Author: Badalian Vardan

MINISTER OF DIASPORA: ISSUE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CANNOT BE A SUBJECT OF BARGAINING

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24, 2009

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian President declares that
the Armenian-Turkish borders should be opened, diplomatic relations
should be established without preconditions, and the issue of Armenian
Genocide can never be a subject of bargaining in developments of
Armenian-Turkish relations. RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian,
who visited Yerevan Memorial Complex of Armenian Genocide on April
24, reminded in her interview to journalists. The Minister emphasized
that the Armenian communities are aware that the Armenian state has
not changed its policy in this issue.

"April is not only a month of death, but also a month of rebirth,
and today all Diasporan Armenians, all communities in the world mourn
over the memory of our millions of martyrs, commemorate being firmly
convinced that all the same, the Armenian Cause, the Armenian Genocide
should receive world recognition and should be even recognized by
Turkey," she said.

Among Armenian high-ranking officials visiting Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial Complex, Hranush Hakobian, as well as Minister of Emergency
Situations Mher Shahgeldian were the few officials, who were willing
to speak to journalists. RA President Serzh Sargsyan with his wife,
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian, RA Constitutional Court Chairman
Gagik Haroutiunian, newly appointed Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglarian,
ministers, deputies, law enforcement structures heads, other officials
visited the Memorial Complex.

A liturgy was served by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II at
the eternal fire perpetuating the memory of Armenian Genocide victims.

U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to RA Marie
Yovanovitch said in her interview to journalists: "It is a tragic
day: we, the Americans, are today here with the Armenians and have
a possibility to pray for them."

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to RA
Olexander Bozhko, in his turn, said: "We, the Ukrainians, share the
Armenian people’s grief, because one cannot speak about the Armenian
Genocide without excitement and without indignation, because a whole
civilization, the considerable part of the Armenian people was lost. I
know it well, as I myself translated the David of Sassoun, I know what
a wonderful country Armenia was, I translated the Komitas novelette
by Vardan Vardanian, Musegh Galshoyan’s novelettes about Western
Armenia, I know what there was and what happened." Nevertheless,
according to the Ambassador, the Armenian people has passed this
very difficult, bloody way, proved its value and continues proving
it in the world. O. Bozhko also said that on April 24 Ukrainian TV
companies started their broadcasts with the words that "today is
April 24, and the whole world remembers that mournful day."

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS DEMANDS IMMEDIATELY PUBLICIZING DOCUMENT COORDINATED BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24, 2009

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian National Congress
is going to publicize its political estimation on the document on
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process coordinated between Armenia
and Turkey after that document’s official publication. The statement
spread by ANC mentioned it.

Reminding the joint statement of Foreign Ministries of Armenia, Turkey,
and Switzerland mentioning that Armenia and Turkey "have achieved
tangible progress and mutual understanding in this process and they
have agreed on a comprehensive framework for the normalization of
their bilateral relations in a mutually satisfactory manner," ANC
concludes that in essence the negotiations on reconciliation are
finished and there is a bilateral coordinated document. Therefore,
according to ANC statement, "as a final coordinated framework is meant,
the Armenian National Congress demands from the Armenian authorities
immediately publicizing that document regarding the interests of not
only Armenia, but also all Armenians."

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA SUPPORTS OPENING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER

PanArmenian News
April 23 2009
Armenia

Resolution on Armenian Genocide acknowledgement submitted to US
Congress has already been supported by 101 congressmen, Arpi Vardanyan
, AAA Regional Director for RA and NKR issues told a news conference
in Yerevan.

Dwelling on possibility of Armenian -Turkish border opening, AAA
Regional Director said, "There shouldn’t be any close borders in
21st century. Regions adjusted to Armenia and Turkey will only gain
by opening of borders. Still, Armenia has to consider pros and cons."

