Author: Babajanian Karo

TURKISH ROCK BAND PERFORMS SONG DEDICATED TO HRANT DINK

news.am
April 05, 2012 | 10:53

The members of Turkey’s renowned rock band MaNga, which had represented
the country at the Eurovision Song Contest, informed during a radio
show that their new album, entitled “E-Akustik,” includes a song
dedicated to Hrant Dink-the founder and former chief editor of
Istanbul’s Agos Armenian bilingual weekly, who was gunned down in
2007 in front of his office building.

The members noted that in case of carefully listening to the lyrics
of their song called “I am a Clown,” it will become apparent that it
is dedicated to Dink.

ARMENIAN MPS READY FOR MEETING WITH NAGORNO-KARABAKH COMMUNITIES

Trend
April 5 2012
Azerbaijan

Armenian MPs, attending Euronest PA session in Baku, declared
their readiness to meet Nagorno-Karabakh Azerbaijani and Armenian
communities, member of the public association ‘Azerbaijani community
of Nagorno-Karabakh’, MP Rovshan Rzayev said today.

He said that the importance of holding the meeting between Azerbaijani
and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh was stressed during the
discussions within the Euronest PA plenary session.

“We are trying to organise this meeting and keep this issue on the
agenda,” Rzayev said, adding that the Armenian side has not given a
concrete answer to this proposal.

The Armenian delegation, consisting of 10 members attended the Baku
session of Euronest PA held on April 2-4. Late last year, the Armenian
community of Nagorno-Karabakh has refused to attend a meeting with
the Azerbaijani community in Germany and France.

HILLARY CLINTON CALLS AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA TO WITHDRAW SNIPERS FROM CONTACT LINE

APA
April 5 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Victoria Dementieva – APA. “We regret any loss of life
and continue to call upon the sides to take steps – including the
withdrawal of snipers – to improve the atmosphere for negotiations,
prevent unnecessary casualties, and strengthen implementation of the
ceasefire”, said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton answering the
questions by Representative Howard Berman, APA reports quoting the
website of the Armenian National Committee of America.

Clinton noted that as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the
United States remains deeply committed to helping the sides in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict reach a lasting and peaceful settlement.

“The U.S. has emphasized that the parties should show restraint in both
their public statements and on the ground to avoid misunderstandings
and unintended consequences We reiterate at every opportunity that
there is no military solution to the conflict and that only a peaceful
settlement will lead to security, stability, and reconciliation in
the region”.

ELECTION BENTLEY HOLINESS
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:58:07 – 06/04/2012

The forces running for parliament, in particular, the Armenian National
Congress and the Prosperous Armenia Party have sent the Republican
Party, especially Serzh Sargsyan, into an awkward situation by forming
the joint headquarters to monitor the elections.

By the way, the interesting thing is that the other political forces
which joined the headquarters have some doubts on its activities.

ARFD, Heritage and Free Democrats stated that the principles of
activities of the headquarters need to be clarified and if certain
issues are not clarified they will end their participation.

They hint at Prosperous Armenia Party which organizes its election
activities by the “classic and traditional” rules and methods but has
been left out of the Congress’ attention which proclaimed itself the
only opposition.

It means that the situation for Serzh Sargsyan only seems unpleasant,
while in reality the joint headquarters and the Congress-PAP
partnership is a brilliant possibility for him to present the joint
headquarters as fight against the government and not an opposition
alliance for principles and values.

The point is that Prosperous Armenia with its methods, approaches,
essence and structure and a biography similar to that RPA enters
into such an alliance, the Republican Party can present this union
as a hasty, situational initiative depending on the conjuncture the
core of which is not fair elections as a principle but fight against
the Republicans.

This fight in the public sense can be a “holy war” but when Prosperous
Armenia takes part in it, which is standing near the Republican Party,
the war stops being “holy” or becomes “a Bentley holiness war”.

The “Bentley saints” enjoy Serzh Sargsyan’s support and do not become
propaganda targets, meanwhile the election campaign “Bentley”, if it
is not driven by or for Serzh Sargsyan, will surely become a target.

Hence, if Prosperous Armenia does not change its election and political
behavior, Serzh Sargsyan will have a wonderful opportunity to say
that not he alone commits fraud, everyone else around him does,
so he cannot believe anyone.

