Author: Jilavian Emma

GENOCIDE ISSUE POPPED UP IN THE LEAST CONTEMPLATED PLACE

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 31 2009
Armenia

Armenian Genocide issue is one of the topical for those guided by
a sense of truth and voice of conscience. One of them is the author
of Israeli ‘The Jerusalem Post’ daily’s article. NEWS.am issues the
full text.

"Ten years ago, I was in Armenia for Genocide Memorial Day. Armenians
from their &’galut’ around the world had come to Yerevan to participate
with local citizens in the solemn commemoration. I was with a group
that came from the US, including Henry Morgenthau III. He was there
because the government intended to honor his grandfather, the first
Henry, who as the US ambassador to Constantinople in 1915 had raised
the alarm about the Armenian genocide.

The Morgenthaus and I were Jews among the Armenians. After a week
together, however, it was hard to remember that the Armenians
weren’t Jews. We have much in common: lost families, lost homes,
lost countries, lost languages, lives as minorities, a diaspora,
fears of assimilation, factions in religious practice — and genocide,
as well as foes who would deny that the genocide ever happened.

But this also is where Jews and Armenians part. No civilized society
will tolerate Holocaust denial. Nearly a century later, however,
denial of the Armenian genocide persists, and it pops up in the most
unexpected places.

Most recently it was in the federal appeals court in California. In
a ruling on August 20, two members of a three-judge appellate panel
did not quite deny the Armenian genocide; it was more like &’genocide
squelching.’ At issue was one of a handful of California laws that
collectively extended the statutes of limitations so that Nazi victims,
including slave laborers, as well as victims of the Armenian genocide,
would have additional time to file various claims for redress from
human rights abuses and other losses.

The Armenians were seeking insurance payments from the period in the
waning days of the Ottoman Empire during which they were deported
and massacred by the Turks. This was akin to efforts within the
Jewish community in the last decade to recover insurance payments
for policies written during the Nazi era.

Jewish insurance claims were handled by an international commission
chaired by former US secretary of state Lawrence Eagleburger. Armenians
fended for themselves. Claims from the Ottoman/World War I era were
handled by lawyers who dealt with individual insurance companies. The
American insurer New York Life and the French company AXA reached
settlements with the Armenians.

The case in federal court in California pits Armenians against German
insurance companies. (Let’s put aside for this discussion that German
enterprises should be sensitive to any claim related to genocide,
or that it was Hitler who blithely predicted that no one would
remember the fate of the Armenians.) The German insurers resisted
any discussion of claims, including the possibility of humanitarian
settlements with payments to charitable institutions, said Brian
Kabateck, the Los Angeles attorney representing the Armenians.

The German companies argued that US presidential foreign policy
prohibits legislative recognition of an &’Armenian genocide.’ Although
more than 40 American states have policies on the Armenian genocide,
there is no federal policy recognizing it. Each time in recent years
that a congressional resolution appeared likely to affirm that the
genocide had occurred, the Bush and Clinton administrations argued
against it, saying it would hurt American foreign policy by offending
Turkey, a key ally. The Turks have never recognized the genocide;
they refer to an Armenian revolt.

In a very broad statement that went far beyond California’s laws on
claims deadlines, the federal appellate panel concluded that &’there
is an express federal policy prohibiting legislative recognition of an
‘Armenian genocide."

&’By using the phrase ‘Armenian genocide,’ California has defied the
president’s foreign policy preferences,’ the panel ruled.

It was not swayed by the fact that the federal government has
not expressly prohibited states from using the phrase &’Armenian
genocide.’ And the US government did not participate in this case,
so its position on how states treat the genocide is entirely unclear.

Kabateck, the Los Angeles attorney, vowed to appeal to
the full appellate court, saying the two judges’ ruling was
&’genocide-squelching.’ &’The court says the words ‘Armenian genocide’
when said by any state or local government violates the foreign powers
of the US government and is unconstitutional,’ he said. &’Taken to its
logical extreme, if these two judges are correct, no state or local
government in the United States may use those words in any capacity.’

The court ignored the US record, including president Ronald Reagan’s
1981 proclamation explicitly referring to &’the genocide of the
Armenians,’ said Rouben Adalian, director of the Armenian National
Institute in Washington. &’This decision has so many egregious mistakes
it makes one wonder what else was going on. It is frightening to
see how even judges could be so misled into dangerous and really
shameful territory.’

