Month: June 2009

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE PASSES BILL 234, THE "GENOCIDE AWARENESS ACT"

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.06.2009 13:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The California State Senate passed Senate Bill 234,
the "Genocide Awareness Act," reported the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly) told PanARMENIAN.Net. The Assembly, an early proponent of
the measure introduced by State Senator Mark Wyland (R), activated
its ARAMAC grassroots network in California to encourage support and
passage of the bill.

On April 29, the Senate Education Committee voted unanimously in favor
of SB 234. During the public witness hearing, Armenian Genocide denier
Bruce Fein and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA)
testified against treating the Armenian example and parallel cases
in Cambodia and Darfur as genocide. In response to the opposition’s
testimony, State Senator Joe Simitian (D), a member of the Education
Committee, expressed his disappointment, especially given the
incontestable historical fact of the Armenian Genocide and asked,
"Why is it that genocide happens over and over and over again?…It
happens because we are unwilling to step back and confront man’s
inhumanity to man."

The truth of the Armenian Genocide, Simitian stated, "has long been
settled." State Senator Christine Kehoe (D), Chair of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, moved the bill directly to the Senate floor
for a vote, stating, "The continuing events in Darfur remind me of
the words of philosopher George Santayana who wrote: ‘Those who do
not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’ Those horrific events
only serve to raise the importance of acknowledging and learning from
past events like the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust. Making
sure that Senate Bill 234 becomes law will help make sure that the
Armenian Genocide is not forgotten for this and future generations."

"The Armenian Assembly applauds Senator Kehoe for promptly bringing
this legislation to the floor for a vote," stated Yeghig Keshishian,
the Assembly’s Western Region Director. "The Assembly would also like
to commend Senator Wyland for introducing this legislation and thereby
once again placing California in the forefront of national politics
as it pertains to human rights education and genocide prevention."

Upon successful passage in the California State Assembly, State
Senator Wyland’s "Genocide Awareness Act" would then be signed into
law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill requires the California Curriculum Commission to vote on the
inclusion of an oral history component related to genocides as part
of its high school curriculum, including the Armenian Genocide of
1915-1923. California pioneered new education standards by adopting
the Model Curriculum for Human Rights and Genocide, which includes
the Armenian Genocide.

TURKISH FM SAYS THERE’S NO INTERRUPTION IN TALKS WITH ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.06.2009 14:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on
Thursday there was no interruption in normalization process with
Armenia.

"Normalization process continues since April 22 joint statement
and there are ongoing direct or indirect contacts. There is
no interruption in course of the talks. We are doing our best for
solution of problems," Davutoglu, currently on a formal visit to the
United States, told reporters that.

Davutoglu said Turkish-Armenian relations had an important role in
Turkish-U.S. relations due to the developments in U.S. Congress,
"Turkey’s policy is very open. U.S. executives appreciate this
policy. Turkey favors tranquility, peace and welfare to prevail in
South Caucasia. Turkey is eager to normalize relations with Armenia
within the scope of good relations with our neighbors. However, a
similar normalization is necessary in conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan for a lasting and comprehensive normalization."

Responding to a question on probability of opening of Turkish-Armenian
border within a year, Davutoglu said this depended on the
developments. "It may be misleading to set a time or give details
when the process is underway," he added, AA cited Davutoglu as saying.

ANGELINA JOLIE’S MANAGER REFUSED TO COMMENT ON ACTRESS’ INTENTION TO ADOPT AN ARMENIAN BABY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.06.2009 14:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Any information on Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie
‘s intention to adopt an Armenian baby is premature, PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter was told at actress’ Manager, Geyer Kosinski’s office. "No
information on this issue might be publicized as yet."

According to US media, Angelina Jolie is going to adopt an Armenian
baby with or without her husband Brad Pitt. One of the reasons
Angelina wants to adopt from Armenia is because there is a lot less
"red" tape and the adoption process can be a lot easier. She also
believes an Armenian child will fit in perfectly with her African,
Cambodian, and Vietnamese babies.

