Author: Antonian Lara

"HOT LINE": SAYING NO TO ANTI ARMENIAN

Panorama.am
11:22 23/04/2009

In these days Panorama.am receives various telephone calls from people
concerned with the increasing anti-Armenian campaign in the internet,
which has been even strengthened on the eve of the day to commemorate
the memory of thousands of victims of Armenian Genocide. Panorama.am
requested the "Public relations and information center" of the
President’s Administration to find out what should be done in this
regard. It was said that soon "hot line" would be set to receive common
calls. According to the source an official statement will be made soon.

PROFESSOR CLAUDE MUTAFIAN – "FOR THE FUTURE OF ARMENIA THE KARABAKH ISSUE IS MORE IMPORTANT"
Liana Sayadyan

hetq.am/en/politics/klod-mutafian/
2009/04/22 | 16:14

Feature Stories important politics

Professor Claude Mutafian of the Sorbonne, visiting Armenia to
participate in the conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of
the Adana massacres, stated that in terms of the on-going negotiations
between Armenia and Turkey, "The talks are one thing but the issue
of the 1915 Genocide will not be resolved in that manner since the
fact cannot be overlooked that the bulk of diaspora Armenians are
the inheritors of that tragedy."

Professor Mutafian, originally a mathematician who has specialized
in Armenian history for the past thirty years, noted that Turkey’s
position in linking a settlement of the Karabakh issue to the
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations raises concerns that
the Karabakh issue will be solved "by making concessions regarding
the Genocide".

"It is difficult to oppose the opening of the border, but the important
question to be asked is at what price? For me, as a by-product of 1915,
the recognition of the Genocide is important but, to put it somewhat
crudely, it terms of the future of Armenia the Karabakh issue is more
important," Professor Mutafian stated to Hetq.

When referring to the attitude in the diaspora regarding the
negotiations now taking place between Armenia and Turkey, Professor
Mutafian said, "The diaspora is in a difficult situation. Many
say that they don’t want to upset the talks but the reality is of
course different. I can’t say whether the talks are good or bad. On
principle, negotiations are a good thing. One must always be able
to sit down with the enemy and talk. The same holds true here; but
many are opposed to them. I, however, am opposed to those diaspora
Armenians that claim that this is treachery. I, on the other hand,
don’t say that the talks are a wonderful thing rather, like it or not,
this is the situation. Our interests are different. There are more
Armenians living in the diaspora than in Armenia and still today
what you have at the basis of the diaspora are the descendants of
the Genocide victims. The memories of the Genocide belong more to
the diaspora than to the Armenia of today."

Regarding France’s position on the Genocide, Professor Mutafian stated
that even though it has been recognized by law, legislation to punish
genocide deniers hasn’t been included into the agenda of the French
Senate since, "The French government states that Armenia and Turkey
are now negotiating and that we shouldn’t upset these talks."

Professor Mutafian also sounded a note of caution when it came to the
issue of the campaign, organized by Turkish intellectuals, to collect
signatures apologizing for the events of 1915. "Twenty thousand Turkish
intellectuals signed the statement and that’s good. But we must not
forget that statement refers to the ‘Great Calamity’ and doesn’t use
the word ‘Genocide’. The Turkish authorities understand their role
very well. On the one hand it was a good thing but, on the other hand,
we cannot forget that it lead to other measures. We should never say
thanks for these other actions."

When asked if he thought that demands made by Armenia would produce
results Professor Mutafian responded, "It’s hard to say, but one must
always demand a great deal in expectation of the day when the other
side might be ready to make concessions. You must always go with your
hands full. I find that the possibility of financial reparations is
more realistic. The issue of the supervision of cultural monuments
still exists even though some initial steps have been taken in this
direction. Turkey must, at the minimum, permit Armenian specialists
to oversee the repair and restoration of our monuments in Turkey."

