Author: Antonian Lara

VAHAGN MOVSISIAN PLURALISTICALLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA TO REPUBLICS OF VIETNAM AND KOREA

Noyan Tapan
April 7, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Robert Kocharian, the President of
the Republic of Armenia, signed decrees on April 5 on releasing
Vasili Ghazarian from the post of the Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Socialist Republic
of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.

According to the message provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA
President’s Press Office, Robert Kocharian on the same day signed
decrees on appointing Vahagn Movsisian, the Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Democratic
Republic of China pluralistically as Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Socialist Republic
of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (residence in Beijing).

Ynetnews, Israel
April 6 2008

Fitting diplomatic price

State of Israel has Jewish obligation to recognize Armenian genocide,
refugees’ plight

Reuven Rivlin Published: 04.06.08, 07:41 / Israel Opinion

The Knesset has recently regained its honor by retracting its old
stance and deciding that the recognition of the Armenian genocide
must be discussed by parliament. About a year ago, the Knesset plenum
rejected a proposal to discuss the same forgotten genocide, which
took place during World War I and during which nearly a third of the
Armenian people were murdered by the Turks.

Many of those who opposed the proposal then, first and foremost
Foreign Ministry representatives, argued that diplomatic pragmatism
dictates that Jews should not get in the way of such a sensitive
issue dividing Turks and Armenians, which took place almost a hundred
years ago and which could strain Israel’s relations with Turkey and
jeopardize Israel’s interests.

The Foreign Ministry continues to advocate this stance today, again
claiming that foreign relations with Turkey might suffer from such a
debate.

There is no doubt that Israel’s foreign relations should be steered
sensibly and cautiously, in order to strengthen and promote Israel’s
interests. Naturally, diplomatic relations require of a state to
sometimes withdraw or concede principles that could do it more harm
than good.

But the question is – what is the limit? Can the State of Israel give
up the moral foundation of its existence which cries out against any
act of genocide? Should the State of Israel, for the sake of its
vital connections or its relations with an ally – be part of a denial
of the genocide?

Israel can’t shirk moral responsibility
The Jewish nation has produced the national-Zionist movement, which
has no match in terms of moral leadership in recent centuries. How
can we, of all nations, forget the catastrophes that have befallen,
and that still befall, other nations?

The State of Israel is an eternal memorial for "Thou shalt not
forget." The terrible holocaust that has been inflicted on us has
etched onto our identity – alongside the national tragedy – the
sympathy, sensitivity and cry against the disasters of other people,
even when this involves national embarrassment or a certain
diplomatic price.

With regards to the Armenian holocaust – the discussion in the
Knesset on the question of recognizing it as genocide conveys
sympathy and solidarity with the ethnic tragedy, more than an
accusation. The Knesset does not wish to condemn modern Turkey, but
to act as Jews who are subjected to the judgment of history. We
cannot, in the name of political or diplomatic wisdom, suppress such
fundamental human values, which touch on the roots of our tragic
existence.

This principle stood at the core of one of Menachem Begin’s first
decision as prime minister in 1977, to absorb hundreds of Vietnamese
refugees who fled the bloodshed in their country, and provide them
with a home. Begin, at the time, preferred the humane course over
whatever diplomatic consequences this decision has inevitably
produced.

Today we are faced with the same difficult dilemma regarding the
Sudanese refugees on our southern border, when what is at stake is
perhaps not political or diplomatic considerations, but certainly
grave social and security ones. On the Sudanese issue as well, I
believe that the State of Israel has a Jewish, moral and human
obligation to be part of a regional or international task force that
will provide these refugees with shelter until they can return to
their homeland.

If we shirk the duty of bearing this Jewish, ethical and educational
message, we will not be able to demand of the world to recognize our
own holocaust. Those who deny the tragedy of one of the world’s
nations will eventually face a denial of their own tragedy by the
world. genocide

,7340, L-3526244,00.html

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 5 2008

NGO FORUM TO BE HELD IN STEPANAKERT

YEREVAN, 04.04.08. DE FACTO. A number of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic NGOs launched an initiative to hold the NKR NGO forum on the
subject `The NKR Public Sector: the Way We Were and Prospects for
Development’ in Stepanakert.
A working group for preparation for the forum has been established.
It will deal with the elaboration of materials, invitation of
participants and other organizational issues. The initiative was
supported by the NKR Center for International Cooperation. The
forum’s principal goal is to analyze the NGO’s activity for 15 years
and determine the prospects for their development to more efficiently
use non-governmental sector’s resources to tackle the tasks the state
and society faces.
The forum is expected to be held on May 10, the NKR MFA Press Center reports.

"ROAD OF BLOOD" BOOK BY SHAHEN TERTERIAN TO BE PRESENTED IN LOS ANGELES

Noyan Tapan
April 4, 2008

LOS ANGELES, APRIL 4, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The launching
of the books of the two authors will take place in the Kesab cultural
center of Los Angeles on April 6.

At first the third volume of the series of books dedicated to
the Genocide: "The road of blood" by Shahen Terterian, will be
presented. The book has been translated by Ishkhakn Jinbashian,
and published by Hakob and Knar Manchikians.

