Author: Dabaghian Diana

Nagorno-Karabakh elections: Azerbaijan should learn a few things about
democracy and the concept of free and fair elections

12:40 22/05/2010 » Politics

On 23 May 2010, parliamentary elections will be held in the Republic
of Nagorno-Karabakh and, in anticipation of that event and as
expected, Azerbaijan’s state propaganda machine is in full gear to
discredit democratic processes led by authorities and people of
Karabakh. To this end, a number of articles have recently appeared in
the Azeri media containing fabrications and meritless accusations
towards the Armenian side.

Just yesterday, in one of the news articles, the Azeri press printed
the letter of the Azerbaijani Ambassador circulated at the United
Nations about the upcoming elections. The Press Center of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has confirmed that the Armenian
Ambassador to the United Nations responded to the Azeri side by
submitting a `swift response’ to the Secretary General of the United
Nations, the General Assembly and the Security Council.

While the diplomatic duel between Armenia and Azerbaijan is currently
taking place in New York, let us go back to Helsinki for a moment. In
this city, on 24 March 1992, the Conference on Security and
Cooperation in Europe made a decision that elected representatives of
Nagorno-Karabakh must participate in the negotiations aimed at the
resolution of the conflict as interested parties.

Irrespective of what the letter of Azerbaijan or its media says today,
for a long time the NKR has had established legitimate political
institutions and authority bodies, a functioning government, an
elected parliament and an independent judiciary. There is a
comprehensive consensus in the NKR with respect to fundamental
democratic values within the society and, on a daily basis, actions
are being taken to harmonize its legal framework with the European
standards. Multiparty system has also been established there, and the
civil society is an active participant in the process.

During its 20 years of state-building process, elections for the
President, the National Assembly and local self-governing bodies were
held four times in Nagorno-Karabakh. These elections were noteworthy
because several candidates were running for each institution and the
people chose from alternative options. As noted in the numerous
reports of the international independent observers, democratic
standards were observed during those elections.

Perhaps Azerbaijan, with its long history of seriously flawed
elections, can take note of the reports of the observers and learn a
few things about democracy and the concept of free and fair elections.

The upcoming ballot parliamentary vote in Stepanakert and in other
cities and villages of Nagorno-Karabakh are crucial for the future
participation of the elected leaders in the negotiation process of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group. It is for
this reason that the presence of the international observers to
monitor and report the outcome of the election is welcomed which can
only positively contribute to the just and peaceful solution of the
conflict.

Source: Panorama.am

May. 19, 2010

Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Agassi: No regrets writing tell-all book

Las Vegan says he has spoken with some of autobiography’s critics

By STEVE CARP
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Seven months after his autobiography "Open" debuted on bookshelves, Andre
Agassi has no regrets about his decision to let the world in on his life.

Agassi is not second-guessing his decision to write the tell-all book, even
though he admitted using drugs, which resulted in some of tennis’ greatest
performers criticizing and questioning whether the Las Vegas legend’s
accomplishments were tarnished.

"The choice was to write the book or not," Agassi said Wednesday at the
Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, where five students received
college scholarships. "The choice isn’t to write the book and kinda talk
about your life. It’s about telling my story honestly and transparently."

"Open," which reached No. 1 on the New York Times’ best seller list in
November, has sold 530,000 copies. The book’s paperback version goes on sale
Aug. 10 with a first printing of 200,000 copies.

"I don’t know how many books have been sold," he said. "It wasn’t about
that. My hope is whoever reads it was profoundly impacted, one way or the
other."

Agassi said he has spoken to a few of his critics, including Martina
Navratilova, who condemned Agassi’s use of crystal methamphetamine when he
was 22 years old and likened it to today’s athletes using steroids and
performance-enhancing drugs.

"I did talk to Martina, and she said she felt bad how she was represented in
her comments," Agassi said. "I told her not to worry about it.

"When I talk to people who spoke out about me, I asked them, ‘Did you read
the book or not?’ They hadn’t read it. I don’t have any resentment toward
anyone."

The one regret Agassi does have was his joke about fellow legend Pete
Sampras when the two were playing in a fundraising match with Roger Federer
and Rafael Nadal in Indian Wells, Calif., for victims of the January
earthquake in Haiti. Sampras had made fun of Agassi’s pigeon-toed gait, and
Agassi made a joke about Sampras being a cheap tipper.

