Author: nina hovnanian

, Turkey
April 6 2012

Turkey returns historic graveyards to non-Muslim communities

Six historic graveyards were returned to Ä°stanbul’s Jewish, Greek and
Armenian communities.

Six historic graveyards were returned to Ä°stanbul’s Jewish, Greek and
Armenian communities on Thursday, following a decision by a government
board that regulates the practices of the country’s non-Muslim
communities.

The decision of the Directorate General for Foundations (VGM) to
restore the cemeteries to their respective minority communities is the
first ruling on a February application by 19 non-Muslim foundations
for the return of 57 historic properties. In September, the government
authorized the return of properties seized from non-Muslim religious
communities in decades past.

Thursday’s VGM ruling saw the return of two cemeteries to the BeyoÄ?lu
Yüksek Kaldırım Ashkenazi Jewish Synagogue Foundation, as well as the
repatriation of cemeteries belonging to the BeyoÄ?lu Greek Orthodox
Churches and Schools Foundation, the Balat Surp HreÅ?tegabet Armenian
Church and School Foundation, the Kadıköy Hemdat Israel Synagogue
Foundation and the Kuzguncuk Beit Yaakov Ashkenazi Synagogue
Foundation.

Laki Vingas, the representative of non-Muslim foundations at the VGM,
told the Radikal daily on Thursday that the decision is a sign that
the minority property law passed in September is being acted upon by
the government. This week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told
the US Congress that she was encouraged by the `concrete steps ¦
Turkey has taken over the past year to return properties to religious
communities.’ Turkey’s mostly Muslim population of nearly 75 million
includes roughly 65,000 Armenian Orthodox Christians, 20,000 Jews,
15,000 Assyrians and about 3,500 Greek Orthodox Christians. While
Armenian groups have 52 foundations and Jewish groups 17, Greeks have
75. Some of the properties that were seized from those foundations
include schools and cemeteries.

Cihan

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
April 6 2012

OSCE observers publish interim report on parliamentary elections in Armenia

The monitoring mission of the ODIHR/OSCE has published the first
interim report on preparations for parliamentary polls in Armenia set
for May 6th 2012, Mediamax reports.

The Electoral Code reformed in May 2011 is a good basis for
parliamentary polls in Armenia, the document says. It notes that about
2.5 million people will vote, but the mission is concerned over the
lists of voters.

Campaigning will start on April 8th and end on May 4th. The Central
Electoral Commission registered 8 political parties and a bloc by
April 1st.

This includes the Republican Party, Prosperous Armenia and Orinats
Yerkir making up the ruling coalition, the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaktsutyun, Heritage (merged with the Free Democrats),
the Armenian National Congress (a bloc), the Democratic Party, the
Communist Party and the United Armenians Party.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
April 8 2012

Bahçeli visits Turks in France, slams Armenian genocide denial bill

8 April 2012 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, ÝSTANBUL

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli started a
European trip by attending the 10th Congress of the French Turkish
Federation on Saturday, where he stated that France’s statements
regarding an Armenian genocide in Turkey are nothing but slander and
empty claims.

Turkish-French relations were saved from further deterioration
following a ruling by France’s Constitutional Council in February that
a bill criminalizing the denial of Armenian claims of genocide
violated the constitution. But problems in the countries’ bilateral
relations linger on mainly due to the French president’s staunch
opposition to Turkey’s EU membership.

Speaking to 10,000 participants at the congress held in the French
city of Metz, Bahçeli said the genocide denial bill is not
right-minded and is full of lies. “People who tried to put our nation
in the defendant’s chair, with the encouragement of the Armenian
diaspora, have failed. The Armenian diaspora now needs to become
wiser,” the MHP leader added.

Bahçeli thanked people who stood up against the genocide denial bill
with protests in the French capital of Paris. He told the attendees
that Turks have nothing shameful to face about their history and
added, “We have nothing to learn from anyone.”

Mentioning the gunman of Algerian origin who killed seven people in
the southern French city of Toulouse, the MHP leader said it is not
right to link this terrorist act to Islam. Furthermore, Bahçeli
criticized the people who relentlessly use the term “Islamic
terrorism.”

“People who use the words ‘Islam’ and ‘terrorism’ together are in the
wrong. Speaking of Muslims and terrorism together is nothing but
crusade ideology” he said.

