Author: Antonian Lara

LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA CALLS ON US CONGRESS TO PASS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

ArmRadio.am
19.02.2007 15:35

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, joined by over three dozen
students from Alex Pilibos High School in Hollywood, hosted a press
conference on February 14th where he energetically called on the US
House of Representatives to pass the Armenian Genocide resolution. The
Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res. 106) is currently pending before
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which is Chaired by California
Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA). The Mayor’s press conference with the
ANCA-WR was covered by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times,
National Public Radio, the Associated Press and local network
television stations.

Mayor Villaraigosa opened his press conference by announcing that the
City of Los Angeles will withdraw more than $27 million in retirement
fund investments from companies that do business with Sudan to protest
the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region. "By acting affirmatively to
bring about change in Darfur, we demonstrate our commitment to making
a difference and working to stop genocide," remarked Villaraigosa. The
Mayor added, "As we can see today, the genocide in Darfur rages on – it
is our duty to also properly recognize genocides that have occurred in
the past so that we may work to prevent them from happening again. We
know that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat
it – and we look forward to continuing to work with the Armenian
National Committee in this regard."

"We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Mayor Villaraigosa
in ending the cycle of genocide in our world," commented ANCA-WR
Executive Director Antranig Kzirian. "Today, the Mayor spoke clearly
about the positive role American cities can play in ending the genocide
in Darfur by beginning a divestment campaign. We were also pleased
that the Mayor forcefully called on the U.S. Congress to adopt the
Armenian Genocide resolution without delay," Kzirian added.

In correspondence that Mayor Villaraigosa recently sent to Speaker of
the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), he personally urged her to schedule a
vote on the Armenian Genocide resolution (H. Res. 106). The Mayor’s
letter states, in part, "As the Mayor of Los Angeles… it is an
honor and pleasure to add my name to the growing list of supporters
of H. Res. 106, which would officially place the U.S. House of
Representatives on record as recognizing the Armenian Genocide
of 1915."

Following the Mayor’s press conference, Los Angeles City Council
President Eric Garcetti introduced a resolution on behalf of the
Los Angeles City Council that urges the United States Government
to recognize the Armenian Genocide and calls upon Turkey to end its
decades long policy of denial. "This resolution, by the City Council
of the City of Los Angeles, shows our support in standing side by
side with Mayor Villaraigosa and all of humanity in paying homage to
those that perished in the Armenian Genocide", stated Garcetti.

JEWISH WORLD WATCH CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmRadio.am
19.02.2007 12:50

The ANCA-WR this week welcomed a letter authored by Jewish World Watch
in support of H. Res. 106 (the Armenian Genocide Resolution). The
correspondence, addressed to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA),
urges her to support the passage of H. Res. 106, which affirms the
US record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

ANCA-WR informs that Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis and Janice
Kamenir-Reznik, co-founders of Jewish World Watch expressed the
critical importance of holding perpetrators of genocide accountable for
their acts of inhumanity. Janice Kamenir-Reznik noted, "Accountability
is a seminal factor in deterring future genocides. As Hitler was
designing his final solution he was asked why he thought he would
be able to murder millions of Jews. Only twenty years after the
Armenian genocide, Hitler responded by noting that no one cared and
no one remembered the Armenian genocide. We all know what happened
next. Our humanity and collective conscience demand that we care and
our very existence requires that we remember and hold perpetrators
responsible. We are proud to stand with the Armenian community and
with all people of conscience to insist that their suffering and
their history be acknowledged by the civilized world."

Jewish World Watch is a project of a coalition of synagogues working
together to mobilize synagogues, their schools, members and the
community to combat genocide and other egregious violations of human
rights around the world.

Earlier this year, the organization held a screening of the genocide
film Screamers at Valley Beth Shalom in California’s San Fernando
Valley. Although Jewish World Watch currently focuses on ending
the genocide in Darfur, the organization’s letter to Speaker Pelosi
states that "it is incumbent upon us to acknowledge and commemorate
past genocides, in particular, the Armenian Genocide, which has
been denied for almost a century – we cannot criticize those who are
committing genocide today, without acknowledging and commemorating
the unacknowledged genocide of the Armenian community in 191[5]."