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF CSTO MEMBER STATES APPRECIATED HIGHLY ARMENIA’S ACTIVITIES IN THE ORGANIZATION

Noyan Tapan
April 22,2009
Yerevan

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsian welcomed on April 17 foreign
ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization member
states and organization’s Secretary General, Nikolay Bordjuzha, who
participated in the meeting of the foreign ministers’ Council of CSTO
in Yerevan.

The President of Armenia expressed confidence that the Yerevan
session would contribute to the strengthening of the organization
and higher efficiency of cooperation of its member states. According
to Mr.Sargsian, recently held numerous events made CSTO’s activities
more dynamic.

Presenting the agenda of the session, CSTO Secretary General
N. Bordjuzha mentioned that discussions were held in the atmosphere
of mutual understanding and issues mainly related to topical problems
of international security, coordination of member-states’ foreign
policy and basic directions of the Organization’s cooperation with
international and regional institutions. The package of prepared
documents will be presented to the Heads of states for approval at
the June summit of the CSTO.

As the RA President’s press-service told to Noyan Tapan, the ministers
of foreign affairs of the CSTO member states highly appreciated
Armenia’s fruitful work during her presidency in the Organization.

The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsian noted with satisfaction that
works aimed at coordination of foreign policy in the framework of
the CSTO have already yielded tangible results.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETS MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS

armradio.am
22.04.2009 11:42

President Serzh Sargsyan received the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Matthew Bryza (USA), Bernard
Fassier (France), and the Personal Representative of the Acting
Chairman-in-Office, Andrzey Kasprzyk.

Present at the meeting was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia,
Edward Nalbandian.

The parties discussed issues pertaining to the current stage of
the peace process on Nagorno Karabakh settlement, President’s Press
Office reported.

ARMENIAN AMERIABANK PLANS TO ISSUE BONDS BY END-2009

/ARKA/
April 20, 2009
YEREVAN

Armenia’s Ameriabank plans to issue its bonds by end-2009, Ameriabank’s
Director General Artak Anesyan reported.

The bank is currently working out offers for the USAID and, as part
of a relevant program, 50% of the bond issue will be guaranteed.

Anesyan did not give details of the issue, saying the bank is currently
surveying the demand and supply in the local market.

"The interest rate will definitely not exceed the maximum deposit
rate set at 11%, which, we believe, is rather objective," the bank’s
director general said, adding Ameriabank offers an interest rate
ranging from 6% to 8% for dollar deposits.

He said that the interest rate of bonds would not exceed the benchmark
market rate.

Anesyan stressed the importance of using the accumulated foreign
currency in Armenia, adding "everything depends on whether the bank
can change the ‘dollar-oriented psychology’ of clients."

"Indeed, Armenia has an investments market and our objective is to
develop it objectively," the banker said, adding results would be
tangible approximately in Q3 2009.

The main discrepancy in the local market is the imbalance between
the demand and supply, Anesyan said. He pointed out that the issuer
plans to sell bonds at 12% annual interest rate and the investors
expect a 16% yield.

Securities transactions on NASDAQ OMX Armenia stock exchange shrank
22.9% to 1,534mln drams between February and March 2009 (compared to
1,990.2mln drams in February). Corporate bond transactions amounted to
1,467.9mln drams, with government bond transactions totaling 66.1mln
drams. Stock transitions worth 32,000 drams were effected in the
reporting period.

A leading investment bank, Ameriabank delivers corporate, investment
and limited retail banking services. Ruben Vardanyan is Chairman
of the bank’s Board of Directors, and Artak Anesyan is the Director
General of Ameriabank.

The bank’s strategic partner is the leading Russian investment company
Troika Dialog. ($1 – 372.84 drams).

EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION For Justice & Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel/ Fax: +32 2 732 70 27/26
Website :Eafjd [1]

PRESS RELEASE

SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2009

CONTACT : VARTéNIE ECHO

TEL. / FAX. : +32 (0) 2 732 70 27
400 ORGANISATIONS FROM 22 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES URGE OBAMA TO RECOGNISE
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Nearly 400 organisations from 22 European countries signed-on to the
letter launched by the European Armenian Federation urging the
president of the United States to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
This petition was submitted to the White House on April 3rd, the day
before President Obama’s trip to Turkey, at which time 340
organisations had already co-signed.

In the letter, the Federation reminds the President that "European
Armenians as well as the large democratic mainstream of Europe’s civil
society will continue to strongly oppose Turkey’s membership in the EU
for as long as the Turkish state denies the Armenian Genocide,
promotes racism and pursues a policy of discrimination towards its
minorities." The Federation further notes that "the commitment that
President Obama made to recognise the genocide will unleash the
momentum of true change and democratization inside Turkey" and that it
"will also provide an unprecedented momentum to the process of
dialogue between Turkey and Armenia" by clearly stating "that denial
of this crime against humanity will no longer be supported and that
the way forward will definitely require of Turkey a fundamental
commitment to just peace."

The European Armenian Federation concludes the letter by reminding
that "any retreat by the United States at this defining moment would
be interpreted by genocide-perpetrating governments as full license to
continue their bloody acts and criminal complicities, as witnessed in
Turkey’s recent support for the Sudanese president who is under an
arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court".

"President Obama has the opportunity to demonstrate a real political
sea-change compared to his predecessors, by promoting a policy of
ethical responsibility, respect, justice and truth on this issue as
well as others. The anticipation of this change has elicited
tremendous enthusiasm in Europe and in the World. If the US President
does not affirm his commitment to recognise the Armenian Genocide,
Europeans would view it as a disappointing reaffirmation of the same
old tactical schemes and manoeuvres which so harmed the United States
these last years," commented Hilda Tchoboian, the chairperson of the
European Armenian Federation.

A political change is expected from President Barack Obama on April
24th, the commemorative day of the Armenian Genocide, when the US
President expresses each year the United Statesâ?? remembrance for the
victims of this genocide. Contrary to his recent predecessors who used
euphemisms to describe the planned extermination of the Armenians by
the Turkish State, president Obama stated on several occasions "as
president of the United States, I will recognize the Armenian
Genocide."

The European call to Obama echoes the one that was launched in the
United States by various democratic forces such as the Armenian
American community and the International Association of Genocide
Scholars. Recently, Representative Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives – the third highest-ranking person in the
United State s – declared that she supports the recognition of this
genocide.

Recent rumours of "understandings" between Turkey and a hostage
Armenia (Turkey has blockaded Armenia for more than 15 years), are
intended to cast doubts on what President Obama will say on April 24.

"The Armenian Genocide is an established fact that is independent of
any â?`understanding’ between Armenia and Turkey. Likewise,
condemnation and repression of this crime is essential in all
countries, independent of political circumstances, because it is about
a crime that is indefeasible and that struck the whole of Humanity,"
continued Hilda Tchoboian.

The recognition by the United States and other countries of an
unpunished genocide with the purpose of its reparation by the criminal
State constitutes an obligation under International law.

The list of signatory associations is available on the website of
the European Armenian Federation [4].
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MOSCOW DEMANDS NATO POSTPONE GEORGIA DRILLS

65_4/18/2009_1
Thursday, April 16, 2009

YEREVAN–Russia has demanded NATO postpone plans to carry out military
exercises in Georgia next month, saying they will complicate tensions
in the region, the BBC reported on Thursday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Thursday
the planned May 6 to June 1 exercises risk further undermining
stability in the troubled Caucasus region and were "unlikely to send
the right signal to those sincerely wishing to achieve stability"
in the region. He spoke on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign
ministers of Black Sea countries in the Armenian capital, Yerevan.

Moscow has pointed to tensions with Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
two Georgian breakaway regions, as well as ongoing protests against
Georgia’s president, as reasons to delay the exercises.

