Month: April 2007

ANCA AND GENOCIDE INTERVENTION NETWORK CALL ON UN TO OVERRIDE TURKEY’S OBJECTIONS TO RWANDA GENOCIDE EXHIBIT

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 11:48

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian,
in a letter sent to the United Nations, called upon the international
body to reverse its recent decision to close a major exhibit,
organized by the Aegis Trust, on the Rwanda Genocide due to the Turkish
government’s objection over a portion of the display that referenced
the Armenian Genocide.

The ANCA letter, addressed to Kiyotaka Akasaka, Under-Secretary-
General for Communications and Public Information, expressed the
"Armenian American community’s profound disappointment over the
decision to allow the Turkish government to delay – and quite
possibly cancel – a United Nations exhibit intended to help ensure
that the lessons of the Rwanda Genocide are used to help prevent
future genocides."

Hachikian stressed that the dismantling of the exhibit represents "a
troubling retreat from the founding principles of the United Nations,"
and added that, "in allowing Turkey’s protest over the exhibit’s
historically accurate mention of the Armenian Genocide to delay its
opening, you have, very unfortunately, undermined the credibility of
the United Nations on a central issue of our time – ending forever
the cycle of genocide. Rather than rightfully standing up for the
organization’s highest values, you permitted the immoral objections
of one member state, Turkey, to drag the entire institution into
complicity in that nation’s shameless campaign of genocide denial."

Commenting on the UN’s decision, Mark Hanis, Executive Director of
the Genocide Intervention Network, said that, "Hitler felt justified
to carry out the Holocaust when he saw how little resistance there
was to the Armenian genocide of 1915. It is incumbent on the UN to
ensure that the atrocities of Armenia and other past genocides are
exposed, not just for the memory of those dead but for the safety of
future generations."

Commenting on the exhibit’s postponement, James Smith, the chief
executive of the British-based Aegis Trust, said, "If we can’t get
this right, it undermines all the values of the UN. It undermines
everything the UN is meant to stand for in terms of preventing
(genocide). . . You can’t learn the lessons from history if you’re
going to sweep all of that history under the carpet. And what about
accountability? What about ending impunity if you’re going to hide
part of the truth? It makes a mockery of all of this."

Serj Tankian, songwriter, singer, poet, activist and lead singer of
Grammy Award-winning band System of a Down, and Carla Garapedian,
who directed the award-winning documentary "SCREAMERS" about
the band’s anti-genocide advocacy, issued a statement condemning
the UN’s decision: "We are very shocked by this decision by the
Secretary General to remove mention of a historical event which is
well-documented by thousands of official records of the United States
and nations around the world, including Turkey’s wartime allies,
Germany, Austria and Hungary; by Ottoman court martial records;
and by eyewitness accounts of missionaries, diplomats and survivors;
as well as decades of historical scholarship. In the US, President
Bush has called the events the "forced exile and annihilation of
approximately 1.5 million Armenians.’"

Tankian and Garapedian went on to stress that, "The reason why
genocides have continued in the last century – from the Armenian
genocide, to the Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda, to the
genocide going on now in Darfur – is because the international
community has not intervened to stop them. Sadly, the Secretary
General’s decision to stop any mention of the antecedents to the
Rwanda genocide is a blow to those who want to stop genocide now."

The New York Times, Associated Press, and other major news outlets
have reported extensively about the controversy surrounding Turkey’s
pressure to close down the Rwanda Genocide exhibit. The New York Times,
in an April 9th article, explained that, "the panels of graphics,
photos and statements had been installed in the visitors lobby on
Thursday by the British-based Aegis Trust.

The trust campaigns for the prevention of genocide and runs a center
in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, memorializing the 500,000 victims of
the massacres there 13 years ago. Hours after the show was assembled,
however, a Turkish diplomat spotted offending words in a section
entitled ‘What is genocide?’ and raised objections. The passage said
that, ‘following World War I, during which one million Armenians were
murdered in Turkey,’ Raphael Lemkin, a Polish lawyer credited with
coining the word genocide, ‘urged the League of Nations to recognize
crimes of barbarity as international crimes.’"

SCHWARZENEGGER PROCLAIMED APRIL 22-29 AS "DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 15:56

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed April 22nd –
April 29th, 2007, as "Days of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,"
the Governor’s Office informs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s message says, in part "Between the years 1915
and 1923, during the chaos of World War I, over one million Armenian
men, women and children living within the Ottoman Empire’s borders
were killed; forcing hundreds of thousands of Armenians to flee to
foreign countries after being stripped of their possessions, their
national identities and their homeland.

Scores fled to the United States, and California was fortunate to
become home to one of the largest populations of Armenians outside the
Republic of Armenia. Many of California’s Armenian-American families
are the descendents of these courageous genocide survivors, whose hope
for a life independent war and violence was realized on our soil. Like
their family members before them, the Armenian-American community
bravely flourished and contributed much to our state and nation.

