Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

IRAN RECOGNIZED CONSTITUTIONAL BORDER WITH KARABAKH

news.am
Feb 19 2010
Armenia

At the Feb. 19 meeting with journalists Iranian Ambassador to RA Seyed
Ali Saghaeyan said that Iran is the only country having common border
with Nagorno-Karabakh, thereby recognizing liberated territories part
of NKR.

Asked about his stance on possible deployment of Russian and U.S.

peacekeepers on border with Iran as a result of Karabakh conflict
settlement, Ambassador replied: "Considering that Iran is the only
country with common border with Karabakh, we have clear stand on
deployment of peacekeeping forces."

He also touched upon potential aggression against Iran by U.S.,
underlining that currently neither U.S. nor Israel has the opportunity
to commit aggression against the country.

"Definitely we have to take into consideration all options, including
military aggression, however Zionist regime has no opportunity to exert
pressure and gain victory over Iran. As for the U.S., accounting for
its military presence in Afghanistan and domestic problems, it will
hardly initiate act of aggression towards Iran," Saghaeyan concluded.

INDIRECT THREAT BY THE US AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 17 2010

Before voting the on so-called Armenian genocide bill, US Ambassador
James Jeffrey visited the TGNA in order to hear Turkey’s opinion and
give information. However, contrary to expectations, the speech took
a wrong turn.

The President of the TGNA Foreign Affairs Commission, Murat Mercan,
denoted clearly that if the US House of Representatives ratifes the
so-called Armenian genocide bill, which is going to be discussed on
March 4, US-Turkish relations will be damaged.

Jeffrey made an official statement saying the probability of the
bill passing is 50%. Throughout the speech he referred to Obama,
who is in favor of building good relations with Armenia. After
saying this, Jeffrey indicated the only way for Turkey would have
a chance to prevent the bill’s passage would be the ratifications
of the protocols with Armenia. Hereupon, a deputy of the NMP, Deniz
BölukbaÅ~_ı properly lashed out to the Ambassador, saying ‘What
do you mean exactly? What you are saying is an indirect threat! What
you are doing is unlawful.

We also want from the Turkish government to put the draft resolution
related to unfriendly Turkish-US relations into force. The government
should either withdraw the protocols with Armenia, saying they are
invalid, or vote and reject them as a group.’

Also, Jeffrey could not give a proper answer to Sukru Elekdag who
asked ‘Are you still wanting us to ratify this?’ since it is not an
easy task to reply to a deputy who has already analyzed the decisions
of the Armenian Constitutional Court.

Speechless, Jeffrey just said ‘I am going to submit your concerns
to Washington.’

By Diyar Guldogan (JTW) Wednesday, 17 February 2010 Journal of
Turkish Weekly

SHUKRU ELEKDAGH: "THE ZURICH PROTOCOLS CAN NEVER BE RATIFIED IN THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT AFTER THE DECISION OF ARMENIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT"

APA
Feb 18 2010
Azerbaijan

Istanbul. Mayis Alizadeh – APA. "The Constitutional Court determines
whether the decision of the Armenian parliament is in accordance
with the Main Law or not. Armenian Constitutional Court passed a
hypocritical decision.

On the one hand the court says these protocols are in accordance with
the constitution, on the other hand, says that some comments should
be made on the protocols," member of foreign affairs commission of
the Turkish parliament, Turkey’s former ambassador to Washington,
former head of Foreign Ministry’s executive office, MP from CHP
Shukru Elekdagh told APA. According to him, the comments reveal the
problems that will emerge in the discussions of the Turkish government
with Armenia.

"While reading the decision of the Armenian Constitutional Court,
we see that Kars and Moscow treaties are not effective for them.

Secondly, Armenia will not give up its activity to "prove" the
"genocide" against Armenians in 1915. Thirdly, the historical
commission envisaged n the protocols have no authority to investigate
the events of 1915. For Armenians Turkey’s eastern provinces are
"Western Armenia". It is claimed that establishment of relations
between Turkey and Armenia are not connected with Karabakh problem.

The text of the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia are open
for comment," he said.

Shukru Elekdagh said they had met with the U.S. ambassador at the
foreign affairs commission of the Turkish parliament.

"I asked him how their lawyers assess the decision of Armenian
Constitutional Court. The ambassador said the U.S. Department
of State does not hesitate over the issue. They do not see any
contradiction between the decision of Armenian Constitutional Court
and the essence of the protocols. According to article 102 of the
Armenian Constitution, the decision of the Constitutional Court is
binding and unchangeable. It seems by making the Constitutional Court
pass a decision Armenian leaders build a wall for themselves. They
chose a way to exert pressure on Turkey. Draft resolution 252 will
be discussed in the foreign relations committee of the congress on
March 5. Turkey will tell the US to impede it. And they will tell
Turkey to ratify the protocols in the parliament. You see, the Turkish
negotiators and Foreign Minister Davutoglu drew the issue to deadlock.

