Author: Kanayan Tamar

DINK MURDER SUSPECT LAWYER INSULTED JOINT ATTORNEYS AND ARMENIAN NATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.02.2008 16:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the Hrant Dink murder fourth hearing at the
Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court on 25 February, suspect Ersin Yolcu
was questioned in the morning. He stands accused of aiding and abetting
the crime and faces 15 to 20 years imprisonment.

During the lunch break of the hearing, suspect Yasin Hayal’s lawyer
Fuat Turgut, known for his ultranationalist leanings and aggressive
manner, insulted the joint attorneys. He also insulted Armenians in
general. The joint attorneys demanded that the court president remove
Turgut One of the joint attorneys, Kezban Hatemi, told journalists
during the break that gunman suspect Ogun Samast had insulted her.

The lawyers for the Dink family had made three demands prior to the
hearing: Arguing that the minutes of the hearing were insufficient
to prepare their case, they have requested access to the recording
of the hearing.

The third hearing of the case was recorded and recording will continue
during the case.

According to Fethiye Cetin, one of the joint attorneys, the refusal
to unite the cases is protecting the criminal organization behind
the murder. The request of joint attorneys to have access to the CD
recordings (audio and visual) of the third hearing on 11 February
was also refused by the court.

Lawyer Cetin criticized the fact that the court has freed four suspects
from attending court hearings despite the fact that gendarmerie
informant Coskun Igci, Irfan Ozkan and Erbil Susaman have not been
questioned yet.

Igci has also given a statement in the Trabzon trial against police
intelligence officers, saying, "I told them about the murder plans
four months earlier." He is still to be questioned in Istanbul.

At the hearing yesterday, suspects Yasar Cihan, Halis Egemen, Salih
Hacisalihoglu, Ersin Yolcu, Ahmet Iskender, Mustafa Ozturk and Alper
Esirgemez were cross-examined, BIA Turkish news agency reports.

IRAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES SERZH SARKISIAN ON BEING ELECTED PRESIDENT

ARMENPRESS
Feb 26, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, ARMENPRESS; The government press office said
president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has
sent a message of congratulations to prime minister Serzh Sarkisian
on the occasion of his election as president of Armenia.

Ahmadinejad’s message reads as follows.

"I extend my warm congratulations to you, the government of Armenia
and the people of Armenia on the occasion of your being elected as
president of the Republic of Armenia.

I hope that during your term in office steady and deep relationships
between our countries and constructive partnership will continue to
develop, as well as friendly contacts between our people will multiply.

I wish you good health and success, and happiness and prosperity to
the people of Armenia. I invite you to pay a visit to Iran."

Interfax, Russia
Russia & CIS
February 21, 2008

Putin confirms Russia’s readiness to assist in Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement
MOSCOW Feb 21

Russia is ready to participate in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement to
the extend its help is required, Russian President Vladimir Putin
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told his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Monday, Putin’s aide
Sergei Prikhodko told reporters.

"The Karabakh problem was discussed without going into details. The
problem of Kosovo was also touched upon," he said.

"The two countries’ positions on these issues are identical,"
Prikhodko added.

Both presidents pointed to the pernicious effect of Kosovo’s
decisions, which are outside the framework of the law, he said.

Putin and Aliyev are both convinced that the unilateral decisions by
Kosovo and the actions of some countries are fraught with negative
consequences, the aide said.

US Fed News
February 22, 2008 Friday 7:02 AM EST

DECLARATION BY PRESIDENCY ON BEHALF OF EUROPEAN UNION ON PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION IN ARMENIA, FEB. 19

BRUSSELS, Belgium

The European Union issued the following common foreign and security
policy statement:

The European Union congratulates the Armenian people for the conduct
of a competitive presidential election in Armenia.

The European Union notes the statement of preliminary findings and
conclusions of the International Election Observation Mission which
concluded that the presidential election in Armenia, an important
test for democracy in this country, was conducted mostly in line with
OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and standards. The European
Union welcomes the genuine efforts that were made to address the
shortcomings noted in previous elections.

However, the EU also notes that the report raised concerns about the
electoral process and that further improvements are necessary to
address the remaining challenges. It notes in particular that,
according to ODIHR, improvements and additional political will are
necessary to tackle concerns such as the lack of public confidence in
the electoral process, the absence of clear separation between state
and party functions, and ensuring equal treatment of candidates.

The European Union looks forward to the final results of the
presidential election and calls on the competent authorities to
ensure that complaints are adequately investigated and shortcomings
addressed.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb. 25, 2008

Azerbaijan Supports Peaceful Settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict:
Ambassador
25.02.08 20:40

Kazakhstan, Astana, 25 February /corr. TrendNews K.Konirova / On 25
February the 16th anniversary of tragic events in Azerbaijan’s city
of Khojali was marked in Astana at Azerbaijan’s Embassy in
Kazakhstan.

