Author: nina hovnanian

REVUE DE PRESSE N1 – 07/09/11 – COLLECTIF VAN

Collectif VAN

07-09-2011

Le Collectif VAN [Vigilance Arménienne contre le Négationnisme]
vous propose une revue de presse des informations parues dans
la presse francophone, sur les thèmes concernant la Turquie, le
génocide arménien, la Shoah, le génocide des Tutsi, le Darfour,
le négationnisme, l’Union européenne, Chypre, etc… Nous vous
suggérons également de prendre le temps de lire ou de relire
les informations et traductions mises en ligne dans notre rubrique

Par ailleurs, certains articles en anglais, allemand, turc, etc,
ne sont disponibles que dans la newsletter Word que nous générons
chaque jour. Pour la recevoir, abonnez-vous a la Veille-Média :
c’est gratuit ! Vous recevrez le document du lundi au vendredi dans
votre boîte email. Bonne lecture.

Ban Ki-moon souhaite une amélioration des relations entre IsraÔl et
la Turquie Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif
VAN vous invite a lire cette information publiée sur le site de l’ONU
le 3 septembre 2011. “Alors qu’il se trouvait en visite samedi en
Australie, le Secrétaire général de l’ONU, Ban Ki-moon a souhaité
une amélioration des relations bilatérales entre IsraÔl et la
Turquie, qui se sont détériorées depuis l’incident meurtrier de la
flottille pour Gaza l’an dernier. “Je souhaite sincèrement qu’IsraÔl
et la Turquie améliorent leurs relations. Depuis l’incident de la
flottille le 31 mai de l’an dernier, j’ai vraiment essayé de les
aider a améliorer leurs relations”, a dit Ban Ki-moon en réponse a la
question d’un journaliste lors d’une conférence de presse conjointe
avec la Première ministre australienne, Julia Gillard, a Canberra,
en Australie.”

Turquie: Ahmet Sik et Nedim Sener déja six mois en prison Info
Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous propose
ce Communiqué de Presse publié sur le site des Reporters Sans
Frontières le 6 septembre 2011. “”Six mois déja de détention
illégitime et infondée, alors même que le procès n’a toujours pas
commencé. Chaque jour qu’Ahmet Sik (Ahmet Å~^ık) et Nedim Sener
(Nedim Å~^ener) passent derrière les barreaux est un scandale
qui rejaillit sur l’image de la démocratie turque. Alors que la
justice s’y refuse chaque mois, la première audience du procès qui
s’ouvrira prochainement doit absolument se conclure par la libération
conditionnelle des deux journalistes.”

Les bombes pleuvent sur les Kurdes dans l’indifférence générale
Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif vous soumet
ici l’article de Gérard Alle et d’André Métayer sur la situation
des kurdes publié sur Rue89 le 4 septembre 2011. “Pauvres Kurdes !

Quarante millions de personnes écartelées entre la Turquie, l’Irak,
l’Iran et la Syrie. Et l’on apprend que l’Iran et la Turquie semblent
soudain décidés a oublier leurs divergences pour se débarrasser d’un
ennemi commun : la résistance armée kurde. L’offensive se poursuit,
dans l’indifférence générale.”

L’info vue par la TRT (2) Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet article
publié sur la TRT (Télévision & Radio de Turquie). Les articles
de ce site ne sont pas commentés de notre part. Ils peuvent contenir
des propos négationnistes envers le génocide arménien ou d’autres
informations a prendre sous toute réserve. “Le Premier Erdogan a
accueilli son homologue espagnol avec une cérémonie officielle”.

IsraÔl-Turquie: la normalisation des relations indispensable
Les relations entre IsraÔl et la Turquie doivent se normaliser,
a déclaré mardi le ministre israélien de la Défense Ehud Barak,
cité par les médias israéliens et internationaux.

Blocus israélien de Gaza : Ankara saisit la Cour internationale
de justice

La Turquie contestera la légalité du blocus israélien de la
bande de Gaza devant la Cour internationale de justice de La Haye
(CIJ), a annoncé samedi le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères,
Ahmet Davutoglu.

Les tensions israélo-turques s’aggravent La Turquie a annoncé hier
la suspension de ses échanges avec IsraÔl en matière de défense
et l’intensification de ses patrouilles navales en Méditerranée
orientale, signe d’une dégradation persistante des relations
bilatérales. ”La Méditerranée orientale n’est pas pour nous une
zone étrangère.

