Author: Kanayan Tamar

news.am, Armenia
July 23 2011

Bronze Age settlement discovered on border of Armenia and Karabakh

July 23, 2011 | 16:22

YEREVAN. – A Bronze Age settlement, dating back to 4 millennium BC,
has been discovered on the border of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh,
director of Scientific Research Centre of Historical and Cultural
Heritage Hakob Simonyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am on Saturday.

`Our expedition found the settlement on July 22. Local authorities
actually knew about it before, they asked us to come and study the
place. We revealed that a significant part of the settlement was
destroyed as a result of agricultural work. Anyway, during the
excavations we discovered objects, which belong to the the early
period of Kura-Araxes culture,’ said Simonyan.

news.am, Armenia
July 23 2011

Journalist writing truth in Azerbaijan is considered Armenian spy – BBC

July 22, 2011 | 19:14

BAKU. – Azerbaijani government will grant free apartments to
journalists, says BBC.

Critics, as well as human rights activists, see this as another tactic
to tighten state control of the media. They view this as a bribe,
threatening the freedom of press and making it harder for the
journalists to challenge the authorities.

The government says it aims to provide social protection for those who
need it. According to the president, the journalists have the right to
write what they want.

Ali Hasanov, an official representative, also urged journalists to be
patriots, supporters of the state. According to Mr. Hasanov, every
journalist must “support national and spiritual values and advocate
the country.”

Samir Ahmedbeyli, director of the Institute for War and Peace
Reporting in Azerbaijan, said that the call for journalists to be
patriotic is an effective way to get the media to support the
government, especially in the face of the draconian libel laws.

news.am, Armenia
July 22 2011

Armenian Government aware of capital outflow – PM

July 22, 2011 | 21:21

YEREVAN. – The Government of Armenia has a clear idea about the
outflow of capital and there is no ground for concern in this regard,
said Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan at meeting with
intellectuals of Aragatsotn region on Friday.

“Capital flows, balance of payments of our country are studied very
carefully and the Central Bank carries out this function on a
professional level. Of course, there are cases when our people do not
build factories in Armenia but abroad. But on the other hand, pursuing
liberal policy, we cannot apply restrictions on our plants to control
their cash flow. The interests of our country also suggest this. If
economic agents operating in Armenia will manage to diversify their
business, it will ensure the financial stability of the state “, said
the PM.

Armenia to face Hungary in the 7th round of World Team Chess Championship

July 23, 2011 – 17:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The 6th round of World Team Chess was rich in drawn
games. Teams of Armenia and China scored over India and Egypt with
2,5:1,5 and 3,5:0,5 to their total scores respectively to record only
victories in that round.

Other 3 matches, namely, Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Azerbaijan and U.S.
-Hungary ended in a draw 2:2.

After the 6th round, Armenia with 16 points is dominating the
Championship. Russia with its 14 points is the second in the
Championship, and Hungary (13,5 points) is the third.

Armenia will rival Hungary in the 7th round of World Team Chess Championship

Russia, India plays against Egypt, Azerbaijan against U.S. and Ukraine
against Israel.

Employee fired for leaking video of Garegin II and Ilia II meeting

16:28 – 23.07.11

The person who had posted video excerpts of the recent meeting of
Armenian and Georgian spiritual leaders on the social networking
website YouTube has been fired.

According to the Russian news agency Regnum, the person, whose name is
not given, was employed by the TV channel of the Georgian Patriarchate
called Edinodushyie.

He was fired for having released the footage without permission.

The video was posted on June 11. In the video, His Holiness Garegin II
says that the Georgian side `steps back from yesterday’s agreement’,
though it was not clear what agreements he meant.

The video, which unveiled previously uncovered details of the meeting,
was the first such footage of that June 11 meeting that was made
public.

Garegin II also told Ilia II that `it looks like you are trading’ and
does not remember how to say the word `trade’ in Russian and asks the
people around.

`… If you present your arguments, we will see what would hinder us
from solving those issues …,’ Garegin II said.
Ilia II second in turn said in the footage that `if we are not
difficult [to deal with], the issues will not be difficult either’.

Tert.am

ARMENIAN CHURCH CRITICIZED ON-LINE CAMPAIGN AGAINST CATHOLICOS

news.am
July 22 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Campaign against the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin
II recently unfolded in social networks does not bring honor to its
participants, said the spokeswoman for Karekin II, Father Vahram
Melikyan on Friday.

According to him, Holy Etchmiadzin has never been against discussions.

“We always welcome discussions and suggestions but the recent
discussions in social networks can hardly be called as such. The
language used, as well as insults addressed to the church, do not
bring honor to the participants who call themselves patriots. These
discussions will not do any good to our country, our church and the
Armenian Diaspora.”