`On the night of 25 to 26 February 1992 the Azerbaijani settlement of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Khojali, was occupied by Armenian separatists, with
active participation of military personnel and army tanks of the
366th regiment of the Russian army. In a matter of several hours,
more than 600 unarmed Azerbaijani citizens, including 106 women and
83 children, were brutally killed,’ said Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to
Kazakhstan, Latif Gandilov, said in the opening of the event.

Later the Imam of the Azerbaijani diasporas in Astana, Hashim Agayev,
read a prayer in memory of the people killed on that bloody day.
Remembering those events, he said that he was one of the
eyewitnesses. During that time, he was serving in the soviet Army,
but after those bloody events, he came to defend his Native Land.

Later a documentary film was shown depicting the tragic events.

The Azerbaijani Ambassador said that the terrorist claims of Armenia
contrast with all international and good-neighborhood standards.

`Azeri people do not oppose the Armenian people, but they do oppose
bloodshed. Azerbaijan supports the peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and these events should be remembered
forever in memory of our descendant,’ the diplomat said.

The event was also attended by Vice Interior Minister of Kazakhstan
Saylau Serikov’s son Lieutenant Colonel of Kazakhstan’s Interior
Ministry Anatoly Serikov. Saylau Serikov was part of the Governmental
delegation who in 1991 left for Khojali city to look into the tension
being experienced in the city. On route to Nagorno-Karabakh, the
helicopter which carried the MPs, representatives of the Azerbaijan
Government and journalists was fired at.

`I remember how before the trip to Nagorno-Karabakh my father was
concerned by the situation in Azerbaijan. He had many Azerbaijani
friends and he could not believe the events taking place there,’
Anatoly said. He recalled that after his father’s death, on the day
of his burial, they received many letters of condolence not only from
the military people and Government, but also from ordinary citizens
of Azerbaijan. `It touched me and I promise that I will do my very
best to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,’ Anatoly Serikov said.

The event in the Embassy was attended be scientists, journalists,
diplomats, representative of Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry and
journalists.

Currently Azerbaijani diasporas in Astana comprise of 5,000 people.

Hürriyet, Turkey
Feb 20 2008

A Turkish university adds Armenian language courses to its curriculum

Nuran Cakmakci

A leading Turkish university based in Istanbul has started offering
classes in Armenian language as part of its course load. Following
approval by the Bosphorus University’s senate, three new classes in
Armenian language are set to enter the curriculum.

The first Armenian language class, which started in the second half
of the 2007-2008 school year, is focusing on the reading of Turkish
texts written in the Armenian alphabet. Two more classes which will
focus on the alphabet, basic vocabulary, linguistic rules, and
text-reading of the modern Western Armenian language, will open up in
the coming period.

The Armenian language class which has already been included in
curriculum offerings was filled quickly, with students currently
waiting for spaces to open. Offered along the lines of Bosphorus
University’s standard language programs, the Armenian lessons will be
taught alongside cultural history. Armenian is a criticial language
for students doing research into Ottoman history, as it allows for
the examination and reading of various important texts in this
discipline.

ORGANIZATION FOR KARABAKH LIBERATION DISAPPROVES PLANS OF AZERBAIJAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TO VISIT KHANKENDI

Today.Az
21 February 2008

The Organization for Karabakh Liberation has made an announcement
regarding the plans of a number of NGOs to visit Khankendi upon the
initiative of Zardusht Alizade and Arzu Abdullayeva.

Day.Az reports with reference to the press service for the Organization
for Karabakh Liberation, the organization disapproved the plans of
NGO representatives to visit Khankendi.

"The visits are held in the framework of the so called "popular
diplomacy" and serve the interests of Armenia’s occupational policy. We
have already announced that such visits bring no results and Armenians
still hate the Azerbaijani people.

Therefore, the activity aiming at boosting peace is not intended for
the resolution of the Karabakh issue and Armenians’ renunciation of
its occupational policy. The aim is the desire to take a grant. These
people betray the national interests of Azerbaijan for implementation
of their plans, connected with finances", the announcement says.

According to the announcement, the law-enforcement bodies should put
an end to the attempts of these people to use the national tragedy
as a source of revenues.

The Armenian Weekly On-Line
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-3974
[email protected]

http://www.a rmenianweekly.com

The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 6; Feb. 16, 2008

AYF Section:

1. Feeling the Spirit, Reading the Words of Hampig Sassounian

2. AYF Alumni Spotlight: Arsineh Khachikian

3. A Fun-Filled Weekend in the Snow

***

1. Feeling the Spirit, Reading the Words of Hampig Sassounian

NEW YORK-On Feb. 3, the New York Hyortik AYF connected with the ideas and
spirit of a soul whose body is trapped: They read a letter from political
prisoner Hampig Sassounian, received in response to a Christmas and New
Years card they had sent him.

