Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN PLANS NEW ROAD TO DISPUTED AREA OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Bloomberg / Business Week
May 30 2013

By Sara Khojoyan

Armenia’s plans to build a second main road to the breakaway region of
Nagorno-Karabakh, a move that underscores that country’s unwillingness
to compromise with Azerbaijan over disputed territories.

If Armenians build a second main road to Nagorno-Karabakh it may
mean that Armenia “will be more uncompromising about Kelbajar,”
Tatul Hakobyan, a political analyst with Civilitas Foundation in
Yerevan, said by phone today in a reference to the adjacent region
in Azerbaijan that the road will cross.

The road will connect Gegharkunik in northeastern Armenia to Martakert
in northern Nagorno-Karabakh passing through Shahumyan-Kelbajar, one
of seven territories around the breakaway region under the control
of Armenian forces. Shahumyan’s return to Azerbaijan is among the
most controversial points in deadlocked talks over a peace agreement
mediated by U.S., Russia and France.

Construction of the 114-kilometer (71-mile) road will start next
year after the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, financed by the Armenian
diaspora, raises $30 million, according to Gevorg Gevorgyan, spokesman
for the fund.

TURKEY SILENCING THE GUNS — AND CRITICS

CNN Wire
May 29, 2013 Wednesday 10:40 PM EST

By Emma Sinclair-Webb
(CNN)

Editor’s note: Emma Sinclair-Webb is a senior Europe researcher at
Human Rights Watch who focuses on Turkey.

(CNN) — Sevan Nisanyan, a Turkish-Armenian journalist, wrote a blog
entry last September stating that critical comments about religion
don’t constitute hate speech. “Making fun of an Arab leader who
claimed he contacted God hundreds of years ago and received political,
financial and sexual benefits is not hate speech,” he said. “It
is an almost kindergarten-level test of what is called freedom of
expression.”

An Istanbul court disagreed and on May 22 — for these very words —
sentenced him to 13 months in prison for “insulting the religious
values of one section of the population.” What makes his prosecution
even more chilling is the fact that it followed public comments by
Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag recommending that Nisanyan should
be prosecuted.

There have been dramatic developments in Turkey in recent months
as the government embarks on a bold attempt to end the entrenched
conflict with the armed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and to start
down the long road to peace with the Kurdish minority. While the sight
of uniformed and armed PKK fighters — male and female — retreating
to camps over the border in Iraqi Kurdistan is tangible evidence of
progress toward peace, the Turkish authorities and judiciary are
still cracking down on people who express dissent in words rather
than with an AK47.

One of Turkey’s most fundamental human rights problems is in fact
intolerance of free speech. Politicians regularly sue journalists for
defamation. Editors and publishers are mostly unwilling to permit
much criticism of the government for fear of harming their bosses’
other business interests.

The largest group of people being prosecuted for criticizing the
government are accused of illegal political activism. The police,
prosecutors and courts label their activities “terrorism,” despite
scant evidence of involvement in violence or material support to armed
resistance. A couple of thousand local Kurdish activists are in jail.

These are people who opted for non-violent political struggle in the
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), which has members in parliament.

Among them are elected mayors, journalists, students and human rights
defenders, and many lawyers.

But not all of those targeted are even accused of terrorism. The
targets of this clampdown include people who offend the government
with satirical and even trivial criticisms.

Nisanyan’s conviction, which he has appealed, followed the conviction
on April 15 of the well-known pianist Fazil Say, who received a
10-month suspended sentence on the same charge for several tweets and
retweets poking fun at Islam. The public was divided, as it was in
Nisanyan’s case, but the real discussion should have been about whether
what either of the two men said actually threatened the public order,
amounted to hate speech or deserved to be restricted on those grounds.

The European Court of Human Rights has found over and over that Turkey
has violated free speech. But prosecutors, courts, and government
figures are still applying different standards to Turkey, muzzling
views they don’t want to hear. Most recently, there has been the
spate of cases against people deemed to have denigrated the religious
sentiments of the Sunni Muslim majority.

