Author: Maghakian Mike

Peninsula On-line, Qatar
May 21 2006
Sparring over baklava spills over to Doha

By Ayse Alibeyoglu
DOHA – The battle over the famous traditional sweet dish baklava
between Turkish and Greek Cypriots in Europe has spread to the local
pastry shops in Doha, owned by baklava makers from Istanbul and
Lebanon.
Historically, baklava was baked only on special occasions, and
considered a food for the rich in Turkey, the top choice of pastry
amongst the Turkish Sultans. It is made with layers of thin dough,
with chopped pistachio in between those layers, added with honey
syrup, various spices, baked and cut into diamond shapes.
At the celebrations marking “Europe Day” last week, baklava, which is
itself a Turkish word, was asserted by the Greek Cypriots as theirs
and introduced as a Greek Cypriot pastry in a European Union (EU)
poster presenting this traditional sweet as the national dish of
ethnically Greek Cyprus alongside the flag of Cyprus.
As a result, the baklava war between Turkey and Southern Cyprus
intensified. Turkish baklava producers are protesting Greek Cypriot
claims that the pastry is their own national creation, with support
for their protest coming from State Minister and EU Chief Negotiator,
Ali Babacan, in the EU General Secretariat.
The owner of renowned baklava producer Haci Sayid Baklava, Halil
Dincerler, commented at a recent press conference on the situation:
“Baklava is Turkish, what the Greek Cypriots are presenting is just a
copy. We will go all the way to Brussels, and we will let the EU
Ministers taste real baklava,” reported a Turkish newspaper.
The President of the Baklava and Dessert Producers Foundation, Mehmet
Yildirim, also present at the conference, gave his opinion on the
international food fight, “it is time for Turkey to stand up and
claim its national treasures, Turkey brought baklava with them all
the way from Central Asia, there are official documents proving that
baklava rightfully belongs to Turkey.”
These comments were shared with the owners of a Turkish Pastry store,
recently opened in Doha. The baklava makers from Istanbul, told The
Peninsula: “Baklava is definitely more Turkish than Cypriot, the
Greek Cypriot version of the baklava does not taste or look anything
like the original.
`Their version of the Turkish delight, calling it Cyprus Delight, is
another factor that just adds to the increasingly sticky war. Our
Pashas and Viziers (rulers) owned the recipe, though it is made
differently throughout the region, in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria no
one can claim sole rights for baklava.”
A Lebanese “baklava” maker; told The Peninsula: “We had enough wars
in Lebanon and we do not want to start another one with Turkey and
Greece.
`However the Greeks stole our recipe, but even they cannot match the
Lebanese baklava, I support Turkey, they should showcase their
baklava to the EU and the rest of the world before it is hijacked by
others. However our pronunciation of the word baklava is the correct
one.” An Armenian baklava maker working on behalf of the Lebanese
pastry shop added “the Armenians invented and improved the recipe.”
The sticky and rather complicated ‘Baklava’ battle has ensued,
yesterday. Two hundred baklava makers demonstrated in Istanbul’s
historic Sultannahmet district, with banners proclaiming “Baklava is
Turkish” whilst others read “Baklava should unify us, not divide us.”

Driver plows into Moon Walk at church carnival
WLNS.com (Channel 6, Detroit)
May 21, 2006
SOUTHFIELD, Mich — Several people were injured today when a driver
plowed into an inflatable “Moon Walk” at a church carnival in
Southfield.
Police say they believe the driver intentionally drove his ’94
Plymouth into the spring fair in the parking lot of Saint John’s
Armenian church. He fled the scene afterward.
It’s unclear how many children and adults were injured. A broken
pelvis was the most serious injury, police say.
WWJ-AM
?S=4931437&nav=0RbQ

Star Phoenix, Saskatoon, Canada
May 20 2006
Young protagonist required to address own social blindness

