HRAZDAN MADOYAN: JAVAKHETI WAS NEVER PART OF INDEPENDENT GEORGIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2006 23:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After final withdrawal of the Russian military base
from Akhalkalaki Turkish military will occupy its place. It is the same
under which flag they will be deployed, member of Javakhk NGO Council
Hrazdan Madoyan stated. In his words, residents of the region had the
bitter experience of “coexistence with the Turkish army” in 1918-1920,
when Turkish troops entered Akhaltsikhe. “As a consequence, there
remained almost no Armenians, though there was a Georgian general in
Akhalkalaki, who seemed to control the situation. The same can repeat
today,” he remarked. At that Madoyan emphasized that Javakheti has
never been part of independent Georgia.
Akhaltsikhe town was part of the Georgian state, i.e. Samtskhe
province. “According to the new administrative division of Georgia,
these two provinces were joined and Samtskhe-Javakheti region was
formed,” Madoyan said.

GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR INCIDENTS AGAINST ARMENIANS IN JAVAKHETI
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2006 23:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Council of Javakhk NGO many times urged Armenian
authorities to pay proper attention to problems of Armenians in
Javakheti, to recognize the political element in those problems.
These calls were not answered, says a statement of the Council. The
message notes, “Encouraged by Armenian party’s indifference, the
Georgian party became more unruly. Three incidents against Armenians
happened within the past month, including the Georgian Orthodox Church
establishing a Diocese in the territory of Armenia and murder of an
Armenian in Tsalka.”
Statement authors keep the Georgian authorities and the Georgian
Orthodox Church responsible for all incidents. “Armenian authorities
also have their share of responsibility – they did nothing to solve
Javakheti problems. By their neutral stance they allow the Georgian
chauvinists acting that is fraught with dangerous consequences,”
the Council believes.
The statement calls to censure planned actions against Armenians,
discrimination and bind the Armenian authorities to demand
that Georgian authorities punish instigators of actions against
Armenians. “We demand that Armenian authorities along with those of
Georgia plan measures to solve all issues in Javakheti in a fair
manner. Javakhk Council will do its best to protect Armenians in
Javakheti and not to admit forcing out Armenians from Georgia. In
case it is necessary, it will counteract anti-Armenian provocation,”
the statement says.
From: Baghdasarian

S. GRIGORYAN: NO PROGRESS IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT CAN BE MADE IN 2006
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2006 00:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Optimism of the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group Steven Mann is ungrounded, as before Rambouillet and after
there seemed to be optimism, but it was not supported by certain
prerequisites, expert, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan stated
in an interview with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, at
present the settlement of the NK conflict is delayed. “Optimism in the
Karabakh issue is due to OSCE MG co-chairs and US State Department
officials having incorrect notion of political processes in the
region. I know for sure that no progress can be made in the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement in 2006: neither the society, nor the authorities
of Armenia and Azerbaijan are ready even to intelligent dialogue,
to say nothing of compromises,” he remarked. In his opinion, world
developments display new processes, which coincide with Armenia’s
interests, e.g. Kosovo or Transnistria. “In different specific cases
we should find our own field and play in it,” the expert emphasized.
When commenting on the latest statement of the Ministry of Culture
and Tourism of Azerbaijan, the political scientist remarked that
hysteria over the cultural and historical legacy is inappropriate. He,
nevertheless, recognized certain diplomatic success in propaganda
war against Armenia. “Unfortunately, we still yield to the adversary
in international organizations. Armenia should find new ways for its
propaganda,” Grigoryan said.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan had sent a letter
to Eurovision organization committee, expressing outrage with the
official site of the contest publishing information that Andre, a
singer from Armenia, was born in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. “The
fact should be viewed as disrespect of the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, provocation and support of Armenia’s aggressive policy,”
the letter noted.

