Author: Chaltikian Arsine

Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 16 2009

PACE can pass declaration on deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia
16.01.09 16:49

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 16/ Trend News, A. Huseynbala/ Azerbaijan’s
delegation to the Council of Europe (PACE) has designed declaration on
60th anniversary of Azerbaijanis deportation from Armenia.

`The declaration needs to be signed by over 20 MPs of at least five
countries so that to be recognized as the PACE document,’ members of
the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE Ganira Pashayeva told Trend
News.

Azerbaijanis were deported from Armenia in four stages ` in 1948,
1956, 1987 and 1988. According to archive documents, over 1.5 million
Azerbaijanis were evicted from their historical lands, which are today
recognized as Armenia’s territory. Name of 698 Azerbaijani settlements
out of 940 were changed shortly after Armenia Soviet Republic was
established. Armenians changed names also after Azerbaijanis were
fully deported. The names of last 91 Azerbaijani settlements were
replaced with Armenian ones based on the order of Armenia’s former
President Levon Ter-Petrosyan dated Apr. 9, 1991.

The PACE winter session will start on Jan. 26.

Pashayeva said they will not face problems to get the declaration
adopted. `Because there are a lot a MPs who are aware of Armenia’s
genocide against Azerbaijanis and Armenian occupation.’

`The rights of deported nation’s to return to their homelands were
recognized during Stalin’s term of office. But Armenia has not yet
recognized rights of deported Azerbaijanis since 1948. Armenia has
violated rights of these people for over 60 years,’ she added.

Pashayeva said the declaration says the Council of Europe, whose
priority is human rights, should put pressure on Armenia to recognize
rights of Azerbaijanis which have been abused for 60 years. `The
declaration says due to world community’s indifferent attitude,
Armenia evicted Azerbaijanis from their lands in 1988 in an effort to
establish mono-ethnic state, the policy which the CE opposes today.’

Pashayeva said in the winter session they will also raise the issue of
genocide that Armenians committed against Azerbaijanis in Guba 90
years ago. `PACE President De Puig was terrified by the mass burial
site in Guba during his visit at the invitation of parliament’s
speaker Ogtay Asadov last year. We have designed a declaration and
video footagea as well on this issue,’ she noted.

Mass burial site was uncovered in Guba city of Azerbaijan during
construction of stadium in Apr, 2007. Experts say burial of people in
a disorderly manner shows that these people were subject to Armenian
genocide in 1918.

She said Azerbaijani MPs will also raise the issue of Russia’s ammo
supply worth $800 million to Armenia. `It means that Russia, CE
member, supports the policy of the country who has occupied
Azerbaijan’s lands. It contradicts international law,’ Pashayeva said.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry accused Russia of strengthening military
potential of Armenia, who occupied Azerbaijan’s lands, by supplying it
with ammunition worth $800 million.

The ammunition supply contradicts the UN Security Council resolution
of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Russia violates commitments not to
render support to any of the conflicting sides, Azerbaijan’s Foreign
Ministry said on Jan. 15.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed reports claiming
that Russia has supplied ammunition worth $800 million to Armenia.

WHEN MEANING OF ‘ANTI-‘ IS BLURRED IN TURKISH PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMOS

Hurriyet
Jan 15 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are proliferating across
Turkey as the country’s citizens seek to make their voices heard and
show their anger for Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

Calls to boycott Israeli companies, farmer’s plans to stop buying
seeds and agricultural pesticides, banners on billboards around the
city saying "You cannot be the son of Moses," or "This is not written
in your book either," students standing in silence in their school
gardens for showing respect to dead civilians in Gaza by order of
the Education Ministry Ã~I

Many people in Turkey continue to protest Israeli attacks on the Gaza
Strip that have killed hundreds of civilians, including women and
children. However, others fear that underneath the sonorous protests
within Turkey, anti-Semitism is sprouting.

The Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review spoke with experts and found
that some were certain there was a strong anti-Semitic stance among
the protesters that was dangerous, while others were more optimistic
about the situation but still called for caution over any threat of
a rise of anti-Semitism in Turkey.

"It is beyond doubt, especially those Islamist protests are
anti-Semitic," said Semih Ä°diz, columnist of the Daily News and former
diplomacy editor for CNN, who received many e-mails in protest to
his columns that drew attention to the potential rise of anti-Semitism.

Ä°diz recalled some of the protests that had been held around the
country. In the central Anatolian province of EskiÅ~_ehir, members
of an association wrote on banners that Jews and Armenians could not
enter their association, but dogs could, to protest both the Israeli
attacks on Palestine and the apology campaign to Armenians.