Bataille diplomatique entre IsraÔl et la Turquie Après la publication
du rapport d’enquête de l’ONU sur l’affaire de la flottille pour
Gaza qui empoisonne les relations israélo-turques depuis 2010,
la Turquie expulse l’ambassadeur israélien a Ankara et suspend ses
accords militaires avec l’Etat hébreu. Elle exige des ” excuses ”
de la part d’IsraÔl, pour la mort de sept civils turcs mais elle
n’a obtenu que des ” regrets ”.

L’info vue par la TRT (1) Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet article
publié sur la TRT (Télévision & Radio de Turquie). Les articles
de ce site ne sont pas commentés de notre part. Ils peuvent contenir
des propos négationnistes envers le génocide arménien ou d’autres
informations a prendre sous toute réserve. “Le président de la
République Turque de Chypre du Nord DerviÅ~_ Eroglu et le leader de
la partie chypriote grecque Demetri Christofias se sont rencontrés
dans la zone tampon de LefkoÅ~_a”.

La Turquie fait monter la pression sur IsraÔl La Turquie fut, en
1949, le premier pays a majorité musulmane a reconnaître l’Etat
d’IsraÔl. Et pendant des années les deux pays furent les meilleurs
alliés possible sur le front militaire et économique, sans connaître
néanmoins de relations franchement chaleureuses. Pourtant, depuis
trois ans ces relations n’ont cessé de se dégrader.

Stepanakert prêt au dialogue avec Bakou La République du Karabagh
est prête a engager un dialogue direct avec l’Azerbaïdjan,
a tous les niveaux, comme partie du conflit, a fait savoir le
président du Karabagh Bako Sahakian dans un entretien accordé au
journal Nezavissimaïa Gazeta a l’occasion du 20e anniversaire de
l’indépendance de l’Artsakh.

BAN KI-MOON SOUHAITE UNE AMELIORATION DES RELATIONS ENTRE ISRAEL ET LA TURQUIE

Collectif VAN

07-09-2011

Le Collectif VAN vous invite a lire cette information publiee sur le
site de l’ONU le 3 septembre 2011.

3 septembre 2011 – Alors qu’il se trouvait en visite samedi en
Australie, le Secretaire general de l’ONU, Ban Ki-moon a souhaite une
amelioration des relations bilaterales entre Israël et la Turquie,
qui se sont deteriorees depuis l’incident meurtrier de la flottille
pour Gaza l’an dernier.

“Je souhaite sincèrement qu’Israël et la Turquie ameliorent leurs
relations. Depuis l’incident de la flottille le 31 mai de l’an dernier,
j’ai vraiment essaye de les aider a ameliorer leurs relations”, a
dit Ban Ki-moon en reponse a la question d’un journaliste lors d’une
conference de presse conjointe avec la Première ministre australienne,
Julia Gillard, a Canberra, en Australie.

“Une relation amelioree entre eux est très importante pour faire
face a ce qui se passe au Moyen-Orient, en particulier le processus
de paix au Moyen-Orient”, a-t-il ajoute.

Selon la presse, la Turquie a annonce vendredi l’expulsion de
l’ambassadeur d’Israël et la suspension des accords militaires entre
les deux pays, reprochant a Israël de ne pas avoir presente d’excuses
pour l’abordage de la flottille pour Gaza.

Le comite d’enquete sur la flottille, qui a ete etabli en août 2010 par
le Secretaire general de l’ONU, a rendu public vendredi son rapport
sur l’incident qui a fait neuf morts. Ce rapport conclut notamment
que la force utilisee par Israël pour intercepter les navires avait
ete excessive et que le blocus maritime de Gaza etait conforme au
droit international.

Samedi, le Secretaire general de l’ONU a souhaite que la Turquie
et Israël “fassent tout ce qu’ils peuvent pour mettre en oeuvre les
recommandations et les conclusions du rapport du comite”.

Lire et telecharger le rapport de l’ONU ci-dessous:

Le rapport de l’ONU sur la flottille de Gaza

Retour a la rubrique

TELECHARGER : Le rapport de l’ONU

Source/Lien : ONU

“HAYASTAN” ALL-ARMENIAN FUND BUILDS CHILDREN’S BOARDING FACILITY IN SHUSHI

news.am
Sept 6 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – The “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund, with benefactor Hrair
Hovnanian’s sponsorship, is constructing a child care boarding facility
in Shushi town of Nagorno Karabakh, the Fund’s press service told
Armenian news-NEWS.am. This project is co-funded by the Government of
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. As informed by the Fund, around 100 orphan
children, between the ages of 1 and 15, live in Nagorno Karabakh. Fifty
of them currently live in capital Stepanakert’s orphanage and the
rest have found shelter at the homes of their relatives. Once the
new building of the orphanage is completed, up to 80 children will
be able to live there.

