Author: Nargizian David

KORHAN YURTSEVER: "ARMENIANS WILL LOSE SLEEP OVER THE FILM I WILL MAKE ABOUT KHOJALI TRAGEDY"

Azeri Press Agency
Nov 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva-APA. Turkish producer and script writer, Director
of the Troy Film Producing Center Korhan Yurstever will make 120-minute
film about the Khojali tragedy. Yurstever told APA exclusively that he
produced a film dedicated to the Armenian issue in Turkey recently and
while working on the scenario of that film he researched the genocide
acts committed by Armenians in Azerbaijan. "Khojali Genocide shocked
me completely. It is inhumanity to lance the mother’s womb and removed
baby. I will describe Khojali tragedy in details in the film. It is
necessary for the memory of the victims of genocide. Armenians will
lose sleep over the film I will make about Khojali tragedy. It is
shameful that we didn’t make or didn’t support producing such film
so far".

Yurtsever said he collected many materials about Khojali tragedy
rather than researcher. He is working on the film’s script for two
months already and will complete it within two months. A part of
actors will be invited from Turkey. Yurtsever said main roles would
be played by the Azerbaijani actors. The most part of the film will
be shot in Azerbaijan and some scenes will be made in Turkey.

He said no government organizations showed the interest so far. "My
company is a producer of the film. We need in moral support of
Azerbaijani government. We have no financial problems. I know there
are people who want to support us. One of the oil businessmen told
me yesterday that he is ready to fund production of the film".

TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO WORK AFTER CONSTRUCTION

A1+
[06:08 pm] 18 November, 2008

The traffic lights for pedestrians on the Khanjyan-Nalbandyan and
Khanjyan-Sayat Nova streets are not working and confuse pedestrians
because they can only cross the street after seeing the red light. This
is what "A1+" told "Traffic Light" group last week, but the traffic
lights on those streets are still not working. Director of "Traffic
Light" Edward Safaryan told "A1+" that they know about that, but
can’t fix them due to the incomplete construction of the Getar road.

"We will fix the traffic lights and install them on the streets when
the construction is over," said Edward Safaryan.

The Getar road construction will be over by the end of November.

ANKARA WILL TRY TO SPEED UP KARABAKH RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.11.2008 14:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey is willing to host the second meeting
of President of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Turkish PM said, when
addressing Columbia University in New York.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the Moscow declaration on Karabakh as
a significant step.

Asked whether Turkey, as the new member of the UN Security Council,
will pursue its own national policy or UN policies if the Karabakh
problem is brought to the Council floor, Erdogan said Turkey will
contribute to speed up efforts for soonest resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

He said resolution of the problem will facilitate Turkey-Armenia
reconciliation, Today’s Zaman reports.

ARDSHININVESTBANK IMPLEMENTS FIRST ISSUE OF BONDS

Noyan Tapan

Nov 12, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Ardshininvestbank CJSC has
implemented the first issue of nominal coupon bonds. NT was informed by
the bank’s spokeswoman Astghik Martirosian that 150 thousand bonds,
each of the nominal value of 10,000 drams (about 32.8 USD) were
issued. The total amount of the bonds with 12 months’ circulation
period made 1.5 billion drams. Their annual coupon yield is 10%.

The subscription for bonds began on November 10, 2008, the duration
of the subscription is 25 calendar days, the placement of bonds
is scheduled for December 5, their redemption – for December 5,
2009. It is envisaged that Ardshininvestbank’s bonds will be listed
on the Armenian Stock Exchange within 10 workdays after the placement
day. The coupon incomes from bonds will be paid quarterly, 250 drams
for each coupon. The first payment will be made on March 5, 2009,
the second payment on June 5, the third one on September 5, and the
fourth payment (redemption of the nominal value) – on December 5, 2009.

Residents and nonresidents, natural and juridical persons may subscribe
for Ardshininvestbank’s bonds.

The bank has 49 branches in Armenia, 6 branches in the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic and a representative office in Paris. By the results of the
third quarter of 2008, the bank was in first place in the Armenian
banking system by its overall assets, credit investments and net
profit, and was second by its overall liabilities. Ardshininvestbank
currently has about 157 thousand customers (natural and juridical
persons).

TURKISH FM SAYS ARMENIAN COUNTERPART EXPECTED TO VISIT TURKEY

Hurriyet
Nov 12 2008
Turkey

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian is expected to visit
Turkey later this year, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said
Wednesday. (UPDATED)

"I will pay a visit to Azerbaijan in the coming days, and a visit
by Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian of Armenia to Turkey is in
question. The diplomacy traffic in the Caucasus will speed up by
the end of the year," Babacan told a joint press conference with his
Algerian counterpart Mourad Medelci in Ankara.

