Author: Badalian Vardan

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
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“WE REMAIN MORE THAN EVER STRONGLY COMMITTED TO RESTORING
THE LEGITIMATE RIGHTS OF THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE”
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

Among a number of community organizations, His Holiness Aram I also met with
the Armenian Cause Committee members. The meeting was attended by the
Primate, the clergy accompanying His Holiness, representatives of the
diocese and other community organizations.

His Holiness Aram I praised the work done by the Armenian Cause Committee
towards the recognition of the Armenian Genocide particularly in the Muslim
world. He said that “the Armenian genocide is a fact of history. It is our
obligation to remind the world that one and a half million Armenians were
victims of a genocide which was planned and executed by the Ottoman Turkish
government in 1915. The present Turkey as a continuation of the Ottoman
Turkey, must have the courage to reconcile with its past by accepting the
Armenian genocide. This is the legitimate claim of the Armenian people”.

Catholicos Aram I shared with the committee some basic information about the
conference “The Armenian Genocide: From Recognition to Reparation” which was
held in Antelias a few months ago. He said that “the focus of this
conference was reparation. We invited 30 experts of international law and
genocide from different parts of the world in order to get their views as
how we can move from recognition to reparation on the basis of the
provisions of the international law”.

According to His Holiness, “this is not an easy process, but we should move
forward having the return of church properties as our primary objective”. At
the end of his talk, His Holiness stressed the importance of initiating
public-awareness processes in the Muslim world, which is not fully informed
about the Armenian genocide. The chairman of the Armenian Cause Committee
gave a brief report about their activities. Then His Holiness answered to
questions related particularly to the issue of reparation.
##
Photos:

CHESS GREATS DUEL IN MOSCOW IN ECHO OF SOVIET EPIC

Agence France Presse
May 9, 2012 Wednesday 4:28 AM GMT

Chess world champion Viswanathan Anand of India goes up against
Israel’s Boris Gelfand in Moscow on Friday, in the first game of their
battle to decide the world title — and $1.5 million in prize money.

The last time two grandmasters clashed for the world crown in Moscow
the Cold War was still raging and chess was one of its biggest
psychological guns.

Garry Kasparov’s epic 1984-85 encounter with world champion Anatoly
Karpov was controversially called off by the game’s ruling body as
it dragged out, inconclusively.

This time, the winner will be decided over a series scheduled to last
three weeks. The match will consist of 12 games with a tie-break on
May 30, if needed.

But although he will walk away with the title of world champion,
neither man is the number-one rated player.

Top of the rankings is Norway’s 21-year-old prodigy Magnus Carlsen,
a former student of the legendary Kasparov, who inspired an earlier
generation of players.

Moscow is nevertheless relishing the prospect of again becoming the
world chess capital.

It was a title it proudly held back in the era when the 64-square board
was one of the battlefields pitting communism against the capitalist
West in the Cold War.

“We had a unique situation that will never be repeated again,” said
64 – Chess Review magazine editor Mark Glukhovsky.

“For some reason, the Soviet authorities decided to make chess one of
those things like ballet in which we had to be first. It will never
be that way again.”

The Karpov-Kasparov match had a political as well as a personal
dimension.

Karpov was the strait-laced darling of the Soviet nomenklatura.

Kasparov, the son of an Armenian mother and a Jewish father, did not
fit the Communist mould.

Their gruelling battle stretched to 48 games before the powers-that-be
at the World Chess Federation (FIDE) stepped in to end it before
either man had won — just as Kasparov appeared to be breaking down
Karpov’s will.

That meant that Karpov, who had lost more than 10 kilograms (22 pounds)
in the course of the draining affair, held on to his title by default.

Kasparov was left to rue the politics of the game — but he won
their rematch a few months later and went on become one of the game’s
greatest world champions.

In 2005 he quit competitive chess to enter politics, becoming an
outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Karpov-Kasparov duels inspired a new generation of new world
players, including those battling for the title today.

