Khandut Avetyan

I have been living in the village of Verin Shen in the liberated Artsakh district of Karvatchar for the past eight years. When we relocated here back in November 2001 we faced numerous obstacles that we overcame with dignity. »»»»»

American businessman Serob Ter-Poghosyan, president and owner of Metal Prince, has been operating a open copper mine on the sly for the past year. The mine, an eyesore in its own right, is located by the cemetery near the town of Shamlough. »»»»»

Several representatives of the Armenian press in the diaspora spoke at a press conference held earlier today focusing on recent developments in Armenian-Turkish relations and the upcoming tour of various diaspora communities by RoA President Sargsyan.

Manvel Adamian, editor of the London-based monthly “Nor Seroundi Tzayn” (Voice of the New Generation) remarked that the recently scheduled tour of the diaspora by RoA President Serzh Sargsyan was late in coming; an opinion expressed by the others as well. »»»»»

My Fellow Countrymen:

Having humbly labored so many years for the international reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, recognition of the Karabagh Republic, and normalization of relations with our neighbors without any precondition, I felt betrayed by the actions of this administration in compromising these fundamental principles and therefore decided to lay down my parliamentary mandate in protest.

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The ReAnimani international animation festival will premier in Yerevan from October 3-6.

Festival president, Vrezh Kasouny noted at a press conference today the important assistance offered by various embassies in Yerevan and said that Susan Breitenstein, an official at the U.S. Embassy, has promised that co-producers from a number of famous film companies such as Word & Brothers and Disney would be attending the festival, in addition to Max Howard, executive producer of such well known animated films as “Aladdin” and ‘The Lion King”. »»»»»

The Miami Herald reports that the Turkish “blood money” case alleging that Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) accepted $30,000 in Turkish contributions in exchange for opposing an Armenian genocide resolution will be heard by the Ohio Elections Commission tomorrow.

The case, known as Schmidt v. Krikorian, began when David Krikorian, Schmidt’s challenger, accused the incumbent of knowingly accepting the hush money at a February 2008 event at a restaurant called Cafe Istanbul, where participants included Turkish Coalition of America President Lincoln McCurdy. »»»»»

Aram Sargsyan, First President of the so-called International Armenian Congress and leader odf Armenia’s Democratic Party, declared that the Armenian-Turkish protocols are unacceptable as presently worded.

Tomorrow, Mr. Sargsyan will present a list of proposed modifications at the parliaments schedules hearings on the protocols. One will deal with the mutual obligations of both Armenia and Turkey. “Armenia has never had any obligation regarding Turkey. Turkey, via these protocols, wishes for Armenia to recognize the Treaty of Kars. But that was signed by five countries and thus isn’t a bilateral obligation of Armenia.” »»»»»

David Davidian

September 30, 2009

The Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey officially announced in Berne, Yerevan, and Ankara on August 31, 2009, has been brought to center stage and not without controversy. In order to fully appreciate and rationally analyze this yet-to-be-ratified document that is meant to serve as the basis for further dialog between the parties, its origins and accepted norms of international behavior regarding it must be understood. »»»»»

A worlwide online petition opposing the “Protocols on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Armenia and Turkey” has been launched at www.votch.org. The petition calls for the outright rejection of the protocols.

Initiated by philologist Krikor Beledian, essayist Janine Altounian, journalists Arpig Missakian and Arpi Totoyan, historian Yves Ternon of France, Professor Mihran Dabag, Director of the German Research Institute on Diasporas, among others, the petition states that “to submit such a unique experience as genocide to negotiations and a judgment by governmental commissions or sub-commissions would subordinate the truth to political maneuvers and power relations”. »»»»»

Yesterday, NKR President Bako Sahakyan met with Catholicos Garegin II who was visiting Artsakh to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the reopening of the Armenian Church Diocese there.

Church and governmet leaders discussed a wide-range of topics including settlement of the Karabakh conflict, relations between church and state and the socio-economic situation in the NKR.