Author: Toneyan Mark

Daily sees “great chance” for revolution in Azerbaijan
Zerkalo, Baku
20 May 05
The refusal by the Azerbaijani authorities to sanction a demonstration
by the opposition on 21 May is “the odd one out” in a series of recent
moves towards rapprochement between the two sides, the Azerbaijani
newspaper Zerkalo has said. It added that Azerbaijan, which is to
hold parliamentary elections later this year, had a “great chance”
of emulating Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan where revolutions had
taken place soon after presidential or parliamentary elections. The
paper said further that Azerbaijan was becoming not only a thorn in
the side of the USA over its recent military agreement with Iran, but
also in the side of Russia as any revolution in Azerbaijan and Belarus
would complete the circle of pro-Western republics around the European
part of Russia. The following is an excerpt from Q. Quluzada’s and
R. Mirqadirov’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 20 May
headlined “Troy will be no more”
On the evening of 17 May, the US president said he considered it
necessary to continue the change of regimes in post-Soviet republics.
[Passage omitted: details of President Bush’s address]
And finally Azerbaijan. On 21 May, the Azerbaijani opposition is going
to stage a demonstration. The authorities have not sanctioned the
protest action and warned that the protesters will be dispersed. This,
however, hasn’t made the opposition give up its plans. We are likely
to witness a tough, if not cruel, stand-off. And representatives
of the world’s leading media outlets are expected to converge on
Baku on 25 May to witness the launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline. And they are likely to speak about our oil through the
prism of an aggressive pre-election struggle [in Azerbaijan].
If the rally is put down in the October 2003 [post-election clashes]
style, the world media will lead their news bulletins with images
of the “black gold” and “bloodshed” in Azerbaijan. To steer clear
of such a scenario, the Azerbaijani authorities, which never miss an
opportunity to say how insignificant the opposition is, should have
sanctioned the rally. Or, if they have already refused to do so,
they shouldn’t beat up protesters too much [when the rally goes ahead].
Obviously, the opposition will be glad to remind the West of itself and
show its strength. America does not create revolutionary movements,
but it can encourage serious and real processes. The latest moves
of the Azerbaijani authorities have shown that they are ready for
change. These include amnesty decrees, a presidential decree on
improving election practices and the start of a dialogue with the
opposition. But the refusal to sanction the rally is clearly the odd
one out.
Perhaps this is a manifestation of the much talked about struggle
between reformist and conservative forces in power. It is said
that the former want to play by new rules, while the latter prefer
to act the way they are used to. The country is in the run-up to
[parliamentary] elections [in November] and the fate of Azerbaijan,
and perhaps the next destination of US special purpose troops, will
depend on how flexible the Azerbaijani authorities are and if they
are ready for democratic and fair elections.
Azerbaijan has a great chance of joining Georgia, Ukraine and
Kyrgyzstan. There are several reasons for that.
First, our American friends usually act according to a certain
pattern. In such cases they don’t alter the scenarios which have been
successfully applied in other countries “coveting democracy”. Let’s
recall that all “velvet revolutions” in the said countries took place
hard on the heels of presidential or parliamentary elections. We
will have our parliamentary elections, too. Frankly speaking, it
would be correct to describe them as the “so-called parliamentary
elections”. We have to acknowledge that while one side is preparing
for a “velvet revolution”, the other is preparing to put it down.
Second, Zerkalo has already reported, quoting informed sources, that
our American friends are gradually losing faith in the ability of
the ruling elite to carry out the necessary reforms and adhere to a
clear-cut foreign political course. Washington was not particularly
impressed, to put it mildly, with some of Baku’s recent military and
diplomatic steps, especially the signing of a military cooperation
agreement with Iran. The USA considers Iran as one of the main sponsors
of international, especially Islamic, terrorism.
It is no secret that Washington intends to use Azerbaijani territory as
a foothold in case of strikes on Iran. And at this “opportune” moment
Azerbaijan goes ahead and signs the military treaty with Iran. The
USA doesn’t forgive such “follies”, not even to its strategic allies.