Several insiders say that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are not getting
along anymore and have simply grown apart. Some people think Angelina’s
possible adoption from Armenia is causing problems. Angelina’s upcoming
Armenian adoption has not gone down well with Brad; he wants to adopt
from India.

SPECIALISTS FROM 27 ARMENIAN MUSEUMS WILL ATTEND THE TRAINING

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.06.2009 12:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The event was initiated by 4 museums – Erebuni
Historical Archaeological Museum, National Art Gallery, Yerevan City
Museum and Hovhannes Tumanyan House Museums with assistance of UNESCO,
CIS Humanitarian Cooperation Fund and Ministry of Culture of Armenia.

"The program includes theoretical and practical studies. This will
help achieve best results," Erebuni Museum director Ashot Piliposyan
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "Specialists from Armenia, Russia and
United States will give reports on maintenance of cultural heritage,
scientific exposition and temporary problems."

AZERBAIJANIS AGAIN CONFUSE A DONKEY WITH A LASER WEAPON

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 11:10:00

ArmInfo. Azerbaijani Mass Media disseminated another fantasy. This
time it blames Armenia for using allegedly a secret unknown weapon.

This fantasy of the Azerbaijani media was a follows: ‘Armenian armed
forces have started to fire on the residential areas of Azerbaijan
and positions of Azerbaijani Army with weapons not included in the
modern military system. Bullets smaller than 7.62 mm caliber and
larger than 5.45 mm caliber were found in the areas targeted by the
enemy. The bullets have different carving and structure. Experts
said the new bullets are able to run through one-meter ground layer,
thin concrete plate, armor vests and light armored vehicles.There
are no details about the weapons which use these bullets and their
technical indications’.

ArmInfo correspondent applied to Press Secretary of the Armenian
Defense Ministry, Colonel Seyran Shakhsouvaryan for comments on the
‘secret weapon’. ‘It is quite difficult to comment on this report
since the statement on possible use of a certain ‘weapon unknown
to the world’ is silly. Specialists worldwide are well aware of
the weapons and there is no secret’, S. Shakhsouvaryan said. Such
reports pursue a single goal to accuse once more the Armenian party
of firing ‘at peaceful Azerbaijani territories’. ‘Terror magnifies
objects.20Probably, that was another misunderstanding as usually
happens to our neighbors when they confuse something with ‘unknown
weapon’. Such a curious case happened during the war in Karabakh
when Azerbaijanis took a donkey with a torch fixed on its back for a
‘laser weapon’ ‘, Colonel Shakhsouvaryan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARLIAMENTARY INTERIM COMMISSION FOR MARCH INCIDENTS TO APPLY TO PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA FOR AMNESTY ANNOUNCEMENT

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 14:08:00

ArmInfo. Parliamentary Interim Commission to study the incidents
of March 1-2 in Yerevan is going to submit an application to the
President of Armenia for amnesty announcement, Artsvik Minasyan,
parliamentarian from ARFD, a member of the Interim Commission, said
at the meeting of the Interim Commission on Thursday.

‘Representatives of the Interim Commission have repeatedly come out for
softening of the domestic political situation. In addition, amnesty
is among the recommendations of PACE resolution’, Minasyan said. He
highlighted the necessity of announcing amnesty not only for the
arrestees after the March incidents, but also in general. ‘Since the
circumstances of the death of 10 people are still unknown, we propose
that amnesty is not applied to those charged with the death of those
10 people’, A. Minasyan said. For his part, another representative of
the Interim Commission Naira Zohrabyan proposed that the statement
lays stress on the March incidents since the current tense domestic
political situation is the result of the very incidents.

Another representative of the Interim Commission, Leader of New Times
Party Aram Karapetyan said: ‘I am against this political document
since the Interim Commission comprises representatives of political
forces that could independently present the stands of their parties
regarding the amnesty announcement. In addition, I am surprised at the
fact that a person empowered to announce amnesty proposes political
forces to make a relevant statement’.

Earlier on May 28 President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan called on
political figures, parties and the Public Council for applying to
the presidential residence for amnesty announcement.