Asked about the causes of such discussions and whether the misconduct
of priests could possibly initiate it, Melikyan told that ~Sthe
correlation of certain facts~T might give that impression

~SI cannot state who are behind this and what goals they pursue,
I think – time will reveal it. However, despite the criticism and
a wave of discontent, Holy Etchmiadzin will continue its activities
for the benefit of the people,” he added.

As for the behavior of some priests, according to Melikyan, in all
structures there are people having problems with conduct.

“In this regard, Holy Etchmiadzin is the most open structure, since
it immediately reports of church officials suspended from the church
because of their conduct,~T he stressed.

Recently several groups have been created on Facebook, demanding
the resignation of the Catholicos Karekin II. Soon another group
was created in support of Karekin II. At this point there is an
active on-line struggle between the supporters and opponents of
the Catholicos.

TURKISH-ARMENIAN DIALOGUE A MUST, SAYS ARCHBISHOP

Hurriyet
July 22 2011
Turkey

It is absolutely essential that dialogue be established between Turks
and Armenians to achieve understanding, a top Armenian-American
spiritual leader has said, adding that Turkey’s foreign minister
solicited his views on increasing such discussion.

“Turkish and Armenian people are members of the same family,”
Archbishop Khajag Barsamyan, the primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), told the Hurriyet Daily News during a
brief visit to Istanbul last week. “We ought to view history with
courage and [learn] to apologize if we have been in the wrong. We
need to be able to draw lessons from history’s negative and positive
aspects in the name of humanity.”

A planned international gathering to celebrate the opening of the Surp
Giragos Armenian church in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır
will present a chance to establish such dialogue, Barsamyan said.

During the World Political Forum in mid-March, Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu spoke favorably regarding the opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border, Barsamyan said, adding that he was ready for any steps taken
in the direction of establishing dialogue.

Barsamyan said Davutoglu had asked him for suggestions about how to
establish dialogue with the diaspora.

“I highlighted the significance of opening the sealed Turkish-Armenian
border and instituting trade [ties] with Armenian business people from
the diaspora,” he said, adding that he had also spoken to President
Abdullah Gul about the same issues back when Gul was foreign minister.

“Mr. Gul requested advice from me about how to put Turkish-Armenian
relations in order. I told him that Armenians have deep-running
sorrows, and that these sorrows must be listened to without denial,
or going on the defensive,” Barsamyan said.

“Davutoglu said Turkish and Armenian people lived together for
centuries. [He added that] vexing events have occurred in history and
touched upon the significance of putting an end to these and looking
forward. He said the diaspora Armenians are the people of this land,”
Barsamyan said.

“I reminded him that the Armenian President Serge Sarkisyan took great
risks in signing the [2009 Turkish-Armenian normalization] protocols
despite all the reaction both from within [Armenia,] as well as from
the diaspora, and I asked him why the protocols were not realized. Mr.

Davutoglu said there was need for a process, and that steps taken
[in this direction] must produce solutions, not new problems,” the
archbishop said.

The Turkish-Armenian border has remained sealed since 1993 when
Turkey unilaterally closed the border due to the Nagorno-Karabakh
War that broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Even though new
protocols were signed in 2009 to re-establish relations between the
two countries, the process has come to a grinding halt.

Opening of Armenian church a chance for dialogue

Barsamyan is arranging for more than 200 people from various Armenian
associations in the United States to participate in a ceremony marking
the reopening of the Surp Giragos Armenian Church in the southeastern
province of Diyarbakır on Oct. 22.

The reopening is an important step for dialogue, Barsamyan said,
adding that it was important that many people were going to be coming
to Turkey.

‘1915 must be put to scrutiny’

Touching upon the sensitive issue of the World War I-era killings of
Ottoman Armenians, Barsamyan said: “The problems need to be put to
debate and scrutiny. Clerics, historians, politicians and everyone
[else] can claim their own roles; this is a must for the future.

Unfavorable voices will surely arise from both societies. It is
necessary to work in good sense. Open minded people who think straight
are needed for this. I am ready as a cleric to take over the role
that falls to me.”

The 20th century was a bitter one not just for Armenians, but for
all the peoples of the world, the archbishop said, adding that he
had roots in the eastern province of Malatya.

“We lost a big portion of my family during the bitter events. My
grandmother was saved by a Turkish family; there was never any hatred
in my family toward Turks. My grandmother continued seeing the family
that saved her until she passed away. I also got to meet them,”
he said.

Recent efforts to renovate Armenian cultural assets in Turkey
represent a favorable development, according to Barsamyan, who also
drew attention to the historical Surp Hac Armenian Church that was
reopened for the Divine Liturgy on Akdamar Island in the eastern
province of Van last year.

“It is extremely important that the traces of each culture in Anatolia,
and not just those of Armenian culture, be maintained, for they all
represent the common legacy of humankind,” Barsamyan said.

