Month: April 2007

QUICK RESTORATION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA PROCEEDS FROM TURKEY’S INTERESTS, S. GRIGORIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. An exclusively good situation has
been formed today in the issue of normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations, to which, unfortunately, Hrant Dink’s murder
contributed. Ashot Grigorian, Chairman of Representation of Armenian
Organizations of Europe, Head of Armenian community of Slovakia,
said in his interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent.

In his words, quick restoration of diplomatic relations with Armenia
proceeds from Turkey’s interests. Admission of the term "genocide"
and liquidation of consequences of the genocide also will serve for
Turkey’s interests.

"Otherwise some conditions will be forced, which will become a sourse
of great losses for Turkey," A. Grigorian stated.

The Chairman of Armenian community of Slovakia considered as necessary
consolidation of Armenian lobbying structures and activization of
activities in response to the goal outlined at the first Conference
of Azerbaijani and Turkish Diasporas held lately in Baku to
undertate steps against the Armenian Diaspora working very actively
and effectively in the whole world. The conference was held with
participation of Presidents of Azerbaijan, self-proclaimed republic of
North Cyprus and Turkish Prime Minister. The proposal to activize the
work of Turkish and Azerbaijani lobbying was made at the conference
by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. As A. Grigorian estimated,
for the purpose of coordinating the efforts of Armenian lobbying it
is planned to restore the activities of Forum of European Armenians,
as well as to enlarge the activity of World Armenian Congress.

RA PRIME MINISTER’S ADDRESS ON OCCASION OF DAY OF MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian
sent an address to the Armenian people on the occasion of the day
of memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. The message the text of
which was submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA Government’s Information
and Public Relations Department, says:

"Dear compatriots,

Today, when all the Armenians, both in Fatherland and Diaspora
commemorate memory of the Armenian Genocide victims, we again bow
our heads in memory of our innocent martyrs become victims of the
genocide. This unprecedented crime at the state level planned and
committed by Ottaman Turkey 92 years ago was not prevented, recognized
in time and comdemned, just by it opening a road for repetition of
similar crimes.

The condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is not only a problem of
Armenians as the genocide is a crime addressed against the mankind.

We today express our sincere gratitude to those states, organizations
and individuals who support us in our struggle of preventing and
condemning crimes addressed against the historic truth, mankind.

Our struggle proceeds in the name of the mankind, in the name of memory
of victims of all the genocides. We struggle for similar crimes are
not repeated any longer.

Today we also commemorate memory of Agos newspaper editor-in-chief
Hrant Dink killed on January 19 of this year and express our
assistance to the Turk intellectuals and individuals struggling from
the historic truth.

Dear compatriots,

The problem of recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide
in one of the issues on agenda of our foreign policy. We remember our
history but Armenia goes forward, striving for establishing normal
relations with all the neighbors. Armenia moves forward, inflexibly
building a civilized, developed and democratic state."

ONLY BY MOURNING WE CANNOT HEAL OUR WOUNDS, CLU CHAIRMAN HRANT KHACHATRIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Recognition and condemnation of
Armenian Genocide is not only the problem of Armenians, but is the
problem of the mankind of the whole world, as everything possible
should be done for excluding such cases. Seyran Avagian, Chairman of
Democratic Liberal Union of Armenia, said in his interview to Noyan
Tapan correspondent. In his words, recognition and condemnation of
the Genocide are a guarantee of security for Armenians.

"Recognition of Armenian Genocide will give us confidence that our
neighbors have recognized the rules of this world and wish to live
by them," S. Avagian said.

In the words of Hrant Khachatrian, Chairman of Constitutional Law Union
Party, only by mourning we cannot heal our wounds. "As national hero
Movses Gorgisian said, "mourning is eternal when there is no struggle,"
he said adding that "we should demand from the world not to consign to
oblivion, not to deny this issue and not to misrepresent the history."

VARTAN OSKANIAN TO HAVE MEETINGS IN BRUSSELS WITH EU HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
will leave for Brussels on April 25 where his speech is envisaged at
the memory evening to take place at the Royal Conservatory. Heads of
diplomatic representations accredited in Brussels, representatives
of Armenian communities and organizations in Europe will participate
in the event.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry, the RA Foreign
Minister’s meeting with EU Special Representative to Sputh Caucasus
Peter Semneby is also scheduled for the same day. Minister Oskanian
will have meetings on April 24 with EU High Representative for the
Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commissioner
for the External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita
Ferrero Waldner, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn.

The Minister will be present on April 27-29 at the Brussels Forum 2007
and will participate in the discussion on the theme "From Baltic Sea
up to Larger Black Sea: New Euroatlantic Challenges." Presidents,
Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers of different coutries, NATO
Secretary General, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried, other high-ranking officials will also
participate in the forum.

