Author: Jalatian Sonya

CYPRUS ISSUE RAISED DURING CLINTON CONFIRMATION HEARING

Famagusta Gazette
Jan 15 2009
Cyprus

US Senator Robert Menendez has raised the issue of reunifying Cyprus
and the demilitarisation of the island to Secretary of State Designate
Hillary Clinton during her confirmation hearing, before the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee.

An announcement issued by the National President of the American
Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, Ike Gulas, says he has
expressed appreciation for Senator Menendez’s remarks.

"We thank Senator Menendez for bringing the Cyprus issue to the
attention of Secretary Designate Clinton," said Gulas.

"Raising the Cyprus issue and calling for the island’s demilitarisation
before such a large audience in a significant setting elevates the
issue on America’s foreign policy agenda.

"We can’t take for granted everyone is aware, or realises the scope
of Turkey’s military presence on Cyprus, which of course, needs to
end as Senator Menendez rightfully stated," he said.

The Senator, he added, "also urged Senator Clinton to reaffirm the
Armenian Genocide as she has been a long-standing supporter of its
recognition. This is to be applauded." – (KYPE)

GARGASH RECEIVES ARMENIAN OFFICIAL

UAE Daily News

Jan 14 2009

H.E. Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,
received here today Armin Kevorkian, Armenian Deputy Prime Minister,
who is currently visiting the UAE.

Dr. Gargash discussed with the visiting Armenian official ways to
enhance relations, as well as current regional and international
developments.

He praised UAE’s progressive ties of friendship and cooperation
with Armenia.

Kevorkian lauded President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed
Al Nahyan’s stances towards international issues. He added that
his meeting with Dr. Gargash touched on economic, commercial and
investment cooperation.

The meeting was attended by Vahgan Melikyan, Armenian Ambassador.

WORKING MEETING ON THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST STAGE OF THE DEFENSE SYSTEM’S STRATEGIC REVIEW PROCESS

armradio.am
14.01.2009 10:41

At the working meeting conducted by President Sargsyan discussed
were issues related to the results of the first stage of the defense
system’s strategic review process. The five-staged process is scheduled
to be concluded by April, 2010, President’s Press Office reported.

Opening the meeting, the President of Armenia said, "Today, we are
revisiting the issue of the improvement of the Armed Forces and the
strategic review process of the defense system.

We have spoken about the role and significance of our army on
many occasions, as well as about the importance of its constant
and progressive improvement. On my regular visits to the military
stations I personally follow this process, the conducted works, the
social conditions, the moral and psychological environment and, of
course, the combat readiness. The progress, which is based on strong
foundation, is observable and undeniable.

There is no doubt about that. However, it is only the one side of the
issue, and we cannot content ourselves with that side exclusively. A
modern defense system is a compound structure which should not only
keep up with the contemporary demands but should also strive to
measure up with the highest standards.

>From this point of view we should be able not only to follow and react
to the developments taking place in the world but also to assume a
leader’s role on some directions. In some particular area we simply
must be able to state that this is the standard and we have achieved
the utmost results.

>From now on, I will be assessing the accomplishments and the set
targets on the level of the highest standards. This must be quiet
clear for us. Today we should set the bar at its highest and move
confidently toward it.

Needless to say, that it will demand persistent and coordinated
activities.

Just as there are no "holidays" in the army, there are no "holidays"
in the conducting reforms. The reforms cannot be implemented with
disruptions, we should work constantly.

Based on the principles engraved in the military doctrine, the
interagency commission set by me is conducting the strategic review
process of the defense system. The activities of the Commission are
monitored by the Secretary of the National Security Council and the
Minister of Defense.

This is an important process which is intended to put the planning
and development of our Armed Forces on a coordinated base. This is
especially important for a more sufficient utilization of the resources
allocated to the Armed Forces, and from the point of view of developing
the proportioned response capabilities to the current challenges."

The Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanian presented a report on the
works 0D of the Commission for the first stage of the strategic
review process which are related to the drafting of a document on
the assessment of the threats and the security environment in the
Republic of Armenia. He underlined that the draft document is aimed
at providing a prospective development for the defense system which
will be adequate to the current and potential threats.

The participants to the meeting presented their observations and
proposals regarding the draft document.

Concluding the meeting, the President of Armenia said that the threat
assessment cannot be dogmatic. According to Serzh Sargsyan, it should
be reviewed and reassessed periodically while the analysis on which
the assessment is based should be renewed constantly.

According to the President of Armenia, a job of this scale is being
conducted for the first time, at least on such a coordinated level
and it can serve as the starting point. On the following stages the
Commission should undertake the development of the planning documents.

Parajanov would turn 85 today

armradio.am
09.01.2009 20:57

Renowned Armenian film director of the 20th century, People’s Artist of
Armenia and Ukraine Sergey Parajanov would turn 85 today. On this
occasion his relatives and art lovers visited the Komitas Pantheon to
pay tribute to the memory of the great aesthete.

The whole life of the famous and wonderful director was an amusing and
tragic, attractive and sometimes very dangerous game, especially in a
Soviet country. His first important film was the `Shadows of forgotten
ancestors’ shot in 1964.

