Author: Kanayan Tamar

AZERBAIJAN’S CZECH ENCLAVE

Thursday, 11 October 2012 12:46

By Pavla Holcova, Khadija Ismayilova and Jaromir Hason

At Heydar Aliyev Airport in Baku, you can always count on the
business class checkin line at the Azerbaijan Airlines Prague flight
being just as long as the one for economy class.

That’s because Azerbaijan’s ruling clique have made the Czech
Republic a favored destination in recent years.

They have come not just as high-end tourists to see its rich
historical sites and natural beauty – but as investors as well.

Officials of oil-rich Azerbaijan, including members of the Aliyev
ruling family, have established companies in Prague, bought land, and
built hotels and luxury villas most of them focused around in the
famous spa city of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad).

The problem is that some of these investments are illegal.

The full extent of their investment became clear after reporters for
the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) examined
the Czech property and company records of prominent Azeris. The
political elite, it appears, has been playing a real life game of
Monopoly in a race to acquire properties in the heart of the European
Union.

There is a historic precedent to the Azeri’s love of Karlovy
Vary, famous for its natural springs, resorts, and high-quality
glass. The picturesque town close to the German border in the
western part of the Czech Republic has been an exclusive hideaway for
the Russian ruling clique since 1711 when Czar Peter the Great came
for treatment in its healing waters. Powerful and wealthy Russians
continue to rest and mend amidst its expensive golf courses and
spectacular spa colonnades. Most services, especially the high end
ones, are offered in the Russian language. The local Czech hockey
team at one point considered joining Russia’s national hockey
league, and for most Czechs, Karlovy Vary signifies close and
friendly ties with Russia.

A Family Affair

“Azeris know Karlovy Vary well,” said Jan Hornik, a Czech
Senator. “Their [Azeri] Prime Minister told me once his trips
to the town were more business than leisure because he met half the
Azeri government there.”

The connections start with the first family. Arzu Aliyeva, one of
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s two daughters has been the sole
shareholder of a central Prague-based company called ZODIAC
Immobilienbesitz since 2006.

A listing in the Czech land registry shows that the firm owns a
€1 million villa in a luxury neighborhood in Karlovy Vary.

zodiac2 The Azeri president’s daughter owns a luxury villa in
the spa town of Karlovy Vary

When reporters visited the hilly and posh residential neighborhood,
the villa looked well cared for, but empty. No one answered the
doorbell.

The headquarters of Aliyeva’s company are inside the Prague law
offices of Alfery-Hrdina, a firm that does audit, tax and legal
services according to a flyer. Pavel Alfery-Hrdina, a firm’s
representative, refused to talk about Aliyeva’s company or any
client’s business.

Arzu Aliyeva is not the only family member with ownership of Czech
businesses either. Her maternal grandfather, Arif Pashayev, owns
another Prague and Karlovy Vary-based company, RETRO-INTER. Pashayev
officially runs the National Aviation Academy. According to US
diplomatic cables made public by Wikileaks, however, the extended
family plays important roles in the Azeri economy. The US cables list
the Pashayev family as the “single most powerful family in
Azerbaijan”.

Pashayev controls PASHA Holding, an Azeri conglomerate involved in
insurance, banking, travel, construction and investment interests
including PASHA Bank, according to the companies website and an Ernst
and Young audit which lists him as the man with ultimate control.

The managing director is his son Mir Jamal Pashayev and the website
brags it is one of the largest new companies in Azerbaijan.

RETRO-INTER owns a number of properties in the Karlovy Vary area
including the newly erected Hotel Jeseter.

zodiac3_small Jeseter belongs to a company controlled by Arif
Pashayev, the father of Azerbaijan’s first lady

Hotel Jeseter, which is finishing construction, sits on a bank facing
a dam 10 minutes from the town. A forest runs along one side and an
exclusive, gated Russian village on the other. The Russian deco style
building sits on the ruins of a former fishing house and plans call
for 30 rooms, a restaurant and two quays. The area used to be popular
with locals who came to relax and bathe, but after the only natural
swimming pool was demolished in ´90, the area lost its attractiveness
for family weekends. The hotel is controversial, with believers
seeing its opening as a chance to resuscitate the area, while
skeptics worry that its monumental and inappropriate design is out of
place and its high prices preclude ordinary Czechs from visiting.