Sampras bristled at the crack and launched a less-than-friendly serve in
Agassi’s direction. It put a damper on what had been a fun evening.

"There were probably 150 jokes told during that match and one that bombed,"
Agassi said. "I have great respect for Pete, and I did call him and
apologize."

Now 40 years old, Agassi said his appearances on the tennis court will be
few and probably just for charity purposes. He will not play another season
of World Team Tennis after spending last summer with the Philadelphia
Freedoms.
"I’ve always been supportive of Team Tennis," he said. "I enjoyed it, but
it’s hard to get out there at my age."

Don’t look for a sequel to "Open," either. "I think my days as an author are
over," he said. "It wasn’t easy, and writing the book in a present tense was
the hardest part. It’s a real high-wire act."

YOUNG ARMENIAN MUSICIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN MOSCOW MEETS FRIENDS FESTIVAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 20, 2010 – 20:34 AMT 15:34 GMT

The winners of the Rising Starts at the Kremlin international festival,
which was held under the patronage of Russian President’s wife Svetlana
Medvedeva in November 2009, will participate in Moscow Meets Friends
VII international festival due May 21-June 2.

The festival will bring together 1500 young talents from over 30
countries. Armenia will be represented by Narev Kazayan.

Moscow Meets Friends festival is the biggest project of Spivakov’s
Foundation, over 12,000 talented children from 60 countries have
participated in it since 2004.

Vladimir Spivakov and Moscow Virtuosos state chamber orchestra take
stage with young musicians during the festival.

This year, the festival program will include concerts, competitions,
exhibitions, etc.

GéNOCIDE ARMéNIEN : LA TURQUIE A VIOLé LA LIBERTé D’EXPRESSION D’UNE UNIVERSITAIRE AMéRICAINE
par Stéphane

armenews
vendredi21 mai 2010

CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE

La Turquie a violé la liberté d’expression d’une universitaire
américaine, interdite de territoire pour ses prises de position
lorsqu’elle enseignait dans ce pays, a jugé jeudi la Cour européenne
des droits de l’homme.

Les faits selon la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme

La plaignante Norma Cox, est une citoyenne américaine qui est né en
1944 et a vécu a Philadelphie. Ayant travaillé comme conférencière
dans deux universités turques pendant les années 1980, elle a été
expulsée et interdite de rentrer dans le pays par ordre du Ministère
de l’Intérieur en 1986 a cause des déclarations qu’elle avait faite
devant des étudiants et des collègues sur les questions kurde et
arménienne. Après son retour en Turquie plus tard, elle a été
arrêtÃ&# xA9;e en 1989 en distribuant des prospectus protestant contre le
film Â" la Dernière Tentation du Christ Â" et a été expulsée par
la suite de nouveau. En quittant la Turquie après une visite en 1996,
une mention a été faite sur son passeport exposant qu’elle était
interdite d’entrée. Elle a été incapable de retourner en Turquie
depuis lors.

En octobre 1996, la plaignante a déposé plainte contre le Ministère
de l’Intérieur devant le tribunal administratif, demandant le
retrait de l’interdiction et soutenant que la raison de cela était
sa religion.

Dans ses considérants, le Ministère a maintenu que la plaignante
avait été expulsé et interdite d’entrer dans le pays a cause
de ses activités séparatistes contre la sécurité nationale, a
savoir des déclarations qu’elle avait faite que les Turcs voulaient
assimiler les Kurdes et les Arméniens et que les Turcs ont expulsé
les Arméniens du pays et ont accompli un génocide.

La plaignante a suggéré en particulier que les allégations contre
elle n’avaient pas été prouvées et qu’elle n’avait jamais été
poursuivie pour avoir exprimé ces avis. En octobre 1997, le tribunal
administratif a rejeté sa réclamation, affirmant que la décision du
Ministère avait été conforme a la législation applicable. L’appel
de la plaignante a été renvoyé par le Tribunal administratif
Suprême en janvier 2000. La même cour a rejeté sa demande de
rectifier la décision de 1997 en décembre 2001.