Bahçeli also criticized the European countries for their support for
the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). “It is wrong to support
terrorists. The PKK has shed blood on Cudi [a mountain in Turkey
bordering northern Iraq] and got welcomed in Paris. These kinds of
acts make it difficult to fight terrorism on a global scale,” he
added. The MHP leader lastly advised Turks who are French citizens, to
cast their votes in the presidential elections in France. Bahçeli then
traveled to Austria on Sunday to hold a large meeting with Turks
there.

Syrian Arab News Agency, Syria
April 8 2012

Bishop of Alexandria for Catholic Armenians Salutes Leadership and
People of Syria on Easter Day

Apr 08, 2012

CAIRO, (SANA) – Bishop of Alexandria for Catholic Armenians,   Krikor
Augustine Kusa, saluted on Sunday the leadership and people of Syria,
wishing that Easter would give youths strength and determination to
protect their homeland.

During Easter Day sermon, Bishop Kusa  pointed out to the Syrian
distinguished case throughout history and the amity which gathers all
Syrians from all sects.

Bishop Kusa rejected calling the events witnessed in some Arab
countries ‘a revolution’, noting that revolutions make nations, not
destroy them.

He added that some states and personalities are wasting money to
destroy Arab states and ignite sedition among the people of the
homeland.

F.Allafi/M.Eyon

Civil Georgia, Georgia
April 8 2012

Saakashvili: Catholic Community is ‘Devoted Foundation of Georgia’s
European Choice’

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 8 Apr.’12 / 21:34

In amessagefor Georgian Catholic community, congratulating on
Easter, President Saakashvili said that `the Catholic parish of
Georgia was historically, as well as in present day, a devoted
foundation of the European choice of our country.’

He also said that Georgia’s Catholic community, which is estimated to
be about 35,000, was also `an advocate of European knowledge and
experience in Georgia.’

`I will not start naming all of the great Georgian and not only
Georgian Catholics, who have contributed to the development of
culture, science, and art in our country as there are too many,’
President Saakashvili said in the message posted on his website.

In a separatemessage, the Georgian President also congratulated
Armenians, the third largest ethnic group in Georgia, on Easter
Sunday.

`The friendship of Georgian and Armenian people has survived centuries
and our churches have contributed greatly to the Christian
civilization of the world,’ Saakashvili said. `The ongoing efforts of
ethnic Armenian citizens of Georgia in terms of strengthening our
statehood and democratic development are invaluable.’

Orthodox Christians, who follow a religious calendar different from
other Christian denominations, will mark the Easter a week later. On
April 8, Orthodox Christians marked Palm Sunday.

Proposal on constructing radar station in Armenia to be strong step

news.am
April 08, 2012 | 10:09

MOSCOW. – The proposal voiced by the Armenian PM Tigran Sargsyan on
constructing a radar station in Armenia similar to the Gabala station
in Azerbaijan is a strong step, Russian expert Ruslan Pukhov told
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

`The proposal undoubtedly will influence on Azerbaijan being a tramp
card for Russia. Armenia highly assisted Russia with the offer and
Kremlin will assess it properly,’ the expert said.

In response to the question whether it is possible to build the radar
station in Armenia, the expert said it requires technical study. It is
better for Russia to prolong the contract with Azerbaijan and start
the station’s construction in Armenia, which can be over in 2015,
Pukhov added.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Moscow has been running
talks on prolonging the contact for renting the Gabala radar station
in Azerbaijan for a long time. However, Azerbaijan has raised the
renting price from $7 million to $300 million. In this connection,
Armenian PM has told in an interview with the Russian Kommersant, that
Armenia is ready to discuss the issue with Russia on constructing a
station in its territory.