RETRO – INTER also owns a building site, a house and an apartment in
the surrounding towns of Jeni¹ov, Mezirolí and Doubí.

The Businessman

While Arif Pashayev is the sole shareholder of RETRO-INTER, its
director is another Azeri-born Czech citizen, Fakhraddin Mirzoev who
lives in Karlovy Vary. In addition to RETRO-INTER, he is director of
Swiss-based TERMA TRAVEL GROUP. Although they operate in Karlovy
Vary, the company has a subsidiary in Prague,
GLOBAL-ACCOUNTING-SERVICES.COM which shared offices with RETRO-INTER
until a few months ago. Mirzoev is involved directly or through the
TERMA group in a half dozen other companies in the Czech Republic.

Mirzoev appears to be a successful and connected man in Azeri circles
in the Czech Republic. He drives a Porsche, established a rally team
sponsored by the TERMA TRAVEL RACING TEAM and knows important people
like Hornik, according to his Facebook page.

“I know Mr. Mirzoev, because the Azeri ambassador is my friend and
when we had dealings, the representative of TERMA TRAVEL was often
present,” said Hornik.

OCCRP reporters contacted Mirzoev who did not comment but did say “My
business is not connected to any other persons.”

Mirzoev, who was an official agent of Azerbaijan Airlines, gave the
official welcome to the first Azerbaijan Airlines flight that landed
at the Prague airport in July of 2010.

The non-stop flight between the two capitals regularly shuttles other
major Azeri businessmen who have also chosen the Czech Republic.

INFOGRAFIC-Azerbaijan-cehia_small

A Cleric in Business

Other important Azeri investors in the area are Javanshir Pashazade,
a member of parliament in Baku and his brother, Allahshukur.

Allahshukur Pashazade is Sheikh-ul Islam, Grand Mufti of the
Caucasus and the chairman of the Religious Council of the Caucasus.

He was counted in 2009 among the 500 most influential Muslim figures
in the world.

According to registration records, the brothers own a Czech company
called Aynur KV that is also based in Karlovy Vary. The firm owns an
apartment complex in the center of Karlovy Vary.

Through his driver, Javanshir Pashazade denied any ownership of Czech
businesses.

zodiac6_small Allahshukur Pashazade, the Grand Mufti of the Caucasus,
owns an apartment complex in the Czech Republic

Allahshukur Pashazade is a controversial figure in the Azeri media.

The government-friendly religious leader, who frequently pledges
Muslim loyalty to Ilham Aliyev, is known in Azerbaijan for his
connection to Ali Evsen, a Turkish businessman currently under arrest
in Spain for his alleged involvement in a money laundering operation
for Hussein Salem, a confidante of former Egyptian leader Hosni
Mubarak. Evsen’s businesses have been previously investigated here by
OCCRP . Pashazade’s son is married to Evsen’s daughter.

Azer Rashidoghlu, chairman of the “Tolerant” Center for Social
Studies said the Grand Mufti should step down if the information is
true.

“There were lots of talks about a lack of transparency in The Board
of Caucasus Muslims and the business activity of Sheikh-ul Islam. He
always denied his involvement in business. He denied, because he knew
that it is not appropriate. It is indeed not appropriate.”

Rashidoghlu said such ownership sets up a fundamental conflict of
interest.

“If religious figure is dealing with business, especially in
the countries like Azerbaijan, he is risking facing a choice between
his business interests and the interests of Muslims.”

Rashidoghlu says that may have already happened. The Grand Mufti has
not defended Muslim rights against the President such as a ban on
hijab in schools and the shutdown of mosques, he said.

“Instead, he always pledged support to president and his family
in order to be able to continue his business and to invest abroad.”

