Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

JOURNALISTS’ ACCREDITATION STARTS AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA
Jan 9 2009
Armenia

On January 8, 2009 the journalists’ accreditation to cover the spring
session of the National Assembly of the fourth convocation of the
Republic of Armenia began.

In accordance with the current order the application of a head of
a media outlet stating the first and last names of the journalist,
his/her position with an attached one photograph must be submitted to
the Head of the Public Relations Department of the National Assembly.

Representatives of foreign mass media shall also submit a copy of
the accreditation at the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to
receive the accreditation.

We remind that newspapers and news agencies receive two personal
accreditations for journalists each, while TV companies receive four
personal accreditations: two for journalists and two for cameramen.

Incomplete, incorrectly completed and expired applications will not
be examined, and journalists will not receive accreditations.

The deadline for application submission is January 31, 2009.

RUSSIAN GAS DELIVERIES TO ARMENIA CUT BY PIPELINE BREAK

RTT News
Jan 9 2009
NY

(RTTNews) – Russian gas deliveries to Armenia was disrupted Friday
following a pipeline break in southern Georgia.

Georgia’s energy minister Alexandre Khetaguri said gas transit to
Armenia was fully suspended after experiencing major gas leak from
the damaged pipeline this morning.

He said on television that the break in supply will continue at least
for five days to complete repair work. He requested Armenia to make
up for the gas shortage by depending on its gas reserves.

Russia’s state-owned gas giant Gazprom expressed concern over the
disruption in supplies and called for a quick normalization of the
situation. It offered help in making repairs.

"It is not clear to us what happened there and why emergency work
must take place during the height of winter," a Gazprom spokesman
was quoted as saying Friday.

Russia and Georgia cutoff diplomatic ties since the ex-Soviet republics
fought a war in August over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

A part of the damaged pipeline passes through South Ossetia. Georgia
receives 10 per cent of the gas pumped to Armenia via its pipeline
as transit fees.

, Turkey
Jan 1 2008

Controversial rulings, coup plans top Turkey’s 2008 agenda

Turkey witnessed top court’s controversial rulings that disappointed
everyone believing in "rule of law", including ban on headscarf and
AKP closure case during 2008.

Thursday, 01 January 2009 15:41
World Bulletin / News Desk

Turkey witnessed top court’s controversial rulings that disappointed
everyone believing in "rule of law", including ban on headscarf and
AKP closure case during 2008.

The investigation "Ergenekon", the constitutional amendment freeing
headscarf in universities, the closure case against the ruling Justice
& Development (AK) Party, the ground operation of Turkish Armed Forces
into north of Iraq, and President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Armenia were
the highlights of the year 2008 in Turkey.

The investigation, launched by the explosives seized in an operation
in Umraniye neighborhood of Istanbul, was named "Ergenekon" in 2008
and a lawsuit was filed regarding the case.

A criminal court in Istanbul began trying 86 suspects, 46 of whom were
in prison, in the "Ergenekon terrorist organization" case on October
20. Among the suspects were retired general Veli Kucuk, Labor Party
chairman Dogu Perincek, Cumhuriyet daily’s editor-in-chief Ilhan
Selcuk, and Professor Kemal Alemdaroglu, the former president of
Istanbul University.

Retired general Sener Eruygur, the chairman of the Kemalist Thought
Association; retired general Hursit Tolon; journalist Tuncay Ozkan;
and Sinan Aygun, the chairman of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce; were
detained within the scope of the investigation, but were later
released.

The prosecutor has not prepared an indictment regarding Eruygur,
Tolon, Aygun and Ozkan yet. Retired general Eruygur was released from
prison due to his health problems.

Controversial verdict on headscarf

Turkish Constitutional Court failed to free headscarf at universities
by the ruling that disappointed everyone, who want Turkey to make some
progress in religious freedom.

Top court annulled the amendment that would had brought "limited
freedom" to women wearing headscarf.

In the Spanish capital of Madrid in January 2008, Erdogan said that
headscarf was not a political symbol and that all political parties in
Turkey had women members wearing headscarves.

"Even if it is a political symbol, can you ban political symbols or
can you say that wearing a symbol is a crime?" Erdogan asked.

"Girls in the United States or Europe can go to universities wearing
headscarves, but we have such a problem in country where 99 percent of
the population is Muslim. I believe that we will overcome this
problem," he also said.