The military alliance said the exercises, which are expected to involve
1,300 troops from 19 countries, will take place just outside Tbilisi,
Georgia’s capital are aimed at "improving interoperability between
NATO and partner countries."

The countries taking part include Albania, Armenia, Croatia, Georgia,
Macedonia and the United Arab Emirates.

Lavrov warned NATO members on Thursday not to co-operate with the
government of Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s president, who is regarded
with great suspicion by Russia.

"I hope that the NATO countries will shun steps planned for future
cooperation with Georgia;that could again push the Georgian regime
towards an attitude of permissiveness and impunity," he said.

Robert Pszczel, a NATO spokesman, said the drills would be essentially
coordination exercises, involving "no heavy military equipment."

"There is no controversy, no surprise and no connection with the
situation in Georgia or in the region," he said.

Moscow’s envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said the plans were "absurd
and a provocation" in the light of tensions with the breakaway Georgian
regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia–which Russia has recognized as
independent–as well as opposition protests against Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili.

Rogozin said the exercises could be exploited by Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili in his stand-off with opposition parties, which
have recently held a series of mass protests demanding his resignation.

ENCYCLICAL OF CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ADANA MASSACRES

armradio.am
16.04.2009 17:42

His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, issued an encyclical on the 100th Anniversary of Adana
Massacres, Information Service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
reported.

"We convey our Pontifical love and blessings from the Altar of Light
– the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, to all our people in Armenia,
Artsakh and the Diaspora.

This year we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the massacres of
Armenians in Adana and various settlements of Cilician Armenia,
remembering our countless martyrs, and recalling the grave and
catastrophic period of our history at the beginning of the last
century. We commemorate the immortal memory of our forefathers, who in
ferocious times of massacres and genocide, rose to heroic struggle,
who "by their faith they displayed their courage, and were praised
by men and justified by God." Yeghishe.

The Cilician massacres were the continuation of the plans of Sultan
Abdul Hamid II to "eliminate" the Armenian question by annihilating
the Armenian population. In the 1890s, approximately 300,000 Armenians
were murdered in Ottoman Turkey through bloody pogroms. The Young
Turks, having ascended to power in Turkey, and who had guaranteed
the equality of ethnic groups, the defense of human rights, and t
he security of the individual and of property, greater intensified
persecutions against the Armenian people living on their historical
homeland and throughout other regions of Turkey. In April 1909, new
pogroms were initiated in Adana, where 30,000 additional Armenians
were murdered. To defend their right to life and liberty, Armenians
relied on self-defense and took up arms, with faith and reliance on
God in their souls, and love for their homeland and the Mother Church
in their hearts.

The courageous Armenians of Adana, the valiant men of Zeitun, Van,
Moush, Musa Ler, and Armenians living in various regions of historic
Armenia, struggled to defend their right to life, liberty, justice
and peace with a triumphant faith and a spirit of bravery. It is with
this same faith and strong will that the brave sons and daughters of
our nation have battled in the freedom-struggles of May 1918, on the
battlefields of World War II, and the heroic war for the liberation
of Artsakh.

More than nine decades have passed since the Genocide of the Armenians.

However, our tragedy-stricken people, who lost more than one and
one-half million souls in the genocide planned and executed by
the Turkish authorities, never ceased to hope for the universal
condemnation of the crimes committed against our forebears. And they
continue to always raise their voice of protest in the name of justice
for the entire world to hear, so that similar c alamities never again
darken human life.

The Armenian Genocide opened a bloody and dark page of unheard of
tragedy not only for our people, but in the history of all nations. The
delay in the condemnation of the Genocide of the Armenians encouraged
similar crimes to take place yet again, and the world witnessed new
genocides. In human life today, policies of ethnic persecution and
fanatic nationalism cause serious concern, and demand the unified,
universal and immediate condemnation by international society. The
expression of the will and desire to eliminate ethnic discrimination,
trampling of national rights, violence, inter-ethnic intolerance,
and offenses committed against a people, shall be the universal
recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian
people, with this hope and faith, but with the unhealed pain of
genocide and the righteous demand for resolution to the "Armenian
Cause" in their hearts, are building a new life in their free and
independent homeland and throughout the world.