Javanshir Pashazade’s ownership is illegal under Azeri law
according to one expert.

zodiac4_small Brothers Javanshir and Allahshukur Pashazade, one a
Parlamentarian and the other the Grand Mufti of the Caucasus, own an
apartment complex in Karlovy Vary

“Parliament members must not run businesses. It is prohibited
by law. So if they own the business, they violate the law,”
said Vasif Movsumov, executive director of the Anti-Corruption
Foundation, a Baku based civil society organization. “The law
restricts business activity – no matter, if it is inside or outside
the country – of the parliament members.”

They are not the only ones. OCCRP previously reported that Arzu
Aliyeva along with her sister, Leyla and their mother Mehriban
Aliyeva, own a slew of Panama-based companies through which they
secretly control gold fields, a mobile phone company, a construction
company and other high stake investments back in Azerbaijan. Mehriban
Aliyeva is also a member of parliament. Calls and emails to the
government seeking comment were not returned.

“They are supposed to submit declarations and declare that they
stopped their business activity. Since that was not the case, it is a
clear indication of corruption.” Movsumov said.

The apartment complex the Pashazades own through their firm is set in
the hills overseeing the center of Karlovy Vary and sits near one of
the most famous hotels in the region, the Hotel Imperial. This hotel,
built in the early 20th Century hosted celebrities including the
Russian Emperor Paul I, music composer Richard Strauss, Indian
maharajas and Hollywood stars. The complex is surrounded by narrow
streets with old houses and the original tessellated pavement.

The permitting and construction of the modern apartment complex right
in the middle of the historic center of Karlovy Vary was
controversial. The modern architecture contrasts with the unique and
picturesque surrounding buildings. The original building design was
a story higher, but was lowered in the face of local protests says a
local journalist, Jaroslav Dolina, who has followed the case for his
newspaper Karlovarsky Denik. The complex is still partially empty and
banners offering luxury apartments hang outside. Most of the names on
the doorbells appear to be Russian.

Other MPs in Business

Another member of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Adil Aliyev and his
brother Allahverdi Aliyev, also do business in the Czech Republic.

Adil Aliyev is a shareholder in a company called West End Centre.

This company owns land in the western outskirts of Karlovy Vary.

Allahverdi Aliyev’s family started a company called RAN Ltd in
2003 at the same Karlovy Vary address where two TERMA TRAVEL GROUP
companies were based.

zodiac5_small A number of Azeri connected companies are located at a
downtown building in Karlovy Vary

Back in Azerbaijan, the brothers built their career in the police
forces under the leadership of a third older brother, Maharram
Aliyev, a former chief of the Baku police department and currently
the ambassador of Azerbaijan in Tajikistan. Adil Aliyev, who is also
president of the Kickboxing and Muai-Tai Federation, entered
Parliament in 2005 after leaving his job as a district police chief.

Allahverdi Aliyev, who used to also be a mid-level official in the
Ministry of Interior, shares ownership of his businesses, RAN Ltd.

together with his wife, Tamara and son, Ruslan Aliyev. The son,
according to an interview he gave to Azeri media, is the director of
the Ateshgah Insurance group, owned by the State Oil Company of
Azerbaijan. Adil Aliyev did not deny ownership of the businesses.

“I can’t say anything in this regard. I have lots of relatives in
Czech Republic and they have many companies in Czech Republic. That
is not a secret”.

He said he is aware of the legislation that prohibits Members of
Parliament to run businesses but refused to comment further on the
issue.

Their RAN Ltd owns a house in the city center of Cheb, an old Czech
town with a long Czech-German history about 43 km from Karlovy Vary.

It also owns shares in an apartment complex in Doubi.

POSTMODERNISM AND OSKANIAN’S MURDER
Igor Muradyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:40:51 – 12/10/2012

What does Serzh Sargsyan want? Serzh Sargsyan wants to become
president. But it is clear that becoming president does not stand for
being elected president. In order to become president in Armenia,
it is necessary to liquidate the whole logic of the foreign policy
since the home policy is the application of the foreign reactions.

