENT’S ADMINISTRATION

Panorama.am
25/01/2012

On 25 January Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree
appointing Armen Avagyan Minister – Head of NKR Government’s
Administration, Artsakh President’s press office reported.

ARMENIA’S MEMBERSHIP TO COUNCIL OF EUROPE HAS CERTAIN POSITIVE INFLUENCE – OPPOSITION MP

news.am
January 25, 2012 | 16:50

YEREVAN.- Armenia’s membership to the Council of Europe had a positive
influence in the term of applying European values, MP from Heritage
Party Armen Martirosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, in case the European values were fully implanted,
the March 1 event would not have occurred.

“Sometimes we witness inconsistent position presented by our European
colleagues. For instance, during his recent visit, PACE Co-Rapportuer
John Prescott behaved as if he was a representative of the Armenian
authorities in the Council of Europe. His remarks resembled statements
voiced by the country’s leadership,” he said.

Armenia joined the Council of Europe on January 25, 2001.

TURKEY MUST DECLASSIFY GENOCIDE ARCHIVES – EXPERT

PanARMENIAN.Net
January 25, 2012 – 14:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – French Senate’s passing the bill penalizing Armenian
Genocide denial is a truly historic event, said the director of
the Institute of Political and Social Studies of the Black Sea and
Caspian region.

“With the passage of the bill, no one will be able to call the
Genocide issue a “solely Armenian viewpoint”,” Vladimir Zakharov said,
expressing hope for other countries to follow France’s suit.

In conclusion, the expert urged Turkey to declassify the archives to
enable a fair study.

Political analyst Andrey Areshev, in turn, noted Ankara’s threats
as useless. “Turkish-French relations will eventually stabilize. If
willing to play by European rules, Turkey will have to change its
policy,” the expert stressed.

“Turkey lost much of its influence in West compared to 1990s:
in present circumstances, the emotional approach to the issue is
unconstructive, necessitating a balanced policy line,” he noted.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. To be
signed into law within 14 days, the bill will impose a 45,000 euro
fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime
against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Turkish authorities threatened France with breaking of ties in case
of passing the bill. Moreover the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
stated that he will never step foot in France if the Senate passes
the draft law.