One of Parajanov’s masterpieces is the film `The color of pomegranate’
telling about Sayat Nova. Both films were, however, criticized during
Soviet times. `Being the king of clowns, he never became the clown of
the kings.’ These words are perhaps the most characteristic of
Parajanov.

According to Director of Parajanov’s home-museum Zaven sargsyan, his
greatest value was that he was trying to have no controversies with his
own conscience, say what he thinks and what he considers to be right.

In 1973 the Soviet government sentenced Parajanov to five years of
imprisonment, accusing him of homosexuality. Many artists, writers,
directors from different sides of the world reacted to his
imprisonment. Despite that, only in four years Parajanov was set free
due to mediation of Louis Aragon, a world-known French writer.

0AFor many years he was prohibited from shooting films. Only in 19820 he
was allowed to shoot the `Legend of the Surinam Tower’ and `Ashug
Gharib.’

During the last years of his life Parajanov was shooting the
autobiographic film `Confession,’ which remained uncompleted and was
later used for Michael Vardanov’s documentary titled `Parajanov’s last
spring.’ Parajanov died of cancer in July 1990 in Yerevan. 2009 is a
jubilee year for the great artist.

Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan assures that the occasion will be
used to present the greatest Armenian director to the world.

DEBORAH LIPSTADT: SHOULD THERE BE LAWS AGAINST HOLOCAUST DENIAL?

History News Network

J an 8 2009
WA

The French intellectual, Bernard-Henri Levi, has a intriguing piece
in The New Republic calling for institutions of laws against genocide
denial. He refers in the main to Holocaust and the Armenian genocide.

His article is prompted, in part, by the recent online petition of
200 Turkish writers, academics, and intellectuals apologizing for
the massacre. According to Internet sources over 800 Turks have since
added their name to the petition.

I do not agree with Levi’s stance as I have frequently stated. However,
his article raises some interesting issues.

At one point he makes reference to Irving v. Penguin UK and Lipstadt.

Take France’s Gayssot law, which criminalized the denial of crimes
against humanity, and which as yet has been applied only to denial
of the Jewish Holocaust. This is a law that reins in the fringe and
extremist politicians who engage in lightly cloaked anti-Semitism and
who may be tempted to advocate Holocaust denial. This is a law that
prevents masquerades like that of historian David Irving’s trial in
London in 2000.

Irving brought a libel case against Deborah Lipstadt, author of
"Denying the Holocaust," who had labeled him a spokesman for Holocaust
deniers. Though the judge ruled in notably strong language that Irving
was indeed a Holocaust denier, in the absence of laws penalizing this
offense, Irving walked free.

In fact, had there been a UK law against Holocaust denial Irving
could never have brought his case. Before the trial I might have
thought this was a good thing.

But as a result of the case, not only was Irving declared by the court
to be a denier, racist, and antisemite but as a result of excellent
research by our historical team we exposed the lies, distortions,
falsifications, and inventions upon which Irving relied in each and
every one of his comments about the Holocaust.

It was costly, time consuming, and, at times, overwhelming. But there
is now a official court record attesting to the fact that denial is
naught but a pack of lies. But more important that the court record
is the work down by the historians. But for the trial it is highly
doubtful that anyone would have devoted their time to showing how he
lied and invented regarding the Holocaust.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

January 8, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER GARO MANJIKIAN JOINS ANCA WASHINGTON, DC STAFF

WASHINGTON, DC – Campus and community organizer Garo Manjikian is
the latest addition to the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) Washington, DC office, bringing years of grassroots advocacy
experience to the ANCA legislative affairs team.

"We are delighted to add Garo to our ANCA team in Washington, DC,"
stated ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "With his extensive grassroots
organizing skills and deep involvement in the Armenian community,
Garo will work closely with our regional and local teams to
maximize community participation in securing Armenian American
victories on Capitol Hill."

A graduate from the University of California Davis with a degree in
Philosophy and Religious Studies, Manjikian has worked as campus
organizer for CALPIRG at UC Santa Barbara, leading student and
volunteer efforts to plan, organize and implement public interest
campaigns on issues including global warming, hunger homelessness,
college affordability, youth voting, and ending the ongoing
genocide in Darfur. Specific campaign victories have included
working with the University of California system to commit to
climate neutrality and passing California Prop 1A, to bring high
speed rail to the golden state. As canvass director for the Fund
for the Public Interest, Manjikian and his team raised over
$300,000 and recruited thousands of members for progressive causes
including Environment California, CALPIRG, and the Human Rights
Campaign to advocate stronger policies for California Environment,
improve public transit, and build support for the employment non-
discrimination act.

During the 2008 presidential election season, Manjikian worked as a
lead organizer for Progressive Future, traveling to university
campuses throughout Pennsylvania and Virginia and encouraging tens
of thousands of students to register to vote.