Documented as the first instance of genocide in the twentieth century,
the Armenian Genocide remains unacknowledged to this day. I strongly
echo the sentiments that all nations must examine their own painful
histories, as the denial of genocide further wounds a nation’s
ability to heal. Though over ninety years have passed since these
mass killings took place, present day atrocities resonate throughout
the world. It is our responsibility to recognize the brutal slayings
of so many innocents, remembering their suffering and vowing to help
prevent future genocides.

I join California’s Armenian-American communities and all Armenians
worldwide in remembering those who were killed and persecuted during
the Armenian Genocide, and urge people throughout the world to never
forget these horrific crimes against humanity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of
California, do hereby proclaim the week of April 22nd through April
29th, 2007, as "Days of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide." IN
WITNESS WHEREOF I have here unto set my hand and caused the Great Seal
of the State of California to be affixed this 6th day of April 2007."

SYRIA STANDS FOR THE PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 16:39

Syria stands for the rapid resolution of the Karabakh conflict in
the within the framework of the principles of international law,
the Foreign Minister of Syria Valid al Mualim declared during the
meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, Press
Secretary of the Azeri MFA Khazar Ibrahimov informed.

Mammadyarov informed his counterpart about the Nagorno Karabakh issue
and the peace talks on the settlement of the conflict. Issues related
to the development of bilateral ties were also discussed.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CONDEMNS THE BLASTS AT "PROSPEROUS ARMENIA" OFFICES

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 17:00

The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has condemned the blasts in
two Offices of the "Prosperous Armenia" Party.

Armenpress was told from RPA that the statement of the party says that
" these nasty steps are directed against all the political forces of
Armenia, our country and people." "Such steps are taken by those who
are unable to lead an honest and fair political struggle and are ready
to destabilize the situation in the country without differentiating
between means. Such way of action has never had success in Armenia
and will never have."

The Republican Party of Armenia has called on all political forces of
Armenia not to obey to the provocations of "criminal groups" and to
use every chance of cooperation for the sake of holding the forthcoming
parliamentary elections in compliance with international standards."

The party also applied to law-enforcement bodies to "increase vigilance
to prevent the attempts of destabilizing the situation in the country,
reveal the criminals having no motherland and nationality."

US GOVERNMENT FUNDS H2 ECONOMY’S PROLIFERATION PREVENTION PROJECT

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 17:11

On April 12, 2007, H2 ECOnomy unveiled a renewable energy system that
it developed as part of the U.S. government’s Global Initiatives for
Proliferation Prevention (GIPP) project. The U.S. Department of Energy
has provided about 1.5 million USD for this project, of which 620
thousand USD has been allocated to H2 ECOnomy. SolarEn International,
a U.S. company specializing in renewable energy, provided a matching
in-kind and cash contribution.

The GIPP program helps re-direct scientists and engineers who formerly
engaged in industries related to the production of weapons of mass
destruction to sustainable, non-military employment. The aim of the
program is to create employment opportunities for these scientists
and engineers by establishing a partnership among the scientists,
U.S. industrial firms, and U.S. national laboratories. This provides
them with a way to put their skills to use in the civilian sector,
and also helps lead to advances in such sectors as homeland security,
medicine, and energy. The program thus achieves nonproliferation
goals while leading to innovations that benefit all countries.

As part of this program, H2 ECOnomy began participating in a GIPP
project on fuel cell components in 2004. Based on these components,
in 2006-2007 H2 ECOnomy prototyped and installed a new fuel cell
system coupled with solar panels that can provide an uninterrupted
power supply of up to 1000 W during power outages. This system has
the potential to help develop Armenia’s renewable energy sector.

NOMINATION OF NKR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO START ON APRIL 20

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 17:17

>From April 20 through May 5 nomination of presidential candidates
will take place in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

President of the NKR Central electoral Commission Sergey Nasibyan
told Mediamax that the schedule of the main arrangements for preparing
and holding the elections of July 19 has been fixed.

>From April 20 through May 5 the CEC will also accept the documents
of initiative groups. The procedure of checking the lists submitted
by initiative groups, and casting lots has also been fixed.

US EMBASSY HELPS ARMENIAN RED CROSS RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST LAND MINES

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 17:28

At a fundraising reception on April 11, 2007, the US Embassy in Armenia
helped the Armenian Red Cross raise over $4,000 for the fight against
landmines in Armenia. The reception was held as part of the "Night
of a Thousand Dinners," a global event initiated in 2001 by the US
State Department under the leadership of former Secretary of State
Colin Powell. The purpose of the reception was to increase awareness
about the international land mine crisis, and to raise funds for the
Armenian Red Cross, a local NGO that is working to reduce landmine
casualties through a mine risk education program. The event was one
of many taking place around the world in recognition of International
Day for Mine Action.

