Author: nina hovnanian

RUSSIA TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS IN KARABAKH ISSUE BY DECEMBER – RUSSIAN EXPERT

tert.am
22.05.12

Russia will soon intensify its mediatory efforts in the settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, leading expert of the Russian Political
Conjuncture Center’s research department Maxim Minayev said in an
interview to 1news.az.

According to him, with his efforts Vladimir Putin proves the
post-soviet vector to be the priority of country’s foreign policy.

“Recently we have viewed the CSTO sitting, afterwards the non-official
summit of the CIS. I think Moscow will intensify its efforts to
reach settlement acceptable for the both parties,” the political
analyst said.

“The works on the Karabakh conflict settlement will launch by
December. The official Moscow will discuss the issue with Baku and
Yerevan,” he said adding that the developments will depend on the
way the negotiations will pass with each of the state.

The expert said the new president will consider the work carried out
during the years of presidency of Dmitry Medvedev.

CRONIMET CHARITY CONTINUES COOPERATION WITH SCHOOLS – SUPPORT TO THE ART SCHOOL N2 NAMED AFTER SARGIS BARKHUDARYAN

ARMENPRESS
22 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS: New support project with the Yerevan
Art School N 2 after Sargis Barkhudaryan established in 1973 has been
initiated by the CRONIMET Charity Foundation. Armenpress was informed
from the company that having more than 40 years of history, the young
graduates of this Art School had noticeable achievements in the area of
music, art and sculpture. However, due to the unsatisfactory condition
of the school building and lack of financing, the classes are now
being organized in unfurnished rooms without minimally acceptable
norms, thus affecting the educational process and even the health of
children. Currently the school has about 260 children playing various
musical instruments and attending numerous art classes; the school
also actively cooperates with orphanages providing them the opportunity
to get familiar with music and art. Having seen the conditions of the
Art School and being impressed with the talents of children, CRONIMET
Charity Foundation has decided to launch cooperation project with them
and as a first step has provided all necessary musical instruments,
in a total amount of 1.5 million AMD.

Having further discussed necessary steps with the Art School
management, the preliminary agreement to carry out renovation of
the classrooms in the framework of its Youth and Special Initiatives
Support component has been achieved. The Foundation believes that this
cooperation would ensure adequate education conditions for children
allowing them to uncover their potential, to organize annual concerts
and performances and have greater audience for their art.

As any other project launched, CRONIMET Charity Foundation support
is to be ongoing leading to sustained and successful cooperation with
the beneficiary, namely the Art School N2 after Sargis Barkhudaryan.

CRONIMET Charity Foundation has been established in June 2011 having
its main goal of supporting children and people in need throughout
the country. The Founder of the CONIMET Charity Foundation is the
German CRONIMET Mining AG.

FAAE: FOREIGN MINISTRY INDIFFERENT TO GENOCIDE RECOGNITION CAMPAIGN

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 22, 2012 – 16:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Head of the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe
(FAAE) said he repeatedly addressed the Armenian envoys in the region
with a request to foster promotion of bills criminalizing the Armenian
Genocide denial, but was rejected.

According to Ashot Grigoryan, only Armenian Foreign Ministry’s call
for explanation for Slovakian ambassador to Armenia and Azerbaijan
Josef Migash’ Genocide denial was significant in promotion of Genocide
recognition campaign.

“However, RA Foreign Ministry shows no activity in the process,”
he said.

Mr. Grigoryan further explained the situation by his harsh criticism of
the Armenian-Turkish protocols, stipulating formation of an interstate
group of historians to study the “fact” of Genocide.

“Ratification of protocols would result in full breakdown of Genocide
recognition campaign ahead of the 100th anniversary of the crime,”
he said,

THE INDEPENDENT: BEHIND THE PREPOSTEROUS GLITZ OF EUROVISION STANDS THE OPPRESSIVE AZERBAIJANI REGIME

Panorama.am
23/05/2012

The Eurovision Song Contest is the most-watched non-sporting
competition in the world. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that
Azerbaijan’s government sees the contest as a ticket of admission to
the community of nations. Nor that President Ilham Aliyev has spent
around $134M on a concert hall, which will host the event, says the
popular British daily newspaper “The Independent.”

“The Independent” notes that behind the preposterous glitz stands
an oppressive, oil-rich regime where a corrupt ruling elite enjoys
wealth and those who dare to protest are routinely arrested and beaten.

The statistics are grim. Amnesty International records at least 12
prisoners of conscience in Azerbaijani jails and Azerbaijan comes
near the bottom of the press-freedom index, “The Independent” notes.

Nothing has changed in the run-up to Eurovision. Just this week,
more people were held during a pro-democracy protest. It will take
more than a song competition to distract attention from the manifest
inhumanity of the Azerbaijani regime, the publication says.

