Author: Badalian Vardan

VAZGEN MANUKYAN: BETTER RESULT IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS IMPOSSIBLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 3, 2010 – 18:32 AMT 13:32 GMT

A meeting of the Public Council took place in Armenia, during which
the Armenian-Turkish relations and further steps were discussed.

Chairman of the Public Council Vazgen Manukyan stated at the meeting
that a better result could not be achieved in the Armenian-Turkish
process. "Armenia’s involvement in the Armenian-Turkish normalization
was more important at this stage, than the border’s opening, as the
Armenian-Turkish process has united all Armenians and facilitated the
Armenian Genocide international recognition," Manukyan noted. In his
opinion, though the Armenian-Turkish Protocols contain a provision
on mutual recognition of the borders, the document could not be better.

Manukyan stressed that now the Karabakh problem is a priority.

According to Manukyan, one should not expect Turkey to recognize the
Genocide. "I consider this stage to be positive, while the continuation
will strengthen our possibilities," said Manukyan, the press service
of the RA Public Council reported.

ABOUT 93 THOUSAND TOURISTS ARRIVED IN ARMENIA IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2010

ARMENPRESS
MAY 3, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: About 93 thousand tourists have arrived in
Armenia in the first quarter of the running year. This index, compared
with he same period of the last year, has increased by 9.4 %. Ninety
thousand 95 people have left for other countries from Armenia, which
is more by 7.1 % compared with the first quarter of the last year.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
May 1 2010

Turkey committed to continue talks with Armenia – premier

Ankara, 30 April: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on
Friday [30 April] said his country maintained its willingness to
settle problems with Armenia, despite the coalition government in
Yerevan has decided to suspend the ratification process of two
protocols the two countries had signed to normalize relations and
restore diplomatic ties.

"We have kept our positive stance and remained loyal to the word and
the spirit of the protocols from the very beginning and we will
continue to do so," Erdogan told a televised address to the nation.

Erdogan said US President Barack Obama voiced in his remarks on 24
April "allegations which cannot be accepted by our nation although he
has taken into account part of our sensitivities."

The Turkish premier was referring to Obama’s annual speech on April
24, the date accepted by Armenians as the anniversary of the incidents
of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire.

In his speech, Obama described the incidents of 1915 as "one of the
worst atrocities" of the 20th century and "a devastating chapter" in
history.

Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s proposal to leave the issue to historians,
criticizing "third parties of trying to forge domestic political
clout."

A US House panel and the Swedish parliament have earlier approved two
separate bills that affirmed Armenian allegations on the incidents of
1915.

"Turkey is very much disturbed from such insincere attitude of
countries which we see as our friends, whoever they might be," Erdogan
said.

The two protocols between Ankara and Yerevan aims to normalize
relations, reopen their border and restore diplomatic ties which broke
down in 1994 following the Armenian occupation of Karabakh region in
Azerbaijan.

news.am, Armenia
May 1 2010

German expert for Karabakh’s involvement in peace process

16:21 / 05/01/2010In his interview with Deutsche Welle, Director of
the Strategic Studies Center under the Azerbaijani President Elhan
Nuriyev expressed discontent with Europe’s position on the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. He reproached the European community
for not exerting due pressure on Yerevan for the problem to be
resolved as soon as possible.

According to him, Europe is implementing a double standard policy,
which is immoral in the 21st century. He supposes that the reason for
the European community’s reserved attitude is a special geopolitical
situation in the region, as well as fears of a clash of the
conflicting parties’ interests. Nuriyev reproached Armenian leaders
with political blindness. He claims he has never heard of an Armenian
strategy of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Asim Mollazade, Chairman of the opposition Party for Democratic
Reforms, stated that Baku was ready for a peaceful settlement of the
conflict long ago ` with Azerbaijan’s national interests considered.
`We can live is peace and accord, and history proves that. An Armenian
church is standing in the center of Baku. We invite Armenia to sign a
peace treaty,’ he said.