Katie Ewards, The StarPhoenix
Published: Saturday, May 20, 2006
The foreword to Shattered, Eric Walters’s new book for young readers,
is written by Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire. This is appropriate,
since Shattered was inspired by Dallaire and his own book, Shake
Hands with the Devil. In the foreword, Dallaire grimly points out the
fact that war veterans with physical injuries are venerated as
heroes, but soldiers who return with psychological wounds are often
ignored and marginalized.
Shattered begins with Ian, the 15-year-old protagonist, meeting just
such a man: a former soldier, now homeless. When Ian first passes
Sarge in a park, he does not see the retired soldier at all. When
Sarge makes himself known, Ian is still subject to blindness of a
sort: the teenager writes the older man off as paranoid and
worthless. His assumptions are challenged first when Sarge rescues
him from a mugging, and then again when he begins to unearth Sarge’s
past as a UN Peacekeeper. But Sarge is dismayed to discover Ian’s
lack of education about the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
Blindness is a theme in this book.
At the beginning, Ian lives in a shiny, upper-class bubble. His work
in a soup kitchen, required by his civics class, becomes an
eye-opening experience when he is taken on a tour of the alleys and
dumpsters of his city: homeless people are everywhere, unseen and
unheard. Likewise, Canada has turned a deliberate blind eye toward
Rwanda and the horrifying events which unfolded there.
As Ian explores the underbelly of the city and learns the appalling
history of the failed UN mission in Rwanda, his protective bubble
falls to pieces. He begins to obsess — not only over the Rwandan
genocide, but also those of Armenia, Cambodia, and Yugoslavia, as
well as the Holocaust of the Second World War and the “disappeared”
in Guatemala. Walters’s writing provides enough detail for these
tragedies to be memorable, but is simultaneously abstract enough to
avoid causing nightmares.
A book about homelessness and genocide inevitably threatens to become
too depressing to read. Walters avoids this trap by focusing on
individuals who affect change. He exposes a dark abyss of tragedy,
but concentrates on the light of heroism: the man who runs the soup
kitchen saves lives, just as shoemakers did in Guatemala and
Peacekeepers did in Rwanda.
But not everyone can be rescued. Will Ian save Sarge?
Shattered deals with weighty issues, but presents them in a way that
will open young readers’ eyes. It inspires readers to shatter their
own bubbles and take action.
Edwards is a freelance writer.

FRENCH MPS POSTPONE THE VOTING ON THE BILL PENALIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIERS
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 17:10
Today the Socialist Party of France presented a bill on penalizing
the 1915 Armenian Genocide deniers to the consideration of the
Parliament. Hilda Tchoboyan, Head of the European Armenian Federation
said in her phone talk with ” Radiolur” correspondent that after
high discussions today, the voting on the issue was postponed
till the next session of the Parliament to be held in October
2006. At the parliamentary sitting a speech was delivered by the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, who attached importance to
France-Turkey relations. The speech of the Foreign Minister caused
disapproval of a number of MPs. According to Mrs. Tchoboyan, it is
apparent that pressure was exerted over the Parliament by the French
Government. Nevertheless, the Socialists and many other Deputies are
decisive to present the issue for consideration and voting at least
in the fall session.

ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OWING TO POLITICAL REASONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.05.2006 16:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The people and society of Israel recognize the
Armenian Genocide . However, the question is not raised at the
level of the Government, Executive Director of the Institute on
the Holocaust and Genocide, Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of
Genocide, Psychology Professor Israel Charny stated in a conversation
with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, at the state level
only former Minister of Culture of Israel Yossi Sarid recognized the
Armenian Genocide.
“There are three people in our state, who openly speak of the Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. These are Professor Yair Auron, Yossi Sarid
and I. All others keep silent due to political considerations. Israel
is in an Islamic circle and most importantly it depends on Turkey in
water supplies. Proceeding from this the Israeli Government is silent
on the events in 1915.
Though Israeli chief rabbi Yona Metzger visited Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial in Yerevan and in fact recognized the tragedy in 1915 as
a genocide, which is a good precedent. The chief rabbi has much
influence, but he does not represent the Israeli Government,” Charny
underscored.
The Israeli scholar also remarked that for a crime committed it
is not important when it was committed and against whom. “Genocide
is a genocide: whether it is 1915, Holocaust, annihilation of Gypsy
population in Hitler Germany, Darfur, Rwanda. I always ask: why people
recognize Holocaust and keep silent on the Armenian Genocide?” he said.
As of addressing the International Criminal Tribunal, Charny believes
“it is a game.” In his opinion, only Europe is able to make Turkey
recognize the Genocide.
“If Turks really want accession to the EU, they should recognize the
Armenian Genocide. This is one of compulsory conditions,” Executive
Director of the Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide underscored.