Then, Devlet Bahceli, the chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP), announced that his party would help solve the issue on legal
basis and without causing political and social tension.

The parliament passed the amendment bill on February 9, and changed
article 10 (equality before law) and 42 (right and duty of training
and education) of the Constitution, and President Abdullah Gul
ratified it.

Turkey’s two secularist opposition parties –Republican People’s Party
(CHP) and Democratic Left Party (DSP)– appealed the constitutional
amendment on February 27, asking the judges to either cancel the
amendments or declare them null and void, and halt their execution
until the case was concluded.

The high court annulled the amendment on May 5.

Another controversial case in Turkey in 2008, EU condemned, was the
lawsuit Supreme Court of Appeals chief prosecutor filed to close the
ruling AK Party. Chief prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya filed a
lawsuit on March 14, demanding that the Constitutional Court should
shut down the AK Party on charges that "the party had become a focal
point of anti-secular acts."

In his indictment, Yalcinkaya demanded that 71 people, including
President Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, should be
banned from politics for five years.

The top court could not reach the qualified majority sought in closure
cases, which was votes in favor of seven members. Six members voted
for closure of the party, and five others voted against it.

On July 30, the Constitutional Court only decided to deprive the party
of half of the state (monetary) assistance it received in 2008.

PKK operations

Also in 2008, the Turkish Armed Forces continued its fight against PKK
without interruption and staged a ground operation, backed by air
forces, in the north of Iraq under severe winter conditions.

The Turkish troops killed at least 240 PKK miltants, and destroyed PKK
shelters in the operation launched on February 21 and concluded on
February 29. 27 Turkish soldiers died in the operation staged against
PKK in Zap-Sivi, Avasin-Basyan and Hakurk regions in the north of
Iraq.

PKK staged an attack on a gendarmery outpost in Aktutun hamlet of
Semdinli town in the southeastern province of Hakkari on October 3. 17
Turkish soldiers died in the attack, whereas Turkish troops killed 23
militants in the clash.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan heard about the clash when he was
visiting Turkmenistan, cancelled the rest of his trip, and returned to
Turkey. Turkey took a number of measures after the extraordinary
meeting of the Higher Board of Counter-Terrorism. Turkey is still
discussing a new structure expected to be set up under the auspices of
the Interior Ministry to combat PKK violence.

17 people and an unborn baby died in two blasts that occurred one
after the other in Gungoren neighborhood of Istanbul in July. Another
bomb attack took place in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir, and
targeted a military vehicle on January 3. It killed seven people,
including six students and wounded 68 others.

An armed attack was staged outside the U.S. Consulate General in
Istanbul on July 9, killing three police officers. Three suspects were
also killed in the attack.

Another highlight of 2008 was the visit of President Abdullah Gul to
Armenia. Gul accepted Armenian President Serzh Sargsian’s invitation
to watch a World Cup qualifier between Turkey and Armenia in Yerevan,
and visited that country.

Political developments

Abdullatif Sener, a member of the Central Decision & Executive Board
of the AK Party, resigned from his post and the party. Also, AK Party
deputy chairmen Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat and Saban Disli resigned from
their posts in the AK Party. Abdulkadir Aksu, an AK Party MP from
Istanbul, replaced Firat.

Deniz Baykal was re-elected the chairman of the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the regular convention of the
party.

Numan Kurtulmus became the chairman of the Felicity Party (SP), Salih
Uzun was elected the chairman of the Motherland Party and Suleyman
Soylu became the chairman of the Democrat Party (DP).

Nurettin Demirtas, the chairman of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society
Party (DTP) who was arrested on charges that he got a false report to
pave his way from compulsory military service, was tried and joined
the army. Demirtas resigned from his post in the party, and Ahmet Turk
became the new chairman of the party.

The Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department upheld the verdict of
a criminal court in Ankara to send former prime minister Necmettin
Erbakan, who was also the last chairman of the banned Welfare Party
(RP), to two years and four months in prison in the "lost trillion"
case on charges of "forgery in special documents." The Ankara court
also ruled that Erbakan should serve the imprisonment at
home. President Abdullah Gul later annulled the imprisonment verdict
due to Erbakan’s health problems.

Gen. Yasar Buyukanit resigned as the chief of General Staff as of
August 30, 2008 and was replaced by Gen. Ilker Basbug, who was the
Land Forces Commander. Gen. Isik Kosaner became the new Land Forces
Commander, and Gen. Avni Atila Isik became the Gendarmery General
Commander.

