Can Armenians and Azeris still be friends?

There is a great article at the website of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting published on 10 December 2005.

It tells how the Armenians of a village in Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijanis of a village in Armenia exchanged their villages during the conflict and they still take care of each others' graves.

"When they exchanged their land, Kerkenj and Kzylshafak signed an agreement promising to look after the graves they were forced to leave behind.

Though 16 years have now passed, that promise has been kept by both sides, and in Dyunashogh, the Muslim cemetery is as well cared for as the nearby Armenian Christian burial ground."

Անպատասխան աղոթք

Դու չկաս: Ոչ հոգեպես` ինչպես որոշ մարդիկ իմ կյանքում:
Դու չկաս: Դու չկաս ֆիզիկապես, դու էլ չես ապրում:
Դու մահացար երկու շաբաթ առաջ, դու էլ չես ապրում:
Դու էլ չկաս, էլ ինձ չես սպասում…

Քո մահից հետո Աստված ինձ համար մեռավ:
Քո մահով սպանեցիր Աստծուն իմ հոգում:
Այսինքն` Աստված սպանեց քեզ ֆիզիկապես,
Իսկ դու իրեն` հոգեպես:
Բայց այս աշխարհում Աստված չէր կարող պատճառ գտնել քեզ սպանելու, ուրեմն
Աստված չկա, ուրեմն նա մեռած է:

Բայց աստծուն թաղելով` հոգիս էլ թաղեցի:
Միգուցե մեռնելուց հետո մենք չենք ապրում,
Միգուցե չկա հոգի:
Եթե չկա, ուրեմն քեզ կյանքում ետմահու չեմ տեսնի,
Եթե չկա, ուրեմն դու չկաս հոգեպես:

Ուրեմն քեզ կորցնելով` հոգիս կորցրեցի:
Այսինքն ես մեռա, ես մեռա քեզ հետ…

Ի յիշատակ Վիկա Գեւորքյանի

6 դեկտեմբեր 2005

Armenia has invisible tanks

Armenia is the only country in the South Caucasus to have invisible blankets for tanks.

As Regnum reports on 5 December 2005, a spokesperson for the Russian research institute that discovered the invisible blanket said, “Armenia is the only country in South Caucasus that bought such products.” “The cover is capable to reflect radio-waves, so it makes the object (tank) invisible. Thus, it makes impossible for the enemy’s sensors to detect its whereabouts until they come close directly to the object.”

Regnum goes on to report, “American military institutions are also interested in the Russian know-how, but considering the national interests, the Russian party refused to accept an offer from the overseas customers.”

Armenia gets bronze medal in figure skating

This is great news…. Armenia's team has not done good job in figure skating before!

Reuters reports on 4 December 2005, Armenia's team recieved bronze medal (3rd place) in the figure skating competition.

Gold medal winners Marie-France Dubreuil (front C) and Patrice Lauzon of Canada smile with Bulgaria's Albena Denkova (L) and Maxim Staviski, silver, and Armenia's Anastasia Grebenkina and Vazgen Azrojan, bronze, during the awarding ceremony for the ice dancing competition at the 2005 International Figure Skating Competition NHK Trophy in Kadoma, western Japan December 3, 2005. (Eriko Sugita/Reuters)

Anastasia Grebenkina, blue costume, and Vazgen Azrojan of Armenia perform during the ice dancing free dance event in the NHK Trophy figure skating competition in Osaka,western Japan, Saturday, Dec 3 , 2005. The pair captured the bronze medal in the event. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

The complete results are availabe at International Skating Union's website.

New trials in Turkey

Many more Turkish citizens are facing charges of insulting something in Turkey.

New York Times reports on 3 December 2005, "An Istanbul prosecutor filed charges against five prominent newspaper columnists who had criticized court rulings that tried to block an academic conference on the Armenian genocide, its first public discussion in Turkey. The conference, blocked by a court in May and again in September, was held on Sept. 24 after organizers changed its location. The journalists, Ismet Berkan, Murat Belge and Haluk Sahin of the liberal newspaper Radikal, and Hasan Cemal and Erol Katircioglu of the center-right newspaper Milliyet, were charged with 'influencing judicial procedures' and 'publicly insulting members of the judiciary.' They face up to 10 years in prison. A court hearing is expected on Feb. 7."