On May 30, the feminist lawyer Canan Arin faces a trial hearing for
critical comments she made to lawyers at a meeting of the Antalya Bar
Association in 2011 on the subject of violence against women. She
homed in on the problem of early and forced marriage. After Arin
cited the Prophet Muhammad and President Abdullah Gul as examples of
men who married child brides, she was prosecuted both for “insulting
religious values” and “insulting the president.” She faces a possible
five year prison sentence.

It is unlikely that any of these three will go to prison in the end,
but the fact that they were prosecuted at all demonstrates that the
political transformation of Turkey to a rights-respecting democracy
over the past decade is incomplete. The authorities have used the
criminal justice system to muzzle or punish criticism of the state
and official history throughout the republic. Rather than moving away
from this model, the present government seems to be happy to continue
the tradition by using the courts to fight a battle with anyone who
touches on the subject of religion in ways they don’t like.

The political breakthrough with the PKK offers an important
chance of securing progress on human rights for all of Turkey’s
people. But as jailed Kurdish political activists and critics facing
charges for offending someone in government have found out, that’s
only part of what’s needed to secure progress on human rights for
everyone. Moving toward a tolerant and democratic society also means
that the authorities and the courts need to stop trying to silence
their unarmed critics.

The views expressed are the writer’s own.

ALEXANDER SIRUNIAN FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST KARO YEGHNUKIAN

Friday,
May 31

Member of the Camber of Advocates of Armenia Alexander Sirunian filed
a lawsuit against Karo Yeghnukian to the court of general jurisdiction
of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash communities. Sirunian requests
protection of his honor, dignity and professional reputation.

In a statement on Facebook, Sirunian legal advice office called upon
Karo Yeghnukian to apologize publicly to Vardan Sedrakian for making
insulting remarks about him at the May 14 press conference.

“I only voiced the position of the official prosecution. If they were
wrong, they should apologize. I don’t know why Sirunian wants me to
apologize,” Karo Yeghnukian told the correspondent of Aysor.am.

Alexander Sirunian for his part told Aysor.am: “I admit that I am
amoral, but he must apologize. He refers to the official prosecution,
but the criminal case does not say that we are amoral”.

We would remind you that National Security Service of Armenia charged
Vardan Sedrakian under Articles 34, 38 and 305 of the Criminal Code.

The former presidential candidate Vardan Sedrakian is charged with
organizing the attempted murder of another presidential candidate,
leader of AIM Party Paruyr Hayrikan.

30.05.2013, 22:33

Aysor.am

ANC ACTIVISTS CONDUCT PROTEST RALLY IN FRONT OF ARMENIA-MARRIOTT HOTEL (PHOTOS)

16:20 ~U 31.05.13

Armenian National Congress activists are conducting a protest rally
in front of Armenia-Marriott hotel where the PACE Standing Committee
sitting is ongoing. The demands of the ANC activists are the same –
to free political prisoners, not support the thieves.

ANC member Levon Zurabyan said the PACE Ministerial Committee assists
the Armenian authorities stating that Armenia is a democratic, human
rights protection country.

“It is at least funny – political prisoners, not free TV, undisclosed
‘March 1’. While this people have gathered to remind them there are
rigged elections, political prisoners and other problems in Armenia,”
he told the reporters.

Zurabyan said they are in the process from 2008 and he says it
is important that the voice of the people reach the European
establishments.

ANC member Vladimir Karapetyan present at the protest action said
they want to remind the OSCE/ODIHR assignments in connection with
March 1 and implementation of reforms in the country.

SAMVEL FARMANYAN: TO MAKE PROGRESS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS, THE PARTIES SHOULD SIGN A TREATY OF THE NON-RESUMPTION OF MILITARY ACTION

ArmInfo’s interview with Samvel Farmanyan, MP, Chairman of the
Armenian Delegation to EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee,
National Assembly of Armenia

ARMINFO
Friday, May 31, 16:23

There has been much talk about deteriorating Armenian-Russian relations
that have resulted in the rising gas price. Do you agree with those
statements?

Energy sources have always been of extreme importance in the
geopolitical and geo-economic processes. Over the last twenty years,
this has become more visible in our region and to us. As one of the
countries having the largest oil and gas resources in the world,
Russia, naturally, has been trying to gain as much profit from its
resources as possible over the last years, which is quite legitimate.

