Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA DISCUSSES CURRENT PROCESS OF NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA HEADS

ArmInfo
2009-09-22 13:20:00

ArmInfo. Within the frames of public discussions at the end of the
last week, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan invited heads of over
30 Armenian mass media to discuss the issues related to the current
stage of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

As the presidential press service reported, S. Sargsyan said he expects
a sincere and open talk concerning the Armenian-Turkish relations. The
president emphasized the importance of active participation and
support in this process by the two countries’ societies and said it
is impossible to achieve the problem solution without that.

S. Sargsyan also attached importance to the coverage of different
viewpoints on this process in the mass media.

During over two-hour discussions, the mass media heads introduced
their viewpoints and remarks regarding the Armenian-Turkish process
and the initialed Protocols, as well as exchanged opinions regarding
the possible risks and unsettling issues.

President of Armenia gave explanations to the participants in
the meeting regarding the new viewpoints and the exciting issues
expressed in the mass media. He said Armenia has entered a difficult
but inevitable process.

According to the president, the initialed Armenian-Turkish documents
are the initial steps, aimed at normalization of the relations and
assurance of a secure situation to start a dialogue with Turkey on
the political, economic, historical and cultural issues.

ONE ISTANBUL WAITER’S COURSE IN DIPLOMACY TO ARMENIANS

Tert
Sept 21 2009
Armenia

Opening the border with Turkey is a breath of fresh air for the
economies of both Armenia and Turkey. A server who worked in one of
downtown Istanbul’s many fish restaurants was quick to share with
us one such deduction, knowing that he was serving visitors from
Armenia. "Albania, Alemania [Germany]," right away, Ahmet didn’t
understand us. "Ermenistan," we explained ("Armenia") and with that,
inciting a long monologue from the educated server.

A son of Osmanian Turks, Ahmet moved to Istanbul from Bulgaria. He is
a man of about 40 years old, bald-headed, with thin-framed glasses;
his reserved actions make him seem like an employee of the Ministry of
Education, a serious person, someone who is sent to "complicated" press
conferences. Ahmet doesn’t like football, like nearly everyone in the
country; he is more interested in the economy and "as a consequence,
politics." And it is with that principle that he decides the topic
of his lecture: not expecting "dirty mass media who have a wide reach."

"It’s understandable that Turkey is not concerned with
improving relations, but for small, blockaded Armenia, it’s
a real salvation. Average Turks are removed from that process;
it’s not necessary for them. And neither [is it necessary] for the
leadership. That’s all coming from the United States, who is under
pressure from your lobby," notes Ahmet, carefully moving away and
giving us time so that we may finally understand what we are here to
eat: what we have been served has already become a little difficult
to digest.

The server, returning with a plate of fried crabs, and not having
yet reached our table, began:

"At one time, the Turkish government decided to place a large tax
on non-Turkish residents. For this reason, the Jews, Bulgarians,
Armenians and Greeks began to leave Turkey. The leaders wanted it,
so that only Turks would live here."

We asked, "Around what time period are you referring to?"

"Beginnning from 1915," he answered.

Armenians, according to the Bulgarian Turk, were abandoning
"unfavourable Turkey and going to progressive France, U.S.A., where
life is better, than in either Armenia or Turkey."

Today, according to Ahmet, Armenians living in civilized countries
think about how they can cause harm to Turkey. "They are not troubled
by Armenia’s and Turkey’s citizens. It is necessary that the Armenian
Diaspora and Armenia’s leadership work together."

Taking into consideration that sugary sweet hospitality, which though
traditionally accepted while being served here, and congenial for
us, was a little bit short at the time, Ahmet rushed to expound his
thoughts with greater conviction. Simultaneously complaining about
the restrictions on the country’s freedom of speech, he said "it’s
necessary for this government to be heavy-handed."

We completed our meal, but the discussion continued near the
restaurant’s entrance. Not waiting to find out where Ahmet’s
meditations would lead to next, we inquired about his political and
philosophical interests. "I am more so a socialist, and I see Turkey’s
future to be in alliance with Russia."

