Azerbaijani Official Urges Georgia To Curb Armenian Access To Black Sea

February 27, 2011

YEREVAN -- Azerbaijani Ambassador to Georgia Namig Aliyev has urged the Georgian government to restrict Armenia's economic access to the Black Sea coast and stop tens of thousands of Armenians from traveling there every year, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports. Aliyev claimed the Armenian presence in Georgia's Black Sea region of Ajara is part of a long-term plan to annex the area. "For Armenians, access to the Black Sea means the realization of the idea of a 'Greater Armenia from sea to sea,'" Azerbaijan's APA news agency reported on February 24.

From Dictatorship To Democracy

* Develop a strategy for winning freedom and a vision of the society you want


* Overcome fear by small acts of resistance

* Use colours and symbols to demonstrate unity of resistance

* Learn from historical examples of the successes of non-violent movements

* Use non-violent "weapons"

* Identify the dictatorship's pillars of support and develop a strategy for undermining each

* Use oppressive or brutal acts by the regime as a recruiting tool for your movement

* Isolate or remove from the movement people who use or advocate violence

 
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Winter-Spring-Yerevan Festival

Here is a snapshot of the "Winter-Spring-Yerevan" festival organized by the Yerevan Municipality. Because of this event, the opposition was not allowed to hold their protest meeting at the Liberty Square.

When is the Liberty Square going to be liberated?

Azerbaijan preparing for Karabakh war: minister

Azerbaijan is seriously preparing for war with Armenia over the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh, the country's defence minister told international peace mediators in Baku on Friday.

Alternet.org Progressive Wire, see the article in full

birzamanlar anadoluda ermeniler's Photos - KÜTAHYA

The caption, translated from Turkish (through Google) says:
BEFORE: AN ARMENIAN CHURCH WEDDING HALL, AFTER: A CINEMA
Sabin for the first time at this church that wears Gomidas Vartabet (I am guessing that Gomidas Vardapet worked there)

I just came across a link on Blogian's blog that directed to Anatolia pictures related to the area's Armenian past. These things make me want to cry as some of my ancestors come from Cilicia. We have to make sure that what happened to us in 1894-1921 does not happen again.

Banditocracy and the army

While it is difficult to find anything positive in the behavior of the SS regime, sometimes there are things that are outside of the regular absurdity of their thoughts, words and actions.

This blog has in the past reflected upon the sometimes outrageous atmosphere in the Armenian Army. After all, they are part of the muscle that oppresses the people and massacres them when ordered as we saw on March 1 of 2008.

But beyond that, their main duty is to protect the peace and territory of Armenia and Karabakh so I, just like the majority of Armenians, are willing to praise them for the positive steps taken to make sure that they remain the guarantors of the safety from our enemy - Azerbaijan.

Lately the army has been willing to allow openness of information instead of sweeping the bad news under the rug. The latest example was about an army base commander who assaulted a group of young persons one of whom eventually died as a result. In the old days, he would have gotten away with it. Now he has been relieved of his duties.

He will still not go to prison (this, after all, remains a banditocracy where murderers are highly prized) but at least there has been a symbolic gesture of some kind of adverse reaction.

One step at a time, I guess.

Ohan Durian.

Heaven admittied one more soul today. Ohan Durian passed away this morning.

Rest in peace, Maestro.

Ernest Vardanyan admits guilt, asks for clemency.

Ernest Vardanyan was a journalist of Armenian origin that was imprisoned in the Trans-Dniestr Republic for espionage. Prior to that, he was a very active member of the Armenian Forums calling the political prisoners 'criminals that deserve to be imprisoned'. As luck had it, he himself became what was considered a political prisoner jailed for his journalistic activities.

Well, it is now clear that this is not quite true. He was not a journalist jailed for his views. He has now admitted to being a spy. So much for all that support for him.

[...] Էռնեստ Վարդանյանն այդ նամակում ընդունում է իր մեղքը: Նա նշել է, որ խաբեության ճանապարհով 9 տարիների ընթացքում հավաքագրված է եղել Մոլդովայի հատուկ ծառայությունների կողմից, սակայն Մոլդովայի օգտին լրտեսությամբ զբաղվել է իր կամքին հակառակ, իսկ ձերբակալությունից հետո զղջացել է կատարածի համար, իր մեղքը գիտակցում է եւ խնդրել է ներում շնորհել: [...]

more on Radio Liberty

Let's see what happens.

Very Important Interview.

Today's Aravot has an interview with Levon Zurabyan. He touches a number of issues but the main point is the necessity of open and honest relationships with the people.Here is an excerpt:

[...] I have always believed in people's collective intelligence. It may seem that people do not understand these nuances but it's not true. The political power, which presents the political realities honestly and in depth, wins. It also wins when it presents what the nation needs to do to defend the interests of the people of both Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh people's interests, and it wins when it shows diplomatic flexibility. [...]

The full interview is available here in Armenian. Use Google Translate to get an idea of what Mr Zurabyan says in English.

Armpit News.

Ments make it big: Rolling Stones quotes Alik Sargsyan, "I do not like emos, in fact. I absolutely don't like them."