Author: Tambiyan Samvel

“WE WON’T PUT OUR HANDS DOWN UNTIL TURKEY RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE,” URFA ARMENIANS DECLARE
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 27 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September
23-25, events dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Urfa heroic
struggle were held in Armenia on the initiative of RA National Academy
of Sciences and Urfa Compatriot Union. Urfa Armenians that arrived
from South America, the US, Lebanon, Syria on those days visited the
Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex to victims of Armenian Genocide,
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, as well as participated in the
opening of the S.Astvatsatsin church founded by Mihran Safarian’s
family and the reservoir built by Vazgen Gasparian’s benefaction in
the settlement of Nor Yedesia of Aragatsotn region.
Urfa Compatriot Union was founded in 1975 in the US and Lebanon. As
Karpis Gazanchian, Chairman of Urfa Compatriot Union of US, noted
in his interview to Noyan Tapan’s correspondent, the Union also has
branches in Syria and South America.
Armenians lived in Urfa since ancient times. For centuries Urfa
has been a center of trade and communication. The trade of Turkey’s
internal provinces was carried out through Urfa. Before the First
World War the population of the town of Urfa was nearly 55 thousand
people. Armenians, Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Jews lived there. The number
of Armenians living in the town fluctuated from 12 to 20 thousand
people. They were engaged in small trade, crafts and agriculture.
There were three Armenian churches and three Armenian schools in the
town. In the period of Abdul Hamid’s reign the Urfa Armenians felt
the consequences of the destructive policy carried on by Turkey on
their back. In 1895 Urfa like other regions of the Ottoman Empire
populated with Armenians became a place of slaughter. Cruelly killing
many Armenians, the Turks robbed their property, destroyed their houses
and cultural centers. After 1895 a great migration of Armenians started
in the Ottoman Empire. But the Urfa Armenians didn’t abandon their
houses and managed to have the 1915 heroic struggle with joint efforts.
After the 1915 massacres the Urfa Armenians spread all over the
world, they also repatriated to Soviet Armenia where they founded the
settlement of Nor Yedesia. According to K.Gazanchian, by approximate
calculations, at present 15 thousand former residents of Urfa live in
different countries of the world, 3.5 thousand of them live in Lebanon.
K.Gazanchian noted that today Urfa Armenians living in Spyurk want to
make friends with the residents of the village of Yedesia, as well as
try to assist the village. “Nor Yedesia seems to be the native land
of our parents to us. We want our children to visit this settlement
frequently so that they will know their past and history as the more
they stick to their roots the more Armenian they will remain,” Karpis
Gazanchian mentioned.
Touching upon preservation of the Armenian nation, he mentioned
that the number of those speaking Armenian reduces year by year in
Spyurk, as well as marriages of Armenians with foreigners have become
frequent. “The new generation is assimilated with different nations
and we can’t oblige our children to marry only Armenians as starting
from school they mix with representatives of different nations.”
Speaking about the Armenian-Turkish relations, Mihran Safarian,
member of Urfa Compatriot Union of South America, gave assurance
that the Turkish government must condemn the Armenian Genocide: “We
demand justice. We won’t put our hands down until Turkey recognizes
the Armenian Genocide.”
According to M.Safarian, today Turkey spends enormous sums on
anti-propaganda and Turkish ambassadors and intellectuals try to
deny the crime committed by their grandfathers at the beginning of
the 20th century. “If there hasn’t been a genocide, from where have
the Armenians spread all over the world come? Nearly 2-3 thousand
Armenians lived in South America before 1915 and after 1915 their
number reached 200-300 thousand,” he highlighted.