While the scale of the landmine problem is hard to measure, the United
Nations Development Program reports that between 80,000 and 100,000
landmines remain buried in Armenia. These mines affect people living
in 60 communities, in five of Armenia’s eleven marzes. Over the past
decade, the United States has been the largest donor to landmine issues
and has spent over $1 billion dollars for mine action programs in
nearly 50 countries around the world. Since 2002, the United States
has provided more than $6.5 million dollars in humanitarian mine
assistance to Armenia.

During his opening remarks, US Chargé d’Affairs Anthony F. Godfrey
said, " The United States government is committed to addressing
the legacy and threat of persistent landmines and unexploded
ordnance…However, much more needs to be done, both by governments
and by concerned individuals and groups."

–Boundary_(ID_acEiH4Ve9L8kjO/tGhvi zQ)–

SERGE SARGSYAN CONDEMNS THE NIGHT BLASTS

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 17:58

RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan said that the night blasts in the
offices of political forces "evidence that there are people for whom
holding normal elections is not profitable," Press Service of RA
Government informs.

Serge Sargsyan underlined that if the previous cases – the attack
on Gyumri Mayor and others – could be supposedly linked with the
elections, then the blasts that occurred at offices of political
forces this night decisively show that for some people holding normal
elections is not beneficial.

"No matter what political force they represent, they are enemies,
the are the enemies of our state, people, of free and democratic
elections," the Prime Minister noted.

ANCA SENDS A LETTER OF PROTEST TO UN

Arminfo
2007-04-12 18:39:00

The chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) Kenneth V. Hachikian has sent a letter of protest to
Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information
Kiyotaka Akasaka following his decision to allow the Turkish
authorities to delay UN exhibit on Rwanda Genocide.

The letter says:

Dear Under-Secretary Akasaka:

I am writing to voice the Armenian American community’s profound
disappointment over your decision to allow the Turkish government to
delay – and quite possibly cancel – a United Nations exhibit intended
to help ensure that the lessons of the Rwanda Genocide are used to
help prevent future genocides.

Your actions, as reported by the Associated Press and the New York
Times, represent a troubling retreat from the founding principles of
the United Nations. In allowing Turkey’s protest over the exhibit’s
historically accurate mention of the Armenian Genocide to delay its
opening, you have, very unfortunately, undermined the credibility of
the United Nations on a central issue of our time – ending forever
the cycle of genocide. Rather than rightfully standing up for the
organization’s highest values, you permitted the immoral objections
of one member state, Turkey, to drag the entire institution into
complicity in that nation’s shameless campaign of genocide denial.

We join with Armenians worldwide, and with all people committed to
ending the cycle of genocide, in respectfully calling upon you to
reverse your decision, and to immediately facilitate the opening of
the Aegis Trust’s complete Rwanda Genocide exhibit.

UNIBANK BECOMES FIRST BANK OF ARMENIA TO PUT CASH MACHINE WITH CASH-IN FUNCTION INTO OPERATION

Arminfo
2007-04-12 13:30:00

The Armenian Unibank has become the first bank in the country that
put a cash machine (ATM) with cash-in function into operation. The
NCR producer-company’s cash machine opening ceremony will be held
tomorrow in the "Haghtanak" (Victory) Yerevan branch in Deghagorcneri
Street 2/2.

As Head of the Bank’s Service of plastic cards Mesrop Hakopyan told
ArmInfo, the cash-in function is limited yet by acceptance of US
dollars, Euro and Russian rubles by CB’s current exchange rate. After
check-up of the banknotes authenticity, the cash machine informs
a client of the face-value, the quantity and total amount of the
received banknotes, after which a client resolves whether to deposit
them or take back. Besides deposition of the amounts in the client’s
account, the cash machine also enables to exchange the currency for
Armenian drams, pay the communal cell communication operator services.

According to the specialist, after the cash machine joins the
e-card system (in a couple of months), the client will be also
enabled to pay off his debts and percents for credits taken in the
bank. Today, the Unibank has the greatest number of own cash machines
– 31 units. M. Hakopyan said that from the technical viewpoint all of
them allow installing additional units and the cash-in technology. The
Bank intends to increase the number of own ATM to 60 units till the
end, 2007. As of today, the Bank has emitted 17.500 plastic cards,
2.500 of which are related to the ArCa national payment system,
and 15,000 to the Visa International system.

As Pavel Kartashov, a person in charge of the markets of Russia and CIS
countries of NCR Corporation, told ArmInfo earlier during presentation
of ATM with cash-in function in Yerevan, in September, 2006, the
rates of development of Armenia’s banking system indicate the dynamic
growth not only of the corporative segment but also the so-called
banking retail, providing the population with maximum wide spectrum
of services. He said that the Corporation has developed a number
of innovation products that will facilitate the financial-monetary
relations between a client and self-service.

The NCR representative emphasized that only the issue of adjustment
of the banknotes identification module to the Armenian dram
banknotes by the cash-in technology is still to be solved. As yet,
the ATM identifies the Russian rubles, US dollars and Euro with 100%
accuracy. He expressed hope that this problem will be settled jointly
with the Armenian partner in the face of the MTD Company and Central
Bank.