The Azeri experts stressed that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will not only facilitate stabilization in the South Caucasus
and enable Azerbaijan to spare huge funds. The country has to spend
huge funds on defense because of Nagorno-Karabakh, but the funds might
be directed to social and education programs, welfare improvemen,
Mollazade said.

Dr. Phil. Uwe Halbach of the German Institute for International and
Security Affairs (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik), who participated
in the Berlin conference `New geopolitical and economic cooperation in
the South Caucasus: a view from Azerbaijan’ pointed out that excluding
Nagorno-Karabakh from the settlement process was a blunder.

Mr. Johannes Regenbrecht, Head of the South Caucasus and Central Asia
Division, German Foreign Office, stated that the sides are not quite
ready for a compromise, which impedes progress in Karabakh peace
process. He called on the conflicting parties to draft an agreement on
the withdrawal of the troops from the territories under the Armenia’s
control.

T.P.

ARMENIA AND FINLAND INTEND TO BOOST TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 30, 2010 – 19:37 AMT 14:37 GMT

On April 30, Vice-Speaker of the Armenian parliament Arevik Petrosyan
met with Finnish Ambassador to Armenia Petri Salo. During the meeting,
the Ambassador expressed hope that the Armenian-Finnish Friendship
Group will be re-established in the near future that would allow
facilitating the inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two
countries. Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Financial,
Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs Gagik Minasyan and Armenian
Ambassador to Finland Ara Ayvazyan were also present at the meeting.

At Ambassador Salo’s request, Gagik Minasyan, who is also the Head
of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), briefed him on the work at
the Parliamentary Assembly.

Development of trade and economic ties, the two countries cooperation
within international organizations, as well as the Armenian Genocide
international recognition were in the focus of discussion, the press
service of the RA NA reported.

ARA NRANYAN: TURKEY WILL MAKE NO CONCESSIONS
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
29.04.2010 13:28

Turkey will long refrain from taking steps towards ratification of
the protocols, irrespective of the fact whether the pressures on
Turkey strengthen or not, MP Ara Nranyan told a press conference today.

"Turkey will make no concessions: instead it will be waiting for
concessions on the Karabakh issue," he said.

Ara Nranyan characterized the current state of the Armenian-Turkish
relations as the failure of the idealistic romantic political sector
of both Armenia and the West. The ARF representative considers that
problems will not be solved by suspension of the ratification process.

"Moreover, it’s dangerous to leave the situation to the generation
to come. Therefore, a new process should be starred to correct all
the mistakes and omissions," he added.

After the signing of the protocols many were declaring that it
would stop the process of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide," Republican MP Sukias Avetisyan reminded, adding that
"we witnessed the opposite: the process further intensified."

Touching upon President Sargsyan’s famous address, Sukias Avetisyan
pointed to two essential factors. "First, President Sargsyan reiterated
that no concessions would be made in the process of international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Second, he assured that
the Karabakh issue would never be considered in the context of the
Armenian-Turkish relations. Besides, the President’s speech laid the
responsibility for the process on Turkey," he stated.

YEREVAN-BATUMI ROUTE BY TRAIN TO START ON MAY 30

Aysor
April 29 2010
Armenia

Since this year’s May 30 the Yerevan-Batumi Route will be available
for travelers from Armenia to Georgia and from Georgia to Armenia,
according to announcement by Director General of the South Caucasus
Railway company, Shevket Shaidullyn.

The train to Batumi will depart at 2:10 pm, at the time that will
allow watching the beautiful nature of Armenia during the travel,
Shaidullyn said. "At 8:30 pm the train will pass the border and will
arrive in Batume at 7:16 am. The travel time was reduced by an hour and
twenty minutes; the train will have a stop in Tbilisi for 50 minutes."

In addition, twice a week an alternative train will link Yerevan
and Batumi. Shaidullyn said: "Twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday, a
passenger train will link the two countries, departing at 11:20 pm and
arriving at 5 pm; the travel will take 18 hours and 40 minutes." This
train, according to Shaidullyn, will offer cheaper tickets than the
first-class train.

