Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

GEORGIA LEAVING THE CIS CREATES A PROBLEM FOR ARMENIA

The Messenger
Aug 24 2009
Georgia

As soon as Georgia withdrew officially from the CIS Armenia lost
its direct land link with the rest of the alliance, states one of
the leaders of the Dashnaktsutune Party Kiro Manoian. He says that
Armenia is therefore in a very difficult situation but Georgia will
use its common sense and not create further problems for Armenia.

Since it regained its independence Georgia has always been very
sensible in its relations with Armenia, treating it in a good, friendly
and neighbourly manner. The current situation, in which Georgia has
withdrawn from the CIS and Armenia has lost direct contact with its
strategic ally Russia, has been mainly caused by Moscow’s occupation
of Georgian territories rather than any problem between Georgia
and Armenia.

Formally of course Armenia has a land border with Russia via fellow CIS
member Azerbaijan, but of course it is absolutely out of the question
that Azerbaijan will ever allow Armenia to receive any goods from
Russia through its territory before the Karabakh question is settled.

Indian Armenians
The new manager of ACPA faces administrative challenges

Azad-Hye Special

On 05 April 2009, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, gave his permission for Reverend Father Khoren Hovhannisyan
to be reinstated as a clergyman of the Armenian Church.

Father Hovhannisyan (baptismal name Nshan) was defrocked in 2002 for
willfully deserting spiritual duties, but after showing regret he was
accepted back and appointed as Manager of the Armenian College and
Philanthropic Academy (ACPA) of Calcutta (Kolkata) and parish priest
of the Armenian community of India.

Currently, the College, which holds historical significance for the
Armenians in Asia and worldwide, has about 80 students, mostly from
Iran, Iraq, Armenia and India, with several Indian and expatriate
teachers.

`ACPA has a rich historical past and is one of the oldest educational
institutions in the Armenian Diaspora. Today it continues to strive
forward with enthusiasm and energy. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, the
newly appointed pastor of Armenians in India and the Manager of ACPA –
together with the Church wardens of the Armenian Holy Church of
Nazareth have not spared any effort to upgrade this historical
institution of Kolkata’, emphasizes a recently issued press release
by the school management.

This year, eight students from ACPA have obtained their school-leaving
certificate (see photo). Six of them enrolled in leading schools in
Kolkata for further studies and the remaining two returned to their
families in Armenia.

According to some reports, the management of the school did not
provide the necessary support for the rugby team this
year. Participation in the local games was not allowed until the last
moment. This created negative impact on the students. The rugby team
has a history of achievements (see and old and new photo of the rugby
teams).

Another report states that several teachers who have served the school
in the last few years have been forced to resign and were replaced
with local teachers.

The alumni – school administration relations are not always in good
terms. Many of ACPA graduates occupy high positions in their careers
worldwide and continue to support the school, morally and financially,
with a great sense of commitment. They always raise issues related to
the school, but it is rarely that they feel satisfied when they visit
their old school. Besides the poor living conditions, the students
lack specialized guidance for their educational, social and emotional
needs. Funds are available, but are rarely spent on their vocational
trainings and other aspects that can improve their academic life.

The children of ACPA need all the moral support they can get. The
methods used in the school are not pedagogical. The students are
constantly threatened to be sent back home (where in most cases war
and uncertainty prevail).

Until 2005, Sonia John ruled the school with semi-authoritarian
approach. Father Oshagan Gulgulian, a member of the Etchmiadzin
Brotherhood, was appointed in 2005 as head of an interim school board
to govern the activities of the College and rectify problems caused by
the old management. He managed to resolve some of the pressing issues.

Students and staff at ACPA Kolkata, 2009

During his tenure, the 300 years celebrations related to the Saint
Nazareth church took place and Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, visited India with a large group of pilgrims from all over
the world, including ACPA graduates. They visited the Armenian
monuments in several places in India, as far as Chennai
(Madras). Several monuments were renovated on this occasion and
prayers were heard in abandoned structures. There are some indications
that not all renovation work was of good quality. Works in the Madras
church complex for example were carried on hastily, to meet the
celebration deadline.