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan, in Armenian
24 Sep 05 p 3
Armenian opposition leader urges unity to reject constitutional
reform
Headlined “The authorities are in deadlock”
An interview with the leader of the Anrapetutyun [Republic] Party,
Aram Sarkisyan.
[Haykakan Zhamanak correspondent] Mr Sarkisyan, if the opposition
cannot unite in the local government elections, where are the
guarantees that the opposition will be able to unite during the
constitutional referendum and the processes taking place before and
after it?
[Aram Sarkisyan] As far as the local government elections are
concerned, I can confidently say that there is no election system in
Armenia. Moreover, local government elections are less politicized
than the parliamentary or presidential election, and only after
changing the president, radical changes are possible in this country.
For this reason, the public becomes active mainly during a
presidential election. As for the constitutional referendum, I am
sure that irrespective of everything, the whole opposition will unite
as a team. All forces that will say “no” to these constitutional
changes will unite and there is no alternative to this unification.
For this reason, it is not by chance that panic is clearly seen in
the government camp, which is expressed by the Dashnaks’ hints to
postpone the referendum. That is to say if they see that the positive
result of the referendum is not guaranteed, they will postpone it.
The authorities understand very well that a serious wave of the
people’s movement will start in November.
[Correspondent] Can we say that any result of the constitutional
referendum, as well as its postponement, is a deadlock for the
authorities?
[Sarkisyan] Yes, we can. These authorities have no way out of the
November deadlock. A pan-national movement is unavoidable with any
result of the constitutional referendum, as well as if there is an
attempt to postpone the referendum.
[Correspondent] Mr Sarkisyan, as is known, you are going to meet
Yerevan State University students.
[Sarkisyan] My contacts with the people have shown that I need such a
meeting with young people. I am sure nobody will get in the way of my
meeting with the students.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+
| 19:48:03 | 20-09-2005 | Social |
REFUGEES TO BE EVICTED FROM EREBUNI HOTEL
«Our greatest misfortune is to remain alive. We have no rights to fall ill,
feed and choose. Even if we appeal to the court we will be evicted», the
refugees residing in the second building of Erebuni Hotel said today.
35 families live in the hotel at present. 17 of them are refugees from
Gyumri. In 2004 the families were informed that the building was sold to
Ginekar LTD, which allocated $200 thousand to the resident. The sum was
divided among the refugees while the families from Gyumry received nothing.
In their words, they were offered «checks» valuing in $4600 but they
refused.
The Fund of Tourism Development headed by the father of Erebuni Hotel
Director has brought a suit against the residents of the second building of
the hotel. The residents turned to the Court of Appeals.
Earlier they appealed to President Kocharian, RA NA Chairman Baghdassaryan,
the Prime Minister, Ombudsman and some deputies, who said they cannot help.
The residents of the hotel said that in case they are evicted they will
pitch a camp near the government building and live there.

Pan Armenian News
DAYS OF BELARUSIAN CULTURE TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 3
21.09.2005 02:39
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Days of Belarusian Culture will be held in the Republic of
Armenia September 29 – October 3 and next year the Days of Armenia will be
held in Minsk, RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus
Suren Harutyunian stated during a press conference on September 20. In
Harutyunian’s words, the opening ceremony will take place in the State
Theater of Opera and Ballet. Pesnyary company, a chamber orchestra, National
Dances group will present their art to the Armenian audience. An exhibition
will be as well organized. The Belarusian delegation will be headed by
Minister of Culture Leonid Gulyako, reported IA Regnum.

Calgary Herald, Canada
Sept 20 2005
A systemic sonic assault

Heath McCoy

CREDIT: Jenelle Schneider, Calgary Herald
Serj Tankian and System of a Down rocked the Saddledome on Monday.

