Author: Karapetian Hovik

TURKISH JOURNALIST: TURKEY SHOULD NOT OPEN BORDERS WITH ARMENIA UNLESS NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT IS SOLVED

APA
Feb 23 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Nazakat Mashadialigizi – APA. At the invitation of
editor-in-chief of Zaman-Azerbaijan newspaper Enes Cansever,
representatives of Turkish media arrived in Azerbaijan on the occasion
of the 17th anniversary of Khojaly tragedy.

APA’s west bureau reports that on the initiative of parliamentarian
Ganira Pashayeva the delegation has today visited border villages
of Tovuz region. The guests visited Martyrs’ Alley in the center
of the region and Hajalli and Aghdam villages of Tovuz bordering on
Armenia. They were told that Armenia often violated ceasefire, posed
threat to civilians, schools and houses and burned the cemetery and
sacred places.

Correspondent of Aksiyon magazine Tunjar Chetin shared his impressions
with APA. He also took a stance on the reports that Turkey would open
borders with Armenia.

"Turkey should not open borders with Armenia unless Nagorno Karabakh
conflict is solved. Turkey should always support Azerbaijan on this
issue. We met with the people who live in constant danger. I saw the
view of Armenians’ savageries against civilians in Azerbaijan. We
will inform Turkish public about it. Opening of borders should not
be discussed unless these horrors end," he said.

Later the guests came to Ganja. They met with teachers and pupils of
Ganja Private Turkish Lyceum and viewed the museum in connection with
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

The delegation includes correspondents of Zaman, Kanal 7, Yeni Shafak,
Aksiyon, Bu gun and Star.

ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Feb 21 2009

Fifth Azeri soldier killed near breakaway Karabakh in two days

A fifth Azerbaijani serviceman was killed in a second day of clashes
with Armenian troops near the breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh on
21 February, private ANS television has reported.

The 19-year-old soldier, Vasif Azadov, died in hospital of the wounds
he had received earlier in the day, ANS said quoting its correspondent
in the region.

Azerbaijan had lost four of its servicemen near the ceasefire line the
day before. Two of them were killed by Armenian fire and two others
were fatally wounded in a mine blast in the southwestern Fuzuli
District, which is partly controlled by Armenian forces.

HUSBAND OF WOMAN SHOT BY POLICE FILES LAWSUIT

San Jose Mercury News
747959
Feb 20 2009
CA

HENDERSON, Nev.–The husband of a woman shot by Henderson police
after a traffic stop has filed a lawsuit against the police force.

Ice cream truck driver Zyber Selimaj is seeking $25 million in damages
in his federal civil rights lawsuit. His wife, Deshira Selimaj, was
shot a year ago as she was attempt to help her Armenian-born husband
communicate with police.

Police reported that the 42-year-old woman raised a knife in the
direction of another officer before she was shot by officer Luke
Morrison. A coroner’s inquest jury later ruled the shooting was
justified.

The lawsuit contests that version of events and accuses police of
trying to "cover up the unlawful killing." It also alleges civil
rights violations, assault and false imprisonment.

US CONGRESSMAN WEXLER: TURKISH PRESIDENT GUL’S BRAVE ARMENIAN POLICY IS PRAISEWORTHY

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 18 2009
Turkey

U.S. CONGRESSMAN PRAISES TURKISH OFFICIALS’ BRAVE POLICY ON ARMENIAN
ISSUE

ANKARA (A.A) – A U.S. congressman, who is also the co-chair of
Congressional Turkey-Caucasus Group, said on Wednesday that Turkey’s
top officials’ brave policy on the Armenian issue was praiseworthy.

Speaking to reporters after his talks with Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip
Erdogan in capital Ankara, U.S. Congressman Robert Wexler said that
numerous issues concerning Turkey and USA were discussed during his
bilateral meeting with Erdogan.

Replying to a question on Turkish-Israeli relations, Wexler said
improving the relations between Turkey and Israel was the best way
to follow for both countries, adding that such idea was expressed
during his talks with President Abdullah Gul and Erdogan as well.

Commenting on the Armenian issue, Wexler said that Turkey and Armenia
had taken a step to start dialogue in a constructive way and he hoped
such step would contribute to the normalization of relations between
the two countries.

Praising Gul and Erdogan’s efforts on the issue, Wexler said that
the U.S. Congress should also focus on the successful normalization
of the relations between Turkey and Armenia.

NEW DRIVE FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION LAUNCHED

ArmInfo
2009-02-13 15:37:00

ArmInfo. Adam Schiff joined by George Radanovich and Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk in Seeking Bipartisan Support
for Human Rights Measure

As Armenian National Committee of America [ANCA] reported, a letter
seeking U.S. House cosponsors for a renewed drive to secure the
adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution was circulated today on
Capitol Hill by the legislation’s lead authors, Congressman Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), and Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen
Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R-IL), reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We join today with millions of Armenians throughout the United States,
in Armenia, and around the world in welcoming the launch of this new
drive toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "It’s always the right time
to take a stand against genocide. Now – with long-standing advocates
of this noble and necessary cause in the White House, leading the
State Department, serving in the Cabinet, heading up both Houses of
Congress, and chairing key Congressional committees – we are set to
overcome the final barriers to full and formal U.S. recognition of
the Armenian Genocide."