Very interesting people…. Needless to say, Amnesty International published a public statement on the Turkish article 301 on 1 December 2005 stating that "Article 301 is a threat to freedom of expression and must be repealed now!"

Turks greeting visitors: "Welcome to Hell."

Artyom's blog has a nice picture of Turkish honesty. Here is what Artyom writes:

This one did not come from the Armenians nor the Greeks. This is how Turks see their country, and they want anybody else to think different. According to the logic behind this picture if Turkey is admitted into the EU it will be a match made in hell (the match of course not just in terms of soccer/football). Interesting… In case you wonder, this picture shows how the Swiss national soccer team was greeted in Turkey at the time of their arrival in to that country for the World Cup qualifying match, courtesy of Deutsche Welle.

Paul McCartney's new popular song includes duduk

Contact Music reports on 21 November 2005, Beatles' legendar Paul McCartney's newest "Jenny Wren" song "features a duduk solo. The duduk, an Armenian wind instrument, is one of the oldest wind instruments in the world."

The duduk is played by Pedro Eustache.

Scan of the album

Peter the Great's statue to replace a carousel in Yerevan

As Arpi Maghakyan reports from Yerevan, "Peter the Great's statue will be replacing Arabkir park's last carousel."

Peter I, the Russian ruler who was expected to liberate Armenia, finally arrives… 285 years later, now as a statue.

Arka news agency reports on 30 November 2005, Russian Premier Minister Mikhail Fradkov will be visiting Yerevan on 2 December 2005. The following day he will “attend … the foundation of a monument of Peter I in Yerevan.”

The fact that Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, is going to have a statue of the Russian dictator Peter I the Great is confusing many people. But it’s not the worst news: the worst news is that the statue is going to be in a public park by replacing the ONLY attraction for the kids, the “carousel” in Arabkir's park (known as "Komitasi aygi").

Photo from ArmeniaNow

This “carousel” is not a real attraction, but this is the only place for the kids to have “fun” in the public park. There used to be a real attraction center, sort of a mini Disney Land, down the park (when you pass the Nairi Zarian/Kochar street), but it is all “gone:” a few buildings have replaced the “driving” places, and the real carousel, is now a history.

The existing park is the one situated between the streets Nairi Zarian and Komitas in the Arabkir district of Yerevan. In the south, the local government’s building is situated. Next to is, is the Iranian Embassy. The “park” is actually a raped one. There used to be a public toilet, but a local “authority,” named Mishok, bought it and made a Café called “Charles Aznavour” there. The guy made a lot of money, and bought a former kids camp building on the East part of the park; it is now a pool (“billiard”) play station. There are other Cafes in the park too: there is one on the north-western corner called “DDD,” owned by the Fitness center with the same name, the next one is on the far eastern part and allegedly belongs to Masis, another local “authority.” There is also another “dead” Café somewhere in the park belonging to a woman named Rima.

This “carousel,” that Peter I is going to replace, is the only place for the kids to have fun in the park. It is sort of a hand-made thing, but there have not been arguments about its safety. Though it is expensive for average locals, many kids enjoy it. Well, now they won’t even have that, because, as ArmeniaNow reports, “Atop a two-to-three meter pedestal, the bronze Peter I will gaze with arms crossed toward Mt. Ararat. Top to bottom, the statue of the Russian tzar will equal that of Armenia’s most famous hero, David of Sasun, which stands in front of the railway station.”

There were not enough dictators in Armenia; now we will have an 18-feet Russian monarch taking the space of the kids’ only carousel in the area. Well, let’s mention that Peter I had plans to liberate Armenia from the Muslims, but it doesn’t make him any better.

UPDATE: December 3 2005. Today I was informed the official name of the park is "The Children's Park of Arabakir," or "Arabkir Children Park" (Արաբկիրի մանկական այգի). How ironic…

NOTE: This, previously unpublished, information may not be used by Media agencies without obtaining permission. The case is being investigated by the mentioned journalist.