A first-class train ticket will cost in May 22,490 drams (last year’s
offer was 22,895); and during the summer season its cost will rise
to 23,578 till September.

Second-class tickets will cost 7,557 drams in the summer season. The
company offers discounts for children.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenians Of Colorado Inc.
P.O. Box 13854
Denver, Colorado 80201
Contact: Kim Christianian
Tel: 303-588-5524
E-mail: [email protected]
Denver, Colorado
Web:

Wednesday April 28, 2010

Attorney Mark Geragos speaks in Denver as part of the Armenian Genocide
Commemoration events organized by Armenians of Colorado Inc.

Celebrated Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos spoke about the Armenian
Genocide in his "Reparations: Beyond Recognition" speech as part of the
Armenian Genocide remembrance events organized by Armenians of Colorado
Inc. Geragos spoke to an engaged gathering at the Waring Theatre of
Arapahoe Community College. He was one of the lead lawyers in a pair of
groundbreaking federal class action lawsuits against New York Life
Insurance and AXA for insurance policies issued in the early twentieth
century during the time of the Armenian Genocide. These two cases
settled for over $37.5 million in 2004 and 2005. "The statistical data
about the case that Mr. Geragos shared was amazingly powerful
confirmation of the genocidal process of the Armenian people and the
crowd really appreciated his lecture in Denver" said Kim Christianian,
president of AOC. The lecture was sponsored by Armenians of Colorado
Inc. with support from Sigma Phi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa
International Honor Society, Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness &
Action, and Facing History And Ourselves.

On Friday April 23, 2010, the Colorado General Assembly unanimously
passed the 9th annual Armenian Genocide Resolution designating April 24
as Colorado Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution
was sponsored by long time supporter State Senator Lois Tochtrop and
State Representative Su Ryden. "Unlike previous years, there were no
reservations given by the legislators in passing the resolution", stated
Ken Allikian, chair of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration committee
which coordinates the resolution every year as well as securing
gubernatorial and Mayoral proclamations.

Armenians of Colorado (AOC) organized the annual commemoration ceremony
the following day at the Armenian Garden, located on the State Capitol
grounds, where there is a memorial headstone dedicated to the 1.5
million Armenians killed during the first genocide of the 20th century.
Over 100 people gathered for the ceremony. The speakers included: State
Senator Lois Tochtrop, Kim Christianian, AOC president and former
co-chair of the Armenians Genocide commemoration committee (GCC), Ken
Allikian, chair of the GCC, and Simon Maghakyan, secretary of AOC and
former co-chair of the GCC. Rosemary Rodriguez, state director for
Senator Michael Bennet read a letter from the Senator.

The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the Ottoman Turks during and
after WWI. It resulted
in the near complete annihilation and extermination of modern Turkey’s
indigenous Armenian population, and in the disappearance of Armenian
cultural artifacts dating back thousands of years. The Turkish
Government to this day denies that the Armenian Genocide ever happened
despite scholars’, historians’, and most western governments’ published
reports and archives affirming the facts of
the genocide. The term "genocide" was coined in 1944 (by Raphael Lemkin)
to describe, in part, what happened to Armenians during World War I.
Below is the text of the 2010 Colorado state resolution.

