Author: Nahapetian Samvel

Human rights violations “still very frequent” in Georgia – ombudsman
Kavkasia-Press news agency
17 Jun 05
Tbilisi, 17 June: “Human rights are violated in Georgia,” human
rights ombudsman Sozar Subari said today at the seminar entitled
“Problems and prospects of national human rights institutions in the
South Caucasus”, held at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel.
He also said that last year was the worst as far as human rights
are concerned as the public had expected the new authorities
to dramatically improve the situation in this respect after the
revolution. “Human rights were violated in the private sector; there
were illegal arrests, torture and violence on the part of the police,”
he said.
According to Subari, there have been no documented cases of torture
this year, but several detainees have been beaten up and several
prisoners have been left with injury marks on their bodies. “We have
already reacted to these cases,” he said, adding that unfortunately
gross violation of human rights still is a very frequent phenomenon
in Georgia.
Subari said that this year the office of the human rights ombudsman
has received four times as many complaints as last year.
The seminar, organized by the Swedish Raoul Wallenberg Institute of
Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and the UNDP, will end on 21 June.
The human rights ombudsman has said that he has friendly relations with
his Armenian and Azerbaijani colleagues and wishes to establish similar
relations with his Turkish colleagues. “We need good relations with the
human rights ombudsmen of these countries. Our citizens often go there
on visits and we should be able to count on their help,” said Subari.

US AMBASSADOR VISITS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER”S OFFICE
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS: US ambassador to Armenia, John Evans
met today with Armenian human rights defender Larissa Alaverdian,
whose office said the meeting was the ambassador’s initiative.
It also said the focus of the meeting was on Alaverdian’s first-ever
report on the situation with human rights in Armenia, which was
described by Evans as ‘an important step and a good start for
strengthening of human rights defender institution.” Evans was also
reported to offer his support to Armenian human rights institution
saying that defense of human rights has always been a priority of US
policy. The ambassador also presented the human rights office with
a computer.

SPIEGEL ONLINE – 16. Juni 2005, 11:35
URL: ,1518,36074 1,00.html
Armenier-Massaker
Turkei bestellt deutschen Diplomaten ein
Die unterschiedliche Interpretation des Volkermords an den Armeniern
belastet erneut das deutsch-turkische Verhältnis. Der Gesandte der deutschen
Botschaft in Ankara wurde wegen eines anstehenden Bundestagsbeschlusses zu
dem Thema ins turkische Außenministerium zitiert.
AFP
Aufnahme aus dem Jahr 1915: Turkische Soldaten stehen in Aleppo neben
gehängten Armeniern
Ankara – Mit Blick auf die gemeinsame Entschließung der deutschen
Bundestagsfraktionen zum Gedenken an die Massaker an den Armeniern in der
Zeit des Ersten Weltkriegs sei dem deutschen Diplomaten die turkische
Position verdeutlicht worden, sagte ein Sprecher des turkischen
Außenministeriums.
Außenminister Abdullah Gul kritisiere den im Bundestag vorliegenden Antrag
als “verletzend” fur die Turkei und die in Deutschland lebenden Turken,
sagte der Sprecher weiter. Der Antrag sollte im Laufe des Tages im Bundestag
ohne Debatte verabschiedet werden. Der Begriff “Volkermord” taucht nicht im
Text des Antrages selbst, wohl aber in der Begrundung auf.
Armenien und ein Großteil der internationalen Offentlichkeit stufen den Tod
von mehreren hunderttausend Armeniern zwischen 1915 und 1917 als Volkermord
ein. Aus Sicht der Turkei handelte es sich bei den Ereignissen dagegen um
die tragischen Folgen einer Zwangsumsiedlung, die wegen des Krieges
erforderlich gewesen sei.
Bei den Massakern und Todesmärschen starben zwischen 300.000 und 1,5
Millionen Menschen. Der Volkermordsstreit verhindert bis heute eine
Normalisierung der Beziehungen zwischen der Turkei und dem Nachbarstaat
Armenien.
–Boundary_(ID_WE6h5yOHExpG0VWaEgC/KQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #110, 16/06/2005
Education
ARMENIA HAS RICH HISTORY OF VISUAL ARTS
New Generation Should Be Educated
“They don’t treat photojournalism seriously in Armenia but I think
that we and the future students will change the situation,” Arthur
Torosian, photojournalist said. He is one of the nine photographers
that graduated from the Photo Classes organized by the Caucasian Mass
Media Institute and the World Press Photo NGO. The graduate students
received the relevant diplomas of both organizations.
Ruben Mangasarian, head of “Patker” Photo Agency, was the first to
deliver professional classes on photojournalism in Armenia. The
classes lasted nine months. The specialists of World Press Photo
held three seminars within the framework of the classes. “I learnt
much from the classes. We were studying not only the inner but also
the foreign market”, Artur Torosian said. Thus, it is for the first
time that photographers with diplomas will work in Armenia. Such a
thing should have been organized earlier.
Photojournalists not only from Armenia but also from Georgia and
Byelorussia participated in the classes. The organizers said that
this is an unprecedented program in the territory of the CIS and it
aims at contributing to the development of photojournalism. Besides
the practical aspect, the students studied the history, genres, of
photojournalism, contemporary photojournalism and the new trends in
the sphere. Photojournalist Karen Mirzoyan is glad that these classes
gave the opportunity to many photojournalists to work together and,
as a result, they all were striving to achieve more and more goals.
The exhibition of the graduate students’ works was included in the
graduation ceremony. The participants of the program represented the
everyday life of national minorities in Tallinn, the capital that
is undergoing constant changes and is losing its historical face,
a common Armenian village with its residents.
Maarten Koets, responsible for the educational programs of the World
Press Photo, believes that Armenia has a rich history of visual
arts and that everything should be done to educate new generations
of photojournalists. The two organizations signed an agreement on
cooperation for at least two years. Maarten Koets informed that in
October a new group of students will be formed and the Caucasian Mass
Media Institute will continue the lectures.
“We work in the countries where there is lack of education on
photojournalism. We are delivering classes in four countries —
Armenia, Indonesia, Nigeria and Tanzania. The results of the Armenian
students exceeded all our expectations,” Mr. Koets said.
By Tamar Minasian

