Author: Karapetian Hovik

BOOK REVIEW; ‘MY GRANDMOTHER: A MEMOIR’ BY FETHIYE CETIN

Today’s Zaman
o?load=detay&link=143587&bolum=111
June 2 2008
Turkey

As a girl, Turkish lawyer Fethiye Cetin knew her grandmother as an
adored Muslim matriarch by the name of Seher. Then she learned that
Seher had been born an Armenian Christian, HaranuÅ~_, who, several
decades before, had been seized from the clasp of her mother by a
World War I Turkish gendarmerie corporal officiating over a column
of Armenians being marched out of Anatolia.

"My Grandmother," now out in a translation by novelist Maureen
Freely, is Cetin’s compelling account of her gradual discovery of
the deep contradiction between her proud nationalist education and
the realities buried deep in Turkish society. The bare narrative
offers few moral and historical judgments, few dates, no maps, no
politics. There is also no discussion of whether the disappearance of
the Armenians of Anatolia was the result of a genocide or massacres
or civil war. Surprises abound: for instance, Seher came to feel great
affection for the corporal as a new father. Asked why it all happened
by Cetin, all the grandmother can ask back is, "What should I know?"

The fast-selling original of the book is part of a genre in modern
Turkish literature that tries to make amends for the gaping hole
left by the Armenians in the country’s public history. The theme is
dominant in both Orhan Pamuk’s recent "Snow" and Elif Å~^afak’s "The
Bastard of Istanbul." Cetin’s book is already required reading for
students in progressive Turkish institutions like Sabancı University
in Ä°stanbul. Along with occasional recent exhibitions and conferences
about the lost Armenians, these are part of a trend in Turkey that
is grappling with a history of denial, nationalism and fears of
political consequences.

Altogether eight Armenian girls ended up as new-minted Muslims in
the small Turkish town where Cetin’s grandmother found herself. Even
her brother Horen survived to become known as a shepherd called
Ahmet. Initially working as domestic servants, then as free wives
and mothers, they kept alive customs like colored candy-bread, which
they would share at Easter without letting the children know why;
they labored under discrimination enough already. Everyone in town
knew they were of Armenian origin. Their official papers registered
them as "converts," but they were mocked in the streets as "converts’
sperm" or the "leftovers of the sword." The family is convinced this
was why one talented relative was unable to take up a place in a good
military school.

Translator Freely, in a valuable introduction, reckons there could
today be 2 million such descendants of Armenians among Turkey’s
population of 75 million. More than 30 other ethnicities still
survive, and this new proof of the impossibility of repressing its
inherent multi-ethnicity helps explain the shrillness and sometimes
schizophrenia of Turkey’s one-nation ideologues. Cetin argues that
all in Anatolia are of "impure blood."

The pain of the Turkish Armenians is not yet over. As a lawyer, Cetin
represents the family of murdered Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor
Hrant Dink, cut down in January 2007 by a young man inspired by this
same deep-rooted nationalism, and hailing from Trabzon, an eastern
Turkish city with a history of ethnic trauma. As Cetin’s grandmother
warns her children, telling them not to be afraid as they pass by a
cemetery, "Evil comes from the living, not the dead."

"My Grandmother: A Memoir" by Fethiye Cetin , With an introduction
by Maureen Freely, Published by Verso, ISBN: 978-1844671694, $14.71
in hardcover.

–Boundary_(ID_O5OMK/ZSlhrg6GDF3oirow) —

SITUATION IN AZERBAIJANI OCCUPIED TERRITORIES MAY BE OUT OF CONTROL – DEFENCE MINISTER

Trend News Agency
June 3 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 3 June / Trend News corr. E.Huseynli / The
Azerbaijani Defence Minister stated that Armenia must liberate the
Azerbaijani occupied territories soon without any conditions. "If
the Armenians will not leave the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,
then the situation may be out of control," Safar Abiyev, Azerbaijani
Defence Minister, said in the meeting with Matthew Bryza, the OSCE
American co-chair. Matthew Bryza is on his visit to Baku.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

The Minsk Group was established with participation of 10 countries
within the framework of OSCE to regulate the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The meeting was focused on the military and political situation in
the region and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