In October of 2006, then-Representative Pelosi stated that, "I have
supported legislation, including H. Res. 316, that would properly
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. It is imperative that the US
recognize this atrocity and move to renew our commitment to eliminate
genocide whenever and wherever it exists. This effort enjoys strong
bipartisan support in the House, and I will continue to support these
efforts in the 110th Congress."

Le Figaro, France
17 février 2007

Charles Aznavour : « Je n’ai pas tout sacrifié à mon métier»

par BERTRAND DICALE

CHARLES AZNAVOUR est fidèle en mots et fidèle en actes. Après avoir
ouvert l’année de l’Arménie il y a quelques mois par un concert à
Erevan (nos éditions du 2 octobre 2006) , il chante ce soir à l’Opéra
Garnier avec ses amis (Bénabar, Patrick Bruel, Florent Pagny, Grand
Corps Malade, Axelle Red, Michel Delpech, Calogero, Hélène Ségara,
Amel Bent…), au profit des enfants arméniens. Mais le chanteur
français attaché à sa chère Arménie est toujours une vedette
internationale : il revient de sa dixième tournée au Japon et lundi
sort son nouvel album, « Colore ma vie » (chez Odéon-EMI), enregistré
à Cuba avec le pianiste Chucho Valdès et ses musiciens. La sortie du
nouvel album est accompagnée du single La terre meurt , cri d’alarme
écologiste tout à fait dans les thèmes de la campagne électorale.

« On va dire que je profite de la situation alors que la chanson est
écrite depuis deux ans. J’écris longtemps avant d’enregistrer. Là, je
suis en train d’écrire ce que je vais chanter dans deux ans. Ainsi,
je suis chagriné par les villages abandonnés. Ça fera partie du
prochain disque. » Quant à intervenir dans le débat politique en
cours, il n’en est pas question. « Je n’ai pas à influencer mes
compatriotes. Montand l’a fait. Moi pas. Et il s’est trompé. Quand il
est rentré de Russie, il a dit que c’était formidable. Moi j’ai
seulement dit – et seulement quand on me questionnait – que les
thétres étaient très bien. Et, pourtant, j’étais plutôt pour les
communistes. » Il n’a guère envie de commenter directement l’«
affaire Johnny » mais avoue volontiers avoir payé 1,2 ou 1,3 million
d’euros d’impôts l’année dernière – « Ce n’est pas rien » . Il réside
en Suisse depuis une certaine « affaire Aznavour » qui, il y a plus
de trente ans, l’avait vu fuir le fisc français. « Je suis parti de
France ruiné. J’ai mis dix ans à me remettre à flots. Et qu’est-ce
que j’ai fait de mon argent ? J’ai la moitié d’un hôtel en France,
j’ai acheté les éditions musicales Raoul Breton qui rachètent des
catalogues pour qu’ils ne partent pas à l’étranger et où j’ai créé
une vingtaine d’emplois fixes. Je voudrais bien dire une bonne fois
pour toutes que je n’ai pas de complexes d’être en Suisse. Je n’ai
pas de complexes parce que j’ai investi en France. » Il est fier de
n’avoir pas d’argent amassé à l’étranger. « Quand je mourrai, il va
rester ce que j’ai fait, et pas ce que j’ai gagné. » « Être vrai à
tout moment » À ce propos-là, son nouveau disque contient une belle
chanson à la première personne, J’abdiquerai , dans laquelle il
assume crnement ce que bien des artistes essaient à toute force
d’enterrer sous des tombereaux de fausse humilité : « Et s’il me
reste encore un beau spectacle à faire/Un bel enterrement flatterait
mon ego » . Son ego ? « J’assume tout » , dit-il avec, toujours
intacte, la soif de reconnaissance de Je m’voyais déjà. Comme l’homme
de scène, l’auteur pense au temps qui passe. « Je ne peux plus
chanter que je suis amoureux d’une jeune fille. Je peux chanter mes
anciennes chansons d’amour parce qu’on les connaît, quoique je ne me
vois plus chantant Donne tes seize ans – ce serait un peu graveleux.
Alors j’ai pris une autre direction. C’est cela ma pudeur : être vrai
à tout moment. Mes chansons ne sont pas autobiographiques, mais il
faut que l’on pense toujours qu’il y a de moi-même dans ce que
j’écris. » Lui-même, c’est aussi l’Arménie, donc. Et sur son nouveau
disque la chanson Tendre Arménie : « J’écris souvent des préfaces et
cette chanson est la préface d’un livre de photographies que ma soeur
a mise en musique. Elle a beaucoup de talent mais c’est la première
fois que nous travaillons ensemble. » Aïda Garvarentz signe donc ce «
thème symphonique et très arménien en même temps » , orné de duduk,
le hautbois traditionnel arménien. « Nous avions déjà fait une
chanson ensemble. J’avais sept ans, elle devait en avoir huit. Puis
on a eu un petit numéro de danse à deux, puis rien depuis. » Aïda
Aznavour avait aussi chanté avant de devenir l’épouse de Georges
Garvarentz, fils du poète auteur de l’hymne national d’Arménie et
plus grand complice de composition de Charles Aznavour. « Dans notre
famille, nous sommes proches mais avons chacun notre vie » , explique
le chanteur. Il porte sur sa vie un regard serein : « Une vie bien
comblée, amusante. Je n’ai pas tout sacrifié à mon métier. Ça fait
quarante-trois ans que je suis avec mon épouse, j’ai des enfants et
des petits-enfants. Maintenant, les petits-enfants se marient. » Il
revient à sa soeur : « Elle m’a toujours dit : « Ne finis jamais ta
maison. Après, tu n’as plus qu’à mourir. » Opéra de Paris, ce soir,
tél. : 08 92 89 90 90. Réservations ouvertes pour le Palais des
congrès, du 9 octobre au 10 novembre, tél. : 01 40 68 00 05.