They should to ask Armenian before signing these agreements: you save
these articles in preamble of your constitution and Declaration of
Independence. First, Armenia will never leave "genocide" target and
will struggle for that and second, it will continue to claim eastern
provinces of Turkey. It is amazing that the Turkish negotiators
didn’t ask Armenians about that. It was great irresponsibility. The
normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations tied with the solution
of Nagorno Karabakh problem, particularly with the withdrawal of
Armenian forces from the occupied Azerbaijani lands. Every thinking
person knows that Armenia is the last stronghold of Russian Federation
in the Caucasus".

Shukru Elekdagh said if Armenian-Turkish relations were normalized,
Armenia would integrate into the world via Turkey. "It will pull
out Armenia from the Russian satellite. Therefore Russia and Armenia
don’t want to solve Karabakh problem. I reminded it earlier to foreign
minister Papazyan. I reminded it to honorable Davutoglu, but he told me
that they were shaking stones and the situation was not so hopeless".

The former ambassador said there were contradictions in Prime Minister
Erdogan’s Baku and Washington statements. "On December 7, US President
Barack Obama told Turkish Prime Minister in Washington: "We welcomed
the agreement you signed with Armenia, but you have to ratify these
protocols and to open borders with Armenia". Obama added that you
don’t need to tie ratification of the protocols with the Karabakh
problem. The Turkish prime Minister said that it would be decided
by the parliament. But he said at the Azerbaijani parliament on May
14 that this is a relation of cause and effect. We closed borders
because Armenia occupied Nagorno Karabakh and five nearby regions
and therefore we can’t open the borders before ending of Armenian
occupation. The Prime Minister said it in Baku, but told them in
Washington that they will bring the protocols to the parliament and
it will decide to ratify them or not. There are contradictions between
these ideas. If the protocols will be out on agenda of the parliament,
it will be impossible to ratify them. This question was closed.

Therefore you can’t doubt on this issue. The protocols can not be
ratified after the decision of Armenian Constitutional Court".

Shukru Elekdagh didn’t rule out his visit to Washington on the eve
of March 5 talks.

EURONEWS RESTORED "WINDS OF CHANGE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH" ON WEBSITE

news.am
Feb 17 2010
Armenia

Euronews video "Winds of change in Nagorno-Karabakh" posted on
agency’s website last November and removed on demand of Azerbaijani
side is restored.

The video captured by Euronews journalists who visited Nagorno-Karabakh
reflected true essence of Karabakh conflict while NKR was presented
as an independent republic.

After the item was placed on Euronews website, Azerbaijani side as
expected threw a fit. Country’s Foreign Ministry even filed a note
of protest to Euronews. Channel’s management had to remove the video
and shoot another film "Forgotten victims of frozen conflict" about
Azerbaijani refugees.

However, "Winds of change in Nagorno-Karabakh" was restored on the
website right after a new film appeared.

ARMENIA TO ASSIST KAZAKHSTAN WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF OSCE

Aysor
Feb 16 2010
Armenia

OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State and Foreign
Minister Kanat Saudabayev and Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian have held a meeting today, which was followed by a press
conference where diplomats told journalists some meeting’s details.

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said a range of items had been
discussed, including Armenia-Kazakhstan cooperation, process of
settlement to the Karabakh conflict, cooperation in the framework
of OSCE projects, Armenia-Turkey reconciliation, and highlights on
regional security.

"Armenia and Kazakhstan are members of the CSTO, so it’s natural
that our approaches and positions over the very wide range of
international and regional highlights jump together and are close,"
said Edward Nalbandian adding that they also had focused on issues
of strengthening of Armenia-Kazakhstan relations.

"As you know, Armenia has supported Kazakhstan’s candidacy for the
OSCE chairmanship. And now we are effectively cooperating within the
framework of OSCE.

"We’ve voiced once more that Armenia is ready to assist Kazakhstan
in realization of OSCE chairmanship programmes, based on following
highlights – improvement of the OSCE activities’ efficiency, and
strengthening of the safety and stability in the Caucasus," said
Edward Nalbandian adding that he had presented to his counterpart
Kanat Saudabayev development of the process of negotiations and told
him about efforts made by Armenia in moving towards the peaceful
settlement to the conflict.

Kanat Saudabayev, in his part, pointed that Armenia had also supported
Kazakhstan’s proposal to hold OSCE summit. Kazakhstan’s key priority
within the framework of OSCE is the issue of solving of the long-drawn
conflicts, he said.

"That is why my first visit as OSCE Chairman-in-Office I’ve paid to
this region," said Kanat Saudabayev.

"We’ve held quite open talks; it was very important to me to see the
whole range of issues."

DARCHINYAN LASHES OUT AT DONAIRE

AZG DAILY
17-02-2010

Sport

"I made you and I will break you"

According to World of Boxing, WBA/WBC super flyweight champion Vic
Darchinyan is after a rematch with Nonito Donaire, the current WBA
interim super flyweight champion. Donaire, who holds a KO win over
the hard-punching Australian-based Armenian, and will defend his
belt against Gerson Guerrero on a February 13 pay-per-view card in
Las Vegas.

"Donaire needs to stand up and fight someone who can actually throw
some punches back at him," stated Darchinyan. "Since he fought me,
who has he fought? Bums that either shouldn’t be boxing or should be
retired. I am praying he wins his next fight and comes through with
no injuries, I don’t want him making excuses when I finish his career.

Don’t go looking for Arce and make that a excuse of why won’t fight
me. Get through your next fight and it’s me and you, anytime, anywhere.

He continued, "Stop running and saying there were rematch clauses
and you wanted to fight me. I would have fought you the next day if
I had my way. The people around you care about your career they know
if you fight me you will be knocked out. Now you’re fighting junior
flyweights and you think you’re a champion. Your opponents are hand
picked to make you look good. You’re a fraud and you’re fighting bums.

I promise I won’t make the same mistake again. I made you and I will
break you and expose you for the fraud that you really are."

PRESS RELEASE
UCLA AEF Chair in Armenian History
Contact: Prof. Richard Hovannisian
Tel: 310-825-3375
Email: [email protected]

Here is the final schedule for this Friday’s colloquium in Armenian
Studies in case you have any use for it.

2010 Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies Friday, February
19, 2010 – UCLA Royce Hall 314

9:30 – 10:00 AM Breakfast
10:00 – 10:15 AM Opening Remarks
Doris Melkonian – Project Director, 2010 Graduate Student Colloquium
in Armenian Studies
Dr. S. Peter Cowe – Professor and Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies
at UCLA

Session 1 – ARMENO-TURKISH LITERARY TIES
Chair: Dr. Talar Chahinian (Comparative Literature, UCLA)
10:15 – 10:35 Mehmet Fatih Uslu – Turkish Literature, Bilkent
University (Turkey)
`Economy and Morality in Hagop Baronian and Ahmet Mithat’
10:35 – 10:55 Alaettin Carikci – Cultural Studies, Sabanci University
(Turkey)
`Narrativization of the Catastrophe in Modern Armenian-Turkish
Literature’
10:55 – 11:10 Discussion
11:10 – 11:30 Coffee Break

Session 2 – RELIGIOUS THEMES AND PRACTICES IN ARMENIAN CULTURE
Chair: Arda Melkonian (Education & Information Studies, UCLA)
11:30 – 11:50 Irene Tinti – Linguistics, University of Pisa (Italy)
`The `Storehouses’ of the Sky in the Septuagint and the Armenian
Bible’
11:50 – 12:10 Roubina Shnorhokian – History, Queen’s University
(Canada)
`Becoming a Premonstratensian: Het`um’s Religious
Self-fashioning’

12:10 – 12:30 Anna Ohanjanyan – History, Yerevan State University
(Armenia)
`The Manuscript `Key of Truth’ and its Historical Evaluation’
12:30 – 12:50 Discussion
12:50 – 2:30 Lunch

Session 3 – ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE ARMENIAN REPUBLIC
Chair: Shushan Karapetian (Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA)
2:30 – 2:50 Konrad Siekierski – Institute of Archaeology and
Ethnography, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia
`Folk Christianity in Contemporary Armenia’

2:50 – 3:10 Alina Poghosyan – Institute of Archaeology and
Ethnography, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia
`Transformation Features of the `Red Apple’ Tradition in the
Capital of Armenia’
3:10 – 3:25 Discussion

Session 4 – LINGUISTICS
Chair: Tamar Boyadjian (Comparative Literature, UCLA)
3:25 – 3:45 Hrayr Khanjian – Linguistics, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (USA)
`vochmegdegh chkatsadz vochinch chgera: Multiple Negation in Spoken
Western Armenian’

3:45 – 3:55 Discussion
3:55 – 4:10 Tea Break

Session 5 – ARMENIAN LITERARY ISSUES
Chair: Myrna Douzjian (Comparative Literature, UCLA)
4:10 – 4:30 Michael Pifer – Comparative Literature, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)
`Stunning Acumen, Silenced Solomon: The Speechless Death of the
Exiled Gharib in Armenian Literature’
4:30 – 4:50 Aram Kouyoumdjian – English, California State University,
Northridge (USA)
`A Voice for the ’30s: William Saroyan’s Early Plays and
Proletarian Drama of the Depression Era’

4:50 – 5:10 Vahram Danielyan – Literature, Yerevan State University
(Armenia)
`The Way Leading from Copy-Book to Novel: Gurgen Khanjyan’s
Novels’
5:10 – 5:30 Discussion 5:30 – 5:45 Guest Speaker – Dr. Ramela G.
Abbamontian – Assistant Professor of Art History, Pierce College

5:45 – 7:00 Reception

OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF SNIPER WITHDRAWAL FROM THE LINE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE ARMED FORCES IN KARABAKH CONFLICT ZONE

ArmInfo
2010-02-16 11:05:00

ArmInfo. OSCE chairman-in-office has emphasized the importance of
withdrawal of snipers from the line of contact between the armed
forces in the Karabakh conflict zone.

"Any measures, aimed at relief of the situation, should be supported
and implemented, including withdrawal of snipers from the line of
contact ", OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan
Kanat Saudabayev said at today’s press-conference in Yerevan.

To note, OSCE MG cochairman have also multiply claimed of the
importance of sniper withdrawal from the contact line, saying this
step would lead to strengthening of stability and security at the line
of contact. However, this cannot be reached because of the stance of
official Baku which does not give its consent.

SAMVEL KARAPETYAN: TWO MONASTERIES IN LORI TURNED INTO TOWER OF PISA

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.02.2010 19:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) Organisation
on behalf of the Armenian Ministry of Culture launched a program
in 2009 to identify 26 architectural monuments of Armenia being in
the worst condition. The program will help to restore them, " Samvel
Karapetyan , an architectural historian and head of RAA told a press
conference on February 15 in Yerevan.

According to him, some of the studied monasteries are simply in a
poor condition. "Two monasteries in the Lori region "Bartsrakash"
and "Karasnits mankants" almost turned into a leaning tower of Pisa,
lurching from the very foundation. These walls have to be disassembled
and reassembled, which is undesirable, but in this case necessary,
" Samvel Karapetyan said. The cost of the project amounted to AMD 8
million, AMD 3.9 million were received by RAA.

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
Feb 12 2010

Turkish president replies to Sarkisian’s call on `decisive steps’

12-02-2010 05:46:20

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has replied to his Armenian
counterpart Serzh Sarkisian’s letter sent a few days ago that called
on Gul to take `decisive steps’ toward normalizing the two countries’
relations that have been strained for decades.
According to the Turkish president’s website, Gul indicated that the
key objectives in efforts to normalize bilateral relations were
`overcoming long-established prejudices and nurturing mutual
understanding and trust among our two neighboring peoples.’
`You should have no doubt that our determination to move these
objectives forward is intact, provided this resolve and commitment
remains reciprocal,’ Gul said after the two countries accused each
other of trying to rewrite the accords on mending bilateral ties
signed in late 2009.
He emphasized that Ankara will continue the process of normalizing its
relations with Yerevan based on the agreement reached. `I will keep on
dealing with this process with hope to achieve result satisfying our
countries.’
President Sarkisian had sent his letter to Gul on a plane heading to
Britain while flying over Turkey’s territory on Monday.
Sarkisian’s letter also said Turkey and Armenia’s initiative seeking
to achieve reconciliation is in the spotlight of the world community.
He also wrote that a historic chance has emerged to move forward the
process of Turkish-Armenian reconcliation, and efforts of world powers
are crucial for mending bilateral relations.
On Wednesday, Sarkisian said the accords must be voted on by the
Turkish parliament before Armenia`s parliament would approve them, and
warned that Armenia could break off the effort to normalize relations
if Turkey dragged its feet.
Armenia and Turkey have been at odds for decades and maintain no
diplomatic ties. Ankara and Yerevan signed two protocols on
normalizing their relations in Switzerland in October 2009 in a bid to
end decades of hostility. The United States, Russia and France
facilitated the signing of the Turkish-Armenian protocols. However,
the documents require ratification in both countries’ parliaments.
Turkish officials have assured Azerbaijan, Turkey’s ally, that the
protocols will not pass in the country’s parliament until progress is
made in resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Also, the Armenian
Constitutional Court issued a ruling in January that Ankara labeled as
containing pre-conditions. While saying the protocols signed in Zurich
were in line with the introductory part of the country’s Constitution,
the ruling still allows Armenia to pursue international recognition of
the alleged World War I-era genocide in Ottoman Turkey.*