OPPOSITION PARTY SLAMS GOVERNMENT’S FOREIGN POLICY AS ‘UNPRINCIPLED’

Hurriyet
July 22 2011
Turkey

The Turkish government’s foreign policy lacks principles and
isolates the country in the international arena, according to the
main opposition, which also criticized attempts to make Turkey a
global actor at the expense of domestic concerns.

“The government [often] watches how other counties act on specific
international issues and follows their lead while often changing
side at any moment,” Osman Koruturk, deputy leader of the Republican
People’s Party, or CHP, told a group of reporters Friday at a breakfast
at the party headquarters.

The goal of making Turkey a global actor is “wrong and inadequate,”
Koruturk said.

“You cannot go onto the international field with the claim of being
a global actor. We must solve the problems at home first,” he said,
accusing the government of steering according to the direction of
the wind. With such policies, Turkey cannot be an actor but merely
a figurehead, he added.

The CHP official chastised Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
for his frequent telephone conversations with U.S. President Barack
Obama, saying foreign policy was being pursued upon instructions from
the U.S. leader.

EU relations and Cyprus

On Turkish-European Union relations, Koruturk said what was important
was not to establish an EU Ministry but establish the role of that
ministry.

Koruturk also criticized Erdogan’s threat to suspend ties with the
EU if a divided Cyprus assumed the bloc’s presidency next year. “It
is as if the government is using this as a pretext to burn bridges
with the EU.”

But he backed Erdogan’s support for a solution on Cyprus based on
the sides’ equality, saying, “The CHP will be a serious follower
of this issue and will of course support a solution that meets the
expectations of the Turkish Cypriots.”

Regional relations and the US

Koruturk further rebuked the government for its closure of its
embassy in Tripoli due to security concerns and said the Turkish
government had left Turkish interests in Libya unprotected. Referring
to a recent contact group meeting about Libya co-chaired by Turkey,
the CHP official took issue with Turkey’s approval of NATO operations
that are expected to continue during Ramadan.

He also expected clarification from the government as to whether
the great powers had plans to establish a belt of “moderate Islam”
in the Middle East and North Africa with the appearance of the
Muslim Brotherhood as a political movement in countries like Egypt
and elsewhere.

The CHP deputy leader also took aim at the government’s initiative
to normalize relations with neighboring Armenia, claiming that no
progress had been made; moreover, due to mistakes, Azerbaijan had
been left alone on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue even as relations with
Armenia had worsened, he said.

Koruturk said the recent cancellation of the Mavi Marmara’s second
trip to break Israel’s Gaza blockade – following an ill-fated attempt
to do so last year during which Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish
aid activists – indicated that the government could have prevented
the first vessel’s voyage, thus saving lives.

In the past, Turkey was a serious mediator in Israel’s relations
with the Arab countries, he said, but added that that was no longer
the case.

The CHP official claimed that the government’s relationship with the
United States was not a healthy one; first, the partnership should
be cleansed of adjectives like “model” or “strategic.”

The main opposition is not against establishing relations with
the U.S., Koruturk said, but added that the relationship should be
based on three major elements, including equality, mutual respect
and observing one another’s interests.

Koruturk also said the U.S. was not doing enough in Turkey’s fight
against members of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party, or PKK,
based on northern Iraq’s Kandil Mountain and added that the party had
sought U.S. support during a meeting between the party leader and U.S.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last weekend.

THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS RECEIVED THE MAYOR OF LYON

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

July 19 2011
Armenia

On July 19, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian received
the Mayor of Lyon Gerard Collomb.

Welcoming the guest, Edward Nalbandian mentioned that Armenia has
always had a peculiar feeling towards both France and the French
people, which is due to the strong friendly ties historically
established between the two countries and close interstate cooperation
existing today.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance of the
development of the comprehensive Armenian-French cooperation,
particularly underlining the considerable achievements in the spheres
of political, economic, cultural, educational and decentralized
interaction.

The sides touched upon the second conference on the Armenian-French
decentralized cooperation held in Yerevan in 2010, noting that the
regularity of such events gives a new impetus to bilateral relations.

The interlocutors also stressed the importance of the significant
contribution of the Armenian community in France to the development
of interstate relations. In this regard, Gerard Collomb underscored
the investments of the French Armenians in the development of France
and the city which is governed by him.

Expressing satisfaction with the intensive cooperation between
Yerevan and Lyon, Edward Nalbandian and Gerard Collomb touched upon
the preparatory works of the general assembly of Francophone cities
to be held in Yerevan in autumn of this year.

‘ARMENIA READY, TARGET 2015’
by Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu

Today’s Zaman
*.html
July 20 2011
Turkey

Turkish foreign policy recently intensified its attention on the
Arab Spring, carrying out extensive diplomatic efforts to secure an
immediate resolution for the turmoil in the region.

