Author: Karagyozian Lena

A1plus
| 17:36:15 | 15-04-2005 | Social |
`ITALIAN’ TREES IN ARMENIA
The quantity of the threes growing in Armenia increased today. The Italian
Ambassador to Armenia, Marco Clemente planted a ceremonial tree in Malatsia
Sebastia Community. The place was decided proceeding from the fact that the
`Italian-Armenian Meeting Point Park’ was created in this community. The
planting will symbolize the friendly and warm relation between Armenia and
Italy.
By the way, the Italian Embassy in Armenia and ATP have organized and
carried out similar joint tree plantings in 2001, 2002 and 2004. This
activity resulted in the establishment of the first unprecedented `Italian
Armenian Meeting Point Park’. Since 2001 four tree plantings have taken
place in this area. More than 200 fruit and decorative trees have survived
due to the high 90% survival rate ATP achieves today.
The park was inaugurated on December 1 of 2004. And already in 2005 the
grounds are fulfilled with more than 40 indigenous tree-species and
blossoming shrubs, which were transported directly form the ATP nurseries to
beautify this unique community site
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Newsday, NY
April 15 2005
Suspected arms smuggler heads to court
BY PATRICIA HURTADO
STAFF WRITER
A man suspected of conspiring to import weapons into the United
States has been arrested by FBI agents in Armenia and is slated to be
presented before a Manhattan federal court judge Saturday morning,
officials said Friday.
The man, Armen Barseghyan, was brought to New York on a flight to
Kennedy Airport Friday, said sources, who spoke on the condition of
anonymity.
Barseghyan is just the latest individual to be charged in an ongoing
case that was announced last month by the office of U.S. Attorney
David Kelley in Manhattan. In that case, 18 men were charged with
attempting to import military weapons, including surface-to-air
missiles, into the United States and sell them to a confidential
informant who was posing as an arms buyer working for al-Qaida.
Kelley said at the time that when he announced those charges that the
defendants claimed to have various sources for their weaponry,
including individuals in Armenia, Chechnya and the Georgian Republic,
as well as former members of the Soviet Union’s secret police known
as the KGB.
Investigators also announced at the time that they had seized a
variety of deadly weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades and
AK-47s. Anti-tank weapons were also promised in future shipments,
officials said.
Kelley said his office was working with federal law enforcement
officials overseas to disrupt the pipeline and identify others
involved in the importation of these weapons.
Friday, Herb Hadad, a spokesman for Kelley, confirmed Barseghyan’s
arrest and his presentment Saturday but declined further comment on
the charges against Barseghyan.

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief
===============================================
Friday 15 April 2005
NAGORNO-KARABAKH: BEATING AND 12 DAY IMPRISONMENT FOR BAPTIST SOLDIER
Forum 18 News Service has been unable to reach V. Davidov, commanding
officer of the unit in Hadrut of the army of the unrecognised
Nagorno-Karabakh republic where Baptist conscript Gagik Mirzoyan was
beaten and detained for more than ten days in early April before being
transferred to an unknown location. Mirzoyan “is being persecuted for
preaching the Gospel and because they found several Christian calendars in
his possession,” his relatives and friends told Forum 18 after
meeting him at the unit just before his transfer. Mirzoyan has been
threatened with a two year prison sentence.
NAGORNO-KARABAKH: BEATING AND 12 DAY IMPRISONMENT FOR BAPTIST SOLDIER
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
Baptist conscript Gagik Mirzoyan – who is conducting unarmed service
in the army of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh republic – has been beaten
and punished with more than ten days in detention since the beginning of
April for sharing his faith with other soldiers and possessing several
Christian calendars, his relatives and friends told Forum 18 News Service
from Nagorno-Karabakh on 14 April. Before being transferred to an unknown
location, he was threatened with a prison sentence of two years.
