Author: Kanayan Tamar

ABOUT 100 TENNIS PLAYERS ARRIVED IN YEREVAN TO TAKE PART IN “AMERIA CUP”

ARMENPRESS
9 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 9, ARMENPRESS: Armenia Tennis Federation and
International Tennis Federation (ITF) are organizing an “Ameria Cup”
level professional tennis tournament for men on 9-14 July, in Yerevan.

So the group of Ameria companies have established a prize fund of US
15 000 Dollars. Ameria Bank informed Armenpress, that 100 tennis
players have arrived in Yerevan from more than 15 countries – Russia,
the Czech Republic, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland, Austria,
India.

Khachatur Khachatryan and Ashot Gevorgyan from Armenian Tennis team of
men will take part in the “Ameria Cup”. It is the first time for
Tigran Martirosyan, who will participate in the professional
tournament, he lived in the United States for the recent years, he
will be involved in the Armenian tennis team for men.

The tournament will be judged by the referees of International Tennis
Federation, among them are Grigor Davtyan and Arsen Movsisyan, who are
the only white badge referees in the region. The general referee of
the tournament will be silver referee Pavel Lisovcev, who is the first
time in Armenia.

There will be an opportunity to follow the tournament games online for
the first time via tennisarmenia.am web site by the Live Scoring
program, which is used by the International Tennis Federation.

RUSSIA IS READY TO BECOME THE GUARANTOR OF AGREEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH: CHAIRMAN OF STATE DUMA

ARMENPRESS
9 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 9, ARMENPRESS: Russia is ready to be the guarantor of the
agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict if there is found such solution
to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which will be satisfactory for the sides
of the conflict. Armenpress reports that about this declared Chairman
of Russian State Duma Sergey Narishkin during the meeting with students
in Baku. “Russia has always been for security and stability in South
Caucasus. In that context the solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
has great importance. The position of Russia has not changed. We
are sure that that issue will be settled if the interests of the
sides are satisfied. Russia is ready to become the guarantor of such
agreement. But the responsibility of the settlement of the conflict
continues to be on Armenia and Azerbaijan” said Narishkin.

“We have always introduced our position on unacceptability of use
of force and treat. I am optimistic and hope that conflict will have
peace settlement” said Narishkin.

DEPUTY SPEAKER: AZERBAIJAN TO USE ALL MEANS TO LIBERATE LANDS

Trend
July 9 2012
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan will use all possible means and will even if necessary
resort to military actions to liberate its lands, Azerbaijani First
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ziyafat Asgarov said at a meeting with
OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier in Baku today.

“OSCE, the UN Security Council, the European Union, Council of Europe
and other influential international organizations are willing to
help in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for 20 years,” he
said. “We must understand one thing. The problem will not be resolved
till the difference between aggressor and those who have experienced
this aggression is determined. The most important thing is to increase
pressure on Armenia as an aggressor country. Otherwise, Armenia will
continue ignoring the decisions of international organizations. It
will not fulfill them either.”

OSCE Secretary General appreciated the relations between Azerbaijan
and OSCE. Continuing status quo on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can
not continue. It must be changed, he said.

Zannier has also expressed concern about the events occurring at
the contact line of the troops. He stressed the OSCE has prepared a
proposal to strengthen monitoring at the contact line and withdraw
snipers.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

TURKEY’S ROLE IMPORTANT IN SETTLEMENT OF DECADES-LONG NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Today’s Zaman
July 8 2012
Turkey

Turkey’s role in the settlement of the decades-long Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict between Turkey’s closest ally, Azerbaijan, and its estranged
neighbor Armenia is very important, an Azerbaijani official has said,
pointing out that the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh should predate
the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border.

“Reconciliation and the opening of borders between Turkey and Armenia
can be a subject of discussion only after the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Orkhan Akbarov, the newly appointed chair
of the Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh Coordination Council,
said in an interview with Sunday’s Zaman.

Commenting on Turkey’s firm stance in the process of settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Akbarov said that Turkey taking a stand
in not opening the Turkish-Armenian border already proves Turkey’s
position and its support for brother country Azerbaijan.

Turkey and Azerbaijan are considered “brotherly countries” due to
their ethnic kinship, a fact that led Turkey to close its border with
Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with Azerbaijan after Armenian armed
forces occupied territories of Azerbaijan one year earlier.

