Author: Chmshkian Vicken

HAVING ANNOUNCED ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SUMERIANS, AZERBAIJAN ‘PRIVATIZED’ ARMENIA’S TERRITORY

ArmInfo
2009-12-03 10:49:00

ArmInfo. Having no own history, the national union, which is presently
called Azerbaijan by strange whim of Josif Stalin, has compensated
for this regrettable shortcoming by appropriating the neighbouring
states’ history.

However, having noted this deplorable fact once again, let us present
the data of research by specialists of the Moscow State University
recently published in the "New Region – Moscow" edition. According
to the opinion of the Russian historians, who analyzed 187 history
textbooks, issued in the former 12 republics of the Soviet Union,
the history distortion scales amazed the authors of this project,
after which the historians came to the conclusion that the history
was treated objectively only in Armenia and Belarus, while the other
republics treat the history from a nationalistic position.

According to the research, almost all the new-sprung "historians"
assign earliest origin to their peoples, as well as a special
world-scale mission. Moreover, sometimes this sounds like an anecdote,
as in case of notorious Azerbaijan, the "historians" of which prompt
to the younger generation of Azerbaijanis about their relationship
even with Sumerians. Moreover, the authors of such textbooks also
"privatize" foreign territories, since they in Azerbaijan claim that
Armenia was founded in its territory.

"Study of the school history textbooks, issued in the post-Soviet
republics, give us a surprise. We knew that the textbooks contain
nationalistic interpretation of the history. The surprise was that
in many cases the nationalism turned out to be a cover for the real
ideology of these states’ ruling elites", Assistant Professor of
the National History Department of MSU’s Historical Faculty Andrey
Shadrin said when commenting on the results of research.

Apparently, the research by MSU specialists again confirmed
a well-known fact: having no own history, Azerbaijan "privatizes"
it from almost all its neighbours. The most sorrowful fact is that
the first place in this list is held by Armenia, from which the
adventurous descendants of Heydar Aliyev captured almost everything
expect for the alphabet, though who knows.

A VOICE ACROSS THE TUNNEL

The Hindu
8898.ece
Dec 2 2009
India

Arundhati Roy talks about the issues highlighted in her latest book
of essays

Arundhati Roy’s "Listening to Grasshoppers" treads through dark
episodes in our recent past; it engages, prods, questions and compels
readers to see the stories from the other end of the spectrum. The
recently published collection of essays, written at different points
in time, treks through the Gujarat pogrom, the Parliament attack,
last year’s siege of Mumbai, the ills of a corporatised media, the
judiciary, dwells on the visit of former United States President
George W. Bush to India as well as the killing of Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink.

Many pieces in the book, published by Hamish Hamilton, an imprint
of Penguin Books, as Roy writes in her introduction, "were written
in anger, at moments when keeping quiet became harder than saying
something." She asserted it last week at the Jamia Millia Islamia,
where Roy read out from "Listening to Grasshoppers" and engaged in
a dialogue with faculty member Shohini Ghosh.

On what led Roy to her political writings, she said, "I don’t know,
often a kind of anger. I know I am being lied to by the corporate
press." She wrote, she added, "When it gets easier to write than not
to write."

Roy spoke about the subjects in the book and beyond — Kashmir,
Narmada, dams, their aftermath, Maoists and violence as a mode of
protest. The talk hinged on the thread running through the book,
"What have we done to democracy? What have we turned it into? What
happens when democracy has been used up?"

Hope vs reason

The book’s title is drawn from a piece of Armenian folklore about
grasshoppers unusually descending on the fields as if pre-empting
the genocide of more than a million Armenians in Turkey in 1915. On
invoking such a dark premonition, Roy said, "My book is dedicated to
those who have learned to divorce hope from reason."

She cited chapters from history where the fight has always been against
a more powerful one — in South Africa, slavery in the United States,
colonialism in India. Picking out an episode from her novel, "The
God of Small Things," where Chacko tells the story of an optimist
who rummages through a heap of horse dung hoping to find a pony,
Roy said, "There must be a pony somewhere," as an answer to all the
battles ahead.

"All of us who engage with very serious problems that face our society
are optimistic. Whether we win or not, this is the side we want to
be on….The legacy of political resistance is a complicated one,"
she said. The book, Roy said, is about the "systemic problems with
our democracy."

Though it was her political writings that invited discussion, the
writer whose ambition is to grow "into an irresponsible, giggly old
lady" also lingered on her identity as a fiction writer. "I pay a
lot of attention to how a story is told. You can move across genres
in order to tell a story how it needs to be told. To me fiction is
the simplest way of telling a complicated thing," she said.

