Author: Tvankchian Parkev

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : LE PROC’S DE TEMEL DEMIRER REPORTE AU 20 MAI

armenews
vendredi9 avril 2010

Temel Demirer passera devant la justice le 20 mai pour sa declaration
que le journaliste turco-armenien Hrant Dink a ete tue pour sa
reconnaissance du genocide armenien.

Le journaliste et ecrivain Temel Demirer tisque deux ans de prison
pour sa declaration faite un jour après l’assassinat de Hrant Dink
en janvier 2007. Il est poursuivi en vertu de l’article 301 du Code
penal Turc (TCK).

Temel Demirer essaye de faire annuler annuler par la cour
administrative la decision du ministre de la justice Mehmet Ali Sahin
qui avait autorise les poursuites a son encontre en declarant "je ne
laissera personne qualifier de meurtrier mon etat".

Devant le refus de la Cour Administrative de cesser les pousuites, les
avocats de Demirer ont fait appel a la Cour Regionale Administrative
le 29 janvier. La 2ème Cour Criminelle de Première Instance attend
une decision de la cour administrative depuis le 14 novembre 2008.

Mercredi 17 mars Temel Demirer est alle a la cour d’Ankara et est
parvenu a savoir que son dossier a ete expedie a Ankara a la 11ème
Cour Criminelle de Première Instance. Le procès de l’auteur continuera
le 20 mai.

Temel Demirer etait accompagne par le sociologue Ismail Besikci,
l’auteur Fikret Baskaya et les membres de l’Initiative d’Ankara pour
la Liberte de Pensee.

ERDOGAN SOUHAITERAIT RENCONTRER SARKISSIAN A WASHINGTON
Gari

armenews
vendredi9 avril 2010

Le premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a emis le souhait de
rencontrer le president armenien Serge Sarkissian a Washington en marge
d’une conference internationale le 12 avril par l’intermediaire d’un
emissaire turc de haut rang qu’il avait depeche a Erevan le mercredi
7 avril. Feridun Sinirlioglu, le sous-secretaire du ministère turc
des affaires etrangères, a rencontre le president Sarkissian et son
ministre des affaires etrangères Edouard Nalbandian pour dresser
un etat des lieux du processus de normalisation des relations
turco-armenienne et des moyens de le sortir de l’impasse où il se
trouve, au stade de la ratification par les Parlements des deux pays.

M. Sinirlioglu a declare avoir remis au cabinet de M. Sarkissian la
demande de M. Erdogan concernant une rencontre a Washington en marge
du sommet sur la securite nucleaire qui aura lieu les 12 et 13.avril.

M.Erdogan, qui se trouvait au meme moment a Paris pour une visite
officielle, avait confirme l’information, en affirmant que son messager
avait fait part de la volonte turque de mener a son terme le processus
de normalisation, sur la base des engagements pris de part et d’autre.

Le cabinet du president Sarkisian n’a pas precise si ce dernier
avait repondu favorablement a la proposition du premier ministre
turc. Dans son communique, le service de presse de la presidence
armenienne souligne que l’Armenie attendait de la Turquie "des
mesures concrètes… qui permettent une avancee decisive dans le
processus de normalisation des relations sans conditions prealables
". Le ministère armenien des affaires etrangères a precise que
M. Nalbandian aurait rappele a l’emissaire turc qu’Ankara devait
mettre en ~uvre les protocoles signes par les deux gouvernements
le 10 octobre 2009. "La partie turque nous a assure qu’elle voulait
que le processus de normalisation des relations turco-armeniennes se
poursuive ", a declare M.Nalbandian devant le Parlement armenien plus
tard dans la journee. "La partie armenienne a reaffirme sa position
qui est conforme aux attentes de la communaute internationale, qui
attend de la Turquie des mesures concrètes dans ce sens", a-t-il
declare. Le service de presse presidentiel a egalement declare que
M.Sinirlioglu aurait assure a M. Sarkissian que le gouvernement turc
s’engageait a progresser dans le rapprochement turco-armenien, sans
donner plus de details.