“Turkey’s continuing support for Azerbaijan and its consistent
statements that it regards settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as
a precondition for the revival of diplomatic relations between Turkey
and Armenia makes Turkey’s position clear,” Akbarov said, expressing
his belief that Turkey will continue to support Azerbaijan on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Armenia, which started a war with Azerbaijan during the breakup of
the Soviet Union and occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory,
including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent provinces, argues
that Turkey has no say in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as it is
not one of the sides to the conflict. However, Turkey has always
backed Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, declaring itself
to be on Azerbaijan’s side and standing by Azerbaijan in Azerbaijan’s
legitimate and constructive position in the settlement of the conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave located within Azerbaijan predominantly
populated by ethnic Armenians, together with seven Azeri-populated
adjacent territories, was occupied by Armenian forces under the
command of current Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan in a bloody
six-year war (1988-1994), leaving 30,000 dead and nearly a million
displaced. Since then, negotiations to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict have been continuing under the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, established in 1992. The
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict however remains stalemated as there has been
no progress in negotiations. The talks under the OSCE Minsk Group have
yet to yield any results, as both Azerbaijan and Armenia insist on
conditions that are not acceptable to the other. Armenia demands the
independence of Nagorno-Karabakh and refuses to withdraw its troops
from the occupied territories before ensuring the full sovereignty
of the region. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan insists on the upholding of its
territorial integrity, promising it will be open to discussion as
well as determination of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh after the
withdrawal the troops from its territories.

Commenting on the stalemate, Akbarov accuses Russia and France of not
being willing parties in settling the conflict. “As Russia does not
approach the settlement process constructively and France maintains a
pro-Armenian stance in the negotiations, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
remains unsettled for the time being,” Akbarov said, adding that
Turkey’s inclusion as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group would be
important. “To have a balance in the [OSCE Minsk] group is necessary
and I think, if the member countries come together to cooperate with
Turkey as co-chair of the group, it will help the Nagorno-Karabakh to
find its best solution ever,” Akbarov said, underlining that Turkey’s
inclusion in the Minsk Group would lead to a peaceful solution to
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict being finally found.

Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks have been conducted under the auspices
of the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the US, France and Russia.

ANKARA COOL TO FRENCH MOVE ON ‘GENOCIDE’

Hurriyet Daily News
July 9 2012
Turkey

Ankara remains calm and cool-headed after French President confirms
plans for a new law criminalizing the denial of Armenian genocide
allegations.

French President Francois Hollande’s promise to the strong Armenian
diaspora to pass a law penalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide
is seen an attempt to alleviate their concerns in the wake of the
normalization of ties between Ankara and Paris.

“We pay more attention to the statement of French Foreign Minister
Laurent Fabius,” a Turkish foreign ministry official said yesterday,
obviously referring to a meeting between the two countries’ foreign
ministers on July 5 in Paris. The meeting between Fabius and Ahmet
Davutoglu marked a new beginning between the two allies after their
relations ruined during Nicholas Sarkozy’s presidency.

During the joint press conference, Fabius recalled that earlier
attempt to penalize the denial of the genocide was annulled by the
French Constitutional Council and severely hurt bilateral relations.

He added that a fresh attempt at the Parliament would mean
re-experiencing these bitter times.

Hollande confirmed on July 7 plans for a new law criminalizing denial
of the Armenian genocide allegations, showing the rift between Elysee
and the Cabinet. Hollande’s conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy
had pushed ahead with a bill to criminalize denial of the Armenian
genocide allegations, which passed the National Assembly in December
2011, but was canceled by a top constitutional court.

MINISTER VIEWS IRAN-ARMENIA TIES AS “ROLE MODEL” FOR NEIGHBORING STATES

Fars News Agency
July 9 2012
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar lauded
the close and age-old ties between Iran and Armenia, and stressed
that the friendly relations between the two neighboring states have
set a role model for the other countries.

“The friendly relations between Iran and Armenia are rooted in the
two nations’ old civilization and can be a capital for the further
deepening of ties and establishment of brilliant relations and set a
role model for the other neighboring countries,” Mohammad Najjar said,
speaking to reporters prior to his visit to Yerevan this morning.

“Fortunately the two countries’ relations are very vast, friendly
and durable and the two states’ authorities are determined to promote
all-out ties. The two nations, too, enjoy historical interests, good
neighborliness and the political, economic and social ties are very
well,” the Iranian minister added.

Reiterating that nothing can undermine the two countries’ relations,
the Iranian minister said, “In addition, Iran and Armenia’s borders
are borders of peace and stability. People of the two countries have
a positive look at each other.”

In similar remarks on Sunday, Iranian Deputy Interior Minister for
Security and Law Enforcement Affairs Ali Abdollahi had said that Iran
and Armenia plan to further increase mutual cooperation in security,
counter-terrorism and anti-narcotics fields.

Abdollahi further expressed Iran’s readiness to transfer its experience
to neighboring countries such as Armenia in the fields of training
police forces and fighting drugs, terrorism and organized crimes.

Iran has long taken various diplomatic initiatives to expand its ties
with the neighboring states.