Plainte, procédure et composition de la cour

La plaignante s’est plainte qu’elle ait été soumise a un traitement
injustifié a cause de sa religion et que l’expression d’opinions
sur les questions kurde et arménienne dans une université, où la
liberté d’expression devrait être illimitée, ne pouvait pas être
utilisée comme une justification pour une sanction. Elle a compté
en particulier sur l’Article 9 (la liberté de religion). La plainte
a été recue par la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme le 28
aoÃ"t 2002.

La Chambre qui a donné le jugement était composée de sept juges
comme suit :

Francoise Tulkens (Belgium), President, Ireneu Cabral Barreto
(Portugal), Vladimiro Zagrebelsky (Italy), DanutÄ- JoÄ~MienÄ-
(Lithuania), András Sajó (Hungary), Nona Tsotsoria (Georgia),
IÅ~_ıl KarakaÅ~_ (Turkey), juges, Et Sally Dollé, greffière.

Décision de la Cour (extraits)

La Cour a considéré qu’il est approprié d’examiner la plainte en
vertu de l’article 10 seulement.

La Cour a réitéré qu si le droit d’un étranger d’entrer ou rester
dans un pays n’était pas garanti comme tel selon la Convention,
les contrôles de l’immigration ont dÃ" être exercés successivement
avec des obligations de la Convention.

La Cour a considéré que l’interdiction de retour en Turquie
imposée a la plaignante a cause de ses conversations précédentes
avec des étudiants et des collègues a constitué une interférence
avec ses droits selon l’article 10. Il a méconnu le fait que l’on a
garanti le droit a la liberté d’expression sans distinction entre des
ressortissants et des étrangers. La plaignante, étant écarté d’un
retour, n’était plus capable de communiquer d’information en Turquie.

La Cour était prête a accepter que cette interférence poursuivait
un but légitime en particulier les intérêts de la sécurité
nationale ou l’intégrité nationale. Cependant, n’importe quelle
restriction des droits selon l’article 10 " nécessaire dans une
société démocratique " doit être interprétée strictement. La
Cour a observé qu’il n’y avait jamais eu de suggestion que la
plaignante ait commis un crime en exprimant des avis controversés
sur les questions kurde et arménienne et aucune poursuite criminelle
n’avait jamais été engagée contre elle.

Ces opinions liées a des sujets continuent a être le sujet d’un chaud
débat non seulement en Turquie, mais aussi internationalement. Tandis
que les avis exprimés par une partie peuvent parfois offenser l’autre
partie, une société démocratique requière de la tolérance face
aux expressions controversées. La Cour a été de plus incapable de
voir le raisonnement des cours intérieures comment exactement on a
considéré les avis de la plaignante nuisibles pour la sécurité
nationale de la Turquie.

La Cour a donc conclu que les cours intérieures n’avaient donné
aucune raison suffisante et appropriée d’une interdiction de rentrée
de la plaignante en Turquie. Elle avait été concu pour étouffer
la diffusion d’idées. Il y avait eu en conséquence une violation
de l’article 10.

Selon l’article 41 (juste satisfaction) de la Convention, la Cour
a accordé a la plaignante 12000 euros dans le respect de dégâts
non-pécuni ers.

EU DOES NOT RECOGNISE SO-CALLED "PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS" IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

Trend
May 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Eropean Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy Catherine Ashton has recalled that the EU "does not recognise
the constitutional and legal framework within which the "parliamentary
elections" in Nagorno Karabakh will be held this Sunday", ENPI Info
Centre reported.

In a statement, she said: "This event should not prejudice the peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."

The High Representative reiterated the EU’s firm support to the OSCE
Minsk-Group, and the work of the three Co-chairs and their efforts
towards a settlement of the conflict, and called on the parties "to
redouble their efforts to find a negotiated solution to the conflict."

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS OSCE REPRESENTATIVE ON FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA

armradio.am
19.05.2010 10:32

President Serzh Sargsyan received the OSCE Representative on Freedom
of the Media Dunia Maytovich, President’s Press Office reported.

