Author: nina hovnanian

REP. BERMAN: WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO STOPPING AZERBAIJAN’S UGLY THREATS

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 29, 2012 – 11:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – U.S. Representative Howard Berman (D-CA) delivered
remarks on Azerbaijan’s pogroms and massacres against ethnic Armenian
civilians in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku.

“One of the least noticed and most dangerous trends of recent years
have been Azerbaijan’s rapidly growing military budget and its
increasing bellicosity toward Armenian populated Nagorno Karabakh,”
Rep. Berman said.

“Last June, during Azerbaijan s largest military parade since the
Soviet era, President Aliyev vowed to avenge the deaths of Azerbaijani
soldiers killed during the 1988-1994 Nagorno- Karabakh war and declared
that “the war isn’t over yet; only the first stage is over.”

He then boasted that Azerbaijan s defense budget is twenty times
larger than it was just eight years previously and larger, in fact,
than the entire budget of Armenia,” he reminded.

“It is particularly appropriate that today, February 27 – the
anniversary of the 1988 Azerbaijani pogrom directed against its own
Armenian population in Sumgait – that we commit ourselves to stopping
these ugly threats. Armenian history is drenched in tragedy. Everybody
knows about the Armenian Genocide, even if, sadly, only a minority of
my colleagues has been willing to recognize it officially. But fewer
know about the hundreds of thousands of Armenians murdered under the
Ottoman regime in the nineteenth century. And fewer still, it seems,
know about the pogroms and ethnic cleansing that Armenians living in
Azerbaijan suffered at the hands of Azerbaijanis as the Soviet Union
was breaking up,” Rep. Berman stressed.

He went on to say: “The Sumgait pogrom that we recall today lasted
three days and resulted in the murder of hundreds of Armenian
civilians. Other anti- Armenian pogroms took place in Kirovobad
November 21 27, 1988, and in the Azerbaijani capital Baku January
13 19, 1990. During this era, there were media reports of Armenians
being hunted down and killed in their homes. The systematic pattern
of all these attacks suggested that something even more sinister than
a mob uprising was at work.”

“Azerbaijan seems bent on destroying every last vestige of the Armenian
presence in Azerbaijan For example, there is videotaped evidence of
the Azerbaijani government’s December 2005 systematic desecration and
destruction of an ancient Armenian cemetery, including thousands of
intricately-carved grave-stones in Djulfa, in a section of Azerbaijan
near the Turkish border. I believe our State Department still has
not adequately examined this incident, and I call on it to do so,”
Rep. Berman said.

“Today is a solemn day as we recall this history of murder,
displacement, and destruction, but it is this very history that
underscores the importance of self-determination for Nagorno Karabakh.

I call on the Administration to press the Azerbaijani government to
cease its bellicose rhetoric and to stop its headlong rush to war now
and to adhere strictly to the principled basis of the Minsk Process,
namely, the search for a peaceful, negotiated solution for Nagorno
Karabakh I likewise call on the Administration to redouble its
efforts to achieve a solution for Nagorno Karabakh And, on this day
when we once again reflect on the brutality Armenians have suffered,
and endured, for centuries, I once again call on the Administration
simply to acknowledge history and to recognize the Armenian Genocide,”
he concluded.

BAKO SAHAKYAN DISCUSSES SITUATION ALONG THE LINE OF CONTACT BETWEEN NAGORNO KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJAN ARMED FORCES

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 29, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 29, ARMENPRESS: Artsakh Republic President Bako
Sahakyan held a consultation February 28 with the supreme command
staff of the NKR Defense Army at the head of defense minister Movses
Hakobyan, Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh
Republic President told Armenpress.

Issues related to army building, situation along the line of contact
between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan armed forces and amelioration
of social conditions of the servicemen were discussed at consultation.

PAKISTAN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ARMENIA AS STATE

Fineko/abc.az
29.02.2012 14:09

Pakistan has claimed of great importance paid to relations with
Azerbaijan.

Today at the press conference in Baku vice speaker of Pakistani
Senate Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali said that Pakistan attaches great
importance to all-round relations with Azerbaijan.

” Our visit aims at demonstration of solidarity with Azerbaijani
people. We are ready to provide support to Azerbaijan. Pakistan was
one of the first to recognize independence of Azerbaijan. We do not
recognize Armenia as a state “,- M. Jamali said.

