Author: Zargarian Hambik

TURKEY INVESTIGATES GROUP FOR ARMENIAN APOLOGY

Jan 9 2009
Turkey

A group of Turkish intellectuals and academicians issued an apology
to Armenians on the internet for the events of 1915, boosting a
nationwide discussion.

A Turkish prosecutor has opened an investigation that could lead
to criminal charges against the authors of an online apology for
Armenians, state-run news agency Anatolian reported on Friday.

The state prosecutor in Ankara is probing whether the group of
intellectuals who offered the apology violated Article 301 of the
Turkish penal code, which criminalises "insulting the Turkish people,"
Anatolian reported.

A group of Turkish intellectuals and academicians issued an apology
to Armenians on the internet for the events of 1915, boosting a
nationwide discussion.

Turkey changed Article 301 last year in response to EU criticism
and the law requires the Justice Minister to approve any court case,
but conviction still carries a jail sentence.

The group of writers, academics and other intellectuals set up
a petition at (We Are Sorry) that offered
Armenians a personal apology.

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said last month that the online petition
could undermine efforts to improve relations with neighbouring Armenia,
with which Turkey has no diplomatic ties. The two sides launched
talks last year on normalising relations.

Yeni Musavat, Azerbaijan
Dec 30 2008

Azeri parties condemn Israeli attacks on Gaza

Some Azerbaijani parties and organizations have denounced the latest
raids by Israel on the Gaza Strip, the opposition Yeni Musavat
reported on 30 December.

The paper reported that the opposition Musavat Party discussed the
issue on 29 December. It quoted the party deputy chairman, Qabil
Huseynli, as saying that "we denounced Israel’s horrible and violent
actions and demanded that a cease-fire be announced soon, humanitarian
aid be rendered to the region, the blockade on Gaza city be lifted and
other measures be taken".

The report added that Huseynli urged Azerbaijan to demonstrate a
clear-cut position on Israel’s actions.

"Azerbaijan has friendly and diplomatic ties with Israel. However,
without taking anything in view today we denounce the latest
developments in the Gaza Strip as they are inhumane," Huseynli told
the paper.

Huseynli was quoted as saying that the party planned no protests.

Meanwhile, the paper itself added that "it is interesting that in some
countries like Azerbaijan, we cannot observe official or unofficial
protests and a sharp public reaction to the developments. A silent
approach to the developments by Azerbaijan, which suffers from the war
and has lost lands and people as a result of Armenian occupation, is
especially incomprehensible".

Yeni Musavat reported that the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan also
condemned the raids in its statement issued on 29 December.

"We urge Muslims of the world to put an end to indifference to the
mass elimination of Palestinians and unite in one front in the fight
against the enemy for the sake of Muslims, Islam and humanity," the
party said in its statement.

The paper quoted the party’s press secretary, Akif Heydarli, as saying
that the party was going to stage protests outside the Israeli
embassy.

"We demand that the Israeli embassy in Azerbaijan be closed down,"
Heydarli said.

Yeni Musavat added that the head of DEVAMM, the non-governmental
Centre for the Protection of Freedom of Conscience and Religion, Ilqar
Ibrahimoglu, urged the Azerbaijani government to express its position
on the issue.

"I think Azerbaijan should express a clear and obvious position on the
issue in the near future… I think Azerbaijani officials should
express a clear position on the issue and denounce it," Ibrahimoglu
said.

Report added that the Karabakh Liberation Organization issued a
statement denouncing the attacks on Gaza, demanding an end to Israel’s
attacks on Palestinians. The organization also urged the Azerbaijani
government to raise the issue at international organizations and
render humanitarian aid to people in Gaza.

