Author: Tavakalian Edgar

U.S.-ARMENIAN TYCOON LAUNCHES NEW LOBBY GROUP
By Harry Tamrazian in Prague

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 13 2006

Gerard Cafesjian, a U.S. philanthropist of Armenian descent, has set
up a new lobbying organization which he hopes will "complement" the
existing Armenian-American advocacy groups and match their considerable
influence in Washington.

The Cafesjian-funded U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee (USAPAC)
announced its creation in a mission statement last week, pledging to
become a "powerful and effective addition to the Armenian-American
lobby."

The group will be run by Ross Vartian and Rob Mosher, two former
senior executives of the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), which
is led by another U.S.-Armenian tycoon, Hirair Hovnanian. Cafesjian
himself has long been a member of the AAA board of trustees.

Vartian, who was the Assembly’s chief executive as recently as last
year, insisted that the USAPAC is not a splinter group, arguing that
Cafesjian will remain on the Assembly board. "Our primary purpose
is to add to the community of the Armenian lobby in a unique and
collaborative way and make the Armenian lobby stronger by doing it,"
he told RFE/RL in an interview.

"It’s quite clear that in any large lobby there are many voices,"
he said. "The problem is not the number of voices, the problem is do
those voices work together? And we pledge to do that."

The AAA and the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
have been instrumental in the passage of congressional bills making
Armenia one of the largest per-capita recipients of U.S. aid in the
world. They are also at the forefront of a long-running campaign for
U.S. recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide.

According to Vartian, the USAPAC will concentrate on countering the
impact of Azerbaijani oil on U.S. policy towards Armenia and pressing
Washington to take a pro-Armenian stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. He said genocide recognition will also be on the USAPAC
agenda but indicated that the new group will favor a softer line on
Turkey’s membership in the European Union.

"Turkey today is not a friendly neighbor to Armenia. But as a fully
mature member of the EU, Turkey would be a much more friendly neighbor
of Armenia," Vartian said.

Vartian denied that the USAPAC will also be furthering the interests
and agenda of Armenia’s government, with which Cafesjian is believed to
have close ties. "While the Armenian government may welcome our doing
this, we are not here to promote or push the Armenian government,"
he said.

Cafesjian is the principal owner and sponsor of three Armenian
television stations that are staunchly supportive of President Robert
Kocharian and his government. Their news coverage of opposition
candidates during the 2003 presidential and parliamentary elections
in Armenia was criticized as extremely biased by Western observers.

The TV channels caused an uproar earlier this year by suggesting that
Armenia’s leading human rights groups work for Western intelligence
services. One of the accused human rights campaigners charged at the
time that Cafesjian’s money is being used for "spreading government
propaganda and disinformation."

In Vartian’s words, the USAPAC believes that democracy is important for
Armenia and hopes that the upcoming national elections in the country
will be free and fair. "We will not hesitate to talk about the pluses
and minuses of what is happening in Armenia, just like anyone else
does," Vartian said. "It would not be a problem for us to criticize."

"But we are not here to criticize, we are here to support," he added.

THE DELEGATION HEADED BY TIGRAN TOROSYAN LEAVING FOR INDIA

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 11:05

December 13 the delegation headed by Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran
Torosyan will leave for India on an official visit. The delegation
comprises Mnatsakan Petrosyan, Grigor Margaryan, Alexan Karapetyan
and Razmik Martirosyan.

In Delhi the Armenian delegation is due to meet with the President of
India Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, Chairman of the Council of
States Bharion Singh Shekhawat, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnat Chatterjee,
opposition leader Advani, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Head
of the National Congress Party Sonya Gandi, Delhi Chief Minister
Sheila Dixit.

December 17 the delegation will return to Yerevan.

VOTERS IN DISPUTED NAGORNO-KARABAKH OVERWHELMINGLY BACK CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
By Avet Demourian, Associated Press Writer

Associated Press Worldstream
December 11, 2006 Monday

Voters in Nagorno-Karabakh overwhelmingly supported a draft
constitution that describes the disputed territory claimed by
Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians as a "sovereign,
democratic" state, officials said Monday.

Sergei Nasibyan, chairman of the regional election commission, said
preliminary results indicated more than 98 percent of the 77,000
voters casting ballots backed the proposed constitution. The region
has more than 90,000 eligible voters.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region in Azerbaijan that has been under
the control of Armenian and ethnic-Armenian forces since a 1994
cease-fire. A six-year separatist conflict killed about 30,000 people
and drove about 1 million from their homes, including many of the
region’s ethnic Azeris.

The region’s final status remains unresolved, and years of talks
under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe have brought few visible results.

Armenia has close ties to Nagorno-Karabakh’s government and provides
substantial support to the region, but has stopped short of recognizing
it as independent.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian on Monday congratulated
Nagorno-Karabakh’s government and people on the referendum, saying it
"consolidated democratic principles" and "added a cornerstone to the
development of the Nagorno-Karabakh statehood."