In another central Anatolian province, Aksaray, an imam, asked in
his Friday sermon, "What did the cursed Ã~I soldiers of the cursed
clan leave behind?"

Ä°diz is not the only person to recall incidents like these. "If these
can happen, what do they mean?" said Soli Ozel, an international
relations professor at Bilgi University. "Five years ago Hitler’s
Mein Kampf was on sale in 14 different editions."

Journalist RuÅ~_en Cakır is also among experts who said anti-Semitism
has occurred for a long time in Turkey. "It is everyone’s right and
beyond that, duty to criticize Israel’s policies. However, Israel
is not doing this because it is a Jewish state, but because it is a
state," he said. Cakır also criticized some banners on billboards
that read, "You cannot be the son of Moses." This seems to be in
favor of Judaism but in fact it is against Judaism, he said.

Husnu Kılıc, head of the Solidarity Foundation that organized the
banner campaign said those criticizing the campaign did not understand
the banners. "As Israel is defining itself as a state of religion,
we address them with their own religious references. On the contrary,
our banners defend the essence of Judaism," he said.

Meanwhile, some members of the Jewish community in Turkey were
less critical of anti-Semitic themes in protests than Turkish
experts. According to poet Roni Margulies, anti-Semitism in Turkey
is "to a very large extent, low-level, non-aggressive, and almost
sub-conscious." Many people in Turkey believe that Jews are rich and
are attempting to gain control of the world, Margulies said, adding
that conspiracy theories regarding Jews are widely believed. "Of
course it is wrong, but I can understand it. Most people in Turkey
automatically associate Jews with the state of Israel and with Zionism,
without thinking too much or too deeply about it. In particular,
religious people look at the world in terms of religion and assume
that everyone does so. Therefore, they assume that all Jews side with
Israel and they blame all Jews for the atrocities Israel carries out."

Meanwhile, human rights activist Avi Haligules said the difference
between being a Jew and being an Israeli was starting to become
more obvious. "At least people are asking less questions to me now,"
said Haligules, a member of Turkey’s Jewish community.

–Boundary_(ID_ZFTSL4zgLzJoKzlnzLpZWw) —

ARMENIAN TV ASKS NATIONAL COURT TO UPHOLD RULING OF EUROPEAN BODY

Aravot
January 14, 2009, Wednesday
Armenia

The A1plus TV channel appealed to Armenia’s Court of Cassation on 19
December demanding that it review its previous rulings delivered in
2003 and 2004, under which A1plus could not broadcast, the opposition
Aravot daily reported on 14 January.

A representative of the Meltex company, which owns A1plus, Tigran
Ter-Yesayan, told Aravot that the company had appealed to the Court of
Cassation so that it "recognizes the fact of violation of the right
to disseminate information and ideas ensured by Article 10 of the
Convention for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms"
and asked the court to "oblige the National TV and Radio Commission
to announce a tender" for TV frequencies.

The A1plus TV channel, which was taken off the air in 2002, won a
case against the Armenian government in the European Court of Human
Rights, which ruled that the government should provide the channel
with an opportunity to broadcast. The Armenian parliament approved
changes to the law on TV and radio on 27 September 2008, which offer
no opportunities for new TV companies to bid in a tender for the
distribution of TV frequencies till 21 January 2011.

In its application to the Court of Cassation, Meltex also asked to
nullify the results of seven TV frequency tenders, in which A1plus has
participated since 2003 and did not get a frequency. The paper said
that the Court of Cassation had not yet issued a decision regarding
Meltex’s application, thus, violating the deadline envisaged by
the law.

Ter-Yesayan told the paper that there could be two reasons for the
inaction on the part of the Court of Cassation – a "technical" one
and the one related to the recent changes in the law on TV and radio
broadcasting. He said the technical problem might be related to the
February 2008 fire in the Ministry of Justice due to which papers
of the court’s 2004 verdict might have been burnt. Ter-Yesayan
believes that the second reason is that if the court proceeds
with the application, it will have to announce a new tender for
TV frequencies, which is not possible under the current Armenian
legislation. Ter-Yesayan did not rule out that the sides might reach
agreement out of court if the Court of Cassation proceeds with the
application.