Within the visit Pakistani delegation held meetings with President
Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Parliament speaker Ogtay Asadov, members
of Inter-Parliamentary Friendship group Azerbaijan- Pakistan. Also
within the visit meeting of Pakistani Senate reps with SOCAR President
Rovnag Abdullayev is planned.

ANNA G. ESHOO: WITHOUT RECOGNITION AND CONDEMNATION, THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE WILL CONTINUE

armradio.am
29.02.2012 14:39

“February 27th marks the 24th anniversary of a violent and horrific
attack against Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian descent. The 1988
attacks began in the town of Sumgait in Soviet Azerbaijan Dozens of
Armenians were killed, and hundreds more were wounded. During what even
the Soviet government officially described as a “pogrom”-an organized
massacre of helpless people – Armenian women and children were raped,
and people were set on fire and beaten to death, all while police
stood by,” Rep. Anna G. Eshoo stated at the House of Representatives,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“Tragically, the events in Sumgait presaged further pogroms in
Kirovabad in November of 1988 and Baku in January of 1990. This
violence initiated a broader attack against Azerbaijan s Armenian
population, resulting in thousands of deaths. The conflict persists
today, and the Azeri military blockade of the Nagorno- Karabakh
Republic and other aggression sadly continues.”

“For me, it is also a very personal remembrance. My own family fled
the slaughter of the Armenian Genocide under the Ottomans, and when
we learned of the massacres against Armenians in 1988, we saw history
repeating itself. These vicious acts of murder targeted at ethnic
groups, must be forcefully condemned whenever and wherever we see
them. Yet 96 years after the slaughter of Armenians the U.S. House of
Representatives has yet to officially recognize the Armenian genocide,”
she said.

“Without our recognition and our forceful condemnation, the cycle of
violence will continue. Today, Christians and other minority groups are
being driven from Iraq by extremists, and the once large and diverse
ethnic communities are being eradicated. Without our attention and
action by the world community, there will be no end to this senseless
violence around the world.

“Today, let us remember the Armenians who lost their lives in
Azerbaijan in 1988, and pray that the world will finally take greater
account of these atrocities and work together. Let us take up the
work that our principles demand of us, standing united against
ethnic violence, discrimination, extremism and brutality, wherever
we find it.”

FRANCE WILL ADOPT LAW CRIMINALIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL: OPINION FROM YEREVAN

epress.am
02.29.2012

France’s tango has nothing to do with Armenia’s interests, said
Yerevan-based political analyst Ruben Mehrabyan, in conversation with
Epress.am and commenting on the French Constitutional Council ruling
that determined the genocide denial bill approved by parliament last
year and the Senate last month was unconstitutional.

“What’s important for Armenia is relations with Turkey. How long can
we remain at the hope of the Russians?” he asked.

“Let this be a lesson for Armenia’s authorities not to get ahead of
themselves and not appear in such a foolish situation. We, as citizens
of the Republic of Armenia, when both the French parliament adopted
the legislation and the Council then rejected it, should’ve shown
restraint,” Mehrabyan added.

According to him, the Constitutional Council ruling is tied with the
current domestic situation in France and France-Turkey relations.

Recalling the Algerian prime minister’s warning to his Turkish
counterpart, that the blood shed by Algerians shouldn’t be made into
a subject of political speculations, Mehrabyan, drawing parallels,
said if Armenia’s authorities “had a little bit of dignity, they
wouldn’t allow for similar speculations [to be made].”

According to Armenian Center for National and International Studies
Director of Research Manvel Sargsyan, the French court ruling could’ve
been predicted, by following the opinions voiced when the bill was
being discussed in Senate – most notably, the view that the bill
violates freedom of expression.

Recall, the Constitutional Court based its verdict on provisions
of the “1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen,”
the fundamental document of the French Revolution. It said the law
was not in line with the declaration’s 6th and 11the articles, which
highlight freedom of expression and thought, one of the main pillars
of the democracy.

“Of course if there was discordance on the law inside the country,
it would be more vulnerable to pressure from the outside. Most likely,
there was also the factor of pressure from Turkey, as well as internal
factors in France, and as in the case of initiating any other law,
an issue of raising politicians’ ratings,” said Sargsyan.