Hasan Gerceker was elected the new chief judge of the Supreme Court of
Appeals, and Mustafa Birden became the new chairman of the Council of
State.

Some arrangements that were put into practice this year had a direct
impact on daily life.

-Turkish Parliament adopted a bill enlarging scope of smoking
ban. Under the law enacted on May 19, 2008 people are forbidden to
smoke even in open areas in schools and courses.

People are also forbidden to smoke in restaurants, cafes, and beer
houses. Enterprises who fail to abide by their obligations will be
fined to pay 500 YTL and 5,000 YTL.

Commenting on smoking ban, Turkish Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan
said, "whoever smokes in the parliament, I will personally fine him."

Starting as of April 1, 2008 drivers have been preparing fact-finding
reports and photographing vehicles who got involved in accidents.

Allegations as regards to the case "Deniz Feneri e.V", heard in
Germany were high on the agenda for a long time. Ankara Public
Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into the case after a
criminal complaint was made. Prosecutor’s Office wanted Germany to
send decision, information and documents about the case to Turkey.

Some NGOs decided to celebrate Labor Day at Taksim Square this
year. However, Istanbul Governor’s Office did not permit the
celebrations. Council of Ministers decided to celebrate Labor Day as
"Labor and Solidarity Day".

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
Dec 30 2008

Group of Nakhchivan residents attempts to trespass Armenian border

30 December 2008 [15:37] – Today.Az

On December 27 a group of parents in Nakhchivan, claiming that their
sons were beaten in the police department, have directed to the
Armenian border to trespass it, reports Day.Az with reference to
Azadlyg radio station.

As is noted, seven young people at the age of 18-23, charged with
switching off lights on one of the New Year trees in Nakhchivan were
detained in the evening on December 26. They were beaten and shaved in
the police and they were prohibited to go out after 18:00.

As a sign of protest against this parents of these sons announced that
they are going to leave the country.

One of the parents told Azadlyg radio station that their children were
beaten in the police station due to switching off the lights on one of
the New Year trees.

"Our sons were beaten till morning, they were shaved and held in the
police station for a night. How can we live like that? Now we want to
go to another country. We want to live in Armenia. We have raised our
children with a great difficulty", said one of the parents.

The Nakhchivan police explained their actions by saying they wanted to
intimidate the young men and said that this issue was settled after a
talk with the parents.

/Day.Az/

URL:

Les Echos, France
mercredi 24 décembre 2008

L’Arménie pourrait finalement profiter du projet Nabucco

par BENJAMIN QUÉNELLE (À MOSCOU)

Le conflit russo-géorgien a changé la donne dans le Caucase. L’Arménie
essaie de tirer son épingle d’un complexe jeu économico-diplomatique.

« La guerre en Géorgie a ouvert de nouvelles options pour Nabucco… »
Politologue réputé à Erevan, Alexandre Iskanderian dit tout haut ce
que beaucoup espèrent tout bas en Arménie : la nouvelle donne dans le
Caucase créée par le conflit cet été entre la Géorgie et la Russie
devrait désormais bénéficier à ce pays jusque-là laissé de côté par
les projets d’oléoducs et de gazoducs. Avec pour principale ambition :
persuader la Turquie d’accepter un passage par le territoire arménien
de Nabucco, gazoduc qui à l’horizon 2012 doit approvisionner l’Europe
en gaz provenant d’Azerbaïdjan et d’Asie centrale.

Depuis le début, le Kremlin voit d’un mauvais oeil Nabucco et pousse
un gazoduc concurrent. « Mais la guerre a montré à quel point il était
devenu risqué de faire confiance à la Géorgie », ironise à Erevan un
haut diplomate européen. « Les Turcs ont sans doute tiré les leçons :
ils ne peuvent pas entièrement dépendre de la Géorgie pour le transit
du gaz. Il leur faut ouvrir d’autres couloirs énergétiques. » C’est là
que l’Arménie peut jouer un rôle nouveau.

« Apaisement »

Reste que Erevan passe pour le meilleur allié de la Russie, et la
Turquie est en froid avec l’Arménie. « Mais le conflit géorgien a
indirectement permis un apaisement des relations entre la Turquie et
l’Arménie », rappelle Alexandre Iskanderian. « La Russie, après avoir
réaffirmé sa présence en Géorgie, a maintenant tout intérêt à
favoriser la normalisation des relations turco-arméniennes. » Car
Moscou a besoin du soutien de la Turquie pour avancer sur l’autre
conflit gelé : le Haut-Karabakh. La résolution des différends
turco-arméniens passe par la résolution du sort de cette province
pro-arménienne en territoire azéri, autoproclamée indépendante mais
reconnue par aucun Etat.