The Meltex company representative was optimistic about the situation
and said that "sooner or later a tender will be announced and A1plus
will take part in that tender", Aravot reported.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETS PACE RAPPORTEURS

armradio.am
16.01.2009 10:54

President Serzh Sargsyan received the Rapporteurs of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe monitoring committee, John Prescott
and Georges Colombier, President’s Press Office reported.

At the meeting discussed were issues related to the implementation
of the PACE resolutions 1609 and 1620.

The President of Armenia expressed gratitude to the Rapporteurs for
visiting Armenia before the PACE plenary meeting and underlined
that further democratization emanates for the very interests of
the Republic of Armenia and hailed Council of Europe’s role in the
process. President Sargsyan reiterated determination of the Armenian
authorities to fully implement the provisions of the mentioned
resolutions.

"ARMENIAN DATACOM COMPANY" TO SUPPORT "ZATIK" ORPHANAGE

Panorama.am
14:43 12/01/2009

Armenian-Norwegian "Armenian Datacom Company" organized and conducted
a charitable program "Children our future" in "Zatik" orphanage. The
company will provide unlimited internet connection to the orphanage.

Mkrtich Arzumanyan (Mko) who is beloved by children has also joined
the company. He prepared presents for the children – DVD-s.

The orphanage has modern computer center but they needed internet
connection. ADC signifies the role of internet and information
technologies in modern life; hence the children of the orphanage are
given the chance to get use of those possibilities.

Internet will give them a chance to be in contact with their relatives
abroad, to be informed and find new friends.

St. Leon Armenian Church
12-61 Saddle River Road
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
Contact: RBedevian
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 201-791-2862
FAX: 201-791-1329
WEB:

`My Odyssey’ – Book Event to introduce English translation of Antonina
Mahari’s memoirs

January 25, 2009 at 12:15 PM
St. Leon Community Center
12-61 Saddle River Road
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410

Translation from original Russian by Jaklin Ekmekjian & Gohar Arsenyan
English Editing by Ruth Bedevian
Published by AIWA Press- Armenian International Women’s Association, Inc

My Odyssey – From the Green Fields of Lithuania, Through Exile in
Siberia, to a New Life in Armenia is the autobiographical narrative of
a Lithuanian woman, Antonina Mahari, who fell in love with one of
Armenia’s great 20th century writers, Gurgen Mahari (1903-1969). She
married him in Siberia- while both were exiled during the Stalin Era.
She begins the chronicle of her `odyssey’ with a startling tale of the
day of her baptism – a portent of the difficult road she would travel
– and carries the reader through her arrest and imprisonment amid
other innocent Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, Germans by the Soviets
who quickly occupied Lithuania following the retreat of the Nazis in
the fading days of WW II. This book documents an important part of
Soviet Armenian history and also sheds light upon the character and
work of Gurgen Mahari which is valuable to the Armenian literary
world. Several of his poems appear for the first time in English
translation.

Online Contact: [email protected]
Telephone: St. Leon Church Office – 201-791- 2862

NO ARMENIAN DIED IN GAZA WAR

Panorama.am
15:53 09/01/2009

In the aftermaths of Israeli Palestinian war there are no Armenian
victims yet, or at least Foreign Ministry of Armenia has not yet
received such information, said the head of public relations department
of the Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan to Panorama.am. To the question
whether Armenians wish to return and if our country is ready to accept
them, he said that as soon as they receive such requests they will
take correspondent measures.

Note that in the morning 17 Russians and 45 Ukrainians have been
taken home from Gaza by the airplane of the department of emergency
situations.

Note that the Foreign Ministry of Armenia spread a message which says
that they are seriously concerned with the recent events in Gaza in
the aftermaths of which hundreds of people have died. Hopefully the
violence will be stopped soon and peaceful negotiations will be held.

January 9, 2009
Press Release
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

GREAT SHOW OF SUPPORT AT THE PRELATE’S
TRADITIONAL NEW YEAR AND CHRISTMAS DINNER

On the evening of Tuesday, January 6th, over six hundred Prelacy
supporters and friends gathered at "Bagramian" Hall of Holy Cross Cathedral
in Montebello for the Prelate’s traditional New Year and Christmas Dinner.
The evening officially began with the entrance of the Prelate and
clergy members into the hall, candles in hand and with the singing of
Christmas hymns, followed by the Prelate’s invocation.
Following his welcoming remarks, Master of Ceremonies Rev. Fr.
Vazken Atmajian successively invited Ladies Auxiliary Chairlady Ms. Mariam
Karapetian and Executive Council Chair Dr. Garo Agopian to deliver their
remarks.
Consul General of Armenia the Honorable Armen Liloyan also delivered
his remarks.
The evening also included an artistic program which was comprised of
performances by the "Donagan" band, Armine and Knarig Nergararian, Meline
Hampartsoumian, and Rose and Alex Pilibos 10th grade students Garen Arabian
and Ani Mnatsaganian. The singers were accompanied on the piano by the
renowned Professor Levon Aprahamian.
The evening concluded with the Prelate’s message, benediction, and
the collective singing of the Pontifical and Cilician anthems.
Please visit the news section of our website for the full press
release and photos.

