Author: Khondkarian Raffi

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN SECURITY SERVICES SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS

Regnum, Russia
Oct 17 2006

16 October: The heads of Russian Federal Security Service [FSB] and
the Armenian National Security Service have signed two protocols
on cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, a
representatice of the Russian Security Service delegation has told
a Regnum correspondent.

The protocols were signed in Stavropol Territory’ resort town of
Yessentuki. The protocols envisage the development of cooperation
between the two organizations in the fight against international
terrorism and other manifestations of extremism.

During the signing ceremony, the head of the Armenian National Security
Service, Gorig Akopyan, said that 18 protocols to the main agreement
have been signed by the two organizations so far. He also expressed
his satisfaction with the development of cooperation with Russia’s
FSB and that the Atom Antiterror-2006 joint staff and command exercise
held recently in Yerevan could serve as an example of that.

At the 4th conference of the delegation in Yessentuki, Akopyan pointed
out that today Russia and Armenia are at the level of equal strategic
partnership, and social and political conditions in the Caucasus pose
various threats to the security of the two countries.

To this effect, Russia’s FSB and the Armenian National Security
Service need to cordinate their actions.

NATO IS READY TO HELP WITH THE KARABAKH PROBLEM
by Viktoria Panfilova

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 18, 2006 Wednesday

The Alliance is sending an envoy to the Caucasus

Armenia Became Robert Simmons’ Last Stop On The Tour Of The Caucasus;
NATO opened an information center in Armenia.

NATO is ready to help with efforts to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem. "Straightforward assistance in conflict resolution is not
NATO’s task. This is a prerogative of the OSCE Minsk Group, and we are
but supporting the process," Robert Simmons, NATO General Secretary’s
Envoy for the Caucasus and Central Asia, said in Yerevan on October 12.

NATO has a special interest in Armenia. A NATO information center
was hastily opened in the capital of Armenia in honor of Simmons’
arrival. It will begin working on November 1. Establishment of such
a center is stipulated by the IPAP (Individual Partnership Action
Plan). "Opening of the center means that the relations between
Armenia and NATO develop at a good pace. We appreciate assistance
given us by the government of Armenia," Simmons said at the opening
ceremony. Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosjan praised the
bilateral cooperation and announced "advancement to a new level of
relations with the Alliance."

The NATO information center is to be financed by the government of
Armenia; the Alliance itself will only provide information. The center
is expected to keep the population informed of the activities of NATO
to facilitate rapprochement between Armenia and the Alliance.

Simmons’ offer of assistance in the Karabakh problem was not
surprising. The Alliance and the United States as it is have been
trying to take over for a long time now. An emphasis is made on the
inability of the OSCE Minsk Group to make progress. The authorities
of Armenia regularly point out, however, that Armenia does not aspire
for membership in NATO and that the OSCE Minsk Group is the only
efficient go-between.

KARABAKH DENIES AZERI REPORT OF TRUCE VIOLATION

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 18 2006

Yerevan, 18 October: The head of the press centre of the Karabakh
defence army, Lt-Col Senor Asratyan, today denied the report of the
Azerbaijani Defence Ministry that the Karabakh forces allegedly fired
at Azerbaijani positions in Fuzuli and Agdam districts on 16 October.

In an interview with Mediamax, Asratyan described these reports as
"another piece of disinformation aimed at discrediting the Nagornyy
Karabakh republic [NKR]".

He did not rule out that such propaganda steps are being taken because
Azerbaijan’s attempts to get the international community to accuse
Nagornyy Karabakh of deliberate arson on the territories controlled
by the NKR "have failed".

ARMENIAN SOLDIER SHOT DEAD

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 18 2006

At 12:30 October 16 Armenian serviceman Alexander Papakhchyan, born
in 1987, died in "Erebuni" medical center from the injury received
in the result of the fire opened from the Azerbaijani side.

Investigation is underway, Press Service of RA Defense Ministry
informs.