Since in this case, Serzh Sargsyan will pronounce what the society
sees, then the society will believe Serzh Sargsyan more at least for
this case. Meanwhile, in the election period, Serzh Sargsyan needs
the society to trust him at least for one case. Moreover, he is sure
that the society will believe none of his other words.

ELECTION SACRED BENTLEY
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:58:07 – 06/04/2012

It seems that the forces running for the parliament, in particular,
the Armenian National Congress and the Prosperous Armenia party put the
Republican Party, especially Serzh Sargsyan, in a very uncomfortable
situation forming the joint staff to monitor the elections.

By the way, the interesting is that the other political forces which
joined the staff have some reservations in relation to its activities.

ARFD, Heritage and Free Democrats stated the principles of the
staff activities need to be clarified and if certain issues are not
clarified, they will cease participating in the staff’s activities.

The hints are evidently directed to the Prosperous Armenia, which
is a party that organizes its election activities by the “classic
and traditional” rules and methods, but has been left out of the
Congress’s attention which proclaimed itself the only opposition.

This circumstance means that the situation for Serzh Sargsyan
just seems unpleasant, while in reality, the joint staff and the
Congress-BHP partnership is a brilliant possibility for him to present
the joint staff as a fight against the power not an opposition alliance
for principles and values.

The point is that when Bargavach Hayastan with its methods, approaches,
essence and structure and a similar biography like the RPA’s enters
such an alliance, the RPA gets the possibility to present this union
as a rash, situational and conjuncture initiative the axis of which
is not the fair election as a principle, but the fight against the RPA.

This fight, in the public sense, can be a “sacred war”, but when
the Prosperous Armenia is taking part in it, which is standing near
the Republican, the war stops being “sacred” or becomes “sacred
in Bentley”.

Those “sacred in Bentleys” enjoy Serzh Sargsyan’s support and don’t
become propaganda targets, while the election campaign “Bentley”, if
it is not driven by or for Serzh Sargsyan, will surely become a target.

Against the background of this staff, if the Prosperous Armenia does
not change its election and political behaviour in reality, not on
the paper, Serzh Sargsyan will have a wonderful opportunity to say
that everything else, besides him, deceives, so there is no need to
believe anyone.

Since in this case, Serzh Sargsyan will say what the society sees,
then the society will believe Serzh Sargsyan more at least in this
issue. While, in the election period, Serzh Sargsyan needs the society
to trust him at least in one issue, moreover, he is sure, the society
will believe his no other words.

GAGIK TSARUKYAN AND THE THREE
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:18:59 – 06/04/2012

PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan has appeared in a difficult situation ahead
of the parliamentary elections, having been forces to make a choice
from the three presidents. Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and
Serzh Sargsyan are now fighting for Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous
Armenia) Party.

Each of them is trying to use Gagik Tsarukyan’s resource for his
political goals. Tsarukyan has to decide whose victory to support
with his resource.

It is meaningless for Tsarukyan to try keeping his resource in his
hands. He does not have the necessary political experience for this,
unlike the three presidents whose experience is so rich that they
will not allow Tsarukyan to keep it.

He will hardly manage to maneuver in between disagreement and
competition of three presidents. It may last for some time but as
time passes, the more difficult Tsarukyan’s situation gets because
if he fails to choose among the three presidents for a long time, he
will appear against them. If they do not take Tsarukyan’s resource,
they will agree to eliminate it because that mass hanging in the air
can fall on each of them at any moment.

Gagik Tsarukyan’s situation is difficult. On the other hand, he
could not avoid this situation with his role in the government and
the economy of Armenia. Although, he could have not sponsored the PAP
and in this case he would have the possibility to join the party just
before the elections.

HOUSE COMMEMORATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DUE APRIL 20

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 6, 2012 – 10:51 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Each April members of the Armenian community fill
the State House to commemorate the Armenian Genocide. This year’s
event will take place on Friday, April 20, at 10:30 am, The Armenian
Mirror-Spectator reported.

Delivering the keynote address will be Khatchig Mouradian, the
editor of the Armenian Weekly newspaper and a PhD candidate at Clark
University.