Forum 18 has been unable to reach V. Davidov, commanding officer of
Mirzoyan’s former unit in Nagorno-Karabakh’s south-eastern Hadrut region,
to find out why he ordered or allowed one of his troops to be beaten and
detained merely for expressing his faith and possessing religious
calendars.
Forum 18 also tried to find out from the defence ministry why Mirzoyan has
been punished, but an official at the ministry told Forum 18 from the
capital Stepanakert on 15 April that the minister, General Seyran Ohanyan,
was out of the office and that no-one else was immediately available.
Telephones also went unanswered at Nagorno-Karabakh’s foreign ministry.
On 11 April relatives and friends went to military unit 42009 in Hadrut to
see Mirzoyan after hearing that he had been beaten and given ten days’
detention at the guardhouse. “When we got there he had already been
held under arrest for twelve days but still had not been freed,” they
told Forum 18. They reported that when they were able to see Mirzoyan the
“results of beatings” were visible on his face. Military
personnel at the base told the visitors that Mirzoyan would be freed the
following day, 12 April, and they would then be able to talk to him.
Despite these promises, Mirzoyan continued to be detained and during the
day was threatened by the head of the unit’s political department and by
an official of the prosecutor’s office that a case against him would be
drawn up, handed to the prosecutor’s office and he would be sentenced to
two years’ imprisonment. Forum 18 has been unable to discover what charges
are being or might be levelled against Mirzoyan.
“Through the grace of God we were later able to have a ten-minute
meeting with brother Gagik and discovered that he is being persecuted for
preaching the Gospel and because they found several Christian calendars in
his possession,” his relatives and friends told Forum 18. “Now he
has been taken away to an unknown destination and they are not saying where
he is and what has happened to him.”
Mirzoyan was called up in December 2004. After refusing to serve with
weapons and swear the military oath because of his faith he was beaten and
pressured by the commander of the unit to which he was transferred and Fr
Petros Yezegyan, the unit’s Armenian Apostolic military chaplain. Both the
defence minister, General Ohanyan, and Fr Yezegyan emphatically denied to
Forum 18 that Mirzoyan had been beaten.
The army later agreed that Mirzoyan could serve in a non-combat role and
he was transferred to the unit in Hadrut region.
Nagorno-Karabakh has no provision for alternative service for those who
have religious or other conscientious objections to participating in the
armed forces. On 16 February a court in Stepanakert handed down a
four-year prison term to Areg Hovhanesyan, a Jehovah’s Witness who had
refused to serve because of his faith but had expressed a willingness to
perform an alternative civilian service (see F18News 22 February 2005
).
A printer-friendly map of the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh is
available at
;Rootmap=azerba
within the map titled ‘Azerbaijan’.
(END)
© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855
You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News
Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at

PRESS RELEASE
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – Lebanon
David Barsamian lectures at Haigazian University:
Breaking Media Monopoly
“Information is central for a good functioning Democracy” said
Mr. Barsamian, an American freethinking activist, founder and director of
“Alternative Radio” that broadcast independent and award winning weekly
series, based in Boulder, Colorado,
During a lecture organized by the Heritage Club, on April the
5th , 2005 at Haigazian University, David Barsamian introduced the audience
with the mechanism by which the American Media functions. In fact, 5 big
corporations dominate the US media, which are: AOL, NewsCorp, Disney, GE,
and Viacom. These corporations have direct impact on media agencies, such
as, Time Warner (CNN), Fox, ABC, NBC, and CBS.
Barsamian noted that Information is central for a good
functioning Democracy, and journalism itself needs a broad spectrum of
information, therefore was the need of creating the “Alternative Radio”, a
medium to provide a counter narrative to the news broadcasted by these few
news agencies.
Barsamian named several independent news agencies in the
States, which work with small budgets, yet try to present different points
of view from different perspectives, like Indy Media, Community Radio, Free
Speech TV, Democracy Now, South End Press, and Alternative Radio.