But for the implementation of this task, people, preferably,
living people, are necessary. In order to let these people realize
their possibilities, it is necessary to eliminate the whole hicks
that overwhelmed the capillaries of the Armenian politics and
administration. But, who could replace them? The city people? The city
guys, independently from the stereotypes, either exhausted their scarce
intellectual and life resources, or reconciled with the offensive
reality, or lost faith in the ability to participate in the process,
or they simply fled, apparently, in bomb shelters of the Soviet period.

One of the founders of Israel, Haim Vaitzman, used to say that
for the sake of establishment of Israel, they need to destroy the
Jewish-European intelligence. In Yerevan, we can see a very strong
denial of themselves by many of those in power, including what is
called oligarchy.

The fact that the current way of living is a way to oblivion,
consciously or unconsciously is accepted by all, who have time to
reflect on the strange turns of the more or less happy fate and it
cannot but be noticed by the outsiders that came close to solving
the basic problems of the Armenian issue.

A very serious threat of full leveling of the “Armenian issue” is in
place and since it is completely unacceptable, the decision was made
to dynamize certain realities in order to save the “common business”,
for which much material and political resource has been spent.

Every issue has more than one solution: the issue is about the
limitations of thinking, so, it is just enough to open the book, read
cards, or to listen to the provincial analysts in order to deify the
idea and project base necessary for decision making.

Serzh Sargsyan’s team, rather, inside it, efforts are made to form
subjective relations with NATO and the European Union, and after the
West got convinced of this, primarily because of the Russian reaction,
dealing with Kocharyan’s persona became pointless. A person with
a different image that can be easily attributed to the number of
American proteges is necessary.

The socialized and integrated people of Armenian origin living in the
U.S. are not always the most capable and most affordable ones. They
are able to assist in anything you want and in every direction, except
for the Armenian issues. Americans have twice corrected preferences,
trying to find among the “friends” those, who can solve problems, but
did not find even those, who might implement some developments (only).

Many just found themselves in a lot of trouble in connection with the
dark cooperation with the former regime of Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Others
failed to form their own tasks.

Vartan Oskanian is an exception in the Diaspora. He managed presenting
even his evident failures as diplomatic success. Over years, one could
hear about his advantage compared with his colleagues in neighboring
countries. In Moscow, you could hear something else about the interest
of the Armenian leadership to reject his services.

But now the issue is not this. Serzh Sargsyan needs a serious rival for
the elections who would have all material and information-propaganda
resources. This rival should be nominated as soon as possible in order
not allow real competition on the West-East scheme. Rivalry should
be carried out on the West-West scheme which contains the sign of
undisputed success.

This technology and logic have become sufficiently proven in Eastern
Europe. In Armenia there were more than favorable conditions for
solving this problem.

Serzh Sargsyan is a discovery for the West. In addition, many things
happened so suddenly that the Americans can’t refuse the “let well
enough alone” approach. All the rest, including his rivals, are sees
as a part of the system of communicating vessels with the exclusion of
risks and unpleasant surprises. So why to give up and fear this scheme?

What may fail this project? The brilliant prospect of scandalous
political murder occurs, which could general a full and irrevocable
cleansing of the political “field” from deviant people.

In the autumn of ’99 the atmosphere of political assassination was in
the air, and it happened. Again, you might find a “local, isolated
group,” which is just basically impossible to identify. Therefore,
even if only for humanitarian purposes, it would be necessary to
cover Oskanian. After all, this man, although he made mistakes in
the foreign policy and made way for our current problems, has created
a good image for the country, didn’t make any political or national
betrayal, and the question is just the political struggle.

Postmodersim spares neither his opponents nor his proteges, but
everything and everyone has its time.

MARIAM SUKHUDYAN: NATURE PROTECTION MINISTER’S STATEMENT THAT POACHING CASES WERE OUTSIDE KHOSROV RESERVE IS ILLOGICAL

ARMINFO
Friday, October 12, 09:05

The Armenian Nature Protection Minister’s statement that the cases of
hunting of the Red Book animals were revealed outside the Khosrov
reserve is illogical, Mariam Sukhudyan, a well-known activist,
told ArmInfo.