Babacan added he expected that Turkish President Abdullah Gul and
his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan would meet again soon.

There is no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey over
Armenia’s aggression toward Azerbaijan. But a warmer period began
between Turkey and Armenia after Gul paid a landmark visit to Armenia
early September.

"There has been intense diplomacy traffic between the two countries. On
the other hand, a meeting took place in Moscow, Russia in an effort
to find a solution to the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We
supported the meeting. We also expect Russia to make a significant
contribution to the normalization of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations,"
he said.

Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders met in Moscow earlier this month
and signed a declaration calling for a "peaceful resolution" to
their dispute over the province of Nagorno-Karabakh on the basis of
"binding international guarantees", taking a step further towards
resolution of the conflict.

TANGIBLE RESULTS POSSIBLE Babacan added all parties are willing to
maintain the process, referring to the first tripartite meeting of
Turkish, Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers held in New York

"But we need to determine our agenda carefully to come to tangible
results," he was quoted by Anatolian Agency as saying.

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 on Armenian
territorial claims over Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts, displacing 10 percent of the Azeri population
in the series of bloody clashes both between and within the two
neighboring countries.

In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group are currently holding peaceful negotiations. Nearly 30,000 were
killed in the 1990s war over the enclave and soldiers on both sides
continue to exchange sporadic fire, claiming lives.

"The most important thing is to secure a lasting peace and stability
in the Caucasus. Therefore, a cooperation and stability platform
including Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia is of great
importance," Babacan added.

Turkey proposed the establishment of a Caucasian Cooperation and
Stability Platform after a brief war broke out in August between
Russia and Georgia.

THEY WANT TO SHUT HIM UP

Haykakan Zhamanak
Nov 8 2008
Armenia

A Karabakh war veteran and Armenian French, Sargis Hatspanyan, was
arrested yesterday [7 November]. This took place after employees
of the National Security Service [NSS] took him to the NSS on the
pretext of questioning him.

After Hatspanyan’s interview to our paper, where he speaks about
a possible attack on [President] Serzh Sargsyan, the NSS opened
a criminal case on the basis of Article 35-305 of the Criminal
Code (preparation for killing a state official). According to our
information, Hatspanyan’s interrogation lasted for a short time at
the NSS and a decision was made quickly to arrest him on suspicion
specified by Article 333 of the Criminal Code (false crime reporting).

However, we believe that the leadership had made the decision to
arrest Hatspanyan earlier, in particular, on the day of publishing
Hatspanyan’s interview in our newspaper. The authorities have been
persecuting Hatspanyan for a long time. During [opposition] rallies
held in February police tried to arrest Hatspanyan a few times on
Freedom Square [venue of round-the-clock opposition protests].

Hatspanyan had been hiding since the events of 1 March [post-election
disturbances in Armenia’s capital Yerevan]. Law-enforcement bodies
focused their attention on him again after he came out of hiding. They
tried to evict him from Armenia at that time. However, due to a lot of
noise, as well as due to Hatspanyan’s being decisive and inflexible,
the authorities had to carry out the eviction process according to
the legal procedure, which requires certain time.

Hatspanyan has played a significant role in the [opposition]
Pan-National Movement, which put the task of isolating him on the
agenda of the authorities. On the other hand, the authorities have
proved with their steps that the information stated in Hatspanyan’s
interview has grounds. He has been isolated for this reason as
well. Otherwise, Hatspanyan could have continued his disclosures
around this issue.

30 THOUSAND DRAMS SALARY "PHILOSOPHICAL POINT" FOR MINISTER OF FINANCE

Panorama.am
21:03 12/11/2008

Today the National Assembly of Armenia adopted the legislative
initiative of the Government to increase the minimal salary from 25
thousands to 30 thousands AMD.

During the discussions on State Budget 2009, the Minister of
Finance Tigran Davtyan said: "More or less, this is a philosophic
question". According to him the recommendation of "Heritage" party
to increase the minimal salary up to 40 thousands is a wish for him,
but not in the frames of the budget.

Mr. Davtyan reminded about the financial crisis and said that the
next year is going to be a hard one for Armenia.