The newly-constructed building will have all necessary living
conditions and recreational facilities-bedrooms, game rooms, cafeteria,
computer library, ceremony hall-for preschool and school-age
children. Demolition and ground activities are currently underway
after which the construction will start immediately.

ARMENIA’S VICE SPEAKER EXPECTS AUTHORITIES WILL DISPLAY TOLERANCE – NEWSPAPER

news.am
Sept 6 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN.- Armenia’s Vice Speaker Samvel Nikoyan commented on the
arrest of opposition activist Tigran Arakelyan in an interview with
the Armenian 168 Zham newspaper.

The dialogue between Armenia’s ruling collation and the opposition
Armenian National Congress was suspended because of Arakelyan’s arrest.

In an interview with the newspaper Nikoyan said the sides can still
find mutually acceptable solutions and continue the dialogue.

Asked whether police is displaying biased approach by setting free
commander of road police Stepan Karakhanyan and at the same time
arresting the opposition activist, Nikoyan stressed that “people
involved in the dialogue should do their utmost not to ruin the
process.” He considers the authorities should show more tolerance.

Earlier road police Colonel Stepan Karakhanyan was detained. He
was prosecuted for appropriation of petrol in the amount of AMD 57
million. Later he was released on bail.

KOCHARYAN DISAPPROVED BEGLARYAN

Lragir.am News

16:30:01 – 05/09/2011

SUBJECT: KOCHARIAN: ‘U.S. INTERFERES IN ARMENIA’S ELECTIONS’

Classified By: AMB Marie L. Yovanovitch, reasons 1.4 (b,d)

1. (C) The Ambassador called May 8 on ex-President Robert Kocharian
to hear his views on Armenia’s recent joint statement with Turkey
regarding normalization of relations (septel), and learn of his plans
for Yerevan’s upcoming May 31 municipal election that will decide
the capital’s next mayor. When the Ambassador asked him about the
upcoming mayoral election, Kocharian asserted that ‘the diplomatic
corps should not politicize them.’ Kocharian said ‘they (foreign
diplomats) always use them to pressure Armenia — it was that way as
long as I was president.’ The Ambassador responded that the United
States does not interfere in Armenia’s elections, but that it would
carefully watch the upcoming election given the fact that it affected
half of the population in Armenia.

2. (C) Kocharian griped that ‘the problem in small countries like
ours is that the pressure always comes from the outside — from
either Moscow, Brussels, or Washington.’ ‘You deform our political
process in the pursuit of your interests,’ Kocharian declared, ‘by
encouraging the opposition to politicize our elections so that they
become an instrument for outsiders to pressure Armenia.’

3. (C) Kocharian said ‘I always thought that the U.S. embassy became
a party during our elections.’ He grumbled that during elections,
‘the worst are the British (because of their history of imperialism),
then the Americans, and sometimes the French — the opposition uses
all of you, which complicates the situation.’ The Ambassador strongly
disagreed with Kocharian, and affirmed that the United States does not
take any side in any election. The Ambassador said that as always,
however, the United States would share its opinion with others on
its observations of the upcoming election.

4. (C) When asked whether he was going to get involved in the May
31 election, Kocharian said he would not because he is sure the
Republican Party and Prosperous Armenia will win. He added that ‘If
I thought they could lose, then I would get involved.’ Kocharian
said he disagreed with the ruling coalition’s decision to contest
the elections as separate parties, asserting that ‘I would have
gotten them to present one unified candidate to represent the entire
coalition.’ Kocharian said he also disapproved of the candidate whom
the Republican Party had chosen to top their list (the newly appointed
mayor, Gagik Beglarian). Kocharian lastly assured the Ambassador that
although the opposition seeks to politicize the election, there will
not be a replay of the March 1 events from 2008.

ARMENIA STUN SLOVAKIA IN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND GROUP

BBC
Tuesday, 6 September 2011 21:49 UK

Armenia’s Valeri Aleksanjan battles with Slovakia’s Filip Holosko
in Zilina The Republic of Ireland will be guaranteed a play-off to
earn a place at Euro 2012 if they win next month’s qualifiers against
Andorra and Armenia.

