Author: Badalian Vardan

GENOCIDE RECOGNITION BILLBOARDS SHOWCASED IN BOSTON STREETS

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Genocide recognition billboards showcased in Boston streets April 8,
2014 – 09:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – During the month of April, the 2014 Armenian Genocide
commemorative billboards will be displayed at the corner of Arsenal
and School Streets in Watertown; on Cambridge Street, at the Lechmere
Station in Cambridge; and on Route 1 South, 1/4 mile from the Gillette
Stadium, in Foxboro, Asbarez reported.

Sponsored by Peace of Art, Inc, the 2014 Armenian Genocide
commemorative billboards honor the victims and survivors of the
Armenian Genocide. In this year’s message “Recognize
the Crime of the Century, the Armenian Genocide,” the word
‘genocide’ has imbedded the number 100, and handcuffs.

The number 100 refers to the approaching 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. The handcuffs refer to a century of victimization
and denial by the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide and their
supporters. The Armenian Genocide was the crime of the century because
it was the first genocide of the 20th century. Had the genocide been
condemned by the world community, the governments that followed most
likely would not have used genocide as the means to eliminate unwanted
groups of their populations segregated by race, religion or ethnicity.

Millions of people around the world have been killed, victims of
genocide, for political motives, and ethnic cleansing. Since the
Armenian genocide took place in the beginning of the 20th century,
genocide has become an effective tool of war, to eliminate unwanted
sectors of the population segregated by race, or religion, or
ethnicity. As the Armenian people struggle for recognition of the
crime of the century, the world remains ‘blind’ to crimes
against humanity perpetrated around the globe. The world community
must recognize the Armenian genocide and condemn such crimes against
humanity.

Since 2003, through the annual commemorative billboards, Peace of Art,
Inc.has been calling for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
and it has urged the community at large, the President of the United
States, and the United Nations to recognize the Armenian Genocide. It
is time to urge Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide, and to
make amends.

“To deny the Armenian Genocide is to further victimize
those who perished and their descendants, it is an act of blaming
the victims. After a century of denial, it is time to place the
‘handcuffs’ on the criminals. For those who think that
after the last survivor dies there will be no more witnesses, and
with the passing of time the Armenian genocide will be forgotten,
know that all Armenians are survivors of the genocide, and as long
as the Armenian genocide remains unrecognized by Turkey, millions of
Armenians around the world will demand recognition and justice,”
said the president of Peace of Art, Inc. Daniel Varoujan Hejinian.

WHOEVER ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT HE WOULD HAVE MADE SEPTEMBER 3 DECISION – EXPERT

14:42 * 08.04.14

Whoever is Armenia’s president, he would have made the decision
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan made on September 3, 2013, said
political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan.

“The decision made on September 3 hardly had anything in common with
Armenian diplomacy. The decision was made outside Armenia, and Armenia
had no alternative,” Iskandaryan said at a debate.

According to him, when Russian President Vladimir Putin “arrived in
Baku nearly on an aircraft carrier,” and the issue of the gas price
was on the agenda, anyone would have done what Serzh Sargsyan did.

Armenia, which had adopted a course of European integration, had done
excellent work in drafting an Association Agreement with the European
Union. However, the miscalculation was that the authorities failed
to consider the possibility of the process being stopped at any moment.

Richard Giragosian, Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center
(RSC), believes that the September 3 decision has been Armenia’s most
serious political setback the in the past four years.

As to Armenia’s foreign policy achievements, they are mostly due to
setbacks of others, particularly Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Neither Mr Giragosian nor Mr Iskandaryan agrees with the experts
that claim that Armenia’s premier resigned under the pressure of
external factors, particularly that of Russia, and his resignation
is a follow-up to the Kazakh and Kyrgyz premiers’ resignations.

Moscow had nothing in common with the Armenian premier’s resignation,
the experts said.

ANDRANIK ARZUMANYAN OPERA AND BALLET NATIONAL ACADEMIC THEATRE DIRECTOR

13:00 / 08.04.2014

Andranik Arzumanyan has been appointed director of Al. Spendiaryan
Opera and Ballet National Academic Theatre.

He and another candidate Gagik Manasyan remained in the final contest
for the vacant post.