Nevertheless, the analyst noticed France adopting the genocide bill
is considered a matter of key importance, which is testified by the
fact that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has already requested the
government draft a new bill taking into consideration the Council’s
decision.

“The French give more importance to this issue – they view it as an
issue tied with the future of the state. Hence, they view the issue
more seriously than Armenians. I think there will be another bill
from France, which, of course, will be important in the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” he said.
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From: Mihran Keheyian
Subject: France Will Adopt Law Criminalizing Armenian Genocide Denial: Opinion
from Yerevan

France Will Adopt Law Criminalizing Armenian Genocide Denial: Opinion
from Yerevan

02.29.2012 14:25 epress.am

France?s tango has nothing to do with Armenia?s interests, said
Yerevan-based political analyst Ruben Mehrabyan, in conversation with
Epress.am and commenting on the French Constitutional Council ruling
that determined the genocide denial bill approved by parliament last
year and the Senate last month was unconstitutional.

?What?s important for Armenia is relations with Turkey. How long can
we remain at the hope of the Russians?? he asked.

?Let this be a lesson for Armenia?s authorities not to get ahead of
themselves and not appear in such a foolish situation. We, as citizens
of the Republic of Armenia, when both the French parliament adopted
the legislation and the Council then rejected it, should?ve shown
restraint,? Mehrabyan added.

According to him, the Constitutional Council ruling is tied with the
current domestic situation in France and France-Turkey relations.

Recalling the Algerian prime minister?s warning to his Turkish
counterpart, that the blood shed by Algerians shouldn?t be made into a
subject of political speculations, Mehrabyan, drawing parallels, said
if Armenia?s authorities ?had a little bit of dignity, they wouldn?t
allow for similar speculations [to be made].?

According to Armenian Center for National and International Studies
Director of Research Manvel Sargsyan, the French court ruling could?ve
been predicted, by following the opinions voiced when the bill was
being discussed in Senate ? most notably, the view that the bill
violates freedom of expression.

Recall, the Constitutional Court based its verdict on provisions of
the ?1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen,? the
fundamental document of the French Revolution. It said the law was not
in line with the declaration?s 6th and 11the articles, which highlight
freedom of expression and thought, one of the main pillars of the
democracy.

?Of course if there was discordance on the law inside the country, it
would be more vulnerable to pressure from the outside. Most likely,
there was also the factor of pressure from Turkey, as well as internal
factors in France, and as in the case of initiating any other law, an
issue of raising politicians? ratings,? said Sargsyan.

Nevertheless, the analyst noticed France adopting the genocide bill is
considered a matter of key importance, which is testified by the fact
that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has already requested the
government draft a new bill taking into consideration the Council?s
decision.

?The French give more importance to this issue ? they view it as an
issue tied with the future of the state. Hence, they view the issue
more seriously than Armenians. I think there will be another bill from
France, which, of course, will be important in the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide,? he said.

RALLY COMMEMORATING 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF SUMGAIT POGROMS HELD IN UKRAINE NEARBY OSCE OFFICE

news.am
February 29, 2012 | 10:46

KIEV. – A public rally commemorating the victims of the Armenian
pogroms in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, was held Tuesday in front of the OSCE
Office in Kiev, analitika.at.ua informs.

The event brought together representatives of international
organizations, Ukrainian politicians, human rights activists, Kazaks,
and Diaspora Armenians. Also, young Georgians and Iranians joined
the Armenian youth in the commemorative rally.

At the end of the event, the participants handed a letter to OSCE’s
representation, in which the past history of the Armenian pogroms
in the Azerbaijani cities, and the Armenian position with respect to
the Karabakh conflict were presented in detail.

NOUVELLE INVERSION DU JUGEMENT DANS LE PROCÈS DES ASSURANCES DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mardi 28 fevrier 2012

Une formation de juges de la neuvième circonscription, en session
plenière, vient de statuer ce jeudi : une loi de Californie qui
autorise les tribunaux d’etat a connaître des revendications
d’assurances, par les victimes du Genocide Armenien, ne peut
prosperer. Les juges considèrent que ce texte constitue une intrusion
dans le territoire politique reserve au gouvernement des Etats-Unis.