And it was at that point that our sensitive journalists’ nerves
could take no more… though at that time, Ahmet rushed to join his
co-workers to welcome the next group of visitors.

Anadolu Ajansi (Anatolia Agncy) Turkey
Sept 18 2009

Turkish minister says Turkey’s position on Cyprus talks " constructive"

Ankara, 18 September: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on
Friday [18 September] that Turkey could not be expected to take a step
that would affect the nature of the talks, as comprehensive talks were
under way in Cyprus.

"Turkey assumes a constructive stance on Cyprus issue. Turkey does its
best for the talks to reach a comprehensive solution. It is the EU,
not Turkey which is on the eve of a critical decision," Davutoglu told
the private CNN Turk channel.

"It was Turkey and the [self-declared] Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC) that wanted peace in 2004, so nobody has the right to
say that Turkey and TRNC hindered peace," Davutoglu said.

Turkish foreign minister said it was again Turkish party, led by TRNC
President Mehmet Ali Talat, that was willing for peace in the period
that started with Greek Cypriot leader Dhimitrios Khristofias.

"Forty-two meetings were held so far. It is Turkish party that wants
to boost the talks. Mr Talat will talk to UN secretary-general during
UN General Assembly. Turkish party insists on this meeting to be
tripartite. Greek Cypriots oppose this. Accusing Turkey and trying to
push Turkish-EU relations into a new crisis can not be explained with
good will," he said.

Davutoglu underlined that clashes in the Caucasus were not in the
benefit of anybody, noting that Turkey-Armenia border was closed,
Azerbaijan’s territories were under occupation and there was ethnical
tension among the groups in Georgia.

Davutoglu said Turkey took a step for a comprehensive normalization in
the region, while responding to a question when Turkey-Armenian border
would be opened.

"I hope this will happen soon. If the related parties, including the
Minsk group, unite all their energies, not only Turkey-Armenian border
but also the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan can also be
opened," Davutoglu said.

RETURN OF THE NATIVE?
Armenian Exile (The Movie) Review
BY RICHARD HODGINS

Ho rizon Weekly, September 21, 2009
Asbarez.com September 11, 2009
ile-the-movie-review/

Armenian Exile is the least political product of Hagop Goudsouzian?s
obsession with diaspora identity. Exile is almost entirely free of any
reference to the genocide, of lament for the great loss, of the demand
for justice. Instead, its focus on the personal in the here and now is
all the more affecting for such avoidance. And, paradoxically, this
method makes it even more politically meaningful for non-Armenians
like myself.

Exile is not about how much has been scoured away but, rather, how
much has remained beneath a culture?s feet. Every stone still counts.
A Belgian archaeologist in Exile reminds us of as much when she
uncovers a 5,000-year-old artifact among the thousands of stone
markers at one burial site. The artifact and every one of those stones
mark the continuity of an Armenia from pre-history to the present. But
did you have to be there to get it? No. That?s what we have guys like
Goudsouzian for.

?What do you think of people like me who come here to search for
their roots?? Goudsouzian asks Armenians in their homeland. The
question seems overly self-conscious at first, but it turns out to be
exactly the right one. From simple farmers to some of the country?s
leading artists and artisans, Armenians answer the question not just
with disarming candor but with a surprising finality for the diaspora
Armenian.

It?s time to admit that I?m no big fan of identity issues for any
culture. They so often end up lethal for someone. Whenever I?m drawn
into a discussion of how much we?d lose if we were all the same, I say
it?s better to be boring and alive than interesting and dead. But,
unfortunately, every generation seems to be cursed to live in
interesting times. Cultural identity seems to be the only option for
so many oppressed groups to preserve their vitality against future
need. Still, I make very few exceptions for cultural or nationalistic
sentiment. The Armenians are one exception. I wouldn?t excuse the
preoccupation with identity if the vitality of the culture in question
weren?t something I believed to be special well beyond the customary
condescensions ?we? bestow. I believe Exile itself is and will remain
an important artifact of that self-same Armenian vitality for some
time to come.