Nyut.am

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Studies Program
California State University, Fresno
Contact: Barlow Der Mugrdechian, 559-278-4930
ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Fax: 559-278-2129
Email: [email protected]

Visit the Armenian Studies Program Web Page at

Prof. Richard Hovannisian to Speak on
` The Armenians of Gesaria’
(From Evkere and Talas to Mount Arkeos, Chomakhlu, and Evereg)

Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian of UCLA will speak on ` The Armenians of
Gesaria’ (From Evkere and Talas to Mount Arkeos, Chomakhlu, and
Evereg) at 7:30 PM on Friday, April 25, 2014, in the Industrial
Technology Building, Room 101 Auditorium, on the Fresno State campus
(corner of Barstow and Campus Drive).
The presentation is part of the Spring Lecture Series of the Armenian
Studies Program and is co-sponsored by the Armenian Students
Organization as part of the activities commemorating the 99th
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The Leon S. Peters Foundation
has supported the Lecture Series for the 2013-2014 academic year.
By tradition, the Armenian presence in Cappadocia and Gesaria/Kesaria
dates back to the times of Tigran the Great and Gregory the
Illuminator. Down through the centuries Armenian communities in the
area grew in number and in size.
Professor Hovannisian has visited Gesaria (now Kayseri) several times
and will give a short overview of the region’s Armenian history and
the significant roles played by Armenians, both in urban and rural
Gesaria.
Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian is past holder of the UCLA Armenian
Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History and
Distinguished Chancellor’s Fellow at Chapman University, Orange
County.
Hovannisian is the author of Armenia on the Road to Independence , the
four-volume history The Republic of Armenia , and has edited and
contributed to more than twenty-five books including The Armenian
Genocide in Perspective ; The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern
Times ; Remembrance and Denial ; Looking Backward, Moving Forward ;
and The Armenian Genocide: Cultural and Ethical Legacies .
Copies of Armenian Gesaria as well as many other titles from the
`Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces’ series will be available for
purchase and signing by Prof. Hovannisian.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Free parking, no permit
necessary, is available in Lots P23, P24, or P20, adjacent to the
Industrial Arts building.
For more information on the lecture please contact the Armenian
Studies Program at 278-2669.

—

Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Coordinator
Armenian Studies Program
5245 N. Backer Ave. PB4
Fresno CA 93740-8001

ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Office: 559-278-2669
FAX: 559-278-2129

Visit the ASP Website:

MPS TO PACE TO RAISE KESSAB EVENTS AND ARMENIAN POW’S RETURN

April 07, 2014 | 11:54

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Spring
Session is underway Monday in Strasbourg, France.

At the PACE session, the Armenian National Assembly (NA) delegation
to PACE will raise the matter on the situation in and around Syria’s
predominantly Armenian-populated town of Kessab.

Non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party NA Faction Secretary
Naira Zohrabyan, who is also a member in Armenia’s delegation to PACE,
told the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to her, back on March 5, she had petitioned to the Council
of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights, with a request to use
his powers to have Armenian soldier Hakob Injighulyan–who was held
captive by Azerbaijan last summer–returned to Armenia, or transferred
to a third country.

As per Zohrabyan, the CoE Commissioner will receive a respective
letter on Monday, too.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

LEVON ARONIAN ET SERGUEI MOVSISSIAN CHAMPIONS D’ALLEMAGNE AVEC BADEN-BADEN

ECHECS

Les joueurs de l’equipe d’Armenie des echecs, le numero 2 mondial
Levon Aronian ainsi que Sergueï Movsissian ont remporte le championnat
d’Allemagne avec leur equipe de Baden-Baden. Ce club a remporte les 14
dernières rencontres en totalisant le maximum de 28 points. Avant le
dernier tour, Baden-Baden est deja champion d’Allemagne. Le 6 avril,
avec les noirs, Levon Aronian remporta sa partie face au joueur de
Munich, Felix Graf.

Krikor Amirzayan

lundi 7 avril 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

ARMENIA NEEDS A STRONG MILITARY – OHANYAN

YEREVAN, April 7. /ARKA/. Armenia needs a strong army as neighboring
Azerbaijan and Turkey are pursuing anti-Armenian policies, acting
minister of defense Seyran Ohanyan said at a forum on youth policy,
the problems and the coverage held in resort town of Tsakhkadzor on
April 4-6.

In particular, the minister spoke about the information war launched by
Azerbaijan and Turkey to affect Armenia’s and Karabakh’s international
image through propaganda.

Each country is building its defense capacity based on economy, army
and mobilization capacities, as well as on feelings of patriotism in
the population, Ohanyan said. -0–

– See more at:

Al-Jazeera, Qatar
April 6 2014

Georgia wary of Russia ‘expansion plans’

Fears of Kremlin’s next ploy after Crimea annexation prompt risks of
antagonising pro-Russian ethnic Armenians.

Robin Forestier-Walker

As Georgians drive along their central east-west highway at night,
they can see the lights of a Russian military base within South
Ossetia’s de facto line of control. It is a constant reminder of a
clear and present threat, and their military defeat in 2008 by Russia.

After Crimea especially, many worry that Russia once again is looking
to expand its borders, or remind its neighbours that orientating
themselves to the West could have negative consequences.

The rules of the game seem to have changed. How far is Russia now
willing to go to turn countries like Georgia back from their path of
Euro-Atlantic integration with NATO and the EU?