Un responsable du ministère turc des affaires etrangères a declare
par ailleurs a l’AFP avant la visite a Erevan de M. Sinirlioglu que ce
dernier avait pour mission de " reaffirmer l’engagement de la Turquie
a poursuivre le processus de reconciliation ", tout en transmettant au
president armenien les preoccupations turques, sans s’etendre sur la
nature de ces preoccupations. M.Erdogan et d’autres dirigeants turcs
ont clairement fait savoir que le Parlement turc ne ratifierait pas
les protocoles tant qu’il n’y aurait pas une percee dans le processus
international en vue de resoudre le conflit du Haut-Karabagh. Erevan a
repondu en menacant de suspendre le processus s’il n’aboutissait pas
dans des " delais raisonnables " qui avaient alors ete etablis aux
horizons d’avril 2010. L’echeance etant venue, on ignore, cependant,
combien de temps l’administration Sarkisian est disposee a attendre la
ratification turque. Selon certains journaux turcs, Ankara espère que
les Etats-Unis fassent pression sur l’Armenie pour qu’elle inflechisse
sa position.

ABDOU DIOUF: PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY MAY PLAY A GREAT ROLE IN PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS

YEREVAN
APRIL 7, 2010
NOYAN TAPAN

Speaker of the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamian on April 6
received Secretary General of La Francophonie Abdou Diouf.

Expressing a high opinion about the role of parliamentary diplomacy
throughout the world, H. Abrahamian noted that the status of an
associate member of LA Francophonie international organization
allows Armenia to be involved in activities of La Francophonie. "As
a first step, we proposed holding the 2010 forum of European region
in Yerevan. It will take place on May 4-6," the NA speaker said.

In the words of A. Diouf, parliamentary diplomacy may play a great
role in peaceful resolution of conflicts and help solve the problems
existing between nations. In this connection he said: "The Amenian
Genocide remains in our memory. It is a wound that has not healed,
and we have a duty to that memory".

H. Abrahamian said that by condemning each crime, we also prevent
the commission of similar crimes in the world. He informed A. Diouf
about the RA National Assembly’s intention to become a full member
of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie.

By the way, thanks to the establishment of cooperation between the
Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie and the RA National Assembly,
the Armenian parliament became a beneficiary of the NORIA program
in 2010-2013. As a result, the website of the RA National Assembly
will be translated into French, French courses will be organized,
and French-language information will increase.

According to the press service of the RA National Assembly, during
the meeting the sides also discussed the Nagorno Karabakh problem
and the Armenia-Turkey normalization.

TURKISH ENVOY HEADS BACK TO US AFTER ‘GENOCIDE’ ROW

Agence France Presse
April 6, 2010 Tuesday 6:36 AM GMT

Turkey’s ambassador to the United States headed back to his post
Tuesday, a month after he was recalled when a House panel voted a
bill branding the World War I massacres of Armenians as genocide.

"The message we wanted to give has been understood… and we are
satisfied," Ambassador Namik Tan said at the airport. "It is time
for me to go back."

Last week, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed "positive
developments" in efforts to end the spat and said he himself would
go to Washington to attend a nuclear security summit on April 12-13.

Ankara recalled Tan on March 4 after the House of Representatives’
Foreign Affairs Committee adopted a resolution calling on President
Barack Obama to ensure that US foreign policy reflects an understanding
of the "genocide."

Warning of a showdown between the two NATO allies, Ankara urged
Washington to stop the bill from advancing to a vote at the full House.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had urged the committee not
to hold the vote and said after its approval that "we do not believe
the full Congress will or should act on that resolution."

The tensions added further uncertainty to an already fragile deal
Turkey and Armenia signed in October to end decades of hostility,
establish diplomatic ties and open their border.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin perished in deportations
and orchestrated killings under the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Turkey counters that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as
many Turks perished in civil strife when Armenians rose up against
their Ottoman rulers and sided with Russian forces invading the
crumbling empire.

TAX COLLECTION FIGURES INCREASE IN COMMUNITIES OF ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net –
April 7, 2010 – 13:38 AMT 08:38 GMT

Head of the Local Self-Government Department of the RA Ministry
of Territorial Administration Ashot Giloyan submitted data on the
fulfillment of communities budgets for the first quarter of 2010
during a sitting chaired by RA Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan.

The press service of the RA MTA reported that the tax collection
figures increased almost for all types of taxes, as compared with
the first quarter of 2009. Specifically, the total fulfillment of
incomes amounted to 89.3% that is higher by AMD 7.83 billion, as
compared with the same period of last year. As for own incomes, this
figure was fulfilled by 87% in 2010 that is higher by 1.2 billion,
as compared with the same figure of 2009.

Besides, the figures of land and property tax collection increased by
492.4 million and 310.1 million, as compared with the first quarter
of 2009, while their fulfillment made 96.7% and 75.5% respectively.

AZERBAIJAN TO OPEN HONORARY CONSULATE IN STUTTGART

news.az
April 7 2010
Azerbaijan

Elmar Mammadyarov Azerbaijan will open its Honorary Consulate in
Stuttgart, Germany.

The inauguration ceremony, slated for April 20, will be attended by
Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov as well as parliamentarians.

Chairman of the German-Azerbaijan forum Otto Hauser will be the
Honorary Council, according to MP Fuad Muradov.

Muradov expressed confidence the opening of the Honorary Consulate
would contribute to "making Azerbaijan`s truths, in particular
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, known to the world community".

AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL EXPERT OUTLINES THREE SCENARIOS OF EVENTS AFTER TURKISH PM ERDOGAN’S U.S. VISIT

Today
April 7 2010
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani political expert Rasim Musabayov says there are three
scenarios of events that may happen following Turkish PM Erdogan’s
trip to the U.S.

"One of them is that Turkey and Armenia will announce that they will
make efforts to ratify the protocols with Obama limiting himself
to uttering "genocide" in Armenian language which will not please
Armenians as they want legal wording," the expert said.

"Another scenario is that Obama can say to Serzh Sargsyan that "it is
necessary to open borders and there are already proposals on Karabakh
conflict on the table. So, you should accept them so that to move the
Armenian-Turkish process and settlement of the Azerbaijani-Armenian
conflict forward."

"Well, the third version is that Obama will not get anything from
Turkey in matters relating to Iran, the Palestinian issue, the Afghan
problem, and the U.S. will continue to put pressure on Turkey,"
Musabayov said.

"I think it is likely we will witness the second scenario in which
Obama will try to get Armenia to adopt the updated version of the
Madrid principles that co-chairs brought to the region recently,
but at the same time insist on ratification of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols," the expert noted.

IRAN PUTS FORWARD ITS PROPOSALS TO AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA ON SOLUTION TO KARABAKH CONFLICT

armradio.am
07.04.2010 16:59

"We have put forward our proposals to Azerbaijan and Armenia on the
solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict," said Iranian Foreign Minister
Manouchehr Mottaki, APA reports.

The Minister voiced confidence that the sides would express positive
feedback on these proposals.

Noting that Iran is a supporter of peace and tranquility in the world,
Mottaki expressed hope for an early resolution of some conflicts in
the region.

Nevertheless, he refused to specify the details of the proposals.

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN ABOUT HISTORICAL JUSTICE

Aysor
April 5 2010
Armenia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s has spoken to Der Spiegel paper;
here is the interview.

Der Spiegel: Referring to the 1915 happenings, Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his interview with Der Spiegel that
‘the Genocide against Armenians is out of the question.’ Why your
neighboring nation can’t accept its past?

Serzh Sargsyan: Well, recently another statement has been made, that
‘Turks couldn’t commit Genocide, while the Turkish history is clear
and bright like the sun.’ Turks are against branding the 1915 massacres
as Genocide; however, this is not the issue to be solved by Ankara.

Der Spiegel: Erdogan now is even threatening to expel Armenians,
who illegally live in Turkey.

Serzh Sargsyan: Such kind of unacceptable statements remind us of
the Genocide. Unfortunately, I am not actually surprised that Turkish
officials make the statements of that kind.

Der Spiegel: What position should the international community show?

Serzh Sargsyan: It should respond to this; the U.S., Europe, Germany
and other countries, involved in Armenia-Turkey reconciliation should
respond and show their position in open daylight. If all the nations
recognized the 1915 Genocide, then neither statement by Turks would
have been made. However, protests by numerous youth activists against
the statement are encouraging. There is a new generation there,
whose opinion must be looked up to by the political authorities.

Der Spiegel: Turkey accuses you of strong position against the
commission of historians. Why are you against it?

Serzh Sargsyan: How the commission may work neutrally, if it is a
criminal case to use g-word in Turkey, and one can even be brought
to a trial for using Genocide-word. It’s is important to Ankara to
stretch the solution-making process; and when the governments of
certain nations are voting over the Resolution on Genocide, Turkey
may say – don’t be in the way; look, our historians are studying the
issue. The creation of the commission would mean the questioning the
Genocide. It is unacceptable.

Der Spiegel: Why the issue of recognition of the 1915 Genocide is so
important to Armenia now, after 95 years?

Serzh Sargsyan: This is an issue of historical justice and issue of
Armenia’s security; the best way to prevent such kind of crimes is
its clear condemnation.

Der Spiegel: You can see Ararat, symbol of Armenia, through your
cabinet’s window. The Ararat Mountain is now on Turkey’s territory;
Turkey is afraid of territorial claims and compensations. Do you want
to bring Ararat back?

Serzh Sargsyan: Ararat is in our hearts; in any Armenian’s house
anywhere in the world you’ll find a picture of Ararat, no one can take
it away. I believe that time will come when Ararat will be a symbol
of understanding between the two nations, not division. However, I’d
like to point out the following: neither Armenian government has ever
claimed for territories; Turks themselves are ascribing them to us.

Maybe, gilt?

Der Spiegel: Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan are closed;
Iran and Georgia are in some kind of complicated neighbors; isn’t it
a better way to break this isolation?

Serzh Sargsyan: We don’t link the issue of recognition of the Genocide
with borders’ opening. And is not our fault that the reconciliation
isn’t coming true.

Der Spiegel: Turkey wishes for linking the border’s opening with
settlement to the Karabakh conflict. Armenians fought in this inflicted
war on the territory that Azerbaijan claimed after USSR’s collapse.

Serzh Sargsyan: Turks want us to compromise. However, this is
impossible. Right to self-determination of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh is an issue of greatest importance. If Azerbaijan recognizes
independence of Nagorno Karabakh, then the issue can be solved in a few
hours. Unfortunately, up to now Azerbaijan claims Nagorno Karabakh;
while Karabakh’s joining to Azerbaijan means a certain deportation
of Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh, and this all just in a very
short period.

Der Spiegel: Do you have a solution to this?

Serzh Sargsyan: Why former Yugoslavia’s nations could receive the
independence? So why can’t Nagorno Karabakh practice the same right?

Is the reason – gas and oil resources of Azerbaijan and Turkey’s
patronage? We consider this to be unfair.

TURKISH PM SAYS GOING TO U.S., SENDING BACK ENVOY
Pinar Aydinli

Reuters
April 2 2010
UK

Wed, Mar 17 2010ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey said on Friday that it
was sending its ambassador back to Washington, a month after he was
recalled to protest against a U.S. congressional committee labeling
as genocide the World War One massacres of Armenians in Turkey.

Barack Obama | Turkey

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan also confirmed that he would attend an
international nuclear summit to be hosted by President Barack Obama
in Washington on April 12-13.

"I received an invitation five, six months ago, to attend an
international event that other countries will also be attending and
serves a good cause, to prevent the use and spreading of nuclear
weapons. I will be going to the United States," Erdogan told
journalists.

"My ambassador Namik Tan will go back to Washington before my visit,"
the prime minister added.

The U.S. House of Representatives committee approved a non-binding
resolution on March 4 calling on Obama to refer to the killings of
as many as 1.5 million Armenian Christians as genocide, prompting
Turkey to immediately withdraw its envoy.

The State Department welcomed Erdogan’s decision to return the
ambassador.

"Turkey and the United States have a significant strategic
relationship. There’s lots of work that we can jointly accomplish,
and that work becomes more effective when we have an able interlocutor
here in Washington," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told a
briefing in Washington.

CHAOS OF WAR

Turkey argues that both Turks and Armenians were killed during the
chaos of war and break-up of the Ottoman Empire almost a century ago,
though nearly 20 countries have said the killings were genocide.

The United States is keen to smooth over relations with Turkey, NATO’s
only Muslim member, and a key ally in trouble spots from Afghanistan
to the Middle East.

In a telephone call with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu last Sunday,
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton assured Turkey that the White
House opposed the congressional resolution.

It is uncertain whether the resolution will go to a vote of the full
House, or whether it could pass. The congressional committee only
passed the resolution by a single vote.

Washington is seeking to persuade Turkey, a non-permanent member
of the Security Council, to support a fourth round of U.N. economic
sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, while Erdogan has
spoken against the use of sanctions.

He doubts the effectiveness of sanctions, and is worried that Turkey’s
trade with its neighbor would inevitably suffer. Iran supplies Turkey
with a third of its gas needs.

Despite good relations with Tehran, Erdogan’s own attempts to persuade
the Iranian leadership to make moves needed to allay international
concerns over its nuclear program have led to nothing. But he says
diplomatic efforts should be intensified instead of imposing sanctions.

(Additional reporting by Andrew Quinn in Washington; writing by Simon
Cameron-Moore; editing by Mohammad Zargham)