Morelia-Linares chess tournament starting in Mexico

ArmRadio.am
17.02.2007 15:05

Morelia-Linares international chess festival will start in the Mexican
city of Morelia today. The competition features the best chess players
of the world, including leading Grand Master of Armenia Levon Aronyan,
who won the tournament last year. He will compete with Grand Masters
like Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, Vishvanatan Anand of India, Peter
Leko of Hungary and others.

The first part of the Morelia-Linares tournament and will be held
February 17-25. Later the tournament will continue in the Spanish city
of Linares.

Armenian wrestlers to participate in Grand Prix tournament in Tashkent

armradio.am
16.02.2007 13:09

Nine Armenian Greek Roman style wrestlers will participate in the Grand
Prix international tournament in Tashkent. RA Wrestling Federation told
Armenpress that the Armenian team comprises European Champion Roman
Amoyan (55 kg) and RA Champion Ashot Khachatryan (55 kg), RA Champion
Khosrov Melikyan (60 kg), RA Champion Arman Adikyan (66 kg), RA
Champion Arsen Julfalakyan (74 kg), RA Champion Sigran Sahakyan (84
kg), Denis Forov (84 kg) RA Champion Arman Eghamyan (96 kg) and Yuri
Patrikeev (120 kg).
The chief trainer of the Armenian national team is Olympic Champion
Levon Julfalakyan. Trainers are Samvel Gevorgyan and Eduard Sahakyan.
The sports delegation of Armenia is headed by state coach Lyova
Vardanyan.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 16 2007

NUMBER OF PLASTIC CARDS IN CIRCULATION RISE BY 71927 TO 209113 BY
LATE 2006

YEREVAN, February 16. /ARKA/. The number of plastic cards in
circulation rose by 71927 or more than 1.5 times and reached 209113
by late 2006.
Press office of the Central Bank of Armenia told Friday to ARKA News
Agency that the number of Armenian Card (ArCa) plastic cards grew by
36586 or 1.65 times in 2006 to 92283, and the number of international
plastic cards in circulation reached 116830 after growing 1.43 times
or by 35341. Of them, VISA cards grew by 27894 or 1.44 times to
90733, Master Cards number doubled to 11817.
According to the CBA information, the number of cash machine rose by
64 to 180.
Besides, banks opened 345 new POS-terminals bringing their number to
1326 and imprinters to 83. The number of serving centers made 315 by
late 2006 against 250 earlier that year.
The Central bank also says total number of deals with using plastic
cards made 3029569 and cost138245 million in 2006. ($1 – AMD 354.99).
M.V.-0—