In recent years, Iran and its Northern neighbor Armenia have boosted
cooperation, signed agreements on energy cooperation and agreed to
cooperate in technology and research and to enhance ties in commerce
and economy.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sargsian pledged in December 2011 to further expand “high-level
relations” between their nations and, in particular, give new impetus
to the implementation of joint energy projects that have fallen
behind schedule.

Updated News
July 8 2012

French President Hollande vows new Armenia `genocide law’

French President Francois Hollande has said he plans a new law to
punish denial that the 1915-16 killing of Armenians was genocide.

A previous law approved by the French parliament was struck down in
February by the Constitutional Council, which said it infringed
freedom of speech.

Turkey rejects the term `genocide’ for the deaths of Armenians in
during their deportation by the Ottoman Empire.

The issue has strained Franco-Turkish relations in recent years.

Mr Hollande’s predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy had also ordered his
government to draft a new law after the old one was struck down.

`Francois Hollande has again expressed his willingness to propose a
bill designed to curb the denial of the Armenian genocide, as he had
said during his campaign and even before,’ the Coordinating Council of
Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF) told the AFP news agency.

A delegation from the CCAF will meet Mr Hollande before the end of the
month to discuss what form the new law would take, French media
reports say.

On Thursday, remarks by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius during
a meeting with his Turkish counterpart appeared to indicate that the
Constitutional Council’s ruling would make it impossible to take up
the issue again.

However, Mr Hollande’s office said on Saturday: `The president
expressed his commitments during the campaign. He will keep them.

`We must find a path, a road that allows for a text that is consistent
with the constitution.’

Tragic bond

The vote on the previous bill in January spurred angry protests in
both in Paris and Ankara. The Turkish government suspended political
and military co-operation with France.

The Turkish government argues that judging what happened in eastern
Turkey in 1915-16 should be left to historians, and that the new
French law would have restricted freedom of speech.

Armenia says up to 1.5 million people died in 1915-16 as the Ottoman
empire split. Turkey has said the number of deaths was much smaller.

The killings are regarded as the seminal event of modern Armenian
history, a tragic bond uniting one of the world’s most dispersed
peoples.

Among the other states which formally recognise them as genocide are
Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Russia and Uruguay. The UK,
US, Israel and others use different terminology.

France is home to an estimated 500,000 ethnic Armenians while about
550,000 Turkish citizens also live in the country.

Agence France Presse
7 juillet 2012 samedi 9:14 AM GMT

Génocide arménien : des responsables de la communauté en France crient
à la “trahison”

PARIS 7 juil 2012

Les déclarations de Laurent Fabius sur une “nouvelle étape” des
relations entre Paris et Ankara ont été qualifiées samedi de
“trahison” par des représentants de la communauté arménienne de
France.

Après s’être entretenu jeudi avec son homologue turc, le chef de la
diplomatie française a semblé exclure l’adoption prochaine par la
France d’une nouvelle loi punissant la négation des génocides, dont
celui des Arméniens, après la censure par le Conseil constitutionnel
d’un texte voté en ce sens en fin d’année dernière par l’Assemblée
nationale.

“Sauf déclaration rapide du chef de l’Etat, il s’agit là d’une
trahison” a déclaré à l’AFP Ara Toranian, président du Conseil de
coordination des organisations arméniennes.

“Avant son élection, François Hollande s’était engagé en faveur d’une
telle loi, à plusieurs reprises, sans ambiguïté”, a-t-il dit. “Cette
déclaration de Laurent Fabius est en contradiction totale avec les
engagements du nouveau président de la République”.

“Si c’est exact, c’est une félonie, une honte pour la France, pour la
démocratie et pour la politique”, a-t-il ajouté. “Comme d’habitude,
entre les Arméniens qui ne représentent rien si ce n’est leur mémoire
et un état turc négationniste qui vient avec son carnet de commandes,
ses pressions et son chantage, il semble que l’état socialiste ait
choisi la voie du cynisme.”

Sur le site internet “armenews.com”, le journaliste Krikor Amirzayan
écrivait samedi : “La France abandonne ses promesses et lche les
Arméniens”.

“A moins d’un retournement spectaculaire de la situation, les
Arméniens seront une nouvelle fois sacrifiés sur l’autel des intérêts
entre Etats et de la loi du plus fort”.

Pour illustrer son article, un dessin représente le palais de l’Elysée
d’où s’élève une bulle de dialogue qui dit : “On bloque la loi sur la
pénalisation du négationnisme du génocide arménien… Combien d’Airbus
vous commandez ?”

Après le vote d’un texte par l’Assemblée nationale en fin d’année
dernière réprimant la négation du génocide arménien sous l’empire
ottoman (1915-1917), nié depuis toujours par la Turquie, Ankara avait
annoncé la suspension de sa coopération politique et militaire avec la
France. Ce texte de loi avait par la suite été censuré par le Conseil
constitutionnel.

