Author: Badalian Vardan

MONEYGRAM INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES NEW WEBSITE LAUNCH

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 6, 2010 – 12:24 AMT 07:24 GMT

MoneyGram International (NYSE:MGI), a leading global payment services
company, announced the launch of a new consumer website that makes it
easier and faster for U.S. consumers to transfer funds and pay bills.

"MoneyGram’s improved online experience provides consumers the
ultimate convenience of completing money transfers easily from the
comfort of their home or anywhere they access the Internet," said
Pamela H. Patsley, MoneyGram International’s chairperson and chief
executive officer. "We anticipate more and more consumers will be
drawn to the ease and simplicity of the new site, and we are exited
to begin the global expansion of MoneyGram Online."

MoneyGram International offers more choices to people to meet their
financial needs. A leading global payment services company, MoneyGram
International helps consumers to pay bills quickly and safely send
money around the world with funds arriving at available agent locations
in as little as 10 minutes. Its global network is comprised of 190,000
agent locations in 190 countries and territories.

PONTIAN GREEK GENOCIDE TO BE COMMEMORATED IN NEW YORK MAY 19

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 6, 2010 – 18:37 AMT 13:37 GMT

May 19, the international day of remembrance for the Pontian Greek
Genocide will be commemorated in New York City with a public event
and flag raising of the Pontian Greek flag and the flag of Greece in
Manhattan’s Bowling Green Park (corner of State Street and Broadway),
New York City. The commemoration event is organized by the Pan Pontian
Federation of USA and Canada and the Federation of Hellenic Societies
of Greater New York. The commemoration event will include speeches by
Greek and Greek American dignitaries and leaders, American elected
public officials, writers, intellectuals, anti-genocide activists
and representatives of the Armenian American and Assyrian American
communities.

This year’s Pontian Greek Genocide commemoration will also honor
the Swedish Ambassador for the recent recognition by the Swedish
Parliament of Genocide of Armenians, Assyrians and Pontian Greeks.

The Pontian Greek Genocide has been recognized by Greece, Cyprus and
recently Sweden. In the United States numerous states and cities,
including New York, have recognized the Pontian Greek Genocide by
resolutions or proclamations.

H. DEMOYAN SAYS FIRST ROUND OF REGULATION PROCESS OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS FAILED BECAUSE OF TURKEY

ARMENPRESS
MAY 6,2010
YEREVAN

The first round of the regulation process of Armenian-Turkish
relations has been failed because of Turkey, Director of the Armenian
Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan said today. According to him,
Turkey, putting forward the issue on Nagorno Karabakh conflict as
a precondition, as well as feeling that it does not make profit on
the process, doomed it to failure. "Turkey preferred continuing the
allied relations with Azerbaijan to regulating them with Armenia,"
H. Demoyan pointed out.

According to him, Turkey realizes that it will not become a member of
the European Union. He noted that one of the reasons of the failure of
this round is that Turkey strived for suspension of the process of the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. H. Demoyan found
it difficult to say when and how the next round of the regulation of
Armenian-Turkish relations will kick off, but he pointed out that in
case of restart Armenia must follow the way of establishing interstate
relations and of opening of the borders.

"Armenian-Turkish protocols cannot be a basis for the next round
of the process, and it is hard to say whether Turkey will manage
to establish relations without preconditions, as that country is a
potential of instability," H. Demoyan said.

YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY DISCLAIMS ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ILLEGAL FELLING OF 20 TREES IN CITY CENTER

ArmInfo
2010-05-06 14:27:00

ArmInfo. Yerevan Municipality has disclaimed all responsibility for
illegal felling of 20 trees in the city center for construction of
a cafe in the "Student Park."

The official website of the Yerevan Municipality says the Ministry
of Nature Protection of Armenia is authorized to control and apply
penalties. In the meanwhile, during the discussions on the given
problem on April 27 a representative of the Ministry Garnik Manukyan
said the owners of the cafe have all the necessary documents for
construction. Crucial is that the document have been approved by the
Yerevan Municipality.

The main problem is that the park, which earlier belonged to the
Agrarian University, has been transferred to the Yerevan Municipality,
which approved large-scale construction on the place of the park
despite its love to flora and fauna. G. Manukyan said the decision
to allot the area for construction was not coordinated either with
the Ministry or with other authorities concerned. Unfortunately,
the municipality and the ministry disclaim all responsibility for
the situation.