There is now concern that the ruling will be used as Turkish
propaganda, and to expand the assault on teaching about the genocide
in American public schools.

In June, a federal judge in Boston rejected a lawsuit filed by several
students, teachers and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations
that challenged Massachusetts’ state curriculum. The education
guidelines characterize the World War I-era deaths of Armenians as
genocide. Mark Wolf, the chief judge of the US District Court in
Massachusetts, said the sensitive questions on the historic tragedy
should be debated in the legislature, not the courts.

American Jews don’t face these horrific fights over atrocities and
whether to teach them. New York, New Jersey, California, Florida and
Illinois have laws requiring the teaching of the Holocaust. Ten other
states have regulations recommending Holocaust education. Twelve
states also have Holocaust commissions or councils that support
Holocaust education.

But we surely remember our own battles against Holocaust denial. And
as we are aggressive in protecting our history and in protesting
contemporary atrocities such as in Darfur, so should we protest the
denial of other atrocities of the past."

PRESIDENT OF THE NA PARTICIPATES IN RESERVOIR’S OPERATING CEREMONY

National Assembly of RA
Aug 27 2009
Armenia

On August 26 President of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan,
His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the United States of America to the Republic of Armenia Ms. Mary
Yovanovitch were present at the new reservoir’s solemn ceremony in
the village of Kaghtsrashen in Ararat province.

The realization of Rehabilitation of Water Supply System of Artashat
Town and 27 Designated Villages in the Surrounding Area in Armenia
project costing 3 million dollars that has begun in 2007 with the
support of the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) and the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) has become a reality
today. As the President of the project Mr. Karen Sargsyan has informed
two water springs, two acting reservoirs in Kaghtsrashen have been
renovated, a new 4,000 cubic meter reservoir and 6.2 kilometers water
main from Kaghtsrashen to Artashat has been also built. Hence, Ararat
town and 27 designated villages were provided with qualified and cold
drinking water, while Armenian Water Supply and Sewerage Company had
already begun placing of water-meters.

The project has also helped reduce electricity consumption by
eliminating the need to pump water from the deep wells around Artashat.

The Chairman of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), primate of USA
Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Khazhak Archbishop
Parsamian congratulating the population of Ararat province and
directing the words of acknowledgment to US Government noted that
the collaboration would be continuous.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States
of America to the Republic of Armenia Ms. Mary Yovanovitch stressed
the social and economic benefits of the project in her speech and
assured that the realization of the project would significantly
improve the living conditions of the residents of Artashat town and
27 surrounding villages.

RA Governor of Ararat province Mr. Vardges Hovakimyan also said the
word of acknowledgment.

The Catholicos of All-Armenians performed a water blessing ceremony
noting that the realization of the project was for the benefit of
our people and country.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of Armenia Ms. Mary Yovanovitch had honor to
open the water pipe. Khazhak Archbishop Parsamian and Ms. Ambassador
poured the blessed water into newly constructed reservoir.

AN INTERVIEW WITH BRADEN KING, WRITER/DIRECTOR OF AWARD-WINNING "HERE"
By Appo Jabarian

AZG DAILY
29-08-2009

Interview

"HERE is a landscape obsessed road movie that chronicles a brief but
intense romantic relationship between an American satellite-mapping
engineer and an expatriate Armenian art photographer who impulsively
decide to travel into uncharted territory, both literally and
metaphorically." This is the description provided by HERE’s
writer/director Braden King. The uncharted territory, however,
goes beyond the story and characters, and is an apt description of
the production itself and process of bringing this movie to life as
filming begins in Armenia this summer. HERE represents an opportunity
to highlight Armenia’s uniqueness on the world stage – from its rich
culture and spirited people to its beautiful topography. Having
already garnered awards from top festivals, notably Cannes and
Sundance, the widespread positive buzz on HERE by film enthusiasts
and Armenian supporters worldwide can certainly raise international
awareness of Armenia’s prime location in one of the world’s most
coveted regions. HERE also represents an opportunity to create an
image of Armenia as a film production destination. The potential for
new commerce and industry and of increasing Armenia’s international
profile is no small task, but one that the production team of HERE
seems intent on taking on. However, it is clear to all involved
that achieving these goals will be partly dependent on the support
by Armenians worldwide. Armenians in the twin Armenian Republics –
Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh) – and the Diaspora should take both
pride in and ownership of HERE.