Many of our Diaspora establishments suffer from discontinuity. As soon
as a new administrator is appointed a new page is opened, often
without taking into consideration the old experience.

Our community life is a combination of laymen and clergymen working
together in a well defined roles, sharing duties and
responsibilities. If the balance is shifted, then one of the sides
will abuse its authority. This has happened in ACPA in the past and
may repeat itself, if the local Armenian society is not effectively
involved in the community life.

The upcoming community elections in November 2009 could be a good
opportunity to create a new atmosphere. Reports, however, indicate
that two wardens (Susan Reuben and Sunil Sobti) have submitted a
petition in the Calcutta High Court in September 2006 and subsequently
received judgment in 2008, according to which an amendment to the
scheme governing the Armenian Church has been accepted by the
Court. The amendment disallows people holding non-Indian passports to
serve on the Church Committee and rules that only those who are exempt
from receiving financial aid from the Church and who have been
residing in Kolkata for the last 4 years have the right to vote and be
elected.

Since more than two thirds of the tiny community receives financial
aid and others have foreign passports, voting and electing rights are
practically left with a handful of Indian Armenians (about 15 persons)
who will keep the governance amongst themselves. The chief accountant
of the Church Committee is in close relationship with them.

Most probably, Etchmiadzin is not aware about this scenario, that can
endanger the future of ACPA and other Armenian properties in India.

There are children in Iran, Iraq and elsewhere who yearn for a chance
for education. The well-known Melkonian Educational Institute had a
role to play in educating the European and Middle Eastern Armenian
students and ACPA has a similar role in Asia. The lessons derived from
the closure of Melkonian should help us make the best use of ACPA.

Until this happens, we would like to ask the Catholicos of All
Armenians not to consider India as a place for pilgrimages only. ACPA
has been functioning without interruption for 188 years. `The doors of
ACPA are always open to welcome the Armenian students’ says a press
release. Let us work together to guarantee the continuity and best
implementation of this pledge.

Photos:
Upper-left photo: The anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian
College and Philanthropic Academy of Calcutta (ACPA) was marked on
Founder’s day, 02 April 2009.

School children celebrating Vartevar

Eight students have obtained their school-leaving certificate in 2009

The Most Rev. Lucas Sirkar, the Catholic Archbishop of Kolkata meets
Fr. Khoren Hovhannisyan, the pastor of Armenians in India and the
manager of the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy at the
former’s residence on 13th July 2009

The most recent rugby team 2009

One of the older rugby teams

ACPA address:
Armenian College
56B Mirza Ghalib Street
Kolkata 700 016
Tel: (91-33) 4010-9051 / 2229-9051
Fax: (91-33) 2227-5869
E-mail: [email protected]

Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, Manager
Rev. Father Avetis Hambardzumyan, Administrator

ews.asp?newsId=3D621azhf41

Zawya

Iran: New Guidelines for Reducing Air Accidents

22 August 2009

Head of Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAOI) Mohammad Ali
Ilkhani said on Monday new guidelines set for issuing the Air
Operators Certificate (AOC) are aimed at efficiently organizing
airlines and reducing air accidents.
Based on the guidelines, which became operational on Sunday, nobody is
allowed to bring in rental airplanes or outdated Russian airplanes to
the country. Any company operating commercial flights must obtain the
AOC, IRNA reported.
The official noted that applicants for establishing airlines should
have a detailed technical, operational and economic plan, and
determine one of the airports as the main base of the company.
"They should also at least have five airplanes, three of which should
be owned by them and none of them should be more than 10 years old,"
he said.
"The company’s organizational structure should be verified and the
company should be capable of employing personnel and paying them. Its
maintenance facilities should include facilities for storing spare
parts, repairs and ensuring a quality control system," he said.
Ilkhani said the capital asset of the company should be at least 250
billion rials.
"Initially, the certificate will be issued for six months and, if
successful, it will be renewed for a year and, if not, it will be
invalidated," he said.
The official emphasized that at no point of time have non-standard
planes entered the air fleet of the country and all airplanes have the
standards.
Commenting on the results of investigation into the crash of Caspian’s
Tupolev-154 en route from Tehran to Yerevan near Qazvin, he said, "The
second Russian delegation, which had come to Iran for this purpose,
returned to Russia and currently we are awaiting the dispatch of two
groups of Iranian experts to Russia. One group will focus on replaying
the tape of cabin’s vocal recordings and the tape of engine’s
parameters while the other group will concentrate on examining the
parts remaining from the airplane. We have reached the conclusion that
the airplane did not have any technical problems, as 20 days before
the crash it underwent a thorough technical checkup. We are examining
why the number one engine of the airplane failed."
Ilkhani noted that based on Chicago Convention, foreign airlines
cannot become active in Iranian routes.
"The presence of foreign airlines is based on the agreement we have
with their countries of origin. This means the number of flights
between the two sides should be equal. But, at present, the number of
foreign flights to Iran is higher than the number of Iranian flights
to those countries," he said.

© Iran Daily 2009

AZERI AUTHORITIES QUESTION THOSE WHO VOTED FOR ARMENIA IN EUROVISION

2009/0 8/18 | 01:32

Region

According to yesterday~Rs BBC News, people in Azerbaijan who voted
for a song by neighbouring Armenia in May~Rs Eurovision Song Contest
have been questioned by the authorities.

One man told the BBC he was accused of being unpatriotic and a
potential security threat, after he sent a text backing Armenia~Rs
song ~SJan Jan~T.

The Azerbaijani authorities said people had merely been invited to
explain why they voted for Armenia.

NEW WAY SUGGESTED TO DEAL WITH EXPIRED COMMODITIES IN ARMENIA’S SUPERMARKETS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
18.08.2009 19:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The problem of shelf-life is a very topical issue
because of the summer season, Abgar Eghoyan , head of the "Protection
of Consumer Rights" ngo told a press conference in Yerevan today.

According to him, their organization regularly monitors supermarkets
checking availability of expired food products on the shelves. Fines
imposed on the supermarkets, in the case of availability of expired
goods, are not effective, because they are miserable.

As an additional means Abgar Eghoyan suggests to publicize the names
of supermarkets, selling expired goods.

According to him, this method is more efficient, because a supermarket
will lose its image and customers, which will lead to huge losses.

ARMENIAN FROM URUGUAY ONE OF BOMBARDIERS OF CHILE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Aug 18, 2009

SANTIAGO, AUGUST 18, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the information
center of the Yerkramas newspaper of the Armenians in Russia, one
of the bombardiers of the Chilean Everton club is an Armenian by the
nationality, 23-year old Uruguayan forward Mauro Guevgeozian Crespo who
performs in Chile. Mauro also has had an experience of participation
in the Armenian Football Championship: he performed in a game in the
staff of Yerevan Pyunik at the 2007-2008 Champions’ League.

ATTACKS ON ARMENIAN SITES AIMED AT TESTING VULNERABILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.08.2009 15:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Attacks on Armenian sites are aimed at testing
vulnerable spots in the infrastructure of the Armenian virtual network,
Samvel Martirosyan information security expert and Eduard Abrahamyan ,
expert of the Mitk analytical center told a press conference in Yerevan
today devoted to issues of "Information security, current tasks".

The experts expressed their opinions that attacks resemble military
exercises and are aimed at identifying "holes" in the Armenian network.

According to them, hacker attacks enhance the professional level
of our specialists, in the area of ensuring safety of Armenian web
sites, if they would work hard to eliminate the detected "holes",
rather than trying to hide the facts of hacking for their prestige.

CONCERT IN RA NATIONAL ASSAMBLE PARK, ARTO TUNCBOYACIAN TO PERFORM

Noyan Tapan
Aug 13, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the RA National
Assemble’s Public Relations Department, continueing the formed new
tradition the gates of the NA will be open again on August 14. The
concert of Arto Tuncboyacian and Armenian Navy Band will take place
within the framework of The Open Doors of NA program.

"Everybody is invited to the NA park on August 14 at 19.30," the
message reads.

TINA KAIDANOV TO REPLACE MATTHEW BRYZA BUT NOT ON THE POST OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIR

ArmInfo
2009-08-13 13:05:00

ArmInfo-TURAN. Information saying that Tina Kaidanov will replace
Matthew Bryza on the post of OSCE MG American co-chair does not meet
the reality, US Embassy in Azerbaijan told Turan.

According to the same source, T. Kaidanov has been appointed to the
post of U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. She will replace
M. Bryza just on this post.

ARTSAKH’S INDEPENDENCE BEFORE NORMALIZATION: REORDERING ARMENIA’S PRIORITIES
Michael Mensoian

Asbarez
2/artsakh%e2%80%99s-independence-before-normalizat ion-reordering-armenia%e2%80%99s/
Aug 12, 2009

The following comment is attributed to President Ilham Aliyev of
Azerbaijan conjecturing on the possibility of Artsakh achieving
local autonomy when it is returned to Baku’s jurisdiction. "It may
take a year, maybe 10 years, maybe 100 years, or it will never be
possible. Time will tell. That mindset that Karabakh will revert to
Azerbaijani control is given credence by the continuing pressure
by the Minsk Group representing the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for Armenia to accept another nuanced
Madrid Proposal as the basis for negotiating a resolution of the
Karabakh conflict. To accept these principles places the burden on
the Armenian negotiators, effectively precluding our brothers and
sisters in Artsakh from ever achieving a peaceful de jure independence.

Given that rather ominous outlook, the leadership in Yerevan remains
hell-bent on implementing an ill-conceived policy that seeks to
normalize relations with a government in Ankara that continues a
decades-long national policy of denial, obfuscation, and revisionism
with respect to the genocide of the Armenian nation that began on
April 24, 1915. It should come as no revelation that the Turkish
leaders have no intention of normalizing relations with Yerevan until
the Karabakh conflict is resolved. The Turkish solution is simple:
The liberated districts must revert to Azeri control and Karabakh’s
ultimate status to be determined by a vote under conditions and at an
indefinite time in the future. While Armenia seeks to appease Ankara
on its western border, for what purpose one might ask, it is being
outflanked on its eastern border.

These ongoing negotiations to achieve normalization are part of
a well-conceived Turkish diplomatic offensive that seeks to force
Yerevan into accepting compromises that are inimical to its political
viability and future security. The soccer invitation by Armenian
President Serge Sarkisian to Turkish President Abdullah Gul was
part and parcel of this shrewd Turkish offensive. The invitation was
anything but spontaneous by the Armenian president. The hesitancy by
the Turkish president in accepting was part of the drama that set
the stage for the current negotiations. Unwary Yerevan-better that
said than to say they were party to this subterfuge-has little if
anything substantive to gain from these negotiations. Yerevan has yet
to produce any objective evidence as to how normalization will promote
its present political-economic situation or long-term national security
interests. An analysis of the limited and conflicting information
that is available indicates that whatever gains may be anticipated
will come at an exorbitant cost to Armenia.

If this is not sufficient reason to end negotiations, perhaps a more
compelling reason is the need for Yerevan to reorient its priorities
and view Artsakh’s independence rather than normalization as the key
to its future.

The loss of Artsakh would seriously weaken Yerevan’s position within
the south Caucasus and would likely result in the disaffection of
a significant number of diasporan Armenians. Yerevan must develop
and enunciate a stratagem supported by the major political parties
in tandem with Stepanakert that will maintain and strengthen the de
facto independence of Artsakh as this coalition works toward its
recognition as a free and independent political entity. Failure
to develop a broadly supported stratagem creates a vacuum that
facilitates the ongoing campaign by Ankara and Baku of comments from
their leaders that seek to create the illusion that negotiations are
progressing satisfactorily. This causes what they expect: confusion
and consternation on the part of the Armenian political parties not
privy to the negotiations, and an erosion of Armenia’s position in the
negotiations. The lack of an effective response by Yerevan makes its
leaders appear to be the intransigent neighbor while Turkey assumes
the role of the cooperative negotiator. It is a shrewd gambit by
Ankara that seems to be resonating with the principal players-the
Minsk Group representing the OSCE, of which Russia and the United
States serve as co-chairs with France, and by Russia and the United
States as separate entities apart from their participation in the
Minsk Group-as they continue to pressure Armenia to make compromises.

These nations want an open border-seemingly at Armenia’s expense-and
a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict-at Karabakh’s
expense-ostensibly to bring political and economic stability to the
region. Political and economic stability in the south Caucasus is
a legitimate objective. However, nowhere are provisions suggested
to be implemented that would improve the economy of Armenia, its
active participation in the ongoing economic development programs and
projects in the south Caucasus, guarantees of free access to Black
Sea ports in Georgia and Turkey or to address the various issues that
are an outgrowth of the Armenian Genocide. Rather, both Armenia’s and
Karabakh’s vital interests are being ignored in preference to those
of Turkey and Azerbaijan. There is everything to suggest, based on the
available evidence, that if the present set of circumstances prevail,
Armenia and Karabakh will be relegated to political and economic
servitude, their potential forever circumscribed by the interests of
Ankara and Baku (see "The Roadmap to Normalization is a Roadmap to
Oblivion for Armenia, The Armenian Weekly, May 23, 2009).

The ultimate independence of Artsakh must be viewed as infinitely more
compelling than the normalization of relations with Ankara. Failure
to achieve Artsakh’s independence will be the death knell for Hai
Tahd, which represents the Armenian nation’s legitimate demand for
justice. The first link in that long-sought demand for justice is the
recognition of Artsakh as an independent entity. Should that fail,
Yerevan has no hope whatsoever that the normalization of relations
with Turkey will be either politically or economically beneficial, or
that its national security interests can be protected. With a defeat in
Artsakh, what is it that normalization can yield? What incentive would
there be for Ankara to ever offer no more than token responses to the
legitimate Armenian claims of restitution, reparation, recognition
(of the genocide), and rectification (of the boundary)? Whatever
concessions that were finally made to Armenia would serve solely to
burnish Turkey’s image as a nation willing to overcome its past in
order to achieve political and economic stability within the south
Caucasus. Turkish leaders know that this ploy would play well in the
capitals of the European Union and the United States, whose governments
are anxious to finally settle the "Armenian Question" redefined in
the context of their collective 21st century interests. Does anyone
expect the nations that have recognized the Armenian Genocide to
support Armenia’s cause under these circumstances?

For Yerevan the issue that must be confronted is not whether Karabakh
is part of the negotiation process, but the constant pressure to have
the Madrid Proposals serve as the basis for negotiations. No matter how
these proposals are nuanced , they are the same proposals that were
introduced in 2007 and they still speak to the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan. Completely ignored is the principle that supports the
inalienable right of an ethnic minority to seek independence from the
rule of a despotic government. There is no part of international law
that precludes Artsakh from being recognized today as an independent
country. If the principle of territorial integrity was so sacrosanct
Kosovo could not have been recognized by the United States and Russia’s
recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia could not have occurred
(see "Is Artsakh’s Cause Less Than Kosovo’s?) The Armenian Weekly,
May 10, 2009).

Even a cursory examination of these principles leaves little doubt that
they are skewed against Karabakh’s independence. The first principle
requires the withdrawal of the Karabakh Defense Force from the
liberated territories that form Karabakh’s security zone. Withdrawal
from these lands would cause the Line of Contact (LoC) to contract to
the borders of the Karabakh districts. This would make the defense of
Karabakh immeasurably more difficult as well as effectively cutting
it off from both Armenia and Iran. The Lachin Corridor cannot be
viewed as a dependable link to Armenia if the Kashatagh and Lachin
districts (Kelbajar) are occupied by Azerbaijan. The Lachin Corridor
road under the best of conditions is a fragile link to Armenia and can
be easily severed once the security zone is occupied by the Azerbaijan
military. An international peacekeeping force under the aegis of the
United Nations might be an option. However, their effectiveness judged
by the past performances of such peace-keeping forces in similar
situations too numerous to mention is not reassuring. They normally
have neither the capacity nor the mandate to effectively challenge
any military action that the host nation may decide to take. What is
the status of the occupied eastern margins of Martakert and Martuni
and the district of Shahumian? Will they revert to Karabakh’s control
or continue to remain under Azeri occupation?

A second principle speaks to the return of internally displace
persons (IDP) to the liberated districts as well as to Karabakh
itself. What of the Armenian IDP’s that are in Karabakh who fled
from Baku and Sumgait and the districts of Shahumian and the eastern
border regions of Martakert and Martuni that are presently occupied
by Azeri forces. Then there are those Armenians that left Azerbaijan
for Armenia or Russia. These people are the only legitimate refugees
of the war to liberate Artsakh, although the term is incorrectly used
by Baku to identify their IDP’s.

This requirement to resettle the IDP’s combined with a third
principle that suggests a future plebiscite to determine the status
of Karabakh all but insures that the people of Karabakh will never
achieve independence. When this plebiscite will take place will be
determined by whom? When will it be held? What geographic regions
will be included? Karabakh only? Or will the voting include all
of Azerbaijan as a referendum on whether or not Karabakh should be
granted some form of local autonomy? Actually none of these questions
are relevant simply because Karabakh’s independence will never be one
of the options. Possibly Aliyev’s off repeated threat of a military
solution may be the more desirable option (see "The Nagorno Karabakh
Conflict Revisited,) The Armenian Weekly, August 16, 2008).

The loss of Artsakh would represent a catastrophic political and
psychological setback for Armenia and for the creditability of the
ARF. Hai Tahd and the socioeconomic and political reforms that define
the ideology of the ARF would have been seriously tarnished. That may
be a harsh assessment, but it is closer to the truth than ignoring
the consequences of Artsakh’s demise.

Artsakh not only would represent a significant victory in the Armenian
nation’s determination to obtain justice, but it strengthens the
country’s strategic position athwart the Russian-Iranian north-south
axis and the Turkish-Azerbaijani west-east axis. At any moment Russia
has the capability to occupy Georgia which is Turkey’s only land
connection to Baku and beyond. The neutralization of Armenia and
the reversion of Karabakh to Azerbaijan would provide Turkey with an
important alternate route. There can be no doubt that Turkey desires
to extend its political and economic influence across the Caspian
Sea into central Asia and beyond. This is the old pan-Turanian (or
Pan-Turkic) dream resurrected.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s recent charge that the Chinese
government was committing genocide in Xingtiang (Sinkiang) against
the ethnic Moslem Uighurs speaks to that objective. The United
States, Russia, and the European Union should consider that Turkey’s
geostrategic interests will ultimately run counter to their respective
geostrategic interests. From the Balkans to Chinese Xingtiang and from
the south Caucasus to the Gulf of Aden, there is no country within
this vast region that can compete on the ground with Turkey. This
includes both Israel and Iran.

No one questions the fact that Yerevan is not dealing from a position
of power. However, President Sargsyan courts disaster if he continues
to carry on negotiations without broad based political support and a
degree of transparency. Allaying suspicions and the need to engender
support from the diaspora is an absolute necessity.

The ARF is well positioned to make an important contribution if
Yerevan accepts the need not only to reposition itself with respect
to its objectives, but to develop a plan of action that speaks,
first and foremost, to the de jure independence of Karabakh. If
not, then this difficult burden must fall on the ARF to represent
the people of Karabakh in their epic struggle to become a free and
independent entity.