Author: Nargizian David

NA AD HOC COMMITTEE WILL WORK BY SEPTEMBER

A1+
[07:41 pm] 20 February, 2009

The NA ad hoc Committee looking into the events of March 1-2 in
Yerevan downtown will work by September 15, 2009.

Today the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Issues chaired
by David Harutyunyan discussed the draft decision on the "formation
of NA ad hoc Committee to inquire in the events and consequences of
March 1-2, 2008, in Yerevan City." draft decision was co-authoured
by Armenian parliamentarians Galust Sahakyan, Heghine Bisharyan,
Vahan Hovhannisyan and Sukias Avetisyan.

Republican MP Sukias Avetisyan notes that the extension of the
Committee’s activity will help the NA ad hoc Committee come up with
a more or less complete conclusion on the disputed events. The draft
decision will be put on the agenda of the NA four-day sitting.

ARMENIANS APPEAL AGAINST CONTROVERSIAL DOCUMENTARY IN SCHOOLS

Today’s Zaman
Feb 19 2009
Turkey

About 500 Armenians have sent a letter addressed to Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan asking him to suspend the screening of a
controversial documentary about the Armenian question that the
Education Ministry has recently required primary schools to screen.

The letter asks the prime minister not to require that the documentary
be screened at Armenian minority schools. But reports indicate
that Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Youth Branches have
distributed a large number of copies of the documentary.

The documentary, which defends the Turkish thesis against the
Armenian genocide allegations, narrates stories of Turkish people
tortured to death by Armenian gangs before 1915. The ministry has
ordered the film to be screened since June 25 at primary schools,
including those for Armenian students. In a memo sent to the schools,
the ministry has also asked that schools submit a report by Feb. 27
on the effect that the documentary had on students. The memo said
the documentary was prepared by the General Staff.

About 500 Armenians living in Turkey and intellectuals sent a letter
to Erdogan asking him to call off the screenings at Armenian minority
schools. The letter reads: "It is obvious that the documentary will
promote violence and discrimination and breed hatred and enmity
against the Armenian population in Turkey rather than providing
insightful information on the developments in the past. Dear Prime
Minister, this practice will inflict the greatest harm upon Armenian
pupils who are studying together with their Turkish friends. Those
who are unfamiliar will never know the impact of such an accusation
on the child’s psychology. To make sure that at least the Armenian
kids are saved from the feeling of guilt and exclusion while seeing
this documentary, we kindly ask you to exempt the Armenian students
from seeing this piece and not to allow its screening at Armenian
minority schools."

AK Party distributes 75,000 copies

But while the open letter to Erdogan has been posted for signups,
it became clear that the AK Party has distributed a large number
of copies of this documentary. Ä°smail Umac, who produced the
documentary, said an AK Party local branch asked for 75,000 copies
before the July 22 elections. The party’s local branches gave away
75,000 DVDs to young people. The back cover of the DVDs featured a
statement by Mehmet Muezzinoglu, who was elected Istanbul deputy in
July 22 elections. Umac also said that there was no link between the
documentary and the General Staff.

‘It is hard to be a Jewish student as well’

Before screening the documentary on the Armenian question, the
government sponsored other controversial practices in primary
schools. The Education Ministry issued a memo asking for a moment of
silence at all schools in memory of those who died in Gaza during the
Israeli attacks. Experts recalled that this would be detrimental to
the psychologies of the children and provoke hatred against Jews.

Another controversial incident involving the AK Party with respect
to abuse of the children was reported by Radikal daily on Feb 14,
2009. The paper published a photo depicting some kids picked by the
party administration as "AK envoys" who would distribute the party’s
fliers and prime minister’s letter to the public.

STATE CREDIT OF 3.1 BILLION DRAMS TO BE GIVEN TO ZANGEZUR COPPER AND MOLYBDENUM ENTERPRISE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 19, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian government will
provide a state credit of 3.1 billion drams to Zangezur Copper and
Molybdenum Enterprise. The prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said at the
February 19 sitting of the government that this assistance will help
the enterprise work at full capacity in the next three years.

Thanks to the assistance, according to the prime minister, the
productivity of the enterprise will grow by 30% as it is planned to
import new equipment for improving the quality of production. Besides,
another 50 satellite enterprises with a total of 2,000 jobs will be
ensured that they can keep these jobs.