Recently, USA Armenian Life Magazine’s Managing Editor Appo
Jabarian conducted an interview with Braden King, Writer/Director of
HERE. Richard Marshalian, a member of USA Armenian Life Magazine’s
Assistant Editors’ team of "Youth Forum," contributed to this
interview.

Zoe Kevork, Executive Producer of HERE, helped make this invaluable
movie project a reality. She is a dynamic source of cooperation and
communication between the writer/director of this new promising movie
and the Armenian communities in U.S.A.-Europe and Armenia. Below is
the text of the interview:

USA Armenian Life: Why the title "HERE?"

Braden King: In the process of developing this film I’ve been following
a kind of thread. I didn’t wake up one day with a fully formed idea,
knowing I wanted to make a film about a satellite mapping engineer. It
was a very slow process that had to do with wanting to make a film
about a feeling – specifically, the feeling of cross-country travel;
journeys I had taken across the United States and around the world
by car. The title is just one part of that journey, that thread that
I’m still following.That said, it did come very early on, the word –
HERE. It came at the very beginning. The different ways in which that
word – married to a film that is ultimately about ideas of place,
culture, geography and how we tie all of these things together – it
sort of seemed like the only fitting word. I stopped thi f it were;
it was simply something that seemed to represent what this film is
trying to be about.

USA Armenian Life: Are you surprised that the word "HERE" came to
the forefront in your thoughts and what made you decide to adopt it?

KING: No, I’m not surprised. It seemed organically symbolic of what
I was trying to get at. I didn’t attach a specific meaning. The word
was there from the very beginning. This part of the story: Years ago,
before all of this was even a vague idea in my head, I was living in
a big loft apartment in Chicago with a group of musicians. I remember
waking up one day and just painting the word HERE on the wall in big,
black, capital letters and knowing that it was the next thing that I
had to explore, the next puzzle I had to solve. I didn’t know what it
meant; I didn’t know what it was; I didn’t know what it symbolized. But
I knew that it was the beginning of a new journey.

USA Armenian Life: Your character, this engineer has been to many
countries. Why Armenia?

KING: The only way I can answer that question is to talk about the way
that I ended up in Armenia. I was searching for the most appropriate
place for the film, the most appropriate landscape and culture for the
story. I thought about places like Morocco, North Africa… I traveled
to countries that are further east, various "-stan" countries where a
lot of these mapping projects are going on because of natural resource
exploration. And then came Armenia.Armenia was first suggested to me
by a friend, an experimental filmmaker who lives in Toronto. We were
having a discussion very early on – before there was even a script
– about this vague idea I had for a film about a cartographer. And
this friend, she very subtly suggested that I consider Armenia as a
location.I didn’t pay too much attention at first, but as I continued
developing the project and developing the story I would come across
articles buried in the back of the paper – a photo would catch my
eye. And then I was doing more research – looking at landscapes, etc. –
a slow obsession started to build with this country whose national
symbol – Mount Ararat – was across an international border. I started
finding thematic analogies for the film that existed in the actual
world. These were fascinating to me. They were things I couldn’t
make up. For a film that was about questioning ideas of geography,
a film about questioning ideas of orientation and even mapping –
coming across these things was unbelievable.When I finally visited in
2004, it very quickly seemed clear that there was no more appropriate
place in which to set this story. Here was this culture that existed
between east and west, both culturally and literally, on the map;
a country whose history has been a transition point; a country with
such a gorgeous and varied landscape within such a small space –
a landscape that is as magnificent as anything you would see driving
across 2000 miles in America.Armenia is also a country that is between
times – ancient history in all its monasteries and religion – and
it’s also on the cusp of the future. You go there now and you see all
these hundreds of construction cranes and all these new technologies
everywhere. In the end, Armenia became the third co-writer on the
script. The country, the culture, the people allowed me to finish this
story. They finished the piece for me, in a way that was breathtaking.

USA Armenian Life: What was the hardest part of deciding on the
location (Armenia) to make this movie?