Therefore, it would be naive thinking that Russia should not pursue
geopolitical goals when supplying energy sources to friendly and
partner counties. Besides the geopolitical factor, there is also
economic factor that is, probably, the primary one nowadays. After all,
gas is a product that is expensive in the global market. No matter
what country exports gas, the tariff generally depends on the given
two important factors.

As for the Armenian-Russian relations, I’d like to recall that Russia
has been exporting gas to Armenia basing on the Armenian-Russian
strategic partnership for long years. It was under presidency of
Serzh Sargsyan that Russia began emphasizing the energy policy as
an important lever of its foreign policy. Now, Russian gas tariff it
not the highest comparing to other countries.

I think the negotiations for the gas tariff have always been based on
the given logic: Armenia understands that Russia cannot determine the
gas tariff only on the basis of its geopolitical interests and the
strategic alliance with Armenia neglecting the economic factor and
its friendly relations with other countries it exports energy sources.

Instead, Armenia expects Russia to determine a special tariff for
Armenia given the special relations with our country and negative
impact of the price hike on our social and economic life. I think,
Russia, in turn, agrees that the gas tariff cannot but be adequate
to the special relations with Armenia and has certain political
expectations from Armenia.

In the context of the new gas tariff and other factor, the
Armenian-Russian relations are said to be not as good as before.

Instead, the relations with the EU, and generally, with the West,
have improved recently.

The Republic of Armenia has different level of cooperation with its
partners depending on the national and state interests. This is the
cost of independence and the potential of independence. Small but
with rich history and experience, Armenia is open for deeper relations
with its partners.

As for the relations with Russia and the EU, there are no
contradictions here. Such talks and questions have become quite
frequent recently ahead of the Vilnius Summit. Now, when Armenia
is completing the negotiations with the Association Agreement, many
perceive the Agreement as a blow over the Armenian-Russian strategic
partnership. Our relations with Russia are so deep and significant
that Armenia will never develop relations with other power centers
at the expense of the relations with Russia. Why? This is because we
are in the same security system with Russia, which is a strong and,
at present, the only security guarantee for Armenia. In such explosive
region Armenia can in no way endanger its security guarantees.

Fortunately, in the relations with the EU, Brussels has never displayed
any approaches that would set a choice before us.

Armenia, in turn, pursues its interests as an independent state. Our
relations with the EU are important and no one can argue that during
the first term of President Serzh Sargsyan those relations attained
new quality and reached a level that even the most active supporters of
rapprochement with Europe could not imagine years ago. The successful
negotiations for the Association Agreement and the new agenda of the
Yerevan-Brussels relations are mutually obliging.

There is no progress in the Karabakh peace negotiations. Do you have
any expectations from the process for the short-term outlook?

A breakthrough in the process till the end of the year is not
realistic, at least, because of the upcoming presidential election
in Azerbaijan. Negotiations are going around in a circle and it is
Azerbaijan that is responsible for that. Cult of power, trigger-happy
policy, this is what has become a priority for official Baku. Such
policy implies xenophobia, enmity, unexpected distortion of historical
facts etc.

In such situation, a starting point for a breakthrough in the
negotiations is confidence building between the parties. The parties
need a treaty on non-resumption of military actions or on non-use of
force, or at least a similar agreement in terms of a statement.

Without confidence building between the parties, first of all, Karabakh
and Azerbaijan, any solution, even if forced by the world community,
will remain on paper.

We are in a no war no peace situation now. Azerbaijan still breaches
the ceasefire neglecting the documents it has signed and the efforts
of the international mediators.

It is not a secret that Azerbaijan blames Armenia for non-constructive
position and the OSCE Minsk Group for insufficient measures in the
negotiation process.

The OSCE Minsk Group is doing its best. The mediators cannot adopt
political decision or achieve mutual agreements instead of the
conflicting parties. Azerbaijan blames the Minsk Group with the only
goal to show that lack of breakthrough in the negotiation process is
connected with a factor that does not exist. It is obvious, however,
that it is part of Azerbaijan’s propaganda. The world community, first
of all, the mediators are well aware of the real state of affairs.