“This is a very interesting and illogical statement. Then I wonder
why the minister has dismissed the director and other employees of
the Khosrov reserve”, she said. Sukhudyan stressed that the territory
of illegal hunting is part of the Khosrov reserve, and this is also
proved by Google Earth. “The Ministry refuses to provide us with a
terrain map, though we asked it to”, the activist said.

To recall, in late September the green activists posted a video in
the Internet. The video demonstrates the cases of poaching in the
Khosrov reserve: parts of carcasses of a bear and a bezoar goat,
traces of fire, as well as empty vodka bottles.

PACE RAPPORTEUR ON ARMENIA VOICES CONCERN OVER OSKANIAN PROSECUTION

News | 12.10.12 | 12:13

A Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) rapporteur for the
monitoring of Armenia has expressed his concern about the lifting by
the Armenian National Assembly of the parliamentary immunity of former
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian on “controversial criminal charges”.

“This is especially worrying in the light of persistent allegations
that political motives have played a role in the charges that are
levied against him,” emphasized Axel Fischer in a statement posted
on the PACE’s official website on Thursday.

“If substantiated, these allegations would mean a step backwards from
the positive trend with regard to political normalization that we have
witnessed over the last year and a half,” said the Strasbourg-based
body’s official.

Fischer added that he had sent a letter to Armenian Parliament Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan asking him to clarify the charges, as well as the
basis on which the parliament agreed to lift Oskanian’s immunity.

Oskanian, a member of the Prosperous Armenia Party, was stripped of
his immunity on October 2 to face charges of money laundering over
a $1.4 million donation by U.S. philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr. to
his Yerevan-based Civilitas Foundation in late 2010.

Oskanian denies the charges, linking them to his and his party’s
political activities.

United States Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern also renewed
his concerns over the Oskanian prosecution earlier this week. In
a statement on Tuesday Heffern said the development was “bad for
justice and democracy in Armenia”.

ARMENIA AND RUSSIA ARE ACTIVATING CULTURAL COOPERATION

ARMENPRESS
12 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Russia will continue
cooperation in cultural spheres for future. On October 12 in the
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia was signed “The Program
for Cooperation of Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia
and Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation for 2012-2015”,
that aims the regulation of Armenian-Russian cultural relation for
the period mentioned.

As reports “Armenpress” the document was signed by Minister of Culture
of the Republic of Armenia Hasmik Poghosyan and Deputy Minister
of Culture of Russian Federation Andrey Bousigin. The program of
cooperation includes 18 articles regulating Armenian-Russian relations
in a number of cultural spheres. As Minister of Culture of the Republic
of Armenia mentioned this is a clear program of activities.

In accordance with the program the sides will support the exchange
of soloists and collectives, international festivals and contests
in both countries. This will help to make favorable conditions for
cooperation in the spheres of fine arts, stage craft, cinematography,
libraries and museums, design, amateur talent activities, circus,
objects of historical and cultural heritage and national craft.

Minister of Culture of the Republic of Armenia said: “Notwithstanding,
one thing is of an extraordinary importance for me, that both sides
will continue supporting qualification and requalification procedures
of the cadres”. Minister of Culture of Russian Federation stressed
good relations between Armenian and Russian nations and administrative
bodies and the importance of development of the cooperation between
our countries.

LE GOUVERNEMENT A DONNE SON FEU VERT A LA VENTE DU BÂTIMENT DU MAE
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 12 octobre 2012

Situe au c~ur d’Erevan sur la place de la Republique, le bâtiment du
Ministère des AE sera vendu, sur decision du Conseil des Ministres,
a une societe appelee ” Tango “, qui d’après les informations
des medias, appartiendrait a l’homme d’affaire argentin d’origine
armenienne, Edouardo Ernekien (Jamanak rappelle que celui-ci est
aussi le gestionnaire de l’aeroport Zvartnots et possède des interets
importants dans le secteur de l’agriculture). Le bâtiment, qui sera
transforme en hôtel cinq etoiles (repondant aux critères du reseau
Kempinski, selon des sources officieuses), est vendu pour 51,271 MUSD.

