BAKU:Armenianism to be studied as Threat in Disintegration of S Cauc

Trend News Agency
25.05.2007 16:50:15
Armenianism’ to be studied as Threat in Disintegration of South Caucasus

Azerbaijan, Baku / ?rend corr S. Aghayeva / `Armenianism’ as a real threat
in contributing to the disintegration of the South Caucasus should be
studied, the director of the Human Rights Institution at the National
Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Professor Rovshan Mustafayev, said on 25
May. He was commenting on the book `Armenian-Speaking Population of Georgia
and Problems of Revival of Unified Georgian Statehood’ published by the
National Academy of Sciences of Georgia.
Professor Mustafayev was the first to raise the issue of Armenian
ethno-corporation offering his methodology on studying this phenomenon in
his famous work `Virtual Passions’. `I always suggested viewing the format
of studying Armenian ethno-corporation as a threat to stability in the South
Caucasus. Being the most mobile and unified ethno-social organization
`Armenianism’ can fulfil any task for disintegration of a region based on
different imperial centres,’ he noted. According to Mustafayev, the cores of
Armenians’ strategies and methods of violence do not change. What do change
are their slogans.
In the aforementioned book, Georgian scientists wrote about retrospective
discourses on the formation of the Georgian statehood and problems surfacing
from Georgian-Armenian relationships. The authors refer to facts and events
that have not yet been sufficiently studied by contemporary historians.
Expanded details of the Armenian-Georgian military conflict of 1918 that
involved Armenian territorial claims to independent Georgian land, as well
as the genesis of the issue, are provided in the book.
The work reports on the formation of present anti-state activities of
separatist groups uniting the Armenian ethnic minority in Georgia. Clear
examples of attempts by Armenian scientists to falsify South Caucasian
history are provided in the book.

Saakashvili: I Am Armenian, Azeri, Ossetian, Jewish And 100% Georgia

SAAKASHVILI: I AM ARMENIAN, AZERI, OSSETIAN, JEWISH AND 100% GEORGIAN
Written by Sandro Gagua

Abkhazia, CA
May 24 2007

President Saakashvili complained on May 24 about the international
community’s silence on continued human rights abuses in Georgia’s
breakaway regions.

"Two months ago Georgian books from all the schools in Gagra [a town
in breakaway Abkhazia] were publicly burned in the town centre. Where
was the international community at that time and why didn’t anyone
say anything? If we allow the existence of such an ideology, wherein
some one can’t return home just because of ethnic background, it
means that not only do we not have a state, but it also means that
humankind has a serious problem," Saakashvili said.

Saakashvili was speaking at an international conference on
globalization and dialogue among civilizations, which was opened in
Tbilisi on May 24.

In his opening remarks, he also spoke about the importance of tolerance
in multiethnic Georgia.

"When I was in opposition, I said it and I’ll say it again and again:
for those people, who hate Armenians in Georgia, I will be Armenian;
for those who hate Azerbaijanis, I will be Azerbaijani. Recently,
someone said I was Ossetian, which I take as a compliment. Of course,
it would be a great honour for me to be Jewish," Saakashvili said.

Karabakh Presidential Aide Sees No Reasons For Optimism In Conflict

KARABAKH PRESIDENTIAL AIDE SEES NO REASONS FOR OPTIMISM IN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Arminfo
24 May 07

Yerevan, 24 May: The issue of refugees will not be settled at all if
the issue of Armenian refugees is not solved, Arman Melikyan, Nagornyy
Karabakh republic [NKR] president’s aide on foreign issues and former
NKR foreign minister, told a news conference [in Yerevan] today.

Commenting on today’s statement by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs that "the
co-chairs do not differentiate refugees based on their ethnicity" and
that "refugees should be given the right to return to their former
places of residence," Melikyan said that it was the first time he
heard the co-chairs make such statement. He said it is possible that
the co-chairs have started to realize that Armenian refugees are
a serious factor and that ignoring them will make it impossible to
reach a solution to the conflict.