ARMENPRESS

PRESIDENT SERZH SARKISIAN INTRODUCES NEW POLICE CHIEF
TO LEADERSHIP OF THE AGENCY

YEREVAN, MAY 30, ARMENPRESS: President Serzh
Sarkisian introduced today new police chief, Alik
Sarkisian, to the leadership of the agency.
The presidential press service told Armenpress that
the president thanked the former minister Hayk
Harutyunian for his log and fair work saying he headed
the police for 9 years, first as interior minister and
then as chief of police holding in general
high-ranking positions in the system for over 16
years.
Saying this is almost a whole life Serzh Sarkisian
said, -You all understand that no post, no state
service is eternal and changes are needed.-
He added that Hayk Harutyunian’s services were
assessed highly by the government. He was awarded
medals and orders and promoted to the rank of
Major-General and can be proud of his record.
According to the president, the new police chief,
Alik Sarkisian, moved from police to serve in other
sectors eight years ago displaying himself as an
organizer, a man who is able to solve the tasks put
before him.
Serzh Sarkisian expressed confidence that the new
police chief will be able to combine the agency’s
efforts so that the police become more professional,
police officers be more socially protected and able to
fulfill their mission.
The head of the country called on high-ranking
police officers to look at their duties form a
different angle and get down to resolution of the
system’s task with a new vigor.
Alik Sarkisian thanked the president for showing
high confidence in him saying that he is well aware of
the importance of his new job, its burden and the
responsibility. He promised to spare no efforts and
energy together with his colleagues to strengthen
public order and launch purposeful fight against
crime.
He said he will do everything to keep high the
human and professional dignity of every police officer
and resolve their legal and social problems.
The new chief of police said his super goal is to
raise the trust and belief of the people in police
through irreproachable work.

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN: "THERE ARE POWERS THAT TRY TO MAKE AZERBAIJAN CONCEDE BY USING MECHANISMS OF PRESSURE, AMONG WHICH THERE ARE STATEMENTS ABOUT EXISTENCE OF PROBLEMS IN THE DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJAN"

Today.Az
29 May 2008 [11:17]

President Ilham Aliyev attended a solemn ceremony dedicated to the 90th
anniversary of the founding of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic,
Tuesday, at the Gulustan palace in Baku. The President and the First
Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were warmly welcomed here by audience.

President Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the event.

"The establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the event
of historical significance – it was first ever democracy in the East
and in the Muslim world" the President said.

"The first republic existed for a short time – two years later,
the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic declined for both objective
and subjective reasons. It proves that it is much easier to get
independence than to preserve it" he said.

The President recalled that "this bitter story could repeat itself
in early 1990s, but the situation started to stabilize after Heydar
Aliyev returned to power in Azerbaijan".

"It was under the great leader that in 1993, the people of Azerbaijan
managed to put an end to the economic, political, and military crisis,
and Azerbaijan entered the period of development, and embarked on
the course of democracy and market economy", he said.

The President went on to say that the radical political and economic
reforms helped the country to get much stronger. He pointed out that
the "Contract of the Century" signed in 1994 as a result of Heydar
Aliyev’s oil strategy, is what even today ensures prosperity and
independence of Azerbaijan.

"Today, Azerbaijan is strengthening its position in the world. All
our efforts – from both political and economic standpoint – are
targeted at strengthening of the country. Thanks to this policy,
we have stability and socio-political order fully established in
Azerbaijan," the Azerbaijani leader said.

President Aliyev underlined that the only serious problem the
country is facing is the unresolved conflict with Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh.

"You are aware of my position. I repeatedly voiced my opinion on
this issue.

The problem can be resolved only within the borders of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. The reason for the long protraction of the
problem is probably that Azerbaijan does not go back a step from its
principled position," he said.

"There are powers that try to make Azerbaijan concede by
using mechanisms of pressure, among which there are statements
about existence of provlems in the democratic development of
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani people are well aware of the purpose and aim
of these proposal. But any pressure on Azerbaijan, its leadership
and its people is absolutely senseless, as our policy is open, it
is supported by people, it is a principal and just policy", noted
the President adding "I think in the coming months, and in 2009,
we will be more concrete in expressing our thoughts with respect
to resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, because further
protraction is unacceptable."