KING: There are two answers. The first, as I’ve mentioned, is that once
I arrived in 2004, I saw clearly that there was no more appropriate
place to make this film.The second is purely practical – how do you
bring a western-style production – even a relatively small one –
into a country with very little film infrastructure? In our case,
this has posed challenges, but nothing so severe that it made me think
for a second of moving the production to another country. I believe
that Armenia could be a truly international film production hub – one
that could sit alongside those in places like Romania. If HERE can,
in some small way, help bring that idea closer to reality, I will be
very pleased. The country has so much to offer cinema and the world.

USA Armenian Life: What would you like to see an audience member go
home with after watching the movie?

KING: I’m still thinking about your previous question – about why
is this movie is set in Armenia. It got me thinking a bit about an
off topic thing: how this lead character – the satellite mapping
engineer – ended up in Armenia.After couple of years of work making
notes and writing about the characters, developing the characters,
and thinking about the kinds of things they would do and the things
that were going on in their lives it came to the point were I wanted
to find "the" place before actually writing the screenplay. I couldn’t
do that without a location to pin the story to – much in the t the
satellite imaging engineer is doing his work: to pin the map to the
location. We had to do the same thing for the script. In some respects,
this character could be doing his work anywhere in the world. But in
this story, Armenia was the only place he could be. In order to get
at the themes of this story, in order to accurately reflect them,
there is no other place in this world to make this film.In terms
of what I want an audience member to experience, that’s a difficult
question. Part of me doesn’t want to define that in any way. The most
magical thing that can happen in any cinematic experience – or any
experience with art, period – is the feeling that happens sometimes
when you leave the theater or the concert or the museum and the
world outside has changed a little bit.One thing that I have found
as I’ve been working with the industry on this project – especially
in the non-Armenian community – is a fascination with the Armenian
landscape and culture that is sparked by the script. What has amazed
me, whether it’s with the people I’ve talked to at the Sundance labs,
or with people in the industry, is how often after they’ve read the
script, I’ll come in and talk about the project and there is a whole
secondary conversation about how after looking over this project they
have gotten on the internet and Googled different parts of Armenia
and looked at what the landscape looks like. Or they’ve started to
read about the culture or the country’s history. I’ve been to Armenia
nine times now and it’s still an amazing place with just layers and
layers to penetrate and explore. To see this same reaction happening
with the potential audience, even at the script stage, is amazing. It
gives me great confidence that an audience can be led along that same
exciting journey of discovery that I was led along.

USA Armenian Life: How is the story different from others that have
crossed international borders?

KING: That’s a good question. I think you have to go back to the
reasons why Armenia was the most appropriate for this type of story
to answer that question.You have this American satellite-mapping
engineer continually coming into cultures he does not understand, yet
he is defining these places in a certain way.Then there is this woman
who comes from what I consider to be one of the most richly detailed,
historic and interwoven cultures I have ever experienced, a woman who
has gone in the opposite direction, who has gone to Canada, who has
gone to Europe to start a new life. A woman who has this very grounded
culture running through her and who is dying to assimilate now after
having had all of these new experiences outside. How does she fits
back in? What happens to her, and to her experiences when she comes
back? The combination of these two characters and the transformations
that their relationship and the journey they embark upon together
leads them through – that experience allows them to see themselves in
ways that they couldn’t see with anyone else. It’s what makes their
relationship unique.Traveling with this American who doesn’t have the
ties to the place that she does allows this woman to get a different
perspective than I think she could get in any other way. Similarly
with the American – the Armenian perspective, the Armenian sense
of place is a very deep and unique one that contains ties that bind
generations to that land. His questioning of his solitary life and his
lack of that kind of history probably couldn’t be more acute because
it takes place in this particular country. So it’s about the ways in
which these two people inform each other and ultimately change each
other against the backdrop of this amazing place – Armenia.

USA Armenian Life: Is there a specific message that you are trying to
relate to the audience through your depiction of the two main heroes?

KING: I would not use the word message, I would use a word like
feeling. Or experience. It’s about trying to create something that
allows the viewer to experience the world – their world – in a slightly
different way.

USA Armenian Life: You mentioned that you visited Armenia for the first
time in 2004, you talked about he landscape, and the photographs of the
land, what about the people? What was the most striking characteristic
that you noticed?