Third, it must be remembered that the possible “velvet resolutions” in
Belarus and Azerbaijan would complete the formation of a pro-Western
“democratic belt” around the European part of Russia. As a matter
of fact, Armenia will be left with no choice because under such
circumstances it will be practically impossible for Russia to keep its
completely isolated “outpost” in the South Caucasus alive. And then
it won’t be difficult for Washington to put Yerevan on the right path.
[Passage omitted: other details of the Bush address]

Fierce election battles shape up in the North, Metn, West Bekaa
By Nayla Assaf
Daily Star, Lebanon
May 21 2005
Daily Star staff
Saturday, May 21, 2005
On the campaign trail
BEIRUT: As election day draws closer, the electoral battle is
expected to be fierce in North Lebanon, the Metn and the Western
Bekaa. With the bloc of slain former Premier Rafik Hariri set to win
all the seats in the capital and the Hizbullah-Amal coalition those
of South Lebanon, there is unlikely to be much of an electoral battle
in Beirut and South Lebanon. The much anticipated battle has shifted
to other provinces.
In the Northern Metn District, which will witness parliamentary
elections with the rest of Mount Lebanon on July 12, electoral
alliances are still unclear. But the opposition is expected to
announce a joint list, grouping Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement
(FPM), Metn MP Nassib Lahoud’s Democratic Renewal Movement, the
Phalange rank and file movement loyal to former President Amin
Gemayel and the Lebanese Forces (LF).
However, an observer of the electoral scene in the Metn said: “the
prospect of an alliance is still dependent on alliances in other
areas. If the FPM allies with the Progressive Socialist Party and the
LF in the Baabda-Aley district, then its alliance with the rest of
the opposition will go smoothly in the Metn.”
The picture might be clearer by Sunday, when Metn MP Pierre Gemayel
is expected to announce his list at a rally in Bikfaya.
However, it remains unclear whether an opposition alliance in the
Metn will include former MP Gabriel Murr, who received the backing of
the opposition, united when he ran for the by-election in 2002.
Earlier squabbles among the opposition had triggered reports the FPM
might seek an alliance with Deputy Speaker Michel Murr, a close
Syrian loyalist.
But the FPM denied the reports, and Murr is more likely to unite with
the Tashnag Armenian party and the loyalist faction of the Phalange,
headed by former minister Karim Pakradouni.
But by all accounts, a deal between the FPM and PSP leader Walid
Jumblatt in Baabda-Aley will determine the alliances among the
opposition in the rest of the country.
In Second district in North Lebanon, which groups Tripoli, Minieh,
Zghorta, Batroun and Koura, the opposition is likely to face a new
potential alliance between former Premier Omar Karami and former
Interior Minister, Suleiman Franjieh.
But the opposition in the North, represented by such figures as
Batroun MP Boutros Harb, opposition figure Samir Franjieh, Zghorta MP
Nayla Mouawad, Koura MP Farid Makari, and Tripoli MP Samir Jisr, who
are close to Saad Hariri, is set to win more seats than the loyalist
list.
It is still not clear, however, if the FPM, which enjoys strong
support in the North, will be part of that coalition.
George Haddad of the FPM said: “The North will be part of a package
deal.
Either we will ally with the rest of the opposition in all the
country on the basis of a joint agenda to combat corruption, or we
simply will not.”
In the Western Bekaa, the battle is between traditional pro-Syrian
figures such as Elie Ferzli, Faysal Daoud and Abdel-Rahim Mrad and an
odd coalition bringing together the loyalist Amal Movement with
representatives of the opposition.

Armenia insists on Nagorno Karabakh self-determination
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 20 2005
YEREVAN, May 20 (Itar-Tass) — Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanyan said his country sees the only possible way for the
resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the recognition of the
self-determination status of the territory.
“For us there can be only one solution of the conflict – the
recognition of Nagorno Karabakh self-determination”, he told the
national TV late on Thursday.
