CORPSE FOUND IN APARTMENT IN ARMENIA
news.am
May 22, 2012 | 18:40
YEREVAN. – An alarm was received at 2.11 p.m. in Yerevan on Tuesday
that the owner of the apartment does not respond to phone calls and
door bells and rescuers are required.
The rescuers arrived at the site and opened the door, Armenian Ministry
of Emergency Situations informs Armenian News-NEWS.am. The 46-year-old
landowner Sedrak Safaryan’s corpse was found inside. No information
is available on death circumstances.
BAKU RIGHTS ABUSES FOCUS OF NEW WEB SITE
asbarez
Monday, May 21st, 2012
Opposition demonstrator being dragged by Azeri police (photo by
Reuters)
The International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (the
IPGA), coordinated by Article 19, has launched its Web site,
AzerbaijanFreeXpression.org, and Facebook and Twitter profiles ahead
of this week’s Eurovision Song Competition, which will commence in
Baku on Tuesday, announced Reporters Without Borders.
Looking behind the glitz of Eurovision, the IPGA website examines
the alarming freedom of expression situation in Azerbaijan, where
journalists and others face blackmail, intimidation, violence, and
imprisonment for expressing critical views.
As the stage is set for the 57th Eurovision Song Contest, which
will take place this week in Baku, the Azerbaijani authorities are
working hard to promote a positive image abroad. But at home they
are severely restricting the right to freedom of expression and other
fundamental freedoms.
“As Eurovision approaches, our new website shows that the freedom
of expression situation in Azerbaijan continues to worsen”, said
Article 19 Executive Director, Agnès Callamard. “The broadcast media
is completely dominated by the state, leaving no room for independent
voices. The organizer of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union,
must end its policy of silence and hold the Azerbaijani authorities
accountable for their freedom of expression violations.”
“With seven journalists behind bars, Azerbaijan is among the top 10
global jailers of the press,” said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program
Coordinator Nina Ognianova. “This crackdown comes in the run-up to the
Eurovision Song Contest, which will gather journalists from more than
40 participating countries and fix the world’s eyes on Azerbaijan. The
significant resources official Baku has poured to polish the country’s
image abroad will be meaningless without implementing systematic
reforms to improve press freedom conditions at home. The immediate
and unconditional release of our colleagues would be a good start.”
“In Azerbaijan, journalists become the targets of violence when
they stand up in the face of pressure from the authorities,” said
Reporters Without Borders Director-General Olivier Basille. “These
attacks have created a climate of intimidation that is all the more
frightening because those responsible enjoy complete impunity. The
murders of two journalists remain unsolved due to a lack of political
will. The authorities must take action now to find their killers and
bring them to justice”.
Along with its Web site, the IPGA is launching its Facebook and
Twitter profiles, through which it will provide regular updates on
freedom of expression developments in Azerbaijan.
AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS ANTI-AZERBAIJANI CAMPAIGN IN IRAN
Trend
May 22 2012
Azerbaijan
The Azerbaijani parliament has strongly condemned the anti-Azerbaijani
propaganda which started recently in Iran.
MP from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Mubariz Gurbanli,
touching upon the Eurovision contest, expressed regret that the
Armenian lobby and some Iranian circles are opposed to holding the
contest in Baku.
“We condemn those who organise these anti-Azerbaijani rallies in Iran.
This is a country which calls itself an Islamic one, shouldn’t maintain
friendly relations with Armenia, which sheds the blood of Muslims,
but still continues to be friends. Therefore, I believe that the
rally held by the patriotic Azerbaijani youth of in front of the
Iranian Embassy in Baku, was justified,” Gurbanli said.
The MP also stressed that Iran, being in solidarity with the
country-aggressor Armenia, poses a threat to the security of the
region.
“These actions of Tehran are contrary to the documents signed with
Iran. In addition, Iran has now withdrawn its ambassador from Baku,”
he said. “Recall of an ambassador always has a negative impact on
bilateral relations,” he added.
The Iranian side continues to interfere in the internal affairs of
Azerbaijan, MP Ganira Pashayeva said. She said those in Iran, who
say that the Eurovision contest is contrary to Islam, did not react
on the 20th anniversary of Shusha’s occupation by Armenians.