KING: We could have a day-long conversation about this topic
alone. Where to begin? My experiences in Armenia have been such a gift
– and I mean that not only in terms of learning about the culture, but
also in seeing the landscape, and in being exposed to an endless stream
of amazing people. I felt I was supported, I felt I was being taken
in. I still feel that. The generosity of the country, the hospitality
of the country and the Armenian people is what allowed me to complete
this story. It would have been impossible without Armenia. There is
no one specific answer. It’s everything.What I found in Armenia was
a landscape g sense I had about Armenia was the incredible amount of
potential the country has.I remember being overwhelmed on my first trip
because there was so much to pack into the film – so many details,
so many things I wanted to get in there. I came away feeling that
there needed to be a hundred films made in Armenia. A thousand films
made in Armenia. There was no way I could shoulder the responsibility
alone. It was just so inspiring. I came away wanting to share as much
of my experience and what I had seen as I could. But I also knew
that I could ultimately only be one of many. So many more stories
need to be told. This is part of why we have pledged to reserve 5%
of HERE’s profits to benefit young filmmakers within Armenia. So many
more films need to me made.

USA Armenian Life: How will the production of this movie affect you
personally and professionally?

KING: The process of developing the film has already been deeply
affecting. I have no idea how the actual production will affect me,
but I am anxious to move on to that phase of the journey. I don’t make
films with these kinds of calculations in mind. I make films because
I feel I have no choice; because I feel that I have been presented
with something that I have to go through, to figure out. This is what
led me to Armenia and to HERE.

MANY ARMENIAN OFFICERS WANT TO LEAVE COUNTRY AND SERVE IN OTHER COUNTRIES: MILITARY EXPERT

Today.Az

Aug 28 2009
Azerbaijan

"Certainly, both Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and Defense Minister
Seyran Ohanyan are very much concerned about state of Armenian armed
forces," Azerbaijani military expert Uzeyir Jafarov said commenting
on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement about rise in army’s
military efficiency and constant improvements in Armenian armed forces.

During a working meeting in the Defense Ministry, Armenian president
said "Armenia’s political leadership has a confident and dignified
position in the negotiating process, as such opportunities are
provided by country’s army, established structure of Armenia",
PanARMENIAN.Net reported.

"By such statements Armenian officials try to calm down their
personnel. It’s no secret that Serzh Sargsyan took up his current post
due to his "merits" during the Karabakh events. All his actions and
statements serve to emphasize once again that he is doing everything
necessary to ensure that everything will be seen in the best way both
in Armenia and Armenia-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh," Jafarov said.

"Serzh Sargsyan wished to emphasize by his statement that they
allegedly have such a strong army. Sargsyan just wanted to give
importance to his army, but it is no secret that Armenian army has
many shortcomings," he added.

"Too many points about the army bother Sargsyan. There is reliable
information that many officers simply want to leave Armenia and serve
in other countries, specifically in Russia, Belarus and Baltic States,"
he said.

"This is not without reason that Sargsyan, as commander in chief,
met with his former associates, he was also defense minister and
conveyed them some of his ideas," the expert said.

"While Armenia does not advertise disadvantages and problems of its
armed forces, but they are very serious. First, they include social
problem, and secondly, they are problems of material security. Also
there is a serious problem in relationship between the indigenous
people and those of the Armenians of Karabakh. The problem has existed
long time, but now it has deteriorated, because political and military
leadership of Armenia today mainly consists of those people who came in
the wake of the Karabakh events and idigenous inhabitants of Yerevan
does not really like it," Jafarov said.

"Sargsyan’s statement is intended solely for internal audience. I do
not think that anybody outside the country will accept this statement
seriously. Nothing depends on it. Armenia is a dependent country,
which depends on Russia to a great degree. And if some time in future
Moscow orders Armenia to free Azerbaijan’s occupied lands, no doubt,
Armenia will do it in a short period of time," he said.

NKR PRESIDENT MET WITH MPS

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 28 2009
Armenia

Nagorno-Karabakh (NKR) President Bako Sahakyan received Naira
Zohrabyan, Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on European
Integration. Commission member Vachagan Khurshudyan and NKR National
Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghulyan also participated.

The issues of parliamentary diplomacy were discussed at the
meeting. The President underlined significance of the right and
systematic presentation of Karabakh issue to various European
organizations.

POLITICAL CIRCLES EXPECT NO FURTHER ARMENIA DEBATE AT PACE
Sargis Harutyunyan

Armenialiberty.org
tml
Aug 26 2009

Representatives of Armenia’s government and opposition expect no
further discussions on the country’s political situation caused by
last year’s disputed presidential election and its deadly aftermath at
the upcoming sessions of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE).