Armenia’s shock 4-0 win over Slovakia on Tuesday was a further boost
for the Republic after Giovanni Trapattoni’s side had earned a 0-0
draw in Moscow.

The Republic face minnows Andorra away on 7 October before facing
Armenia in Dublin four days later.

However, Armenia have now also moved into the frame for qualification.

Russia lead the Group on 17 points – two ahead of the Republic with
Armenia and Slovakia a further point off the pace.

The next round of games on 7 October sees Armenia hosting Macedonia,
Slovakia at home to Russia with the Republic playing in Andorra.

Four days later, the group concludes with the Republic’s home game
against Armenia, Russia hosting Andorra and Slovakia travelling
to Macedonia.

Two remaining Republic wins would be enough to win the group if Russia
lose in Slovakia.

Armenia scored all their goals in the second half in Tuesday’s win
in Zilina.

Yura Movsisyan put Armenia ahead in the 57th minute with Henrik
Mkhitaryan (70), Gevorg Ghazaryan (80) and Artur Sarkisov (90) adding
the further goals.

STEPAN GRIGORYAN ON KREMLIN’S INABILITY TO RESOLVE THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH ISSUE

06.09.2011

Stepan Grigoryan, the head of the Analytical Centre on Globalisation
and Regional Cooperation

A joint session of the Nagorno-Karabakh regional and the Shaumyan
district councils took place in the Karabakh capital of Stepanakert
twenty years ago – on September 2, 1991. It proclaimed the
independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) in the borders
of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region (NGAR), the Shaumyan
District and part of the Khanlar district. Stepan Grigoryan, an
active participant in the Karabakh national-liberation movement,
member of the Karabakh Committee at the Yerevan Physics Institute,
deputy of the Armenian Supreme Soviet in 1990-1995, one of Armenia’s
most prominent political scientists and head of the Analytical Centre
on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation relayed these events to
Novosti correspondent Gamlet Matevosyan.

Question: Why was the independence of the NKR proclaimed in September
1991?

Answer: To answer this question we should recall what happened in
the late 1980s. Perestroika intensified democratic attitudes in major
Soviet cities and evoked hopes for the restoration of justice regarding
the many national minorities in the country’s outskirts.

Thus, Armenians who were in the majority in the NGAR demanded its
return to the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) and the
restoration of usurped political, economic, and social rights.

These demands were strong enough in Armenia to produce a powerful
Armenian national movement in February 1988. This political force
broke the Armenian Communist Party’s long-standing monopoly on power.

Since its birth, the Karabakh movement carried a powerful democratic
impetus. Armenia was the first Soviet republic to adopt a new law on
elections in the middle of 1989. It allowed every Armenian citizen to
run for the elections to the Armenian Supreme Soviet by collecting
signatures of other citizens (before, the monopoly to nominate
candidates belonged to the Armenian communists) and have their own
elected representatives at all constituencies.

In May 1990, Armenia held free democratic elections to its Supreme
Soviet (now the National Assembly of Armenia) that allowed it to form
a multi-party parliament. It was this parliament that adopted laws
on the freedom of the media, on parties and public organizations,
and freedom of religion. It also endorsed a package of laws for the
transition to the market economy.

Regrettably, the communist Kremlin reacted negatively to all
initiatives set forth by Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh. The Kremlin
fully controlled the media and used it to flare up ethnic hate in the
South Caucasus. Many remember reports on the Karabakh conflict in the
Vremya TV program and articles in the newspapers Pravda and Izvestia.

It was impossible to understand anything from them except that
“extremists are staging rallies and marches” and that “people of
different nationalities were killed” during clashes. This was reported
at the time when peaceful rallies of several hundred thousand people
gathered on Freedom Square in Yerevan in 1988-1990. Apart from the
Nagorny Karabakh issue, they discussed the democratization of Armenian
society, freedom of speech, human rights, and fair and free elections.