Within the framework of the same event, the two books of Knar
Manchikian, which are titled "For History" and "Festivals", will
be introduced.

ILHAM ALIYEV’S MEETING WITH OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS HELD IN TENSE ATMOSPHERE: DEPARTMENT HEAD OF AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION

Trend News Agency
April 3 2008
Azerbaijan

Romania, Bucharest, 2 April / corr. TrendNews Y. Aliyev/ The meeting
with the Azerbaijani President took place at the request of the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs,

Novruz Mammadov, the Head of International Relations Department of
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration said to TrendNews. According
to Mammadov, the meeting was held in a tense atmosphere. "During the
talks the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev brought to the notice of
the co-chairs the tough and irreconcilable position on the solution
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," said Mammadov.

Mammadov also said that Azerbaijani President demanded OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs to explain the position of the countries they represent
regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which was introduced to the
UN vote by Azerbaijan. On their part, the co-chairs stated that they
supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

On 3 April, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs will make an official
statement regarding their positions.

GEORGIA’S MEMBERSHIP IN NATO IS THREAT

AZG Armenian Daily
03/04/2008

Regional

The discussion of Georgia’s membersip in NATO summit may have
serious negative effect on teh peace and stability in Caucasus,
says president of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh in a letter addresed to
NATO Secretary General.

"This issue cannot be considered without taking into account the
position of Abkhazia, which has factually developed independently
from Geaorgia for the last 15 years. Throughot those years Georgia has
been nothing but a threat of military aggression for Abkhazia," says
the letter of the President of the unrecognized republiuc of Abkhazia.

RA PRESIDENT DISMISSED RA DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER

arminfo
2008-04-02 13:57:00

ArmInfo. By RA President Robert Kocharyan’s decree, deputy Defense
Minister of Armenia, Lieutenant-General Manvel Grigoryan was dismissed
from office today, the presidential press service told ArmInfo.

To recall, during the rallies of the opposition, held in Yerevan from
February 20 to 29, the first President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan
said that Manvel Grigoryan came over the opposition.

TWO INJURED IN REVIVAL DEPARTMENT

Panorama.am
18:46 01/04/2008

Though, a month passed since the recent events held in country two
injured still are in the hospital in revival department. Panorama.am
reporter was informed about it from the advisor of the Health Minister
Ruslana Gevorgyan.

According to her totally 5 injured keep being cured in the hospitals
of the country, one of which is a soldier and 4 citizens, The soldier
in the revival department is being cured in a hospital named after
prof. L/ Mikaelyan and the other citizen in "Armenia" medical center.

Note that the other three injured are in "St. Grigor Lusavorich",
the medical center #2 and "Erebuni" medical center.

ARMENIA COMES COURTING
by Sergei Blagov

Transitions Online
March 31 2008
Czech Republic

Armenia’s president-elect nudges closer to Moscow amid political
uncertainty at home. From EurasiaNet.

MOSCOW | Serzh Sarkisan, whose controversial election as president
of Armenia precipitated political violence in Yerevan, is hoping
closer ties with Russia can hasten a return of stability in the South
Caucasus country.

Sarkisian — the current prime minister who is scheduled to be
inaugurated as President Robert Kocharian’s successor on 9 April —
flew to Moscow last week for meetings with Russia’s presidential
tandem, President Vladimir Putin and President-elect Dmitry Medvedev.

Already Russia’s closest ally in the region, Sarkisian said he was
committed to "deepening and expanding" Armenian-Russian ties. He also
expressed gratitude for Moscow’s support of the Armenian government’s
handling of the political crisis in Yerevan. "We always felt your
assistance in the election process," Sarkisian said during a meeting
with Putin. "To be honest, we never expected such clear-cut" support.

Putin and Medvedev seemed happy to take the Armenian leader up on
his offer of closer relations. "This is your first visit after the
elections, and, of course, we see special symbolism in this fact,"
Medvedev said.

Putin, meanwhile, clearly indicated that Armenia’s current domestic
difficulties would not hamper the Kremlin’s ability to do business
with Sarkisian. "I know that political processes in Armenia are
complicated," Putin acknowledged. The Russian leader then expressed
confidence that "no matter how the internal political process in
Armenia unfolds, what has been built in the past years in relations
between the Russian Federation and Armenia will be maintained and
will develop in the future."

Sarkisian indicated that his incoming administration would seek to
quickly restore a sense of stability in the country, pledging to
create "an atmosphere of tolerance." The centerpiece of his emerging
stabilization program is an initiative to boost social welfare and
economic opportunity.

The two countries have been doing a lot of business in recent years.

Trade between Russia and Armenia reached $800 million in 2007,
marking a 60 percent increase over the previous year, according to
the Russian official statistics. Moscow voiced expectations that
bilateral commerce would top $1 billion in the near future.

Trade between Russia and Armenia has been hampered by transportation
bottlenecks. For over a year, Sarkisian has been lobbying Russian
officials to expedite the opening of ferry service connecting Russian
Black Sea ports and the Georgian city of Poti, a move that would ease
Armenia’s transport woes. Moscow’s recent decision to ease transport
restriction with Georgia could revive hopes that ferry service could
begin soon.