As for the allegations against Armenia, they are absurd. Armenia has
been extremely consistent and open throughout the process pursuing
peaceful resolution of the conflict. In the meanwhile, Azerbaijan
has been threatening with forced resolution of the conflict even at
the most active stages of negotiations. However, there is no solution
to the conflict by force and in Baku they are well aware of that. It
turns out that they have led themselves to a stalemate.

Content-Type: MESSAGE/RFC822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Description:

MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
From: Mihran Keheyian
Subject: Samvel Farmanyan: To make progress in the negotiations, the parties
should sign a treaty of the non-resumption of military action

Samvel Farmanyan: To make progress in the negotiations, the parties
should sign a treaty of the non-resumption of military action
ArmInfo?s interview with Samvel Farmanyan, MP, Chairman of the
Armenian Delegation to EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee,
National Assembly of Armenia

ARMINFO
Friday, May 31, 16:23

There has been much talk about deteriorating Armenian-Russian
relations that have resulted in the rising gas price. Do you agree
with those statements?

Energy sources have always been of extreme importance in the
geopolitical and geo-economic processes. Over the last twenty years,
this has become more visible in our region and to us. As one of the
countries having the largest oil and gas resources in the world,
Russia, naturally, has been trying to gain as much profit from its
resources as possible over the last years, which is quite legitimate.
Therefore, it would be naive thinking that Russia should not pursue
geopolitical goals when supplying energy sources to friendly and
partner counties. Besides the geopolitical factor, there is also
economic factor that is, probably, the primary one nowadays. After
all, gas is a product that is expensive in the global market. No
matter what country exports gas, the tariff generally depends on the
given two important factors.

As for the Armenian-Russian relations, I?d like to recall that Russia
has been exporting gas to Armenia basing on the Armenian-Russian
strategic partnership for long years. It was under presidency of Serzh
Sargsyan that Russia began emphasizing the energy policy as an
important lever of its foreign policy. Now, Russian gas tariff it not
the highest comparing to other countries.

I think the negotiations for the gas tariff have always been based on
the given logic: Armenia understands that Russia cannot determine the
gas tariff only on the basis of its geopolitical interests and the
strategic alliance with Armenia neglecting the economic factor and its
friendly relations with other countries it exports energy sources.
Instead, Armenia expects Russia to determine a special tariff for
Armenia given the special relations with our country and negative
impact of the price hike on our social and economic life. I think,
Russia, in turn, agrees that the gas tariff cannot but be adequate to
the special relations with Armenia and has certain political
expectations from Armenia.

In the context of the new gas tariff and other factor, the
Armenian-Russian relations are said to be not as good as before.
Instead, the relations with the EU, and generally, with the West, have
improved recently.

The Republic of Armenia has different level of cooperation with its
partners depending on the national and state interests. This is the
cost of independence and the potential of independence. Small but with
rich history and experience, Armenia is open for deeper relations with
its partners.

As for the relations with Russia and the EU, there are no
contradictions here. Such talks and questions have become quite
frequent recently ahead of the Vilnius Summit. Now, when Armenia is
completing the negotiations with the Association Agreement, many
perceive the Agreement as a blow over the Armenian-Russian strategic
partnership. Our relations with Russia are so deep and significant
that Armenia will never develop relations with other power centers at
the expense of the relations with Russia. Why? This is because we are
in the same security system with Russia, which is a strong and, at
present, the only security guarantee for Armenia. In such explosive
region Armenia can in no way endanger its security guarantees.
Fortunately, in the relations with the EU, Brussels has never
displayed any approaches that would set a choice before us.

Armenia, in turn, pursues its interests as an independent state. Our
relations with the EU are important and no one can argue that during
the first term of President Serzh Sargsyan those relations attained
new quality and reached a level that even the most active supporters
of rapprochement with Europe could not imagine years ago. The
successful negotiations for the Association Agreement and the new
agenda of the Yerevan-Brussels relations are mutually obliging.

There is no progress in the Karabakh peace negotiations. Do you have
any expectations from the process for the short-term outlook?