La decision d’une formation de onze juges a San Francisco a scelle
le sort d’une longue et difficile action de groupe engagee par les
survivants du massacre, du temps de la Première Guerre Mondiale,
de plus de 500 000 Armeniens vivant dans l’ex Empire Ottoman. La
Turquie se refuse a appeler genocide les tueries, et la question
est politiquement sensible auprès de ses allies de l’Otan des USA
d’Europe. Les legislateurs de Californie avait vote en 2000 une loi
qui repousser jusqu’a la fin de 2010 la date limite pour engager,
au titre des assurances, des reclamations liees a l’extermination en
masse des Armeniens de l’Empire Ottoman entre 1915 et 1923. Se fondant
sur la theorie peu employee de la ” field preemption” [preemption
en raison du domaine] ou ” dormant foreign affairs preemption”
[preemption du fait d’affaires etrangères potentielles], les juges
ont decide que la section 354-4 de la loi [loi du code de procedure de
Californie stipulant que les tribunaux de cet etat accueilleront les
procès des descendants de victimes du Genocide contre les assureurs]
fait une intrusion dans le droit exclusif du gouvernement federal
de s’occuper des affaires etrangères. “L’existence de ce pouvoir
vis-a-vis du domaine general des affaires etrangères implique que,
meme quand le gouvernement federal n’a pris aucune mesure sur une
question particulière de politique etrangère, l’etat [ la Californie,
en l’occurrence] n’est pas pour autant libre de faire sa propre
politique etrangère sur ce sujet, ‘ a ecrit la juge Susan Graber au
nom de la formation unanime. “La preemption en raison du domaine est
une doctrine rarement envisagee. La jurisprudence de le Cour Supreme
dit clairement, cependant, que la preemption en raison du domaine
est appropriee lorsqu’un etat fait une intrusion sur une question de
politique etrangère meme s’il soutient qu’il n’aborde pas un domaine
ressortant de la responsabilite traditionnelle de l’etat.” Cette
decision marque la troisième fois que la Neuvième Circonscription
a examine la question, et elle inverse le precedent reexamen de
l’affaire concernant l’action collective liee engagee l’an passe.

Depuis 2003, Vazken Movsesian avec d’autres Californiens descendants
d’Armeniens s sont fondes sur cette la loi pour obtenir, de deux
assureurs allemands appartenant a Munich Re, des indemnites pour
mauvaise foi, rupture de contrat et constructive trust [un concept
du droit anglo-saxon qui permet aux descendants d’assures de recevoir
les capitaux dus].

Un juge federal a qui cette affaire avait ete confiee, avait rejete
la reserve des compagnies d’assurance selon laquelle la doctrine
des affaires etrangères preemptait la loi de l’etat, mais une
formation de trois juges en appel avait inverse la decision qui
selon elle enfreignait la politique etrangère federale. Dans une
nouvelle audition, cependant, la formation avait decide “qu’aucune
politique federale expresse n’interdisait l’emploi du terme “Genocide
Armenien”, et avait inverse la decision precedente. La cour avait
ensuite convenu que la question soit revue devant une formation
plenière. Cette formation a une nouvelle fois inverse et ordonne le
retrait de l’action de groupe jeudi.

“La section 354-4 exprime un point de vue distinct sur une question
specifique de politique etrangère”, a ecrit Graber. “Ses effets dans
les affaires etrangères ne sont pas mineurs ; l’intention profonde
de la section 354-4 est plutôt d’envoyer un message politique sur une
question liee aux affaires etrangères, en apaisant et en accueillant
dans les tribunaux ce qui est percu comme une classe de victimes
etrangères [ ?]. Le statut lui-meme n’est pas explicite. Au lieu de
cela, la loi impose une politique concrète de reparations pour les
“victimes du Genocide Armenien,” designant des compagnies d’assurance
etrangères comme sujettes aux poursuites en Californie, en depit
de toute consideration de competence en raison du lieu et etendant
grandement le delai de prescription pour une categorie etroite de
demandes. Ainsi, la section 354-4 ” a un impact direct sur les affaires
etrangères et il se pourrait bien, malencontreusement, que le pouvoir
de gerer ces problèmes du gouvernement federal en soit affecte”[ !]. La
section 354-4 fait donc une intrusion dans le pouvoir exclusif du
gouvernement federal de conduire et de regler les affaires etrangères.’