System of a Down performed Monday at Pengrowth Saddledome.
Attendance about 12,000
The opening chords of acoustic, protest song Soldier Side sounded
first, guitarist Daron Malakian singing the lyrics sweetly behind the
curtain.
Then the curtain dropped.
Malakian screamed maniacally, shredding away in true virtuoso,
metal-head fashion on his axe, joined by his System of a Down
bandmates. Machine-gun drum fills and barreling bass rhythms,
courtesy of John Dolmayan and Shavo Odadjian, respectively, filled
the Saddledome Monday night as 12,000 fans lost their minds.
Singer Serj Tankian led the band through a raging take of B.Y.O.B.,
from the Armenian-American band’s Mezmerize, which happened to be THE
album for the summer of 2005.
Nobody released a record as vibrant, as intense, or as
burned-into-your-brain infectious as Mezmerize. Even those typically
scared by the dizzying onslaught of thrash beats and shrieks could
not resist grooves as insanely catchy as the chorus of B.Y.O.B.
Opening with such power, System of a Down did not let up for the
remainder of the evening. Tankian led the band through Revenga next,
its lusty, gypsy refrain belonging to an Armenian circus tent as much
as to an arena rock show (but making the transition beautifully).
“We are here to feed all you starving rock ‘n’ roll children!”
declared Malakian, as his band proceeded to fulfil that promise with
one metallic morsel after another. Highlights included Needles with
its demented, Frank Zappa-esque rallying cry. This quirkiness
continued on the band’s scathing media-critique Violent Pornography.
Then there was the group’s slam on military machismo, Cigaro, first
delivered as a ballad, before the band launched into the thrash
attack heard on Mezmerize.
System also previewed a song from Hypnotize, the second act of
Mesmerize, which is set to hit stores in November. After the intro, a
few bars of Neil Young’s My My, Hey Hey, Malakian led the band
through the anthemic Kill Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Opening the show was The Mars Volta, an eight-piece prog-metal
jam-band from Texas that rose from the ashes of the acclaimed At The
Drive-In. A number of critics have declared this band brilliant,
which is the biggest crock you’ll ever read. Mars Volta’s sonic
blitzkrieg is ambitious to be sure, as drums thunder and guitar riffs
slither forth, like psychedelic beasts. The flutes and saxophones are
a nice touch, too. Singer Cedric Bixler has his moves down, wielding
his microphone stand like he’s warding off evil spirits.
It’s a shame about his high-pitched wail of a voice which is truly
grating.
It’s an even bigger shame that, instead of writing songs, the band
takes us on endless, jam-metal tangents. It’s about as pretentious as
it gets.
But no matter. System of a Down was the attraction and they made the
evening.

PERINCEK: SWITZERLAND IS BIASED ON ARMENIAN ISSUE
The Anatolian Times, Turkey
Sept 20 2005
SWISS POLICE WARNS PERINCEK NOT TO SPEAK ON ARMENIAN ISSUE
LAUSANNE – “Switzerland accused Turkey of committing genocide without
verifying historical facts and in a biased way,” Labor Party (IP)
leader Dogu Perincek said on Sunday.
Perincek took the floor at a conference on the issue of the so-called
Armenian genocide in Switzerland, where he arrived to give evidence
to Lausanne Prosecutor.
It was learned that prior to his arrival to the hall to address the
conference, Swiss Police warned Perincek not to deny the “so-called”
Armenian genocide. They told Perincek not to speak on so-called
Armenian genocide. The police also warned that in case Perincek speaks
on Armenian problem and in case this includes an element of crime,
this would be added to the ongoing investigation .
In July, Perincek was interrogated as he said that the so-called
Armenian genocide had never been happened. Lausanne Prosecutor’s
Office called on Perincek to come to the office on September 20th,
to interrogate him for a second time.
At the conference, Perincek called on Switzerland to make a serious
investigation about the Armenian issue. He said it was unjust to
declare a nation “committing genocide” without thoroughly examining
the events that had happened 90 years ago.
Perincek said Turks never committed genocide, on the contrary Armenians
–under the command of Russians– had committed genocide on Turks
who were trying to defend their country.
Swiss police covered Perincek’s speech and videotaped it to add it
to prosecutor’s investigation.
Perincek will hold a press conference in Zurich on Tuesday and give
his testimony in Lausanne Prosecutor’s Office on September 20th.
Perincek earlier had been detained in Winterthur city of Switzerland
as he said, “Armenian genocide is nothing but an international lie”
at a news conference, but he was released after being interrogated.
A legal procedure was also opened in Switzerland against Prof. Dr.
Yusuf Halacoglu, the Chairman of the Turkish Historical Society,
because of his statement refuting the so-called Armenian genocide
allegations.