Azerbaijan’s foreign minister on Monday warned that the vote would have
a negative influence on internationally mediated efforts to resolve
the region’s status. Elmar Mammadyarov said any such vote would have
to include Azeri refugees who fled Nagorno-Karabakh to be valid.

"I will say once again that this unnecessary act does not allow the
achievement of peace; on the contrary, it creates complications,"
he said in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.

The European Union said it would not recognize the referendum, saying
that it pre-empts the outcome of negotiations and "did not contribute
to constructive efforts at peaceful conflict resolution."

The so-called Minsk group of the OSCE dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict criticized the vote, saying it wasn’t helping a negotiated
settlement.

"Conducting such a referendum now, thus pre-empting the final legal
status of Nagorno-Karabakh, rather than forging a compromise is
particularly unhelpful at a moment when the OSCE Minsk group-mediated
negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to be on a
constructive path," it said in a statement Monday.

ARMENIAN AND GREECE DEFENSE MINISTERS DISCUSSED BILATERAL COOPERATION ISSUES

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.12.2006 17:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Secretary National Security Council under
the President of the RA Serge Sargsyan met with Greece Defense
Minister Evangelos Meimarakis in "Zvartnots" airport. Meimarakis
with a transit flight Greece-Armenia was heading to Afghanistan
to meet with the personnel of Greek peacekeeping battalion,
Spokesperson for the Armenian MOD Head, Col. Seyran Shahsuvaryan told
PanARMENIAN.Net. During the brief conversation two ministers discussed
a number of issues concerning Armenian-Greek military cooperation
and the Armenian peacekeepers, who carry out their mission in Greek
battalion.

EXHIBITION OF ARMENIAN CARPETS OPENS IN WASHINGTON

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 11 2006

WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. An exhibition
of old-made and modern Armenian carpets opened with December 6 solemn
ceremony at the exhibition-hall of the World Bank in Washington. It
was organized on the initiative of the RA Embassy to the U.S. jointly
with the World Bank. The exhibition in which more than 30 carpets made
in Armenia and Artsakh, models of art, were presented, was organized
within the framework of the program of events of the U.S. Embassy
dedicated to the 15th jubilee of the independence of Armenia. It gave
possibility to get acquainted with models of the Armenian carpet art
as well as with the materials about the millenial history and present
of the art of Armenia, accompanying the exhibition. According to the
information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, the exhibition will be open for six months.

CONSTITUTION AFFIRMING INDEPENDENCE OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Voice of America
Dec 11 2006

Election officials say voters in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region
of Azerbaijan have overwhelmingly approved a new constitution that
affirms the area’s independence.

The head of the region’s election commission, Sergei Nasibyan, said
Monday that 98 percent of those voting in Sunday’s referendum favored
the constitution. Voter turnout was about 86 percent.

The balloting took place on the 15th anniversary of the 1991 referendum
in which the region’s majority ethnic Armenian population backed
independence.

A declaration of independence in 1988 triggered a six-year war that
claimed 35,000 lives. A ceasefire has been holding since 1994, but
tensions persist.

The international community does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s
independence. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
has been seeking to mediate the dispute. In a statement Monday the
group called the referendum counterproductive for efforts to settle
the ongoing conflict.

Armenian Church Turkey
12/12/06

TURKISH PRESIDENT VETOES MINORITY FOUNDATIONS LAW
Key reform bill for non-Muslim religious rights put on hold.
by Barbara G. Baker

ISTANBUL, December 12 (Compass Direct News) – Turkish President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer has blocked a key piece of reform legislation passed last month to
broaden religious freedoms in Turkey.

A staunch secularist, Sezer sent the "foundations law" back to Parliament
for revision on November 29, the same day the European Commission
recommended suspension of eight chapters of Turkey’s negotiation talks to
enter the European Union (EU).

His presidential veto puts on hold rising EU demands that Turkey address the
long-standing grievances of its tiny Christian and Jewish minorities, less
than 1 percent of the population.

Designed to enable the country’s non-Muslim religious minorities to regain
their property rights, the controversial bill had been passed on November 9
after months of fierce debate in the Turkish Parliament.

In its final amended form, the bill would have permitted minority religious
foundations to reclaim dozens of valuable properties confiscated by the
Turkish state over the past 32 years.

Essentially, the law enabled minority foundations to reclaim their
confiscated properties from the state within a set 18-month period –
including even those registered under the names of saints during Ottoman
times, when they were established by imperial edict without a formal
charter.

But it failed to address the sticky issue of restitution, significant for a
number of properties that have been re-sold to a third party after
government expropriation. It also ignored certain properties such as
cemeteries and minority school assets that are not under any foundation.