Heghine Bisharyan, Deputy of Country of Laws party said that there
is a disbalance in the salaries of teachers and teachers of musical
schools. In this regard the Minister said that in the future they’ll
try to bring the salaries into balanced norms.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVINCES TER-PETROSIAN TO HOLD INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF VIOLENCE IN YEREVAN
By Emil Danielyan

Eurasia Daily Monitor
Nov 11 2008
DC

Bowing to Western pressure, Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has
formed a supposedly independent body to investigate the deadly clashes
in Yerevan that were sparked by his controversial victory in last
February’s presidential election. The new inquiry could undermine
the Armenian government’s justification for the use of lethal force
against thousands of opposition supporters protesting official vote
results. Nonetheless, the Armenian opposition has downplayed the move’s
significance and set conditions for its indispensable involvement in
the probe.

At least eight civilians and two members of the security forces were
killed on March 1 and 2 as the Armenian authorities suppressed a
campaign of non-stop street protests launched by the main opposition
presidential candidate, former President Levon Ter-Petrosian,
following the disputed vote on February 19. The worst street violence
in Armenia’s history was triggered by the pre-dawn dispersal of a tent
camp set up by Ter-Petrosian in Yerevan’s Liberty Square. Later on
March 1 thousands of his furious supporters regrouped and barricaded
themselves in a sprawling area elsewhere in the city center

Despite firing live rounds and using heavy anti-riot equipment, the
police and other security forces failed to break up the unprecedented
protest. The most aggressive of the protesters armed with Molotov
cocktails, iron bars, and sticks chased them away from the scene,
burning police and other cars and looting shops in the process. The
crowd dispersed at Ter-Petrosian’s urging in the early hours of the
next morning after outgoing President Robert Kocharyan declared a state
of emergency and ordered the military into the Armenian capital. The
authorities branded the opposition actions an attempted coup d’etat
and arrested at least 100 opposition members and supporters in the
following weeks.

Ter-Petrosian and his allies rejected the accusation, saying that
Kocharyan had organized the "slaughter" to install his longtime chief
lieutenant Sarkisian in power. The official version of events has
also been questioned by Western governments and human rights bodies,
notably the Council of Europe. One of their key demands to the Armenian
authorities since then has been to allow an "independent, credible,
and transparent" inquiry into the bloody unrest.

The authorities claimed to have complied with this demand when they
launched a separate parliamentary inquiry in June. The tiny opposition
minority in Armenia’s National Assembly as well as Ter-Petrosian’s
opposition alliance, which is not represented in the legislature,
were also given a chance to name representatives to an ad hoc
parliamentary commission formed for that purpose. They both rejected
the offer, however, on the grounds that the commission was dominated
by pro-government lawmakers.

The opposition boycott led Council of Europe officials to express
serious misgivings about the parliamentary body. Visiting Yerevan
in July, the Strasbourg-based organization’s commissioner for human
rights, Thomas Hammarberg, proposed a new format for the inquiry,
whereby the main investigative work would be done by another, purely
fact-finding body, in which the government and opposition camps would
have equal representation. The parliamentary commission would only
make a political assessment of that body’s findings.

The authorities in Yerevan accepted the proposal, with Sarkisian
signing an executive order on the formation of the Fact-Finding Group
of Experts on October 23. A statement by Sarkisian’s office said that
its main mission would be to collect information that would shed more
light on the "legitimacy" of police actions and the circumstances in
which 10 people were killed on March 1. The fact-finding group will
have the right to obtain that information from "any state or local
government body or any of their officials" and to question individuals
who played a part in the unrest.

Under the presidential directive, Ter-Petrosian’s Armenian National
Congress (HAK) alliance and the opposition Heritage party of U.S.-born
former Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian will each name one member of
the group. Two other members will be nominated by Armenia’s governing
coalition loyal to the president. The remaining fifth member will
represent the state human-rights ombudsman, Armen Harutyunyan, who
cautiously welcomed Sarkisian’s decision, calling it the first "serious
step" toward a dialogue with the opposition (168 Zham, October 28).

Opposition leaders, however, were far more skeptical about the
implications of the move. Ter-Petrosian told RFE/RL on October 27
that the new body could not be independent because it was supposed to
report to the parliamentary commission, to which it would therefore
be "subordinated." He claimed that those guilty of the March 1
deaths would not be brought to justice as long as Sarkisian stayed
in power. In a joint statement on November 1, the HAK and Heritage
described Sarkisian’s October 23 directive as "unconstitutional" but
said they would participate in the new inquiry if the body conducting
it was given more power and was joined by foreign experts.