THREE RESIDENTS OF BYUZAND STREET STOP HUNGER STRIKE
AZG Armenian Daily #046
15/03/2006
Three residents of Buzand Street stopped the hunger strike that lasted
three days, as RA ombudsman Armen Harutyunian informed them that the
decision of their eviction from their houses violates the Constitution.
RA ombudsman also said that he appealed to RA Constitutional Court
with their case. The hearing of their case is appointed on March 21.
It’s noteworthy that the residents of Buzand Street protested the
government decision that forces them to leave their houses without
receiving relevant compensation. The government decision on eviction
of the Buzand Street residents is conditioned by implementation of
the construction works in the center of Yerevan.

THERE ARE COUNTRIES INTERESTED IN WORSENING ARMENIA-GEORGIA RELATIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2006 00:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti is
serious. Undoubtedly, it is not so much political, as social and
economic problem, expert, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan stated
in an interview with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words,
social and economic problems of the region will become more acute
against the background of withdrawal of the Russian military base. “I
think there are countries interested in politicization of the problem
and worsening the Armenia-Georgia. Armenians of Javakheti should be
integrated in the political processes in Georgia.
Georgian leaders should not resort to force. E.g. if the education
reform is painful for the Armenian population, its implementation
should be postponed,” Grigoryan remarked. At that he noted that the
Armenian Government should coordinate the work with the Georgian
Government, which should be interested in constant contact with
Armenian ministries and departments.

ARMENIA ABLE TO BREAK TURKEY-AZERBAIJAN TANDEM
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2006 00:37 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia should maximally keep the distance from
the history. Only in this case normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations is possible, expert, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan
stated in an interview with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words,
ARF Dashnaktsutyun is guilty in conclusion of the Moscow Treaty on
March 16, 1921, which signed it on behalf of Armenia. “It was exactly
when we lost everything and the Kars Treaty, signed October 13 of
the same year, merely fixed that loss,” he remarked. In his words,
no party will win anything in case of revision or denouncement of
the Moscow Treaty. “I am repeating, if we do not refer to history,
but start establishing relations with Turkey, it will notably weaken
Azerbaijan’s position in the region. In fact Armenia is able to break
the Turkey-Azerbaijan tandem for its interest,” Grigoryan emphasized.
According to the Moscow Treaty Turkey had agreed to yield sovereignty
over Batumi port and town, as well as territory making part of Batumi
District, to Georgia, “Nakhichevan region in the boundaries, indicated
in the attachment to the present Treaty forms an autonomous territory
under the patronage of Azerbaijan, stipulated that Azerbaijan will not
cede it to a third State. Russia pledges to makes steps regarding the
Transcaucasian Republics, so as these without fail recognize articles
of the present Treaty that refer to them in treaties to be concluded
between them and Turkey.”

RAMIL SAFAROV’S “HEROIC NOVEL” COMES TO AN END
A1+
05:18 pm 14 March, 2006
“All the false news from the Azerbaijan side was ignored in the
last court hearings on the case of Gurgen Margaryan’s murder,” the
representative of the Home Affairs Hayk Dekoyan who participates in
the trial declared during today’s meeting with the journalists.
Hungarian officer Zolton Bakoni and the leader of the group Attila
Demeter who are Ramil Safarov’s coursemates gave a testimony in
the last court session. They claimed that there were no quarrels
or conflicts between the Armenian and Azerbaijan officers before
the murder. Azerbaijans’ claims that Armenians made fun of them on
the murder eve do not correspond to the reality. According to their
testimony the fact that Safarov had bought the axe for self defence
is unwarranted.
The next court hearings will take place in Hungary on 4 April in which
Safarov will say his last word and the verdict will be brought on
April 13. Nazely Vardanyan, the representative of Gurgen Vardanyan’s
side and Hayk Demoyan, the Home Affair representative claim that judge
Andreas Vashkut is really objective and due to him the Azerbaijans
failed to put the question into political layer and to view Ramil
Safarov as a conflict victim.
It is due to mention that Ramil Safarov is accused according to 4
points of Article 166 of the Hungarian Criminal Code; he must be sent
either to 10-15 years’ or to life imprisonment.
Hayk Demoyan also informed that the remours about Safarov’s being
transformed to Azerbaijan after the trial are false. Armenian side
thinks that the verdict will harm Aderbaijan’s officers’ reputation
regardless its essence. By the way, Hayk Demoyan appealed not to
follow Azerbaijans’ cheap actions; “Gurgen Margaryan’s murder is a
human tragedy and it can’t be made political. The person offering
money for Safarov’s head has clear intentions.” Aderbaijan will not
forgive Safarov
Ramil Safarav the “hero” of the Hungarian courts during the past 2
years has made interesting discoveries about his country. “Safarov
discovered that the representatives of the Azerbaijan military forces
train in Northern Cyprus. There were many publications in the media in
January. Judging from the last ones the Azerbaijan side realizes its
seriousness and wishes the trial to end as soon as possible.Turkey
may press on Azerbaijan on this score,”said the representative of
the Home Affairs Hayk Dekoyan.

