Month: April 2007

A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC PARTY: NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS DURING THE PRE-ELECTORAL PERIOD CAST DOUBT ON THE LEGITIMACY OF THE ELECTION

Arminfo
2007-04-23 17:52:00

Numerous violations during the pre-electoral period cast doubt on
the legitimacy of the election, Souren Sourenyants, a member of the
Political Council of the Republic party, said at a press-conference,
Monday.

S.Sourenyants expressed his indignation at the fact that the
news programs on TV cover the pre-electoral campaigns of the
oppositionists in a differentiated way. The analysis shows that
most people watch TV at 8-9 PM. And the agitation video clips
are shown at 5 PM, i.e. when people are still at their workplace,
S.Sourenyants said. The Republic party has applied to the Central
Electoral Commission to change the time of the video clips, however,
the request was rejected. S.Sourenyants also pointed out the fact
that the authorities use administrative resources and bribe the
voters. Passports are being collected in some military units, as well
as at the Kilikya plant. The owners of these passports are to vote
for the Republican Party of Armenia. He also accused the Republican
Party and the Prosperous Armenia of bribing voters. Moreover, sometimes
the voters are forced to take the bribe. At the journalists’ request,
S.Sourenyants expressed his own opinion about the true oppositionist
parties. First and foremost, he named the Republic party, then the
Impeachment bloc, the New Times party, the Armenian National Movement
and the Hunchakyan party. As for the Heritage party, S.Sourenyants
classed it among his "colleagues".

For his part, Smbat Ayvazyan, the head of the Republic party’s
pre-electoral headquarters, said that the party will pay a visit
to the Aragatsotn region on April 25 and 26, and meet the voters of
the Avan and Zeitun communities of Yerevan on April 26 and 27. The
party is planning to visit Aparan, Spitak and Alaverdi on April 28
and the Gegharkunik region on April 30. S.Ayvazyan also touched upon
the extremely high rates for the paid airtime. "Only the RPA and the
Prosperous Armenia can afford it," he said. According to him, in some
places, particularly, in the Syunik region the authorities make the
village headmen ensure a certain percent of votes for the RPA. Besides,
S.Ayvazyan dwelled on some public opinion polls concerning the election
returns. According to him, sociologist Aharon Adibekyan is ready
to draw any poll for money," he said. He thinks that at the moment,
there are no more than 1 mln 200 thsd voters in the country, and no
more than 800 thsd will actively participate in the election. If the
authorities give up using administrative resources and other frauds,
they will have no more than 15-20% of votes, he said in conclusion.

PARTICIPANTS IN TRADITIONAL TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION TO WALK BY YEREVAN STREETS TO TSITSERNAKABERD MEMORIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

Arminfo
2007-04-23 17:48:00

Participants in traditional torchlight procession to walk by Yerevan
streets to Tsitsernakaberd Memorial of Armenian Genocide Victims.

A traditional torchlight procession of ARFD Dashnaktsutiun party
members will be held tonight in Yerevan in memory of the Armenian
Genocide victims in Ottoman Turkey in 1915. As ARFD’s press-service
told ArmInfo, the torchbearers will walk to the Eternal Fire of
Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex.

ON APR 20 CITY COUNCIL OF LOS ANGELES HELD HEARINGS ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

Arminfo
2007-04-23 17:32:00

On Apr 20 the City Council of Los Angeles held hearings on the Armenian
Genocide recognition.

The press service of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia reports that
the mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, the president of the
City Council Eric Garcetti and the consul general of Armenia to Los
Angeles Armen Liloyan were attending the hearings.

During his speech Liloyan said that Armenia has always fought
for genocide prevention and for human rights protection in the
world. Garcetti condemned the Armenia Genocide and stressed the
importance of the resolutions passed by the House of California and
the City Council of Los Angeles. Villaraigosa urged the Congress and
the Government to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

US PRESIDENT WILL HARDLY USE THE WORD ‘GENOCIDE’ IN HIS ANNUAL APR 24 STATEMENT: THE HEAD OF HAY DAT CENTRAL OFFICE

Arminfo
2007-04-23 17:28:00

US President George Bush will hardly use the word "genocide" in his
annual Apr 24 statement, the head of the Central Office of Hay Dat
Kiro Manoyan said during a press-conference in Pastark club today.