HIGGS: DO YOU KNOW YOUR CITY PARKS?
By Norma Higgs

Niagara Gazette, NY
Oct 18 2006

During the summer I heard a lot about Hyde Park as the Niagara
Beautification Commission did a project in conjunction with the city
near the golf course. I learned this is a 580 acre park with many
activities for people of all ages. I also learned that there are 25
other parks in the city of Niagara Falls with nearly 135 acres of
green space. Some of these I never heard of and I wondered how many
you are aware of.

Let’s start in the LaSalle section with Caravelle Drive Park (0.5
acres) near Marine Memorial Drive which has a playground area. Then
on to Griffon Park, (20 acres) on River Road and 95th Street near
the boat docks. Moving over to Bollier Avenue and 82nd Street we find
Hennepin Park, (7 acres) another natural habitat area.

We all know of Jayne Park (22 acres) on Cayuga Island, which is a
full service park. LaSalle Park (6 acres) is also a full service park
and is located at Frontier Avenue and 91st Street. How about Perry
Park? (5 acres)

Also in LaSalle adjacent to 60th Street School is 70th Street Park
also known as Kies (5 acres).^PIt has two Little League diamonds
and is at Girard and 70th Street. 63rd Street Park at the corner of
Stephenson (1.3 acres) is really nothing more than a vacant lot but
it is kept up by the Parks Department. Further along Stephenson is,
well, Stephenson Park (1.39 acres), which has a playground, with a
sandbox and basketball courts. Finally we have Black Creek Park at
96th and Colvin Boulevard which was established at the urging of the
Black Creek Block Club.

So now we have determined that at least half of the city parks are
in LaSalle and we travel to the west side of Hyde Park where there
are also parks that I did not know about. Jerauld Park (2.5 acres)
on Jerauld Avenue and 29th Street which is actually owned by the
Niagara Falls School District but given to the city to maintain,
has a softball diamond, a small playground and basketball court in
need of repair. Lafayette Park (0.4 acres) is not more than a vacant
lot which is mowed and maintained by the Parks Department.

D’Amelio Park (15 acres) on Center Avenue and 15th Street next to the
Community Center in the Highland Avenue area is a full service park.

DiFranco Park (2 acres) on Main and Second streets is in a prime
development area downtown near the Howard Johnson Hotel. This facility
is being used temporarily as a construction storage site for the
Department of Transportation road improvement project in that area.

Gill Creek Park (7 acres) is on Niagara Street near 31st Street
and is in the process of renewal. A new gazebo and nature walk,
along with a picnic shelter, playground and comfort station will be
dedicated on Oct. 28. Robert Kostoff and the late Frances Scarfone
of the Niagara Street Business Association had a lot to do with the
updating of this park. Gluck Park (1.3 acres) is situated like one
of the squares of Savannah surrounded by 15th and 16th streets and
South and Weston avenues.

We head to Liberty Park (0.56 acres) at Elmwood Avenue and 19th
Street where we find a playground used extensively by children in
the area. The city recreation program is held here during the summer
months with supervised activities and free lunches. Over on the east
side we find a mystery park which is virtually unused and currently
under study for the future.

There is a house adjacent where once stood Moon’s Saloon, rumored
to have been a favorite hangout of the Buffalo Sabres. Also in this
area are two parks on Orleans Avenue (1.15 acres each) surrounded by
homes built after World War II on 24th Street and 25th Street.

The reincarnation of vacant land at North and Lockport (1.95 acres)
is a dream of the North End Block Club. This was once a busy city park
with a playground and sports activities. This neighborhood club is
currently attempting to raise interest and funds to bring this back
to what it once was and more. Their vision includes ball diamonds,
playground, basketball courts and handicap accessibility which would
be the only park with this advantage. Anyone interested in helping
in this goal can contact member Candace Corsaro at 284-2177.