COE ABOUT ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES
A1+
06:07 pm 14 March, 2006
Today during a meeting of the Legal Affairs Committee in Paris PACE
rapporteur on human rights of members of the armed forces, Alexander
Arabadjiev (Bulgaria, SOC) presented adoption of his report. Here is
the part concerning Armenia.
In Armenia, NGOs continue to condemn the infliction of violence and
initiation rites on young conscripts. The situation of conscripts
in the armed forces has been monitored by the rapporteurs of the
Assembly’s Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments
by Member States of the Council of Europe.
In 2003, the Chief of Staff of Armenia’s Armed Forces acknowledged
that around 10 cases of dedovshchina still occurred each year. The
Ministry of Defence admitted 56 non-combat deaths in 2001, and 33
during the first half of 2002. NGOs report 64 deaths for 2003. The
US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2003
mentions official figures according to which 35 soldiers died in the
army in 2003; 9 of these deaths resulted from hazing.
Moreover, young conscripts who are homosexual, Yezidi and Jehovah’s
Witnesses reported that they were singled out for harassment or abuse
by officers and other conscripts . Refusal to serve is a widespread
phenomenon: material and living conditions in the armed forces are
very poor, and, moreover, conscripts may be sent to Nagorno-Karabakh
or neighbouring regions.

THE PEOPLE POLLUTING THE STREETS WILL BE FINED
A1+
07:11 pm 14 March, 2006
The street flowerpots of Sisian have turned into garbage bins because
of snow melts. One can see the remains of cigarettes and sunflower,
waste in polyethylene bags everywhere-in the parks, streets,
gardens. The dwelling places and cellars are more polluted than the
rest of the city.
This garbage then spreads easily with the help of cats and dogs. The
director of Sisian’s Cleaning Company ltd Slavik Alaverdyan says
that the garbage cleaning is realized by a schedule; the rubbish
cleaner does its work 3 times a day in each district. According
to S. Alaverdyan 33 rubbish bins will be placed in the nearest
future. It will cost 47000 dollars. Besides, the company will
acquire a new garbage cleaner. There will be another innovation in
Sisian; the Company will take photos of the people who throw their
waste into the street. The photos of these people will be stuck in
visible places for the media .The polluters will be fined from 5000
to 50000drams.
Sisian’s “Sosi” TV channel

IT IS NECESSARY TO THROW OFF THE TENSION
Panorama.am
17:36 14/03/06
Today not only politicians are concerned with the strained situation
in Javakhk but also Javakhk citizens living in Armenia.
The official opinion of Armenian government is known and it was
sounded today once again by ARF Grouping leader, NA Deputy Galoust
Sahakyan. “In general I don’t estimate the events in Javakhk as
political.
Moreover, I can see solutions to that problem in the context of
Armenian-Georgian interrelations and I think several problems are
trying to be solved in the recent years. The problem is based on a
social ground.”
In his turn another NA Deputy, oppositional representative Albert
Bazeyan thinks the Armenian government has something to do in the
present situation. “I think we must use our diplomatic connections
to have an influence on these processes.
Probably, our compatriots have such problems as the problem of national
identity, language, culture besides a number of social-domestic
problems. What refers to political problems, I think it is worth
discussing the variant of giving cultural self-government to
Javakhk Armenians so that they could solve all the above mentioned
problems. Besides, Armenia must take a certain responsibility
to give assistance in the process of solving such problems,” he
said.