DELEGATION HEADED BY COMMANDER OF BORDER TROOPS OF ARMENIA’S NSS TAKES PART IN SITTING OF CIS COUNCIL OF BORDER TROOPS COMMANDERS IN YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 11:27:00

ArmInfo. The delegation of border troops of Armenia’s National Security
Service is taking part in the sitting of CIS Council of Border Troops
Commanders in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

As Armenia NSS press-service told ArmInfo, the delegation is headed
by commander of Armenia’s NSS border troops, Major-General Armen
Abrahamyan.

The Council sitting is held under the chairmanship of Head of the
Frontier Service of Russia’s FSC, Army General Vladimir Pronichev. As
the Russian media report, Pronichev emphasized in the opening speech
that growth of the level of the border security threats in time of
peace requires development and adoption of adequate measures.

The frontier agencies have to fight against the international
terrorism, organized crime, illegal migration and counteract plundering
of natural resources, he said. These issues will be discussed by
the sitting participants numbering about 100 people. Delegations of
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan,
Belarus, Moldova, Tajikistan and Ukraine take part in the sitting.

BORDYUZHA: AGREEMENT ON CREATION OF CSTO CRDF TO BE FINALLY PREPARED FOR SIGNING BY PRESIDENTS ON JUNE 14

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 10:53:00

ArmInfo. ‘I am deeply sure we shall return to the issue of creation of
CSTO Collective Rapid Deployment Forces and will finally prepare an
agreement on creation of CRDF for signing by the presidents on June
14, just before the sitting of CSTO Collective Security Council’,
CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha said after the sitting of
CSTO Defense Ministerial Council, CSTO spokesman Vitaly Strugovets
told ArmInfo.

‘Some delay with execution of the agreement on creation of the
Collective Rapid Deployment Forces has been caused by special positions
of Uzbekistan and Armenia. The Ministerial Council has discussed a
package of documents which creates legal bases of CRDF activity. There
are some discrepancies among CSTO states and Uzbekistan regarding
the issues of CRDF functioning, while Armenia insists on setting
of more specific terms of readiness of these forces’, N. Bordyuzha
said. To recall, the Agreement on creation of CRDF was signed in
Moscow on February 4 upon the results of the meeting of Armenia,
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Collective forces are created to rebuff the military aggression,
conduct special operations on fight against the international terrorism
and extremism, drug trafficking, as well as eliminate the consequences
of emergency situations.

To note, the chairmanship in CSTO passed from Kyrgyzstan to Armenia
in 2008.

142 MLN CUB M OF WATER TO BE RELEASED FROM SEVAN LAKE IN 2009

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 15:25:00

ArmInfo. At Thursday session, the government of Armenia approved the
flushes from Sevan lakein the volume of 142 mln cub m in 2009. The
drafty decision was introduced by Chairman of the Water Economy State
Committee of Armenia Andranik Andreasyan.

o recall, the parliament of Armenia permitted flushes from Sevan
lake in 2008 in the volume of 360 mln cub m that twice exceeds the
indicator of 2007. Increase of flushes for irrigation was caused by
rainless weather.

IRANIAN ENVOY HIGHLIGHTS STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 13:19:00

ArmInfo. The Iran-Armenia railway is a project of great strategic
importance not only for the two states but also for the whole region,
Iran’s ambassador to Yerevan said on Wednesday, IRIB reported.

Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saqqaiyan declared that the
railway can be used, for among other things, cargo transportation.

"Besides that we expect the investors to display interest in the
project and Russia seems keen on participating in the implementation
of the project," the Ambassador noted.

Armenia and Iran formalized their plans to construct the railway
connecting the two neighboring countries in April when Armenian
President Serzh Sarkisian signed an agreement to that affect on his
visit to Tehran.

Experts and specialist are now discussing different options for the
direction of the railway, Ali Saqqaiyan said.

According to early estimates, $2 billion of investment is needed
for the construction of the railway. The World Bank and the Asian
Development Bank have already signaled interest in the project.