To recall, the cafe in one of the Yerevan parks has been a subject for
ceaseless disputes between ecologists and Municipality of Yerevan
for over a month. According to the Association of Consumers of
Armenia, the cafe "swallowed" 20 trees, which is proved by photos
and video-materials. At the same time, the official position of the
Municipality is that the trees became the victims of not an axe, but
excavators, which allegedly caught them accidentally. Transparency
International Anti-Corruption Center has already pledged to sue the
owner of the construction. Internet users also came out in support of
the park. A group "We are the owners of our city" has been created at
Facebook social net that has involved over 2000 people. They initiated
signature collection under the open letter to President Serzh Sargsyan
demanding restoration of the park. Discussions on the given problem
were held at the Municipality on May 5 with participation of the group
members who say that no specific decisions and agreements were made.

WHEN BAKU CAN ASK THE NKR…

Aysor
May 6 2010
Armenia

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan answered to
the questions of one of the Medias, "Today one of the deputies of
foreign minister has made a series of allegations on the process of
the Karabakh conflict settlement. Are those allegations reasonable?"

The press, information and public relations department of the RA
MFA informs that the answer runs as follows: "When Azerbaijan will
be ready to return the lands of the occupied Nagorno Karabakh and
recognize the independence of the NKR, when it will get rid of the
medieval mentality and activities, only then Baku can ask the NKR to
hold discussions over the issues presenting general interest."

LILIT MKRTCHTYAN AND ELINA DANIELYAN SETTING GOOD RECORDS

Tert.am
05.05.10

Though playing with black figures the Armenian chess players Lilit
Lazarian and Elina Danielyan had a comparatively good performance
in the 8th tour of Women’s FIDE Grand Prix competition in Nalchik,
Kabardino-Balkaria, reports Armenian news web source Armsport.am.

Lilit Lazarian defeated Baira Kovanova (Russia), while Denielyan
earned 0.5 points in a set with Chen Zhou (Qatar).

With her 4 points Lilit Lazarian is among the 6-7th in the winners’
list, while Elina Danielyan is the last one (1.5 points).

Russian players Tatyana Kosintseva is still heading the list in this
competition with her 6.5 points.

STATEMENTS BY SOME ISRAELI POLITICIANS DON’T REFLECT THE COUNTRY’S OFFICIAL POSITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 12:23 AMT 07:23 GMT

Statements by some Israeli political activists periodically published
by Azerbaijani media do not reflect the official position of Israel,
said Alexander Tsinker ex-member of the Knesset, director of the East
European States & CIS Institute.

"No one in Israel takes rabbi Avraham Shmulevich for serious.

Surrounded by a few number of supporters, he just pretends to be a
political figure," Dr. Tsinker told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter when
commenting on Shmulevich’s recent statement that Israel will support
Azerbaijan in case the latter is attacked.

GENERAL SECRETARY OF FRANCOPHONIE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION ABDOU DIOUF SENDS THANK-YOU LETTER TO THE RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

National Assembly of RA
May 4 2010
Armenia

The General Secretary of Francophonie International Organization
Abdou Diouf, who recently was in Armenia and met the President of
the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan, sent thank-you letter to
the President of the RA National Assembly. The General Secretary of
Francophonie International Organization expressed his deep gratitude
to Hovik Abrahamyan for his big contribution in the development
of Francophonie.

"I wish that the cooperation between the National Assembly of Armenia
and the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly will more deepen for
everybody’s benefit," Abdou Diouf’s letter says.

We’ll remind that on May 4-6 in Yerevan in the building of RA National
Assembly the 23rd forum of the European Region of the Parliamentary
Assembly of Francophonie will be held.

More than 80 representatives from different countries of Europe will
take part in the forum.

VLADIMIR ZAKHAROV: AZERI ATTEMPTS AT REVANCHE DOOMED TO FAILURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 18:22 AMT 13:22 GMT

Karabakh will never become a subject of trade in negotiations,
according to Russian political expert Vladimir Zakharov .

"In near future, I expect no new developments in Karabakh conflict
settlement process," he told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

As the same time he pointed out Azerbaijan’s awareness that its
attempts at revanche are doomed to failure. As Vladimir Zakharov noted,
NKR has already been formed as a state, and acknowledgement of Nagorno
Karabakh is only a matter of time.

AZERBAIJAN MUST GET RID OF ITS MEDIEVAL MENTALITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 21:20 AMT 16:20 GMT

Azerbaijan must get rid of its medieval mentality, according to Deputy
Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan .

As he said commenting on recent statement by his Azeri counterpart
Araz Azimov, "As soon as Azerbaijan is ready to return occupied
Nagorno Karabakh regions and recognize NKR independence, Baku can
ask NKR for talks."

"Co-Chairs suggest returning 5 occupied territories of Azerbaijan
and Lachin corridor, followed by Armenia’s requesting official Baku
for time to return Lachin and Kelbajar," Deputy Foreign Minister of
Azerbaijan Araz Azimov said in an interview with public television.