RADIO PROGRAMS FOR NATIONAL MINORITIES
By Marlena Hovsepian
AZG Armenian Daily #168
20/09/2005
TV and radio
At the yesterday’s sitting of the National Committee of TV and Radio
the committee members discussed the license application of AR Radio
Intercontinental to broadcast at 106 MHz frequency for the town
of Tsakhkahovit.
The radio station has a history of 10 years and knows what the
listeners want. The range of the radio’s programs extends from
cultural, patriotic, musical programs to news broadcast. Besides
Yerevan, AR Radio Intercontinental is aired in towns of Berd,
Noyemberian, Stepanavan, Meghri, Vanadzor, Gyumri and others.
Ruzanna Babloyan, lawyer of the radio company, pointed out at the
session that the radio will go on with its policy but will add new
programs about and for national minorities inhabiting Tsakhkahovit
and neighboring settlements.
The National Committee of TV and Radio will make its decision public
on November 7.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SPEECH OF ALIYEV RE ARMY BUILDING IN AZERBAIJAN
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2005
This meeting is dealing with the process of army building in
Azerbaijan. Today we are going to exchange views on the work done in
this sphere, tasks we have to solve and steps we have to take. In
all, the process of building disciplined army in Azerbaijan is
progressing rapidly and quite successfully. This process assumed a
system character after national leader of our people Heydar Aliyev
returned to power. Azerbaijan is living in a state of war, and our
lands are under occupation. This requires particular attention, and
as a Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the, I am engaged in these issues
every day as they are the most important to us. Azerbaijan should
restore its territorial integrity. We are exerting our efforts to
resolve the conflict peacefully, through negotiations. As you know,
however, no result has been achieved for many years of negotiations.
In all, finding fair solution to the conflict is possible, and I
am sure will do achieve this. The international law norms are on
Azerbaijan ‘s side, Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan,
and our territorial integrity is recognized and supported by the
global community. The historical justice is on our side also.
It is no secret, the Armenians appeared in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1828,
and I remember a monument to 150th anniversary of the Armenian’s
settling here was erected in 1978. True, the Armenian separatists
destroyed the monument after they occupied the region, but this is
history, and everybody knows that. In other words, Nagorno-Karabakh
is an integral part of Azerbaijan from both legal and historical
standpoints.
Over the last years, Azerbaijan has achieved economic superiority
as well. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, economic situation
was the same in both countries. Azerbaijan, however, has made a great
progress. There was a drastic growth in the state budget in 2004-2005,
and Azerbaijan’s superiority will even increase considering the
country’s promising prospects.
Besides, four UN SC resolutions demanding unconditional release of
the occupied territories from Armenian armed forces is in force.
Recently, the issue has been included once again in the UN GA agenda.
This is our great diplomatic success. Upon our request, the
Organization of Cooperation and Security in Europe immediately
engaged in the issue sent a fact-finding mission to the region. The
mission’s final report confirms illegal settling of thousands
of ethnic Armenians in the occupied territories. This indicates
Armenian utterly ignores the demands of the international community,
and the international law norms. In January this year, the Council
of Europe adopted unambiguous and very fair resolution on the
problem. It is to the effect that Armenian unleashed an aggression
against Azerbaijan, occupied its territories and carried out ethnic
cleansing resulted in over million of Azerbaijanis becoming refugee
and internally displaced. The Organization of Islamic Conference
renders had always supported Azerbaijan’s position. Members of GUAM,
the organization playing an important role in regional politics –
I am sure this role will increase – also unambiguously called for
respect to territorial integrity of countries. In other words, all
the international organizations overtly expressed their positions on
the problem. Of course, we will try the issue remain in the agenda,
but we have to confess the proposals and resources of the international
organizations concerning the problem are being exhausted.
The OSCE Minsk group has recently intensified its activity. We can
see their visits to the region and negotiations, new approaches –
this is a positive fact. I also believe the continuation of the
Prague process is also very positive one. I hope the Prague process
will go on. Both countries, Armenian and Azerbaijan are involved in
this process. As I repeatedly noted, the Prague process implies a
step-by-step solution. However, solution to the problem has not been
found. What should Azerbaijan resort to in this case? Azerbaijan has
been pursuing its peacekeeping policy for years, but the problem is
not settled. That is why the question of reinforcing of our military
potential is quite natural. First Azerbaijan is a country in a state
of war. Our lands are under occupation. This is our #1 problem, and our
#1 task is to strengthen our country’s military potential. On the other
hand, our economic potential is strengthened due to successful economic
reforms being implemented in Azerbaijan. Our budget is rapidly growing
and expected to exceed $3 bln 500 mln next year. This entails increase
in military spending: $175 mln in 2004, $300 mln in 2005 and $600 mln
in 2006, and this is not the limit. As you know, I have set the task:
our military budget should reach the whole budget of Armenia, or even
exceed it. We will do achieve it. It concerns Armenia and several
international organizations. There are many things that troubling us
also, including Russia’s moving its bases from Georgia to Armenia, and
military exercises in Armenia. That is why we will take adequate steps.
I would like to touch on one more issue. The world Armenian lobby,
its patrons and politicians from several countries are acting to prove
that democratic development and protection of human rights allegedly
takes place in Nagorno-Karabakh, not in Azerbaijan.
Firstly, Azerbaijan is a country with intensively developing
democracy. Everybody recognizes that, secondly, the Nagorno-Karabakh
regime is an illegal structure. It is not recognized by anyone. The
hypocrite politicians ignore that it is the area of cultivation and
illegal trafficking of drugs, deployment of terrorist organizations
and violation of human rights. We cannot put up with this erroneous,
dangerous and unjust thesis.
Recently Armenian officials made statements against the realization of
a new project in the region, the construction of a railway to connect
Azerbaijan and Turkey through Georgia. They stated Azerbaijan did
not have a moral right to fund the Kars-Tbilisi0-Baku railway.
Very funny statement. Firstly, it is our own business, secondly,
it is a n international regional project now involving Georgia and
Turkey, and later the Central Asian countries. We will do that,
and no Armenian lobby will be able to prevent us from that.
We do have a moral right to liberate our lands from the occupation
forces, and we will do so. We are pursuing an independent policy. We
rest on the good will of the Azerbaijani people. We will do strengthen
our both economic and military potential, our army and patriotic
spirit within society, and we finally achieve our goal.