According to the established Soviet, or rather imperial tradition,
the Kremlin decided to control the situation by turning different
ethnic, religious, and social groups against each other. When the
extraordinary session of the NGAR Soviet of People’s Deputies made
a political decision on February 20, 1988 to request the region’s
withdrawal from the Azerbaijan SSR and inclusion into the Armenian
SSR, it was the Kremlin personified by the CPSU Central Committee
Politburo rather than Azerbaijan that had a sore reaction to it and
later resorted to force. It is enough to recall Operation Ring that
special units of the Soviet Interior Ministry forces held with the
use of armor under the pretext of fighting illegal armed formations in
May-August 1991 in Armenian villages in the north of Nagorny Karabakh,
the Shaumyan district and the Getashen sub-region of Azerbaijan. This
operation led to the deportation of Armenians from these villages.

These actions consolidated the positions of the forces in Armenia and
Nagorny Karabakh that did not believe in the communist government’s
ability to resolve the Karabakh issue in a peaceful and fair way or
to reform the political system. Therefore, the Supreme Soviet of
Armenia adopted a declaration of independence on August 23, 1990,
a year before the State Committee on the State of Emergency (GKChP)
staged a coup. Its neighbors in the Caucasus passed similar documents
a year later.

The GKChP coup could not change anything in the position of the new
Armenian political elite with modern democratic views. Moreover,
the events around the Nagorny Karabakh issue led to the exodus of
Armenians from Azerbaijan after 1988. They showed the Kremlin’s
inability and likely reluctance to resolve the extremely serious
issues facing the nation.

There was a demonstrative difference in the approach of Armenia and
Nagorny Karabakh. Stepanakert linked more hopes with the central power
but after the Operation Ring and the end of the coup spearheaded by
the Karabakh leaders with hopes that Moscow will resolve the Nagorny
Karabakh issue.

Nagorny Karabakh decided to secede from the Azerbaijan SSR in full
conformity with the Soviet Constitution. I’d like to mention one
important fact that Baku wants to keep silent about. On August 30,
1991, the Azerbaijan Supreme Soviet adopted a resolution on restoring
the political independence of the Azerbaijan Republic based on the
proclamation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), on May 28,
1918. The resolution makes modern Azerbaijan the legal successor of
the ADR. But at that time Nagorny Karabakh was not part of the ADR. I
think it wold be logical to assume that having proclaimed itself the
legal successor of the ADR, Azerbaijan thereby agreed to Karabakh’s
cessation. It’s important to also take into account the fact that
the League of Nations declared Nagorny Karabakh a disputed territory
in 1918.

Armenia was the only Soviet republic to gain its independence according
to Soviet laws (a republic wishing to secede had to make notice about
the start of the procedure a year in advance). During the coup, the new
leaders of Armenia had their concerns but they were bent on holding a
referendum on independence. It took place as planned on September 21,
1991, and 94% of Armenia’s population voted for its independence.

On December 10, 1991, in two months and a half and just a few days
before the Soviet Union’s official disintegration, the overwhelming
majority of the population in Nagorny Karabakh – 99.89% — voted at a
referendum for its complete independence from Azerbaijan. This event
was followed by large-scale military actions, which, as a result,
paved the way for Nagorny Karabakh’s independence, but this is a
whole different story.

MINORITY FOUNDATIONS TO RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR PROPERTY
By Menekse Tokyay

Southeast European Times

06/09/2011

The Turkish government has published a decree opening the way to
return hundreds of properties confiscated from religious minorities
since 1936.

Of nearly 74 million people in Turkey, less than 1% belong to religious
minorities. [Reuters]

According to the decree, published in the Official Gazette on
August 27th, minority foundations can reclaim property — including
cemeteries, fountains, schools, hospitals and orphanages — that they
have declared since 1936. Real estate that has been re-sold to third
parties will also be paid for after the current value is determined
by the Ministry of Finance.

“Like everyone else, we also know about the injustices that different
religious groups have been subjected to because of their differences,”
said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a dinner he attended
with the representatives of Christian and Jewish foundations.

To reclaim their property, minority foundations must apply to Turkish
authorities within a year. Each application must be approved by
parliament, after which the property will be registered in the name
of the foundation by the registration office.

Coming on Monday (September 12th): a special webpage dedicated to
news and information from Turkey.

Pazartesi (12. Eylul) Turkiye ile ilgili ozel bir haber sitesi geliyor.

The Lausanne Treaty defines as minority Greek Orthodox, Armenian and
Jewish communities.

Turkey’s Law on Foundations, adopted in 1936, ordered that all
foundations must submit a property declaration including all real
estate and other properties they possess, while in 1974, a separate
ruling by the Court of Cassation banned minority groups from purchasing
and registering any new property.