NUCLEAR ENERGY COOPERATION

One notable bilateral trade development occurred 6 February, when
Atomredmetzoloto, a uranium mining subsidiary of Russia’s nuclear
monopoly Rosatom, created a joint venture in Armenia to develop
uranium reserves estimated at 30,000 to 60,000 tons. The deal was
clinched during a visit to Armenia of Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov,
who was accompanied by Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Rosatom.

In Yerevan, Kiriyenko pledged to participate in a tender to build a
new nuclear power plant in Armenia. The initial estimated cost of the
project is $1 billion. Zubkov and his Armenian counterpart Sarkisian
also inked an agreement covering Armenia’s participation in the
International Enrichment Center in Angarsk, in Russia’s Irkutsk region.

One potential trouble spot in relations centers on energy supplies.

Armenian officials have hoped to ensure, through their expressions of
loyalty to Moscow, that the Kremlin-controlled energy conglomerate
Gazprom would give Armenia a preferential price for gas. Armenia
currently pays $110 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) and this contract
price remains effective till 1 January 2009. That price is far lower
than what some other former Soviet states pay Gazprom.

Yet, even if Gazprom is inclined to maintain Armenia’s favorable rate,
events now seem to mandate that Yerevan will face a substantial
price increase in 2009. Gazprom’s recent pledge to pay "European
market" prices to Central Asian producers means that the gas that
it obtains from the region with cost the Russian company upwards of
$300 per tcm. It will have no choice, then, but to pass costs on to
its customers.

Kashatagh: a blank page 15 years years

30-03-2008 12:58:18 – KarabakhOpen

The opening ceremony of the international conference on the development
of the region of Kashatagh was held in Berdzor on March 28, which is
organized by Tufenkian Fund to raise funding for the development of the
region. The participants of the conference were acquainted with the
results of studies, project proposals and the needs of the population.
On the next two days the potential sponsors will visit the settlements
after which the results will be summed up and agreement will be reached.

President Bako Sahakyan, members of government led by Prime Minister
Ara Harutiunyan, as well as the representatives of the Armenian
ministries of foreign affairs and industrial infrastructures
participated in the conference.

The representative of Tufenkian Fund to Armenia Andranik Gasparyan said
experienced people have gathered in the hall but this experience must
produce fruits.

The head of the fund James Tufenkian said they have two main goals ` to
wake up people, to have them realize the strategic importance of the
region of Kashatagh which is the basis of our national security, as
well as to have people learn about the state of the region, the
conditions in which the people of Kashatagh live. I am proud to say
welcome to Kashatagh, James Tufenkian said.

Mr. Tufenkian displayed a book and said it is the history of the war in
Artsakh where perhaps the names of many participants of the conference
are found. He turned over a blank page and said it is the modern
history of the region of Kashatagh. James Tufenkian said when Kashatagh
was liberated, he was in his comfortable apartment in New York, praying
for victory but did not suffer. He thanked everyone who has come to
live in Kashatagh in such difficult conditions.

He underlined that the conference came to being because Bako Sahakyan
became the president of Karabakh.

There are no representatives of the OSCE, the UN, the U.S.
administration, governments of other countries which do not care about
the security of Karabakh, he said. Instead, James Tufenkian says, there
are representatives of the governments of Armenia and Karabakh,
Armenian organizations, and Karabakh can develop only through their
effort.

NKR President Bako Sahakyan thanked Tufenkian Fund for such an
important initiative. He underlined that the region of Kashatagh is a
strategic unit for the Armenians worldwide. It is not accidental that
for over 70 years our foe used this region as a wedge tapped between
Armenia and Karabakh. We realize the strategic and economic importance
of the development of the region, strong Kashatagh will make us
stronger in the talks, the head of state said. The president of NKR
said the government of NKR is likely to invest immense funds in the
development of Kashatagh and thinks it is a political and economic
priority.

In 2008 the NKR government allocated 3.7 billion drams for the
development of Kashatagh of which 1 billion in construction. The area
of the region is 3 thousand sq km, but there are only two hospitals and
two ruined medical stations. We need to reconsider the policy of
settlement of the region and solution of social problems, said the head
of state, noting that it can be done with assistance from Armenian
organizations.

In the conference participated the Armenian Assembly of America, the
AGBU, the Armenian Relief Fund, the Armenian Relief Society, the
Pan-National Educational and Cultural Union, the House of Cilicia, the
Armenian Evangelist Society, Provence Armenie, the representatives of
the Armenian communities of Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Canada, Armenia Fund,
Agape, Ararat Heritage Trust (U.K.), Armenian Educational Fund,
Armenian Technological Group, Armenia Tree Project, Hayrenik Union,
Hand in Hand, Izmirlian Fund (Switzerland), Najarian Fund (U.S.). The
representatives of Turpanjian Fund, Gurgen Melikyan Fund, Shen also
participated in the conference. The representatives of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun, Heritage Party, Armenian National Union, National
Unity, Prosperous Armenia, as well as the Karabakh political parties
ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Azat Hayrenik also participated in the
conference.