Dear faithful sons and daughters, as we commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian massacres in Adana and Cilicia, we once
again call for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide for the sake
of a world free of violence, at peace and in prosperity. Through the
blessings and assistance of Almighty God, and the unceasing efforts
of our people, the new dawn of justice shall open in our lives, and
th e righteous verdict will be granted to our Armenian nation. Let us
remain steadfast in our faith, in our love of God, our love for one
another and in our just cause. Let us remain steadfast in our will and
desire to vigilantly protect our native memories and national legacy,
and let us always live with love for our Lord Jesus Christ, our Holy
Church and our homeland. Let us pray to God Almighty for the unified
efforts of our people to be bountiful and produce fruitful results
in our national-ecclesiastical spheres, for the love of our homeland
and Armenian life dispersed throughout the world, our bright future
and the manifestation of all national aspirations.

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ." Romans 1:7"

BAKU APPEALED TO COORDINATE THE POLICY OF AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE WEST SUPPORTING "ARMENIAN UNION"

Azerbaijan Business Center
April 15 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The roundtable devoted to opening of the
border between Turkey and Armenia was organized by the Parliament of
Azerbaijan in Baku.

Atilla Gaya, Deputy of Turkish Grand National Assembly representing
the Nationalist Movement Party (NMP), said all the issues, including
international ones, should be approached to not only from the point
of view of Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also all the Turkic people.

Sabir Rustamkhanli, Deputy of the Azerbaijani Parliament and Chairman
of Azerbaijan Civil Solidarity Party, noted that Turkey should
take into consideration Azerbaijan’s position in the development of
relations with Armenia.

"In 1828 Tsarist Russia created an artificial country named
"Armenia" between Turkey and Azerbaijan and now Armenians occupying
Karabakh declare the whole world about existence of the two Armenian
states. Their purpose now is to take Javakheti away from Georgia
with the purpose of creating the Armenian Union and the idea is
supported by western world," Rustamkhanli said. He supported Turkish
independent policy.

"If President of Turkey Abdullah Gul goes to Armenia that means he
either disrespects the Turkic world or Turkey does not have an own
independent policy and it is managed by external forces." Rustamkhanli
emphasized.

SUPREME LEADER MEETS ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

ISNA, Iranian Students News Agency
April 15 2009
Iran

TEHRAN, Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
met the President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian.

Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, the Supreme Leader urged the Armenian President to follow
up the agreements signed in Tehran.

He said that the Iranian nation and government welcome the expansion
of relations with the people and government of Armenia.

He expressed his gratitude to Armenian Iranians for their important
role in different historical eras and added "our Armenian compatriots
fought shoulder to shoulder with their Muslim brothers during the
Sacred Defense Era to defend the Islamic Revolution."

Ayatollah Khamenei stated that expansion of ties between neighboring
countries increases internal stability of nations and helps them
become invulnerable.

"Superpowers try to prevent the expansion of regional relations under
various pretexts," he added.

Elsewhere in his speech, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
described creating peace between Armenia and its neighbors as a great
idea and said that it is necessity to put the idea into practice.

The Armenian President conveyed warm greetings of his people to the
Leader of the Islamic Revolution and declared that his country is
fully prepared to expand relations with Iran. He also said that he
is convinced about the bright future prospects of Armenia’s relations
with Iran.

President Sarkisian said that the behavior of the Islamic Republic
has been reasonable and logical with regard to regional issues. He
referred to his negotiations with President Ahmadinejad and reiterated
"we will carry out all the agreements made during this visit."