IN SEYRAN OHANIAN’S WORDS, HE IS NOT PRESENTED PROPOSAL TILL NOW ON WORKING AS RA MINISTER OF DEFENCE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

KAPAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. "I love my profession and prefer
to remain faithful to my military profession, Defence Minister of
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh Seyran Ohanian informed the Kapan
Khustup TV television company, adding that he will participate in any,
however, in the coming elections as a voter. He also stated that he
has not been presented a proposal yet on working as the RA Defence
Minister. To recap, as RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian stated,
the new RA Defence Minister’s name will become known on April 25.

FOR HAVING PROFESSIONAL ARMY WE SHOULD FIRST OF ALL DEVELOP COUNTRY’S ECONOMY, RA ACTING DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Colonel-General Mikayel Haroutiunian,
Head of General Headquarters of RA Armed Forces, RA Acting Defence
Minister, refused to comment upon the rumors that he will be appointed
to the post of RA Defence Minister. In his April 24 interview to
journalists he only said: "you wi ll learn when we have President’s
decree." At the same time, he said that it is obliging to occupy the
post Vazgen Sargsian and Serge Sargsian held formerly.

Answering the question of one of the journalists, M. Haroutiunian
said that for having a professional army we should first of all
develop country’s economy. And former Defence Minister Serge Sargsian
appointed as Prime Minister, as he affirmed, will assist with creating
a professional army.

LET OUR NEIGHBORS NOT THINK THAT WE CAN FORGET CRIME COMMITTED AT THE BEGINNING OF PREVIOUS CENTURY, MIKAYEL HAROUTIUNIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Thousands of people visited Yerevan’s
Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex of Victims of Armenian Genocide on
April 24 to pay the tribute of their respect to the memory of 1.5
mln victims. RA President Robert Kocharian, RA NA Speaker Tigran
Torosian, Prime Minister Serge Sargsian, members of government,
other high-ranking officials and foreign ambassadors eccredited in
RA visited the Memorial on the occasion of the 92th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide.

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II prayed for the souls of
Genocide victims.

"Today we have gathered here to remember the crime committed at the
beginning of the 20th century. We have not forgotten those innocent
victims. And let our neighbors not think that we can forget what was
committed at the beginning of the previous century," RA Acting Defence
Minister Mikayel Haroutiunian said in his interview to journalists.

EVENTS DEDICATED TO 92nd ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD IN GERMANY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

BERLIN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Events dedicated to the 92nd anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide will be held in different cities of Germany
during those days. Noyan Tapan was informed about it by the RA Foreign
Ministry’s Press and Information Department.

The central events are envisaged in Frankfurt, Cologne and Berlin,
where high-ranking officials of the German federal and regional
authorities, foreign ambassadors accredited in Berlin, representatives
of the scientific and cultural world will be present.

Works of Komitas, Schubert and Rakhmaninov will be performed by Sergey
Khachatrian at the Surb Poghos church of Frankfurt.

The event will be held in Berlin in one of the biggest churches, the
French Temple. The Chairman of the Armenian community of Berlin will
open the evening. FRG Bundestag head Norbert Lamert and RA Ambassador
to Germany Karine Ghazinian will make speeches

PUBLICATION OF "GOLOS ARMENII" ACCUSING ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN OF CONSPIRACY CAUSES NUMEROUS ISSUES, SMBAT AYVAZIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the Golos Armenii
newspaper, former RA National Assembly Speaker, "Orinats Yerkir"
(Country of Law) party head makes efforts in the direction of rousing
interference of international organizations in the pre-electoral
processes. The newspaper recently published parts from the conversation
taken place at the Yerevan Marco Polo restarant in February of this
year betweem A. Baghdasarian and one of the high-ranking officials
of the Embassy of Great Britain to the RA, the recording of which
was given to the editorial office by unkown people. The publication
proves the two interlocutors’ interest in recognizing the parliamentary
elections to take place in Armenia not free and fair.

The mentioned publication, as Smbat Ayvazian, a member of the
"Hanrapetutiun" (Republic) party political council, NA deputy mentioned
at the April 23 press conference, causes numerous issues. Expressing
confidence, that the national security bodies secretly heard
A. Baghdasarian’s and the English diplomate’s conversation, he
attracted attention to a number of issues: particularly, are all
the politicians and diplomates in Armenia secretly heard or why is
the recording of a conversation taken place in February published
now? And if there are facts about the issue that A. Baghdasarian
invites forces from outside to interfere in inner affairs of Armenia,
in S. Ayvazian’s words, it is interesting to know what steps the ones
responsible for the country security took.

"SCREAMERS" FILM DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS SHOWN DURING THESE DAYS IN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES OF WORLD

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
received on April 23 Carla Karapetian, the author of the Screamers
documentary film dedicated to the Armenian Genocide which is shown
in Yerevan during those days.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, the film author presented the Minister the
responses followed the first show held in the U.S. and mentioned that
the film is now shown in Canada, France, Lebanon and it will be shown
in Russia and Argentina as well in the nearest future.

Appreciating the author’s initiative, V. Oskanian attached importance
to the fact that the film touches upon not only Armenian but, in
general, all genocides. From the viewpoint of preventing similar
crimes, the interlocutors emphasized importance of the work done in the
direction of the Armenian Genocide recognition in different countries.