"Ankara has to show political will and establish diplomatic relations
with Armenia without preconditions," she concluded.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: IT IS AMAZING THAT SUCH AN AUTHORITATIVE TV COMPANY AS EURONEWS DISPLAYS UNPROFESSIONAL APPROACH ORINTENTIONALLY

ArmInfo
2009-04-23 20:00:00

The Armenian Foreign Ministry accused Euronews TV channel of distorting
the reality concerning the situation in the process of normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations.

Commenting at Armenpress news agency’s request upon the Euronews TV
channel’s reportage on the joint statement of the foreign ministries
of Armenia, Turkey and Switzerland, the comment to which says that
Turkey continues laying down preconditions, Head of Media Relations
Division at the Armenian Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan said: "It
is amazing and we have already drawn Euronews leadership’s attention
to the fact that such an authoritative company has displayed such
unprofessional approach or intentionally distorts the reality, which
contradicts both the reputation of Euronews as a neutral source and
content of yesterday’s statement and international responses to it".

TURKEY SAYS ACCORD REACHED WITH ARMENIA ON ROADMAP

AP
2009-04-22 23:47:05

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – Turkey and Armenia have made solid progress
toward reconciliation and reached agreement on a roadmap to normalize
ties, a foreign ministry statement said Wednesday. The statement
said the two countries have reached a framework agreement to work
for a solution that will satisfy both sides. The development came
just weeks after President Barack Obama, during a visit here, called
on Turkey to reckon with its past, resolve its dispute with Armenia
and reopen their shared border. The European Union has also mounted
similar pressure on Turkey, which is a candidate for EU membership.

Obama’s call on this U.S. ally and predominantly Muslim country in
early April heated up a public debate over what course Turkey should
take in relations with Armenia. Turkey’s government had already
been working to improve ties with Armenia while facing deep-seated
antagonism toward Armenia rooted in WWI-era killings and opposition
from nationalists who oppose against concessions. The accord
was announced hours after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton praised what she described as bold reconciliation efforts
between Turkey and Armenia. "Turkey and Armenia with the mediation
of Switzerland have been engaged in intensive efforts to normalize
their bilateral ties, develop good neighborly relations in mutual
respect and progress peace, security and20 stability in the entire
region," the Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said. "Both sides have
recorded solid progress and reached mutual understanding to normalize
ties in a way to satisfy both sides, agreeing on a comprehensive
framework. Within this framework, a roadmap has been determined.

A senior government official, however, said the agreement did not
mean Turkey was ready to open the Turkish-Armenian border, closed
in 1993. "It is out of question," he said, speaking on condition
of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to media. Turkey
wants its talks with Armenia to advance in parallel with negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan over disputed territory controlled by
Armenia. Turkey closed the border in support of Azerbaijan during its
conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Turkey backs
Azerbaijan’s claims to the disputed region, which has a high number of
ethnic Armenian residents but is located within Azerbaijan’s borders.

Clinton said the United States has assured Azerbaijan it will intensify
efforts to resolve the dispute. It was not immediately clear how
Turkey and Armenia would tackle the sensitive and divisive issue
of the Ottoman-era killings of Armenians. Armenians say 1.5 million
Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War
I in what Armenians and several other nations recognize as the first
genocide of the 20th century. Turkey vehemently rejects the allegat
ion, saying the death toll is inflated and Armenians were killed in
civil unrest as the Ottoman Empire collapsed. Turkey on Wednesday
recalled its ambassador to Canada, after government ministers there
reportedly took part in an event that labeled the Ottoman-era killings
of Armenians as genocide. Ambassador Rafet Akgunay was called back for
"thorough evaluations and consultations," Foreign Ministry spokesman
Burak Ozugergin said, without saying why Akgunay was recalled or for
how long. U.S. lawmakers have also introduced a resolution that would
call the deaths genocide. If passed, the resolution could undermine
efforts by Obama’s administration to win NATO ally Turkey’s help on
key foreign policy goals such as fighting terrorism in Afghanistan.