L’Armenian National Committee d’Amerique a critique cette decision.

“Ce jugement ouvre la porte aux gouvernements etrangers pour tenter de
revenir [sur les progrès] du domaine des droits de l’homme, mettant en
peril la lutte des militants americains d’associations – comme avec
les mouvements anti- Apartheid, sur le Genocide du Darfour, et pour
la liberation du Tibet. Ces combats commencent souvent a l’echelon
de l’etat et local, quelquefois meme avec l’opposition au niveau
federal, avant d’obtenir finalement l’accord du peuple americain,
et du gouvernement des USA” nous a dit le Directeur Executif du
comite Haram Hamparian dans une declaration. “La Turquie n’a aucun
droit de tenir les trois elements du gouvernement des USA en otage
d’une negation irrationnelle et haineuse du Genocide des Armeniens,
un crime qui a ete largement reconnu par la societe civile et le
gouvernement americains, une fois par un president des USA, au moins
deux fois par la Chambre des Representants, 42 fois par differents
etats des USA, et des centaines de fois par des conseils municipaux
dans presque tous les etats de notre union.”

US CONGRESSMEN ABOUT SUMGAYIT POGROMS: “WE REMEMBER THOSE VICTIMS TODAY, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO WERE TARGETED IN OTHER POGROMS IN KIROVABAD AND BAKU”

28.02.12, 10:32

>From February 26 through March 1, 1988, Armenians living in the town
of Sumgait in Soviet Azerbaijan were the targets of systematic violence
that resulted in numerous deaths. U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline
(D-RI) issued the following statement on February 27 in remembrance
of the victims:

“More than two decades ago today, innocent Armenian men, women,
and children living in Sumgait were subjected to heinous, organized
brutality that sought to force them from their homes in Azerbaijan.

We remember those victims today, as well as those who were targeted
in other pogroms in Kirovabad and Baku. As we remember the victims of
these senseless atrocities, let us never forget our responsibility
to one another as members of the human race and the importance of
standing up to abuse or discrimination wherever it occurs.”

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EUROPEAN STUDENTS’ UNION IN THE PARLIAMENT

28.02.2012

On February 28 Artak Davtyan, Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee
on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport met representatives of
the European Students’ Union, Marek Barinsky, representative of the
Committee on Polish Students’ National Unions Development, Daniela
Alexe, Chairperson of the Romanian Students’ National Union and Yuri
Salene, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Finnish
Students’ Association. Sargis Asatryants, Chairman of the Committee
on Foreign Relations of the Armenian Students’ National Association
was also attending the meeting.

As the guests informed those present, they visited Armenia to study
the educational system of Armenia, clarify the degree of the students’
involvement in the administration process of the higher educational
institutions, their problems, and the degree of correspondence of
the Armenian educational system with the European Students’ Union
standards.

35 countries join the European Students’ Union, which has 45
representatives. Every country in the Union can have 2 members.

Georgia and Azerbaijan are members of the structure.

The guests said that in 2008 the Armenian Students’ National
Association had applied to the European Students’ Union with a request,
which however, had been refused, as, according to the implemented
studies, certain problems had been.

Welcoming the guests’ visit to Armenia Artak Davtyan has noted the
Committee led by him is involved in the issues relating to the youth
and education.

Mr Davtyan has noted that a number of legislative reforms have been
implemented: the Bologna process is in the focus of the changes
made in the sphere of higher education, which supposes students’ and
lecturers’ free move. Besides that, in practice, the credit system
has been invested, and the 25 per cent of the administration councils
are students, who take part in the discussion of important issues.

Mr Davtyan has informed the guests that Youth Parliament enclosed to
the Committee functions.

The Committee Chairman expressed willingness to support at best
the Armenian Students’ National Association on joining the European
Students’ Union.

ACTIVISTS TO PROTEST BOOK PRICE SURGE

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 28, 2012 – 13:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A number of actions will be held protesting the
government decision envisaging addition of VAT to the book price.

As writer Aram Pachyan told a press conference, a group has already
been created in Facebook social network protesting price upsurge
of books.

Tomorrow, Feb 29, initiators will submit an open letter to Armenian
Prime Minister requesting for VAT exemption from the book price.

Numerous actions and open lectures are expected for the purpose.

Pachyan said that they will spare no effort to reach the target.