FIRST DIVINE LITURGY CELEBRATED AT
THE NORTH HOLLYWOOD PARISH

The first Divine Liturgy at the newly established No rth
Hollywood parish was celebrated on Tuesday, January 6th, on the Feast of the
Birth and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ. Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian
celebrated the Liturgy, delivered the sermon, and conducted the blessing of
water ceremony at St. Paul Assyrian-Chaldean Catholic Church. Members of
the Prelacy youth choir participated in the singing of the Liturgy.
Among the four hundred faithful in attendance were Executive Council
Chair Dr. Garo Agopian and council members. The godfather of the cross was
Nishanig Der Apelyan.
A reception took place following the services, during which the
Chairman of the committee overseeing the establishment of the parish Mr.
Khatchig Titizian delivered his remarks, as did Dr. Garo Agopian, both of
whom welcomed the faithful and urged them to actively participate in the
growth of the parish.
Closing remarks were delivered by Fr. Muron during which he
announced that Divine Liturgy will hereafter be celebrated every Sunday at
2:00 p.m., and Bible study classes will take place every Wednesday from 6:30
p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The address of the church is 13050 Vanowen Street in North
Hollywood.

PRELATE TO ATTEND A.R.F CELEBRATION

The annual A.R.F. celebration will take place on Sunday, January
11th, at 6:00 p.m. at Glendale High School Auditorium.
The keynote speaker is ARF Lebanon Central Committee representative
Hovig Mekhitarian. An artistic program will also take place.
The Prelate will attend the event, accompanied by Executive Council
Chair Dr. Garo Agopian and council members.

MICKEY ROURKE, SAM ROCKWELL TO PLAY ‘IRON MAN 2’ VILLAIN(S)!
by Erik Davis Jan

Cinematical
1/07/breaking-mickey-rourke-to-play-iron-man-2-vil lain/
Jan 8 2009
CA

Talk about a comeback — Mickey Rourke has gone from wrestling his way
back into our hearts to getting cast in what is perhaps the biggest
blockbuster of 2010: Iron Man 2. Variety tells us that Rourke is in
talks to play a villain that’s described as "Tony Stark’s Russian
alter ego, a heavily tattooed bruiser who is in the arms trade and
battles Iron Man in his own nuclear-powered armored suit." Though the
script isn’t finished yet, most likely the character will be that of
Crimson Dynamo.

>From Wiki: "The first Crimson Dynamo was also the creator of the armor:
Professor Anton Vanko. A Soviet scientist of Armenian birth with a
PhD, Vanko was the world’s foremost expert on electricity. He built
a suit that was wired up to perform electric miracles, making him a
human dynamo. The Crimson Dynamo battle-suit allowed him to control
electricity in all of its forms, allowing him to fire devastating
bolts of electricity. It also allowed him to fly." THR, however,
mentions that Rourke is playing the villain Whiplash, who’s also
known as Blacklash, "a man with deadly, technologically enhanced
coils." Rourke also signed on to star in Sylvestor Stallone’s The
Expendables, as reported earlier, which means the man is taking all
he can get.

According to casting calls, they still need to cast an "Eastern
European, brilliant, gritty" male lead in his thirties and a "beautiful
[female lead who] speaks several languages fluently and is equally
proficient in martial arts" in her twenties, who is Tony Stark’s
assistant Natasha (as per THR). Mickey Rourke playing villain in
Iron Man 2? What do you think about all this? We’ll have more as it
develops — Iron Man 2 hits theaters on May 7, 2010.

UPDATE: Sam Rockwell is also circling the role of Stark rival Justin
Hammer (which takes care of our "Eastern European, brilliant, gritty"
male lead").

ISRAEL’S ATTACK RAISES EYEBROWS IN AZERBAIJAN

hp?news_id=9763
07-01-2009 04:13:34

Israel`s military offensive in the Gaza Strip that caused numerous
human casualties has sparked public discontent in Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani government expressed deep concern over the
developments. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry
reaffirmed its support for the efforts aimed at establishing an
independent Palestinian state. It also wished peace and stability to
the people of Palestine.