SECURITY FORCES MENTIONED IN BEIRUT’S EXPLOSIONS
Arabic News
Sept 18 2005
Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 9/17/2005
Lebanese parliamentarians on Saturday loomed to the responsibility of
the Lebanese security forces which worked during the Syrian presence
period for the al-Ashrafeyah explosions which took place on Friday
evening and killed one person and injured other 22.
Beirut’s parliamentarian Atef Majdalani, who belongs to al-Mustaqbal
( future) parliamentary bloc which is led by Saad al-Hariri, said
that this explosion is “part of the coward terrorist series which
will not stop before the discovering of the reality in the operation
of assassinating the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri.”
For his part, Tripoli parliamentarian and member of the parliamentary
majority Elias Atta Allah said that even though former security
leaders are in prison, their security departments are still active.
Worthy mentioning that four leaders of the Lebanese security forces
close to Syria were arrested two weeks ago after they were accused
of being involved in the assassination of al-Hariri on February 14.
Al-Ashrafeyah explosion took place after the lifting of the banking
secrecy from the accounts of 8 Syrian and Lebanese figures suspected
to be involved in the assassination, at the request of the UN
investigating committee.
The Christian part of Beirut has witnessed 11 explosions since the
assassination of Hariri. Two of these explosions claimed the life of
the Lebanese journalist Samir al-Qasir and the leader of the former
Lebanese communist party George Hawi, opposers of the Syrian existence
in Lebanon.
The Lebanese security sources said the explosion resulted from a bomb
of 10 to 20 kg weight, adding that it was implanted under stairway
of a building rather than inside or under a car as stated earlier.
The explosions which took place near a branch for the Lebanese
Bablous Bank in al-J’eitawi suburb in al-Ashrafeyag area of a
Christian majority.
The explosion resulted in the collapse of the facade of one building
and destruction of its balconies, adding that the Lebanese security
forces cordoned the site of the explosion.
Lebanese security and medical sources said that the explosion resulted
in killing one elderly man (Armenian) and injuring of 22 persons one
of them is in a critical condition.
The explosion also resulted in setting fire in three cars which were
stationed near the site of the explosion and damages were inflected
in the nearby buildings.

Naxcivan, Karabakh attributed to Armenia by mistake – US envoy to
Azerbaijan
ANS TV, Baku
14 Sep 05
We regret that [the Azerbaijani exclave of] Naxcivan and the occupied
territories have been presented as Armenian land on the official
website of the US embassy in Yerevan, Tahir Tagizada, head of the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s press service, has said.
Tagizada said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who is
currently on a visit to the USA, will be informed about this after his
return and the issue will be discussed with the US side.
The US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish, has said that the
website’s description of Naxcivan and Nagornyy Karabakh as Armenian
land was just a mistake.
[Passage omitted: Harnish comments on exit polls to be held in Azerbaijan]