Joint House/Senate Resolutions will be awarded to playwright Joyce Van
Dyke, whose recent play, “Deported/A Dream Play,” is the story of her
own grandmother, and to former state Sen. Steven Tolman. Performers
include students of the Armenian Sisters’ Academy and St. Stephen’s
Armenian Elementary School, and Haig Hovsepian on violin accompanied
by Ani Hovsepian.

Coordinating the event is Tsoleen Sarian, working with state Rep.

Jonathan Hecht (D-Watertown), state Rep. John Lawn (D-Watertown)
and state Sen. William Brownsberger (D-Belmont) who host the day.

“The energy put into this event demonstrates the devotion of the entire
Armenian-American community, and the many friends of that community, to
the commemoration and recognition of the Genocide,” said Brownsberger.

CLINTON: U.S. SUPPORT FOR JAVAKHK STRONG

Society | 06.04.12 | 11:06

Archive photo: Clinton during her visit to Yerevan, 2010.

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United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the
administration of President Barack Obama remains committed to
“significant assistance resources toward programs that benefit the
Samstke-Javakheti region of Georgia.”

The region, home to Georgia’s largest Armenian Diaspora, has for
years been the focal-point of conflict between the ethnic Armenian
community and the Georgian government.

Clinton’s comments were in response to a direct written question from
Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), submitted February 29 during a
formal meeting with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Clinton noted that the U.S., through the Millennium Challenge
Corporation, “rehabilitated approximately 222 kilometers of a main
road linking Tbilisi with Samtskhe-Javakheti to foster economic
development in the region through increasing exports of agricultural
products.” Among other areas receiving U.S. assistance, the Secretary
listed cattle farming, trout farming, potato production, dairy
processing, feed production and beekeeping, as well as support for
private sector development via the promotion of small- and medium-sized
enterprises in the tourism sector.

MOSCOW DELEGATION MEMBERS PAY RESPECTS TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

news.am
April 06, 2012 | 11:35

YEREVAN. – A Moscow delegation-led by the Russian capital’s Government
Minister Sergei Cheryomin-which is in Yerevan along the lines of
the Moscow Days being held in Armenia’s capital, paid a visit to the
Armenian Genocide Memorial and laid a wreath and placed flowers in
memory of the Genocide victims.

The delegation members will attend several other events on Friday,
Yerevan City Hall Press Service informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

ARMENIA WILL LEAVE RUSSIAN ORBIT
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:01:11 – 06/04/2012

Will Russia build the promised radar station in Armenia? Now it leases
Gabala in Azerbaijan the annual lease payment of which Azerbaijan
wants to boost ten times? Õ~Ufficial Moscow has not reacted to the
proposal which Tigran Sargsyan voiced in his interview with the
Komersant. The experts of Armenia and Russia approved this proposal.

There were even descriptions of the Armenian proposal as revolutionary
in the field of regional security.

In reality, everything is within the “conservative” framework. The
Armenian authorities have been trying for several years to have Russia
build something in Armenia. Even during Robert Kocharyan’s tenure,
Armenia wanted Russia to build an oil refinery on the Armenia-Iran
border. Russia did not find it feasible.

Later Armenia wanted Russia to make investments in the factories handed
to Russia for the debt but Russia is not operating them, while the
issue of establishment of a free trade zone in the premises of Mars
Factory was just an excuse for idleness.

Later, Armenia wanted Russia to build a new nuclear power plant in
Armenia but Russia did not commit to fund the project, only 1/5 of
the required funding.

Then Armenia wanted Russia to build the Iran-Armenia railway but
Russia is not doing that either.

Armenia expected Russia to build North-South Highway but Russia is
not doing that so Armenia has to rely only on the Asian Bank.

Russia seems determined not to build anything in Armenia. Russia comes
and takes ready facilities, such as Armenia-Iran gas pipeline built
by Iran, communication and energy infrastructures. Russia has not set
up a new system or any new infrastructure in the independent Armenia.

Now Armenia expects that Russia will build a radar station. Perhaps
Armenia thinks that Russia will agree to make investments in the
military infrastructures.

But Moscow will most probably not do that. It is a matter of tactics,
even a principle for Moscow. This is perhaps determined by the
perception dominating the ruling elite of Russia that it will be
practically impossible to keep Armenia in Russia’s orbit because
the Armenian national interest will win in the end and staying on
the Russian orbit is not in the interests of Russia because of the
quality, vision, philosophy, content, values and anachronism of the
Russian orbit.