Another historical park is Porter Park (4 acres) on Buffalo Avenue at
Ninth Street. It is believed that the Small Fort of the Portage was
situated nearby at the Niagara River. This structure was destroyed
by the French during the French and Indian War. At one point in
history the home of John Stedman of Goat Island fame was here as was
a local tavern, but today only the chimney believed to be from the
Fort remains. During the construction of the Robert Moses Parkway,
the chimney was moved at the urging of the Niagara Beautification
Commission to its present location to save it, thus establishing
the park.

Staying in the downtown area we find the Statue of Liberty Park (0.5
acres) sitting between the Rainbow Bridge and the Twist of the Mist.

The NBC arranged to have the Statue of Liberty moved here from Hyde
Park some years ago and there is also a civic monument placed here.

The last stop is on Main and Pine where we find Wright’s Park aka
Cenotaph Park and who some call Veteran’s Park. A triangle shape
dividing the streets, this is used for services and commemorations
on Memorial Day, Flag Day and Veterans Day. There is also a monument
recognizing the Armenian population lost during genocide from a
Turkish uprising in the 1900s.

As you can see, we have lots of parks to enjoy in all areas of the
city. We are very fortunate aren’t we? These small parks are a lot
of work for only five members of the Parks Department assigned to
"small parks" who must also keep up vacant lots owned by the city. I
acknowledge and thank the city Parks Department for some of the
factual information you read here.

Norma Higgs serves with the Niagara Beautification Commission and
Niagara Falls Block Club Council. Her columns appear Wednesday’s in
the Gazette.

AZERI GROUP PICKETS FRENCH EMBASSY

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 16 2006

The hard-line Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) picketed the
embassy of France in Azerbaijan on Monday against Thursday’s decision
of the country’s National Assembly to enforce criminal prosecution
for denying the so-called "genocide of Armenians".

Armenians say Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people in 1915,
a claim strongly denied by Turkey.

After submitting a resolution to the embassy, the protesters started to
throw eggs, tomatoes and eggplants at the building in protest at the
decision of the French parliament’s lower chamber. 18 picketers were
detained and taken to a police precinct. All but three protesters
were released shortly afterwards. Two of the picket participants
were injured.

The protesters demanded to immediately repeal the "genocide" law, to
close down the French embassy and to estrange France from brokering
settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagrono) Garabagh conflict
within the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) also co-chaired by Russia and the
United States.

GEORGIAN ARMENIANS WANT AN MP TO APOLOGIZE

Armenpress
Oct 17 2006

TBILISI, OCTOBER 17, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian non-governmental
organization in Georgia, called Union of Georgian Armenians-New
Generation, has demanded that a parliament member Koba Davitashvili,
who is chairman of the opposition Conservative party, apologizes for
what the organization says were ‘anti-Armenian remarks."

Davitashvili reportedly said, "I am not Armenian and I do not
trade." According to Mariam Mikoyan, head of the NGO, who was quoted
by Russian RIA news agency, Davitashvili made his remarks at a Tbilisi
restaurant during a meeting with a Mirzoyev whom he promised to put
into his party’s electoral slate in return for $150,000.

"If Davitashvili does not apologize we shall boycott his party in
next elections and he will lose our votes," she said.

GEOPOLITICAL DIARY: CONSIDERING TURKEY’S INTERESTS IN IRAQ

Stratfor
Oct 16 2006

Reports are circulating that jihadist groups in northern and central
Iraq are in the process of creating an "emirate," an independent
region in the Sunni areas. The Shia are already in effective control
of their own region in the south, and the Kurds have controlled
their region of northern Iraq for an extended period of time. There
are ethnically diffuse and disputed areas in and around Baghdad,
so this hardly solves the problem of sectarian violence, but this
regional autonomy is becoming a de facto reality. We now need to
start considering some aspects of a potential partition.

The most important issue here is to recognize what the Sunnis already
know: a partition along ethno-sectarian lines would make the Sunni
region, economically speaking, an abortion. The Shia control Iraq’s
southern oil fields. The Kurds control the northern oil fields. The
Sunnis control nothing. If partition occurs in accordance with current
boundaries, the Sunni position will deteriorate and collapse.

Therefore, it is essential for all involved (given the Sunni unrest
and prospects of violence) that the Sunnis have a share in Iraq’s oil.

To be more precise, the Sunnis must control Kirkuk, a center of the
oil industry and a city in which conflict rages for these reasons.

The Kurds now hold Kirkuk; the Sunnis must take it. The Sunnis are
fighting on four fronts: against the Shia, against the Kurds, against
the Americans and against each other. The Kurds, on the other hand,
are fighting only the Sunnis at this point. Therefore, logic would
have it that the Sunnis don’t stand a chance.

But another element must be added to this calculus: Turkey. Turkey
has tried to keep out of the Iraq war and, so far, has done fairly
well at it. But Turkey does not want to see the Kurdish autonomous
region expand, let alone give rise to an independent Kurdish state.

Such a state would become a focal point for Kurdish nationalism and,
since the Turks would face growing breakaway tendencies in their
own Kurdish region, they would not welcome this development —
particularly if Baghdad collapses as Iraq’s center.

Therefore, the Turks will want to weaken the Kurds. They also will
want to make sure that there is a strong buffer between them and the
Iraqi Shia — a buffer other than the Kurds. That would mean it is
in Turkey’s national interest to see the Sunnis strengthened right now.

It should be recalled that the Turks intervened extensively in
Iraq prior to 2003. They are old players in the region with ties to
Sunni tribal leaders. If they are facing a Kurdish state, they might
well choose to reassert themselves in the region by strengthening
the Sunnis.

Now, the Turks are vehemently opposed to the jihadists, but in this
they share an interest with Sunni tribal leaders, who see the jihadists
as a potential threat to their own authority. While it is the jihadists
who have declared an emirate, neither the Sunni leadership nor the
Turks would want to see the jihadists having any role to play if
independence becomes a reality. The Turks would want to weaken the
Kurds; the Sunnis would want to dominate oil in the north. Alliances
have been formed on less.

There are few constraints on the Turks. They do not expect to be
admitted to the European Union and, given France’s decision to raise
the question of the Armenian holocaust, the Turks have written off
accession, in the intermediate term at least. Nor do they need it.

Turkey has been doing quite well — better than France or Germany,
economically. As for the Iranians, they would have no problem
with seeing the Kurds seriously weakened and the Sunni jihadists
undermined. So long as the Shia control the south and the Iranians
have influence with the Shia in Iraq, they can live with Turkish
influence among the Sunnis.

Meanwhile, the United States seems to be making plans for deploying
forces in northern Iraq. Any such plan would require Turkish support,
as logistical support from Kuwait makes for a long, tough line. If the
United States wants a role in Iraq after redeployment, it will have
to take Turkish interests into account. The United States previously
has backed Kurdish interests. But the Americans need the Turks and
have little to offer them. The one thing the Turks might want —
EU membership without strings — is something Washington can’t help
them with.

It is now time to turn the focus from Baghdad to the north, and the
political evolution there.

ARMENIE : LA NOUVELLE LOI EST UNE VICTOIRE POUR LA REPUBLIQUE
Par Armen Seropyan

Le Figaro
16 octobre 2006

" Cette loi n’empechera nullement les historiens d’effectuer leurs
recherches "

La loi du 29 janvier 2001, dans laquelle la France reconnaît
publiquement le genocide armenien de 1915, est une loi declarative.

Elle ne permet en aucun cas de condamner penalement toute personne
qui viendrait a la contredire. L’absence d’outils juridiques dans
l’arsenal legislatif francais empeche le juge de sanctionner la
meconnaissance des termes de ladite loi du 29 janvier 2001, en vertu
du principe de la legalite de la peine. On se trouve alors en presence
d’une opinion negationniste qui n’est pas un jugement comme un autre :
c’est un crime.