U.S. legislators almost passed a similar resolution two years ago,
but congressional leaders did not bring it up for a vote after
intense pressure from the Bush administration. Obama avoided the term
"genocide" when he addressed Turkish lawmakers during his visit early
April. But he said, in response to a question, that he had not changed
his views. As a presidential candidate, Obama said the killings
amounted to genocide. Armenia and Turkey do not have diplomatic
relations and, despite overtures including Turkey’s opening of an
air corridor to the landlocked country, they have failed to establish
a commission of historians to examine Turkish and Armenian archives
and to share their 0Afindings with the public.

However, they have been in closer contact since Turkey’s President
Abdullah Gul visited Armenia in September 2008 to watch a World Cup
qualifying match as a goodwill gesture. The agreement has provided
"a positive perspective" for the ongoing process, the foreign ministry
statement said.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH REGULATION WAITED UNTIL REINFORCEMENT: RUSSIA IS READY TO GIVE MONEY TO ARMENIA AND WEAPONS TO AZERBAIJAN
Vladimir Solovyev

WPS Agency
Russia
April 20, 2009 Monday

MOSCOW IS PREPARING CHANGES IN REGULATION OF THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH
CONFLICT; Foreign ministers of CSTO (Collective Security
Treaty Organization) member states discussed "important issues of
international security" and establishment of collective rapid-response
forces in Yerevan. Using the opportunity, Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov met with President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, to
coordinate organization of an Armenian-Azerbaijani summit dedicated
to Nagorno-Karabakh in Russia.

Yesterday, foreign ministers of CSTO (Collective Security
Treaty Organization) member states discussed "important issues of
international security" and establishment of collective rapid-response
forces in Yerevan. Using the opportunity, Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov met with President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, to
coordinate organization of an Armenian-Azerbaijani summit dedicated
to Nagorno-Karabakh in Russia.

Peace and love

Sergei Lavrov did not simply visit Yerevan but tried to get the
maximum benefit from this trip. He met with President of Armenia,
Serzh Sargsyan, and obtained an agreement of the Armenian leader
to take part in the trilateral summit dedicated to resolving of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict prepared by the Russian party. It is
planned that this summit will take place in June in the framework of
the economic forum in St. Petersburg with participation of President
of Azerbaijan and with mediation of Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev.

Enhanced Coverage LinkingDmitry Medvedev. -Search using: Biographies
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The press service of the President of Armenia explained that the matter
of participation of the Armenian party would be finally settled during
the visit of Serzh Sargsyan to Russia scheduled for April 23. Along
with this, people in Moscow who claim the role of the main pacifier
of Armenians and Azerbaijanis already do not doubt success of their
peacekeeping initiative, especially bearing in mind that Russian
authorities have agreed to satisfy the request of Yerevan about a
dollar credit. However, instead of requested $2 billion Moscow is
going to give only $500 million. In any case, a top-ranking source
in the Russian Foreign Minister explains if this is insufficient
Russia will be ready to help Armenia to receive access to money of
the "anti-crisis fund" established at the beginning of the year in
the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Hello, arms!

While Lavrov was achieving the agreement of Yerevan to support the
peacekeeping efforts of Moscow in Nagorno-Karabakh, Dmitry Medvedev
Enhanced Coverage LinkingDmitry Medvedev -Search using: Biographies
Plus News News, Most Recent 60 Days was doing similar work with his
Azerbaijani colleague Ilkham Aliev.

Besides the confirmation of the agreements on purchase of gas from
the second part of Shah Deniz field by Gazprom the parties will also
discuss preparation of the already mentioned summit dedicated to
Nagorno-Karabakh in St. Petersburg.

Whereas Russia promises financial benefits to Armenia to ensure its
compliance, the Kremlin has found a different approach to Azerbaijan
who is rich in hydrocarbons. Baku turned to Russia with inquiries
about the purchase of armament, namely antitank and air defense
missile systems, tanks and artillery systems for a long time. Taking
into account the "Armenian factor," these inquiries remained without
answer before. Meanwhile, at negotiations of Medvedev and Aliev the
need of Azerbaijan for Russian weapons may be met.

At least, representatives of Rosoboronexport hint that Azerbaijan is
on the list of priority partners for military industrial cooperation.