Le Conseil “a décidé que la proposition de loi qui avait été présentée
par les parlementaires (de la précédente majorité de droite) était
contraire à notre Constitution donc il n’est pas possible de reprendre
le même chemin sinon le résultat sera évidemment le même”, avait noté
jeudi M. Fabius.

France 24
7 juillet 2012

François Hollande confirme un prochain texte de loi sur le génocide arménien

Le président français a confirmé son intention de proposer une
nouvelle loi pénalisant la négation du génocide des Arméniens par les
Turcs en 1915. À la fin de février, un texte sur la question avait été
invalidé par le Conseil constitutionnel. Par Dépêche (texte) AFP –
François Hollande a confirmé samedi son intention de proposer une
nouvelle loi pénalisant la négation du génocide arménien en
s’adressant à des représentants de cette communauté qui redoutaient un
revirement après les propos de Laurent Fabius sur la relation
franco-turque.

“Le président a fait part de ses engagements pendant la campagne. Il
les tiendra”, a indiqué l’Elysée à l’AFP en confirmant un échange
téléphonique dans la journée entre François Hollande et un
représentant du Conseil de coordination des organisations arméniennes
de France (CCAF). Le chef de l’Etat a “toujours la volonté de proposer
un projet de loi visant à réprimer le négationnisme du génocide
arménien”, selon un communiqué du CCAF publié dans l’après-midi
rapportant cet échange.

“Pour couper court à toutes les rumeurs consécutives aux déclarations
de Laurent Fabius qui a semblé remettre en cause l’engagement de
François Hollande de proposer une nouvelle loi de pénalisation du
négationnisme, le Président de la République a téléphoné ce (samedi)
matin à M. Franck Papazian (coprésident du CCAF) pour lui confirmer qu
il n’avait pas changé d’avis sur le sujet”, indiquait le communiqué du
CCAF.

“François Hollande a de nouveau fait part de sa volonté de proposer un
projet de loi visant à réprimer le négationnisme du génocide arménien,
ainsi qu’il l’avait dit durant sa campagne et même bien avant. Le
président devrait recevoir avant la fin du mois une délégation du CCAF
pour envisager les modalités de la mise en place d’un tel texte”,
selon le communiqué.

Sollicitée par l’AFP, la présidence de la République a confirmé en
début de soirée cet échange téléphonique.

“Le président a fait part de ses engagements pendant la campagne. Il
les tiendra”, a fait valoir l’Elysée, “il n’y a aucune modification
même s’il faut trouver une chemin, une route qui permette d’avoir une
texte compatible avec la Constitution”.

Les représentants de la communauté arménienne de France avaient fait
part de leurs inquiétudes et parlé même de “trahison” après les
déclarations du ministre des Affaires étrangères Laurent Fabius
évoquant une “nouvelle étape” des relations entre Paris et Ankara.

Après s’être entretenu jeudi avec son homologue turc, le chef de la
diplomatie française avait semblé exclure l’adoption prochaine par la
France d’une nouvelle loi punissant la négation des génocides, dont
celui des Arméniens, après la censure par le Conseil constitutionnel
d’un texte voté en ce sens fin 2011 par l’Assemblée nationale.

Cette instance “a décidé que la proposition de loi qui avait été
présentée par les parlementaires (de la précédente majorité de droite)
était contraire à notre Constitution donc il n’est pas possible de
reprendre le même chemin sinon le résultat sera évidemment le même”,
avait constaté M. Fabius.

“Sauf déclaration rapide du chef de l’Etat, il s’agit là d’une
trahison” avait réagi auprès de l’AFP le président du CCAF Ara
Toranian, rappelant qu’avant son élection M. Hollande s’était engagé
en faveur d’une telle loi “à plusieurs reprises, sans ambiguïté”.

I Will Honor My Promise, Says French President

by Armenian Weekly
July 7, 2012

PARIS, France – French president François Hollande has reaffirmed his
commitment to reintroduce a draft law penalizing the denial of
genocides, following an announcement by his foreign minister that such
a law would not be resurrected.

Francois Hollande
During a phone conversation with ARF leader and CCAF co-president
Mourad Papazian, Hollande said he does not break his promises.

Earlier this week, foreign minister Laurent Fabius had dismissed the
genocide denial law during a meeting with his Turkish counterpart
Ahmet Davutoglu.

During his presidential campaign Hollande had vowed that he would
personally draft a similar law and shepherd its passage.

In April, Hollande said he would make sure that a new law is drafted
with `utmost legal security’ in order to ensure its approval by the
country’s highest court. `We can no longer commit an imprecision that
would again leave us with the impossibility of having the text
validated,’ he said.