AGREEMENTS TO EXPORT ARMENIAN PRODUCTION OF 5-10 MLN DOLLARS ANNUALLY
REACHED AT TORONTO EXHIBITION

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. 30 companies – participants of the
"Made in Armenia" exhibition held in Toronto on January 18-20 reached
agreements to export Armenian production of 5-10 mln USD
annually. Vahagn Movsisian, Director of the Armenian Development
Agency – the exhibition’s organizer, told NT correspondent about it.

According to him, the fact that 8 thousand people attended the
exhibition bears evidence of the success of this exhibition which
presented production of such Armenian sectors as agricultural food
processing, light industry, tourism and crafts.

V. Movsisian said that four business forums on these sectors were held
during the exhibition, as well as meetings with about 150
businessmen. All this helped replenish Canada’s lack of information
about economic opportunities of Armenia.

It was noted that the Canada-Armenia business chamber assisted with
organization of the exhibition and business forums.

USA TO SUPPORT TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democractic Azerbaijan
Feb 14 2007

Referring to information from press service of Ministry of Defense,
February 12, minister, colonel-general, Safar Abiyev, met with
delegation headed by US deputy minister of defense on international
security, Peter Rodman.

Broad view exchange on relations between Azerbaijan and USA and
Azerbaijan and NATO was held.

Minister of defense informed guests in details about present
military and political situation in South Caucasus; he declared that
Armenia continuing its aggressive policy controls 20% of Azerbaijani
territories, that talks between President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev,
and President of Armenia, and efforts of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
directed to regulation of the conflict remain to be vain.

He said: We hold that it is time to demand from Armenia which violated
all standards of international law occupying Azerbaijani territories,
to leave occupied territories.

Safar Abiyev expressed hope that USA will intensify its efforts as
one of OSCE Minsk group co-chairs.

P. Rodman stressed that USA supports sovereignty, territorial integrity
and independence of Azerbaijan.

US Ambassador to our country, Ms. Ann Ders attended meeting.

–Boundary_(ID_w7/uoOhsnNCaGSoH4qV1Wg)–

KAMO AREYAN: 2004-2006 PROGRAM OF SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF YEREVASN IMPLEMENTED COMPLETELY

Noyan Tapan
Feb 13 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2004-2007 program
of socioeconomic development of Yerevan has been completely
implemented. Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Kamo Areyan stated at the February
13 press conference that in 2004-2006, 28 accident-prone buildings
of third degree were reinforced, as well as 10 apartment building
were constructed for residents of accident-prone buildings of fourth
degree subject to demolition. This year another 5 buildings will be
constructed for residents of accident-prone buildings, as well as
work on reinforcement of 8 accident-prone buildings of third degree
will be done. The deputy mayor said that in 2004-2006, the program of
700 mln drams (about 1.9 mln USD) on street lights was implemented,
thanks to which 552 out of the 733 Yerevan streets have lights.

In 2007, work on external lighting will be done in another 98 streets.

According to K. Areyan, repairs of man-holes and rails were done in
2004-2006. Work on improvement of the Hrazdan gorge will be completed
by late 2007. K. Areyan said that the Yerevan mayor’s office will
allocate 2.6 bln drams (about 7.2 mln USD) for major repairs of streets
this year. Tigram Mets, Komitas, Heratsi, Saralanj, Baghramian Streets
will be repaired with resources of the Lincy Foundation in the near
future. 20 million dollars has been allocated for this work.

WORKERS OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BORDER LINE ARRESTED

A1+
[06:04 pm] 12 February, 2007

Early in the morning three workers of the Zhdanovakan Customs
office near the borderline of Armenia and Georgia were arrested by
the representatives of the Ministry of Finance. They are – Albertyan
Simon, Khotsakyan Arthur and Tamaz Nikatsadze.

The worker were arrested for negligence, "Javakhq-Info" reports.