AZG Armenian Daily #110, 16/06/2005
Turkey
‘ARMENIANS TRUST USA BECAUSE IT DID NOT SIGN THE LAUSANNE TREATY, THUS DOES
NOT RECOGNIZE TURKEY’
This is a sentence from the first volume of “The History of Genocides:
The Crime Against Humanity Committed by the West” book by Turkish
anthropologist Sefa M. Yuruqel who lives in Denmark since 1981. He got
higher education in Denmark and wrote a number of books on history
and anthropology. His latest work, as the author believes, will be
assembled in 20 volumes.
The Turkish Public Television touched upon Yuruqel’s work on June
14, citing the following sentence, “The Armenians trust more not
the Western states but the USA because the latter did not sign the
Lausanne Treaty, thus it officially does not recognize the Turkish
Republic. Perhaps that is the reason why they organize reparation
lawsuits in Los Angeles”.
On June 15, Jumhurriyet newspaper published an interview with Yuruqel
on the first page. Answering the journalist’s questions, Yuruqel
considers the UN Convention on Genocides a ploy of the United States
and the West, accuses them of genocide, describes deportation as
“genocides-aimed” and as a necessary measure and puts the Armenian
deportation in this group emphasizing, “The UN Convention does not
view the events before 1948 as genocide”.
The only new thing in these statements is Turkey’s scientific and
political circles’ condemnation of the US in “not recognizing Turkey’s
territorial wholeness”, as America did not sign the Lausanne Treaty.
Yuruqel might well accuse all other states of the world of failing
to recognize Turkey, as the Lausanne Treaty of July 24, 1923, was
signed only by England, France, Italy, Greece, Romania, Hungary and
Japan. But instead he goes on calling the US a colonizer and does
not forget about the Armenian Diaspora.
Asked about the activities of Diaspora Armenians to get Armenian
Genocide internationally recognized, Yuruqel says, “In fact, it is not
the Diaspora that heads those activities but the international powers
that has been using Armenians since 1856 and are now using PKK. They
once employed the Greeks to take Eastern Anatolia over. The instigators
are the 4 powers that top the UN. Those powers make decisions in their
countries. That is not Armenians’ decision. The Armenians simply show
willingness but those states take decisions. Those states, particularly
the USA, did not sign the Lausanne Treaty. Consequently they do not
recognize the Turkish Republic. The Lausanne is the legitimate bases of
Turkey; it has officially set the boundaries of the state. Even if the
US President does recognize, a document that was not ratified by the
Senate will still remain forceless. For that reason, America’s decision
to recognize Turkey is merely of administrative character, like the
one of Palestine Liberation Organization. The USA’s attitude towards
Turkey is one of a colonizer. The US does not recognize Turkey’s
territorial wholeness. I turned to diplomats for clarification and
they confirmed my words. The second country that does not recognize
Turkey’s territorial wholeness is Armenia. Before 1921, the US had
promised to create Armenia and a state of Pontos in Anatolia but it
failed. But there is a map called the “principles of Wilson” outlining
the promised land. Turkey has to put before the US signing of the
Lausanne Treaty as a precondition. The history provides examples of
the US and England grabbing other states with deceit. Turkey has to
demand from the US and Armenia the recognition of the Lausanne Treaty”.
As we do not have “The History of Genocides: The Crime Against
Humanity Committed by the West”, it is useless to draw conclusions. As
to the interview, besides backing Turkey’s official thesis on the
Armenian Genocide, it is thick with unbalanced thoughts that follow no
logic. The unbalanced approach and lack of logic are the symptoms of
fear. Yuruqel is apparently at a loss at the thought that the Sevres
Treaty will break Turkey up.
By Tatoul Hakobian