TURKEY FEELING EU HEAT
EUPolitix.com, Belgium
May 18 2006
A row between Paris and Ankara over the massacre of Armenians in 1915
is threatening to increase anti EU resentment in Turkey.
A controversial law making it a crime to deny the alleged Armenian
genocide by Turkish troops over 90 years ago has been dramatically
postponed by the French Parliament.
Ankara has always denied accusations of genocide and has threatened
Paris with trade sanctions if the law is adopted.
French MEPs are also divided with many seeing the move as an
“unfriendly gesture” against the Turkish people.
“Our patience has limits” said Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, “we will not have hate but we will impose sanctions”.
France, where more than 400,000 Armenians live, passed a law officially
recognising the Armenian genocide in 2001.
Armenia alleges that 1.5 million Armenians were systematically deported
and killed by the Turkish Ottoman Empire, in 1915.
The controversy threatens to increase already strained EU membership
talks.
EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn made it clear on Wednesday
that Ankara had to speed up reforms; otherwise Turkey would face a
“train crash” in EU membership talks.
“It is necessary that the Turkish government takes immediate action
to restart the momentum of reforms in the country,” said Rehn.
Ankara is also feeling the heat over its unyielding position over
Cyprus.
Finland, which takes over the EU’s rotating presidency on July 1,
called on Ankara on to embrace an agreement broadening the customs
union that links the EU and Turkey to the island.
Turkish historian Halil Berktay, one of the first Turks to openly speak
out against Ankara’s official version of the Armenians mass murders,
has warned that the French legislation may increase anti-European
feelings in Turkey.
“That law would be a direct message to the Turkish government to
get rid of its European outfits” the historian told French newspaper
Le Monde.
Brussels favours “reconciliation” on the Armenian issue , but the
European parliament voted in 2005 for a non binding resolution blocking
EU membership if Ankara refused to recognise the genocide.
/360874b3-d3d1-41de-9161-c0af9ecd73cb.htm

“RING” ACTION MUST BE OBSERVED AS PART OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, PARLIAMENTARIAN OF ARTSAKH SURE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 17 2006
STEPANAKERT, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Open doors hearings
on the theme “The “Ring” (koltso) military action: Azerbaijani
SSR and USSR violations against the Armenian population of Nagorno
Karabakh and neighboring regions” took place on May 15 at the NKR
National Assembly. Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulian, deputies,
representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic,
of the Prosecutor’s Office, justice, legal bodies and the public
participated in the hearings. The speech of Vahram Atanesian, the
Chairman of the NKR NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations was
based on data of documents and independent sources, particularly of
the Russian “Memorial” law center, RSFSR Supreme Council Human Rights
Committee, Russian officers and journalists. He also presented May 17,
1991 resolution of the U.S. Senate by which attacks against peaceful
inhabitation, bombing of unarmed people, violations committed against
them, etc. are condemned. The deputy emphasized that all documents and
certificates prove that the Azerbaijani authorities saw the Karabakh
problem solution in annihilation and mass removal of the native
inhabitation of Nagorno Karabakh. According to him, in consequence of
the “Ring” military action, in total 6030 people were displaced from
April 30 to May 15 of 1991. NKR National Assembly deputy, witness of
the events Maxim Mirzoyan mentioned that the “Ring” military action
is an action of terrorism addressed againt the peaceful inhabitation
of the settlements of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan populated with
Armenians which was worked out and affirmed by the USSR and Azerbaijani
SSR high level authorities. The deputy drew attention of participants
of the hearings, in his opinion, to an important circumstance which
proves that the happened was an agreement. “In November, 1990,
being in the U.S., I met with same Paul Goble who was among first
people to work out the plan on settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict, supposing exchange of territories. I saw on his table the
map of supposed exchanges. Factually, I had seen the same map a bit
earlier before the meeting with Goble at the headquarters of Safonov,
the regional commandant on emergency state, whose headquarters
worked out its military actions to press on Karabakh Armenians’
“saparating” moods. Of course, the identity of the map used by Safonov
and proposed by Goble is not a coincidence and speaks about the fact
that there was a joint program of actions towards Nagorno Karabakh,”
the deputy said, mentioning that the “Ring” military action must
be observed as a part of the international terrorism. NKR National
Assembly Speaker Ashot Ghulian said: “during the first months of 1991
a volumnious military action of purge of then the NGAR and neighboring
Azerbaijani settlements populated by Armenians was organized at the
state level by the authorities of the Azerbaijani SSR. A part of male
population of those villages, especially those, who were suspected
in participation in the national-liberating movement, was taken to
Azerbaijani prisons under the cover of “passport regime control.” The
happened is the continuation of the anti-Armenian policy of the
early 20th century. Factually, by the same scenario, the Azerbaijani
state made an attempt to implement its policy in our days, but,
by the means of the modern military technics, own troops. But in
any case, it is clear for everybody that this policy is organized
at the state level.” As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NKR Foreign
Ministry’s Information-Analytical Department, the speaker mentioned
that a parliamentary interim committee has been created this year on
studying facts of violations committed against NKAR and NKR citizens
which will allow to sum up the existing information about displacing of
the Armenian inhabitation of Nagorno Karabakh and neighboring regions
during the “Ring” military actions and to make concrete conclusions.