And a 2010 study by Moscow’s VTsIOM pollster showed an impressive 49
percent of all Russians still play chess.

“It simply does not jump out the way it used to (in Russia) because
many have moved their game from park benches and public squares to
the Internet,” Glukhovsky said.

In the meantime, Western interest in the game has been piqued by the
emergence of the temperamental Carlsen — in January 2010, aged just
19, he become the youngest-ever player to top the rankings.

Glukhovsky called him simply “today’s Michael Jordan of chess”.

The reason Carlsen is not challenging for the title is because he
decided to pull out of the 2011 qualifying tournament, criticising
the way it had been organised in a letter to FIDE.

It is a decision his former mentor Kasparov criticised.

That left the field clear for other contenders, and it was the
Soviet-raised Israeli Gelfand who emerged from a strong field to win
the 2011 Candidates Tournament and earn the right to go up against
champion Anand.

He is currently only ranked 20th in the world.

Anand is fourth behind Carlsen, Armenia’s Levon Aronian and Russia’s
Vladimir Kramnik — and he comes to the match after an unimpressive
run of form by his own high standards. Gelfand has enjoyed better
form recently.

Nevertheless, Moscow Chess Federation grandmaster Sergei Smagin said:
“Anand is the favourite. He is objectively stronger.”

Moscow won the right to host the first world title match since
2010 over Anand’s home town of Chennai after finding Kremlin-allied
billionaires who were willing to splash out on the $2.55 million purse.

They included Putin’s old acquaintance Gennady Timchenko and the
fast-rising ports and railways mogul Andrei Filatov.

Organisers then tried to find a venue with the pomp and ceremony to
match the late-18th-century Hall of Columns that housed Soviet state
funerals and Communist Party congresses before being cleared for the
Karpov-Kasparov series.

They settled on the Tretyakov State Gallery — a postcard-pretty
building across the river from the Kremlin that holds one of the
world’s great collections of Russian art.

ARMENIAN DIAMONDS GO TO BELGIUM, US, UAE

Vestnik Kavkaza
May 10 2012
Russia

Belgium is the main importer of Armenian diamonds, although certain
diversification occurred in 2011, News.am reports.

According to the Committee of State Expenses of Armenia, 351,000
carats of diamonds worth $113 million were sold in 2011. 476,000
carats worth $92 million were sold in 2010.

Diamonds worth about $70 million were exported to Belgium (62% of
all diamond exports). The US purchased diamonds worth a total of $6
million, Hong Kong’s Lori purchased worth $1.8 million.

The United Arab Emirates bought diamonds worth $6 million, increasing
imports fourfold, compared with 2010. Canada increased exports
threefold.

India halved imports of diamonds from Armenia, totaling $2.4 million,
in 2011. Switzerland has minimized imports of Armenian diamonds.

VICTORY IN WWII OPENS NEW DOORS FOR ARMENIAN PEOPLE – SARGSIAN

ITAR-TASS
May 9, 2012 Wednesday 01:56 PM GMT+4
Russia

The victory in WWII opened new doors for Armenia’s people, President
Serzh Sargsian said congratulating his country on the Victory Day
on Wednesday.

“This was a historical opportunity and thanks to it through years
and decades ahead our republic and people made serious achievements
almost in all spheres,” he said.

“Our nation made its contribution to this victory at the cost of
greatest sacrifices,” Sargsian said.

VIOLATION OF BASIC NORMS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW HAS BECOME USUAL FOR AZERBAIJAN: FM OF ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
10 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan, who participates in the works of the meeting of foreign
ministers of Non-Aligned Movement in Sharm El-Sheikh, has delivered
a speech on May 10, Foreign Affairs Ministry press service told
Armenpress.

In his address the minister said he is glad to return to Egypt,
where he has lived and worked for 14 years. Being an observer of
the Non-Aligned Movement, Armenia shares the organization’s merits,
based on the goals and principles of the UN Charter.