AZERBAIJAN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE MISTAKES OF ARMENIA
A1plus
| 17:11:44 | 15-06-2005 | Social |
The road to be constructed through the Shikahogh reserve arouses not
only ecological problems. During today’s press conference organized by
the non-governmental organization “Forests of Armenia” the political
side of the problem was also introduced.
It turns out that Azerbaijan has already started to take advantage
of the mistake of Armenia in the international circles. President
of the non-governmental organization “For Steady Development” Karine
Danielyan showed a document sent by the Azeris to the international
organizations. They try to use the Shikahogh issue for their
profits. “They announce in all the international organizations that
Armenia is the basis for ecological disasters in Trans Caucasus”,
says Mrs. Danielyan and states that the Shikahogh issue has a serious
political shade.
Representative of the non-governmental organization “Forests of
Armenia” Karen Afrikyan adds that, “We will give our treasures to
Azerbaijan on a tray”. In order to prove what he said, he explains that
in order to realize the construction of the road explosions are to be
done. Realizing explosions in the reserve means that part of the flora
will migrate to the neighboring country, that is – Azerbaijan. Let
us remind you that in the reserve there are 183 species of animals,
32 of which are recorded in the Armenian Red Book, and 3-4 – in the
International Red Book.
Specialists of not only ecological but also legislative and
construction fields were present at today’s press conference. Lawyer
Nazeli Vardanyan enumerated more than 10 state and international laws
and conventions with the violation of which the road construction
will be realized.
By the way, according to non-state calculations, the reserve relief
is very complex for construction works, and it will make not only
the construction, but also the further exploitation of the road very
difficult. Let us only mention that the road can freeze even in case
of a light reduction of temperature.
Today the non-governmental organizations have an offer to the RA
authorities – to construct the road Armenia-Iran by another program
which will not pass through Shikahogh reserve. The construction was
processed by the specialists on the spot taking into account the
ecological, geographical, construction and other necessary norms.
By the way, today the press has spread information according to
which the RA authorities have renounced the idea of construction
the road through the reserve. Nevertheless, this was only published
in the newspapers, and no official has confirmed it yet, so the
representatives of the non-governmental organizations are not going
to give up the combat. According to them, the information can be “a
soft pillow under their head” and not correspond to the reality at all.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THEY IN AZERBAIJAN CONSIDER CASE OF TWO “DEFECTORS” FROM ARMENIA AS
FAILURE OF AZERI SPECIAL SERVICES
YEREVAN, JUNE 11. ARMINFO. The case of two “defectors” from Armenia
is considered in Azerbaijan as a failure of the Azeri special
services.
To remind, Roman Taryan and Artur Apresyan appeared in Baku in Apr
2004 asking for temporary political refuge and transit to a third
country but they are still in a solitary confinement cell of the
Azeri National Security Ministry.
The “pearl” of Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian propaganda was the ANS TV
company showing quite recently the “defectors” as saying a year
before that “they could no longer stand conditions in Armenia and
came to Azerbaijan on their own will to go to a third country.” They
also thanked Azeri National Security Minister Namik Abbasov for
granting them sports suits.
But now the Azeri propaganda machine has got entangled in its own
misinformation net. In the May 21 Echo representative of Center for
Legal Information Support Alovsat Aliev says that the Taryan-Apresyan
case looked very much like a fraud from the very beginning. This is a
political issue. They were forced to receive political refuge.
Everything was very unreal and framed up. The Azeri authorities must
have done this to show themselves a democratic state ready to help
even Armenians. Taryan and Apresyan may well have been Azeri spies in
Armenia in the past. This may well be true, says Aliev.
Pro-governmental MP Siyavush Novruzov also hints that Taryan and
Apresyan may be former Azeri spies. The bubble of the Azeri
propaganda is that they could no longer remain in Armenia and fled to
Azerbaijan on their own will. And now this bubble is about to blow up
in the eyes of Azeri society. Earlier Deputy National Security
Minister Suilhamid Akper said that there are many unclear
circumstances in the case. The very case is due mostly to the
incompetence of the Azeri special services. And it will give no
result. This is impossible. What they did is simply inadmissible.
Now Baku sources are confirming what was evident from the very
beginning. An Armenian would seek better life everywhere but not in
Azerbaijan. Obviously this was dangerous for their life and as Akper
said “gave no result.”
The inability of the Azeri authorities to send the “defectors” to a
third country for over a year already is one of the unforeseen
complications. The fact is that the Azeri authorities are forced to
keep Taryan-Apresyan locked because they cannot feel themselves at
home in their “new homeland.”
When Aliev asked the Azeri National Security Ministry about the
expediency of keeping Taryan-Apresyan in the cells of the special
services the response was that this was impossible because of the
defectors’ nationality.
In fact the Azeri authorities have got into their own trap. Promising
security to the Nagorny Karabakh Armenians they cannot ensure one for
just two their own agents in their own capital. This makes ridiculous
their propaganda that 20,000 or 30,000 Armenians presently live
freely and peacefully in Azerbaijan.