Barsamian is a radio producer, journalist, author, and
lecturer. He co-authored several books with Noam Chomsky, Eqbal Ahmad,
Edward Said and others.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri parliament critical of US envoy’s visit to regions
Space TV, Baku
12 Apr 05
[Presenter] MPs subjected the US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Reno
Harnish, to a barrage of criticism at today’s session of the Milli
Maclis [Azerbaijani parliament]. The speaker [Murtuz Alasgarov] said
that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry is investigating the
ambassador’s visit to regions and that everyone would be put in their
place.
[Correspondent over video of the Milli Maclis session] Although the US
ambassador’s visit to Azerbaijani districts and his meetings with
members of the opposition were not on the agenda, they became the main
subject of discussion in the Milli Maclis. The ambassador came in for
heavy criticism from MPs over his meetings with the opposition.
[MP Zahid Oruc] I reckon that the ambassador’s visit to the regions
and his meetings with representatives of several parties against the
general background of the [November 2005 parliamentary] elections are
a reason for criticism.
[Passage omitted: words indistinct]
[Correspondent] Another MP, Rauf Qurbanov, agreed with his colleague
and said that US ambassadors played a major role in all the countries
that recently experienced a revolution. Although the ambassador said
he was visiting the districts to help establish a dialogue between the
authorities and the opposition, he had meetings only with one side –
the opposition, Elman Mammadov also said in protest.
[Passage omitted: Mammadov’s words indistinct]
[Correspondent] Musa Musayev said that the US ambassador has to
clarify the issue.
[Musayev] The US ambassador to Azerbaijan must definitely clarify this
so as to close all these issues. There is actually some concern in
Azerbaijan. Some citizens think that what the ambassador said here may
be the view of the American government.
This is definitely not true, and I believe that if the US embassy has
taken such a stance, it should certainly give it up.
[Correspondent] Qulamhuseyn Alibeyli said that all ambassadors
coordinate all their steps with officials of the country in which they
live. Therefore, criticism should be levelled at the Baku government,
not at the ambassador.
Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said that there are no grounds for
dissatisfaction – no-one will be allowed to meddle in Azerbaijan’s
internal affairs.
[Alasgarov] The Foreign Ministry is dealing with this issue in
earnest. I hope that measures will be taken at the highest level and
no-one will try to change the stability and political system
established in Azerbaijan. There was a velvet revolution in Azerbaijan
in 1993 and [the late] President Heydar Aliyev came to power. That’s
it. Do not expect another velvet revolution in Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] Mais Safarli spoke about another issue. He said that
with the support of the diaspora, the Armenians stridently mark the
anniversary of the false genocide on 24 April every year. We should
respond to this, the MP said.
[Passage omitted: Safarli suggested closer cooperation with the
Turkish parliament to counter the Armenians]
[Correspondent] At today’s session, MP Qulamhuseyn Alibeyli said that
people have been denied freedom of assembly. Alasgarov said that
rallies can be permitted in the run-up to the parliamentary elections.
[Alasgarov] The rallies are not allowed because there was an outrage,
arbitrariness, state property was damaged and so on. So let the
radical opposition clean up their act first, consider their conduct
and assess it. I reckon that rallies can be permitted in the run-up to
the parliamentary elections.
[Correspondent] After that, the MPs discussed issues on the agenda.

CODES OF K-TELECOM TO BE 093 AND 094
YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. From May 1 ArmenTel will begin to use new
codes for the entry of the second operator of mobile service –
K-Telecom to the market.
As Press Secretary of the company ArmenTel Hasmik Chutilian informed
ARMINFO, the code of Yerevan will be changed – 10 against present 1,
and for the call to a subscriber of K-Telecom – 093 and 094. The codes
of the populated areas of Armenia will also be changed – figure of two
is added to presently acting codes. For example, the code for town of
Abovian will be 222 against present 22, Armavir – 237 against 37, and
so on. Towns of Gyumri, Vanadzor and all the populated areas of the
Lori region are an exception.

