Month: April 2007

ALL ARMENIAN YOUTH FOUNDATION IS GOING TO HOLD A SERIES OF EVENTS DEDICATED TO 15th ANNIVERSARY OF SHOUSHI LIBERATION

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The All Armenian Youth Foundation is
going to hold a series of events dedicated to the 15th anniversary
of Shoushi liberation on May 7-10 in a number of towns of NKR, in
particular, in Shoushi.

Artur Soghomonian, Deputy Director of All Armenian Youth Foundation,
reported at the April 26 press conference. In his words, the program
was worked out jointly with RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs
and will have the title Wedding in the Mountains. 250 young people
from Armenia, Javakhk, Iran will take part in the events.

As A. Soghomonian said, the events to be organized within the framework
of the program will be sport and cultural. Chess memorial tournament
dedicated to the memory of perished freedom-fighters will be held
on May 8. At dawn of May 9 the young people will divide into three
groups and will go up to Shoushi in different directions, accompanied
by former freedom-fighters. The latters will tell the young people
about the fights which took place in these places.

In the evening the same day young people’s meeting with journalists
who covered Artsakh fights will be organized.

As A. Soghomonian affirmed, such events will give a possibility to sow
military-patriotic spirit in the consciousness of the young generation.

JOHN EVANS CONSIDERS NECESSARY THAT TURKEY ACCEPTS HISTORIC REALITIES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 26 2007

WASHINGTON, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Former Ambassador
of the U.S. to Armenia John Evans again repeated his position
concerning the Armenian Genocide. To recap, he called "genocide"
the 1915 events because of what he was ahead of time called back from
Yerevan, completing his diplomatic career.

According to Milliyet, during a press conference organized at the
National Press club in Washington, J. Evans again insisted that "it is
necessary that Turkey accepts historic realities." But Evans at the
same time mentioned that neither Republic of Turkey nor its citizens
have part of their guilt in the events of the beginning of the century.

Speaking about the ignominous state of his diplomatic mission in
Yerevan and about its role in Ankara, Evans stated that in his book
he will surely touch upon that theme as well.

And responding the question if it is possible that adoption of the
106th resolution of the Armenian Genocide by the Congress harms the
U.S. national interests in Iraq and Afghanistan, the former Ambassafor
said: "It is necessary to establish balance between historic and
moral themes and foreign policy."

JOHN EVANS CALLED ON CONGRESS TO PASS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Yerkir
26.04.2007 13:09

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) reaffirmed his
"hold" on the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to serve
as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia in his remarks today at an Armenian
Genocide observance organized by the Congressional Armenian Caucus
in Capitol Hill’s historic Cannon Caucus Room, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA)

The Bush Administration has twice nominated Richard Hoagland to
replace John Marshall Evans, a decorated career diplomat who was
fired last year by the Secretary of State for speaking truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide.

>>From the outset, the Hoagland nomination has been the focus
of intense controversy, first because of the State Department’s
willingness to explain its firing of Evans, and later due to his
denial of the Armenian Genocide in his responses to questions raised
during his confirmation hearing.

These remarks, which extended far beyond the euphemistic word games
traditionally employed by the State Department, sparked outrage among
Armenian Americans and widespread Congressional opposition to his
posting in Yerevan.

Looking to Ambassador Evans, who was seated in the first row of
the standing room only hall, Senator Menendez said, "I wish the
Ambassador was back in Armenia, but if we cannot get him there,
I refuse to release my hold on Ambassador Hoagland because of his
testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee."

The Senator added, to a sustained ovation, that, "the President
[should] appoint a new nominee who will represent the interests of
the United States and Armenia much better."

In his remarks, Ambassador John Evans, the program’s keynote speaker,
called upon Congress to pass the Armenian Genocide Resolution. In a
speech repeatedly interrupted by applause, he said, "If we dare not
call the 1915 events genocide, we make it more likely that current
genocides, such as that in Darfur, will continue and future genocides
will occur…

This is why, ladies and gentlemen, after 92 years, the time has come
to call a spade a spade. House Resolution 106 on the affirmation of
the United States record on the Armenian Genocide should be adopted
by the Congress." The former envoy continued, stressing: "History
does matter. Truth does matter.

Justice does matter."

FACT OF FALSE INFORMATION REVEALED DURING INVESTIGATION INTO CASE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER OF GYUMRI MAYOR

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Investigation Department of the
RA Prosecutor General’s Office on April 25 opened a criminal case on
the fact of false information during the investigation into the case
of attemped murder of Gyumri mayor Vardan Ghukasian. Spokeswoman for
the RA Prosecutor General Sona Truzian told NT correspondent about it.

On April 21 the police received a call from a citizen who informed
policemen that the attempted murder had been committed by residents
of Lori marz – three Sahakian brothers and Hamayak Sahakian, whom the
person, who ordered this crime, has paid 150 thousand dollars. The
above mentioned citizen also told policemen that the same persons are
allegedly going to kill the mayor of Vanadzor for 200 thousand dollars.

The investigative group revealed that the person who made this alarm
call was a resident of Gyumri. He informed on H. Sahakian and the
three other men with the aim of discrediting them in order to get
the right to own a 2,000 sq.m. land plot (in the city of Spitak)
currently owned by H. Sahakian.

Later on the same day NT correspondent was informed that the person
suspected of false denunciation was Hovhannes Sahakian, 42, resident
of Gyumri, who has been arrested.

MANUK GASPARIAN ESTIMATES STATE EXISTING DURING PRE-ELECTORAL PERIOD IN GENERAL POSITIVE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Manuk Gasparian, the Chairman of the
Zhighovrdavarakan Ughi (Democratic Path) party estimates the state
existing during the pre-electoral period in general positive. Stating
about it on April 26, at the Pastark club, he also mentioned that he is
pleased with the Central Electoral Commission, Police, media employees,
with some preservations with the propaganda mission process as well,
where there is almost no "black" propaganda yet.