ARMENIA FUND RENOVATES ST. VIRGIN MEDICAL CENTER OBSTETRICS DEPARTMENT

armradio.am
21.04.2009 17:45

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has launched reconstruction of the
obstetrics department of the Yerevan St.Virgin Medical Center
south-western branch: a new delivery facility will be built while the
three current ones will be renovated. The initiative is sponsored by
the Hayastan Fund Great Britain Affiliate.

"The Fund’s Great Britain local committee has been implementing a
wide range of health projects in various hospitals during the last
couple of years. A good example of this is the full renovation of
the Artik hospital, as well as several renovation projects carried
out in Yerevan Kanaker-Zeitun hospital," the Hayastan All Armenian
Fund acting executive director Ara Vardanyan pointed out.

Within the project, the department will undergo full renovation:
the walls and floors will be tiled, sewage, electricity and water
supply systems will be reconstructed, new doors and windows will be
installed; each room will be provided with a sanitation unit, as well
as hot water and oxygen supply centralized systems will be built.

The medical center, which dates back to 1992, is a three-storey
building. It serves about 1800 patients annually. According to
the chief physician and head of the hospital Nikolay Dallakyan,
the community has seen a significant increase in residents in the
last few years, and the overall project including construction of
the fourth delivery facility is welcome news.

The Hayastan Fund had implemented two other projects in St.Virgin
Medical center: through the sponsorship of the benefactor Hakop
Girtlian, the general pediatric department of the hospital underwent
renovation in 2003, while the neurosurgery department, which serves
the whole republic, was restored in 2006.

PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073
E-mail: [email protected]<mailto:hovhannes.sa [email protected]>
Web site:

The United Nations in Armenia and Armenian Missionary Association of
America Discuss Plans for Future Cooperation

Yerevan, 18 April 2009 – Today, Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UN Resident
Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative (UN RC/UNDP RR) met with
Mr. Andrew Torigian, Executive Director of Armenian Missionary
Association of America (AMAA), and Rev. Dr. René Léonian,
Representative of Armenian Missionary Association in
Armenia. Mr. Armen Baibourtian, Senior Adviser to UN RC/UNDP RR was
also present at the meeting.

Welcoming the guests, Ms. Consuelo Vidal gave a brief expose on the
recent activities of the UN, international financial institutions (WB,
IMF) offices in Armenia aimed at supporting the government to address
the social impact of the global financial and economic crisis. She
stressed that it is becoming apparent that what started as a financial
and then an economic crisis, has the potential to become a human
development crisis as well, linked to the increase in poverty. The
damage to human development could be more severe and the negative
consequences of the crisis can be more lasting on human development,
especially in the regions of Armenia, where there is a high level of
unemployment.

The sides underscored the importance of community development projects
in the regions of Armenia to support the most vulnerable layers of the
society. As the alleviation of the impact of crisis in the regions of
Armenia is a common interest of the UN and AMAA, the interlocutors
agreed to look into the possibilities of initiating labor intensive
and other projects in the regions, targeting the vulnerable groups of
the society, especially women. These joint endeavors may become model
projects that can be implemented throughout the country in time of the
crisis.

Tehran Times, Iran
April 19 2009

Iran’s army plays important role in regional stability: Armenia

MOSCOW (IRNA) ` Deputy Armenian Defense Minister Ara Nazarian said on
Saturday that the Iranian Army is the main cause of regional peace and
stability.

He made the remark while addressing a ceremony to commemorate the
Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army Day in the Armenian capital city of
Yerevan. Nazarian added that the Iranian Army guarantees security of
its borders with neighboring states.

Also addressing the ceremony, Colonel Ahmad-Reza Allahdadi, Iran’s
military attaché to Armenia praised combat readiness and high
capability of the Iranian Army in various fields.

Iranian scientists and experts have made significant scientific
achievements in different areas despite economic sanctions imposed on
the Islamic Republic by several western states.