The prime minister said that a much more favorable social environment
will be created in Syunik marz. "This is an unprecedented function
performed by the government, and it has an entirely anticrisis nature,"
he underlined.

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP WILL OPEN NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPANDING ARMENIA-EU COOPERATION

armradio.am
20.02.2009 11:05

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, had a meeting
with the EU Special Representative of the South Caucasus Peter Semneby.

Greeting the guest, Edward Nalbandian noted with appreciation that
the EU-Armenia relations continue developing both on multilateral
level and in the format of bilateral contacts with member states.

The Armenian Foreign Minister attached importance to the implementation
of the agreements reached during President Sargsyan’s visit to Brussels
in November 2008 as an important factor for promoting cooperation.

The interlocutors discussed the Eastern Partnership Initiative and
expressed hope that the cooperation in that format will open new
opportunities for expanding cooperation with European structures and
EU member states.

During the meeting reference was made to the results of Edward
Nalbandian’s visit to Warsaw and Prague.

Minister Nalbandian and Ambassador Semneby referred to the process
of negotiations on the settlement of the Karabakh issue, exchanged
views on the opportunities for normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

KOSOVO MARKS 1ST ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.02.2009 14:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Various events are being held across Kosovo to mark
the first anniversary of its declaration of independence from Serbia.

Speaking before the anniversary celebrations, Kosovo’s Prime Minister
Hashim Thaci said his government is building a homeland for all of
its people.

"I call upon all the citizens of Kosovo, regardless of their ethnicity,
to celebrate with dignity and pride. It is a year of historical
success for Kosovo," Thaci said.

"Kosovo has a safe future; therefore we should celebrate with dignity
and be proud. We will have a state protocol of the highest level,
but we will also have a big celebration for all our citizens," he said.

Albanian-majority Kosovo unilaterally declared independence a year
ago amid support from the Western community.

U.S. and UK leaders are reported to congratulate Kosovo authorities
on the anniversary.

NOTE TO ISRAEL
By Taha Akyol

Turkish Press
Feb 17 2009

AKSAM- Israeli Land Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi has lost
his senses. Following Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s cutting
remarks to Israeli President Shimon Peres in Davos, Mizrahi said that
Erdogan should look in the mirror, because Turks massacred Armenians
and now they’re doing the same thing to Kurds, and they also invaded
Cyprus. The Foreign Ministry gave Israel a note branding Mizrahi’s
statements ‘ravings’ and requested an explanation. ‘Ravings’ is a
very harsh expression in diplomacy, but Mizrahi deserved it. The
General Staff also said that Mizrahi had gone beyond his duties,
authorities and responsibilities and that his statements would damage
national interests. The Israeli chief of general staff should know
how serious this warning is! I’ll criticize Erdogan’s remarks, but
first let’s look at what Mizrahi said.

First, since 1968 Israel has been the ‘invading country,’ and has
committed barbaric massacres in the territories it invaded. This is
no mere claim, but a reality under UN resolutions. On the other hand,
Turkey is the legal inheritor of the Ottoman state, the legitimacy
of which is accepted by European law. Turkey hasn’t taken one
inch more Ottoman territory than was recognized by international
law in 1914! These territories have been part of Turkey for 1,000
years! Consider these historical and legal realities: there is no
comparison between the problems which the Ottoman government faced in
its defense after the Armenian committees allied themselves with the
Russian Army during World War I, with Israel’s barbaric treatment of
Israel of civilians living in the territory it invaded; nor is there
anything in common between Turkey’s legal fight against terrorism and
Israel’s violence against civilians who lived in the territory that
it invaded; and failing to see that Turkey’s 1974 Peace Operation was
conducted to stop the massacres in Northern Cyprus and that security
and peace prevails throughout Cyprus today, while calling Turkey an
‘invader country,’ isn’t a problem with reason, but a display of
enmity against Turkey. Turkey can’t tolerate such a hostile stance. I
don’t care if Turkish-Israeli relations suffer or not. The Israeli
government is responsible for setting things right.

