ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONDOLES POPE SHENOUDA III’S DEATH
news.am
March 21, 2012 | 18:49
YEREVAN.- President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan extended condolences
on the death of Pope Shenouda III, the spiritual leader of Egypt’s
Coptic Christians.
He sent a letter to head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed
Forces Hussein Tantawi, president’s press service informed Armenian
News-NEWS.am.
CANADIAN ARMENIANS TO RALLY AT THE EMBASSY OF AZERBAIJAN IN OTTAWA
ARMRADIO.AM
21.03.2012 18:06
The Armenian Youth Federation of Canada (AYF) has organized a
demonstration at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Ottawa, on Friday,
March 23, 2012, at 3:00 PM. Hundreds of Armenian-Canadians from
across the country will hold a demonstration voicing their concern
over Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression towards Armenians.
The government of Azerbaijan has actively continued a policy of
hostility against Armenians; from exile and pogroms in the late
1980s, to the constant war-mongering rhetoric threatening to end
the cease-fire with the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. More recently,
the planned destruction of Armenian Khachkars (cross-stones) in the
Nakhichevan region, which are now declared as items of world heritage
by UNESCO, proves to the world that Azerbaijan has been taking active
steps towards erasing the memory of Armenians from their country.
The planned demonstration will also mark the 24th anniversary of
the deadly pogroms of Sumgait, which took place February 27, 1988,
and marked the beginning of a systematic campaign by Azerbaijan’s
OMON Special Forces to use massacre and violence to forcefully uproot
Armenians from Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. The Sumgait tragedy
and its bloody repetitions in Azerbaijan, lasting through the years of
1988 to 1991, led to the disappearance of 450,000 inhabitants living
in an established Armenian community in Azerbaijan.
The Armenian-Canadian community believes that peace in the region must
be built on a solid foundation of truth and that Nagorno-Karabakh’s
independence must be universally recognized. Furthermore, governments
around the world must condemn Azerbaijan for their continued display
of religious intolerance, aggression, and constant destabilization
of the Caucasus.
S. OHANYAN HOLDS MEETINGS IN THE USA: A STATEMENT IS SIGNED
21.03.12
On March 20 Armenian Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan had some
meetings and discussions with Kansas officials whom he met in frame of
his working visit to the USA. S. Ohanyan met Kansas national Guardia
commander, General-Mayor Li Tafaneli, chairman of the state congress
senate Morris and speaker of the House of the Representatives O’Nil.
Press service of Armenian Ministry of Defense informs about this.
The US officials presented the educational process of the US military
collage and the medical measures in the fields.
During the meeting with the Kansas Governor Sam Brownback the sides
rated high level of the cooperation between Kansas and Armenia. Kansas
Governor officially signed a statement of the cooperation, which
especially says: “Kansas announced with proud about the achievements
which cooperation between Armenia and Kansas has registered during
the past nine years.
Kansas rates the high level of Armenian Armed Forces during the
operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan jointly with American and
NATO forces.
Kansas takes responsibility to deepen relations with Armenia and
expand relations.
Kansas and Armenia are together for peace, welfare and freedom”.
JOYOUS NEWS FROM ARTSAKH
yerkir.am
15:52 – 21.03.2012
Resettlement of Artsakh regions still go on. According to the report
of the head of regional administration of Qashatagh, 4 new families
with 11 people have resettled in Mamarq, Ditsmayr villages and 2
families in Yeznagomer village.
Cases of 5 families have been sent to the NKR Social insurance ministry
and 26 families have already received a status of resettle.
27 families have resettled in Shahumyan region last year and 219
families in Qashatagh region.
CHILDREN OF PARENTS FROM ARMENIA WILL OFFICIALLY STUDY AT, RECEIVE DIPLOMAS FROM, SCHOOLS IN TURKEY
news.am
March 21, 2012 | 11:39
Turkey’s National Education Ministry adopted a decision, whereby the
children of Armenians, Greeks and Jews, who live in Turkey but do
not have Turkish citizenship, will now be able to officially attend
the country’s national minority schools.
The aforesaid decision states that these children will be lawfully
registered at these schools, and they will receive diplomas upon
graduation, Internethaber of Turkey informs.
Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, the Armenian Deputy Patriarch of
Constantinople, welcomed this decision. “We were exerting efforts
toward resolving this problem. We are very for this decision,”
he noted.
The children of parents from Armenia, who are illegally living in
Turkey, were deprived of the opportunity to receive education. Only
last year, the Turkish government had allowed these children to attend
Istanbul’s Armenian schools as listeners, but without registration
and receiving diplomas.
ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS TO NEVER WIN ELECTIONS – OPPOSITIONIST
Tert.am
21.03.12
Aram Karapetyan, Chairman of the New Times party, is surprised at
the opposition Armenian National Congress’ (ANC) intention to run
for parliament.
He is sure that the ANC will never gain a majority in parliament.
According to Karapetyan, the congresses of all of Armenia’s ruling
parties show signs of opposition, which is surprising.
“We are going to see the ANC will not have a majority in parliament.