A breakthrough in the process till the end of the year is not
realistic, at least, because of the upcoming presidential election in
Azerbaijan. Negotiations are going around in a circle and it is
Azerbaijan that is responsible for that. Cult of power, trigger-happy
policy, this is what has become a priority for official Baku. Such
policy implies xenophobia, enmity, unexpected distortion of historical
facts etc.

In such situation, a starting point for a breakthrough in the
negotiations is confidence building between the parties. The parties
need a treaty on non-resumption of military actions or on non-use of
force, or at least a similar agreement in terms of a statement.
Without confidence building between the parties, first of all,
Karabakh and Azerbaijan, any solution, even if forced by the world
community, will remain on paper.

We are in a no war no peace situation now. Azerbaijan still breaches
the ceasefire neglecting the documents it has signed and the efforts
of the international mediators.

It is not a secret that Azerbaijan blames Armenia for
non-constructive position and the OSCE Minsk Group for insufficient
measures in the negotiation process.

The OSCE Minsk Group is doing its best. The mediators cannot adopt
political decision or achieve mutual agreements instead of the
conflicting parties. Azerbaijan blames the Minsk Group with the only
goal to show that lack of breakthrough in the negotiation process is
connected with a factor that does not exist. It is obvious, however,
that it is part of Azerbaijan?s propaganda. The world community, first
of all, the mediators are well aware of the real state of affairs.

As for the allegations against Armenia, they are absurd. Armenia has
been extremely consistent and open throughout the process pursuing
peaceful resolution of the conflict. In the meanwhile, Azerbaijan has
been threatening with forced resolution of the conflict even at the
most active stages of negotiations. However, there is no solution to
the conflict by force and in Baku they are well aware of that. It
turns out that they have led themselves to a stalemate.

HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND LAUNCHES VARDENIS-MARTAKERT HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

13:26 ~U 30.05.13

The Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund held a meeting
on Thursday.

Executive Director Ara Vardanyan presented the Executive Board’s
report.

Talking to journalists following the presentation, he said that the
Fund plans to launch the Vardenis-Martakert highway construction
project.

The new highway will reduce the time of a Yerevan-Stepanakert journey
down to three hours.

“The Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh government have funded the
earth works, with asphalt work to be carried out. The worth of the
114-km-long highway is $30m,” Vardanyan said.

With respect to the decision on this particular road construction
project, he said that this is the second highway connecting Armenia
with Nagorno-Karabakh and needs modernizing. The highway is of
strategic importance for development of the Martuni region. It will
also facilitate tourism development.

The project is unlikely to the completed this year as new fund-raising
telethons are expected to be organized. The specific amount will be
announced next January and construction companies will be invited to
offer their services.

As regards the Fund’s activities in 2012, Vardanyan said that all
the reports were approved.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN, PRINCE CHARLES ATTEND “YEREVAN, MY LOVE” CONCERT

10:14 30.05.2013

President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan participated today
in the concert of the “Yerevan, my Love” charity fund at the Opera
and Ballet Theatre after Alexander Spendiaryan.

Charles, the Prince of Wales, who has arrived in Armenia for a private
visit at the invitation of the “Yerevan, my Love” charity fund,
was also present at the concert, President’s Press Office reports.

LE BFCA INQUIET DE LA VENTE DU RC LENS A DES INVESTISSEURS AZERBAIDJANAIS

Inquiet des tentatives azerbaïdjanaises d’acheter le club de foot RC
Lens, le BFCA a ecrit une lettre a Monsieur Luc Dayan, son president :

Monsieur le President,

C’est avec une profonde inquietude que nous avons suivi les
dernières demarches relatives a la reprise possible du RC
Lens par des investisseurs azerbaïdjanais. L’Azerbaïdjan,
cet Etat dont les innombrables atteintes aux droits de l’Homme
ont valu a son President le titre de champion de la corruption
de l’annee 2012 par l’ Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
“”
t “_blank” , ne confère aucune contribution louable a un club
sportif francais.

Des organisations non gouvernementales, des organisations
internationales, des associations de defense des Droits de l’Homme,
celles qui ~uvrent pour la liberte de la presse, toutes sont unanimes
: cet Etat prive ses citoyens de leurs Droits les plus elementaires et
la corruption qui y règne n’est pas conforme aux valeurs vehiculees
par les normes europeennes et ainsi par les valeurs universelles
defendues et reconnues par notre Republique.