I’ve previously written that Erdogan was right in his statements
in Davos, but the style of his remarks was problematic, because
I’m bothered by the reactions to such statements as ‘you know very
well how to kill people.’ Similarly, diplomats anticipated this and
scolded Erdogan, who said his reaction wasn’t against Peres or the
Israeli nation, but the moderator of the Davos panel. But his words
are what will be remembered. I wish Erdogan had criticized Peres
in a more diplomatic language, saying something like, ‘Mr. Peres,
you’re a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, so it’s improper of you to
defend blood and death,’ and then left the panel. This way Turkey
would have won the heart of Middle Eastern nations and the praise
of the international community, and people like Mizrahi would have
nothing to say, and there would be no unfair accusations against
Turkey. Leaders should be careful and control their reactions so as
not to cause unfair accusations against their countries."

ON THE NORTH SHORE, CANDIDATES SEEK TO EASE THE TRAFFIC
by Khadijah Rentas

Gotham Gazette
217/255/2828
Feb 16 2009
NY

The Candidates

Tony Baker
Kenneth Mitchell
Donald Pagano
Deborah Rose
Paul Saryian

Current Occcupant: The seat became vacant when voters elected
Councilmember Michael McMahon to Congress on Nov. 4.

———————————————- ———————————-

The Staten Island race that began as the most hotly contested of this
year’s three special elections for City Council, has been shaken up
and whittled down to five candidates from nine. One independent,
Paul Saryian, has dared to take on four Democrats: Deborah Rose,
Tony Baker, Donald Pagano and Kenneth Mitchell. They will duke it out
for the 49th district City Council seat over familiar Staten Island
issues that include curbing traffic congestion and public access to
an underdeveloped waterfront.

The candidates’ platforms strongly resemble one another. All of them
promise expensive projects to boost a district that has been hard hit
by the economic downturn. The North Shore is one of four areas Mayor
Michael Bloomberg has cited as having the highest increase in housing
foreclosures in the city. All five want improved transportation, less
crime and more money funneled to education and struggling families. But
each candidate differs on the details and on how they would make good
on those promises.

For more, jump here.

——————————————- ————————————-

Biographies : Tony Baker, 51: The reverend and former school teacher
lives in Port Richmond. He is a U.S. Army veteran and on the board
of the Richmond University Medical Center.

Kenneth Mitchell, 43: The West Brighton resident served as chief
of staff to former Councilmember Michael McMahon as his chief of
staff. Mitchell has received endorsements from his former boss and
unions, including a firefighters union.

Donald Pagano, 47: Also of Port Richmond, he owns DRP Electrical
Contracting, Inc. and has worked in the electrical contracting field
for 30 years. He is secretary for Community Education Council 31.

Deborah Rose, 56: The Mariner’s Harbor resident ran for the council
seat in 2001, but lost to McMahon. She is secretary of Community
Board No. 1 and has advocated for the community for 28 years.

Paul Saryian, 49: Saryian, who lives in West Brighton, served as a
New York City police officer for 23 years and retired a captain. The
NYPD Captains Endowment Association has endorsed him.

Campaign Finance Records Tony Baker Kenneth Mitchell Donald Pagano
Deborah Rose Paul Saryian

Links in the News: Tabacco Loses Ballot Spot, The Wonkster, Feb. 12,
2009

Nine Vie for City Council Seat (video), NY1, Feb. 13, 2009

City Council Race Getting Uglier, Staten Island Advance, Feb. 11, 2009

Staten Island Democrats Vie for McMahon’s Seat, City Room, Nov. 14,
2008

—————————————- —————————————-

The most urban of Staten Island’s three districts, the 49th sharply
contrasts with the more suburban feel of the rest of the island
and hosts five of the borough’s 10 public housing developments. The
district also differs politically from the rest of often Republican
Staten Island — Democrats have held the North Shore district seat
for more than 25 years.

The district is the home of many recent immigrants and the most
racially diverse part of the island. Rose and Baker are both looking
to become the first black council member from Staten Island. Saryian
is of Armenian and Hispanic descent, and former candidate Rajiv Gowda,
who was knocked off the ballot, was born in India.

‘Shovel-Ready’ Residents and visitors alike often complain about
transportation on Staten Island: traffic on the Staten Island
Expressway sometimes backed up to New Jersey, the Verrazano Bridge’s
toll of $10 (up $2 from 2004) and the limited ferry service at
off-peak times.