She quoted Lennon as she looked back at her pile of non-fiction in
the past 10 years. "It happened while I was busy making other plans."

Arundhati Roy, Listening to Grasshoppers, political writings, The
God of Small Things

ARMENIAN CHURCHES IN MOLDOVA NEED PRIESTS

news.am
Dec 2 2009
Armenia

About 12 000 Armenians living in Moldova are basically engaged in
entrepot, said Chairwoman of the Armenian Community of Moldova Venera
Gasparyan in an interview with NEWS.am.

Presently, 22 schoolchildren receive education in two Armenian
schools in Chisinau. The third one is pending shortly 25 km away from
neighborhood center. "Armenia" cultural center was opened in Chisinau
recently, with three churches. According to Gasparyan, it would be
right to have a priest in each of them. To her mind, relations of
Armenian community with Moldavians keep on deepening. In addition,
despite no Armenian-language papers in Moldova, the periodical
"Moldova Noastra" has an Armenian insertion.

if each one had its pastor. On her opinion relations between Armenian
Community and Moldavians strengthen. Despite Armenian periodical
press in Moldova is not published, there is a loose leaf in periodical
in Armenian.

KAZAKHSTAN TO ASSIST IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.12.2009 18:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As OSCE co-chairing state, Kazakhstan intends
to take active part Minsk Group activities, the country’s Foreign
Minister Kanat Saudabayev said. During the Summit in Athens, Kazakh
official stressed the exclusively important role of dialogue in
conflict settlement process, Azad Or Athens-based newspaper reports.

Starting from January 2010, Kazakhstan will assume OSCE chairmanship.

NA VICE SPEAKER AND STATE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE DISCUSSED ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.11.2009 22:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NA Vice Speaker Samvel Nikoyan has today received
Eton Goldrich, Director of U.S. State Department’s Caucasus Office.

At the guest’s request, Mr. Nikoyan briefed on National Assembly’s
legislative and control functions, as well as the procedures of
forming the parliament.

Parties focused on Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, protocol
ratification process, as well as the legislation concerning NGOs’
activity, RA NA press service reports.

THE 17TH SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF OSCE TO TAKE PLACE IN ATHENS DECEMBER 1-2

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 30, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS: The 17th session of the Council of
Foreign Ministers of OSCE will take place in Athens December 1-2.

Press service of the Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry reported that foreign
ministers of 56 member states of the organization, partner countries as
well as heads of OSCE establishments, representatives of international
and regional organizations will take part in the gathering.

"The results of the session of the OSCE Ministerial Council will
become a "road map" for the further chairmanship of Kazakhstan in
the organization," the statement of the Kazakh ministry says.

According to the agenda, the participants are planning to discuss
issues on strengthening the activity of OSCE in military-political,
economic-environmental and humanitarian security spheres and adopt
a number of ministerial decisions over them. The issue of 2012 OSCE
chairmanship will be discussed too.

"In parallel discussions about the situation in conflict zones will
take place," the statement says. The foreign ministers of the OSCE
"troika" Greece, Kazakhstan and Finland will give a joint press
conference.

ARMENIAN MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES VISIT HOUSE OF HOPE

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 17:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The German Embassy in Armenia organized a visit of
media representatives to Yerevan-based "House of Hope" on November 27.

"This institution has established since 1994. Numerous programs with
support of the German Red Cross in Armenia and the Embassy of Germany
in Armenia are carried out here," the head of the institution Movses
Pogosyan said.

"Home Care" project has been implemented for several years, ensuring
care for lonely elderly people, including medical care and physical
assistance, provision of food and clothing.

"Every day 300 to 400 people have lunch here, besides 40 people are
taken good care at home, " Movses Pogosyan said.

YEREVAN TO HOST A CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND BUSINESS INTEGRATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 19:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Enterprise Incubator Foundation, RA Ministry
of Economy and the U.S. Civilian Research and Development (CRDF)
organize conference Integration of Science, Technology and Business,
on December 2, 2009.

14 investment proposals developed by Armenian experts in cooperation
with private companies with financial support of CRDF will be presented
at the conference. "This is a unique opportunity to get acquainted
with the new information technology, hi-technology and biotechnology
oriented to business," Enterprise Incubator Foundation wrote.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONDUCTS MEETINGS IN JAPAN

ARMENPRESS
Nov 26, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan arrived November 25 in Tokyo on an official visit. Press and
Information department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Armenpress
that in the capital of Japan the Armenian minister conducted the first
meeting with the parliament speaker Tokahiro Yakomich. The latter,
describing the Armenian-Japanese relations as friendly, expressed
hope that the visit of the Armenian foreign minister will give new
impetus to the development of Armenian-Japanese relations.