M. Gasparian mentioned that he "is not engaged in deception,"
has some authority among the people owing to his deeds and will
enter the parliament in an honest way. According to his foresight,
all the ruling forces will in general get utmost 43-45% of votes of
electors, and the utmost expectation of the party headed by him is 15%
of votes. In his words, in the case of getting 7% of votes he will
consider that the Democratic Path party "worked badly."

M. Gasparian at the same time expressed displeasure with not skilled
actions of the national security service employees observing the
Democratic Path party propaganda mission "as if secretly" but obviously
evidently. But, M. Gasparian’s main displeasure was connected with
actions of Ashot Tonoyan, the Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia)
party candidate at electoral district No3. He characterized the latter
as a person far from the policy who "decided to directly move from
construction to parliament chair." A. Tonoyan, in the Democratic Path
leader’s words, is obviously engaged in bribing what was also fixed by
the observers and proved in written form by a number of electors. In
M. Gasparian’s words, the mentioned candidate, to all appearances,
functions "wilfully" and the Bargavach Hayastan and its Chairman
Gagik Tsarukian are not aware of all those. His attempts of the recent
10 days to drow together with G. Tsarukian failed, and M. Gasparian
expressed a hope that after his this statement’s being published in
press, the Bargavach Hayastan party will respond. Otherwise he will
have to officially address to the Central Electoral commission with
the issue of reviewing A. Tonoyan’s registration.

MAXIMUM RATING OF AUTHORITIES IS 20%, PPA BOARD SECRETARY STATES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. "The preelectoral struggle has long
went beyond the political boundaries. I have never seen giving so
much electoral bribe." Stepan Sakarian, Board Secretary of People’s
Party of Armenia (PPA), stated at the April 26 press conference. At
the same time, he positively estimated the course of preelectoral
campaign and the results of agitation.

In connection with possible falsifications in the elections,
S. Zakarian noted that collection of passport data from population
cannot but call forth certain suspicions. He said that today we can
only make suppositions how these passport data will be used.

S. Zakarian said that PPA does not consider the results of elections
as predetermined. In his opinion, the maximum rating of authorities
taking into consideration the administrative resource is 20%. "If
the elections are falsified, PPA will be among the first persons
protesting against this, but this does not mean that we should give
up struggle now," S. Zakarian stated.

EMBASSY OF GREAT BRITAIN TO RA STATES THAT IT HAS NOT ASSISTED AND WILL NOT ASSIST ANY ARMENIAN POLITICAL PARTY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Embassy of Great Britain to the
RA is anxious on the occasion of overhearing the conversation taken
place at the Marco Polo restarant in February, 2007 and publication
of some parts of that recording in the Golos Armenii newspaper.

To recap, according to that publication, during the mentioned
conversation, A. Baghdasarian "in any way attempted to assure" the
British diplomate to interfere in the parliamentary elections of
Armenia and discussed with the latter a number of potential speeches
compromising Armenia (extended arrests, beating and thrashing of
participants of mass meeting, etc.), in the case of which, in his
words, the international community would have possibility to interfere
in the inner-political processes of the country.

According to the April 26 statement of the Embassy, both OSCE, European
Union, Council of Europe and diplomatic society and Embassy of Great
Britain are interested in holding the May 12 elections corresponding
to the international standards. In this context the Embassy maintains a
wide range of contacts and dialogues with institutions and individuals
across the political spectrum in Armenia, in order to be informed of
all shades of political opinion.

"It is not, never has been and cannot be, our business to support the
political platform of any specific political party," is mentioned in
the statement of the Embassy of Great Britain to the RA.

21 YEARS AFTER THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER

ArmRadio.am
26.04.2007 14:47

21 years have passed after the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear
Power Plant.

ArmInfo was told from the Ukrainian Embassy in Armenia that over 145
sq km territory of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia underwent radioactive
pollution as a result of the largest technical disaster in human
history, more than 5 million people suffered from the tragedy. The
consequences of the Chernobyl disaster were felt also in Sweden,
Norway, Poland, Great Britain and other countries.

The Ukrainians are grateful to all those, including 30 000
Armenians, who participated in the elimination of results of the
great disaster. Although 21 years have passed and the great efforts
and means have been applied to eliminate the results, the problems
caused by the Chernobyl disaster remain urgent.

As of January 1, 2006 2,579,071 people in Ukraine have the status of
victims of the Chernobyl disaster. 2 600 sq km of Ukrainian land has
turned into alienation zone.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FESTIVAL OF BALLROOM DANCES TO BE HELD IN TBILISI

ArmRadio.am
26.04.2007 15:25

May 11-13 "Caucasus Cup -2007" festival of ballroom dances will be
held in Tbilisi.

The contest will feature dance couples from Moscow, Volgograd, Yerevan,
Donetsk, Minsk, Kiev, Baku and different cities of Georgia. Traditional
team competitions will be held for the Caucasian states.

The dance pairs will be evaluated by a world-class jury.

ARMENIAN JUDOISTS TO PARTAKE IN THE WORLD CUP

ArmRadio.am
26.04.2007 15:58

The judo team of Armenia left for Rome today to participate in the
World Cup competitions to be held April 28-29 in the Italian capital.

Armenpress was told at RA Judo Federation that the chief trainer of the
Armenian team is Gagik Aghamalyan. The team comprises Ashot Vardikyan
(60 kg), Arthur Srapyan (60 kg) and Mesrop Barbaryan (66 kg).