In his partial veto, Sezer declared that nine provisions of the law were
incompatible with the Turkish constitution, the 1923 Lausanne Treaty or
existing Turkish laws.

‘Reciprocity’ Issues
Even before its passage, the final text of the law had seriously
disappointed Turkey’s minority communities, falling far short of EU
expectations.

As head of Turkey’s largest Christian community, Armenian Patriarch Mesrob
II had publicly criticized the bill in its draft form.

In an open letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 18, the
patriarch declared that the bill’s non-compliance with the "constitutional
principle of equality" ensured that it would "bring no solution to this
long-standing problem."

"We have no demand other than that of ‘equal citizenship,’ Mesrob said. "We
therefore deeply regret the fact that we were treated as foreigners." Such
an attitude, the patriarch said, could cause Turkey to hold "hostage" its
own minority citizens.

The new law also tied religious minority rights to the "international
principles of ‘reciprocity,’" which refers to benefits one nation grants in
exchange for the same treatment from another nation. The Armenian prelate
said the misuse of this concept against Turkey’s own citizens violated both
human rights and Article 10 of the Turkish constitution.

Echoing the patriarch’s complaints, Star columnist Eser Karakas wrote on
November 5, "What they [drafters of the law] forget here is that the people
they want reciprocity for are our non-Muslim citizens," rather than foreign
nationals. "Their understanding of reciprocity is absurd," Karakas stated.
"Reciprocity for them is doing here whatever Greece has done to the Muslim
minority in western Thrace!"

Historic Mistrust
Turkey’s restrictions against minority religious properties were forged in
the early 1970s, during a climate of deep mistrust dominating relations with
its historic arch-rival, Greece. After a failed coup attempt to unite the
ethnically mixed island of Cyprus with Greece, a Turkish military operation
in 1974 left the island divided into a Turkish Cypriot north and Greek
Cypriot south, as it remains today.

That same year, Turkey’s Court of Cassation ruled that minority religious
foundations were "foreign" organizations and thus could no longer buy and
sell property.

The state then proceeded through lengthy court proceedings to confiscate
dozens of valuable Greek, Armenian and Jewish properties acquired since
1936, when the state had required a formal declaration of their immovable
assets.

"No matter how one looks at it, this was an unacceptable approach outside
all international law and an overt violation of the right to property and
inheritance," Turkish columnist Mehmet Ali Birand wrote on September 27,
while the parliamentary debate was raging.

"The proposal being discussed today is nothing but a correction of a
mistake – more correctly of an unjust deed – made 30 years ago," Birand
said. "In addition, if we fail to correct this mistake . . . the state will
have to pay billions of dollars to the European Court of Human Rights."

But political opposition parties in Parliament demanded amendments to the
bill, insisting that removing property restrictions on non-Muslim minority
foundations would boost the minorities’ power and influence and thereby
undermine national unity.

Leaders of the secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP) went so far as to
join the decades-old litany of Turkish ultranationalists, declaring that the
new law could lead to the creation of a "mini-Vatican" in Turkey under the
Greek Orthodox patriarch, Bartholomew.

Ironically, Pope Benedict XVI’s meetings with Bartholomew on his historic
visit to Turkey in late November further fanned rumors of a plot to set up a
mini-state at the Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul. President Sezer had
vetoed the foundations law the day after he formally welcomed the pope to
Ankara.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government can overturn Sezer’s
veto by approving the original bill a second time in Parliament, forcing the
head of state to sign it into law. But Sezer has one last trump card – he
can appeal to the Constitutional Court for a judicial review of the law.

Sezer has frequently vetoed AKP legislation, including some EU-inspired
reforms that he believes threaten the secular structure of the state.

"The president’s veto on parts of the bill will hardly be seen as a kind
gesture toward Europe, or to local Christians," the weekly Economist
observed on November 30. "If the avowedly Islamist Mr. Erdogan had blocked
the reform, it would have been interpreted as a sign of Muslim antipathy
toward Christians. Coming from the president, the gesture speaks of
lingering xenophobia among Turkey’s secular elite."

NKR INDEPENDENCE DOES NOT NEED ANYBODY’S RECOGNITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2006 15:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There is no notion in the practice of international
law as ‘recognition of an independent state’, all countries are divided
by one feature – those which are not UN members and those which are
members of UN, said political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan in
Yerevan. In his words, NKR’s independence does not need anybody’s
recognition.

"Nagorno Karabakh only needs legal registration of its independence
and everybody will take into account this fact. Azerbaijan is afraid of
this very fact, since the laws in Stepanakert have always been and will
be observed, unlike those in Baku, which the international community
is well aware of. Moreover, part of European energy security is in
our region that’s why Europe needs stability. And it can be ensured
only by Karabakh, which develops in accordance with international
democratic norms," he said.

