Author: Tadevosian Garnik

BAHRAIN BACKS AZERBAIJAN OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 21 2006

Safar Abiyev, Defense Minister of Azerbaijan met December 20 with
Defense Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmad
al-Khalifa.

Azerbaijan Minister updated his Bahraini counterpart on the
existing socio-political situation in Azerbaijan and Armenia’s
aggression against Azerbaijan, economic development of the country,
commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline, and
laying of Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa invited S. Abiyev to pay an
official visit to Bahrain and expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for
supporting the Kingdom’s stance towards a number of important issues.

"We believe that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity
with the help of Allah. The Kingdom of Bahrain resolutely supports
Azerbaijan in this issue," said Bahraini Minister.

S. Abiyev stressed that Azerbaijan prefers to live at peace with
the neighboring states and tries to find a peaceful solution to
the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. However,
Armenia’s destructive stance impedes settlement of the conflict. If
negotiations fail, we will use all the possible means to liberate
our lands, S. Abiyev said.

According to Azerbaijan Minister, with the economy develping,
Azerbaijan reinforces its the Armed Forces with up-to-date hardware
and ammunition.

Then, the sides shared their views on the military and political
situation in the South Caucasus and the Near East, cooperation of
Azerbaijan with Turkey, USA and NATO.

GERMANY TO PRESS FOR STEPPING UP EU-SOUTH CAUCASUS CONTACTS

Armenpress
Dec 20 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS: In an exclusive interview with
Armenpress Germany’s ambassador to Armenia, Ms. Heike Renate Peitsch
said the European Union intends to step up its relationships with
countries of the South Caucasus.

She said though Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed in November
Actions Plans with EU within the frameworks of the European
Neighborhoods Policy (ENP) they have to work hard to implement measures
envisaged by these documents.

She said one of the top directions of Germany when it takes up next
January the chairmanship of the European Union will be to further
strengthen relations with the South Caucasus. She said the European
Union will demand that its partners conduct such national elections
that will be in conformity with international standards. She also
said the EU will continue to support the OSCE Minsk Group, the only
mandated international team of peace brokers, to help Armenia and
Azerbaijan end their dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The ambassador praised dynamically developing Armenian-German
relations, singling out president Robert Kocharian’s November 15
visit to Germany and his meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel that
has given a fresh impetus to these relations.

CONSENT CJSC HEADED BY ARA ABRAHAMIAN RETURNS WITH THREE GOLD AND ONE SILVER MEDAL FROM INTERNATIONAL SEOUL EXHIBITION OF INVENTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 10 2006

MOSCOW, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The other day the Consent CJSC
headed by the President of the World Armenian Congress, Ara Abrahamian
returned with three gold and one silver medals from the International
Fair of Inventions in Seoul (Korea). One of the elaborations of
the CJSC having received such a high award is Method of Short-term
Forecasting of Heightened Seismic Danger. The elaboration’s essence
is creation of methods of short-term (for 1-2 days) forecasting of
earthquakes. At the previous international exhibitions at Nurnberg and
Brussels this elaboration had also received gold medals, one of them
with distinction. As Noyan Tapan was informed from the Consent CJSC,
the second gold medal in Seoul was received for the CJSC’s innovation
Method of Recording and Restoration of Hologram of Two-dimensional
or Three-dimensional Object.

This is the second gold medal of the same elaboration: the first
was received last month in Germany at Nurnberg exhibition "Ideas,
Inventions and Innovations IENA – 2006." The third gold medal WIPO
(World Organization on Protection of Intellectual Property) for the
Best Invention and the silver medal of Seoul Fair was received for the
Method of Obtaining of Anti-microbe Preparation concerning the sphere
of medicine. The scientists of the Consent found the technology of
obtaining nanostructural coverings providing giving of anti-microbe
and biofunctional qualities to the surface of bandage means.

COURTS PRESSURE TRANSLATORS TOO

kurdishinfo.com, Germany
Dec 19 2006

Bianet-Publisher Zarakolu’s trial for "insulting the Republic" by
publishing books of two Armenian writers took a twist when the judge
postponed the case to include the translators. In two other incidents
translators were tried in freedom of expression cases.

Publisher Ragip Zarakolu’s case where he’s tried with 13.5 years
imprisonment for "insulting the republic, its institutions and Ataturk"
by publishing two books of Armenian writers, continued on December 14.