Bush will not use the word "genocide" even despite the growing
congressional support for the resolution No 106. But the purpose
of this resolution is exactly the use of the word "genocide" by the
US president.

Manoyan says that Turkey’s threats that it will stop strategic
cooperation with the United States if it adopts the resolution are
groundless. "The United States needs Turkey as much as Turkey needs
the United States." By persisting in denying the Armenian Genocide
Turkey is harming its own self as thereby it forces the Armenian
lobby to constantly increase its efforts towards the recognition
of the Genocide. Today, Armenia should shift the attention of the
international community from the historical fact of the Genocide to the
necessity of Turkey’s admitting its responsibility for the crime. As
long as Turkey denies the Genocide Armenia cannot feel itself safe.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE IS SORRY FOR THE FACT OF DESECRATION OF THE ARMENIAN CHAPEL IN KIEV

Arminfo
2007-04-23 12:46:00

As it became known, on Sunday morning, 22 April the walls of the
chapel recently built in Podolsk district of Kiev were smeared by
color. The chapel was set at the place of an Armenian church that
will be built in future.

As ArmInfo was informed from the Embassy of Ukraine to Armenia,
the embassy is really sorry for the incident and thinks that those
who did that should be condemned and punished. Ukrainian Embassy
is sure that the Armenian church built in Kiev will become the real
representation of the Armenian Apostolic Church for all the Armenians
living in Ukraine stemming from the best traditions of century-long
friendship between the peoples of Ukraine and Armenia.

ROUTINE APPROACH TO KARABAKH PROBLEM, INGRAINED IN INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURES, IS DANGEROUS: NKR FM

Arminfo
2007-04-23 12:04:00

‘The statement of the Chairman of CE Ministers Committee indicates
poor knowledge of the kernel and course of the Karabakh conflict by
the European officials even of such high level. Representatives of
different European structures try to cover this gap by stereotyped
answers, as it was in case with the FM of San Marino Fiorenzo
Stolfi. However, such a routine approach to the Karabakh problem
in general and to the process of civil society construction in NKR,
in particular, deep- rooted in the international structures lately,
is counterproductive and dangerous. Conformism before the whims of
Azerbaijan, very often demonstrated by the European officials, may
be also perceived as an attempt to bring Nagorno Karabakh back to
the past. In view of this, I would like to recall Mr. Stolfi that
any attempts to deprive the NKR people of the right for democratic
development and strengthening of a civil society are doomed to failure,
NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosyan said, commenting on the statement
of the Chairman of the CE Ministers Committee Fiorenzo Stolfi on the
forthcoming presidential election in NKR, in which he noted that the
presidential election cannot create favourable conditions for the
conflict settlement, since they predetermine the region status.

"The elections under conditions of democracy are the core Institute
of demonstration of political will of the people as a source of
power. The forthcoming summer, 2007, presidential election in NKR is
not an exception. It will have no influence on the Karabakh conflict
settlement process and will not predetermine the NKR status, since
its primary intent is to form a power by democratic mechanisms".

‘ANTILOBBY’ OF TURKISH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION ENDED WITH FEELING OF HUMILIATED DIGNITY

Arminfo
2007-04-23 10:35:00

The speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has refused
to receive the Turkish parliamentary delegation, which organized an
"antolobby" in Washington on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

Journalists asked the members of the delegation, "Did you
demand a meeting with Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of
Representatives?" Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington Nabi Sensoy
replied, "While we arranged appointments with various members of
the Congress, we also requested an appointment from Pelosi’s office,
but they didn’t even respond." Other such delegation that went to the
United States with the same purpose were treated the same way. OK,
let’s omit Gul’s case, who tried to make an appointment at a time
when Pelosi’s character wasn’t known by us. And let’s also omit the
first delegation’s repeated mistake since it coincided with Gul’s
visit. But how come the second and the third delegations ventured
forth and were humiliated over and over again?

TURKEY’S RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE FOCUSED

Yerkir
23.04.2007 16:11

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Kiro Manoyan, the director of the ARF Bureau’s
Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office, presents the international
situation on the Armenian Genocide on the eve of April 24.

Among the recent developments, Kiro Manoyan mentioned the letter to
the Armenian and Turkish people signed by 50 Nobel Prize winners,
which, according to him, is more against the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.