At the same time the political scientist emphasized, that the
Constitution does not define the borders of a sovereign state. "The
war is not over yet, and the border between Azerbaijan and NKR can
pass anywhere, even on the banks of the Kura River," says Armen
Melik-Shahnazaryan.

BBC SHOWS BEST TEEN BEATS
By Ben Sutherland

BBC News, UK
Dec 9 2006

Silva (centre right) ran out top choice for the judges Fans of TV
talent shows would have been familiar with the format – an act
performs, the judges debate the merits of that performance, the
presenter asks them how they feel – and ultimately, one of them is
awarded the winner.

But the final of The Next Big Thing – the BBC’s global search for
the best young musical talent – was different in a couple of ways.

Firstly, all the acts were aged under 18. Secondly, they were all
really rather good.

In this case, selecting the eventual winner would be legendary
producer William Orbit, Rough Trade founder Jeff Travis, African
star Angelique Kidjo and Dirty Pretty Things drummer Gary Powell,
with former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel also giving his input.

And so to the acts. Brazilian six-piece combo Sweet Cherry Fury began
the night with their jaunty, raucous take on boredom in exams, Cold
Blonde Body.

Having flown 20 hours from Sao Paulo – and lost their luggage en
route – they were determined not to let a minor technical hitch that
had delayed the start of the gig put them off.

Lyrical flow

Impressively, performing live at the BBC’s famous Maida Vale studios
in front of industry icons seemed to inspire them rather than make
them nervous – something, on the most part, in common with all the
performers on the night.

They threw themselves into their songs with both intensity and
passion. As Vardy, the lead singer of British three-piece rock group
Skagz put it, "we’re having the time our lives."

Pictures from the final There was an intense performance from Malawian
rap act NiC, a duo who volleyed words back and forth like Sampras and
Ivanisevic in their prime, deciding not to bother with those fancy
passing shots and just belting the ball at each other.

Their angry – if interestingly anti-materialistic – rap stems from
their frustration at attempting to break into the music industry
in Africa. Judge Gary Powell was particularly impressed by what he
described as their "lyrical flow", saying they could be understood
better "than acts in the charts earning millions".

NiC would eventually finish second, a place shared with British duo
Stefan and Mya – whose much more light-hearted song, My Dunks, is
about a fashion victim and his girlfriend, who feels she is always
second-best to her man’s trainers.

Their bickering couple style drew high praise from the judges. "I’d say
you’re like Lily Allen, but you’re much better than that," said Powell.

But everyone brought something different to the final, despite –
or perhaps because of – their widely diverse backgrounds, sounds,
and themes.

Refugee Malikinke delivered a multi-language plea to African men to
think before they sleep around; US multi-member group MLK performed
an eight-word, two-minute celebration of Martin Luther King; while
the Skagz thrashed out their up-tempo rock song about singer Vardy
"getting attacked in the mining village of Whitwell".

Winner

As soon as she stepped behind the microphone, however, the star
quality of the act who go on to win shone through.

Armenian performer Silva not only sang, she also really performed,
coupling her smooth vocal with some well-honed dance moves.

The 17-year-old’s tango-based song I Like – written by her sister and
produced by her brother – would not have sounded out of place on any
hit-centred radio station.

There was genuine camaraderie between the acts But, with a little
polish, the same could have been said for most of the other acts
too. None were noticeably weak – a benefit, perhaps, of having a
panel of music industry experts give their input into choosing the
final seven.

The four judges admitted they had expected the standard to be "much
lower", and were visibly impressed.

As they deliberated and the groups awaited the result, the genuine
camaraderie that had grown between the acts – they had stayed together
in the same hotel since arriving in London earlier in the week,
and cheered each others’ performances – was clear to see.

They all stood huddled together, nervously chatting to each other,
offering congratulatory handshakes and hugs whenever one of them was
mentioned by name by the judges.

When the result was announced, the cheers and applause were such
that any one of them could have been cheering their own win as much
as Silva’s.

Silva herself was utterly overwhelmed by the experience, and accepted
the trophy with tears in her eyes.

Asked if she was happy to have won, she could manage only one word:
"Yes."

NATO: ARMENIA SIGNS AGREEMENT ON EMERGENCY TRANSPORT

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)

Dec 7 2006

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian visited NATO Headquarters on
7 December to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the Facilitation
of Vital Civil Cross Border Transport.

The Memorandum is a multilateral instrument aimed to improving the
speed and efficiency of bringing assistance to victims of humanitarian
crises and disasters on the territory of NATO and partner countries.

Armenia is the first country signing this Memorandum.

The agreement remains open for signature to all NATO member and
Partner countries. At the Autumn 2006 session of NATO’s Senior Civil
Emergency Planning Committee Plenary more countries declared their
readiness to sign it in the near future.

Foreign Minister Oskanian also met with NATO Secretary General Jaap
de Hoop Scheffer.