"The first Democratic Republic existed for two years. Today’s
independent state of Azerbaijan is almost seventeen years old and
will live forever," concluded the President of Azerbaijan.

CAN ARMENIA BECOME A FINANCIAL CENTER?
Vasak Tarposhyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 27, 2008
Armenia

"Armenia has real potential to become a financial center in the region.

I strongly believe in this prospect and I’m sure this idea must become
the guideline of our work in the coming years," the president announced
during the first financial banking conference hold in Dilijan.

Though the idea to become a financial center in the region is far
not new, such high level announcement has been made for the first
time. The important thing is that practical steps are already being
made in this direction and the construction of the Funding Exchange
and Central Bank Study Center in Dilijan testifies to this fact.

Thus in essence not only the base of the formation of the regional
financial-study center is laid, but also the first steps are taken
for the country’s proportional development. It is not a secret that
the economy is strictly centralized in Yerevan.

To become a financial center, Armenia really has a dynamically
developed and a stable banking system. A productive legislative
field is formed for the banking activity, which has created favorable
conditions for the flow of the foreign investments in our country. The
positive developments in this direction are evident. Especially during
the recent one-two years a serious interest of foreign capital towards
Armenian is really noticeable. Whereas not only the capital of the
existing banks is completed by the foreign financial means but there
is also a requirement to open new banks.

The factor of the Diaspora is a very good advantage for Armenia to
become a financial center. To make this advantage practical the idea
of establishing a pan-Armenian bank has been proposed, which needs
to be discussed.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan says the existence of the professional
potential is also a great advantage for Armenia to become a financial
center. And, the most important thing is that the readiness to become
such a center is the basis of the political will to make necessary
reforms.

Of course we can’t say that all the conditions exist in Armenia,
in order to become a financial center. There are lot’s of problems
that we must solve. The most important problem here is the one linked
with the currency market. The steps taken in this sphere during the
recent years didn’t give any positive results; the currency market is
not completely accomplished. But the steps taken in this direction
inspire hope that the situation will change very swiftly. Last year
a famous intentional company managed Armenia’s funding exchange. The
entrance of Stockholm exchange can finally promote the accomplishment
of the currency market in Armenia.

The next obstacle is linked with the accumulated pensions and
investment funds, which are not formulated in Armenia.

It is worth mentioning that Georgia also pretends to become financial
center of the region. Of course Armenia’s banking system is one
step forward from the Georgian, but during the recent years serious
reforms are being made in Georgia’s banking system, which can change
the situation.

But Armenia must do its best to achieve its goal otherwise tomorrow
it will be very late.

Interfax News Agency, Russia
May 26 2008

Sukhumi has every proof that Abkhaz Armed Forces brought down all
Georgian drones – minister

SUKHUMI May 26

The Abkhaz Defense Ministry is ready to provide every proof for the
fact that it was the Abkhaz Armed Forces that brought down all
Georgian unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.

"I can easily prove that all Georgian numbed aircraft were brought
down by the Abkhaz Armed Forces. We have every necessary means for
this," Abkhaz Defense Minister Merab Kishmariya told Interfax.

The Abkhaz Armed Forces have both every necessary tactical means, air
defense complexes and other arms, and aircraft, the minister said.

"Abkhazians, Russians, Georgians and Armenians serve in the Abkhaz
army, and if the aircraft was brought down by a Russian serviceman of
the Abkhaz army, this does not mean that it was brought down by a
servicemen of the Russian army. And if the aircraft was brought down
by a Georgian servicemen of the Abkhaz army, it would be stupid to
state that Georgia brought it down," Kishmariya said.