The discussion of the principle that Nagorno Karabakh cannot be
an enclave on the territory of Azerbaijan is out of the question,
he added.
Oskanyan assessed the recent talks between Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Warsaw as
“not bad”.
“Although small, the progress reached at the meeting is within out
settlement ideas. This progress does not concern a return to Azerbaijan
of occupied territories, but rather concern the most important issue
for Armenia – the status of Nagorno Karabakh”, he said.
Oskanyan said the foreign ministers of both countries “have exhausted
their possibilities” in the framework of the so-called Prague process,
which included their consultations on Karabakh settlement. However,
after the meeting of the presidents the ministers have to meet again.
Oskanyan believes the parties will “sooner or later come to the
elements of the settlement package”, which includes the status of
Nagorno Karabakh, the return of the occupied territories, the return
of refugees, and security guarantees to Karabakh residents.
The minister said there are both likeliness in approaches and serious
contradictions on the mentioned issues.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Newropeans Magazine, France
May 20 2005
Ten Years Shy of a Century! The Armenian Genocide 1915 – 1st Part –
Written by Dr Harry Hagopian
Friday, 20 May 2005
For me, the Armenian genocide is something we remember and commemorate
every year on April 24th in our different countries. I went recently
to Dzizernagapert [Genocide Memorial Complex in Armenia] and what I
could feel was how extremely proud I was of my nation for surviving
this gruesome ordeal. But I’m more concerned about the Armenia
of today. Talking about the genocide has been getting Armenians
some sympathy but actual financial compensation could also be quite
useful, don’t you think? People are starving there, or so they say,
and they seriously need help. Constantly reminding them about their
misfortunes and bad luck isn’t going to do much for their morale now,
is it? So why dwell on this one horrific historical chapter to the
exclusion of other equally pressing and contemporary issues?
Individuals, nations, and cultures are the sum total of their past
experiences. However glorious or painful, it is the experiences of our
forebears that are the forming forces that weave the very fabric of
our identities. No individual / generation has the right to wipe the
slate clean and start all over again for the sake of expediency in the
short term. By the same token we all have the obligation to help each
other out, celebrate our values, and pass on our cultural identities –
having made our contribution – to future generations. At best we are
stewards of our heritage. We can address questions of the Armenian
character, purpose in, and contribution to life by examining ideas that
have shaped western thought through the lens of our heritage. We should
seek to reinvigorate our society and culture through the transformation
and renewal of its leaders. We could do well to remember what Goethe
said, ‘He who cannot draw on 3,000 years is living hand-to-mouth.’
Nations have no permanent friends or allies. They only have permanent
interests. Lord Palmerston, British Foreign Minister, 1846-1851
These two expurgated quotations come from separate conversations I
had with a couple of Armenians well over two years ago. I remember
them quite clearly since I have used them on different occasions
to define Armenian perceptions of the Armenian Genocide. The first
response is congruent with the views of someone like the syndicated
columnist, broadcaster and award-winning author Eric S Margolis. The
second one comes closer to those views propounded by the likes
of the distinguished journalist Robert Fisk from the Independent
daily newspaper who has often addressed the Armenian Genocide that
remains hitherto officially unrecognised in the UK. Just like my two
acquaintances making their attentive comments, both Fisk and Margolis
acknowledge the veracity of the genocide but then diverge somewhat
when history cedes to future orientations. Theirs is a diversity of
views that forms the sum-total of those realities surrounding us,
developing, instructing and infusing us in the process with a set of
core values and beliefs.
In one sense, those twin perceptions are not only staking a claim to
the pages of Armenian history. With their own overarching themes,
they are equally lending themselves to definitions of national
existentialism that are much closer to psychological modes of knowing
than to metaphysical ones. Like the Cartesian theories of Jean-Paul
Sartre or Albert Camus, their perceptions – dissimilar in their
similarity – strive for self-discovery and place the absolute in
human freedom somewhere between the levels of existence and essence.
It is my belief that the horrendous events of 9/11 introduced a
sea change in our global perception of world events. Until that
fateful and horrific date, most countries had attempted to treat the
symptoms of conflicts by applying plasters to their more visible
manifestations. Ever since, many world democracies have begun
addressing the root causes of some of those festering conflicts. As
Professor Simon Roberts taught me at University College London some
moons ago, plasters cannot be effective tools of conflict resolution.
Indeed, the world has come to acknowledge a new paradigm whereby
injustices cannot simply be swept under the proverbial carpet in
the sanguine hope that they will fade away! Unless they are dealt
with conscientiously, those conflicts have a way of re-emerging time
and again until their underlying causes let alone inherent traumas
are dealt with methodically and equitably. It is true that major
miscalculations have tarnished global strategic thinking in the past
few years, most recently in Iraq, but the neo-con theosophy today
enjoys some acute relevance to our world as terrorism and genocide
from Indonesia to Darfur are occurring with impunity almost daily.
In a sense, it is this global shift that encouraged me to address yet
again the open chapter in the narrative of my own Armenian people.
Why should the British Government, for instance, attempt to exclude
the Armenian Genocide year-in-year out from the commemorative
service of Holocaust Memorial Day? Why should those people who are
loyal to the ethos of the Jewish Holocaust remain disloyal in equal
but opposite measure to the ethos of the Armenian Genocide? Should
Churches world-wide not be more prophetic and true to their faithful
ministries, and should they not strive to encourage reconciliation that
is anchored in justice – just like the Vatican and the Geneva-based
World Council of Churches have done already? Has it not been proven
that the collective experience of the Armenian massacres fulfils all
five criteria of genocide under article 2 of the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide that was adopted
by Resolution 260 (III) A of the UN General Assembly on 9 December
1948? How could I therefore idly sit back and accept that so many men
and women are unable – or reluctant – to move beyond their own set of
truths, prejudices, memories, fears, interests and dissimulation? The
challenge is no longer solely to argue about the historical
verisimilitude of the Armenian Genocide since many historians
have already corroborated it. The challenge today is also to lobby
recalcitrant countries – namely Turkey, the UK, Germany and Israel –
to remove their own politico-economic blinkers and assume the moral
mantle of recognition at long last. As Dr Donald Bloxham, historian,
lecturer and author of The Great Game of Genocide – Imperialism,
Nationalism, and the Destruction of the Ottoman Armenians, has often
averred, it is high time to ‘shame’ governments into recognition.
As a public international lawyer, I have been following with
professional interest the lengthy trial of former Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic at The Hague War Crimes Tribunal as he faces a
total of sixty six counts on three indictments for genocide and crimes
against humanity in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. I still recall with
poignancy the opening statement from Carla Del Ponte, ICT prosecution
team, who said that in Milosevic the world ‘saw an almost mediaeval
savagery and calculated cruelty that went far beyond the boundaries
of legitimate warfare, scenes that the international community was
shocked to witness. These were crimes against humanity.’ It is my
contention that the legal jurisprudence by which Slobodan Milosevic
is being tried for genocide in the unforgivable and wanton deaths
of 130,000 men, women and children should apply in equal measure to
those victims who were killed – again unforgivably and wantonly –
during the Armenian massacres of the late 1890’s and early 1900’s
that culminated in the genocide of 1915.
Dr Harry Hagopian, Ecumenical, Legal & Political Consultant Armenian
Apostolic Church – London (United Kingdom)

Azeris ready to give security pledges to Karabakh Armenians – foreign minister
ANS TV, Baku
17 May 05
[Presenter] The Warsaw summit of the Council of Europe is about to
complete its work. The Azerbaijani foreign minister addressed the heads
of state and governments of the Council of Europe member countries
a while ago. We are going over to Warsaw. ANS special correspondent,
Ali Ahmadov, is on the line. Hello Ali. What issues did Mr Mammadyarov
touch on in his speech? Ali, over to you.
[Correspondent, over the phone] Hello Aytan. The third
summit of the Council of Europe in Warsaw focused mainly on
Azerbaijani-Armenian-Turkish relations. I can say this, judging by
speeches which have been made so far. President Aliyev was expected
to take the floor at today’s session. However, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov replaced him as the president was having a meeting. The
conference organizers said that they would enable Ilham Aliyev to
deliver a speech later on.
Mammadyarov said that conflicts existing in EuroAasia might pose a
serious threat to the future of a single Europe which is now being
built and developed. The restructuring of Europe was the subject
of today’s session. Mammadyarov said these conflicts are more
dangerous when they are accompanied by ethnic cleansing and the
military occupation of lands. Not only conflicts, but also national
policies aimed at creating mono-ethnic states run counter to European
principles.
Touching on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Mr Mammadyarov said that
the Azerbaijani leadership believes that the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict can be resolved peacefully. He went on to say that this
might be achieved through the [self-proclaimed] Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic’s integration into Azerbaijan, the return of [displaced
Azeri] population and the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities’
peaceful co-existence [in Nagornyy Karabakh].
Mammadyarov said that the Azerbaijani leadership was ready to give
security guarantees to the Armenian population [in Nagornyy Karabakh].
[Passage omitted: details about Erdogan’s comment on Armenian genocide]

The imperative of self-organizing
Editorial
Yerkir/arm
May 13, 2005
Any country, any society is strong as much as it can focus
efforts on solving actual issues be they foreign, social or
scientific-educational.
At the same time, misfortunes in any society of any country have
interior reasons which are mainly rooted in lack of unity. These are
ABC truths which are obvious to all. But t is not excessive to speak
about these truths, moreover in our conditions. Since we often realize
that our issues are hard to solve given the split internal potential.
It would not be accurate to say that nobody among us cares about
this. At least because when it comes to national security, our society
manages to consolidate and neutralize the external threat.
Why do we manage to ignore the party backgrounds at war, but when it
comes to improving the country, we start regarding people as those
belonging to a certain party, ideology, and the rivalry is turned
into hostility.
Today, our national security depends not so much on external factors,
as much on internal organization.
The above-mentioned does not mean that existence of parties or
ideologies are excessive. On the contrary, plurality of parties and
platforms make the options of solving issues more varied. But if
these differences have ideological-platform nature, issues are solved
in a more efficient way.

“ROBERT POGHOSIAN & SONS” FOUNDATION TO FINANCE PROGRAM ON IMPROVEMENT
OF PUSHKIN PARK
YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The “Robert Poghosian & Sons” Foundation
will finance the program on improvement and maintenance of Yerevan’s
Pushkin Park covering an area of 18 thousand sq. meters. A competition
on the park improvement projects was anounced in February, while the
results were made public on May 13. According to Albert Poghosian, a
memorandum on the park improvement will soon be signed with the
municipality of the Kentron community. It was noted that the “Armenia”
Pan-Armenian Fund will coordinate the work after the completion of the
final project and the design estimates of the construction work. Out
of the 16 projects submitted for the competition, 11 were
selected. The 3 project groups that won first place were awarded a
1,700-dollar prize each. The 4 groups which took second place were
given a 500-dollar prize each, while 4 groups in third place – a
250-dolar each.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
May 14, 2005 Saturday
Azeri president to attend Council of Europe summit in Warsaw
By Sevindzh Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman
BAKU
Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliev is starting his two-day official
to Warsaw on Sunday to attend the Council of Europe summit.
Novruz Mamedov, the head of the foreign relations department at the
presidential administration, told Itar-Tass that the presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia were expected to meet on the sidelines of this
summit to discuss ways of continuing talks on the Karabakh
settlement. Ilkham Aliev and Robert Kocharyan last met in Astana in
September 2004 within the framework of the CIS summit.
Diplomatic sources in Baku say that no documents are expected to be
signed on the results of the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian envoy rubbishes Azeri counterpart’s Georgian grenade claims
Arminfo
14 May 05
YEREVAN
A grenade is not a bottle of cognac which says where it was produced,”
the Armenian ambassador to Georgia, Georgiy Khosroyev, told Arminfo
commenting on news agencies reports that the grenade found in
Tbilisi’s Freedom Square was made in Armenia.
Earlier, a number of media outlets published a statement by the
Azerbaijani ambassador to Georgia, Ramiz Hasanov, in which he “said”
that the US ambassador to Georgia, Richard Miles, had invited heads of
diplomatic missions accredited in Georgia to inform them of the
results of George Bush’s visit to Tbilisi.
The statement said that before the meeting an FBI representative told
the ambassadors that the grenade discovered 30 metres from the
presidential podium had been made in Armenia.
In this connection, the Armenian ambassador to Georgia said he had
also attended the meeting but added that nothing like that had been
said.
“The difference between an ‘army’ and ‘Armenian’ grenade is
significant. I am not a specialist in this field, but I suppose a
grenade is not a bottle of cognac which says where it was produced,”
Georgiy Khosroyev said.
At the same time, Khosroyev declined to comment on the meeting at the
US embassy, saying that “apparently people hear only what they want to
hear”.

Libération , France
vendredi 13 mai 2005
Cannes 2005: Atom Egoyan met à nu l’intimité du show-biz
CANNES – Les dessous sordides du show-biz sont mis en lumière par le
réalisateur canadien Atom Egoyan dans “Where the Truth Lies”,
thriller classique projeté vendredi en compétition au 58e Festival de
Cannes.
En 1959, Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon, vu dans “Apollo 13”, 1995 ou
encore “Mystic River”, 2003) et Vince Collins (Colin Firth, le
peintre Vermeer de “La jeune fille à la perle”, 2004) forment le duo
de comiques le plus célèbre des Etats-Unis et par là passent pour
fort sympathiques.
Mais une jeune femme retrouvée morte dans leur suite aboutira à leur
séparation et ternira cette image.
En 1972, une jeune journaliste (Alison Lohman, vue dans “Big Fish”,
de Tim Burton, 2003) veut faire toute la lumière sur cette affaire
demeurée un mystère. Treize ans auparavant, elle était apparue dans
un téléthon qu’animaient Morris et Collins, en tant que petit fille
miraculée de la poliomyélite.
Son enquête va peu à peu l’amener à plonger dans l’intimité sexuelle
et affective très agitée des deux hommes. Manipulatrice, elle sera
manipulée elle-même, mais finira par découvrir la vérité.
Le film offre une solide reconstitution de ce que pouvait être le
milieu du spectacle aux Etats-Unis dans les années 50, et en
particulier les liens qui s’y étaient tissés parfois avec la mafia.
Dans les scènes des années 70, Egoyan montre bien que ce monde-là est
mort et enterré et que l’on peut peut-être corriger son épitaphe.
Les deux animateurs ont une vie sexuelle pour le moins débridée,
arrosée de champagne et intoxiquée de pilules, et certaines séquences
n’en cachent pas grand chose, au risque de froisser la censure.
Interrogé lors de la conférence de presse sur les risques de censure
aux Etats-Unis, Egoyan a répondu qu’il n’y pensait jamais. “Il y aura
sans doute des problèmes mais nous étions bien fermes sur nos
intentions avec ce film”, a-t-il ajouté. “Ça m’étonne qu’on se
focalise sur le sexe plutôt que sur la violence. Il semble qu’on soit
obsédé par le sexe, mais il est une partie essentielle de
l’histoire.”
Atom Egoyan est un habitué du festival qui a déjà accueilli en
sélection officielle “Exotica” (1994), “De beaux lendemains” (1997),
“Le voyage de Felicia” (1999) et “Ararat” (2002), où le réalisateur
renouait avec ses souches arméniennes en traitant du génocide survenu
durant la Premier Guerre mondiale.
“Where the Truth Lies” sortira en France le 30 novembre.