AZG Armenian Daily #064, 12/04/2005
Home
ASSYRIAN COMMUNITY OF ARMENIA CELEBRATES NEW YEAR
The first day of spring, April 1 the Assyrians spread throughout the world
celebrated the New Year. This was 6755th according to the Assyrian
chronology. At present, about 6000 Assyrians are living in Dvin, Arzni or
Dimitrov. Recently, thanks to the initiative of the Iraqi Assyrian Eastern
Church, Isahak Tamraz, a young and educated person, was appointed the
spiritual leader. The Assyrian community of Armenia is experiencing a
revival thanks to his efforts. The community already has St. Tovmas Arakial
Church that was built in 1828. RA government and Hranoush Kharatian,
chairwoman of Special Community of National Minorities’ Issues, assisted the
community in organization of cultural events. In particular, the community
can deliver lectures on Assyrian language and literature, as well as classes
of national traditions for the young Assyrians. The community received a lot
and a semi-built building for opening a kindergarten and a school. The heads
of the Assyrian Communities of the US, France, Great Britain and Iraq,
displayed interest in the life of their compatriots in Armenia that consider
the Republic of Armenia their second homeland.
Meanwhile on April 1, the young Assyrian artists performed national dances
and music in the hall of the cultural center of the Assyrian Dvin village.
Government members, political, national and cultural figures, Armenians and
Assyrians from abroad, members of the local Assyrian community were present
at the New Year celebration. Congratulating the Assyrian New Year, Hranoush
Kharatian, wished them success and new achievements and realization of the
national goals.
By Hamo Moskofian in Dvin

Turkish Daily News
April 10 2005
Diplomats’ declaration on the Armenian claims
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Opinion by Yüksel Söylemez
The Retired Ambassadors’ Group was formed in Ankara in 2001 and
since then has met monthly for luncheons at Ankara Palace’s State
Guest House. Our intention is to foster togetherness and solidarity
among Turkish and foreign colleagues. We are neither an association
nor a foundation, but an independent professional organization.
The Ankara Group invites chiefs of mission from the Ankara
diplomatic corps as guest speakers on matters of mutual interest,
enhancing friendships and taking advantage of their professional
experience. Last year a one-day symposium on the future of European
Union-Turkey relations organized by us generated much interest.
Upon the initiative of the Ankara chapter and with the support of
our Istanbul counterparts, we agreed on a declaration written by the
Working Group committee, announced on March 25, 2005, which countered
Armenian claims of genocide. We issued this statement to enlighten
international public opinion and contribute to friendship and peace
between Turks and Armenians.
The full text reads as follows:
`According to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide dated December 9, 1948, genocide
is a crime under international law which only real persons can
commit. Only a competent tribunal can determine whether genocide has
been committed. The tribunal is either the tribunal of the state in
the territories of which the acts were allegedly committed or an
international penal tribunal having jurisdiction with respect to
those contracting parties that have accepted it as such.
“The tribunal in charge should recognize the defendant’s right to
defend himself and accordingly examine the case to determine if a
crime has been committed. Without the existence of a decision by the
tribunal, the crime of genocide cannot be established ‘de jure’ and a
genocide claim cannot be put forward or otherwise supported on legal
grounds.
“No national parliament, no national senate, local or municipal
council, no individual or association, none of the organs of
international or regional organizations or an undesignated court ‘in
lieu’ of a competent court, can have the power to decide on a
genocide claim, including whether the crime has been committed or
not.
“The aforementioned Genocide Convention is the indivisible part and
parcel of the Turkish legal system. No party or persons should expect
the Turkish Government to disregard this international convention and
its corresponding competent court decision, or to accuse persons with
the crime of genocide, many of whom may not be alive.
“Today not only the Turkish government but also the government of
the United Kingdom have declared publicly through their official
spokesmen that the events of 1915 cannot be described as ‘genocide.’