Moscou a cet automne relancé le processus de paix sur le Haut-Karabakh
entre Erevan et Bakou, dont la Turquie est alliée. Mais le jeu du
Kremlin n’en reste pas moins trouble. « Jusque-là, Moscou avait fait
beaucoup de rhétorique contre les projets énergétiques occidentaux
dans le Caucase. Aujourd’hui, ses troupes ne sont plus qu’à quelques
kilomètres de BTC… », rappelle le haut diplomate européen, dans une
allusion à l’oléoduc traversant la Géorgie. « Le message est donc
clair : pour tout projet, il ne faudra pas sous-estimer la présence
retrouvée de la Russie dans cette région ! »

ARMENIAN TEAM RETURNS TO MOUNT ARARAT EMBLEM

Today’s Zaman
Dec 24 2008
Turkey

The Armenian national soccer team, which had replaced its emblem
featuring a silhouette of Turkey’s Mount Ararat, known in Turkey as
Mount Agrı, ahead of a match against Turkey in a World Cup qualifying
game in September, has recently started to use the old emblem again.

The previously new emblem of the Armenian national team, featuring
a tiger and a lion instead of the silhouette of Mount Ararat, was
introduced to the public at a September press conference in Yerevan,
with Armenian Football Federation President Ruben Hayrapetyan saying
that the change of emblem was due to demands from football fan
associations. Hayrapetyan also said at the time that the previous
emblem was not popular among fans of the national team.

Armenian officials had dismissed a connection between the new emblem
and the upcoming match; however, the change was widely considered to
be a gesture of goodwill by the Armenian side ahead of the match on
Sept. 6. Turkish President Abdullah Gul broke his country’s foreign
policy taboo by visiting Armenia to watch the soccer game. The visit
paved the way for contact between Turkey and Armenia, which have had
no formal ties since 1993.

Since then, public criticism of the Armenian Football Federation’s
decision to change the previous emblem has surfaced in Turkey’s
estranged neighbor. The federation has decided to return to its
previous emblem, which features a stylized representation of Mount
Ararat.

One of the conditions Ankara expects Yerevan to fulfill to
normalize relations is formal recognition of the current border
with Turkey. Turkish decision-makers are concerned that the Armenian
administration has claims on Turkish territory, and the depiction of
Mount Ararat on the Armenian national team emblem has been interpreted
by some as a sign of Armenian irredentist desires.

Sarksyan thanks Turkish people for help during 1988 quake

It has emerged meanwhile that Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan sent
a message to his Turkish counterpart on the 20th anniversary of the
disastrous Spitak earthquake, expressing his gratitude for the Turkish
people’s help to Armenian people at the time.

Dec. 7 marked the 20th anniversary of the Spitak earthquake, which
flattened towns and villages across swathes of the then-Soviet
Socialist Republic of Armenia, killing 25,000 people and leaving tens
of thousands homeless.

The world turned its attention to the tragedy in his country soon
after the earthquake, Sarksyan noted in his message, adding that this
proved that "grief is not one-sided."

Sarksyan said that both he and the Armenian people have been grateful
to Turkish people and the government of the Turkish Republic for
their assistance in the aftermath of the Spitak earthquake.

"We are sure that human actions will always be remembered, will
increase clemency and will enlighten the world," he said.

–Boundary_(ID_xSMIB1WTnFGmRydkKER2fQ)–

JOEY VARTANIAN: VARTANIAN ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY TO BRING FRESH THINKING TO CONGRESS

Science Letter
December 23, 2008

Local businessman Joey Vartanian launches his campaign for Illinois’
5th Congressional District to replace Congressman Rahm Emanuel in
the upcoming special election. "My strength, thinking and experience
as a small businessman who has lived in the district all his life
are what we need to represent change in Congress," Vartanian says
(see also Joey Vartanian).

A self-made first-generation Armenian American, Vartanian is an
independent Democrat who understands today’s overwhelming and
unprecedented challenges. He has lived and survived many of the
hardships and struggles we all face today. "To instill real change,
we need to elect a true outsider … someone with a fresh untainted
perspective, with new ideas, and the forethought and know-how to
ensure we all succeed; someone who is not a part of what is currently
a broken-down and bankrupt system. I am that person," Vartanian says.