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER DEDICATES ARTICLE TO EUROVISION

ARMINFO
Wednesday, May 23, 15:51

Azerbaijan’s pride in hosting the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest,
which has the largest television audience of any non-sporting event
in the world, reflects far more than a love of music. It signals my
country’s re-emergence into the international community and enables
us to showcase our achievements since independence, writes Elmar
Mammadyarov, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, in his article on The
WSJ Europe.

“Azerbaijan stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, but contact
with non-Soviet Europe was almost impossible during the Soviet era.

Few in the West were even aware of Azerbaijanis’ dreams of national
Independence. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Azerbaijan was plunged
into a war with Armenia, which lasted six years and claimed 30,000
lives. These years were accompanied by hyperinflation, near-economic
collapse and fierce political infighting. As Azerbaijan tottered on
the brink of disintegration, few external observers believed that
it could survive as a fully independent state. Today, after 20 years
of independence, Azerbaijan has one of the fastest growing economies
in the world, with average annual GDP growth of 20% between 2003 and
2008,” Mammadyarov writes.

The minister believes that Azerbaijan has its problems, not least
ongoing corruption. “But this is also a global phenomenon, and it is
disappointing that Azerbaijan’s important breakthroughs in the fight
against corruption have gone unreported.”

“Azerbaijan has also come under fire from some Western NGOs for its
human-rights record and for the pace of democratic change. Strangely,
the critics have ignored what undoubtedly constitutes one of the
greatest violations of human rights in modern times: the violent
displacement of the Azerbaijani population from Nagorno-Karabakh and
surrounding districts in the war with Armenia.”

“Azerbaijan’s democracy remains a work in progress, to be carried on
by future generations. Each parliamentary and presidential election
has been an improvement over its predecessor. Opposition newspapers
can and do now criticize the government on a daily basis. Azerbaijanis
take part in lively political discussion on social media. The right of
assembly is guaranteed, and in common with a number of other states,
including European countries, we require that political demonstrations
take place in authorized areas. We continue to believe that the best
cradle for democracy is a stable, functioning state,” Mammadyarov
writes.

ARMENIA’S AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE AWARDS BOGDAN AND VARVARA KHANENKO ARTS MUSEUM DIRECTOR

tert.am
23.05.12

Armenia’s ambassador to Ukraine Andranik Manukyan hosted on May 22
Bogdan and Varvara Khanenko Arts Museum director Vera Vinogradova,
according to Analitika.at.ua.

The ambassador attached significance to the identification issue of
cultural and historic values and expressed gratitude for the assistance
to the process. The Armenian historic heritage sample in Ukraine –
the icon of the Virgin Mary from Kamenets Podolskiy has been identified
by the specialists of the museum and will be showcased in the museum.

“The rich cultural heritage of the two countries testifies the great
contribution of our nations to the development of world civilization.

Their studies and conservation is a holy work,” Andranik Manukyan said.

He awarded Vera Vinogradova for her contribution to the dissemination
of Armenian traditions and values and active social activity.

TURQUIE: LES MAISONS DES ALéVIS MARQUéES DE INSCRIPTIONS HAINEUSES

Publié le : 23-05-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose cette information publiée sur le site susam-sokak.fr,
le blog d’Etienne Copeaux, le 11 mai 2012. Ã~Itienne Copeaux est
un historien spécialiste du monde turc. Chercheur au Groupe de
recherches et d’études sur la Méditerranée et le Moyen-Orient a
Lyon, il s’intéresse particulièrement au nationalisme en Turquie.

Légende photo: La porte d’un appartement d’une famille alévie a
Didim : “Mort aux alévis” (5 mai 2012)

susam-sokak.fr

Vendredi 11 mai 2012

Une vague de stigmatisation inquiétante pour les alévis de Turquie

Lorsque j’ai évoqué la question alévie en Turquie dans mes articles
précédents (” esquisses ” n° 26 et 27), je faisais état de
la crainte vivace qui pénétrait la population alévie dans les
années 1990.

Heureusement, celle-ci n’a pas connu de nouvelles violences depuis
1995. Mais des faits récents viennent raviver l’inquiétude.

A la veille du pogrom de Marache en 1978 (111 morts), les domiciles
des alévis avaient été marqués pour faciliter le ” travail ”
des assaillants. Voici que cette pratique de stigmatisation a repris –
heureusement cela n’a pas été plus loin que les marques de peinture
et inscriptions haineuses.

Dans la nuit du 26 février dernier, dans le quartier Karapınar
d’Adıyaman (sud-est de la Turquie, entre Marache et Diyarbakır),
45 maisons ont été marquées de signes mystérieux. Leur point
commun est d’être le domicile de familles alévies. La similitude
avec les préparatifs du massacre de Marache est venue a l’esprit
immédiatement.