There?s a certain easy movement, from what could be the compulsory
cultural comfort food to some, to big hefty ideas for others, in
Armenian Exile that one can never decide may be directorial cunning or
just dumb luck. For example, Exile begins with Goudsouzian and his
driver getting lost on their way to Saint Asdvadzazin Church. Why has
the driver become lost? He apologizes to Goudsouzian that he is
confused because he only ever walks to Saint Asdvadzazin. He knows
where he is when he can feel his Armenia beneath his feet. Every stone
counts. The paving stones in front of Saint Asdvadzazin, when we get
there, will be where we get our first good bearings. Obviously they?re
not just physical bearings. Exile is all about orientation and
Goudsouzian?s skill is in showing us that getting lost and then found
is just the way things unfold in Armenia.

Goudsouzian?s personal quest for his Armenian identity gradually
fades into a metaphorical shadow as the people of Armenia eloquently
prove that the diaspora Armenian, however many generations or nations
removed, may have as little problem finding a spiritual locus for his
identity as the indigenous Armenian does his physical one. In that way
Armenian Exile is, paradoxically again, pretty much free of the idea
of exile altogether. The Armenian exile is someone who can only be
away; he or she can never be gone.

Another confession: talking about how thoughtful Armenian Exile is
has let me escape how moving it often is as well. I?ll have to leave
that to you. The DVD is available from ,
where you can also see a trailer.

t/trailer.htm

Calgary Herald, Canada
sept 18 2009

Meet the real Jack Kevorkian

By Susan Martinuk, Calgary Herald
September 18, 2009

The infamous Dr. Death is back. After eight-and-a-half years in prison
and a parole period of relative silence (except for a ridiculous
attempt to run for Congress that, not surprisingly, went nowhere
fast), Jack Kevorkian is speaking out.

This month, he will release a book called GlimmerIQs, a collection of
paintings, research proposals and musings from his time in the ol’
Grey Bar Hotel. He also chose this particular month to grant his first
in-depth interview to Fox News and to hit the university lecture
circuit. He now wants to focus his rhetoric on the younger generation
because, unlike older folks, "their minds are still pliable."

That’s just the start. An HBO documentary called "You Don’t Know
Jack," starring Al Pacino in the leading role, will be televised early
next year. Since the news release proclaims that Kevorkian "walks in
the footsteps of Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela," we can assume
he will be portrayed as a hero;a man of compassion who is driven to
alleviate pain and champion the public’s right to, as supporters say,
"die with dignity."

The irony is that’s not Jack. The real Jack is revealed by Kevorkian’s
own writings, actions and words. If he is about to go on campuses to
mould the pliable minds of our youth and unleash another campaign to
gain support for state-sanctioned euthanasia, then it’s imperative
that we know the real Jack.

Kevorkian killed more than 130 people. Compassion had nothing to do
with it since many had no physical illness. The chief medical examiner
who autopsied 69 of Kevorkian’s victims found that only 16 were
terminally ill. Forty-eight suffered from non-terminal illnesses and
five had no evidence of any disease. No wonder he calls Kevorkian "a
serial executioner."

These executions were the culmination of Kevorkian’s lifelong
obsession with death and experimentation on the dead(and almost dead).

His Dr. Death nickname stems from the 1950s when, as a pathology
student, he made regular "death rounds," searching for patients about
to die and taping their eyelids open so he could photograph corneal
changes at the time of death. No word on if he obtained their
consent. In the 1960s, he experimented with blood transfusions from
fresh corpses, a venture that transmitted hepatitis C to a willing,
but naive friend serving as a recipient.

He spent years visiting prisons and corresponding with death row
inmates, seeking permission to perform invasive medical experiments on
them before their executions. He wrote that "it would be a unique
privilege to experiment on a doomed human being."

His macabre hobbies led to employment problems at various hospitals
and, in 1982, he retired to focus on his death obsession and build
suicide machines. In 1987, he decided it was time to get established
in the business of killing people. So, like any other business, he ran
classified ads: "Oppressed by a fatal disease, a severe handicap, a
crippling deformity? Write Box 261, Royal Oak, Michigan,
48068-0261. Show him proper compelling medical evidence that you
should die, and Dr. Jack Kevorkian will help you kill yourself, free
of charge."