To ease transportation woes, the candidates all advocate development
of a light rail system.

Rose, who ran unsuccessfully for the council seat in 2001, suggested
creating a rail line that would circle the entire island. Rose and
Pagano view the rail line as a shovel-ready project that should be
eligible for money from the federal economic stimulus package and
that could economically revitalize the neighborhoods along the route.

Mitchell promises to work for the development of a light rail on the
North Shore. A lawyer, Mitchell, Mitchell worked as McMahon’s chief of
staff, experience that he thinks sets him apart from his competition.

Baker, along with Rose and Mitchell, wants to increase local and
express bus service and save bus service the MTA has threatened to
cut because of budget shortfalls.

Saryian also wants to encourage more public transportation
and has turned his eyes to the median over the Staten Island
Expressway. Saryian thinks a rail system in Staten Island, similar
to the AirTrain over the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens, would relieve
car traffic.

The ferry doesn’t contribute to car traffic and offers the only free
trip off or on the island. About 19 million people a year ride the
ferry, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. But the
boat departs St. George terminal only once an hour weekend evenings
and overnight every day.

Rose wants the boat to depart every 20 minutes around the
clock. Mitchell said he’d like to see the ferry motor across the
Hudson River every half-hour after midnight. And Saryian has a plan
to subsidize increased ferry service: Tourists should pay while New
Yorkers continue to ride for free.

Making Tourists Pay After floating serenely down the Hudson past
the Statue of Liberty, tourists dock at St. George and step off the
ferry. Instead of lingering, many get right back on the boat. Some
candidates believe developing the mostly inaccessible and unfriendly
waterfront to provide recreation for islanders and tourists would
boost the economy.

Pagano wants to recast the shoreline with an esplanade from the
homeport, which the Navy once owned, to Snug Harbor. He envisions a
new K-12 school, park, restaurants, summer boating and a low-rise
hotel or two that don’t block the view. Basically, "a downtown
centralized Mecca."

Mitchell also wants a new K-12 school, but not on the waterfront. He
proposes waterfront parks and housing and commercial space at the
homeport.

Staten Island Tea Party?

Stimulus money and tourism offer the 49th district a way to get what
some residents say the North Shore hasn’t received from the city:
its "fair share."

Saryian said he has built his campaign around "an issue of equity." All
districts combined, the borough has the highest median income of the
five, at $55,039, according to 2000 data from the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York. But, he said that Staten Islanders do not get in
public services from the city what they pay with taxes as a result
of having higher incomes.

"People on Staten Island are ready to start throwing tea in the
ocean," Saryian said, recalling rebellious colonists prior to the
American Revolution.

Saryian ticked off a list of district and island’s needs: more
education, health care and police funding.

The only Health and Hospitals Corp. facility on Staten Island is a
nursing home, Seaview Hospital. The other four boroughs have 11 acute
care hospitals among them.

According to data from the NYPD, the 120th precinct, which covers
neighborhoods in the 49th district, reported a drop in crime in 2008
when compared to 2001, but an increase in the number of murders,
rapes, grand larcenies and robberies. As a retired captain, Saryian
wants more police in the district and more follow-ups at homes of
domestic disputes to reduce the chances of escalating violence.

Serving the District Mitchell, a lawyer, has received the endorsements
of unions and the district’s former council member, McMahon,.

Rose said the North Shore needs an aggressive leader. "You have to
elect people that are strong, that have big mouths, like me," she said
at a forum on Jan. 22. A community advocate for 28 years and secretary
of Community Board No. 1, Rose has received endorsements from DC37
and Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member Allen Cappelli.

Baker doesn’t consider himself a "big mouth," but charismatic. "I’m
very personable," he told a resident when asked whether he would have
a strong voice on the current council. As a reverend, Baker believes
he can rally people together and said he plans to do so around issues
of transportation, health care and education.

Pagano worked for over 30 years in electrical contracting and
development and owns his own contracting business, DRP Electrical
Contracting, Inc. In these hard times, Pagano said he feels he can
relate more to the people of the 49th district.

"I was born in a housing project and I came to the North Shore when I
was six and have lived in the corridor ever since…I know what it’s
like to wait on a surplus food line," he said. Pagano feels education
and dedication spurred his success and he has become a proponent of
education as the secretary for Community Education Council 31.