Le muhtar a prévenu les organisations alévies locales qui se sont
rendues en délégation a la SÔreté. Les gens du quartier ont
organisé des tours de garde. Le quartier est majoritairement kurde
et alévi, mais jusqu’ici on n’y a enregistré aucun problème de
cohabitation avec les habitants sunnites. Selon le président de
l’association Pir Sultan Abdal, ce serait la l’Å”uvre d’un ou deux
provocateurs seulement. ” Mais cela crée un état d’esprit ”.

Lire la suite ainsi que les commentaires sur le blog d’Etienne Copeaux,
susam-sokak.fr

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : susam-sokak.fr

LE MAIRE DE GYUMRI DEMENT LES RUMEURS
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 23 mai 2012

Vartan Ghukasian, le maire controverse de Gumri, a rejete les
informations des medias rapportant qu’il a ete contraint de
demissionner en raison de la defaite electorale du parti republicain
au pouvoir en Armenie dans la deuxième ville du pays.

Les resultats officiels des elections legislatives du 6 mai ont montre
que le Parti republicain ( HHK) a ete battu par son jeune partenaire
de la coalition, le Parti Armenie prospère (BHK), dans les trois
districts electoraux qui couvrent Gyumri.

Plusieurs medias armeniens ont rapporte ces derniers jours que la
direction du HHK a Erevan considère Vartan Ghukasian comme responsable
du fiasco et essayait de le remplacer.

Le quotidien pro-opposition “Haykakan Zhamanak” a suggere qu’il ne
serait meme pas autorise a terminer son quatrième mandat qui expire
cet automne.

Vartan Ghukasian a qualifie ces informations d'”infondees” et
“absurdes” dans une interview accordee a RFE / RL Armenie (
Azatutyun.am).

“Ce ne sont que des commentaires par ceux qui parrainent certains
medias, des personnes qui repandent des commères” a-t-il dit en les
accusant d’avoir “les mains ensanglantees” et “adorer le Diable.”

” D’ailleurs, je n’ai jamais decu mon peuple. J’ai un enorme succès.

Si je laisse les choses incomplètes et fuit, ils vont dire, ” nous
vous avons elu. Pourquoi vous nous avez quitter ? ” a ajoute le maire
qui a fait la campagne electorale du HHK dans Gyumri et la province
environnante de Shirak.

Vartan Ghukasian, en poste depuis 1999, a egalement precise qu’il
postulera pour un autre mandat de quatre de maire lors de la prochaine
election en Octobre.

“Si les gens votent pour moi encore une fois, je vais certainement
continuer a servir mon peuple” a-t-il dit.

LE PARTI DACHNAKTSOUTIOUN NE SE JOINDRA PAS A LA COALITION DU GOUVERNEMENT
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 23 mai 2012

Un chef du parti de l’opposition a declare mardi que la Federation
revolutionnaire armenienne (Dachnaktsoutioun) ne se joindra pas une
nouvelle coalition gouvernementale qui pourrait etre formee a la
suite des elections legislatives.

Armen Rustamian a nie l’annonce des medias qui affirmait que
le president Serge Sarkissian a propose a la FRA de rejoindre le
gouvernement. ” Il n’y a pas eu de telles discussions parce que nous
avons precise nos idees “, a declare Rustamian a RFE / RL.

La FRA, qui faisait partie du gouvernement de coalition sortant
jusqu’en 2009, a fortement critique les autorites armeniennes sur
le deroulement des elections du 6 mai. Avec deux autres principaux
partis politiques, il a conteste la credibilite de leurs resultats
officiels qui ont donne une victoire ecrasante au parti Republicain
de Serge Sarkissian (HHK).

Le HHK semble pret a conclure un accord de partage du pouvoir
avec d’autres forces, notamment le Parti Armenie prospère (BHK),
en depit d’avoir gagne la majorite absolue dans la nouvelle Assemblee
nationale. Les representants du HHK ont annonce que le parti au pouvoir
a eu des entretiens non seulement avec le BHK, mais aussi avec d’autres
partis. Rustamian a suggere que Sarkissian souhaiterait voir d’autres
acteurs politiques representes dans son nouveau cabinet face au manque
de confiance generalise concernant le resultat des elections. ” Il
y a un complexe d’inferiorite [sein de la direction HHK] ” a-t-il dit.

TOP OFFICIAL: NATO DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE POLITICAL WILL TO INTERVENE IN KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend

May 21 2012
Azerbaijan

NATO does not show activity and the political will to intervene in
the Nagorno-Karabakh and Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts in the South
Caucasus, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Social and Political
Department Chief Ali Hasanov said at a press-conference today.

He said that today Azerbaijan expects a lot from NATO, the OSCE and
other organizations with which it cooperates.

“In particular, Azerbaijan expects a lot from those organizations
which have the actual power and influence to ensure implementation
of the UN resolutions. But today there is no real result in the
resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
because Armenia still continues its destructive position and does not
liberate the occupied territories. Today a constructive position on the
establishment of peace in Nagorno-Karabakh is not being demonstrated,”
Hasanov said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.