His ultimate goal was to conduct experiments on people before, and
after, death. In his 1991 book, Prescription Medicide: The Goodness of
Planned Death, he wrote that the most satisfying part of assisted
suicide was "making possible the performance of invaluable
experiments."

In obscure European medical journals, he outlined plans for walk-in
suicide clinics where suicidal people would have the option of
undergoing experimental surgery prior to being euthanized. In 1997, he
harvested the kidneys from his victim and then called a press
conference to make the organs available for transplant.

That same year, Kevorkian showed a collection of 13 paintings. Each
was filled with images of cannibalism, detached body parts, severed
heads, rotting corpses and skulls. One even featured his own blood on
the picture frame. Not exactly material for the dining room.

According to the New York Times, some Kevorkian supporters who
attended the show saw their hero in a different light once they had
viewed his artwork. In the words of one shocked follower, "he’s a sick
person . . . " Now you know Jack.

Susan Martinuk’s Column Runs Every Friday.

t/Meet+real+Jack+Kevorkian/2007555/story.html

MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENT AND RA POLITICAL FORCES PASSED IN CREATIVE ATMOSPHERE

PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.09.2009 20:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Consultation on RA-Turkish relations between
President and RA political forces passed in a creative atmosphere,"
RA Marxist Party Leader David Hakobyan stated commenting on today’s
presidential meeting with 52 RA political parties. "We came to
the meeting to support Armenian diplomacy and not gain political
dividends," David Hakobyan noted.

According to Marxist Party Leader, the President gave a fair hearing
to each political force’s suggestions and approaches. "We hope for
positive results of the meeting," David Hakobyan emphasized.

ARMENIA AND TURKEY ARE CHANGING THE CAUCASUS: ALEXANDER JACKSON

Tert
Sept 18 2009
Armenia

The Protocols on establishing and developing Armenian-Turkish
relations, which omit any reference to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
seem to reverse statements made earlier which said that the opening
of the Armenian-Turkish border is contingent on settling the
Karabakh issue, stated Alexander Jackson in the Caucasian Review of
International Affairs, as reported by the Azeri Press Agency.

Jackson goes on to say that if no progress is made on Karabakh by the
end of the six-week process, Azerbaijan’s options would be to hold
off on the Nabucco pipeline and increase cooperation with Russia,
in order to reroute gas in Azerbaijan through Russia’s network.

In Jackson’s words, domestic political upheaval in either Armenia
or Turkey is a real risk, particularly Armenia, which will have to
deal with engaging Turkey and withdrawing from the occupied regions
around Nagorno-Karabakh simultaneously. A serious domestic setback
could stall all regional peace processes for the near future.

"Azerbaijan’s position is crucial, and is inflexible. Exactly what it
will – or can – do if Turkey opens the border without Armenian gestures
on Karabakh is impossible to establish at this stage, but gas projects
from the Caspian to the West are clearly under threat. This would
ruin Turkey’s reputation as an energy hub, one of its key attractions
for the EU. Russia would lose some of its influence over Armenia,
but could gain far greater power over Azerbaijan’s energy exports,
reshaping the whole oil and gas game in the region," says Jackson.

Jackson concludes by saying that "Most strikingly, we could see an
end to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ankara axis, which has proved one of the most
enduring alliances in Eurasia. The next six weeks could reshape the
Caucasus as we know it."

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER SEYRAN OHANIAN TO TAKE PART IN THE ACTIVE ROUND OF THE MILITARY TRAININGS HELD WITHIN THE FRAMEWORKS OF CSTO

ARMENPRESS
SEPTEMBER 18, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS: Conduction of the first joint
complex trainings within the frameworks of Collective Security
Treaty Organization is intended for 2009 in three rounds in which the
operative groups of member-states, CSTO secretariat, joint headquarter,
military units, and operative forces of fast reaction and units of
special mission will take part.

The first round was held August 25-28 in Moscow on the base of the
CSTO joint headquarter, in which from the Armenian Defense Ministry
an operative group of five people, as well as representatives of the
Police, Armenian Emergency Situations Ministry and Armenian National
Security Service headed by General-lieutenant M. Sargsian took part.