Report claims Turkey is preparing Azerbaijan for war

_id-82
30-12-2008 04:42:40

The recent visit by a group of high-ranking Turkish military officials
to Baku has prompted reports saying Turkey is setting the stage for
Azerbaijan`s war with arch-foe Armenia.
The website has published a story regarding the
visit by senior representatives of the Turkish Armed Forces
Headquarters entitled "Turkey is preparing Azerbaijan for war." It said
Turkey was conducting military exercises for the Azerbaijani military,
which is issuing warnings to Armenia over the launching of hostilities.
It is for this reason that deputy chief of Turkey`s military staff,
General Hasan Igsiz, paid a visit to Baku but did not fully disclose
its purpose, the report claimed.
Commenting on the matter, the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry spokesman,
Eldar Sabiroghlu, said the rapprochement between Turkey and Azerbaijan
should not intimidate anyone. "Just like in other areas, cooperation
between the two countries is developing in the military field. The
visit by high-ranking representatives led by the Turkish deputy chief
of staff to Azerbaijan was paid under a bilateral agreement on military
cooperation. Such mutual visits have always taken place. This time,
efficient discussions were held within high-level dialog, accordingly.
Such meetings should not produce a notion that Turkey is preparing
Azerbaijan for any plans or hostilities against Armenia.
"If the invaders fail to withdraw from our land and battles are
inevitable, Azerbaijan will be able to handle this on its own. Our
country has both the military power and human potential for this,"
Sabiroghlu said.
Azerbaijani and Turkish military officials held high-level meetings on
December 22 during a visit by the delegation headed by General Igsiz.
While in Baku, he also met with President Ilham Aliyev and Minister of
Defense Industry Yaver Jamalov.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing
of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh
and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law.
The OSCE-brokered peace talks have yet to accomplish anything
substantial.

SERGIO MARGARIAN APPOINTED HEAD COACH OF UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE

Noyan Tapan

Dec 19, 2008

MONTEVIDEO, DECEMBER 29, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Sergio
Margarian, Uruguayan coach of Armenian descent, has been appointed
the head coach of Universidad de Chile, one of the best football
clubs in Chile.

According to Radio Liberty, 64-year-old S. Margarian, who has coached
the national team of Paraguay, Panathinaikos (Greece) and Cruz Azul
(Mexico), declared that his goal is to make Universidad Chile’s
champion.

Washington Post, DC
Dec 27 2008

France’s ‘Sinatra’ Honored

Singer Charles Aznavour, the "Frank Sinatra of France," has been
granted Armenian citizenship, Agence France-Presse reports. Born
Shahnur Aznavourian in Paris to Armenian immigrants, Aznavour raised
money for victims of a 1988 earthquake in Armenia and starred in Atom
Egoyan’s 2002 film "Ararat," an epic meditation on the 1915 Armenian
genocide in Turkey.

In a decree granting citizenship to Aznavour, 84, Armenian President
Serzh Sarkisian called the tenor "a hero of the Armenian people."

HULUSI KILIC: "TURKEY WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN"

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. Turkey’s ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi
Kilic held a press conference resuming 2008. The ambassador called it
very important year from the view of development of Turkey-Azerbaijan
relationship, APA reports. The diplomat said the two countries
had perfect political relations embodied ten meetings at the level
of presidents and prime ministers and 30 ministerial visits this
year. Speaking about the economic relations Kilic said trade turnover
between the two countries reached 2.5 million dollars. He reminded
about the successful cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan in the
transnational oil and gas projects and said Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway
would be opened in 2010 which would lay a road from China to London.

The diplomat said outgoing year was a year of jubilees for both
Azerbaijan and Turkey. This year was a year of 90th anniversary of
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and its parliament and army, 85th
anniversary of Republic of Turkey, 90th anniversary of establishing
of the Caucasian Islamic Army and its arrival in Azerbaijan and
liberation of Baku. The ambassador said the Ottoman Empire, living
its final days, sent eight thousand troops to Azerbaijan and more
than 1200 Turkish soldiers died in the battles for Azerbaijan.

Kilic said Turkey wanted a soonest solution to the Nagorno karabakh
conflict and would always support Azerbaijan in this issue. Touching
on the campaign of apology to Armenians, the ambassador said the
Turkish nation did nothing to apologize and would not apologize to
anyone. He said those who joined the campaign were wrong.