The ceremony to commemorate Iran’s Army Day was attended by a number
of senior Armenian military officials, ranking government authorities,
several Members of Parliament and ambassadors of foreign countries to
Armenia

UNICEF.org
April 18 2009

In Armenia, the chance to develop schools that children love to attend

Education experts from the Central and Eastern Europe and the
Commonwealth of Independent States are meeting 24-27 April in Geneva
to discuss how to provide quality education for all girls and boys
through child-friendly schools. Here is one in a series of related
stories from the region.

By Emil Sahakyan

SYUNIK PROVINCE, Armenia 17 April 2009 ` Located 200 km from Armenia’s
capital, Yerevan, the village of Ishkhanasar in Syunik province
represents a sad picture of rural poverty.

The village is now home to 250 people, most of whom are very poor and
originally came to Armenia from Azerbaijan, fleeing the conflict over
Nagorno Karabakh.

Dangerous conditions

The village school is located in an old Soviet-style building that
once was an entertainment club for collective farmers and still
carries the name of Lenin. It’s no wonder that the school has only 40
students, as conditions inside are far from child-friendly.

On the contrary, the school is dangerous for children to
attend. Falling walls and ceilings, no heating in the winter,
inadequate sanitary facilities and the absence of minimum supplies all
make it a dangerous place not only for children, but for teachers as
well.

"I was teaching history to children when suddenly I heard a crack and
immediately a big piece of wall fell down just several steps from me,"
said school Principal Ara Davtyan.

A big difference

Just a few kilometres away from Ishkhanasar, the situation is
different. The school in nearby Shaki village has been renovated and
is well maintained by students and teachers alike. It has about 200
students and is a centre of community life.

© UNICEF Armenia/2008
This school in the village of Ishkhanasar, Syunik province, represents
a sad image of rural poverty in Armenia.
However, that was not the situation until 2007, when a pilot project
on child-friendly schools was introduced in Syunik province by UNICEF,
the Goris Teachers’ Union and the non-governmental organization Kapan
Teachers.

"When we first heard about this initiative, we were hesitating about
our participation," said Deputy Principal Rima Sargsyan. "But it was
worth taking a risk and participating in the project, as it helped us
to identify our strong and weak points, and put us on the right
track."

Meeting standards for ‘child friendly’

The roots of the project were laid down in 2006, when the Ministry of
Education and Sciences, with support from UNICEF, developed a
Child-Friendly School Framework outlining requirements that a school
has to meet in order to be called child-friendly.

Such schools foster an environment in which children are motivated and
able to learn. Staff members are friendly and welcoming, and attend to
students’ health, emotional and safety needs. Child-friendly schools
recognize and encourage children’s growing capacities as learners by
providing a culture that focuses on meeting the needs of each
individual child.

In the course of the pilot project in Armenia, seven schools that
managed to meet the requirements were nominated as ‘child-friendly’
and received special prizes.

"The project helped schools to become more organized and improve the
quality of lessons, and served as an effective self-assessment tool
and a means to mobilize communities around education and child rights
issues," said UNICEF Education Officer Alvard Poghosyan.

Hopes for a small village

In 2008, UNICEF ` in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and
Science, NGO partners and local branches of the National Institute of
Education ` rolled out the child-friendly school project in Armenia’s
Shirak and Lori provinces. The partners started by raising
child-friendly school awareness among school administrators, teachers,
parents and children themselves.

As a result, around 80 per cent of schools in the provinces are now
developing plans to introduce child-friendly school standards.

This year, UNICEF is planning to assess progress made so far in
introducing the child-friendly school concept in Armenia. Following
the assessment, an action plan identifying steps to scale up the
concept in the country will be devised. Globally, UNICEF is rolling
out the ‘Child-Friendly School Manual’, a practical guidebook, which
will help countries design and implement child-friendly schools that
are most appropriate to their circumstances.

Looking at his shabby classrooms, the principal of the Ishkhanasar
village school said provincial authorities promised to start
construction of a new school building in 2009 ` raising the hope in
this small village that one day its school, too, will be
child-friendly.

untry/armenia_49388.html