The Armenian minister said that Armenia highlights consolidation
and expansion of multi-lateral relations with Japan and said that
the aim of his visit is to discuss ways of development of bilateral
cooperation.

The interlocutors also discussed issues on promoting cooperation
between the parliaments of the two countries. In this pre-context
Edward Nalbandyan informed that in the Armenian parliament already an
Armenian-Japanese friendship group has been formed and the Armenian
side is waiting for the formation of such group in the newly-elected
Japanese government.

The Japanese parliament speaker highlighted Armenia’s efforts toward
normalization of relations with Turkey and establishment of peace in
the region, expressing confidence that the normalization of relations
between Armenia and Turkey will have positive impact on the regulation
of the Karabakh conflict.

Armenian foreign minister also met with his Japanese counterpart Kazuya
Okada. The Armenian minister noted that the development of partnership
with a country which has an important role in different arenas is an
important direction for Armenia and he arrived in Tokyo to point out
the directions of cooperation. In this respect the Armenian minister
said that Armenia is planning to establish permanent representation
in Tokyo.

During the meeting the sides discussed a number of regional,
international issues, cooperation in international organizations,
formation of legal-agreement field between the two countries, bilateral
cooperation in educational, scientific, cultural and other spheres.

The Japanese minister expressed support to the steps directed toward
the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and expressed hope
that the signed protocols will be ratified and be implemented which
will promote the establishment of peace in the region.

Armenian minister invited his Japanese counterpart to visit Armenia.

Besides the political agenda, the visit of the Armenian foreign
minister to Japan has an economic element. In Tokyo Edward Nalbandyan
visited the Japanese Foreign Trade Organization where he met with its
chairman Yasuo Hayashi and discussed opportunities of development
of trade-economic cooperation between the two countries, presented
Armenia’s investment field and spheres.

As a result of the meeting an arrangement has been reached that a
representative of the company visits Armenia to establish ties with
partners and to discuss cooperation ways.

The Armenian minister is also expected to meet with the Japanese throne
heir Narohito as well as deliver speech at the Japanese International
Relations Institute.

ARMENIA THREATENS TO RECOGNISE AZERBAIJAN’S REBEL REGION

Public Television of Armenia
Nov 23 2009

Asked by "Haylur" how Armenia will behave if tension over the Karabakh
issue really mounts, the spokesman for the Armenian president, Samvel
Farmanyan, said that Armenia may recognize the Artsakh [Karabakh]
republic and sign an agreement on mutual assistance with the second
Armenian republic is events develop in such a way.

[Presenter-reads out Farmanyan’s statement] Yerevan has had occasions
to note that no matter to what extent these statements are made for
domestic consumption, they hardly create a favourable atmosphere
for the settlement process. [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev’s
statements once again show the non-constructive conduct of Azerbaijan.

Growth of tension around Nagornyy Karabakh is of course the most
undesirable outcome for the whole region, Farmanyan said. However,
Armenia cannot be indifferent to the fate of the people of Artsakh, and
for this very reason the president of the republic [Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan] and other officials have numerously announced that we
are responsible for the security of the people of Artsakh. There are
accepted ways in case of such developments. Let’s suppose the Republic
of Armenia may recognize the independence of Nagornyy Karabakh with the
consequences stemming from that. Second, Armenia may sign an agreement
on mutual assistance with the Artsakh Republic. There are options and I
am sure that Armenia will use these few options either individually or
[all] at the same time. One should note that Armenia has not done so
[has not recognised Nagornyy Karabakh as independent] for one reason
– so as not to hinder the peace talks. And if the peace talks are
stopped and hostilities resume, nothing will prevent Armenia from
recognizing Artsakh’s independence.

[Presenter-read report] However, according to Farmanyan, the reality is
that the negotiation process continues. Armenia has always announced
that it sees no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the
issue, and that it is possible to reach a peaceful and comprehensive
settlement on the issue though negotiations. The presidential spokesman
also spoke about reports by some Azerbaijani media. According to the
reports, it was said during the Munich meeting that Armenians may pull
out of Kalbacar District by the end of this year to provide Turkey an
opportunity to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols and Azerbaijan –
to make its position milder.

[Presenter-reads out Farmanyan’s statement] We have already got used
that after each meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents
"extremely informed" sources report about some arrangements which do
not exist in reality. This is mere misinformation and has no connection
with reality. Such an issue is not discussed, and consequently no such
arrangement can exist. It has been numerously said that the key issue
of the negotiation process on the settlement of the conflict and of
the discussions is the issue of the status of Nagornyy Karabakh. All
other issues are secondary.