En effet, cet acte de negationnisme parachève le genocide en lui-meme,
en tentant de l’effacer de la memoire collective. Nier un tel crime,
c’est attaquer l’essence de l’humanite, car un genocide est un
crime contre l’humanite tout entière. La loi, votee le 12 octobre
2006, visant a condamner penalement le negationnisme du genocide
des Armeniens va enfin permettre au juge de statuer. Quant aux
historiens, pour lesquels la liberte d’entreprendre des travaux
scientifiques doit etre preservee, cette loi a-t-elle une valeur
contraignante ? Non, elle ne les empechera nullement d’effectuer
des recherches approfondies sur les evenements de 1915. La liberte
d’expression est un droit fondamental qui n’est pas menace par cette
action. En effet, celle-ci doit etre encadree, car des conclusions
negationnistes instillees dans l’esprit d’une opinion mal informee
ne peuvent qu’attiser la haine entre les peuples. Ce texte prevoyant
la penalisation du negationnisme du genocide des Armeniens sera le
rempart de la justice et de la verite contre le deni et le mensonge.

Cette realite historique a ete reconnue par l’ensemble du monde,
a l’exception malheureuse de l’un de ses principaux protagonistes.

C’est un fait regrettable et meme condamnable. " En acceptant
et en reconnaissant son passe, chaque pays se retrouve grandi "
a declare le president Jacques Chirac en visite a Erevan (Armenie)
le 30 septembre 2006. Le voeu le plus cher de tous les democrates
du monde entier est que la Turquie se developpe, afin qu’elle puisse
accepter son passe en toute serenite. Au plan economique, les menaces
de boycott contre les entreprises francaises sont aussi malfaisantes
que superficielles. Est-il necessaire de rappeler que des menaces
similaires ont ete proferees en janvier 2001, lorsque la France avait
reconnu officiellement le genocide armenien, alors qu’en meme temps,
les echanges commerciaux entre la France et la Turquie augmentaient
de 32 % en 2002 ? " Je prefère avoir un livre d’histoire dans ma
bibliothèque plutôt que des gros contrats " , a declare le depute
Eric Raoult (UMP). J’aimerais lui dire qu’il n’a pas a s’inquieter,
qu’il disposera bien entendu d’un livre d’histoire mais aussi de
" gros contrats " , notre pays disposant de nombreux atouts dont
il est impossible de se passer. La France, patrie des droits de
l’homme et du citoyen a toujours ete en tete de tous les combats pour
l’epanouissement et la democratisation de la societe humaine. C’est
au nom de ses valeurs qu’elle doit continuer ce devoir de memoire
universelle qui permet a un groupe de vivre en paix et en harmonie.

Elle s’est honoree en adoptant cette loi, qui plus est par une forte
majorite. Victoire pour la Republique, victoire pour la democratie,
cette loi annonce aussi un espoir de reconciliation. * Representant
de la nouvelle Generation armenienne.

–Boundary_(ID_uCTAbf05drrEgP/CAYCONw )–

AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA MEMBERS ARGUE IN CANADA

Azeri Press Agency
Oct 16 2006

Canada-Azerbaijan Circles Federation held meeting in Toronto on October
15, Azerbaijan Educational and Cultural Center press service in Canada
told the APA.

Five circles out of seven participated in the meeting. The Federation
made annual report. They discussed Khojali and March 31 genocides.

The Federation positively appreciated the activity of "Azerbaijani
language’ weekend which is carried out at Toronto School Board and
the protest actions taking part outside Armenian embassy, UNESCO
Office and Canadian Parliament.

Akber Majidov was elected the president of the Federation. Azerbaijan
Education and Cultural Center General Manager Faraj Aliyev became
the vice-president.

Esmira Esedova, the president of Canada-Azerbaijan Friendship
Federation president, Javad Zerrin, The president of Ontario
Azerbaijanis Association, Masud Aliyev, the president of Quebec
Azerbaijanis Association and Ilham Akhundov, the president of
Canada-Azerbaijan Cooperation Association told the APA that the
meeting of Canada-Azerbaijan Circles Federation was illegal.

State Committee for Azerbaijanis Abroad confirmed the fact that the
members of the Federation argued. The problem is being solved.