“Those people who wish to realize genocide claims regarding the
1915 tragedy are devoid of any legal basis, and are now trying to
substantiate their claims from a political standpoint as a form of
‘political genocide.’ Biased views of political bodies and
politicians and their political reasons are self-serving. But it is
categorically unacceptable to allow political prejudices to claim
such a crime.
“The purpose of such a behavior is explicit. The leaders of the
Republic of Armenia, in addition to the Armenian occupied territories
of Azerbaijan, openly designate the eastern Anatolia of Turkey as
‘Western Armenia’ and make no secret of their desire ‘that one day
when conditions are more propitious these lands will become part of
the dream of greater Armenia.’
“Much has been written about the tragic events of 1915, before and
after the decision to relocate Ottoman Armenians to the southeast of
the state. Historic documents show that Armenian militant units lead
by Armenian members of the Ottoman parliament rushed to the eastern
provinces, slaughtering the local Muslim population and leading a
large scale rebellion in the that part of the Ottoman State.
“During the Sevres Conference peace negotiations that took place in
1920, participating Armenians demanded that they should be officially
accorded ‘belligerent party status’ during the First World War. In
light of these realities, those who support Armenian demands cannot
be allowed to interpret certain pages of history incompletely at
their own discretion, at the expense of other pages of history. They
cannot make invalid claims against the Turkish nationals or the
Turkish government.
“The best proof on this subject is the fact that the Allies of the
First World War, which occupied the capital of the defeated Ottoman
Empire, exiled to the island of Malta a group of purported Ottoman
offenders against the Armenians. With full access to all sources and
documents, the Allied officials could not find any clue to condemn
but and declared the exiles innocent of any wrongdoing. Nevertheless,
the Ottoman State itself punished some of those Ottoman exiles as
perpetrators against the Armenians and found them guilty of improper
execution of the rules during the forced relocations.
“There are thousands upon thousands of contradictory documents,
eyewitness accounts, analysis and interpretations. To analyze the
issue in an objective and academic manner is, unfortunately,
obstructed or prevented by Armenian politicians, historians and their
supporters. What they demand is the unquestioned recognition of their
claims.
“It unrealistic to expect the surviving relatives of the victims of
that time period to accept that nothing tragic happened. These events
can in no way be justified. However, it would be imprudent to
overlook some tragedies while mourning others. We believe deep wounds
created by these sad events should not be deepened by acts of terror
or feelings of revenge.
“We need to learn lessons from this sad chapter in history and
prevent feelings of hatred between the Turks and the Armenians, to
start strengthening the natural friendship between the Armenian and
Turkish nations, which have cultural similarities. There is no doubt
that Turkish Armenians can play a part in the building of this bridge
of friendship. At a time when serious efforts are being made to keep
the cultural ties alive between the Turks and the Armenians, certain
parliamentarians and other personalities abroad are against
reconciliation and burdened with political bias or racial disdain.
Their actions, devoid of analysis or legal basis, is in no way
conducive to the desired rapprochement among the Turks and Armenians.
“We sincerely invite international public opinion, in an impartial
way, on the divisions of responsibility about this issue, bearing in
mind the memory of the victims, including 34 innocent Turkish
diplomats mercilessly assassinated decades after 1915.
“Let there be a culture of peace, to replace the unfortunate
culture of hate between some Turks and Armenians.’
On Dec. 17, 2004 at the Asian Strategic Research Center (ASAM) an
important talk took place to meet and listen to Artush Lazarian of
Yerevan, the chief executive officer of the Caucasian Center for
Conflict Prevention and advertised as a former advisor to the
Armenian political leadership at the highest levels. His remarks were
generally well received. I personally shared my positive thoughts and
made a conciliatory offer to close this sad chapter in our common
history by saying: `Let’s bury the past and look forward. Let the
Turks and Armenians shake hands and apologize for our shared pain
once and for all. Let bygones be bygones and end this chapter of
animosity, hate and vindication.’