Les clubs de sport et notamment les clubs de football necessitent
des fonds importants et il n’est pas rare de voir de nos jours, des
investisseurs etrangers contribuer a leurs rayonnements. Dès lors
que les sommes consequentes investies sont denuees de toute equivoque
quant a leur legalite, elles peuvent etre appreciees. Cependant quand
l’origine des fonds est douteuse, elle ne peut qu’entrainer un refus
categorique et entacher l’image du club en cause.

Ainsi, Il serait scandaleux que le RC Lens puisse etre repris par des
oligarques tels que Hafis Mammadov, fondateur du Baghlan Group FCZO,
un puissant groupe qui a des interets dans l’industrie petrolière. Ces
fonds collectes par des clans mafieux detenant le pouvoir au detriment
de la population de ce pays constituent une source de financement
indigne pour ce club francais qui a traverse un siècle entier et dont
la popularite n’est plus a prouver.

Mammadov dont plusieurs membres de la famille sont en plein c~ur du
pouvoir politique en tant que ministres et parlementaires de cette
dictature menee par Aliev, le chef qualifie en outre de ” predateur
” par ” Reporters Sans Frontières ” investirait donc cet argent sale
au profit d’un club francais exemplaire jusqu’a aujourd’hui.

Monsieur le President,

Au-dela de la dimension financière necessaire a la survie et au
progrès d’un club sportif, la moralite et l’ethique sont des valeurs
fondamentales qui contribuent a vehiculer l’image du club et son
attachement aux valeurs humaines et de transparence financière.

Le public du Bollaert anime d’un esprit sportif hors pair qui a fait
la renommee des ” Sang et Or ” ne saurait apprecier qu’une dictature
mettant en avant ses petrodollars puisse contribuer au financement
et a la notoriete d’un club forge de valeurs nobles.

Nous vous demandons, Monsieur Dayan, de mettre un terme a cette
demarche nefaste pour l’ensemble du football francais.

Dans l’attente de votre reponse, nous vous prions d’agreer nos
sincères salutations.

M. Hratch Varjabedian

Directeur du BFCA

jeudi 30 mai 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

SERGE SARKISSIAN BOYCOTTE LE SOMMET DE LA COMMUNAUTE ECONOMIQUE EURASIENNE (CEEA)

Le president Serge Sarkissian n’a pas participe a une reunion qui s’est
tenue a Astana dans la capitale du Kazakhstan mercredi 29 mai 2013.

Quatre dirigeants de l’ex-Union sovietique se sont rencontres
lors d’un sommet de la Communaute economique eurasienne (CEEA) qui
comprend la Russie, la Bielorussie, le Kazakhstan, le Kirghizistan
et le Tadjikistan. Le president ukrainien, Viktor Ianoukovitch, y a
egalement assiste car l’Ukraine, tout comme l’Armenie, a un statut
d’observateur au sein du groupe dirige par la Russie.

Serge Sarkissian n’a pas justifie son absence a la reunion qui a eu
lieu au lendemain du sommet de l’Organisation du Traite de securite
collective (OTSC) au Kirghizistan. Sarkissian etait egalement absent
a ce sommet.

Selon le ministère des Affaires etrangères armenien, Serge Sarkissian
n’a pas assiste au sommet de l’OTSC, car elle coïncidait avec la fete
de la Republique de l’Armenie. Dans une declaration ecrite, l’OTSC a
declare que Sarkissian ainsi que le president Alexandre Loukachenko
en Bielorussie ne se sont pas deplaces car le sommet portait sur les
questions de securite liees a l’Asie centrale.

jeudi 30 mai 2013, Laetitia ©armenews.com

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HOSTS CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

16:09 30.05.2013
Armenian Genocide, European Parliament

At a conference in the European Parliament in Brussels, experts and
Armenian officials urged Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide as
only way to build bridge for reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey
to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity for the whole
region. The conference “Armenian Genocide : A Bridge for the
Reconciliation of Nations” hosted by Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) Dr. Eleni Theocharous in cooperation with the European Armenian
Federation for Justice and Democracy brought together round 100
participants from Europe and politicians from Armenia, Ararat News
reports.