NKR PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE IN GERMANY ADVISED AZERBAIJANI REPRESENTATIVES TO REFUSE THE REVANCHIST ASPIRATIONS AND RESPECT RIGHT OF KARABAKH PEOPLE TO INDEPENDENT EXISTENCE

ARMENPRESS
Dec 25, 2008
STEPANAKERT

Recently, a conference on "The variants of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement from the Azerbaijani viewpoint" had taken place
at the Conrad Adenauer Foundation’s office in Berlin.

NKR MFA Information Department told Armenpress that director of the
Center of Strategic Sciences under the Azerbaijani President Elhan
Nuriev and Johannes Rau, member of the International Security Forum
under the German Military Academy were invited to have speeches.

NKR Permanent Representative in Germany Gayane Apinyan and Ambassador
of Azerbaijan in Germany Parviz Shahbazov also took par in the
conference, held by senior officer of the Conrad Adenauer Foundation
Peter Hefele.

The Azerbaijani representative developed his speech in the
context of the Azerbaijani territorial integrity and threat of
the Karabakh conflict settlement by force. In response, officer of
the German International Institute on Security Issues Uwe Halbach
and representative of the Union of the Christian-Democratic and
Christian-Social Parties in the Council of Europe Rayner Dornzaifer
noted that they treated the Azerbaijani territorial integrity with
understanding; however the existing new realities and facts should
be taken into account in solving the conflict. Uwe Halbach added that
the demand of territorial integrity is not absolute and sometimes not
realistic, exemplifying Georgia. Rayner Dornzaifer advised Azerbaijan
to learn a lesson from the history of Germany that, according to
him, after The World War II had to accept the existing reality, thus
guaranteeing peace and security in Europe. He expressed confidence
that in case of refusing the territorial integrity, Azerbaijan will
contribute to the peaceful settlement of the conflict and together
with Armenia will be given great assistance from the Council of Europe
for liquidating the consequences of the conflict.

In response to Nuriev’s threatening to solve the Karabakh issue by
use of force, Gayane Apinyan in her turn reminded how many people from
both sides sacrificed during the previous war and in what unfavorable
conditions the people of Nagorno Karabakh managed to uphold their
natural right to liberty.

"Today, in spite of Azerbaijan’s furious armament, Nagorno Karabakh,
due to its high state orderliness, is incomparably stronger and is
ready to defend its independence", she said.

Gayane Apinyan advised the Azerbaijani representatives to refuse the
revanchist aspirations and respect the right of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh to independent existence.

EDITOR OF ARMENIAN ARAVOT: "OUR MASS MEDIAS RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ON KARABAKH ISSUE AND ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS FROM ARMENIAN SOURCES"

Today.Az
olitics/49813.html
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan

"The panic around the Karabakh issue and criticism in the Armenian
press has been exaggerated, as few people have the full information
about the resolution of the conflict", considers editor-in-chief of
the Azg newspaper Akop Avetikyan.

"The absurd is that the issue of the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict which is urgent for Armenian people, is kept a secret",
noted he.

Another participant of the press conference, editor-in-chief of
Aravot Aram Abramyan noted that the responsibility for disinformation
and panic moods in press is on the country’s powers: "After any
Armenian-Azerbaijani talks, our officials, asked to comment on the
talks, reject "to disclose" the state secrets, while Azerbaijani
politicians start to comment on the same meeting and do it in their
own favor".

According to him, Armenian medias often refer to Azerbaijani
information, as they get more information from Azerbaijani sources,
as they have no local alternative.

Powers must ensure some outflow of information.

Avetikyan suggested to the leaders of the country to invite
descent mass media representatives to inform the off the record
information. Otherwise, press has a right to write whatever they want".

TRANSPORT ACCIDENT ON YEREVAN GAYI STREET BRIDGE

ARMENPRESS
Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

A big transport accident occurred today on the bridge of Gayi
Street. An official from the police department told Armenpress that
approximately at 07:30-08:00 am in the morning "Renault", "Ford"
cars and "Bogdan" passenger bus crashed into each other.