Arman Grigorian, a representative of the main opposition Armenian
National Congress (HAK) to the PACE, ruled out any major developments
in relation to Armenia in Strasbourg this fall.

"It is unlikely that the issue of Armenia will be discussed [at
the PACE] during the autumn plenary session," Grigorian told RFE/RL
on Wednesday.

At the same time, Grigorian called it premature to consider the
issue of Armenia closed at the PACE. He, in particular, reminded
that authorities in Yerevan have not yet fully complied with the
Strasbourg-based body’s latest resolution that among other things
also urged them not to imprison political figures that decide to turn
themselves in to law-enforcements in response to the declared amnesty.

"The issue will be closed when all demands stated in the resolution
are complied with," Grigorian stressed. "I don’t think the Council
of Europe will tolerate [the Armenian government’s] failure to comply
forever."

The HAK’s representative reminding that the PACE Monitoring Commission
will hear a report on Armenia in September.

"There is nothing that can prevent the Council of Europe from putting
Armenia back under a special monitoring regime," he added.

Artsruni Aghajanian, a representative of the parliamentary faction
of the pro-government Orinats Yerkir party and a member of Armenia’s
delegation to the PACE, agrees that no major developments on Armenia
are expected at the autumn session in Strasbourg.

"The positive steps initiated by the authorities will be completed
by the end of the year. The Monitoring Commission is likely to make
a final analysis next spring and report on it to the Assembly next
spring. But no discussions on Armenia will be held at plenary meetings
anymore," Aghajanian said. "It does not mean, however, that the issue
is closed. Major questions have been addressed. A few secondary one
remain, and we are also keen on seeing them addressed as well."

ARMENIA’S BANKING SYSTEM FACE EXCESS LIQUIDITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.08.2009 16:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian banking system faces excess liquidity,
Emil Soghomonyan , the chairman of the Union of Banks of Armenia told
a press conference on Tuesday According to him, for the moment the
Armenian banks have 5-6% of "idle" loans. "This rate is very high
for Armenia, because we have a small country and, consequently,
a small market," he said.

Emil Soghomonyan also noted that the banking system of Armenia has
had very small amount of non-performing loans, and in 2008 that level
did not exceed 1 per cent. "Even if the economy of Armenia is to face
the second phase of the crisis, it will not shake the foundations of
the banking system," Soghomonyan concluded.

DASHNAKTSUTYUN AGAIN DEMANDS RESIGNATION OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.08.2009 21:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ ARF Dashnaktsutyun polititcal party issued
a statement in connection with the upcoming rally on September 2
devoted to Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s independence declaration. In
particular, the statement calls to protect the victories of Armenian
people and to respect Artsakh’s self-determination, reject any
concessions imposed on Armenia, restore full format of negotiations
with the full participation of Artsakh.

In its statement, ARF, referring to Armenian-Turkish relations, again
demands to cease negotiations which serve the Turkish interests,
and resignation of Armenia’s foreign minister.

HOUSES OF CHRISTIANS IN ISTANBUL MARKED WITH RED AND GREEN LABELS

Der Standard
euser-von-Christen-in-Istanbul-gekennzeichnet
Aug 5 2009
Austria

Christian houses in Ferikoy und Kurtulus, areas in Istanbul, where
many Armenians and Greeks live, were marked with red or green labels
in the past weeks.

Kurdish representatives in the Turkish parliament requested
clarification after Agos, Istanbul based Armenian newspaper, had
reported about the incident, It is still unclear who was behind
the action.

Agos editor Aris Nalci confirmed to the Austrian news-source, Der
Standard, worried and mainly older members of the Armenian community
called the newspaper and reported about the fact of small red or
green papers hung on their houses. After Agos investigated, they
noted that about 100 houses in which, not always but very often,
Armenians still live were plastered with these labels.

"We do not know what all this means," Nalci said, but some people are
worried. Demands at the city administration and the police brought
no results until now. "Nobody knows about it," says Nalci. "It can be
a bad joke; it can however also have a serious background," said Nalci.

The indictment against the nationalist Ergenekon group is accused
of having planned a coup against the government of Prime Minister
Erdogan, including planned attacks on Armenians as a tool for targeted
destabilization.