The expert debate was opened by MEP Dr. Eleni Theocharous from Cyprus,
President of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group who welcomed the speakers
and the guests. MEP Theocharous underlined”the importance of
recognizing crimes committed by humans against humanity, because only
recognition brings reconciliation”.

“It’s worth pointing out that the crimes against Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire happened in front of the watchful eyes of French,
British, German, US diplomats in the interest of the imperialist
powers. Even today still thousands are detained without being guilty
in Turkish prisons, violence against ethnical and religious
minorities, Kurds, Pontios and others is still continuing because of
foreign economical interests. I hope Turkey will soon recognize the
Armenian genocide and avoid repeating again such crimes”, concluded
MEP Theocharous.

Avet Adonts, Ambassador of Armenia in Belgium-Luxembourg and Head of
the Mission of Armenia to the European Union, said that “1.5 million
Armenians have been killed simply because of their origin. The main
task of the Armenian nation throughout the history have been to
survive. For all the survivors, the Genocide is not a past, but a
reality present in the everyday life. Therefore, the condemnation of
the Genocide is a must in order to achieve rehabilitation of the
historical justice”, stressed Ambassador Adonts, adding that the
“recognition of the Armenian Genocide from Turkey and the good
neighbouring relations between Armenia and Turkey will influence not
only the two countries, but the peace, security, stability and
prosperity in the whole region”.

Kaspar Karampetian, President of the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) thanked to the MEPs and to the European
Parliament for hosting the conference. Mr. Karampetian pointed out
that first of all, “Armenia and Turkey are neighbours and they are
condemned to live together. This is the reality which should be faced.

Therefore, to recognize the Armenian Genocide and assume its
responsibilities will be the only possible way for Turkey to build a
bridge for reconciliation and to insure a peaceful life in the
future”.

Valerie Boyer, Member of the French Parliament from Union for a
Popular Movement (UMP) spoke about the bill presented by her in the
National Assembly of France in 2011 to penalize the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. The bill was adopted by the Parliament and the
Senate of France, but has been rejected by the Constitutional Council.

MP Boyer shared her own deception, but also her “readiness to continue
to insist for penalization of the Armenian Genocide denial in the
French law”.

“Me and my family, we have been victims of threats; we needed to be
under police protection when the bill was adopted by the National
Assembly and the Senate. But this situation shows once more the
importance of the question of penalization of the Armenian Genocide
denial. I submitted two new proposals for law and I am also insisting
for the establishment of Investigation Committee, which will analyze
the role of third countries for the rejection of the bill in France”,
said the French MP.

MP Boyer was also shocked by the fact that the French public disagreed
with the proposal for the penalization law and she underlined the role
of the French media for not covering the issue. However, the real
reasons for rejecting the text, the deep relations between French and
Turkish deep states and economical interests has not been explained at
the conference.

Sevag Torossian, Member of the Association of the Armenian lawyers and
jurists (France), analyzed the legal aspects of the proposal for a law
penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial. Mr. Torossian underlined the
fact that by definition, the denial of the genocide is part of the
genocide crime: “The mistake in France was made already in the
beginning of 1990s, when the genocide denial was connected to the laws
on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. As all the
historians know, the denial of the genocide is part of the genocide
crime and this should be reflected in our laws. When you are a murder,
you have to be punished”, concluded Mr Torossian.

Bernard Coulie, Honorary rector of UCL (Louvain-La-Neuve) and
Professor in Armenian, Georgian and Byzantine Studies, spoke as a
“historian, who doesn’t offer political solutions, but brings elements
for reflexion and better understanding”.

Prof. Coulie described the three main characteristics of all
genocides: “Particular ideology, feeling of humiliation and need for
revenge and suitable context to act, which happens most often in a war
situation. All these three elements were present in the Ottoman Empire
at the end of XIX and the beginning of XX century”.

Prof. Coulie said that “the strength of those who demand recognition
of the Armenian Genocide shows that the descendants of the survivals
haven’t forgot anything. The strength of those who deny the genocide
show that the executioners haven’t forgot anything either”.