THE TIME OF PROFESSIONALS
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot.am
17 May 06
We had an acquaintance in my youth who filled a high post in the soviet
hierarchy. It happened so that he was dismissed from his post and that
50 years old person grew old in a day and lost the interest towards
the life. He even didn’t want to take his cloths on and was staying
in bed for days. Finally he hung himself in some months. There are
professional politicians and nomenclature officials in the developed
social order. That professionalism has its positive and negative sides.
Non [professionals appear in revolutionary period, which is natural,
change of elite is made. “Karabakh” committee consisted of such
“amateurs”. And that “amateurishness” as everything in the world,
has its positive and negative demonstrations and frankly speaking,
I like it. The brightest example of that “non-professionalism” gives
the Ra first president Levon Ter-Petrosian from whom 10 years of state
and political activities are temporary interval for his main scientific
work. The professional politician will never say, ”national ideology
is a false political category” /though it is true for me/. And it
is specific that only Vazgen Manoukian has remained from “Karabakh”
committee.
The revolution was over, perhaps in 94-95 and professionals occupied
the sphere. Besides the above-mentioned populism, egocentrism
is an important specific for the political professional, they
are sure that the whole world is interested in them, the extreme
uncertainty and paranoia as a result. On this occasion our most
professional politicians are Paruyr Hayrikian, Artashes Geghamian,
Aram Karapetian. The latter is sure that the whole interests of the
NSS are to know his secrets. Or Artashes Geghamian can’t even suppose
that Serge Sargsian thinks of other thing than how to trust in him,
Geghamian.
Robert Kocharian and Serge Sargsian are professional members of
nomenclature. Certainly I don’t admit, that they will hang themselves
without a post. But it is difficult to believe that they will work
with pleasure as an engineer or a teacher of Armenian language. The
same is our former colleague Sergo Yeritsian; he doesn’t want any more
or can’t make TV programs. Like Aghvan Vardanian to write articles
or poems or Vahan Hovhannisian to excavate things.
They have already smoked the hashish of the authority and have got
used to it.
And for avoiding ”breaking” /lomka/ that do their best for getting
a new doze.
–Boundary_(ID_V7soxkqGS9wDLXvJLDbHrA)–

DEEP-SEA OPERATION ON SITE OF PLANE CRASH IN BLACK SEA
by Dmitry Nezdorovin
ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 16, 2006 Tuesday
A deep-sea apparatus RT- 1000 is continuing an examination of part of
the sea bottom, where the Airbus -320 crashed on May 3, searching for
the plane flight recorders. The search is going ahead in a scheduled
regime, a source from the headquarters for technical support to the
search operation told Tass.
The flight recorders have not been found yet.
The RT-100 has been working at the depth of 500 meters, examining a
territory of twenty square meters, said Chief of the Federal Agency
for Sea and River Transport Alexander Davydenko. The Navigator search
ship has been coordinating the deep-sea robot’s efforts.
The search for the flight recorders will be continued without breaks.
Search teams numbering eighteen will replace each other as the search
continues. The search for the flight recorders might take from two
to three days, weather permitting. At present, the weather in the
search area is warm and fine; the flight recorders were presumably
lost at the depth of 496 meters and should be staying at a distance
of five meters from each other.
The Airbus -320 owned by the Armenia Company crashed early on May
3 when it was making a landing approach to Sochi airport. The air
disaster claimed 113 lives.

ARMENIAN MINISTER NOT TO JOIN OPPOSITION
Noyan Tapan news agency
15 May 06
Yerevan, 15 May: “I cannot imagine my further political activities
in the opposition,” the deputy chairman and one of the founders of
the Orinats Yerkir (Law-Governed Country) Party, Sergo Yeritsyan,
has said while commenting on his quit from the party. Asked by from a
Noyan Tapan correspondent whether he will get any post, Yeritsyan said:
“Time will show”.
According to some reports in the press, Yeritsyan will be appointed
as Armenian presidential advisor.
Yeritsyan is now the minister of education and science in the ruling
coalition.
[Passage omitted: The Orinats Yerkir Party officially quit the ruling
coalition at the end of the last week]