Sixty-seventh General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
CONCERNING REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ON APRIL
24, 2010, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, DESIGNATING EVERY APRIL 24
HEREAFTER AS "COLORADO DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE".
WHEREAS, This year marks the 95th anniversary of the first genocide of
the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide, when 1.5 million men, women,
and children of Armenian descent were victims of a brutal genocide
perpetrated by the Turkish Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923 and, as a
result, there are fewer than 75,000 indigenous Armenians living within
the borders of modern Turkey; and

WHEREAS, The former United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire,
Henry Morgenthau, Sr., stated, "Whatever crimes the most perverted
instincts of the human mind can devise, and whatever refinements of
persecutions and injustice the most debased imagination can conceive,
became the daily misfortunes of this devoted people."; and

WHEREAS, The killing of the Armenian people was followed by the
systematic destruction of churches, schools, libraries, treasures of
art, and cultural monuments that continues to this day in an attempt to
eliminate all traces of a noble civilization with a history of more than
3,000 years; and

WHEREAS, The New York Times recently reported a newly exposed official
Ottoman document revealing that 972,000 Armenians disappeared from
population records within one year; and

WHEREAS, Despite overwhelming evidence, modern Turkey continues to deny
and distort the facts of the genocide, honor the perpetrators of that
crime against humanity as national heroes, and persecute its citizens
who acknowledge or even allude to the Armenian Genocide; and

WHEREAS, Each April, Armenians throughout the world honor their martyrs,
and all the world’s people should commemorate the Armenian Genocide and
condemn any attempt to deny its historical truth or mischaracterize it
as anything less than genocide, a term coined by Raphael Lemkin in 1944
referencing the Armenian extermination as a
seminal example of genocide; and

WHEREAS, We must all fight against current injustices, such as the
ongoing first genocide of the 21st century in Darfur that is being
denied by the Turkish government, an ally of the Sudanese regime, which
demonstrates how the cycle of genocide continues; and

WHEREAS, We commend Armenians of Colorado, Inc., for organizing the
April 2010 genocide commemoration events, which include a keynote speech
by attorney Mark Geragos entitled "Reparations: Beyond Recognition",
held April 17th at Arapahoe Community College;
and

WHEREAS, We commend the growing number of Turkish citizens, including
academics, writers, and journalists, who challenge their government’s
official account of history amid threats of prosecution and imprisonment
under article 301 of the Turkish penal code, which forbids denigration
of the Turkish nation and the Turkish government;

now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-seventh
General Assembly
of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring
herein:

(1) That this legislative body pause in its deliberations to commemorate
the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, to be recognized at a
memorial service at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at the
Armenian Genocide memorial plaque in the Armenian Garden, located in the
northeast quadrant on the State Capitol grounds;
and
(2) That we, the members of the General Assembly, hereby acknowledge
April 24, 2010, and April 24 of each year hereafter, as "Colorado Day of
Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide".

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to
the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States; the members
of the Colorado Congressional Delegation; the members of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues; the Honorable Bill Ritter, Jr.,
Governor of Colorado; the Armenian Assembly of America in Washington,
D.C.; the Armenian National Committee in Washington,
D.C.; and the Armenian and Turkish Embassies in Washington, D.C.

Armenians of Colorado, Inc. (AOC) was established in June 1982. It is a
501(c) (3) non-profit,
cultural organization charged with a purpose to create a cohesive
Armenian community and to
further the understanding of Armenian history, culture, and heritage.
AOC actively supports issues
and concerns of the Armenian-American community here in Colorado as well
as those identified
within the Armenian Diaspora throughout the world. For more information
about Armenians of
Colorado go to

ROUND TABLE ON "KOSOVO AND NAGORNO KARABAKH: DIFFERENCES AND CONTRASTS" TO BE HELD AT THE STRATEGIC RESEARCH CENTER

APA
April 27 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. Round table will be held on "Kosovo and
Nagorno Karabakh: differences and contrasts" at the Strategic Research
Center under the President of Azerbaijan on April 30, the Center told
APA. Head of Turkish Center for Strategic Studies Jalal Jem Oguz,
professor on international relations of Bilkant University Marc Almond
and professor of the journalism faculty at Bilkant University David
Barchard will deliver lectures at the event.

The main purpose of the event is to determine differences and contrasts
between Kosovo and Nagorno Karabakh conflicts, to exchange views in
this direction with expert society. Officials of Foreign Ministry,
MPs, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan,
experts in regional and international relations will attend the
meeting.