The letter urged both people to pressure their governments to
establish relations. Manoyan said that the letter had shortcomings,
one of which is that Armenian and Turkey are equally held responsible
for not having relations.

Another shortcoming is that the letter speaks of the Armenian elections
making an impression that Turkey is more democratic.

This is not only incorrect but it has nothing to do with the Armenian
Genocide. The only positive thing is that the authors of the letter
call on Turkey to review its own history and recognize that the events
constitute genocide.

Besides, the American media continues to cover the Genocide and the
resolutions in the Congress.

When asked what would be the next step if the US recognizes the
Armenian Genocide, Manoyan said that the US has already recognized
the Genocide in 1973, 1984 and 1992.

The resolution that is in circulation since 2000, urges to reaffirm the
recognition by the US and call on the president so that he would call
the events of 1915 genocide in his annual speeches. So the resolution
is not for recognition but for reaffirmation.

ARMENIAN DIASPORA INTENDS TO CREATE A SPECIAL BODY TO RESOLVE THE ARMENIAN ISSUE

Regnum, Russia
April 23 2007

It is necessary to spare no effort to achieve recognition of the
Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire of 1915 by the international
community and Turkey as well, Executive Director of Armenia’s Community
of Land Unions Andranik Arshakian said at a news conference today.

According to him, a specially established organizational committee is
now busy with preparation of a forum in France within next two years
of Western Armenians’ descendants, who managed to escape the Armenian
Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th century.

"The main task of the forum is to establish an authoritative body of
Western Armenians that will be engaged in settling the Armenian issue,"
Arshakian said. According to him, in case the Armenian Genocide is
recognized, the question arises: what is next? The body will decide
on it, he said.

In his turn, deputy editor-in-chief of the Armenian Encyclopedia
Genrikh Khachantrian who is also one of the forum initiators, said that
forums dedicated to discussion of the Armenian issue, were twice held
in Yerevan, in 1917 and in 1919. According to him, an encyclopedia will
be written soon that covers the whole period of the Armenian issue.

Meanwhile, Member of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences
Alexander Manasyan said that such a forum would encourage not only
proposing a new method of resolving the Armenian issue, but will even
more unite descendants of the Western Armenians in the whole world.

TURKEY SHOULD BE READY FOR SURPRISES
By Ibrahim Karagul

Turkish Press
April 23 2007

YENI SAFAK- While I am asking myself who is going to be the president
in Turkey, I have noticed that I have clearer thoughts about France’s
presidential election and that it is much more difficult to foresee
the results in Turkey’s case, because everybody in Turkey has focused
on the possible candidates. No one discusses what will happen then.

France will elect its president on Sunday. This closely concerns
the relations not only between Turkey and France but also between
Turkey and the EU. Turkish-French relations may become much rougher
if Sarkozy is elected.

He has been the favorite so far. But everything may change in the
second round. Socialist candidate Royal’s chances seem to be low. It is
difficult for her, the architect of the Armenian genocide draft law,
to pass on to the second round. Both Royal and Sarkozy seem to recede
two points in a poll held on April 17. Le Pen’s votes, on the other
hand, seem to be on the rise. In the same poll, Le Pen had 14 % of the
votes whereas Bayrou had 20 % and surprised everyone. After such an
increase, Michel Rocard, the former prime minister from the Socialist
Party, called on to Royal to unite with Bayrou but she declined.

Polls indicate that two candidates may pass on to the second round:
Sarkozy and Bayrou. In fact, Bayrou is the only one who may leave
Sarkozy out of the race. Sarkozy’s policies are known in Turkey. How
does Bayrou view Turkey, then? He recommends that a transparent policy
should be implemented towards the foreigners. He wants Turkey to be a
privileged partner and says that the EU should be realistic towards
Turkey, not two-faced. He is not one of those political elites. He
is against the invasions of the US and supported by Jacques Chirac.

Here is the possible atmosphere after the election: Should Bayrou be
elected, Dominique de Villepin will stay prime minister and Sarkozy
will probably lose his party. Thus, Turkey should be ready for the
Bayrou surprise…"

The Turkish Press Review will not appear on April 23, due to National
Sovereignty and Children’s Day. Please join us on April 24, Tuesday.