MUSIQUE
La pianiste Naré Aghamanian ( 23 ans) fait le tour du monde

La jeune pianiste arménienne Naré Aghamanian (23 ans) accumule ses
concerts à travers l’Europe, les Etats Unis et le Canada. Le mensuel
arménien « Orer » paraissant à Prague (République tchèque) consacrait
récemment un large article à Naré Aghamanian. La virtuose venait de
donner un concert le 31 mars à l’« Ambassador Auditorium » de Los
Angeles. Après Toronto, Albany, San Antonio et San Francisco. Naré
Aghamanian qui fut récompensée de nombreux prix, continue ses études à
l’Université de musique et d’art de Vienne (Autriche). En automne elle
enregistrera son CD avec des `uvres de Franz Liszt avec l’orchestre
radio-symphonique de Berlin. En attendant Naré Aghamanian se produira
au Japon, en Malaisie, en Suisse, Angleterre, France, Allemagne et
Autriche. Le 9 mai elle sera également à Erévan où elle donnera un
concert avec des `uvres de Khatchatourian en compagnie de l’orchestre
philarmonique d’Arménie dans la grande salle Aram Khatchatourian.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 8 avril 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

FORESTS SET TO FIRE IN LORI REGION
Shushan Grigoryan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:49:13 – 07/04/2012

To eliminate traces of illegal logging

For over a week, forest fires do not stop in Lori region. In the past
4 days 50 cases were reported in Lori, the majority in meadows and
forests. Several places were burning at a time.

They Lori people blame the illegal loggers who are thus trying to
eliminate the traces of logging ahead of the spring checks.

Yesterday 15 hectares of forests burnt near the Armenian-Georgian
border, the customs house of Gogavan. The fire passed to the Georgian
side where the Georgian border guard was involved in extinguishing.

The Administrative Code prescribes measures for arson while the usual
practice is not to punish for committing arson, resulting in impunity.

U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE IN GULF SIGNALS STRIKE ON IRAN – RUSSIAN LAWMAKER
Mikhail Fomitchev

RIA Novosti
06/04/2012
MOSCOW

A U.S.-backed plan to build a missile defense shield within the Gulf
States may signal preparation for a military strike on Iran, Chairman
of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov said
on Friday.

“The building of a missile defense shield is a political step, which
signals the possibility of a military strike against Iran,” he said,
speaking at a round table conference on Iran at the Lower House of
Parliament, the State Duma.

Pushkov’s comment comes after the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton on Saturday at the Persian Gulf-U.S. security forum in Riyadh
announced the idea of a missile defense shield in the six Persian
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi sharply criticized the
U.S.-backed missile defense project, saying that it was “against
regional security.”

“This missile defense shield is a U.S.-Israeli project and anyone
who gets involved with this project is, in fact, implementing the
U.S. and Israel’s plot,” the Fars news agency quoted Vahidi as saying.

Washington is seeking to expand its missile defense shield within
the Gulf States. U.S. Patriot missiles are already deployed in Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Russian lawmaker also said that Iran was on the brink of a full-fledged
military conflict, as diplomacy so far has not help diffuse the
situation.

“Unfortunately, the situation [around Iran’s nuclear program] is not
moving towards resolution but towards aggravation,” Pushkov said,
adding that despite the international political and diplomatic efforts
to solve the Iranian nuclear issue, “the likelihood of a full-fledged
war is very high.”

Pushkov called on Iranian officials to take the Western threats
“seriously” by “keeping in mind Iraq’s experience.”

He also said that bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities could trigger a
global war, as the Islamic Republic would definitely respond and its
response may be asymmetrical.

Pushkov reiterated Russia’s stance on Iran, saying that Moscow opposed
any military outcome to tackle the Iranian nuclear problem.

“Russia has strongly condemned the so-called military scenario…there
is no reason to say that anything will change in this regards,”
Pushkov said.

The West accuses Iran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program but
Tehran insists it needs nuclear power solely to generate electricity.

THE ADDRESS AND ANSWERS OF THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARMENIA EDWARD NALBANDIAN DURING A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH FOREIGN MINISTER OF LITHUANIA AUDRONIUS AZUBALIS

05.04.2012

I am pleased to welcome my colleague from Lithuania – the Minister of
Foreign Affairs Audronius Aþubalis, who is in Armenia on an official
visit.

The relations between our countries are developing very dynamically.

We meet quite often. I was in Vilnius in January, and before that in
December, and before that in November, and before that my colleague
came to Yerevan. In 2011 Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitë paid
a state visit to Armenia. Significant agreements were reached between
the leaders of our two countries. Availing of this opportunity, today
we discussed their implementation and the steps to be undertaken for
giving more impetus to the development and deepening of our cooperation
in various fields. We discussed the issues of bilateral agenda,
as well as touched upon a number of regional and international issues.