Sarkisian and his four-party coalition have yet to respond to the
opposition’s demands. The very fact of them agreeing to forego
control over the purportedly independent probe is in itself quite
significant. The fact-finding group, assuming that it takes shape and
starts working, is extremely unlikely to endorse the official theory of
the unrest, which is at the heart of the ongoing criminal investigation
launched by Kocharyan. There is speculation in Armenia that Sarkisian
is not only eager to avoid sanctions by the Council of Europe but
is also seeking to distance himself from his hawkish predecessor,
who is widely blamed for the bloody post-election crackdown.

Kocharyan’s lingering influence on law-enforcement bodies is seen by
some local observers as the main reason why the vast majority of the
oppositionists arrested in the aftermath of the February election
remain in jail. Their release is another key demand by the Council
of Europe to Yerevan. Government loyalists have fueled talk of an
impending amnesty for the opposition detainees. One loyalist, former
Justice Minister David Harutyunyan, hinted on November 5 that Sarkisian
might announce it before the end of this month. (Aravot, November 6.)

CEDING KARABAKH IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF CEDING ARMENIA
James Hakobyan

Lragir.am
13:16:00 – 11/11/2008

The overfocus of the public on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict
may seem too strong a pressure for the government of Armenia. In
reality, it should not be ruled out that it may favor the government
to deter the attention of the society from everything and drawing
it to the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict. The point
is that thereby the scrupulousness of the society about the internal
life weakens considerably.

It seems it would be much more dangerous for the government if the
society demanded more regarding the Karabakh issue. However, the
attempt of the society to raise a surge of scrupulousness which the
opposition makes is actually not all that successful. The point is
that several stereotypes have occurred in the citizens of Armenia,
or thoughts which have undergone fossilization. One of them is that
peace is above all, and if Armenia makes no concessions, there will
be a war. The other is that Armenia will not have welfare unless the
Karabakh issue is settled. In addition, interestingly, the present
opposition has had considerable participation and role in instilling
these stereotypes or fossilized ideas in the society. Meanwhile,
perhaps only these two are enough for the society to view the
defensive statements of the government regarding the Karabakh
issue with great reservation. In this situation, especially when
the government knows that thanks to the clashing interests of the
great powers it is possible to maintain the status quo, it is quite
favorable for the government to draw the attention of the society
fully or mostly to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Perhaps
this was one of the reasons why Serge Sargsyan stated in a meeting
with the Armenian community in Belgium that the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict has stepped into an active stage.

The point is that the so-called new government seems to have completely
failed in home political issues. During the past six or seven months
of Serge Sargsyan’s presidency the second generation reforms which
Serge Sargsyan the president-to-be pledged and what the forces around
him repeated in a parrot manner have not been felt. There is almost
no progress towards the solution of problems Armenia is facing:
liberal market, separation of government and business, the rule of
law, transparent government, effective distribution of the economic
growth. Certainly, six or seven months and even a year is not enough
for progress towards these things but is enough to persuade the society
with actions that the wish of the government to solve these problems
is sincere. Obviously, Serge Sargsyan is unable to persuade the
society. And since he is unable, the best way is to deter the attention
of the society from internal problems and draw it to Karabakh.

In this connection, the government relies on the perceptions and
stereotyped deterrence of the society. The point is that the society
seems to think that it is impossible to solve internal problems,
the problems of civil, political, economic rights and freedoms unless
the Karabakh issue is solved.

Meanwhile, if Armenia does not solve these issues, especially that
the absence of real steps towards their settlement is justified by
escalation of discourse on dynamic and deciding developments, it
may cause non-pro-Armenian escalation regarding Karabakh. For this
reason, as long as a serious process involving Karabakh is underway,
the society must be scrupulous towards the government regarding
the organization of internal life. Armenia may prevent undesired
developments regarding Karabakh not only in Moscow, Washington,
Paris or Madrid but in Armenia only. However, it does not mean that
the Armenian society can prevent those undesired developments with
appeals not to cede Karabakh. Meanwhile, the ceding of Karabakh is only
the consequence of ceding Armenia. In other words, it is necessary to
gain Armenia to keep Karabakh. To get Armenia back from the criminal
which controls Armenia now.

CHRISTIAN INFIGHTING IN JERUSALEM
By Michael Hirst

BBC NEWS
iddle_east/7719843.stm
2008/11/11 09:03:32 GMT

The argument over rights within Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy
Sepulchre is as complicated and seemingly intractable as the Middle
East conflict itself.