‘Armenia’s Stonehenge’ opens as tourist site
26/ 05/ 2008

YEREVAN, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Authorities in southern Armenia have opened
a 5,000-year-old prehistoric monument dubbed "the Armenian Stonehenge," but
known locally as Carahunge, as a tourist site.
The monument, located some 200 km (124 miles) away from the capital,
Yerevan, consists of over 200 shaped stones, some bearing smooth angled
holes of 4 to 5cm in diameter, directed at different points at the sky.
"This territory will be developed for tourism," said Samvel Musoyan, deputy
chief of the Armenian culture ministry’s department for cultural heritage.
Funding has already been raised from the country’s budget to develop the
tourist site, build a transparent wall around the monument and for
maintenance and security of the site.
Following excavation of the site, it is believed to have served
simultaneously as a temple of Ari, the ancient Armenian deity of the sun, a
university and an observatory. According to recent archaeological findings,
the site could be used to define the precise name of sunrise and lunar
phases and the day when a year began.
The fact that chips of transparent obsidian glass were found at the site
spawned the theory that the pre-historic dwellers, that inhabited the
region, placed them inside the holes for magnification.
Though some scientists believe that Carahunge was built some five thousand
years ago, Armenian scientists argue that it is 7,500 years old.
The more famous Stonehenge site located in the county of Wiltshire in
southwest England is at least 5,000 years old and was declared a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1996.
The structure comprises standing stones, believed to date back to 2200 B.C.
which are surrounded by a circular earth mound and ditch constructed some
1000 years earlier. Its original purpose is unclear, but it is believed to
have been used as a temple or an observatory.

The Age (Melbourne, Australia)
May 24, 2008 Saturday
First Edition

The Age of the Warrior;
NON FICTION

by Fiona Capp

The Age of the Warrior
Robert Fisk
Fourth Estate, $29.99

BRACING, PASSIONATE and defiant, veteran Middle East reporter Robert
Fisk has made a career out of speaking unpalatable truths.
Journalists, he says, are not supposed to express their anger about
what they witness. This pretence of objectivity is, he says, "the
great sickness of our Western press and television". He makes it his
mission to expose this "objectivity" for what it is – kowtowing to
political and media masters and capitulating to the rhetoric of
fear. The unashamed emotion driving Fisk’s writing is one of its great
strengths. But he doesn’t simply denounce those he disagrees with; he
provides solid reasons for doing so. The collection opens with a
superb analysis of the relevance of Shakespeare to modern-day warfare
in the Middle East, and ranges from the Armenian genocide to "Da Vinci
shit" – his response to the film The Da Vinci Code. Yet one senses
that all the death he has witnessed weighs heavily on him. Painfully
hard-earned wisdom informs all he writes.

RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS CONCERNED

A1+
[03:19 pm] 23 May, 2008

Russian advocates voiced concern over the recent assault on a
leading human rights defender, the chairman of the Armenian Helsinki
Association Mikael Danielian.

"We are confident that the leadership of any country must secure
conditions for normal and safe activities of human rights advocates,
political activists and organisations. Authorities must guarantee
their security from any sudden assault and threat," holds the statement
signed by 32 Russian advocates. /See the Russian version/

Russian advocates urge the Armenian leadership to take drastic measures
and launch an independent investigation to uncover the wrongdoer.

"As part of their investigation into yesterday’s assault of a leading
human rights defender, the Armenian authorities should investigate
the extent to which the victim’s human rights work was a motive for
the attack," Human Rights Watch said today.

Reminder: as a result of a May 21 incident on Terian-Moskovioan streets
the leader of the Armenian Progressive Party Tigran Urikhanian shot
at the chairman of the Armenian Helsinki Association Mikael Danielian
from a pneumatic gun.

TIGRAN SARKISSIAN SEIZED THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY

A1+
[04:11 pm] 23 May, 2008

The Armenian delegation headed by Prime Minister Tigran Sarkissian
left for Minsk yesterday evening to participate in the sitting of
the CIS Council of Heads of Government.

Preceding the sitting the Armenian Premier had a meeting with his
Georgian counterpart Lado Gurgenidze.

The parties spoke about the current programmes of cooperation and the
existing problems. Assessing the cooperation in the energy sphere
as rather productive, the interlocutors attached importance to the
intensification of mutual investments in the financial-banking and
other spheres, as well as the collaboration within the framework of
regional programs.

Seizing the opportunity Tigran Sarkissian presented the problems of
the Armenian side and asked Gurgenidze for advice, reports the press
service of the RoA Government.

He mainly referred to high tariffs levied on the Armenian transits
by the Georgian side and the violations and provocations of Georgian
religious and temporal radicals against Armenian churches.

Lado Gurgenidze condemned all extreme approaches and provocations
and promised to intervene after a thorough study of the matter.