President Sargsyan said that Armenia attaches great importance
to the OSCE role in the establishment of stability and security
in our region. Serzh Sargsyan stressed also the importance of the
activities of different OSCE structures in strengthening of democracy,
establishment of the rule of law, improvement of electoral processes
and protection of basic human rights in Armenia.

Dunia Maytovich said it was her first visit to Armenia and she was
impressed with the warm welcome extended to her working group and
readiness of the Armenian side for cooperation.

Ms. Maytovich hailed the steps of the Armenian government toward the
de-criminalization of slander and libeling in the Civil and Criminal
Codes, assessing it as an important factor for the enhancement of the
freedom of the media. According to her, similar steps have recently
been also undertaken by a number of Western European states.

The parties spoke also about the process of digitalization of
television and radio broadcasting. Dunia Maytovich viewed it as an
important step aimed into future and expressed readiness to provide
expert assistance in the process of introducing corresponding changes
in the RA law on Television and Radio.

BEING IN GREAT DISTRESS FOR MONEY, ARMENIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE TO USE EXPERIENCE OF ACADEMY OF BELARUS

ArmInfo
2010-05-17 17:30:00

ArmInfo. An agreement on scientific cooperation between the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia and Belarus was signed at today’s
enlarged sitting of the Presidium of the Armenian National Academy of
Sciences. The agreement was signed by the President of the Armenian
Academy Radik Martirosyan and Chairman of Presidium of the Belarussian
Academy Mikhail Myasnikovich.

Radik Martirosyan told journalists that under the agreement the
Academies of Armenia and Belarus will cooperate in the sphere of
material sciences, particularly, creation of new materials, nuclear
energy, information technologies, and space exploration. The experience
of Belarus is especially important for the Armenian Academy to bring
its scientific ideas and developments to their final result.

Martirosyan said that only 4 bln AMD are allocated from the state
budget for the Armenian Academy, whereas in Belarus the total budget of
the Academy for scientific research is over 300 mln USD, 55% of them
being budget allocations, the rest 45% is earned by the Belarussian
Academy itself, including foreign contracts, projects with real sector
of economy, agreements with regional authorities. In addition to
financial support, to stimulate innovations in business Belarus has
introduced some legislative amendments, which envisage concessional
taxation for enterprises interested in introduction of innovations.

According to Chairman of the Presidium of the Belarussian National
academy of Sciences M.Myasnikovich, the peculiarity of the Academy of
Belarus is that the Academy has 12 scientific and practical centers
comprising several scientific institutes, as well as industrial and
design and experimental enterprises. This will allow the Beralussian
Academy to not only design samples on the basis of scientific research
results, but also produce certain products. In 2009 the Academy
of Belarus managed to produce microbiological devices and magnetic
materials worth 100 mln USD. As regards the Armenian Academy, it is
deprived of this opportunity due to the lack of funds and relevant
scientific research infrastructure. .

Despite all the achievements of the National Academy of Sciences
of Belarus, Myasnikovich thinks that the research intensity of the
Belarussian economy is not so high – 0.8% of GDP, half of which is
budget allocations. To improve this index, the Academy of Belarus
has worked out new draft target sci8entific and technical programmes.

Myasnikovich called the contract signed between the two academies
a "reference" one, since the contract creates certain conditions
for holding of practical work over the projects on the level of
scientific-research institutes of Armenia and Belarus. He also added
that signing of this contract was observed by President Lukaskenko,
for this reason it has a state status.

To note, over the working visit of the Belarussian delegation to
Armenia, Myasnikovich will meet Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran
Sarkisyan.

NO SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR INVESTIGATION OF HRANT DINK MURDER

BIAnet.org
May 17 2010
Turkey

The Istanbul Chief prosecution dismissed the request to appoint a
special prosecutor for the murder case of Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink. 3.5 years after the murder it is still not clear which
public officials are responsible and who pulled the trigger.

Erol ONDEROGLU [email protected] Istanbul – BIA News Center17 May 2010,
Monday The Istanbul Public Chief Prosecution dismissed the request made
by the joint attorneys of the Dink family to allocate one prosecutor
to the investigation of the murder of the former chief editor of the
Armenian Agos newspaper, Hrant Dink. Dink was killed on 19 January
2007 in front of his office in Istanbul.