The judge postponed the case, ordering the translator of the books to
be brought to court. This is seen as another attempt to try translators
in freedom of expression cases.

Shafak and Tirman’s translators

Zarakolu stands trial because of publishing Prof. Dora Sakaryan’s
"The Memorials of an Armenian Doctor" and George Jerjian’s "Reality
Will Set Us Free".

Prosecution demands 7.5 years in prison for "insulting and ridiculing
the Republic and the State" of the first case and 6 years for
"insulting Turkishness and the armed forces" for the latter.

Translators Lutfi Taylan Tosun and Aysel Yildirim are being prosecuted
alongside Aram Publishing House owner Fatih Tas for the Turkish
language copy of John Tirman’s book "Spoils of War: The Human Cost
of America’s Arms Trade".

Writer Elif Shafak’s translator Asli Bicen was also tried when her
book "Father and Bastard" put onto court with the claim of "insulting
Turkishness".

Zarakolu’s cases will continue in March 15.

ews&file=article&sid=5219

GENEALOGIE DU GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS
Pierre Barbancey

L’Humanite, France
19 decembre 2006

Raymond Kevorkian retrace les relations meconnues entre les elites
liberales Jeunes Turcs et armeniennes precedant la tragedie.

Le Genocide armenien, par Raymond Kevorkian. Editions Odile Jacob,
2006, 1007 pages, 39,90 euros.

C’est veritablement une somme que propose Raymond Kevorkian avec son
dernier ouvrage. Outre le fait qu’on ne parlera jamais assez de ce qui
fut le premier genocide du XXe siècle (mais le terme n’existait pas
alors, il a ete forge par le juriste Raphaël Lemkin pour designer
l’extermination des juifs sous le IIIe Reich), les differentes
approches historiques aujourd’hui publiees (1) permettent,

par strates ou par recouvrements, de reconstituer le puzzle de cette
tragedie. Entre 1915 et 1916, ce sont près d’un million et demi
d’Armeniens de l’Empire ottoman qui perdent la vie.

Historien, enseignant a l’Institut francais de geopolitique (universite
Paris-VIII), Raymond Kevorkian dirige egalement la bibliothèque
armenienne de Nubar et il est l’auteur d’une dizaine d’ouvrages
consacres a l’histoire moderne et contemporaine de l’Armenie et des
Armeniens. À ce titre, il a eu accès a des archives inedites. Son
travail se caracterise ici par un aspect meconnu, sinon occulte,
qui prend a contre-pied la plupart des etudes sur le sujet.

Celles-ci favorisent la thèse selon laquelle l’extermination des
Armeniens serait pour beaucoup due a des facteurs exterieurs :
declin de l’Empire ottoman et menaces de demembrement, montee des
nationalismes… Kevorkian, sans negliger ces facteurs, prefère
s’atteler a la politique interieure ottomane et plus particulièrement
aux relations entre les elites liberales Jeunes Turcs et armeniennes,
a l’epoque du sultan Abdoulhamid. Beaucoup de choses les separent, mais
la volonte d’en finir avec ce regime et celle de moderniser la societe
rassemblent les revolutionnaires des deux bords, en exil a Paris. Les
liens politiques qui se forment sont tels que les uns et les autres
sont prets a fonder un Etat, ensemble, dans les annees qui precèdent
la Première Guerre mondiale. Las, les defaites, le nationalisme et
la montee en puissance des unionistes, notamment au sein du Comite
union et progrès (CUP), vont sceller le destin des Armeniens. Comme
l’ecrit Kevorkian, " la destruction de groupes historiques par un Etat
est toujours l’aboutissement d’un processus complexe qui ne peut se
developper que dans un environnement politique et social particulier,
notamment dans un contexte multiethnique ". Mais l’auteur s’est
surtout interroge " sur les mecanismes institutionnels, politiques,
sociologiques, voire psychologiques qui ont abouti a la destruction
des Armeniens ottomans. J’ai cherche plus particulièrement a isoler
les phases successives de radicalisation des cercles Jeunes Turcs,
sans necessairement passer sous silence la "mission" que s’etaient
autodevolues les elites armeniennes, celle de sauver la nation… tout
comme les Jeunes Turcs ".