Lazarian did not respond either positively or negatively. I
presented to him the following questions in writing and offered the
possibility of a full-page interview in the Turkish Daily News. The
answers, which still haven’t reached me, would have provided a better
understanding of Armenian positions and susceptibilities:
`How do you compare Turkish and Armenian cultures and relations
today? What is the trade volume between Turkey and Armenia today?
What are the future prospects? What is the future of
Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, which is considered a key to
Turkish-Armenian relations? To what degree does the Armenian diaspora
influence Armenia and Armenia-Turkey relations? Can the present
situation in Nagorno-Karabakh be resolved? What are the conditions
for a peaceful settlement? How can a climate of mutual confidence be
created and the prejudices be overcome between Armenia and Turkey?
Can Turkey and Armenia apologize at the same time for historic
injustices towards each other and shake hands, to start a clean sheet
for normal relations and diplomatic relations?’
I have an Armenian pen pal in Yerevan whose e-mail to me was
published in the TDN. He wrote following the publication of the
declaration on the ASAM Web site and sadly perpetuated Armenian
territorial claims on eastern Turkey by describing it as Western
Armenia.

Araz Azimov: “Armenia tries to gain extra time by creating tension in borderline”
08 April 2005 [16:33] – Today.Az
“I am sure that the meeting between the leaders of foreign policy
offices of Armenia and Azerbaijan planned to be held on April 14-15
will be realized”.
This was stated to APA by vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Araz Azimov.
He stated that both meetings of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and
the presidents are of great importance.
“In Prague discussions that began in 2004 the maters of eliminating
the results of the conflict, liberation of the territories from armed
forces, restoring the infrastructure, sending the population back to
their homes, establishing normal relations and forming cooperation are
being discussed. Armenia must obey the ceasefire. Regular violation of
ceasefire regime has the purpose of straining the situation. Armenia
wants to use the strained situation as a pretext and get some time. But
losing time is not for the benefit of any side”.

COMMUNITIES ASSOCIATION OF ARMENIA DISCONTENT
A1plus
| 15:18:36 | 09-04-2005 | Politics |
It is obvious that the authorities of the republic intend to combine
the referendum on constitutional amendments with the upcoming elections
to the local self-government bodies in autumn.
The Communities Association of Armenia, whose members initiated a
draft of constitutional amendments still in 1998, considers such
approach to be inadmissible. Board member of the Association, head
of the Armenian delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional
Authorities of Europe, Emin Yeritsyan notes, “The government’s right
express distrust to the elected head of the community or the right
to determine the duration of his office is an example of restricting
clauses of the acting Constitution. They should be withdrawn.”
The Association members are convinced that all the three drafts of the
constitutional amendments imply serious limitations, the most important
of it regarding Yerevan. The Communities Association members hold
the opinion that the Mayor of Yerevan should be an elective person
and a two-tier government should be established.
Some balance of government is secured by the local community
council, which has not been formed in all the communities. «In small
communities this institute is acting while in larger ones it bears a
formal character. It depends on the activity of the given community
and psychology of its residents”, Emin Yeritsyan says.
Some members of the Communities Association consider that the term
of the community head should be fixed on 5 years instead of adopted
3. «The elections are held at the first and last year, thus per
se the head of the community holds the office for a year only»,
Mr. Yeritsyan explains.
The Association has a certain viewpoint as regards to the expression
of distrust to the community head. «I think that the wording
“pre-term suspension of authority” should be used instead of “pre-term
dismissal from office”. The head of the community found himself in
a very interesting situation when being controlled by the society,
the local community council and the government. The latter has the
right to undertake measures in respect of delegated authorities.
To note, the Association considers that the community head should be
empowered to apply to the Constitutional Court.
By Lena Badeyan
–Boundary_(ID_p80kLsbxBQFOj0vBdJGvRg)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress