Saturday 9 October 2010

Akhtamar News

SHOULD ARMENIA RECOGNIZE THE REPUBLIC OF NAGORNO
KARABAKH?
Anna Nazaryan
"Radiolur"
30.09.2010 17:40

The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS)
convened a roundtable seminar discussion today entitled "Should
Armenia Recognize the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh?" Participants in
the discussion included several members of the Armenian parliament,
leading analysts, policy specialists, representatives from civil
society and the media.

"By carrying out negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minsk
Group, Armenia continues to accept the other countries' stance,
according to which NKR's status must be determined during the talks
being held between the conflicting sides," said ACNIS Senior Analyst
Manvel Sargsyan.

"That is, Armenia's leadership constantly states that the status can
not be bargained with, yet it continues to discuss that issue with
Azerbaijan, thereby actually recognizing Azerbaijan's 'entitlement'
to decide the status issue."

Sargsian said that "today, Armenia has nothing to combat against the
anti-Armenian resolutions that are being adopted by international
organizations, and the international policy toward Armenia now focuses
more on the existing uncertainty concerning MKR status."

He continued to say that "this very argument is at the heart of the
conviction held by those who favor MKR's immediate recognition. By the
act of recognition, the schema of international relations pertaining
to Nagorno Karabakh will change drastically, and this will enable
Armenia to make the defending of NKR's independence become a component
of its policy of bilateral and multilateral relation."

Head of the Heritage faction of the National Assembly Styopa Safaryan
reminded that the issue of recognition of Artsakh was being discussed
still 18 years ago. "Then they were saying it was not proper time
for recognition. The same is being said today," Styopa Safaryan said,
adding that "Recognition is a necessity at this moment."


AZERBAIJAN'S WAR RHETORIC CAN LEAD TO RESUMPTION OF
HOSTILITIES IN KARABAKH
NEWS.am
September 30, 2010 | 17:37


Azerbaijan's war rhetoric can lead to resumption of hostilities in
the Karabakh conflict zone, the head of European Integration NGO
Karen Bekaryan said, delivering a speech at "Security Problems and
Information Cooperation in the South Caucasus" conference in Yerevan.

According to him, speaking of certain aspects of the resolution of
the Karabakh conflict, international community should think of their
expediency and thoroughly analyze the proposals. For instance, raising
the issue on the return of Azerbaijani refugees to their houses, no
one can guarantee that the refugees, but not criminals will return,
he noted. In this case, measures aimed to overcome the conflict
consequences can lead to a new conflict. As to the return of the
territories controlled by the Armenian side, international community
forgets that once these territories may become a good foothold to
fire at Nagorno-Karabakh.

Speaking of Azerbaijan's aspiration to shift the Karabakh peace
process to a new format (from OSCE Minsk Group), expert noted that this
initiative may lead to involvement of not experienced organizations.

GLOBAL WARMING DIRECTLY ENDANGERS ARMENIAN FORESTS
ArmInfo
2010-09-29 18:18:00


ArmInfo. Global warming directly endangers Armenia's forests, Aram
Ter- Zakaryan, Task Leader of "Adaptation to CC Impacts in Mountain
Forest Ecosystems of Armenia" UNDP/GEF MSP at UNDP Armenia CO, told
ArmInfo correspondent

"We are first and foremost concerned with the forests of Syunik
region. Surveys show that as compared with the average index of
1961-1990, elements in the region have dropped by 9%",- he said.

According to him, over the period from 1935 to 2007 the average annual
temperature in Syunik region rose by 0.7%. The number of summer
days with a temperature at over 25 degrees also grew: in Meghri -
by 10 days, in Kapan and Goris - by 21 days. Experts point out that
the rise of the temperature alongside with reduction of elements
has led to deceleration of forest reproduction processes. Project
Consultant Armen Nalbandyan says that the temperature rise also
increases the number of depredators. For instance, in early 2000s
2 thsd hectares of forestry in Meghri suffered from the brown-tail
moth. Nalbandyan thinks that besides taking environmental measures,
opening of the forest guard station, which was liquidated in 1998,
may play an important role in saving forests from depredators.

According to specialists, in 2100 temperature in Armenia will rise
by 5.7 degree. If no work aimed at reduction of greenhouse gases
waste is done, the elements in the republic will drop by 27%; on the
contrary, such phenomena as strong winds, hails, floods and droughts
will considerably grow. To note, 2- degree rise in temperature in
Armenia may increase the scales of desertisation by 33%, and decrease
the elements by 10%, the number of the mammals by 28-33%, harvests -
by 8-14%. Moreover, Alpine zones will decline by 22%, and the landscape
zone borders will move higher by 100-150 meters.


SWITZERLAND PUNISHED TURKS FOR GENOCIDE DENIAL
NEWS.am
October 01, 2010 | 13:54


Turk Ali Merican and his two friends were charged for pubic denial
of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire. Turks are sentenced to
150 days' imprisonment and have to pay a fine of 30,000 Swiss francs.

According to Dogan newspaper, three Turks called the 1915 Genocide
"international lie" in their statements. They were charged based on
a lawsuit filed by the Chairman of Switzerland-Armenia Association
Sargis Shahinian.

Ali Merican and his friends were found guilty in violation of
Switzerland's anti- racism law. The verdict was appealed in the Swiss
Supreme Court, but remained in force. Ali Merican and his friends
intend to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

Genocide denial is considered a crime in Switzerland.


CROSS ERECTED ON DOME OF SURB KHACH CHURCH
By Adonia Agayan
YerevanReport.com
Oct 4 2010

YEREVAN, October 4 - While the Turkish nationalists were uttering a
Muslim prayer in the ancient Armenian cathedral of Ani on October 1,
a cross was placed on the dome of the Surb Khach Armenian Church at
Akhtamar Island, Turkey.

Aram Ateshyan, the Armenian Deputy Patriarch of Constantinople,
performed the ceremony.

Abbot Tatul Anushyan, Head of the Religious Council of the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople, consecrated the cross on the dome of
Surb Khach Church.

Aris Nalji, the editor of the Agos newspaper, considers the removal
of the cross unlikely, though when it will be possible to regularly
perform a liturgy every Sunday needs to be clarified.

"We should make a statement concerning certain dates for mass
celebration. The Armenian community should take steps to achieve this
aim," Nalji said.

According to him, the Muslim prayer in the Ani Cathedral was nothing
but an answer to the placement of the cross on Surb Khach Church. He
also underlined that the Muslim prayers will most likely not be
said in the cathedral in the future, since what happened was only
an attempt by the nationalist party to gain support of the voters on
the threshold of upcoming presidential elections.

"It was done for the Turkish civilians and not for Armenians.

Otherwise, how else should we interpret their actions - a Muslim
prayer in one church, and the placement of the cross on the other?"

Nalji said.

While the cross was being installed tourists were prohibited to visit
Akhtamar Island.

Message from Briony Krikorian

Mungo McCosh, who visited Yerevan and Shushi in 2003, is having an

exhibition of his prints in London on 21-30 October.

There are a few attracive ones of Armenia and of the middle east more generally.

The exhibition is at Abbott and Holder opposite the British Museum.

The opening night is Thursday 21 October at 7.30pm http://abbottandholder.co.uk/exhibitions.php?action=view_ex&id=118.

The Armenian prints are here: http://www.hamletdesign.co.uk/mungomccosh/print/Armenia/index.html.

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