But when the dispute descends into violence, battles are pitched with
crucifixes and staves rather than missiles, guns and stones.

Many Christians believe the church in the heart of Jerusalem’s old city
marks the place of Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. As
such, it is arguably Christianity’s holiest site.

A church has stood in the area for 1,700 years. Due to the conflicts
that Jerusalem has since endured, the building has been partly
destroyed, rebuilt and renovated several times.

It is now a labyrinthine complex of chapels and living quarters that is
visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Scenes of chaos as the church brawl breaks out

The church is grudgingly shared by six claimant communities –
Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox,
Egyptian Copt and Ethiopian Orthodox – who have always jealously
defended their rights over various parts of the complex.

Rivalry between the groups dates back to the aftermath of the crusades
and to the great schism between Eastern and Western Christianity in
the 11th Century.

The Status Quo

So intense is the intra-Christian dispute that the six communities
cannot agree which of them should have a key to the site’s main door.

Consequently, two Muslim families have been the sole guardians of
the 25cm (10 inch) key since they were entrusted with the task by
the Muslim ruler Saladin in 1178.

FEUDING FACTIONS Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox Armenian Orthodox
Syrian Orthodox Egyptian Copt Ethiopian Orthodox

One family is responsible for unlocking the door each morning
and locking it each night, while the other is responsible for its
safekeeping at all other times.

In order to settle disputes, the Ottoman sultan issued a 1757
edict (now referred to as the Status Quo agreement) which outlined
jurisdiction over Jerusalem’s various Christian holy places.

Regarding the Holy Sepulchre, it defined exactly which parts – from
chapel, to lamp, to flagstone – of the complex were to be controlled
by which denomination.

The ruling forbad any changes in designated religious sites without
permission from the ruling government.

It also prohibited any changes whatsoever to designated sacred
areas – from building, to structural repairs to cleaning – unless
collectively agreed upon by the respective "tenants" from the rival
religious communities.

Punishment for a violation of the edict could result in the
confiscation of properties overseen by the offending group.

So closely is the ruling followed that it took 17 years of debate
before an agreement was reached to paint the church’s main dome
in 1995.

Acrimonious processions

Monks and friars have been known to exchange blows over who owns a
chapel or whose right it is to clean which step.

Religious ceremonies can appear more like singing contests with
communities battling to chant the loudest.

Access to the tomb of Christ – a pale pink kiosk punctuated with
portholes and supported by scaffolding that the writer Robert Byron
compared to a steam-engine – is particularly fiercely guarded on
such occasions.

Processions on holy days regularly become acrimonious, with
jostling crowds exacerbating tensions over territorial disputes that
periodically descend into in punch-ups.

The smallest slight can end in violence: In 2004, a door to the Roman
Catholic chapel was left open during a Greek Orthodox ceremony.

This was perceived by the Greeks to be a sign of disrespect, and a
fight broke out which resulted in several arrests.

The intractable nature of the territorial arguments over the site
are epitomised by the short wooden ladder that rests on a ledge above
the church’s main entrance.

It has been there since the 19th Century because rival groups cannot
agree who has the right to take it down.

Under the Status Quo agreement, rights to the windows reached by the
ladder belong to the Armenians, but the ledge below is controlled by
the Greeks.

Roof falling in?

Also emblematic of the territorial dispute’s intensity is an ongoing
row which, unless resolved, could see the church’s roof collapse.

Ethiopians were banished from the church’s interior by the sultan two
centuries years ago because they could not pay the necessary taxes,
and have been living in a monastery on the roof ever since.

The monastery, Deir al-Sultan, now comprises two chapels, an open
courtyard, service and storage rooms and a series of tiny huts
inhabited by Ethiopian monks. It is reminiscent of a basic African
village.

All agree the monastery is in poor shape, but a recent Israeli report
said it had reached an "emergency state", and was at risk of collapsing
through the roof into the church.

Israel has said it will pay for the repairs if the Christians
can reach agreement on them, but this seems unlikely, due to a
long-running ownership dispute between Ethiopian monks and their
Egyptian counterparts.

Over the years, this dispute has been played out on various
battlefields, including Israel’s highest courts.

So intense has the argument become that when a monk moved a chair out
of the sunshine into a shadier area during a heat-wave six years ago,
his action was seen as an attempted land-grab.

A fight broke out that left several monks needing hospital treatment.

Such skirmishes may seem nonsensical, but are all too common an
occurrence at Christianity’s most revered shrine.