A1plus
| 16:42:59 | 10-06-2005 | Politics |
US ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO MEET THE RA OPPOSITION
Leader of the «Republican» party Aram Sargsyan is in the USA and according
to the party members has already had meetings with the officials of the US
State Department and the staff of the US President assistant on National
Security affairs.
In connection with this visit Raffi Hovhannisyan said that the visits show
not Aram Sargsyan’s will but the desire of the US Administration to meet not
only the RA authorities but also the representatives of the opposition.
By the way, Raffi Hovhannisyan too will soon leave for the USA, but not on
official visit but to see his 95-year-old grandmother living in Fresno and
to take part in the anniversary of an American-Armenian magazine.

AZG Armenian Daily #107, 11/06/2005
Neighbors
‘AZERI AUTHORITIES TREAT OPPOSITION QUITE HUMANLY’
Novruz Mamedov, head of External Relation’s Department at Azeri President’s
Office, stated that Ilham Aliyev treats the opposition quite humanly. He
reminded in the interview to that the law “On
political parties” envisages restriction of a political party’s activities,
if they violate the points of the document.
“Recently, various U.S. circles, including the official ones, show concern
over the situation in Azerbaijan. In the October of 2003, Ilham Aliyev
smashed the opposition psychologically and physically, but the American were
not concerned back then. What do you think why American remembered that
Azerbaijan is no democratic country?”, daily Azg asked Mamedov. “On May 21,
when the parties, included in the pre-electoral opposition federation tried
to hold illegal rally in the center of Baku, they began discussing this
issue not only in the U.S. but also in Azerbaijan. By the way, the deputies,
members of the ruling party, and many others severely criticized the actions
of the opposition. Our country step by step comes forward, joining the
leading European states. The opposition aims to increase tension and
resistance in the country,” Mamedov said in response.
Mamedov stated that on May 25, 2005, when “the first” oil flew through
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Azerbaijan became “a political heavy
weight fighter” whose opinion is important. Azerbaijan is getting integrated
into the circle of the leading states of the world very successfully.” As
for the calls of the high-ranking Azeri officials to settle the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict by war, Mamedov said that Azerbaijan spares no efforts to
avert military actions. “As for the statements of the officials, they
correspond the will of the Azeri people that believe that the territorial
integrity of our state is the main priority,” he said.
“Does official Baku consider that current NKR within the borders of the
former NKAR is a territory occupied from Azerbaijan?”, Azg asked Mamedov.
“According to the international law, the UN formulae, all the CIS countries
that were formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union should be recognized
within the borders they were in as state units in the structure of the
Soviet Union. Thus, both Valley Karabakh and Nagorno Karabakh are the lands
of Azerbaijan and it’s out of question, even in respect of the state’s
territorial integrity,” Mamedov said.
In 2003 Ilham Aliyev called for the Azeri NGOs to stop cooperating with
Armenians. Mamedov said that he agrees with the decision of his president,
as some of our NGO members violate the formats of communicating with the
Armenians.” We need to settle Nagorno Karabakh conflict first, return the
territories and only after that we can unfold full communication,” Mamedov
said.
Mamedov said that Russian-Azeri relations were greatly improved when Putin
came to power. He added that goods turnover between these two countries
amounted to $1 million in 2004.
By Tatoul Hakobian

A1plus
| 14:55:19 | 10-06-2005 | Official |
OMBUDSMAN LEFT FOR STRASBURG
On the invitation of the Director of the COE Ombudsman Committee Pierre
Henry Imberg, RA Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan left for Strasburg to take
part in the international seminar `Defense of Human Rights during the Combat
Against Terrorism’. From the 46 member countries of COE only 30 experts have
received the invitation to take part in the seminar organized by the COE.
While discussing the main issue – observation of the defense of human rights
on the contest of the combat against terrorism, two documents are to be
discussed – `Principles of Regulating the Fields of the Human Rights and
Combat Against Terrorism’ and `Protection of the Victims of Terror’ which
were adopted by the COE in July 2002 and March 2005 respectively.
The possibility of experience exchange of national institutions in this
field and the issues of giving aid to the victims of terror will also be at
the center of the European experts’ attention.
The further activity of the COE in connection with the successful experience
realized by its member countries will also be discussed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress