Author: Torgomian Varazdat

ORGANIZATION FOR KARABAKH LIBERATION CONDEMNS MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA IN BRUSSELS

Today.Az
cs/49514.html
Dec 11 2008
Azerbaijan

The Organization for Karabakh Liberation condemns the meeting of the
Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, held by initiative of
EU in Brussels, says a statement, released by the said organization.

The statement says that the agreements, reached in Brussels, are
assessed as a next step for Azerbaijan to make unilateral concessions.

"We have repeatedly stated that Armenia tries to make others forget
the facts of occupation and terror, as well as the crimes, committed
against Azerbaijanis. In 1905-1906 and 1918-1920 Armenians managed to
execute this script. Now they again try to take the next attempt. The
participation of the Azerbaijani government in this process is a
betrayal of national interests", says the statement.

The Organization for Karabakh Liberation considers that the
continuation of talks with Armenia in this area is inadmissible.

"Armenia must be punished for the act of occupation, by the terror
actions, policy of genocide, all brutalities, committed against
Azerbaijan. We call on the Azerbaijani government to stop talks,
held in this direction", says the statement.

‘I WANT TO SEE JUSTICE’: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVOR BRINGS HISTORY ALIVE FOR WILMINGTON STUDENTS
By Debbie Swanson

Lowell Sun
December 11, 2008 Thursday
Massachusetts

WILMINGTON — The students sat transfixed as their 100-year-old guest,
Vergin Mazmanian, shared her story.

"When I was a child, my mother made our clothing. I was 7 years old,
and she was making me a red outfit to wear to my first day of school,"
she began, then paused. "That day never came."

She went on to describe how the Ottoman army arrived before daylight,
rounded up Christian Armenians from their homes, and forced them to
begin a death march wearing only the clothes on their backs.

She was one of them.

Mazmanian, now a resident of Arlington, is a survivor of the 1915
Armenian Genocide. She will turn 101 in February and is on a mission
to spread her story.

She visited seniors in the Facing History and Ourselves class — an
interdisciplinary approach of English and history — at Wilmington High
yesterday. She was accompanied by her pastor, Rev. Vasken A. Kouzouian,
of the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church of Cambridge.

Mazmanian told stories of hunger, suffering and leaving family
members by the side of the road to die. She talked of her years in an
orphanage, where she was ultimately taken at the end of the march. She
lived there until she was taken in by a foster family and flown to
the United States.

She never saw her home again.

"Her story takes these events out of the textbook — they are no
longer just literal words on a page. We could see the horrors she saw,"
said student Mario Martins.

Classmate Joe Castiglia agreed.

"We could look into her eyes, hear what she has seen and witnessed,"
he said.

Mazmanian credits her solid faith in God for getting her through the
hardships and for blessing her with so many years.

"So many have died, but I am still here. Why? It is because I have
more to do. I have to share my story as often as I can. Those people
who died are not forgotten. … Their deaths aren’t in vain," she said.

Her chief concern is that many countries, including the United
States, do not officially recognize what her people went through as
genocide. Yet the Armenian Genocide, which commenced on April 24,
1915, is blamed for between 1 million and 1.5 million deaths.

"What I am waiting for is a gift," she said. "Ninety-three years is
long enough (to wait). I want to see justice."

Rev. Kouzouian nodded.

"She talks of this gift often," he added. "She wants to see the
U.S. government recognize what happened."

The students in the class, which is co-taught by Lisa Lucia and
Maura Tucker, are hoping to help make that happen. They videotaped
her presentation, plan to add student commentary, and send it to
President-elect Barack Obama.

"One thing this class taught us is how to make noise to get things
done," said student Brianna Brown.

Making noise is one of the lessons Lucia and Tucker are hoping their
students take from the class, which uses case studies to examine
crimes against humanity in the 20th and 21st centuries.

"In preparation for Ms. Mazmanian’s visit, we researched and discussed
the Armenian genocide and made posters petitioning the U.S. and
others who don’t recognize what happened," said Lucia. "These posters,
hung all around the school, have created awareness and conversations."

The posters dotting the hallways carry messages such as "History does
not fade away" and "Denial is killing twice."

"We look at the role of ordinary citizens and consider what we can
do today to prevent these crimes from happening again," said Lucia.

Other visitors to the classroom have included survivors from Cambodia,
Rwanda and the Holocaust. Students also painted symbols of hope to
send to the people of Darfur, in war-torn Sudan, and will study the
situation there later in the semester.

"Events like this visit have put a face to the textbook stories,"
said student Joe Giorlando.

Classmate Erin McMahon agrees. "It makes these things much more
personal. … It gives you a drive to take action."

ARMENIAN AMERICANS DISPLEASED WITH CNN PROGRAM THAT MENTIONED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN PASSING

Noyan Tapan

Dec 11, 2008

WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 11, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. A CNN program
on genocides has caused discontent among Armenian Americans. They
complain that in this almost 2-hour program, the episode on the
Armenian Genocide lasted less than a minute. On the initiative of the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the Armenian community
has sent letters of protest to the CNN management, accusing it of
ignoring the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

According to Marmara, the program prepared by famous journalist
Christiane Amanpour presented such genocides as the Holocaust, the
genocides in Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia and Darfur as well as that
organized by Saddam Hussein against the people in Iraq.

The Armenians were also mentioned in a short episode at the begging
of the program. It was said that from 1915, the Christian Armenians
were subjected to massacres and forced deportation for seven years
in the Ottoman Empire, as a result of which a million of Armenians,
including children, women and elderly people, died. It was also
mentioned that Turkey refuses to recognize these events as genocide.

Turkish newspaper Huriet in its turn reported that the above mentioned
program caused disconent of not only Armenians but also Turks due to
its comments on the 1915 events.

COOPERATION AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH OFFICE OF RA PUBLIC PROSECUTOR IN STEPANAKERT

De Facto
Dec 10, 2008

STEPANAKERT, 10.12.08. DE FACTO. On December 9 the NKR President
Bako Sahakian received attorney general of the Republic of Armenia
Aghvan Hovsepian. A cooperation agreement was signed in the course
of the meeting.

According to DE FACTO own correspondent I Stepanakert, upon completion
of the meeting the RA attorney general stated that the agreement
would contribute to raising efficiency of further joint work.

The issues relevant to reforms being carried out in the NKR judicial
sphere were also discussed at the meeting.

GEORGIAN CHRISTIAN AND DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT DEMANDS RETURN OF GEORGIAN CHURCHES IN ARMENIA

Trend News Agency
Dec 10 2008
Azerbaijan

Georgia, Tbilisi, 10 Dec /TrendNews corr. N.Kirtskhalia/ The Georgian
Christian and Democratic Movement will hold actions at the Armenian
Embassy at 02.00p.m. on 11 Dec. The action targets to return Georgian
churches and cloisters in Armenia, Georgi Andriadze, the leader of
the movement, said. The national Christians urge the community to
support them.

"Tens of historical important Georgian churches and cloisters
are located in historical territory of Lorri-Tashir of the north
Armenia. Unfortunately, they have been fully plundered, which
indicates their belonging to Orthodox Georgian Church, but not
Armenian. Otherwise, they would be protected. I think, the Georgian
Orthodox Church deliberately has not raised a question on transfer of
these churches not to intensify the situation. However, unfortunately,
Armenia permanently seeks to strain the situation and unilaterally
demands return of churches. Since Armenia continues provocations, we
should remind them on our legal rights to demand transfer of Georgian
churches in Armenia," the Movement said.

Besides this, Andriadze expresses his supposition that all of these
are provocation of the third side and target to create dispute between
two neighbor nations.

ARMENIA: DIM OUTLOOK FOR MEDIA FREEDOM, REPORTERS SAY
Marianna Grigoryan

EurasiaNet
Dec 9 2008
NY

Despite heavy government emphasis on the importance of freedom of
speech, the violence against Armenian journalists is continuing. Civil
society leaders and reporters contend that officials’ sluggish
response masks either rank incompetence or an intention to keep the
lid on government criticism. Government officials reject the charges
as groundless.

The most recent encroachment upon media rights came in mid-November
when Edik Baghdasarian, one of the country’s best-known investigative
journalists, was ambushed and badly beaten by two unknown men in
Yerevan. The attack was the seventh reported case of violence against
a journalist in Armenia this year.

"I am convinced that the attack was connected with my professional
activity," said Baghdasarian, who has conducted attention-grabbing
investigations into government corruption, the mining industry, and
human trafficking for the online newsmagazine Hetq.am, which he heads,
and other publications. "I am myself looking into this case now and
I hope the case will be solved."

"It is not so difficult to disclose these cases of violence and
find those responsible," continued Baghdasarian, who sustained
cranial-brain injuries in the November 17 attack. "But, of course,
willpower is needed for that."

The government has assured Armenian media that all steps are being
taken to solve the Baghdasarian case. "Every act of violence against a
journalist is condemnable," Samvel Farmanian, spokesman for President
Serzh Sargsyan, commented to EurasiaNet.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian, who visited Baghdasarian
in the hospital, has taken a similar tact, telling reporters
that "a dialogue with media is necessary to specify the rules of
the game." Sarkisian did not specify other participants in such a
dialogue. "The environment should be such that there is a reciprocally
respectful attitude," public television reported him as saying.

Some Armenian reporters believe that Baghdasarian’s prominence
motivates much of the government’s display of interest in his
case. In September, the 46-year-old journalist was the runner-up
for the prestigious Global Shining Light Award, a prize given to the
world’s best investigative journalists.

The government’s assurances have so far done little to convince other
Armenian reporters.

One political reporter for the opposition Haykakan Zhamanak daily
contended that the authorities do nothing to investigate reported
attacks against journalists.

"The prime minister’s visit to Edik Baghdasarian in the hospital was a
mere publicity stunt," charged Lusine Barseghian, who is known for her
critical stories about the government and government-linked clans. "If
the authorities are interested in exposing anyone, they would have
done so. Meanwhile, in many cases they are the ones who order it."

Rafik Petrosian, a senior member of the governing Republican Party’s
parliamentary faction, countered that no one "praises" law-enforcement
agencies for their "perfect work".

"There are unsolved murders. We condemn violence against
journalists. However, the authorities are taking steps towards
resolving these cases. It looks like Edik Baghdasarian’s case is close
to completion," Petrosian, who heads parliament’s standing committee
for state and legal affairs, told EurasiaNet.

He did not elaborate about the status of the Baghdasarian
investigation. Police announced on November 26 that one man had
turned himself in and admitted that he took part in the attack on
Baghdasarian, yet allegedly declined to give further testimony.

But investigations into attacks on journalists do not necessarily come
flush with results, noted Haykakan Zhamanak reporter Barseghian. On
February 19, the day of the presidential vote, Barseghian herself was
beaten at one Yerevan polling station while highlighting suspected
fraud in favor of then Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, the government’s
favored candidate. A second attack came on August 11, when two unknown
men attacked Barseghian from behind outside her apartment building.

"I definitely link what happened to me with my professional activities
and there are concrete people and forces behind those who ordered the
violence. . . " Barseghian said. "Criminal cases were started in both
cases. However, no results have come so far. If our country were a
law-abiding state, the cases would have been solved a long time ago."

Republican Party parliamentarian Petrosian scoffed at the
allegation. "Is there any evidence that the authorities or any
government official were behind the attack? I can’t accept a journalist
making serious accusations without any evidence. Had there been any
verdict finding any government-linked person at fault, then they can
confidently make such statements," affirmed Petrosian.

One human rights activist argues that the lack of visible punishment
for such incidents only encourages additional attacks.

"If there has been practically no punishment, then two conclusions can
be made here: either the professionalism of law-enforcement bodies
in Armenia is below zero or, even if it wasn’t they who did it,
the state must prevent such cases," said Armenia Helsinki Committee
Chairman Avetik Ishkhanian said. " . . . The authorities bear the
responsibility, because they have failed to take preventive measures."

In a November 19 letter, the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe’s representative on press freedom matters Miklos Haraszti
echoed that stance. "The aim of such crimes is to intimidate media
workers in the country and obstruct investigative reporting," Haraszti
wrote. "The lack of progress in resolving these cases could provoke
further cases of violence against journalists."

Without such measures, commented Armenian Public Ombudsman Armen
Harutiunian in a statement, "it would be correct that senior police
discuss the issue of the competence of the organs conducting the
investigations."

The Paris-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders has marked the
decline in Armenia’s media environment. In 2008, the organization
ranked Armenia 102nd out of 173 countries in its 2008 Worldwide Press
Freedom Index – a sharp dip from the country’s 77th position ranking
a year before.

"The most significant development in the former Soviet periphery is
the deterioration in the Caucasus," the report states, referring to
"major problems" with free speech in Armenia and Georgia. [For details,
see the Eurasia Insight archive.]

Editor’s Note: Marianna Grigoryan is a reporter for the ArmeniaNow.com
weekly in Yerevan.

SITTING OF STATE COMMISSION ON HOUSING PROGRAMMES’ SYSTEMATIZATION TOOK PLACE

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
December 01, 2008

On December 1, the regular session of the State Commission on Housing
Programmes’ Systematization chaired by the NKR Prime Minister Ara
Haroutyunyan took place. It resolved to suggest the NKR Government
implementing works for the settlement of housing problems of persons
and families involved in the agenda on account of the means anticipated
by the programme of decree 472 dated June 20, 2008, on affirmation of
the state order of capital investments to be implemented on account
of the NKR State Budget 2008. In compliance with this a resolution
was adopted to build a house in Karin Tak village of Shoushi region
for the perished soldier’s widow Yeranik Arstamyan. It was resolved
to buy a house for the perished soldier’s widow Svetlana Haroutyunyan
in Berdashen village of Martouni region and to construct detached
houses for the perished soldiers’ families in the villages Karin Tak
of Shoushi region and Berdashen of Martakert region (for Astghik
Avanesyan, Roza Abrahamyan in Karin Tak, Ksenya Aivazyan, Hamest
Petrosyan in Vaghuhas, Varya Sevyan, Seda Sevyan, Ruzanna Beknazaryan,
Alena Abrahamyan, Lida Abrahamyan in Khnkavan).

In the town of Shoushi and in the villages of Vaghuhas and Khnkavan
construction of houses for the socially needy families of NKR war
invalids Vardan Mirzoyan, Rafik Gharakhanyan, Hermon Verdyan, Vazgen
Mikaelyan, Pasha Beknazaryan, Rafik Verdyan, Areg and Lorik Abrahamyans
will be implemented.

During the session it was resolved to render the one-room flat N2 in
the Azatamartikneri street of Stepanakert to Artak Beglaryan, a first
group invalid out of paternal care, to conduct reconstruction works of
the house of children out of paternal care (Vagharshak Hakobjanyan)
in the village Sghnakh of Askeran region. The commission resolved
to render houses to four refugee families (Ashot Shaboyan, Valeri
Aroushanyan, Aleksandr Baghdasaryan and Mikael Abrahamyan) in the
district Ajapnyak of Stepanakert, to carry out reconstruction works
of the house belonging emigrant Seyran Avagyan’s family inhabiting
in the same district.

A resolution was adopted to buy a house for the refugee Slavik
Tevosyan’s necessitous family in the village of Badara and to buy a
two-room flat in Shoushi for the inhabitant of Stepanakert Kaitser
Aleksanyan (7 members in the family).

Thus the session accomplished its work.

* * *

After the NKR Government session had been accomplished a conference
at the NKR Prime-Minister Ara Haroutyunyan with participation of the
Heads of Regional Administrations took place, during which problems
concerning the overdue repayment of credits and the process of
agricultural works were discussed.

Monitoring body for the anti-trafficking convention to start work in
2009

Strasbourg, 08.12.2008 – 13 independent experts from as many countries
will be the first members of the Group of Experts on Action against
Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), a new body that will monitor the
implementation of the Council of Europe anti-trafficking convention.

The Committee of the Parties of the convention, which has met in
Strasbourg on 5 and 8 December, elected the following members of GRETA
for a term of office of four years, beginning on 1 January 2009:

– Vessela Banova (Bulgarian)
– Louise Calleja (Maltese)
– Josie Christodoulou (Cypriot)
– Davor Derencinovic (Croatian)
– Vladimir Gilca (Moldovan)
– Hanne Sophie Greve (Norwegian)
– Nicolas Le Coz (French)
– Alexandra Malangone (Slovak)
– Nell Rasmussen (Danish)
– Leonor Maria Da Conceição Cruz Rodrigues (Portuguese)
– Gulnara Shahinian (Armenian)
– Robert Stratoberdha (Albanian)
– Diana-Florentina Tudorache (Romanian)

GRETA will use a similar methodology to other Council of Europe
monitoring bodies. It will publish reports evaluating the measures
included in the Council of Europe on Action against Trafficking in Human
Beings (CETS No. 197)
< QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D197&CM=3D2&DF=3D&am p;CL=3DENG> . The convention, which entered into force on 1
February 2008 and has been ratified by 19 states, aims to prevent this
crime, protect the victims and prosecute the offenders.

Contact: Jaime Rodríguez, Press Officer, Tel. +33 (0) 689 99 50 42;
[email protected]

Le Comité de suivi chargé de la convention contre la traite des
êtres humains débutera ses activités en 2009

Strasbourg, 08.12.2008 – Treize experts indépendants venant d’autant
de pays seront les premiers membres du Groupe d’experts sur la lutte
contre la traite des êtres humains (GRETA), la nouvelle instance de
suivi du Conseil de l’Europe qui s’assurera du respect de la Convention
sur la lutte contre la traite des êtres humains.

Le Comité des Parties à la convention, réuni à Strasbourg du 5
au 8 décembre, a élu les membres suivants du GRETA pour un mandat de
quatre ans à compter du 1er janvier 2009.

– Vessela Banova (Bulgare)
– Louise Calleja (Maltais)
– Josie Christodoulou (Chypriote)
– Davor Derencinovic (Croate)
– Vladimir Gilca (Moldave)
– Hanne Sophie Greve (Norvégien)
– Nicolas Le Coz (Français)
– Alexandra Malangone (Slovaque)
– Nell Rasmussen (Danois)
– Leonor Maria Da Conceição Cruz Rodrigues (Portugais)
– Gulnara Shahinian (Arménien)
– Robert Stratoberdha (Albanais)
– Diana-Florentina Tudorache (Roumain)

Le GRETA aura un mode de fonctionnement similaire à celui des autres
organes de suivi du Conseil de l’Europe. Il publiera régulièrement
des rapports d’évaluation des mesures prises par les Etats en
application de la Convention du Conseil de l’Europe sur la lutte contre
la traite des êtres humains (STCE n° 197)
< QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D197&CM=3D2&DF=3D&am p;CL=3DENG> . Entrée en vigueur le 1er février 2008 et
ratifiée par 19 Etats, cette convention vise la prévention de la
traite des êtres humains, la protection des victimes ainsi que la
poursuite des trafiquants.

Contact : Jaime Rodríguez, attaché de presse, tél. : +33 (0) 689
99 50 42 ; [email protected]

ED225b08

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 4 2008

Co-chairs make statement on Nagorno Karabakh conflict

[ 04 Dec 2008 15:40 ]

Helsinki. Tamara Grigorieva`APA. Foreign ministers of OSCE Minsk Group
co-chair countries ` Russia and France Sergei Lavrov and Bernard
Kouchner, as well as US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried made
statement on Nagorno Karabakh conflict, APA correspondent in Helsinki
reports.

The top diplomats called on the sides of Nagorno Karabakh conflict to
use constructive and positive impulse created at the presidents’
meeting in Moscow.

`Moscow Declaration opened a new far reaching phase for peace
achievement in the region. The presidents confirmed their commitment
to the peaceful solution based on the Madrid principles. We call on
the sides to make efforts to complete the work on the basic principles
in the few next months and then to prepare draft peace agreement on
this basis. We call on to carry out measures toward the mutual trust
and to withdraw snipers from the line of contact to save lives of
militaries and civilians. It is necessary that the sides work with
each other and the co-chairs as well. We are stating once more that
there is no military way of solution to the conflict and calling on
the sides to confirm their loyalty to the peaceful solution’.

FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN: IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE NORMAL LIFE FOR BOTH AZERIS AND ARMENIANS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ArmInfo
2008-12-05 20:17:00

ArmInfo. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh continues to be a serious
source of instability. The Moscow Declaration is an important
document. Our presidents have declared that they will seek to resolve
the conflict in the framework of the international law. And in all
documents of the international law Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
is mentioned as basic principle, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar
Mamedyarov said during a meeting of the OSCE foreign ministers.

Day.az quotes Mamedyarov to say that "the meeting of the OSCE FMs is
taking place in a symbolic place – a place where the OSCE was set up
and we must reconfirm our adherence to the principles of the Helsinki
Final Act. We must recognize the principle of territorial integrity
of states and their sovereignty in the light of the last developments."

"Azerbaijan believes that the OSCE has a special role in peace
making. It has big experience in conflict settlement and post-conflict
management and this potential must be employed. For the time being the
OSCE is focused on human rights issues but we advocate a more balanced
agenda. The settlement of the conflict must create a favorable
economic situation in the whole region. The Moscow Declaration
calls for enhancing confidence, ensuring normal life for Azeris and
Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, encouraging their communication and
cooperation. We hope that the Armenians understand and share our
position," Mamedyarov said.