Tensions in the Middle East have reached their peak, with nearly 600
people killed and over 2,600 wounded over 11 days of hostilities. It
is currently impossible to cite the precise death toll as rescue
workers are unable to enter the conflict zone.

Azerbaijan`s clerical body has urged Muslim nations to state a
firm position on the Gaza violence. In an appeal forwarded to the
Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC), the Caucasus Clerical
Office (CCO) suggested convening an extraordinary OIC meeting to mull
the crisis.

"If we achieve the conduct of such a meeting and the adoption of a
decision by the OIC members unequivocally denouncing Israel`s actions,
this could put an end to Israel`s military aggression," the CCO
chairman, Sheikh Allahshukur Pashazada told the press. "The Islamic
world must firmly say its piece regarding the Gaza developments. These
events cannot be tolerated."

Pashazada said the events unfolding in the Gaza Strip appear to be
mainly aimed against Iran. While making it clear that this conclusion
was based on his personal views, the Sheikh stressed that some
countries are trying to cause Iran "to lose its political balance"
and make a mistake, and to further use this blunder to set the stage
for a multi-directional attack on the Islamic republic.

"An image of cruelty of the Shia society is currently being created
in the world, and this policy suits a number of Muslim countries,
as well. This is my personal opinion, but I think it isn`t far from
reality," Pashazada said.

The CCO was the first official Azerbaijani body that condemned
Israel`s attack in Gaza. On the third day of hostilities, December
29, it released a statement denouncing the killings of civilians
and the destruction of towns and villages in the Gaza Strip. The
CCO also expressed hope that the military operations, which started
with Israel`s air strikes on the positions of Hamas, will stop soon,
further loss of innocent life will be prevented and all outstanding
problems resolved by peaceful means.

Although the entire world community has come out against the Mideast
violence and called on Israel to stop the hostilities, which are the
deadliest violence in the territory in decades, the Israeli troops keep
on bombing the areas. The intense shooting being launched from air,
tanks and artillery weapons continues causing civilian casualties
and injuries. Those injured are deprived of medical aid due to the
Gaza Strip`s being in a blockade.

Islamic nations have angrily condemned the attack, and a number of
world leaders as well as the UN secretary general and the Pope urged
the sides to immediately end stand-off. Thousands of people have
staged anti-Israel demonstrations in many countries.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Israel, which blames the outbreak
of violence on Hamas, had planned its military attack, called Melted
Lead, six to eight months ahead of time.

This suggests that when reaching a ceasefire accord with Hamas,
Tel-Aviv was actually shaping up its incursion into the Gaza Strip,
analysts say.

The Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO), a hard-line Azerbaijani
group, reacted angrily to Israel`s attack. In a statement, it
said the Israeli troops` conducting military operations in Gaza
once again indicated that Tel-Aviv is reluctant to relinquish its
desire to occupy the area. The GLO labeled the killings of civilians,
including innocent women and children, and the destruction of numerous
residential buildings, schools and mosques as a crime against humanity.

Further, the group claimed that the Israeli regime has refused to
recognize the rights of Palestinians for 60 years and is impeding the
enforcement of the UN decision on the establishment of the Palestinian
state. It also blamed world powers and international organizations
for what it called aiding the occupying regime by failing to take
substantial steps to resolve the situation.

According to the GLO, the Azerbaijani government and public should
not remain indifferent to what it sees as the Israeli authorities`
policy of annihilation and put forth a firm stance on the issue.

"We support the Palestinians` fair cause and decisively denounce the
barbaric actions of the Israeli regime. We demand that the Israeli
government put an end to its policy of massacre and that the UN and
other international organizations impose sanctions on Israel."

Meanwhile, residents of Nardaran, a stronghold of Islamic tradition
located about 40 km north of Baku, protested Israel`s military
offensive in Gaza.

During the protest staged on Monday, participants shouted slogans
against Israel and the United States. Rural women, taking part in
such a demonstration for the first time, expressed their support for
the women of Palestine and burned Israeli and US flags.

Local elders who spoke at the rally voiced discontent over
the Azerbaijani government`s current attitude toward unfolding
developments.

The rural residents pledged to continue protesting until Israel stops
its military action in the Gaza Strip.

The protesters also demanded the release of those arrested several
days ago while picketing outside the Israeli embassy in Baku.