Agos newpaper and Sebahat Tuncel are now demanding that the
police carry out an official investigation to reassure the people
concerned. "They should publicly take a position," said Nalci,
"so we know what’s going on."

[the original German version follows]

Hauser von Christen in Istanbul gekennzeichnet

25. August 2009, 19:03Kurdische Vertreter im Parlament verlangen
Aufklarung – Noch ist ungeklart, wer hinter der Aktion steckt
Die kurdische Parlamentsabgeordnete Sebahat Tuncel sorgt mit einer
Parlamentsanfrage uber eine mogliche Kennzeichnung christlicher Hauser
derzeit fur Aufsehen: Demnach wurden in den letzten Wochen Hauser in
Sisle und Samatya, Gegenden in Istanbul, in denen viele Armenier und
Griechen leben, mit roten oder grunen Zetteln gekennzeichnet. Tuncel
will von Innenminister Besir Atalay wissen, wer hinter dieser
Kennzeichnung steckt und welchen Sinn das haben soll.

Die Anfrage von Sebahat Tuncel geht auf einen Bericht in der
armenisch-turkischen Wochenzeitung Agos zuruck. Wie Agos-Redakteur
Ariz Nalci dem Standard bestatigte, hatten beunruhigte, "uberwiegend
altere Angehorige der armenischen Community" bei der Zeitung angerufen
und daruber berichtet, dass an ihren Hausern kleine rote oder grune
Zettel pickten. Man ging der Sache nach und stellte fest, dass rund
100 Hauser, in denen nicht immer, aber doch sehr haufig Armenier leben,
mit diesen Zetteln, die ungefahr die Große eines U-Bahn-Tickets haben,
beklebt seien.

"Wir wissen nicht, was das bedeuten soll", sagte Nalci, aber etliche
Leute seien beunruhigt. Nachfragen bei der Stadtverwaltung und der
Polizei haben bislang kein Ergebnis gebracht. "Niemand weiß davon",
sagt Nalci, weshalb nun die Abgeordnete Tuncel den Innenminister
aufgefordert hat, die Sache aufzuklaren. "Es kann ein schlechter
Scherz sein", sagte Nalci, "es kann aber auch einen ernsten Hintergrund
haben."

So geht aus der Anklageschrift gegen die nationalistische Erge-
nekon-Gruppe, der vorgeworfen wird, einen Putsch gegen die
Regierung von Ministerprasident Erdogan vorbereitet zu haben,
hervor, dass Anschlage auf Armenier als ein Mittel fur eine gezielte
Destabilisierungskampagne vorgesehen waren.

Vor zweieinhalb Jahren wurde der Chefredakteur von Agos, Hrant
Dink, vor der Redaktion von einem rechtsradikalen Jugendlichen
erschossen. Die Hintermanner dieses Mordes werden ebenfalls bei
Ergenekon vermutet.

Bis sich jetzt Sebahat Tuncel der Geschichte mit den Zetteln annahm,
war das Ganze lediglich eine lokale Geschichte. Weder der Sprecher des
griechischen Patriarchats, Dositeos Anagnostisois, noch der Pfarrer
der evangelischen Gemeinde, Holger Nollmann, wussten davon. Agos
und Sebahat Tuncel verlangen nun, dass die Polizei eine offizielle
Untersuchung vornimmt, um die Betroffenen zu beruhigen. "Sie sollen
offentlich dazu Stellung nehmen", sagte Nalci, "damit wir wissen,
was los ist."

In der Vergangenheit, zuletzt 1955, war es mehrmals zu Ausschreitungen
gegen die christlichen Minderheiten gekommen. (Jurgen Gottschlich
aus Istanbul/DER STANDARD, Printausgabe, 26.8.2009)

News.am

Azeris are poorer than they seem to be
15:46 / 08/22/2009

Azerbaijani Government stated the poverty rate in Azerbaijan is 13.2%,
declining only by 2.6%, which apparently does not correspond to
reality.
According to the experts, discrepancy is caused by minimum subsistence
consumer basket miscalculation. Under the Azerbaijani Economic
Research Center data, minimum subsistence basket totals 119 manat,
which for 41% exceeds consumer basket adopted by Azerbaijani
Government in 2008 (84 manat).
In particular, minimal basket for social unsecured people is 131 manat
and 83 qapik, for pensioners – 100 manat and 63 qapik; for children –
124 manat and 54 qapik.