Public figures that use religious rhetoric as a cover for their
anti-Azerbaijani statements have not reacted to the murder of
Azerbaijanis in Shusha and the destruction by the Armenians in this
city of monuments of Islamic culture, the deputy said.
“No state has a right to interfere in the internal affairs of
Azerbaijan,” she said.
The MP also recalled the arrest of two Azerbaijani poets in Iran and
noted that there is still no information about their arrest. At the
same time she expressed her indignation with the facts when people
travelling for treatment in Iran are taken hostage and exchanged for
smugglers arrested with drugs.
FOREIGN MINISTRY: NATO CHICAGO STATEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFIRMS MORE SUPPORT FOR AZERBAIJAN
Trend
May 22 2012
Azerbaijan
The NATO statement on Nagorno-Karabakh made at the Chicago Summit
has confirmed the support of yet another international organisation
for Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman
Abdullayev said.
“The fact that the statement was signed by major international
players indicates strong support for Azerbaijan’s just cause in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Abdullayev said.
He said the 47th paragraph of the statement indicates support for
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
NATO called on the parties of protracted regional conflicts in South
Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova to avoid steps that undermine
regional security and stability, a declaration of the North Atlantic
Alliance adopted following the Chicago Summit, says.
According to the declaration, the persistence of protracted regional
conflicts in South Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova continues to
be a matter of great concern for NATO.
‘We remain committed in our support of the territorial integrity,
independence, and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the
Republic of Moldova and will also continue to support efforts towards
a peaceful settlement of these regional conflicts, based upon these
principles and the norms of international law, the United Nations
Charter and the Helsinki Final Act’, the declaration says.
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 the 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.
AZERBAIJANI SPEAKER: ANTI-AZERBAIJANI CAMPAIGN IN IRAN RUN BY ARMENIANS
Trend
May 22 2012
Azerbaijan
The ongoing anti-Azerbaijani campaign in Iran is managed by Armenians,
Azerbaijani Parliamentary Speaker Ogtay Asadov said on Tuesday at a
meeting of the parliament.
Prior to such campaigns in Iran, Armenian websites, as a rule,
post announcements. And it says that such campaigns in Iran are run
by Armenians.
“A few years ago at a meeting with Iran’s official representative, I
asked to clarify to whom an item in the Constitution of Iran to assist
the weaker countries applies for. Is it written for Armenia?” I asked.
I was told that it is taken from the Koran. Then I asked whether
the Koran says that it is necessary to help Muslim countries?” the
speaker said.
The speaker also expressed his attitude to the actions of the
opposition in Baku in the days of Eurovision. He said this intention
of the opposition shows its weakness.
Deputy Speaker Bahar Muradova, explaining the reasons for the
anti-Azerbaijani campaign in Iran, said Azerbaijan’s dynamic
development scares some forces in the neighboring country, and makes
them fear that Azerbaijan’s example will be contagious for the 30
million Azerbaijanis living in Iran, and these people will also want
to live in a secular country.
“We are the country that does not change its position for the sake
of interest and events, that’s why Azerbaijan has so many enemies,”
Muradova said.
MP Azay Guliyev said that rather than solve its problems, Iran has
chosen Azerbaijan as a target which deserves condemnation.
The MP also stressed that the most unpleasant thing is that some
Azerbaijanis living in Tabriz are involved in the anti-Azerbaijani
campaign.
“I urge all of our brothers and sisters in Tabriz not to become a
weapon in the hands of the Iranian regime,” he said.
MP Siyavush Novruzov noted that the Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan
was appointed to strengthen relations between the two countries. But
what an incident: a plate on the embassy says only ‘Embassy of Iran”,
but a host country is not specified.
MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev focused on another aspect of the
anti-Azerbaijani campaign.
“It is strange that in Iran boys are more under supervision, while
in other countries this refers to the girl,” he said.
He recalled that Iran has spread a false report on gay pride parade
in Baku on the eve of Eurovision, but in fact, the MP believes,
if gay pride parade is to be held anywhere, it will be in Iran.
“An official of Iran reported that 25 percent of women in Iran smoke
a hookah. Many women before the marriage lived a “family life”. Such
people have not a right to teach a lesson of morality to Azerbaijan,”
Hasanguliyev said.