Lawyer Fethiye Cetin submitted a petition to the Chief Prosecution
on 28 April. The joint attorneys of the Dink family had requested
to expand the investigation and to appoint a new prosecutor or one
prosecutor from the group of prosecutors concerned with the file to
carry out the investigation.

No special contingent for Dink investigation The lawyers emphasized
in the petition that the plan of the murder consisted of stages like
"preparation", "creating public awareness", "action" and, after the
killing, the phase of "manipulation" and "destroying and covering
up evidence".

The petition reads, "It is the unquestionable truth that the killing
of Hrant Dink was an operation organized and realized in different
stages by a professional organization". Thereupon, the officials on
duty prior to the murder did not take precautions. These hints should
be evaluated, the petition continued.

Who are the responsible officials?

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has merged the five
applications made in the context of the Hrant Dink murder into one
case. Many aspects of the case have not been revealed yet. It is
not even clear which public officials can be held responsible for
the murder.

The 2nd Magistrate Criminal Court of Trabzon (eastern Black Sea coast)
previously rejected the demand of the Istanbul 14th High Criminal
Court to merge the Trabzon file with the file in Istanbul. Eight
gendarmerie officers are tried before the court in Trabzon under
charges of "basic negligence" related to the Dink murder.

Still not clear how many people shot A secret witness was heard in
the 13th hearing of the murder case on 10 May. The witness stated that
prime suspect Ogun Samast was not on his own when he shot journalist
Dink on 19 January 2007 in front of his office in Å~^iÅ~_li (European
side of Istanbul). The witness claimed that Yasin Hayal and Osman
Hayal were present at the scene of crime.

The trial will be continued on 12 July. (EO/VK)

People’s Daily, China
May 15 2010

Greek, Turkish leaders hope for new start in bilateral ties

09:59, May 15, 2010

Greek President Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister George Papandreou
welcomed Turkish Premier Recep Tayip Erdogan here Friday, with both
sides hailing the visit as "historic" and expected to open a new
chapter in bilateral ties.

"I expect this visit will have a positive outcome and strengthen the
climate of cooperation, friendship and good neighborliness that the
peoples of our countries wish for," Papoulias said.

"I have visited Greece several times. I hope that this visit will have
a different ending," replied the Turkish leader, who later held talks
with his Greek counterpart, Papandreou.

Erdogan said he was being accompanied by a delegation of approximately
320 people, including 10 ministers, more than 100 businessmen and many
journalists and he saw the visit as "extremely significant".

In the short discussion held in front of the cameras, Papandreou
agreed that it could be deemed "historic" for Greek-Turkish relations.

During his two-day visit, Erdogan also visited the Speaker of the
Greek parliament, Philippos Petsalnikos, and later in the afternoon he
will join Papandreou at the opening session of the bilateral
High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

The Council’s first meeting is expected to end with the ratification
of 21 agreements of cooperation in various sectors, such as the
economy, energy, tourism, environment and culture.

Greece is facing a severe economic crisis and Turkey, which
experienced similar tough periods almost a decade ago, proposed the
creation of joint ventures in the Balkans and other countries of the
eastern Mediterranean and eastern Europe.

"Today, we can set a good example of collaboration for other Balkan
countries and the wider region," Erdogan said during a short statement
upon his arrival at Athens International Airport.

However, not everyone agrees. On Friday evening, the Armenian and
Kurdish communities in Greece, along with Greeks and Cypriots, Left
party activists and far-right groups organized demonstrations in
central Athens, protesting Erdogan’s visit.

Source: Xinhua

CRYPTOCARD: ONLINE-BANKING IN ARMENIA UNPROTECTED

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 14, 2010 – 12:26 AMT 07:26 GMT

Online-banking in Armenia is unprotected, according to Mike Edwards,
European Sales Director at CRYPTOCard Europe

"The research of the Armenian market carried out by Apaga Technologies
featured usage of security certificate as the only security tool, which
is incapable to identify the individual visiting the website," he said.

CRYPTOCard will offer its services in Armenia in the near
future. "We are hopeful for a feedback from organizations engaged
in online-banking," Mr. Edwards told journalists in Yerevan. "The
priority task of the company is to ensure password security."