In addition to developments in the region, the country’s relations
with Israel have become part of the daily political agenda due to last
year’s assault on the Mavi Marmara. On top of that, Turkey turned
its attention to the independence of Southern Sudan to make sure it
proceeded in compliance with international law. Lastly, Turkey looked
to its east and the impact of the state of war between Russia and
Georgia, analyzing the possible outcome thereof for Turkey.

Armenia dealt with all these issues from a different angle, but has
kept a close eye on Turkey’s foreign policy. Experts in Armenia have
warned politicians to make sure they draft policies addressing the
most pressing and probable developments; whether Southern Sudan sets
a precedent for the Nagorno-Karabakh region, for instance, or whether
the Israeli Knesset recognizes the 1915 incident as genocide. Also,
and Turkey may not be aware of this, but the Vatican has commenced
a study in which it will document and compile the brutality of the
deportation by forced marches and the massacres of the Armenians in
the early 20th century, a project that should be completed by 2015.

This poses serious challenges for Turkey. It was also announced that
information gathered during this process will be publicized through
exhibitions and media publications.

Armenian politicians who concretized attempts at rapprochement with
the diaspora teamed up with the opposition to create an international
commission responsible for the commemoration of the centennial of the
Armenian genocide. The activities planned by this commission include
political pressure on Turkey to ensure that it clarifies its stance
towards the 1915 incidents by 2015. In the initial session of the
commission, Giro Manoyan, a member of the Dashnak Party’s political
affairs bureau, noted that the matter should be handled from different
perspectives and that concrete policies should be drafted to this end.

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan, on the other hand, noted that
as people victimized by genocide, they should not ignore the
victimizations and pains of other nations and that Turkey’s policy
of denial should be addressed effectively. Sarksyan went on to state
that international politics should be cleared of such policies.

2015: a common ground for joint action

In addition to the 2015 goals being taken up pretty seriously by the
Armenian administration, we also witnessed politicians with a more
moderate stance towards Turkey. The 2015 goal merely serves as common
ground for joint action. So far, Sarksyan has made frequent calls for
the Armenians in the West to invest in his country, but these calls
were in vain. In the end, Armenia has been alienated from its region
and, as a consequence, it had to seek cooperation and alignment with
Russia. From now on, it is imperative for Armenia to establish close
relations with Turkey, which does not care for the diaspora at all,
and cherish it.

However, the attitudes of nationalist groups that hanged Sèvres maps
all around the streets of Yerevan on the 90th anniversary of the
Treaty of Sèvres preserve a dual approach. Even Manoyan, with whom I
spoke during my visit to his party, now holds moderate views. Noting
that relations with Turkey should be improved without preconditions,
Manoyan said Armenia has never demanded any Turkish territories so
far. He is confident that sincere relations will be established
between the two countries. Manoyan also recalled that his party,
which traditionally focuses on Eastern Armenians, seeks to gather
all Armenians in one single homeland and that his country will make
significant progress once the power of elites in Yerevan diminishes.

In addition, Manoyan believes that improved relations with Turkey will
have a great impact on the growth of national welfare and revenues.

“[The recognition of] genocide is not our priority, but an important
matter,” Manoyan concluded.

In an interview with the speaker of the Republican Party, Eduard
Sharmazanov, I was told that, as a party, they pay great attention
to relations with Turkey, adding that the genocide issue is not
their priority but an important matter. He also added that they
are ready to hold negotiations and discussions without any prior
conditions. Noting that Turkey would do Armenia a great favor if
it stays out of the Karabakh issue, Sharmazanov argues that a link
between the Karabakh issue and relations with Turkey is not proper
and that Karabakh should be liberated and freed.

Noting that there is a lot of work to be done in making progress in
bilateral relations with Turkey and that this is indeed a difficult
task, Sharmazanov finds Russia’s warm relations with both Azerbaijan
and Armenia a reasonable attitude because it is eventually necessary
to set a balance in the region. Sharmazanov further notes that
preconditions would not help anyone, that the Turkish side has frozen
the process [of rapprochement] and that Armenia has picked the easy way
out [of rapprochement] by asking for dialogue without any conditions.

The Armenian administration, which has maintained close ties with
the opposition and the diaspora, will secure support from a number of
influential actors, including the Vatican and Israel, for its goals to
be achieved by 2015. Turkey needs to talk directly to Armenia instead
of the diaspora to create a common ground and take constructive steps
to ensure rapprochement between the sides. In line with Turkey’s
vision for 2023 that will ensure domestic development, relations with
the neighboring countries should be improved and problems minimized.

*Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu is a columnist at the Armenia-based Aravot daily.