During this past holiday season, the New York AYF prepared Christmas cards
for distribution to family, friends, community organizations and regional
bodies. However, after learning the story of Sassounian’s incarceration,
some members decided it was important to show him that he, too, is still
remembered.

In the letter, Sassounian tells members to "remain active and unrelenting,
like bees, in our pursuit of justice for the Armenian Cause." He goes on to
say that he follows the developments in Armenia and the diaspora very
closely, encouraging the group to visit Armenia and help it prosper.
Finally, he notes that the AYF must work with other organizations to achieve
these goals.

The correspondence with Sassounian had a profound effect on all the members
of the chapter. "I was overwhelmed with emotion when I heard the words of
the 25-year political prisoner," said Hyortik member Toros Asadourian.

In 1982, Sassounian was accused of being a gunman in the assassination of
Turkish consul general Kemal Arikan in Los Angeles. Although pleading not
guilty, the Court convicted him of first-degree murder and sentenced him to
life in prison, a decision that was later changed to 25 years to life. Even
though the case has been revisited, the sentence has yet to be overturned.

Along with Sassounian, there currently are three other Armenian political
prisoners still incarcerated in Canada. These men chose to serve the idea of
the nation without having visited the homeland; it was only a place for them
to sense, feel and hear about.

Despite this, they gave up everything in order to bring the Armenian Cause
to the forefront of political minds, to show that Armenians would no longer
stand to have their rights pushed aside.

To write to Sassounian, send letters to:

Hampig Sassounian
CDCR# C-88440
Cell # 1167
California Men’s Colony
State Prison
P.O. Box 8101
San Luis Obispo, CA
93409-8101
———————————— ————————————————-

2. AYF Alumni Spotlight: Arsineh Khachikian

>From an early age, Arsineh Khachikian had become involved in the AYF and
Armenian-American community affairs. As a Washington Sevan AYF Junior, she
regularly attended Camp Haiastan and went on to volunteer there several
times as a counselor. She also served on the Washington Ani Senior
Executive, was elected to the AYF-YOARF Central Executive, worked on
numerous central councils, directed the AYF Internship Program in Armenia
and helped found the Eastern Region’s quarterly publication, "Hoki."

By the time she was 23, Arsineh became an active member of the ARF. In that
same year, she decided to move to Armenia for a nine-month stay, wherein her
ties to the homeland and commitment to moving there solidified. Although she
returned to the U.S. and worked for two years as the director of the ANCA
Capital Gateway Program, her sights were set on establishing herself in
Armenia as soon as the time was right. That time ultimately came in 2006,
when Arsineh picked up and moved to Armenia for good.

Upon arriving, she teamed up with fellow repatriate Raffi Niziblian to start
Deem Communications, a comprehensive marketing and public relations agency.
With a staff of 11 (all locals except Raffi and Arsineh), Deem is quickly
approaching a tremendously successful two-year anniversary. Arsineh actually
credits her AYF experience for being part of the secret to her success. "I
run my business with the skills I learned in the AYF," explains Khachikian.

In addition to staying busy with Deem, Arsineh is involved in various
organizational activities and pursues photography as an active hobby. She is
scheduled to launch a new book of photographs in May, titled My Nation: The
Trails and Trials of an Armenian Repatriate, documenting her experiences in
the Armenian community. You can find out more about her book by visiting

Arsineh has succeeded in making Armenia her home and cherishes her move
there as one of the most fulfilling decisions she has made in her life. "I
moved to Armenia after a lifetime spent appreciating its history and culture
through the AYF," says Khachikian. "It was a foundation for my life that set
the stage for many great things to come, and I’m forever grateful for my
chance to be a part of it all."
————————————— ———————————————–

3 . A Fun-Filled Weekend in the Snow

For over 10 years, the New York Hyortik AYF has been organizing an annual
ski trip weekend for Armenian youth to come together and enjoy the fun of
the winter season. This year, the "Winter Weekend Getaway" took place in the
confines of Pennsylvania’s Jack Frost and Big Boulder Mountains.

>From Feb. 8-10, over 40 participants took up six cabins and enjoyed one
another’s company in a fun-filled weekend of skiing, snow tubing and
snowboarding. AYF members from chapters such as New York, New Jersey,
Philadelphia and even California were in attendance, as well as various
non-AYF members who came to socialize with other Armenian youth. Sevag
Parsehian, chair of the Hyortik Chapter, explains how "the weekend serves as
a great tool for making friends and acquainting new faces interested in
joining the AYF to the organization’s membership."

Retreating to the mountains provides an especially ideal environment for
participants to bond and interact. From the onset, those who did not know
each other were encouraged to go around and introduce themselves, quickly
creating an atmosphere of genuineness and camaraderie.

"The people…the atmosphere… the experience is something that cannot be
expressed, only experienced through a fun-filled weekend in the snow," says
Hyortik member Justin Kaladjian.

With this year’s winter getaway a resounding success, participants are
already gearing up for next year’s ski trip. "I can’t wait for next year,"
exclaims Parsehian. "I recommend this event to all Armenians, whether they
are AYF members or not."

For information about next year’s annual ski trip, e-mail [email protected].

Monsters and Critics.com
Feb 19 2008

Polls open in Armenian presidential elections

Feb 19, 2008, 12:51 GMT

Yerevan, Armenia – Polls opened across Armenia Tuesday morning in an
election that is as much a judgment of outgoing President Robert
Kocharian’s decade at the helm of the small Caucasus state as they
are about electing a successor.

While Kocharian’s preferred successor, Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisian, 53, led in pre-election surveys, there were strong
questions about whether he would be able to win a first round
outright for which he would need more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Armenia’s current construction boom and steady growth in recent years
speak for the powerful prime minister, whose party swept recent
parliamentary elections in the country.

Speaking to journalists after casting his ballot Tuesday, Sarkisian
said, ‘The government was formed nine months ago, and we have since
then achieved good results. I do not know of any need for essential
changes.’

Kocharian, who voted minutes before at the same polling stations,
underlined, ‘Each elections is a test which will leave us stronger. I
would like everything to be decided in the first round.’

‘I voted for the stability and growth of Armenia. We are registering
a very important progress,’ the president added.

His words were echoed by voters outside polling stations in the
capital on Tuesday.

Vladimir, a 75-year-old pensioner, said simply he was voting to ‘keep
the old power, to keep stability,’ while Arar, an architect in his
thirties, pointed to cranes overhanging the street and said ‘the
country is growing.’

The most prominent challenge comes from Armenia’s first president,
Levon Ter-Petrosian, 63, who made a dramatic comeback from hermetic
retirement as a widely unpopular leader associated with the country’s
post-Soviet economic collapse.

‘We will fight to the end,’ Ter-Petrosian said Tuesday, repeating the
phrase from his campaign speech Saturday that drew about 30,000 to
Yerevan’s theatre square.

‘Many dirty things are happening. There have been many violations in
this election,’ the former president said after voting Tuesday.

Ter-Petrosian has already called a mass meeting on Wednesday, raising
fears of post-election unrest in the streets. Students in Yerevan
announced last minute closures at their universities Wednesday.

Despite progress, over a quarter of Armenians live below the poverty
line and widespread perceptions of corruption dog the top candidates.

‘Our choice is between bad and worse,’ was a phrased repeated by
voters on election day.

Former parliamentary speaker Artur Baghdasarian, a 39-year-old
populist politician calling for Armenia’s accession to the EU and
NATO, is expected to finish second in the polls with about 20 per
cent of the vote.

In all, nine candidates appear on Tuesday’s ballot.

But in the battle between Kocharian’s predecessor and successor, the
frozen conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh has emerged as the most sensitive issue.

Ter-Petrosian maintains the conciliatory stand that was the main
cause of his resignation in 1998 at the end of a full-scale, six-year
war, while war hero Sarkisian has upheld Kocharian’s hawkish stance.

The government candidate sees the country’s foreign policy as being
closely tied to Moscow, which lends him its backing.

Armenia has been pushed to look for allies out of the region, facing
blockades along its border with Azerbaijan and Turkey, which rejects
Yerevan’s lobbying for international recognition of the killings of
Armenians by the Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1915 as genocide.

The small Caucasus state of 2.3 million has emerged as strategically
important, lying along gas routed from the energy-rich Caspian Sea
region to Europe and a close partner of Iran. Western powers fear
that tensions along its border could disrupt gas routes.

Three hours after polling stations opened at 800 (400 GMT), 11.2 per
cent of voters had cast their ballot.

The voting will last 12 hours and the first official results are
expected from midnight. A new election law passed last year forbids
voting by Armenian nationals living abroad.

The United States, meanwhile, has threatened to withhold 235 million
dollars in aid, while further diplomatic relations with the European
Union may be contingent on the fairness of Tuesday’s vote, which will
be monitored by 620 international observers.

Opposition candidates have criticized Sarkisian for abusing his
government post to secure television coverage and blanket advertising
across the country.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s vote
monitoring mission is to deliver its assessment on Wednesday
afternoon.

First data of exit polls to be presented at 20:00 on air of the Public TV of
Armenia

February 19, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. British Populus is carrying out exit polls today
of the presidential elections in Armenia.

The exit polls are ordered by the Public TV of Armenia.

Mediamax reports that the first data of the exit polls will be
presented at 20:00 on air of the Public TV of Armenia and will concern
the information, received from the electors, as of 18:00.

It is expected that the final data of the exit polls will be presented
at 22:00.