Saryian considers himself a strong candidate because of his public
safety experience. He spent 23 years with the NYPD.

According to campaign finance records: Kenneth Mitchell led in
fundraising raising $81,245 in contributions, $84,122 in public funds
and spending $39,546. Deborah Rose raised $33,797, received $75,981 in
public funds and spent $17,112. Paul Saryian raised $31,686, received
$30,347 in public funds and spent $46,450. Tony Baker raised $29,581,
received $64,809 in public funds and spent $27,231. Donald Pagano
raised $14,996, received $31,247 in public funds and spent $10,145.

The special election is Feb. 24 and the seat will be up for grabs again
in November. All the candidates said they plan to run for re-election
if they win. And many said they disagree with taking the power to
extend term limits away from the voters. But, hesitantly, Rose and
Mitchell admitted they’d consider the title of three-time incumbent.

———–

Paul Saryian, 49: Saryian, who lives in West Brighton, served as a
New York City police officer for 23 years and retired a captain. The
NYPD Captains Endowment Association has endorsed him.

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY DELIVERS DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO ISRAEL

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.02.2009 12:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Foreign Ministry delivered Saturday
a diplomatic note to Israeli Ambassador to Ankara Gabby Levy over
Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi’s verbal attack on Ankara.

"These remarks violated all forms of diplomatic practices, and
contradicted with the historical and current realities therefore
these accusations and nonsensical talks targeting Prime Minister and
the country had been protested by a note," the Turkish MFA said in
a statement.

"Furthermore, we have stressed that the relevant statements of Avi
Mizrahi are ungrounded and unacceptable and as such we have requested
an urgent explanation from Israeli authorities," it said.

In a separate statement, the Turkish army said the commander’s remarks
are in an extent that could harm the bilateral relations.

"These remarks, as the way they were published in the media reports,
are considered to be misleading the facts, unfortunate, unacceptable
and more importantly in an extent that could harm the national
interests between two countries," the army said in a statement posted
on its Web site.

The military also called on the Israeli army, "which is considered to
be attaching great importance to its relations with the Turkish Armed
Forces," to clarify Mizrahi’s monstering, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

On Friday, Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi, a veteran professional officer,
called on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to look in
the mirror.

He went further to accuse Turkey of committing massacre of the
Armenians and suppressing Kurds. Mizrahi also mentioned the Turkish
occupation of northern Cyprus.

State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
February 12, 2009 Thursday

`NATO PA MAY DISCUSS RUSSIA`s WEAPON SUPPLY TO ARMENIA’

Baku February 12

NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) may discuss Russia`s USD 800 million
worth arms and ammunition supply to the Armenian armed forces, said
Ziyafat Asgarov, first vice Speaker of Azerbaijan`s Parliament and
head of the country` s delegation to NATO PA.

Asgarov said the parliament decided to send a group of MPs to the
Russian Duma to discuss the issue.

He pointed out Russia violated its commitment not to provide arms to
conflicting sides until the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute finds its
solution. Asgarov also recalled Russia`s supplying arms and ammunition
to Armenia in a $1 billion-deal in

1996, adding "This is why, Russia`s $800 million worth arms and
ammunition supply to Armenia seems convincing".

"The problem concerns official Baku. Playing the role of a mediator in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and, at the same time, arming one of the
conflicting sides is beyond logic and contradicts international legal
principles", Asgarov underscored.

ALEXEI MUKHIN: KARABAKH CONFLICT ETERNAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.02.2009 14:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is
possible only through efforts of Russia, Turkey and the United States,
the powers which can seal a regional bargain, a Russian expert said.

"Practice shows that there are three ways of development: lingering
conflict (Transnistria), use of force (Georgia’s actions in South
Ossetia) and Kosovo model (regular unilateral proclamation of
independence with subsequent recognition)," said Alexei Mukhin,
director general of Russian center of political information.

"All three variants have advantages and disadvantages. In case with
Karabakh, it will most probably be the Kosovo model, which will
originate a bunch of negative consequences," he said.

Mukhin also remarked that there is an opinion that Russia, U.S.,
Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan are not interested in resolution of
the conflict.