I expressed my gratitude to Audronius Aþubalis for the support to the
efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group during the Lithuania presidency over
the OSCE last year. I told him about the negotiation process on the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

We touched upon the issues related to the development of the relations
between Armenia and the European Union, as well. We mutually expressed
satisfaction with the very positively developing relations. We
discussed the steps to be undertaken in the future, including with
the support of Lithuania, so that these relations become more dynamic.

If we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the
diplomatic relations with many countries this year, we celebrated
the 20th anniversary of establishment of the diplomatic relations
with Lithuania last year.

Lithuania was the first country to recognize our independence.

Lithuania was the first country to establish diplomatic relations
with Armenia. Lithuania was the first Baltic state, which opened the
Embassy in Yerevan. And Armenia, of course, the first Embassy in the
Baltic countries opened in Vilnius. Together with my colleague we
participated in the opening of the Armenian Embassy in Vilnius.

Once again I would like to welcome my Lithuanian colleague and to
give the floor to him.

Question: National Lithuanian television, my question is about
Nagorno-Karabakh. Your Azerbaijani colleague said that it would be
possible to start the reaching of an agreement on the settlement when
Armenia withdraws its troops. What do you think about it, or do you
see another solution?

Edward Nalbandian: Well, first of all, I will take this opportunity to
say that today I handed a statement to my colleague, I would say the
historic statement, made by the Parliament of Lithuania back in 1989
which defends the right of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination. A
very interesting document.

Regarding the statement of the Azeri side and what Armenia thinks about
it. It is obvious what we think. I would say, we think the same way
as the OSCE Minsk Group does. In this regard, U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton on behalf of the Co-Chairs in Astana during the OSCE
summit said that all principles and elements proposed as the basis
for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue have been conceived
and presented to the sides as an integrated whole. And by the way,
the same position was confirmed by France. To select some elements
or principles over the others will create a situation hindering
the settlement. Azerbaijan is proposing to take one element, and
then they would be ready to discuss other issues. This is an absurd
position. On this occasion, the Co-Chairs have repeatedly responded
to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, however, pretends not to be hearing.

Armenia’s position is in line with the position of the Co-Chairs.

Armenia agreed with the package of the principles and elements
presented by the co-chair countries in order to move forward towards
the settlement on this basis. During the G8 summits in L’Aquila,
Muskoka and Deauville at the level of the Presidents of Russia, the
United States and France statements were made on these principles
and elements.

We welcome these statements and we are committed to move forwards
towards a settlement on this basis. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan is taking
steps and making statements that not only help, but hinder the process
of the settlement. At the same time Azerbaijan is pretending that
it is very interested in changing of the status quo, with a view of
the change of the status quo on the basis of only one element. This
merely suggests that Azerbaijan is against the settlement, against
changing of status quo.

Question, Armen Hovsepian, “Mir” Ttelevision, I have a question for
both Ministers. The President of Azerbaijan periodically announces
that the number one enemies of Azerbaijan are the Armenians around the
world. And at a recent plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of
Euronest Ilham Aliyev accused Armenia of not only in all unconceivable
crimes and sins, but also called the Armenians as fascists.

Please tell us, why such repeated racist remarks have not yet been
adequately assessed by the international community? Thank you.

Edward Nalbandian: In my opinion, there is a relevant reaction from
the international community. I will not talk about the reaction
from the Armenian side. We respond on a regular basis, because it
is impossible not to react to such nonsense and provocations. As for
the international community, I would remind a report published by the
Council of Europe’s Commission against Racism. There you can see the
clear addressee being Azerbaijan with reference that in this country
the situation with racism is not very good. What Baku is saying and
doing, discredits the UN Security Council, as Azerbaijan currently
is a non-permanent member of the Security Council.

This country creates tension in the region, every day makes bellicose
statements and in an unprecedented manner increases its weaponry,
by threatening regional and in general international stability and
security. Racist expressions in Azerbaijan go beyond all boundaries.

What does it means to declare a number one enemy of the people of
Azerbaijan an entire people. No comments!

All this bring quite a negative reaction of the international
community. Look at the reports, statements regarding the status of
human rights, press freedom in Azerbaijan. I will not talk much about
it; you are well-aware of all this.