The MP also expressed his attitude to the issue of allocation by
the U.S. of funds to the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh. “In
protest it’s necessary to abandon the $ 30 million allocated by the
U.S. for aid to Azerbaijan,” he added.
JORDANIAN AUTHOR’S WORK TRANSLATED INTO ARABIC AFTER A CENTURY
Jordan Times (Amman)
May 22, 2012 Tuesday
by Muath Freij, Jordan Times, Amman
May 22–AMMAN — Researchers and translators are collaborating to
introduce Arab readers to a pioneer Jordanian author by translating
his works into Arabic after almost a century, the Ministry of Culture
said on Monday.
The ministry launched its project to translate and publish the
writings of author, traveller and researcher Aqil Abu Shaar at a
press conference by announcing the publication of one of his novels,
“Jerusalem is Free, Nahlah Olive Branch”, in Arabic.
So far, the ministry has succeeded in collecting three works by
Abu Shaar, said Hazaa Barari, director of publishing and studies at
the ministry.
He said the project is aimed at preserving Jordanian heritage by
collecting Abu Shaar’s writings, which have been practically unknown
to Arab readers.
Barari said the Jordanian author spoke around eight languages including
Spanish, Italian, French and English. But many aspects about his life
and works remain “shrouded in mystery”.
Abu Shaar’s first novel, “The Armenian Girl in Yildiz Palace”, was
written in French and published in 1912 and is now lost, according
to a ministry statement made available to The Jordan Times.
“Jerusalem is Free, Nahlah Olive Branch” was translated from Spanish
by Adnan Kathem.
Researcher Hind Abu Shaar helped the ministry find the novel at
France’s national library, according to Barari.
“Now we are working to translate two other works written in Spanish
and French,” Kathem said.
According to the translated version of the novel, Aqil Abu Shaar spent
his childhood in Jerusalem, where he studied theology. He moved to
Italy where he received a PhD in philosophy and music.
ARMENIA: WHO NEEDS THE COALITION?
Vestnik Kavkaza
May 22 2012
Russia
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to VK
The election processes in Armenia are not finished yet. On May
18th the opposition Armenian National Congress filed a case to
the Constitutional Court and demanded to admit the results of the
elections on May 6th according to the proportional election system
invalid. Action proceedings are dated on May 25th.
According to the law, appointment of the prime minister and composition
of new government should take place in early June.
President appoints the prime minister during consultations with
parliamentary fractions in 10 days after the first session of the
new-elected parliament that is dated on May 31st. There are 2-3 weeks
ahead of the government composition, but there is no clearness in
forming of the ruling coalition, i.e. in the government composition
too. Closed consultations between political forces cause spread of
rumors, which sometimes contradict each other.
Some sources say that Tigran Sarkisyan remains the main candidate
for the position of the government’s head is Tigran Sarkisyan. He is
acceptable for international financial institutes. The other candidate
is relatively pro-Russian figure, the former Yerevan mayor, Karen
Karapetyan. According to some data, Tigran Sarkisyan satisfies the
mentioned institutes, but his low rating within the country concerns
President Serge Sargsyan.
They say that within the Republican Party of Armenia the main
competition is between the ex-speaker Ovik Abramyan and the tandem
of the prime minister Tigran Sarkisyan and the speaker Samvel Nikoyan.
The RPA session held on May 17th didn’t answer the question on who
will work in the parliament and who will work in executive structures.
According to President Sargsyan, the final decision on establishing
the ruling coalition hadn’t been made yet too.
The press secretary of RPA Sharmazanov noted: “Talks on the coalition
have a theoretical nature.” The chairman of the Political Scientists
Union of Armenia, Amayak Ovannisyan, who takes the ninth place in the
proportional list of Prosperous Armenia, said that the issue of forming
the coalition with RPA hadn’t been discussed by Prosperous Armenia:
“The consideration might take place, if we had a certain proposal by
RPA. The coalition could be established, only if RPA admits that the
announced results of the elections do not reflect people’s attitude.”