In 2008, parliament amended the Foundations Law, expanding the rights
of minority religious groups to acquire new property and recover
their confiscated property. However, “although 2008 amendments did
allow for the return of some of the properties, restrictions remained,
and the issue of properties sold to third parties was left unsolved,”
says Professor Armagan Cakir of Marmara University.

Armenian-Turkish journalist and Director of the Turkish Economic and
Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) Democratisation Programme Etyen
Mahcupyan, says the timing of this decree is important.

“First of all, the government took this decision before the upcoming
discussions on the new constitution, meaning it does not want to
leave this delicate question to be resolved within the constitutional
structure,” he explained.

Erdogan has said he wants a constitution that is “free of the
democratic shames of the past: not exclusive but inclusive, not
alienating but embracing, not discriminating but integrating, and
not oppressive but liberating”.

According to Mahcupyan, the ruling AKP wants to obtain civilian
control over the state structure and its ideology, most recently
reflected in changes in civilian-military relations.

“I believe that this decision was also a proactive move serving another
purpose: the AKP government tries to redefine ‘Turkish citizenship’
in more liberal, civilian and modern terms — which is mistakenly
interpreted as neo-Ottomanism by some,” says Cakir.

As Ayhan Aktar of Bilgi University points out, “The early Republican
period of modern Turkey showed a state policy that wanted non-Muslims
to leave Turkey and, if possible, by leaving their property and goods
behind them.” Therefore, the new decree can be seen in light of the
state redefining its relationship with religious minority groups.

The timing of this move also suggests a determination by the government
to meet demands of the EU, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
and the US Congress, which have pressed the country in this direction
for decades.

According to the 2010 Progress Report for Turkey prepared by the
European Commission, the EU requires that the legal framework in
Turkey addresses cases of properties seized and sold to third parties,
emphasising the need for ensuring full respect of the property rights
of all non-Muslim religious communities.

If the government had not taken up the issue of minority properties
now, Aktar says, it would have left itself vulnerable to significant
compensation in cases that go before the ECHR.

Experts say the government’s next step should be to re-establish the
reputations of minority groups’ members who lost their citizenship,
including opening up the possibility of dual citizenship and passports.

YEREVAN TO HOST ARMENIA -KUWAIT INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE SESSION IN OCT

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 6, 2011 – 18:24 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia’s Vice Prime Minister, Armenia -Kuwait
intergovernmental committee co-chairman Armen Gevorgyan hosted the
sitting of the Armenian members of the committee on September 6.

The sitting focused on the issues linked to the fist session of the
committee due October 2011 in Yerevan.

According to Gevorgyan, at their visits, high-ranking Kuwaiti officials
expressed readiness to establish constructive cooperation with Armenia,
with operating Armenian Embassy in Kuwait and planned opening of
Kuwait Embassy in Armenia further contributing to development of ties.

Members of the committee were further instructed to submit offers
on the program of the committee session, Territorial Administration
Ministry press service reported.

DAVIT JAMALYAN SAYS IMAGE OF BRUTE AND RUDE MILITARY OFFICERS SHOULD BE CHANGED

ARMENPRESS
21:29, 6 September, 2011

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: “The image of brute and rude
military officers in the Armenian military forces should be changed
and a new model of service for military officers should be formed. We
still have the stereotype that a strong, efficiently acting military
officer cannot have a mild disposition. The activities of the Defense
Ministry of Armenia are aimed at these system changes. Certainly
this is the main issue which leads to tragic events,” Davit Jamalyan,
military expert, reported Armenpress commenting on the case of death
of Aghasi Abrahamyan, private soldier serving in one of the military
units of the Nagorno Karabakh.

On August 26 Aghasi Abrahamyan was moved to hospital and died there.

Traces of an outer force were revealed in the result of a forensic
examination of his body. A criminal case has been instituted on this
matter. 3 military officers and a private have been detained.

Davit Jamalyan says time is needed for system changes and improving
of the moral-psychological image. “The wish and demand of all of us
is to have an army, which will not have military officers with such
an image. Works are under way in this direction.” He said the recent
tragic event was a sad blow to everyone. “We are decisive in this
matter, as the punishment of several of persons will settle this
issue. In this regard I consider the public attitude, the active
response towards the case of death of Aghasi Abrahamyan quite
positive,” he said.

Davit Jamalyan urged the society to be attentive in its descriptions
in order not to extend the “vector of complaint” to the entire army,
to the image of the military staff of the Armed Forces.