Vartanian is committed to solving the economic crisis defined by
fiscal carelessness, unregulated lending, corporate greed and loyalty
to special interests. As a pro-business centrist, he plans to place
the power back in the people’s hands by employing policies that
promote job creation, protection for Main Street and reducing excess
spending. "Change must begin on a local level," Vartanian says. He
is an advocate of programs that improve schools, transportation and
utility systems. He also supports retraining for green initiatives
and the jobs the initiatives will create.

Vartanian has served on several community boards within the
5th District and has been involved in solving issues between
residents of the community and the hospitality industry for over
20 years. He is a father and currently runs D3 Events, Crobar and
Maxbar. For more information on Vartanian and how to get involved:

MILITARY EXPERT: "ARMENIANS PUT AZERBAIJANI CAPTIVE TO HUMILIATING TORTURE"

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 22 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku-APA. "My best regards to my mother, father, brothers, sister,
and wives of my brothers. I am in good condition and do not worry
about me. My best regards to my relatives and all residents of
Safarli settlement.

I thought much and decided to return back to my motherland and
mother. I hope that we will meet soon. Do not worry, wait a little. I
hope that I will return back soon", this is a full text of Armenian
captured Azerbaijani soldier Rafig Rahman Hasanov’s letter, which
was gained by APA.

The full text of the letter written in Russian by official of
International Committee of the Red Cross stresses that the captive
wants to return back to his motherland and family.

PIPELINE TO CONNECT IRAN, ARMENIA

Press TV
Dec 22 2008
Iran

Yeraskh is to host the receiving terminal of the pipeline running
between the two neighbors Construction of a multi million-dollar
pipeline connecting neighbors, Iran and Armenia is to begin next year,
an Armenian minister says.

The 300-kilometer pipeline will run from Iran’s northwestern city
of Tabriz to Armenia’s southern city of Yeraskh, the Armenian Energy
Minister, Armen Movsisian told reporters on Monday.

"Armenia will receive petrol and diesel fuel from the oil refinery
located in the Iranian city of Tabriz through the pipeline,
construction of which starts next spring," he said.

Movsisian estimated that the pipeline would be completed in two years
and would cost between $200-240 million with each country covering half
the cost. The project was meant to diversify Yerevan’s energy supplies.

"In order to guarantee the country’s energy security we are moving
toward the diversification of energy supplies," Movsisian continued.

Armenia and Iran enjoy cultural and historical ties dating back
thousands of years. There are no border disputes between the two
countries and the Christian Armenian minority in Iran enjoys official
recognition.

RUBEN SAFRASTYAN: THE THAW IN ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS IS A STEP FORWARD RATHER THAN DIALOGUE
Alisa Gevorgyan

"Radiolur"
22.12.2008 14:41

Director of the Oriental Studies Institute of the National Academy
of Sciences, Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan is inclined to assess the
thaw in the Armenian-Turkish relations and the football diplomacy
as a step forward in the relations between the two countries rather
than dialogue.

Ruben Safrastyan welcomes the fact that there were intellectuals
in the Turkish society who initiated a campaign of apology on the
Internet for the World War I-era massacres of Armenians in Turkey.

The group of prominent academics, journalists, writers and artists
stated in the petition:"My conscience does not accept that (we) remain
insensitive toward and deny the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman
Armenians were subjected in 1915," read the apology. "I reject this
injustice, share in the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers,
and apologize to them."

However, Ruben Safrastyan insists that two important factors should
not be forgotten: "First, the number of intellectuals was very
small and their voice cannot be viewed as the opinion of the Turkish
society. Besides, they avoided using the term genocide in the apology,
using the less explosive Great Catastrophe instead."

Director of the Oriental Studies Institute assesses the campaign as the
first step, hoping that such initiatives will beco me more principled
in the future. In general, he characterizes the recent thaw in the
Armenian-Turkish relations and the football diplomacy as a step forward
in the relations between the two countries rather than dialogue.

It should be noted, however, that the pressure of the government
on Turkish society is weakening year by year. According to Ruben
Safrastyan, the fear is also reducing. Although Article 301 of the
Penal Code is still vital in Turkey, this country is not the same as
three or four years ago, the Turkologist stated.