"After working with a diverse group of grassroots human rights and
student groups over the past several years, I am excited to work
with the ANCA team in Washington, DC and around the nation to help
take our legislative agenda to new heights," said Manjikian. "A
new President and Congress will afford our community new
opportunities to seek justice for the Armenian Genocide, self-
determination for the people of Nagorno Karabagh and stronger U.S.-
Armenia relationship. I look forward to the challenges ahead."

A graduate of Mesrobian Armenian School in Montebello, CA,
Manjikian served as University of California Davis Armenian Student
Association president for two years, and was highly involved in
organizing multiple genocide awareness and action events on campus
through out his undergraduate term. He has been active with the
ANCA, participating the Capital Gateway program as an ANCA intern
in 2006 and later working with the ANC of Santa Barbara, to build a
stronger coalition in support of Armenian Genocide reaffirmation
efforts.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Jan 2 2009

Apology campaign can affect Turkey-Armenia relations: Turkish president
02.01.09 12:34

Turkish President Abdullah Gul stated that Apology Campaign launched
by Turkish intellectuals at the end of 2008 can affect Turkey-Armenia
relations, Turkey’s Zaman newspaper reported.

`Apology campaign launched in Turkey can affect Turkey-Armenia
relations,’ Gul said.

Turkish President also said Azerbaijan-Armenia and Turkey-Armenia
dialogues are possible at present.

`Peace and Stability Platform in the Caucasus is in interests of both
sides and Azerbaijan also agrees on it,’ he added.

LETTER TO MASS MEDIA: COVER EVERYDAY LIFE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN LIBERATED TERRITORIES

Lragir.am
13:24:56 – 24/12/2008

A group of NGOs and individuals have written a letter to the mass
media of Armenia. They evoke the December 9 letter of a group of
NKR-based youth organizations to the president of Armenia urging to
replace the map of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region in
the weather forecast by the map of Armenia and NKR.

The authors of the letter condemn the absurd situation that has emerged
14 years after signing the cease-fire. On the one hand, thousands of
Armenians live in NKR which now includes some regions of the former
Soviet Azerbaijan, on this other hand, this reality is not reflected in
the Armenian mass media, weather forecast and commercials. Moreover,
they note, it is a violation of the NKR Constitution Article 142 of
which holds that public administration is carried out in the territory
controlled by Nagorno-Karabakh Republic until the restoration of
territorial integrity of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

The authors of the letter announce that the Armenian mass media do
not convey the reality, ignore the interests of our compatriots living
in the liberated territories, and indirectly support the Azerbaijani
propaganda machine in the information and psychological war against
the Armenians. The developments in the liberated territories, the
everyday life of the people living in the liberated territories are
not covered by the Armenian mass media.

They urge the mass media not to avoid the current borders of NKR,
which are set down in the NKR constitution, cover the life of the
population of the liberated territories, their problems, educate and
inform the citizens of Armenia about the strategic importance of the
liberated territories.

IRAN, ARMENIA REVIEW WAYS TO BOOST TIES

Tehran Times
Dec 25 2008
Iran

MOSCOW (IRNA) — Deputy Iran’s Supreme National Security Council for
international affairs Ali Baqeri held talks with the Armenian senior
officials on ways to expand mutual ties.

In his meeting with Armenia’s Secretary of National Security Council
Arthur Baghdasaryan, the country’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and
Defense Edward Nalbandian and Seyran Ohanyan respectively, Baqeri
called expansion of Iran-Armenia ties as a need for the Middle
East region.

Expressing Iran’s readiness for fostering constructive regional
cooperation, Baqeri said that interference of foreigners is ""the
biggest damage"" to the regional stability.

The Iranian official said that the right way to restore peace and
tranquility in the region is the security and political interaction
among the regional states.

Meanwhile, Baghdasaryan stressed forming a strategic committee of
Tehran-Yerevan national security councils.

He said that the committee would be an effective mechanism for the
two countries’ strategic relations.

Ali Baqeri is visiting Armenia since December 23 to attend the first
meeting of Iran-Armenia joint committee.

STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN: "IT IS WRONG THAT NAGORNO KARABAKH IS LEFT BEYOND THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS"

Today.Az
olitics/49796.html
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan

"It is not correct that Karabakh is left beyond the negotiation
process and next year the diplomatic efforts of powers must aim to
involve Karabakh into the negotiation process as its full party,
said head of the Popular Party of Armenia Stepan Demirchyan, drawing
conclusions of the external policy of Armenia in the passing year.

The three principles, presented by Armenia in the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict, according to Demirchyan, are admissible, yet the
problem is whether the powers will support these principles.

"Unilateral and inadmissible concessions will not be recognized by
our public either in Armenia or Karabakh", said he.

As for the Armenian-Turkish relations, Demirchyan noted that the
football diplomacy did not give special results, as Turkey continues
to bind the improvement of bilateral relations with the resolution of
the Karabakh problem. According to Demirchyan, the idea of creation
of the commission of historians, as the "Armenian genocide" is a fact
and it must be recognized.

"The football diplomacy did not attain a breakthrough in the bilateral
relations, though the initiative of the Turkish intellectuals,
via which they apologize to Armenians for "genocide" is welcomed",
said Demirchyan.