Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Aysor, Armenia
Jan 23 2010

U.S. tries to add wings to Armenia-Turkey reconciliation

`Turkey is in everyway trying to fasten down the process [of
ratification] using Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision on
protocols as a reason to blame Armenian side. The U.S. wishes for
speeding-up the process of reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey
as they are interested in this,’ told Aysor’s correspondent Artak
Shakarian, a turkologist.

He pointed that the U.S. government is trying to prevent Turkey’s
policy in the process. But Turkey seeks after fastening down the
process, it will make statements and act to slow down the progress
showing Azerbaijan that it doesn’t want to normalise relations with
Armenia until the Karabakh conflict’s settlement.

`Anyway, the U.S. government, and in particularly, President Barack
Obama, will wish for progress by Turkey till April 24, as this is a
day when President Obama is expected to say something. Turkey must
act, so that Obama’s speech could be filled up,’ said Artak Shakarian.

`Turkey at least must move to consultations on protocols at the
parliamentary commission for foreign affairs. I do not exclude that
the commission will approve the documents with some conditions
relating to the issue of Karabakh.’

Turkey’s Parliament won’t ratify protocols, according to the expert,
who pointed that the protocols will be approved only at
pre-parliamentary level to bring to the world and Armenia that there
are some positive steps in the progress.

If Turkey ratifies protocols, it will do it only under the pressure of
U.S., Russia, and EU, believes Shakarian. `Turkey is not interested in
the end of the process this year. It wishes for fastening down the
process as long as it is possible, blaming Armenia. So, Armenian
government must take steps to put a crimp in Turkey’s plans.’

Armenia’s Parliament shouldn’t ratify protocols ahead of Turkey,
according to Artak Shakarian who pointed that Armenia should be
waiting for Turkey’s decision.

It’s worth mentioning, that Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
is reported to have had a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton to exchange views on a range of items
including the process of ratification for Armenia-Turkey protocols. He
said, Armenian Court’s decision is completely in conflict with signed
documents and asked Mrs. Clinton to cast light on this issue.

Meanwhile, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon said in an
interview with Radio Liberty that the United States welcome the
Court’s decision.

`We view the Court’s decision as a positive step forward in the
ratification process of the protocols aimed at reconciliation between
Turkey and Armenia.

`The court decision permits the protocols, as they were negotiated and
signed, to move towards parliamentary ratification. Court’s decision
does not appear to limit or qualify protocols in any way,’ said Philip
Gordon.

KOCHARIAN, MOTTAKI DISCUSS REGIONAL ISSUES

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.01.2010 13:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Former Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Wednesday to exchange
views over regional and bilateral ties.

The senior Iranian diplomat described the Iran-Armenia relation as
"long-standing" and underscored the necessity to maintain stability
in the Caucasus.

"Security and stability in the Caucasus should be consolidated by
regional approaches," Mr. Mottaki said.

Commenting on the current economic crisis, he said these problems have
stemmed from the corrupt system ruling the world which was established
after the Second World War.

Mr. Kocharian, for his part, said Armenia is determined to expand
bilateral cooperation with Iran. He also highlighted the efficiency
of regional approaches in promoting regional security and economic
development, saying the foreign powers’ prescriptions for resolving
crises in the Caucasus region is destructive, Tehran Times reported.

DON ASKARIAN: MY FILMS AND PHOTOS MUST SPEAK INSTEAD OF ME

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.01.2010 20:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On January 21 exhibition of the film director,
producer and photographer Don Askarian opened at the Narekatsy Center
of Arts.

"This exhibition is an excellent starting point for educational
programs of our center," artistic director of the center Levon
Iskenyan said. In addition to the photo exhibition films of Don
Askarian, including his new work "Father" will be shown from 21 to 25
January. The Narekatsy Center of Arts also organizes workshop between
23 and 25 January.

Don Askarian was born in Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh. In 1967
he went to Moscow and studied history and art. He worked as an
assistant-director and film critic for a year after his study. In
1975-1977 Don Askarian was imprisoned. In 1978 he emigrated from the
USSR to West Berlin. For the last 25 years he has lived and worked
in Germany, The Netherlands and in Armenia, where he founded his
own film companies. He is a prize-winner at several international
film festivals.

In 1996, Don Askarian published his book "The Dangerous Light". Every
year the interest to his unique films grow up. More and more film
festivals come to honor Don Askarian with retrospectives. Serious
TV-stations like ARD, WDR, ZDF, Channel 4, Arte, but also Belgian,
Greek, Swiss, Slovakian, Armenian etc. TV Channels are constant
co-producers and buyers of all his films. The films of Don Askarian
were sold and broadcast world wide about 80 times. Don Askarian,
honored with a Harvard Film Archive retrospective, is considered the
greatest Armenian filmmaker (but he is Russian-German-Dutch too).