Selon Haykakan Jamanak, l’acheteur devrait verser une partie de la
somme en ” liquide “, tandis que l’autre partie devrait etre investie
dans la construction de nouveaux locaux pour le Ministère.

Les quotidiens, meme les pro-gouvernementaux s’indignent de cette
vente, compte tenu de la valeur architecturale du bâtiment et de
son emplacement, mettant en doute les profits de cette transaction
pour l’Etat. Jamanak relève avec ironie que sur fond du scandale
de l’affaire Vartan Oskanian, ancien Ministre des AE, la vente du
bâtiment du Ministère est revelatrice de la derive des autorites
armeniennes qui font commerce de tout y compris de leurs institutions.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 5 octobre 2012

CONCERT OF STATE YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF ARMENIA IN RETURN FESTIVAL HAS BEEN CANCELED

ARMENPRESS
11 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS. In frames of 6th Return Festival of
Classic Music Concert dated to October 18 will not take place. Joint
concert program of State Youth Orchestra of Armenia and organizational
committee of Return Festival entitled “Aram Khachaturyan Contest:
Return” was canceled. In a conversation with “Armenpress” founder
of Return festival Mariam Shahinyan informed us that the reason for
canceling the concert is that the orchestra takes no notice of the oral
agreement of both sides and puts forward new demands. Shahinyan said:
“New financial demands have been put forward when there are only 10
days remaining for the concert”. According to her this is the first
time in the history of the festival that a concert is not merely
postponed, but removed from the program list of the festival.

The founder of the festival mentioned that in the concert that should
have taken place on October 18 violinist Fyodor Roudin form Germany,
saxophonist Hayrapet Arakelyan and State Youth Orchestra of Armenia
would have been represented to the audience.

In a conversation with “Armenpress” director of SYOA Anna
Ter-Hovakimyan said: “If the orchestra is an equal organizer of
the concert, that is to say it cares for a number of organizational
financial needs, then in frames of the concert program it must be
represented as a co organizer, what was not taken into consideration
by the organizers”. In her opinion if SYOA is represented as just
a participant of the concert program, as an artist and not a co
organizer, that it must be paid correspondingly, as all other artists.

Notwithstanding, both sides do not exclude the possibility of future
cooperation, but instead of oral agreements they will prefer contracts
in written form, where responsibilities of both parties will be
clearly defined.

CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO CREATIVE CULTURE OF THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES WILL BE HELD IN BELARUS

ARMENPRESS
11 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS. A conference entitled “Creative
culture of the Armenian Communities in Rech Pospolita region” is held
in National Museum of Creative Art of the Republic of Belarus. The
event is organized by National Museum of Creative Art of the Republic
of Belarus and Centre of Armenological Studies “Aniv” in association
with Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Belarus, Ministries of
Culture of Belarus and Poland and Polish Institute in Minsk.

The main purpose of the conference is deepening of informational basis
of the Armenian-Belarusian culture and the discovery of cultural impact
of the culture of the Armenian communities on Belarusian creative art.

As Information and Public Relations Department of Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Armenia informed “Armepess” Ambassador of
the Republic of Armenia in Belarus Armen Khachatryan made opening
remarks. Together with scientists form Belarus, Poland, Ukraine,
Lithuania, Russia, France, Germany and other countries scientists
form Armenia also took part in the conference, among them director
of Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of the
Republic of Armenia, Doctor of Historical Sciences, associate member of
Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Melkonyan, deputy
director of the same institute, Master of Historical Sciences Karen
Khachatryan and Piruza Mnatsakanyan form Matenadaran museum of ancient
manuscripts. Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of the National
Technical University of Belarus Armen Sardarov, Armenian by nationality
also took part in the conference. In the conference participated the
head of the Department of Ancient World and Medieval Architecture
of Research Institute of History and Studies of Urban Planning and
Architect Institute Armen Ghazaryan, who organized photo-exhibition
entitled “Ani: Blessed Vision of the Armenian Capital”.