According to the initial information there are no victims, the driver
of "Ford" got injuries and was transported to hospital.

The case is being investigated.

ALL THE PROGRAMS IN THE SPHERE OF ENERGY TO BE IMPLEMENTED
GEVORG HARUTYUNYAN

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
23 Dec 2008
Armenia

2008 is coming to a close and all the ministries are summing up the
results of their activity. Yesterday the journalists met with the
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan.

The Minister affirmed that the program approved during the previous
year has been implemented with high effectiveness.

"No extraordinary event has taken place during the year. The energy
system has worked with a regular regime. We are well prepared for
continuing our work in the difficult winter conditions.

As we have already planned the construction of the second sector of
Iran-Armenia gas-pipeline (Kajaran-Ararat) is over. Experimentation
works are in process. This is our greatest achievement, because
we have run ahead of the program terms, by 6 six months and we have
consolidated our country’s energy security. In force-majeure situations
we will be able to maintain the stability of our economy and not to
disappoint our people.

As we know a new steam-gas-turbine with combined cycle is under
construction in the platform of Yerevan’s thermal power plant. Armen
Movsisyan said all the problems are solved in this energy knot:
"All the necessary equipments are being imported. The gas turbine is
being experimented in Germany. In January the gas turbine20will be
installed in the new platform.

The installation and the regulation of the equipments will start in
the coming June. In April 2010 the new thermal power plant will be
operated and will join Armenian energy network."

The investigation of uranium mines in the territory of our country
is in process. A. Movsisyan informed us that Russian-Armenian
geological-investigation joint company has been established for the
realization of these works. The funding of this company investigating
the resources of Armenian uranium is solved. The activities in
the field, geo-physical and geological studies are already in
process. The drilling works will start in 2009. At the end of the
year we will possess final data regarding the uranium resources in
Armenia. The technical-economic works linked with the construction of
the energy-block of the new power plant in the platform of Metsamor
power plant is over. The Minister assured that it is a right way to
develop the energy system. "Only the new power plant can serve as an
alternative energy power. The technical parameters, the power, and the
structure of the new power plant are sketched. The document package of
the competition is also ready and has been submitted to the approval of
the government. The competition will be announced in the coming days."

According to A. Movsisyan the new power plant will be the best
expression of modern technologies.20The best world experience in the
spheres of nuclear energy will be employed. The power plant consists
of three principal islets: reactor, turbine, and automatic system. The
best complexes of the world will be employed, in terms of all the
before mentioned three islets.

The new power plant is previewed to build in the platform of the
same Metsamor power plant, because there are all the necessary
substructures here, and plus, we have no problem linked with the
place. It is pointless to look for a new place.

As we know the problems linked with the Georgian roads last August
caused certain crisis but the government managed to avoid serious
negative impacts and to organize the import of the first aid products
to Armenia. The minister said a new alternative and secure road
has been found to avoid deficiency of diesel-fuel, petrol, and
power-generating substances.

"We are holding negotiations with Oil and Gas Ministries in Iran. We
are planning to build a new pipeline from Tavriz oil-refinery to
Armenia, to import oil. The pipeline will join the terminal built in
Yeraskh, and we will not have to import oil by cars. The construction
of the pipeline with 250 mm. diameters and the terminal will start
in spring and will come to a close in two years and will cost 240
dollars. Naturally all the security measures will be maintained,"
A. Movsisyan said.

The Minister assured the programs linked with energy sphere, which
are continual and will not be affected by the world crisis, have
been called into life. "We don’t have any problem that can hinder
the implementation of our programs. Of course we will face problems
in the implementation of the new projects, but we will overcome them.

I’m sure all the projects previewed in the sphere of energy will be
implemented, even the program on exporting energy to Turkey. We have
agreements on exporting energy to Turkey beginning from March-April
and our Turkish partners assure that we will not face any problems
in the framework of these agreements."