In 2004, he received the Golden Camera Award for Life Achievement
at Int. ART Film Festival, Slovakia. It turns out to be clearer what
Hans-Werner Dannowski, the president of Interfilm (between 1989-2004),
meant in 1992: "Time will pass until we recognize that Don Askarian
is one of the most important filmmakers of our times. His movies will
take up the time they need. Finally the films will have their success
not with lies and assimilations but with truth." The retrospectives
and special screenings around the world, on TV and important film
festivals reflect it, mirror the growing interest in Don Askarian’s
films followed by a broad fascination by the audience.

DON ASKARIAN: EVEN GARBAGE CAN BECOME A SUBJECT OF MY ART

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.01.2010 21:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The audience for me is not a gray mass, but a
group of personalities, so I expect a various reactions to a film,"
Don Askarian , director, producer, writer and photographer told a
meeting with journalists at the Narekatsy center of arts.

"All my works are aimed at finding the truth and their quality and my
freedom are priorities for me," the director said. He also stressed
that the subject of his art can be even garbage. "Everything depends
on my approach to it," Askarian said.

Director now is working on several new projects, including "Hadji
Murad" and "Soghomon Tehleryan’~R films. Don Askaryan’s films will
be screened in Yerevan from January 21 to 25 in the Narekatsy center
of arts.

Don Askarian , director, screenwriter, artist, editor. Don Askarian
was born in Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh. In 1967 he went to Moscow
and studied history and art. He worked as an assistant-director and
film critic for a year after his study. In 1975-1977 Don Askarian was
imprisoned. In 1978 he emigrated from the USSR to West Berlin. For
the last 25 years he has lived and worked in Germany, The Netherlands
and in Armenia, where he founded his own film companies. He is a
prize-winner at several international film festivals. In 1996, Don
Askarian published his book "The Dangerous Light". Every year the
interest to his unique films grow up. More and more film festivals
come to honor Don Askarian with retrospectives. Serious TV-stations
like ARD, WDR, ZDF, Channel 4, Arte, but also Belgian, Greek, Swiss,
Slovakian, Armenian etc. TV Channels are constant co-producers and
buyers of all his films. The films of Don Askarian were sold and
broadcast world wide about 80 times. Don Askarian, honored with
a Harvard Film Archive retrospective, is considered the greatest
Armenian filmmaker (but he is Russian-German-Dutch too).

In 2004, he received the Golden Camera Award for Life Achievement
at Int. ART Film Festival, Slovakia. It turns out to be clearer what
Hans-Werner Dannowski, the president of Interfilm (between 1989-2004),
meant in 1992: "Time will pass until we recognize that Don Askarian
is one of the most important filmmakers of our times. His movies will
take up the time they need. Finally the films will have their success
not with lies and assimilations but with truth." The retrospectives
and special screenings around the world, on TV and important film
festivals reflect it, mirror the growing interest in Don Askarian’s
films followed by a broad fascination by the audience.

EURONEWS FILMS IN AZERBAIJAN’S FRONT-LINE REGIONS

news.az
Jan 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Euronews A Euronews film crew led by Laura Davudescu has visited
Azerbaijan’s front-line districts to make a documentary on the
Karabakh conflict.

The film crew visited the Terter and Agdam regions of Azerbaijan.

Davudescu visited the front-line villages and saw for herself the
situation and living conditions there. She talked to Azerbaijani
refugees who were forced by the Armenian occupation to flee their
homes.

Davudescu said she is astonished at the causes and results of the
Armenian occupation which she saw with her own eyes. The group left
for Baku after the filming.

In November last year Euronews showed a tendentious film, Nagorno
Karabakh – Wind of Change, which caused resentment and protests in
Azerbaijan. Following a protests by Azerbaijanis outside the head
office of the TV channel in Lyon (France), Euronews promised to
correct the mistake and make an objective report about Karabakh.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN CALLED AHMET DAVUTOGLU, SAYS MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON

Tert.am
14:27 ~U 20.01.10

Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edward Nalbandian, had a
phone conversation with his Turkish colleague, Ahmet Davutoglu, said
spokesperson for Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Burak Ozugergin,
reports Turkish new agency Anadolu Ajansi.

Ozugergin noted that during the phone discussion, which was initiatied
by the Armenian side, Davutoglu referred to Turkey’s unease in the
Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision on the Armenian-Turkish
Protocols.