Conference will end on October 11.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : LE PRIX DE LA NEGATION

Publie le : 11-10-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
livre une traduction de Gilbert Beguian d’un article en anglais de
Today’s Zaman mise en ligne sur le site de NAM (Nouvelles d’Armenie
Magazine) le 6 octobre 2012.

NAM

Le prix de la negation des evenements de 1915

Orhan Kemal Cengiz – Today’s Zaman

4 octobre 2012

Il y a trois ou quatre ans, assistant a une presentation a l’Universite
de Toronto au Canada, j’ai ressenti quelques emotions qui restent très
difficiles a decrire. C’est un peu comme si quelqu’un avait demande
a Salvador Dali de dessiner quelques images de la question armenienne
dans son ensemble, pour etre ensuite montrees par ce jeune homme dans
sa presentation.

Cela se deroule quelque part dans le desert du Mexique. Ils marchent
devant eux, passant entre de gigantesques cactus. Chaque homme est
coiffe d’un enorme sombrero, et chacun d’entre eux est amene devant
un monument geant. Nous voyons qu’ils gardent un silence respectueux
lorsqu’ils arrivent devant le monument. S’exprimant en anglais avec
un fort accent, ce jeune Armenien mexicain fait une presentation ”
des Ceremonies du Memorial du Genocide Armenien. ” Les photographies
sont quelque peu surrealistes ; le jeune homme montre du doigt les
personnages d’une photo coiffes de leur sombrero, et dit ” ces hommes
sont pour la plupart des Armeniens originaires de regions telles Van et
Mouch, en Turquie. ” Lorsqu’il a dit cela, je disparais complètement.

Il y a tellement de choses dans la vie que nous ne comprenons
finalement que lorsqu’on les rencontre. …Au moment meme où vous
y attendez le moins, alors que vous ne reflechissez a rien de
particulier, une realite ou verite profonde transcende vos defenses
personnelles et s’installe dans votre c~ur. Pour moi, lorsqu’il
s’agit des Armeniens, c’est cette scène de l’Armenien mexicain coiffe
d’un sombrero ou du jeune Armenien employe a la reception d’un hôtel
d’Erevan.

Un jeune qui n’est jamais alle en Turquie, mais qui se disait
originaire de Van. Ou la dame âgee de 100 ans que j’ai rencontree a
Boston et dont les yeux se sont embues de larmes lorsqu’elle parlait
de son amour pour ses voisins turcs, mais aussi des actes terribles
faits par des voyous longtemps auparavant.

L’une des choses les plus importantes que j’aie realisee entre toutes
ces rencontres avec des Armeniens, est que nous avons coupe tous nos
liens emotionnels lorsqu’on fait face a la ‘ Tragedie armenienne ” .

De meme, nous sommes complètement desinteresses de la verite de
1915, comme nous rejetons l’option de concevoir vraiment ce que
nous preferons appeler ” deplacement “. Meme dans la version ”
officiellement acceptee ” des evenements, nous ne voulons pas accepter
ou realiser que des gens ont ete sortis de chez eux par la force,
forces de marcher affames dans les rues et chasses de leur pays. De
la sorte, nous ne sommes capables en quoi que ce soit d’eprouver
ce que c’est, pour une vieille dame, d’avoir ete tiree par les bras
hors de la maison dans laquelle elle avait vecu, jetee dans la rue
et voir près de la moitie de sa famille mourir sur la route, tandis
que l’autre moitie a du prendre racine en des lieux où la langue et
la culture etaient complètement differentes des leurs.

Il ne fait aucun doute qu’il y a un prix a payer pour ce manque
de sentiment et cette posture negationniste. Cette negation ne
fait en realite que retarder notre maturation. Elle cree en meme
temps faussement un sentiment d’orgueil. Et dans nos tentatives de
defendre cet orgueil deplace, nous sommes entraînes dans notre propre
rabaissement, usant continuellement de nos ” mecanismes de defense “.