Ce livre – qui detaille egalement de facon meticuleuse les phases du
genocide – doit beaucoup a l’etude des archives du bureau d’information
cree par le Patriarcat armenien dès l’armistice de Moudros et qui
a collecte des informations sur la deportation et le massacre des
Armeniens en vue d’inculpation des responsables Jeunes Turcs. Mais
il manque toujours aux chercheurs les archives du comite central
Jeune Turc.

(1) Signalons aussi le Tigre en flammes. Le genocide armenien et la
reponse de l’Amerique et de l’Occident (Editions Phebus), de Peter
Balakian.

–Boundary_(ID_Iz9MygvE6iDPr5U08m BsJA)–

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE MEETING OF ORTHODOX AND
ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES FOR COLLABORATION WITH THE UNITED BIBLE SOCIETIES

A meeting between Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches was convened in
Athens on December 7-8 with the aim of regulating the consultations
initiated between this family of Churches and the United Bible Societies.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia delegated Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian to
participate in the meeting whereas the Catholicosate of All Armenians was
represented by Deacon Hratch Sarkissian, director of the Bible Society of
Armenia.

The meeting reviewed the conclusions and results of the previous meetings
held in 1999, 2004 and 2005 between the groups and set out plans for future
cooperation. The participants decided to hold their next meeting in 2008.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

ARMENIA TO KEEP AWAY FROM DIALOGUE AGAIN

Democratic Azerbaijan
Dec 14 2006

As it was informed, PACE meeting on political issues is under way
in Baku. The issue concerning Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorni-Garabagh
conflict is discussed along with other ones.

Chairman of PACE on political issues, Abdulgadir Atesh, told AzerTaj
correspondent: "We prefer dialogue concerning all issues. Azerbaijan
upholds the same position".

A. Atesh underlined that this dialogue is directed to create steady
peace atmosphere within Euro Atlantic area, particularly, in region
where Azerbaijan is situated. Accordingly to him, Committee holds that
it is important to continue peace process on regulation of Nagorni
Garabagh conflict based on dialogue. "With this purpose the meeting
with representatives of both parties is planned, and we completely
support this process", head of PACE committee said. He also stressed
that Azerbaijan is active in dialogue and PACE events.

"However, unfortunately, Armenian part doesn’t join this meeting
demonstrating partiality. And naturally participants of the meeting
will negatively evaluate this step of Armenia", Atesh underlined.

PRESENTATION OF BOOK "TASKS OF CYBER CRIMINALITY IN ARMENIA" HELD IN YEREVAN

Yerevan, December 14. ArmInfo. Presentation of a book "Tasks of
Cyber-Criminality in Armenia" has been held today in he Yerevan
"Armenia-Marriott" hotel. The book is issued under assistance and
financing of the OSCE Yerevan Office. The basis for its creation
were the results of March, 2006, discussion of the Working Group
on cyber-criminality.

Discussion of issues of cybercriminality-fight was held in parallel
with the book presentation with participation of representatives of
OSCE Yerevan Office, the RA Parliament experts, representatives of
the interested departments of Law Machinery. Having welcomed the
event participants, the Head of OSCE Yerevan Office, Ambassador
Vladimir Pryakhin, noted the importance of counteracting this type
of criminality. According to him, the cyber-crimes annually cause
damage to the world economy at the rate of $5-15 bln. He noted that
this joint Project of OSCE and RA authorities is the first Project
in the region of such type. "The presentation of this book is one
evidence more of our cooperation", V. Pryakhin said. As the Head of
RA Parliament’s Department of Criminal and Administrative Expertise
of Legislation, Ara Yeremyan, told the journalists, it is necessary
to choose a state standard that will be able to protect the rights
of citizens and to assure an efficient fight with this type of
criminality. In Yeremyan’s opinion, it is possible to develop such
an efficient fight if implement special structures for investigations.

He simultaneously noted that the approaches not only of Armenia but of
the European countries are under development yet and the problem is to
synchronize the legislation as to be able to realize the joint actions.

Asked how much urgent is the cybercriminality-fight for Armenia and
if there are data available about the committed cyber-crimes, A.
Yeremyan said that special statistics on this type of crime exists in
no state of the world. He said Armenia does not realize yet how the
cyber-criminality may affect the Republic’s economy. "If we try to
clarify what is the latency of this type of crime, we shall be able
to mark its growth", he said. He informed that several cyber-crimes
were recorded and investigated in Armenia. "Corresponding changes of
the Legislation are necessary to investigate such crimes. You see,
most of the citizens, suffered from hacker attacks, does not address
the Law machinery just because the server confiscation will cost more
expensive than the damage caused", Yeremyan said.

According to him, it is necessary to create conditions to contribute
to the interest of citizens in informing of such crimes. Asked if the
cybercriminality-fight envisages availability of high-professionals and
equipment, A. Yeremyan noted that both the equipment and specialists
are necessary. "However, what is proposed to implement today does
not require great expenses but contain legal, organizational,
administrative and other measures, which are possible to implement
without great expenses", A. Yeremyan said.

PAPER URGES ARMENIA TO SOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT BEFORE IT IS NOT TOO LATE
by Armen Bagdasaryan

168 Zham, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

"The man who is in the dancing hall should dance perfectly"

As was expected, "a window of opportunities" [for the Karabakh conflict
settlement] in 2006 is closed and the parties have not reached an
agreement. In all probability, 2007 will bring nothing new in this
sense. Parallel to this, the Javakhk problem is gradually coming to
the fore of public attention.

Certainly, one can see here only a "Russian trace" and claim no other
reasons. It is clear that Russia will try to "punish" disobedient
Georgia and they may "need" Javakhk in this matter. But is the problem
only in the Russian trace? Is that accidental that the Javakhk problem
is becoming more active just at the moment when it becomes clear that
the Karabakh talks failed this time as well?

We asked the leader of Dashink [Bloc] Party, Samvel Babayan, to
comment on possible options for the Karabakh settlement. He said that
Karabakh should gain transitional independence (let us say, under
the EU). Pre-conditions should be created for the Karabakh economy
to develop, the return of refugees should be organized and only after
that a status of Karabakh should be determined via a referendum.

As you see, there is no word about the liberated territories (but
it is supposed that they should be returned otherwise, the return of
the refugees is impossible). This is obvious as it would be hard for
Samvel Babayan to speak about this [because he was the commander of
the Karabakh army].

The point is that there is an idea on the basis of this project that
the South Caucasus should strive to integration with the EU, should be
guided by democracy and human rights ideas which will make the final
settlement possible just on these grounds. But the problem is that
Azerbaijan does not want this and is striving to isolate Armenia from
all the regional programmes. Incidentally, Samvel Babayan understands
very well that we are not interested in preserving the current
situation in the Karabakh conflict. The situation is as following –
today Azerbaijan has taken quite a harsh position and refuses to make
serious concessions. Incidentally, Azerbaijan has grounds to act in
such a way as it has successes in the matter of isolating Armenia.

Moreover, after construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku railway,
Armenia will almost be absolutely isolated. In such a situation,
Armenia has two ways out, either to go to serious concessions to settle
the conflict as soon as possible and avoid regional isolation, or make
such steps which will force Azerbaijan "lose hopes" in the matter of
Armenia’s isolation (it is clear that after that Azerbaijanis will
make more concessions).

Briefly, Armenia has found itself in dilemma. As preserving
the status-quo is in our favour, we have to choose whether to
agree to a stage-by-stage option and remove troops at least from
five districts, or a movement will start in Javakhk to hinder the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway project. Anyway, a man who stands in
the dancing hall should either dance or leave the hall. If we continue
imitation of the Karabakh talks and at the same time undertake nothing
in Javakh, Armenia will find itself in an absolute blockade.

If we continue imitation of the Karabakh talks but do not prevent
worsening of the situation in Javakh, in that case, military actions
will restart at the Karabakh front and we shall have two fronts in
the conditions of absolute blockade. There is only one way out, i.e.

to prevent possible developments in Javakh and to try really settle
the Karabakh conflict. But Armenian politicians think that this option
is something like to a "national defeat" and immediately transfers
the problem to a moral field. And in this case, we may have only a
moral victory.

KAREL DE GUCHT: OSCE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE REFERENDUM HELD IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 11 2006

"OSCE will not recognize the referendum on a draft constitution held
in Nagorno-Karabakh," the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign
Minister Karel De Gucht said, OSCE Baku Office told the APA.

"Such a referendum is counter-productive to the ongoing conflict
settlement process, which has recently shown visible progress, as
acknowledged by the parties," said Minister De Gucht. "We do not
welcome a move that could jeopardize progress made at this promising
juncture," he said. "A reason not to recognize this referendum is
that no member of the international community recognizes the so-called
Nagorno-Karabakh republic as an independent state."