The chairman of the political council of Prosperous Armenia,
the deputy Naira Zograbyan, a coalition shouldn’t be the aim,
and Prosperous Armenia doesn’t strive for gaining few more ministry
positions. Therefore, both sides have no clear answer to the question
of forming the coalition. Considering the Constitution and political
principles, RPA, which has the majority in the parliament, doesn’t
need the coalition with Prosperous Armenia. 69 mandates out of 131 are
enough for composing the government and be responsible for political
events in the country. Moreover, RPA could propose the union to the
party Orinats Erkir, as it wouldn’t demand a big power slice unlike
Prosperous Armenia. Nevertheless, the post-election processes show
that political consultations between these two people progress slowly.
The reason is the presidential elections in February 2013. Probably
Serge Sargsyan intends to guarantee a wide political support for
himself. Thus, support of all parties, which used to be involved
into the ruling coalition, will mean support of 80%. If Prosperous
Armenia doesn’t join the coalition, it can propose its own candidate
in February elections. As Prosperous Armenia gained 30% in the
parliamentary elections, it might be a problem for Sargsyan.
BAKU ACCUSES ‘ARMENIAN LOBBY’ OF MISINFORMING LAWMAKERS IN U.S. CALLING FOR KARABAKH INDEPENDENCE
Interfax
May 21 2012
Russia
Attempts by the so-called Armenian lobby to deceive American lawmakers
once again will not be successful, and Azerbaijan will curb all such
attempts, Azeri Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev said.
“Azerbaijan will resolutely curb all attempts by the Armenian lobby
to misinform the international community. We will always curb such
actions,” Abdullayev said at a news conference on Friday.
“The U.S. leadership’s position is clear: it supports our country’s
territorial integrity, and therefore such actions by the Armenian
lobby do not matter. This will not cause us to lose heart, and we
will continue to inform the international community about Azerbaijan’s
fair position in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Abdullayev
said in commenting on a question regarding a resolution by the Rhode
Island House of Representatives calling on the U.S. president and
Congress to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence.
BEHIND THE SCENES IN AZERBAIJAN
BY: John Woodhouse
The Sentinel (Stoke)
May 21, 2012 Monday
Edition 1; National Edition
TV preview By John Woodhouse Panorama: Eurovision’s Dirty Secret
BBC1, 8.30pm
YOU might have been wondering what that buzz in the air is as at the
moment, that crackle of excitement and expectation. Well, the answer
is clear – this weekend it’s the Eurovision Song Contest, an event
which knocks the Olympics, the Jubilee, and even Pippa Middleton’s
bottom into a cocked hat.
With days to go, Panorama goes undercover inside host country
Azerbaijan to discover the truth about this secretive nation and its
approach to the most watched non-sporting event (excluding London
riots). The programme discovers how in Azerbaijan the contest has been
used as a tool of intimidation. Viewers have been interrogated for
voting for the nation”s long-term enemy, Armenia. A protest singer
has been told to flee before Eurovision or he’ll be thrown in jail.
And dozens have had their homes bulldozed to make way for the
Eurovision venue itself. To make matters worse, they’ve now got to
entertain Engelbert Humperdinck, pictured.
The U.S. embassy in Baku has compared Azerbaijan’s ruling family to
the Mafia. The regime has held on to power through a combination of
rigged elections, jailing opponents, and by irregular control of the
country”s vast oil wealth. So, why host the event in Azerbaijan?
Well, it is of course traditional for the winner of the previous
year’s contest to stage the next one. And Azerbaijan wiped the floor
in 2011 with the song Running Scared – I think they were trying to
tell us something.
IRANIAN MEDIA: ALIYEV LOST IN ‘GAMBLING’ AND IN POLITICS
Panorama.am
21/05/2012
Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan lost both in “gambling” and in politics,
Iranian news site “arannews.ir” said.
“Ilham Aliyev has not been a politician. He was more famous in
“gambling”. During Heydar Aliyev’s presidency in 1996 Ilham lost a
large sum in a casino in Istanbul, he was taken as a hostage, which
made his father to send a delegation to free his son,” the report said.
The Iranian media writes if in 1996 Aliyev was gamblers’ hostage,
now he is a hostage of Israel’s policy. “Who will free Ilham Aliyev
from Israel hostage this time?”