Davutoglu said that the Court’s decision, which contains preconditions
and restrictive commentary, is unacceptable for Turkey. Furthermore,
noting that Turkey continues to remain committed not only to the
constructive working disposition of the negotiating process, but also
to the "letter and spirit" of the signed Protocols, Turkey’s foreign
minister said that he expects the same resoluteness and necessary
political will from Armenia’s governing leaders.

Davutoglu considered Armenia’s accusations that Turkey is dragging
out the negotiating process to be unfounded, and reminding Nalbandian
that the Protocols have already been passed to Turkey’s Grand National
Assembly, noted that Armenia is far behind Turkey when it comes to
the parliamentary process.

MOSCOW WON’T PUT PRESSURE ON ARMENIA, SAYS RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY

Tert.am
13:37 â~@¢ 20.01.10

Although Turkey and Russia are fostering closer relations and economic
ties, the developments are not due to a "strategic partnership"
but "common interests," according to Russian Ambassador to Turkey
Vladimir Ivanovskiy, reports Turkish news source Hurriyet Daily News &
Economic Review.

"Looking at the real interests that are common in the Black Sea,
Middle East and Central Asia, Turkey and Russia are becoming good
partners, especially in the field of energy," the ambassador said.

"There is no political motivation behind boosting energy cooperation
but bilateral economic interests," he added. "I don’t like the term
‘strategic partnership’."

Referring to relations with Armenia, Ivanovskiy said, "We have been
playing honestly since the beginning. What Lavrov said in Yerevan is
the same as what Putin and Medvedev told Erdogan in Moscow."

During his recent visit to Yerevan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov had told reporters that to attempt and artificially link
Armenia-Turkey relations with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is not correct.

Russia will not put pressure on Armenia to withdraw from
Nagorno-Karabakh, the ambassador added. "As the Turkish side already
knows, we [i.e. Russia] will not take sides. We will not put pressure
on anybody in order to solve the problem," he said, adding that such
pressure may have negative results.

According to the ambassador, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and
Obama have expressed similar views as well.

EVENTS IN COMMEMORATION OF HRANT DINK COMMENCED IN ISTANBUL

news.am
Jan 19 2010
Armenia

Events in commemoration of Armenia-Turkey Agos daily chief editor
Hrant Dink commenced on January 19 in Istanbul. According to Turkish
Cumhuriyet, people lighted candles and laid flowers to the place the
editor was killed.

A group of Turkish intellectuals held a demonstration of commemoration
as was announced several days ago. The participants took to the
streets, carrying masks with Dink’s face and banners: "We are all
Hrant Dink, we are all Armenians", "To spite fascism, you are my friend
Dink", "The day will come and criminals will give an answer to people".

Another group with "Hrant’s assassins will answer for this" banners
headed to Agos office after delivering speeches in Taksam square.

AZERIS LIE BRAZENLY: DIRECTOR OF CENTER FOR CAUCASUS STUDIES

news.am
Jan 19 2010
Armenia

Pan-Turkism ideology advocated by Caucasian Tatars — thereafter called
Azerbaijanians brought about Armenian massacres, Director of the Center
for Caucasus Studies at MGIMO Vladimir Zakharov said, speaking at
the Jan. 19 seminar dedicated to 20th anniversary of massacres in Baku.

According to him, though Bolshevik Party banned activities of all
nationalist groups, nationalism has always existed in Azerbaijan.

Moreover, hatred against Armenians passed on from generation to
generation and in present Azerbaijan the image of Armenian as an
enemy is created at the national level.

Speaking of the Soviet leadership stance in the first years of
Karabakh conflict, Zakharov stated that Mikhail Gorbachev was handling
a complex problem of the Soviet Union collapse. As a result he adopted
a wait-and-see attitude advantageous to Azerbaijani side.

The expert also pointed out the weaknesses of Armenian authorities
in conveying the truth of Karabakh conflict to international community.

Zakharov emphasized that counteraction policy against Azerbaijan’s
misinformation should be carried out at the state level. In particular,
a special fund should be created to translate the appropriate
literature into foreign languages.

HRANT BAGRATYAN: ARMENIA NEEDS NEW RADICAL REFORMS
Hasmik Dilanyan

"Radiolur"
18.01.2010 16:40

Representative of the Armenian National Congress, ex-Prime Minister
of Armenia Hrant Bagratyan said he doesn’t believe our country has
overcome the crisis. Furthermore, according to him, the downfall has
not retreated.

"The Republic of Armenia needs new radical reforms," Hrant Bagratyan
told a press conference today.

Touching upon the Armenian-Turkish relations and the decision of the
Constitutional Court on the protocols, Hrant Bagratyan said "in essence
the Court was to declare the protocols conform to the Constitution."