Press secretary of the Armenian defense Ministry Seyran Shahsuvarian
told Armenpress that the second round will be held in Belarus September
26-29 with the "Zapad-2009" operative strategic training between the
Armed Forces of Belarus and Russia under the "organization of the
applying of the military units of the armed forces of CSTO member
states in the Eastern-European region" theme.

Armenian Defense Ministry does not plan the participation of Armenian
Armed Forces in the second round of the training but the operative
group of the RA Armed Forces headed by the Head of the Strategic
Planning Department of the DM, Colonel G. Tavaratsian will take part
in the mentioned trainings.

At the same time according to the invitation of the Belarus
Defense Minister L. Maltsev, the Armenian DM S. Ohanian and other DM
top-officials will September 29 take part in the active round of the
trainings as honorary guests.

NAZI SURVIVOR LASHES OUT OVER OBAMA HITLER POSTER

KING5.com
stories/NW_091709WABTIMES-obama-hitler-poster-TP.1 8d1ac22a.html
Sept 17 2009

EDMONDS, Wash. – An Edmonds man faces assault charges for defending
Pres. Obama. It was a conflict sparked by a poster depicting the
president as Adolf Hitler.

Henry Gasparian is a 70-year-old Armenian immigrant. His family fought
the Nazis in World War II. He says his emotions got the best of him
a couple of weeks ago.

"I said, ‘Never come up to me with that kind of stupid things,’"
said Gasparian.

He was walking through downtown Edmonds in an area where two people
had signs and literature depicting Pres. Obama as Hitler.

That struck a nerve in Henry and he lashed out.

"I don’t want to see picture of killer, a demon, to be used for
someone’s political career," said Gasparian.

During World War II, Gasparian was a boy living in Armenia as Hitler
began his campaign of extermination.

Henry Gasparian said his reaction to the Obama-as-Hitler signs was
"personal and emotional."

"I have some relatives who were killed. My other uncle came home
without a leg," said Gasparian.

Gasparian says he tried grabbing some of the people’s pamphlets. He
says they shoved, he shoved and then he walked away.

A couple hours later, he returned and stopped to ask a police officer
if what they were doing was legal. Next thing he knew, he was sitting
on a bench in handcuffs.

The people with the signs accused Gasparian of attacking them. He’s
now charged with fourth degree assault in Edmonds municipal court.

But several people have applauded Gasparian for what he did.

"People can voice opinions how they want, but I still think the whole
thing is wrong," said Tasha Fitzsimmons.

"I think that was excellent for him, especially for what his family
has gone through and what he’s gone through," said Larry Weeks.

For his part, Gasparian hopes others will stand up against what he
calls stupidity.

"We can argue about that’s freedom of speech, but what does that have
to do with Hitler and swastika?" said Gasparian.

The people with the signs and pamphlets were supporters of Lyndon
LaRouche, a perennial presidential candidate and strong opponent of
Pres. Obama. KING 5 News was unable to reach those people for comment.

TURKISH AND ISRAELI JOURNALISTS HONORED WITH HRANT DINK AWARD

NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
SEPTEMBER 18, 2009
ISTANBUL

ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The annual
ceremony of honoring the Hrant Dink annual International Award took
place in Istanbul. This year Turkish journalist of Taraf newspaper
Alper Gormus and Israeli journalist Amira Haas have been honored with
the award.

According to the Panarmenian.net, chairman of award committee of the
International Hrant Dink Foundation Ali Bayramoglu and Dink’s widow
Rakel Dink made speeches at the event.

The event was attended by State Minister, Turkey’s chief EU negotiator
Egemen Bagis, DTP party member Aken Birdal, EU representatives, artists
among which was well-known jazz-folk musician Arto Tuncboyacian,
who performed with Turk Brothers band.

To recap, editor-in-chief of Istanbul Agos newspaper Hrant Dink was
killed on January 19, 2007 by nationalist Ogun Samast. Last year
the Hrant Dink award was given to Turkish publisher and publicist
Ragip Zarakolu.