If am right, their aim is a majority and impeachment. This means the
ANC will suffer defeat,” Karapetyan said.
Among the ANC’s gross blunders is its dialogue with the ruling regime.
“The ANC believes that its pressure on the authorities is so strong
that they can reap dividends. So they entered into a dialogue. We
should always remember we are in the Caucasus, and the people prefer
men of principle, even if they suffer defeat,” Karapetyan said.
With respect to the opposition parties, Karapetyan does not welcome
their decision to run for parliament. According to him, all the people
on the ANC list are “corrupt.”
As to his participation in the voting, Karapetyan said he will vote
for the opposition. He calls on all voters to support the opposition.
VAHAN HOVHANNISSYAN DOES NOT EXCLUDE COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA’S HERITAGE PARTY
ARMENPRESS
March, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS. The slogan of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation is “Freedom, Justice, Federation”. Speaking to reporters
today, chairman of the ARF”s parliamentary faction Vahan Hovhannissyan
said the ARF differs from other parties.
“We have representatives in more than thirty countries of the world.
Our party has fixed number of members and it is growing very slowly
and cautiously,” Hovhannissyan said. He noted that the number of
expelled ARF members is bigger than the new names.
Referring to the candidates to be nominated in majority system,
Hovhannissyan said they were discussing issue of Armen Rustamyan”s
nomination in the majority system. “Our goal is to take the list
forward. We have certain calculations but entering into the competition
will cut us from other necessary work,” Hovhannissyan said.
He did not exclude the cooperation with the “Heritage” faction,
stressing that now it is not clear yet what force the Heritage will
be as it has united with another party which has opposite opinion
connected with the Armenian-Turkish protocols.
On March 21 the ARF published the names of the candidates in
proportional list and majority system. The party will submit documents
to the Central Election Commission on March 22.
REMEMBERING WILLIAM SAROYAN EXHIBITION OPENS AT ARMENIA’S NATIONAL LIBRARY
Tert.am
21.03.12
An exhibition Remembering William Saroyan was opened at the National
Library of Armenia on March 19.
The Armenian Embassy in Greece and the Greek-Armenian Research
Center are sponsoring the exhibition dedicated to the world-famous
Armenian-American dramatist and author.
Armenian Ambassador to Greece Gagik Ghalachyan made a welcoming
speech at the opening ceremony. Charalampos Moutsopoulos, Prof. at the
University of Athens and Board Chairman, National Library of Armenia,
and Antonya Arakhova, Deputy Director of the National Library, and
Hovsep Kasesyan, Secretary of the Greek-Armenian Research Center,
made welcoming speeches as well.
Fotis Dimitrakopoulos, Prof. at the University of Athens, and the
Greek writer Thanasi Valentinos delivered lectures.
Among the exhibits are books, pictures, photos, documents telling
about the great writer’s creative activity.
TANKIAN, EGOYAN TO DISCUSS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IMPACT
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 20, 2012 – 15:31 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Two days before the anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915, two artists of Armenian descent will come together
to discuss its lasting impact.
The Hammer Museum, LA, will present filmmaker Atom Egoyan and musician
Serj Tankian in conversation, on Sunday, April 22, Asbarez reported.
Atom Egoyan’s critically acclaimed films include Chloe, Speaking Parts,
The Adjuster, Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter (nominated for two Academy
Awards), and the award-winning Ararat, a meditation on the Armenian
Genocide. His work has been featured in international retrospectives
including at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and at the Venice Biennale.
Serj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian American singer, songwriter,
activist, and composer. Tankian has released five albums with the
rock band System of a Down, one with Arto Tuncboyacıyan, and two
solo albums. In 2002 Tankian and Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave
guitarist Tom Morello co-founded a nonprofit activist organization,
Axis of Justice. In 2011 Tankian was awarded the Armenian Prime
Minister’s Medal for his contributions to the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and the advancement of music.
The Hammer Museum, a public arts unit of the University of California,
Los Angeles, is dedicated to exploring the diversity of artistic
expression through the ages. Its collections, exhibitions, and programs
span the classic to the cutting-edge in art, architecture, and design,
recognizing that artists play a crucial role in all aspects of culture
and society.
ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT POSTPONES VOTING ON STATE OF EMERGENCY DRAFT LAW
NEWS.AM
March 20, 2012 | 14:50
YEREVAN. – Armenia’s National Assembly postponed the voting for the
bill on the Legal Regime of the State of Emergency.
The NA’s second-hearing voting for the draft law was to take place on
Tuesday, but, prior to the voting, the ruling coalition’s Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA) Parliamentary Faction asked for a 20-minute
recess to obtain quorum.
And following the recess, NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan announced that
the bill’s voting is postponed.
In its first hearing, the controversial draft law passed with a vote
of 67 for, 1 against, and with no abstentions.
The opposition considers this law proposal to be unacceptable, noting
that the latter curtails the parliament’s power, and a precedent
is set for using the armed forces in domestic politics, which is
inconsistent with the country’s Constitution.