Les bras fermement lies par son refus nevrotique d’affronter son
passe, la Turquie est facilement la exposee a la manipulation, du
fait meme de cette nevrose. Quel que soit le mecanisme auquel on fait
appel, ce que fera la Turquie sur ce point est clair, et on sait en
permanence que la Turquie fera toujours la meme chose. Il n’y a aucune
autre option pour agir differemment. La Turquie paie des millions de
dollars chaque annee pour convaincre les parlements d’autres pays –
des pays qui sont convaincus que ce qui s’est produit est un vrai
genocide – d’interrompre le processus. Et comme notre budget n’est
pas transparent, nous sommes en realite incapables de voir l’etendue
reelle de ce ” regime de la honte. ”

Selon l’agence de presse Armenpress ; Elisabeth Chuldjyian, secretaire
de la communication de l’Armenian Natonal Committee of America (ANCA,
Comite National Armenien d’Amerique), envoie regulièrement des lettres
aux membres du Senat des Etats-Unis, et les rencontre frequemment,
afin de renforcer le soutien de cette importante institution a la
cause de l’ANCA.

Avec les perspectives d’une place plus grande de la Syrie et l’Iran
dans l’agenda cette annee, il est très probable qu’une fois encore, le
Senat americain ne prendra pas de decision sur la question armenienne.

Mais plus tard, dans quelques annees ? Je suis sûr que sur la duree –
specialement du fait du deplacement de l’equilibre international –
la politique de negation de la Turquie sera forcement changee. Si
seulement nous pouvions supporter l’idee et la realite d’une sincère
rencontre, ne serait-ce peut-etre qu’ecouter l’histoire d’un
Armenien mexicain dont les origines sont a Van. Si cela pouvait
arriver, tellement de choses pourraient changer. Non seulement la
societe atteindrait sa maturite, mais la Turquie dans son ensemble
pourrait etre sauvee du danger très reel d’etre mise a l’ecart par
les inevitables changements internationaux.

Dans cette arène particulière, la Turquie est a ce point conditionnee
par ses craintes qu’elle n’ose meme plus penser aux vrais problèmes
et a quelques unes des solutions a sa portee. Cela etant, mon espoir
personnel est que la confiance de plus en plus assuree en elle-meme
poussera la Turquie a trouver des solutions effectives et durables
a ce problème.

samedi 6 octobre 2012, Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

Traduction Gilbert Beguian pour Armenews

Article en anglais :

The price for denial of the events of 1915

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : NAM

OSKANIAN CASE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 11 octobre 2012

Daily newspapers commented on the statement of former President Robert
Kocharian, the latter having expressed his solidarity with the former
Minister of AE, Oskanian.

Edward Sharmazanov, spokesman for the Republican Party, said respect
the opinion of Kocharian, while disapproving of his point of view,
according to which the green light from parliament to lift the
immunity of Mr Oskanian constitutes a ‘ clear case of self-stigma. ”
According to Mr. Sharmazanov is the concealment of a crime that would
be a case of self-stigma. Mr. Sharmazanov additional calls “displaced”
the politicization of this matter.

Another representative of the Republican Party, Galoust Sahakian, said
that under President Robert Kocharian, MPs have also been deprived
of their immunity.

The views of commentators on the reaction of former president
differ:-Some believe it was neutral, others see it as brutal, making it
clear that his successor was not in its interest to pursue a politician
“honest, competent and experienced” as Oskanian. One thing is certain,
according to them, the tension between the Republican Party and
Prosperous Armenia, formerly partners will crescendo.

Joxovurd believes that this is not a coincidence that a news agency
yesterday published a report that Gagik Tsaroukian was convicted of
rape in the 80s in the Russian city of Nizhny Tagil … The answer
spokesman Mr. Tsaroukian did not expect: he has accused political
opponents have exceeded all limits and warned against a boomerang
effect. 168 Jam is surprised by the silence of Gagik Tsaroukian.

Hayots Achkhar wondered why an American citizen, Huntsman Jones, who
more Mormon leader, bequeathed Oskanian such large sums. “Is it not
a suspect personality who led a large state structure for 10 years
receives donations of millions of dollars from a foreign citizen
representing a religious sect? Does this not an issue relating to
national security? “Asks Hayots Achkhar.

Excerpt from the press review of the Embassy of France in Armenia,
dated October 4, 2012