Key events are happening this year including the expected signing of
Georgia’s EU Association Agreement and NATO meetings, which may
determine Georgia’s future membership status.

Next hotspot

Against this backdrop, Georgians are jumpy. Mindful of their country’s
inter-ethnic makeup, some believe Samtskhe-Javakheti could be the next
hotspot, because of notions that ethnic Armenians there cannot be
trusted. Despite any clear evidence, there are rumours that many
ethnic Armenians hold Russian passports.

Like the rest of Georgia, Samtskhe-Javakheti suffers from poverty and
unemployment. The difference is that here, there is an ethnic Armenian
majority. Many don’t speak Georgian, and not all of them feel
connected to Georgian wider society. Ideas about preserving Armenian
culture and language have widespread appeal. Ethnic Armenians have so
far not seen the benefits of learning the Georgian language, at least
in majority Armenian towns.

Javakheti saw political disturbances in the 2000s. But nationalist
Armenian activists lost their momentum, were jailed, or brought into
the Georgian political fold. A lot of popular frustration was based
around the closure of an important source of support for the local
economy – a Russian base in Samtskhe-Javakheti itself.

That also helps to explain in part why ethnic Armenians are today more
pro-Russian in their outlook. Many travel to Russia for work, sending
home vital remittances to support their families. And why shouldn’t
ethnic Armenians see Russia in a positive light? Russia, unlike
Georgia, is a source of employment, and opportunity.

Splitting Georgia in half

So this is how the ‘Russian’ threat goes: Given the right excuse –
i.e. inter-ethnic strife or instability that could emanate from
existing antagonisms (for instance between two powerful political
adversaries: the Georgian and Armenian Orthodox Churches), Russian
forces would not have to travel far to link up ‘pro-Russian’
Samtskhe-Javakheti with South Ossetia, and split Georgia in half.

To Samtskhe-Javakheti’s south lies Armenia, Russia’s ally. Gyumri in
Armenia is home to a strategic Russian military base. Russia provided
material support to the Armenians in their war with Azerbaijan over
Nagorno Karabakh and last year the Armenian government pulled out of
trade and association negotiations with the EU and announced it would
join Putin’s Eurasian Economic Union.

To suggest that new trouble is looming could be dangerous and
downright mistaken. Most analysts agree that Armenia is unlikely to
support instability in Javakheti. Though Armenia has a working
relationship with Russia, one of the last things the country needs is
a conflict next door. The Georgian-Armenian border is its sole route
to the outside world. (The Turkish and Azeri sides are closed).

Georgia’s fear of insecurity is understandable given all that it has
already been through with Russia, and it is a sign that what has
happened in Ukraine is having wide-reaching and unexpected
consequences. Some media outlets have already played up threats to
Georgian territorial integrity. Georgian NGOs released a statement
criticising this report, which implied that Georgia could lose the
Javakheti region to Turkish interests.

Domestic fears may do more to antagonise inter-ethnic relations than
any cynical ploy from the Kremlin.

ARMENIE
Le gouvernement octroie 50 millions de drams pour la traduction des
documents pour se joindre à l’union douanière

Le gouvernement arménien a décidé de budgétiser 50 millions de drams
pour un organisme à but non lucratif du gouvernement appelé > du ministère de la justice pour les traductions de
nouveaux documents relatifs à la décision de l’Arménie de rejoindre
l’Union douanière dirigée par la Russie.

Le ministre de la Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan a dit que le budget de
l’organisation pour cette année est de 125 millions de drams pour
traduire 10 100 pages, mais qu’il a déjà traduit 19 500 pages.

Selon lui, après la réception de cette somme le coût de la traduction
d’une page diminuera de 45 à 50% en raison de la réduction des coûts
administratifs.

Le gouvernement a également modifié la charte de l’organisation, ce
qui lui permet de faire les traductions de l’arménien en russe et du
russe en arménien.

dimanche 6 avril 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIE
250 personnes ont signé la pétition contre la démolition de l’ancien
btiment de l’aéroport de Zvartnots

Environ 250 personnes ont signé une pétition demandant d’arrêter la
démolition de l’ancien btiment de l’aéroport de Zvartnots à Erevan et
de maintenir la conception initiale par une rénovation.

En Avril le concessionnaire de l’aéroport de Zvartnots, la société > a demandé au Bureau du maire
d’Erevan une permission afin de démolir l’ancien btiment de
l’aéroport, qui, selon les estimations des experts, est usé et dont la
reconstruction nécessiterait des investissements à hauteur de 15 à 20
millions $.

Le sujet a été largement débattu dans les réseaux sociaux, à la
télévision, ainsi que lors de réunions.

Le texte de la pétition est affichée sur le site change.org.

dimanche 6 avril 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com