ARMENIAN CHURCH LEADER IN HISTORIC AZERBAIJAN VISIT

Hurriyet
April 27 2010
Turkey

Armenian Apostolic Church leader Catholicos Garegin II (C) speaks
with the chairman of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work on
Religious Structures, Hidayat Orucov, while arriving in Baku.

Religious leaders from Armenia and Azerbaijan called for a peaceful
resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during a landmark meeting
in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital.

The call came as the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos
Garegin II, made his first-ever trip to Azerbaijan on Monday, joining
a gathering of some 200 religious figures from around the world,
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, or RFE/RL, reported on its website.

Garegin II was invited by Azerbaijan’s long-serving Shiite Muslim
leader, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, and Russian Orthodox
Church leader Patriarch Kirill. The three met on the sidelines of
the gathering and later issued a joint declaration pledging support
for efforts by Yerevan, Baku, and international mediators to end the
conflict over the disputed region.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also received Garegin II in Baku.

They discussed the importance of the Baku summit which has brought
together world religious leaders, News.az reported.

Aliyev and Garegin II said the event would contribute to strengthening
inter-faith dialogue and expanding contacts among religious leaders.

Aliyev told participants he hoped Baku would become "a center of
dialogue between religions."

"Azerbaijan is a natural bridge between Europe and Asia," Aliyev said.

"Representatives of different religions and nationalities have lived
together in Azerbaijan throughout the centuries. I hope the day will
come when Baku will be selected the capital of European culture,
and it will contribute to the development of Azerbaijan’s ties with
Christian and Muslim worlds."

‘A specific opportunity’

"It is vitally important not to allow a return to military ways of
solving contentious issues," the leaders said in a statement released
after their meeting. "With our peace efforts, we will be sustaining
people’s hopes for the elimination of existing divisions, barriers,
and animosity, for war, if it is continued, will have no end." Garegin
II also invited Pashazade to visit Armenia.

Patriarch Kirill told journalists the declaration reflected the role
religious leaders can play in resolving protracted conflicts.

"Religious leaders don’t have political power. They cannot move
troops. They cannot use state force," he said. "But they have a
specific opportunity to appeal to those values and to those ideals
which are very important for believers."

Earlier, in his remarks to the meeting, Garegin II called on religious
authorities to help solve world conflicts, directly addressing the
territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The problems should be solved in accordance with international law
and the rights of the nations," Garegin II said. "As the Armenian
patriarch, I find it very important to continue our efforts with
the head of the Muslim of the Caucasus, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur
Pashazade, to continue our work and try to find a solution for the
problem. This is our duty."

Turkish-Armenian protocols

The Nagorno-Karabakh region and much of the adjoining territory has
been occupied by the Armenian forces since a war with Azerbaijan that
ended in 1994.

Turkey has called on Armenia to resolve the ongoing dispute in
order for Ankara to move forward with a historic accord establishing
diplomatic relations and opening the shared border between Turkey
and Armenia.

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian suspended Armenia’s ratification
process last Thursday, citing different problems and highlighting
"the Nagorno-Karabakh problem." Armenia contends that Nagorno-Karabakh
was not a precondition to its agreement with Turkey.

Pashazade also addressed Nagorno-Karabakh in his opening remarks. "We
are making efforts to solve the conflict with Armenia," Pashazade
said. "We held a series of meetings with the Armenian Catholicos. I
consider it an important factor that the Armenian Catholicos accepted
the invitation and joined the summit."

He said he expected the meeting to "contribute to this work."

But Garegin II’s visit prompted a small protest by a radical group
called the Karabakh Liberation Organization. Roughly a dozen members
of the group, some of whom said they were parents of the victims of
the war, held a demonstration in Baku that was later dispersed.

Spiritual leaders from over 30 countries were expected to discuss
globalization, conflict resolution, ecumenism, and the role of religion
in public life at the Baku meeting, which was finishing Tuesday.