In the letter, the four legislators invited their House colleagues
to join the resolution as original cosponsors, which will mean
that they will be listed as supporters starting from the day of
its introduction. During the recently concluded 110th Congress, an
identical measure secured the support of 212 cosponsors, was adopted
by the Foreign Affairs Committee, but was eventually blocked from a
vote on the House floor by sustained attacks by then-President George
W. Bush and his Administration.

In urging early support for this human rights measure, the four
lead sponsors noted that, "By properly acknowledging the Armenian
Genocide, we reaffirm the willingness of the U.S. to speak plainly
about genocide, and renew our commitment to prevent other occurrences
of man’s inhumanity to man."

The Armenian Genocide Resolution reaffirms the U.S. record on
the Armenian Genocide by ensuring that the foreign policy of the
United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity
concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and
genocide documented in the United States record relating to the
Armenian Genocide.

TALKING WITHOUT PERMISSION

A1+
[07:17 pm] 12 February, 2009

Press speaker for the RA Cassation Court released information regarding
the reasons behind the postponement of the "Case of Seven".

According to the press release, the court ruled a judicial sanction
against the indicted by removing them from the courtroom "guided by
articles 42, 314 and 314.1 of the RA Criminal Court Code and accepting
as a basis the fact that during the trial on 12 February of 2009,
the culprits who were standing up did not obey the judge after being
ordered to sit down."

"In addition to that, they continued to talk and make statements
without permission, did not obey the judge’s orders to not speak or
make statements without permission. Afterwards, Shant Harutyunyan
insulted the judge, while prisoners Miasnik Malkhasyan, Alexander
Arzumanyan, Sasun Mikayelyan, Hakob Hakobyan, Grigor Voskerchyan
and Suren Sirunyan started making statements, screaming and making
noise without the judge’s permission and showed disrespect towards
the court and impeded the trial," as stated in the release.

The Yerevan Criminal Court postponed the trial until 26 February 2009
at 12 p.m.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.02.2009 11:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Israeli Ambassador to Armenia Shemi Tzur (residence
in Israel) handed the copies of his credentials to Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

"Armenia is interested in relations with Israel and I am hopeful
that Ambassador Tzur will make significant contribution to their
development," Minister Nalbandian said.

The officials stressed the importance to brisk up political dialogue
and strengthen economic relations.

They also referred to the February 10 Israeli general election,
the situation in Middle East, ways to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and normalize the Armenian-Turkish relations, the RA MFA
press office reported.

OSCE PA POSITIVE ABOUT IRAN’S OFFER TO MEDIATE PEACE AGREEMENT ON KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.02.2009 13:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Any assistance is helpful for resolution of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, according to OSCE Special Representative
on Nagorno Karabakh.

"But we should not forget that Iran, which offered its mediation,
experiences problems with the international community," Mr. Goran
Lennmarker said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.

"I think that is Mohammad Khatami is elected President in summer,
the region can expect transformations. Khatami is more balanced than
Ahmadinejad. Anyway, the European Union hopes for direct and sincere
dialogue with Iran on its nuclear program," he said.

DEPUTY VOWS TO GO ON HUNGER STRIKE

A1+
[07:39 pm] 09 February, 2009

Sasun Mikayelyan needs serious medical treatment and expert care,
says cardiologist H. Hekimyan, chief specialist of the therapeutics
department of the Convicts’ Hospital. On January 26 Hekimyan was sent
to the Yerevan-Kentron Penitentiary institution to examine Armenian
MP Sasun Mikayelyan sued for the March 1 unrest.

On January 27 Miakyelyan was examined by an emergency doctor and
cardiologists of Erebuny medical centre. He was diognised with
ischemic disease, postinfarction cardiosclerosis, and arterial
hypertension. Anyway, the doctors said Mikayelyan needn’t be
hospitalised. Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan has informed Human
Rights Defender Armen Harutyunyan about the doctors’ visit. The
Ombudsman’s Office has published the letter today.

We don’t insist on Sasun’s hospitalisation, Advocate Hovik Arsenyan
said to A1+. We have filed a motion to the Penitentiary Department of
the Ministry of Justice. We claim that Mikayelyan needs rest cure. It
is imperative that Mikayelyan be transferred to another penitentiary
where doctors can be available after 6 p.m. as his state aggravates
in the evenings.

Arsenyan says Sasun Mikayelyan will go on a hunger strike if his
demands are not met by February 12.

AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA RECOGNIZE PROGRESS AT TALKS ON KARABAKH

Interfax
Feb 4 2009
Russia

Baku and Yerevan have recognized progress at the recent talks on
the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement held by the presidents and foreign
ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Switzerland.

"New as well as older principles were discussed," Azeri Foreign
Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told journalists. There are certain unsettled
issues in the basic principles that were discussed at presidential
level, he said.

"Each of the presidents expressed his opinion in an atmosphere of
mutual understanding. Naturally, this is a complex process but we
should be moving forward. There is no alternative to it," Mamedyarov
said.

"Both presidents recognized certain dynamics in tackling the Karabakh
conflict meaning that the sides are beginning to understand each other
better from meeting to meeting and trying to resolve the existing
problems," Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian said.

"I want to say that currently the settlement principles are being
developed. After the key principles are agreed the sides will start
work on basic documents," Nalbandian said.

U.S. cochairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza spoke of the
productiveness of the presidential meeting.

There is development, dynamics has increased, and this is a positive
element, he said.