"Without settling the issue of Armenian refugees, the issue of refugees
will not be settled at all," Melikyan said. He said that if Armenian
refugees agree to return to Azerbaijan, then it will be possible to
speak about the return of Azerbaijanis [to Karabakh and probably to
Armenia]. "If not, it is necessary to think where these people will
live, where their new homeland will be.

In this context, the liberated territories are the most suitable
place," Melikyan said.

Asked about the negotiations process and possible optimism about
its outcome, Melikyan said that optimism can be shown when there is
specific results that Karabakh agrees with. "At this point, I think
it is too early to express optimist," he said. He added that it is
also too early to speak of individual components separately.

Commenting on Azerbaijani statements that time is working against
Armenia, Melikyan said that time is working for those who know how
to use it.

Melikyan also spoke of political developments in Armenia. "The
political force that has taken the real power and formed the majority
in parliament assumes the responsibility both for the process inside
the country and in the region. I think that this way or another, the
new parliament and the new cabinet should express their clear positions
on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement process as well."

ANKARA: Halacoglu On A Mass Grave, Claimed To Be Graves Of Armenians

HALACOGLU ON A MASS GRAVE, CLAIMED TO BE GRAVES OF ARMENIANS

Turkish Press
May 24 2007

ANKARA – According to the results of the carbon tests, it has been
proven that bones in graves, claimed to have been a mass grave of
the Armenians in Nusaybin town of southeastern city of Mardin, were
in fact bones dating back to 257-597 B.C, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Halacoglu,
the chairman of the Turkish History Society (TTK), said on Wednesday.

Halacoglu and Prof. David Gaunt from Swedish Stockholm Soederntoern
University carried out researches in Nusaybin, and the samples were
underwent laboratory tests in Ankara University.

"The soil and ceramic analyses indicated that they were dating to
53 B.C-227 A.D. A third sample was dating back to 63-383 B.C.,"
Halacoglu told a press conference in Ankara.

Halacoglu noted that the tests were carried out despite the mentioned
place was a Roman grave.

Preelection Process In Nkr On The Whole Proceeds Normally, Arman Mel

PREELECTION PROCESS IN NKR ON THE WHOLE PROCEEDS NORMALLY, ARMAN MELIKIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
May 24 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. "The preelection process in Karabakh on
the whole proceeds normally. But they should dispute not over virtues
and shortcomings of the candidates, but over the programs published by
them," Arman Melikian, Adviser to NKR President for political affairs,
stated at the May 24 press conference.

He said that there is nothing bad that the parliamentary forces
have decided to consolidate over one candidate, Head of NKR National
Security Service Bako Sahakian. In A. Melikian’s words, presence of
a united candidate does not deprive anothers of the possibility of
free competition and dispute. For instance, rather an active dispute
goes on between two candidates, B. Sahakian and Masis Mayilian.

Besides, in A. Melikian’s words, "all parliamentary forces first of
all took into consideration the external challenges, therefore they
decided to support one candidate. And disregarding external challenges
would be just night-blindness."

Internet Censored In Azerbaijan

INTERNET CENSORED IN AZERBAIJAN

AZG Armenian Daily
23/05/2007

On May 20, "Trend" agency informed that the employees of the Azeri
Emergency Ministry closed the offices of "Gyundelik Adrbejan" and
"Realni Adrbejan" opposition newspapers. Recently, the situation with
the Azeri printed press aroused many concerns, but this didn’t stop
the violations against the printed press journalists in particular.

Though, the violations against the journalists aren’t carried out in
the sphere of the printed press only.

In the course of "The Global Internet Filtering Conference 2007"
conference in London, Azerbaijan was included in the list of the
countries that carries out periodical censorship in the Internet
even. It’s worth mentioning that recently, Azerbaijan was characterized
as one of the most dangerous countries among the CIS member states
for the journalists.

Erdogan’s Party May Face Legal Proceedings

ERDOGAN’S PARTY MAY FACE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.05.2007 15:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The secularist establishment in Turkey is currently
laying the groundwork to prepare the files for a case to force
the closure of the Justice and Development (AK) Party headed by PM
Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the grounds that it is encouraging Islamic
fundamentalism.

Such files are compiled at the office of the Chief Prosecutor of the
Supreme Court of Appeals. If the chief prosecutor finds sufficient
evidence to launch a case for the closure of a political party he
takes the issue to the Constitutional Court, the New Anatolian reports.

In the past the Constitutional Court has closed down several
pro-Kurdish and Islamist parties. The last Islamist party to be closed
by the court was the Welfare Party (Refah Partisi) led by former Prime
Minister Necmettin Erbakan. Most AK Party officials and ministers came
from this party and are thus branded as "people with Islamic roots."

The secularists opposed the presidential candidacy of Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul saying someone with his Islamic background should not
be head of state.

The presidential election was a test for the secularist establishment
to flex its muscle and the fact that the secularists prevented the
AK Party from electing its candidate as head of state showed the
weaknesses of the government. The secularist challenge came in the
form of a military ultimatum presented to the government on April 28
and three mass rallies in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir that hurt the
AK Party.

Alleged Suspects Detained In Stavropol Territory For Desecrating Arm

ALLEGED SUSPECTS DETAINED IN STAVROPOL TERRITORY FOR DESECRATING ARMENIAN GRAVES

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2007 13:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ For about 40 Armenian graves have been desecrated
in Krasnokumsk village of Georgievsk district, Stavropol Territory
in the night of May 21.

The graves were covered with paints and swastika signs, the
Police Department of Stavropol Territory reported. The crime has
characteristics of Article 244 of the Russian Penal Code (outrage
upon bodies of dead and their burial places).

Four suspects have been detained for participating in this crime: an
18-year-old resident of Georgievsk and his three associates. The low
enforcement bodies have already established their identities. Currently
they give testimonies, IA Regnum reports.

This is not the first similar crime committed in Stavropol
Territory. More than 50 graves, including Armenian were desecrated
by vandals in a cemetery near Georgievsk December 17, 2005. 14 more
Armenian graves suffered in the cemetery of a village in Nadezhda
Shpakovskaya district December 6, 2005. Then malefactors poured acid
over marble stones, broke grave plates and put out eyes on photos
of dead.

Size Of Students’ Drive Matches A Bigger Campus

SIZE OF STUDENTS’ DRIVE MATCHES A BIGGER CAMPUS
By Walter Yost – Bee Staff Writer

Sacramento Bee, CA
May 21 2007

In all his years as an educator, Stuart Van Horn said the dedication
of students at the Rancho Cordova Center is what makes the hairs
stand up on the back of his spine.

Van Horn, dean at the Folsom Lake College satellite campus, recalled
the student body’s reaction last fall when students were relocated
to National University for six weeks while construction was completed.

"I could’ve put them in a minivan stalled in the middle of Highway
50 and said we’re having classes here," Van Horn said. "Few others
can match their commitment."

"We are the true people’s college," Van Horn says of the nearly
600-student Rancho Cordova Center.

Located in a Rockingham Drive strip mall, the school operates out of
a leased storefront next door to the Mt. Zion Church Center and the
Toner Cartridge Testing Lab.

Even though recent expansion nearly doubled the college’s size to
10,000 square feet — adding new classrooms, offices, a conference room
and a student lounge — there are homes in Granite Bay that are larger.

The college center’s cultural diversity is a reflection of the city
surrounding it. English is the primary language for only about 40
percent of the students, and English as a second language courses
constitute nearly a third of this fall’s class offerings.

At the school’s open house earlier this year, Van Horn said the
campus multicultural club held a food fair — offering dishes from
21 different ethnic groups.

Students’ family-income levels are significantly lower than at
both Folsom Lake College’s main campus and its El Dorado Center
in Placerville.

Asmik Dallakyam, a native of Armenia and the mother of six, has taken
several art classes at the Rancho Cordova Center and wants to open
an interior design business.

Sitting in a crowded watercolor painting class last week, Dallakyam
said one of her challenges attending college is transportation.

The Rancho Cordova resident doesn’t drive and said it’s hard for her
to get to the Folsom Lake College campus.

Her husband drives her to the Rancho Cordova Center, where she’s also
taken business and computer classes.

It’s not just the center’s students who have to make adjustments at
the storefront campus.

Talver Germany teaches beginning watercolor painting in a classroom
not designed for art classes.

Approximately 25 students and their drawing pads fill the room —
which is otherwise used for academic subjects like English and math.

A small sink in the back is the only place to clean up.

"We make it work," said Germany, a full-time counselor at Folsom
Lake College.

Part of the campus’ recent expansion includes a new student services
office, where Victor Duron, Brandon Cruz and Gayane Pustovit work.

Many of the students they assist, Duron said, are juggling school,
family and work.

"We help them with selecting courses, the application process and
applying for financial aid," Cruz said.

Cruz said the center provides "equal access to higher education."

Pustovit, who speaks Armenian, Russian and Ukrainian, keeps busy as
a translator at the college.

Van Horn, who also serves as Folsom Lake College’s dean of career and
technical education, said college officials want to open a permanent
campus in Rancho Cordova by fall 2012. They’ve been shopping for a
site along Folsom Boulevard with light-rail access.

Enrollment has continued to grow since the campus opened in spring
of 2001 and the school currently offers courses in 24 disciplines.

Russia FM To Arrive In Baku

RUSSIA FM TO ARRIVE IN BAKU

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
May 20, 2007 Sunday 07:24 PM EST

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will arrive on an official visit
in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, on Monday. The forthcoming meetings
between the Russian minister and the Azerbaijani leadership will
focus on the problems of the CIS, the Caspian Sea and Nagorno Karabakh.

Sergei Lavrov "will be received by Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev, is expected to meet with Prime Minister Artur Rasizade and
his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov," spokesman for the
Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin said. The sides will discuss
"the implementation of the agreements reached on the top level bringing
interstate relations to a qualitatively new level by means of improving
cooperation in all spheres."

The foreign ministers of the two countries will exchange views "on the
possibility of broader cooperation within the CIS, higher coordination
of actions in international organisations." The interlocutors "will
attune steps for cooperation in the UN, the OSCE and the Council of
Europe," Kamynin added.

The negotiations will also focus on the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
situation. "Russia aims at assisting the parties to the conflict to
find a compromise decision," the diplomat pointed out. "Azerbaijan
and Armenia bear the major burden of responsibility for a final
choice of a settlement formula," Kamynin remarked. Russia "would be
ready to support a problem solution, which will suit all parties,
and if a compromise agreement is reached, will act as a guarantor
of settlement."

The Baku negotiations will highlight the issues of defining a legal
status of the Caspian Sea, ensuring security in the region and the
prospects of holding the second summit of Caspian littoral states.

The forthcoming negotiations will also focus on the prospects of
bilateral cooperation. "The economic aspect of cooperation is becoming
more and more important," Kamynin indicated. "A high economic growth
rate in Russia and Azerbaijan make these countries more attractive
in terms of developing mutually beneficial cooperation," the Russian
Foreign Ministry’s spokesman said.

"Prospects open up for broader cooperation in the fuel and energy
complex, science-intensive technologies, innovative activities,
and expanding direct economic ties between regions of Russia and
Azerbaijan," he noted.

"Cooperation in the humanitarian sphere makes a significant part of
bilateral relations," Mikhail Kamynin underlined. "We believe that a
valuable experience, which had been accumulated during the exchange of
the national years in the countries, should be used in the fulfillment
of the Russian-Azerbaijani programme of cooperation in the humanitarian
sphere for 2007-2009," the Russian ministry’s spokesman said.