Referring to the Nagorno Karabakh issue, Edward Nalbandyan said
Azerbaijan became a member of the movement only a year ago, and
already is attempting to mislead the member states of the organization,
taking them against the positions of international community.

“All of you understand the propagating nature of today’s
statement voiced by Azerbaijani FM, which does not need additional
interpretation,” he said, adding it contradicts the logic, the spirit
and formulations of the negotiation process, which are reflected
in the statements adopted by OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries –
Russia, France, US, in L’Aquila, Muskoka and Deauville.

These documents highlight 3 international principles – non-application
of force, self-determination right of peoples and territorial integrity
as key elements of Nagorno Karabakh settlement.

Unfortunately, the 382nd paragraph ignores the self-determination
right of peoples and does not use internationally accepted “Nagorno
Karabakh issue” wording, Edward Nalbandyan said.

“Similar approach does not only threaten the negotiation process
and the shaky situation in the conflict zone, but also the basic
principles of the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement. Beginning
from its foundation day the self-determination right of people has
been and remains one of the cornerstones of the organization.

The violation of fundamental norms of the international law and of
the gained agreements has become a usual thing for Azerbaijan. In that
regard it is not strange for anyone that Azerbaijan, appearing to be
a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, continues violating “Bandung
Principles”, propagating “discrimination and national hatred, or
else how we can describe the Azerbaijani leadership’s statements that
“Armenians are Azerbaijan’s number one enemy,” said Edward Nalbandyan.

VILLAGER ACCIDENTALLY SHOTS AT HIMSELF AND DIES IN ARMENIA

news.am
May 10, 2012 | 19:47

A few hours ago Armenia’s Hatsik village inhabitant Movses Manavchyan,
32, shot himself while taking his hunter’s gun out of the car. The
gun had been directed towards him and unfortunately the trigger got
pulled and he got shot. He died on the spot. Village head Arthur
Yeghiazaryan confirmed this information to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The village head also informed that Movses Manavachyan was married
and had a 3-year-old son.

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY MEMBERS AGAINST POSSIBLE COALITION WITH REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA

news.am
May 10, 2012 | 18:31

YEREVAN. – Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) member Stepan Margaryan
released a statement on considering it not useful to establish
coalition with Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).

“The situation established due to the parliamentary elections, is
not so supportive to use potential of various political powers for
domestic political cooperation and solidarity. Another important
point is that there is no effective lever to influence on decisions
in a coalition where the other force has majority of votes. Hence,
I do not consider it right for the PAP to establish coalition with
the RPA,” Margaryan’s release reads.

To note, earlier some PAP members stated the uselessness of PAP to
make a coalition with the RPA, while head of the party Gagik Tsarukyan
has not make any decision on the issue.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PARTY DEMANDS TO CANCEL PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION RESULTS

news.am
May 10, 2012 | 19:00

YEREVAN. – The Democratic Way party partaking in the Armenian National
Congress bloc released a statement demanding to cancel the May 6
parliamentary elections.

“The Democratic Way party administration discussed final results
of the May 6 Parliamentary Elections in Armenia and based on the
facts provided by the media outlets on massive elections frauds,
bribe distribution reports and threatening cases, as well as the
unprecedented exaggeration of the voting lists, demands to cancel
the election results,” the statement reads.

NO MORE OLIGARCHS IN PARLIAMENT
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:01:41 – 10/05/2012

There are no more oligarchs and businessmen in the National Assembly.

There are only poor husbands of rich ladies and poor sons-in-law of
rich mothers-in-law.

A few months before the elections, Serzh Sargsyan stated that there
must be no oligarchs in parliament, and the number of businessmen
should be reduced to minimum. However, his following steps showed
that those were mere words. Serzh Sargsyan did not do anything to
prevent oligarchs from appearing in parliament. He only asked his
own brother Sashik Sargsyan not to be nominated.

Serzh Sargsyan refused to cut the number of constituencies where as a
rule oligarchs win. It was clear then that he wanted to see oligarchs
in parliament. He did not take any steps when Samvel Alexanyan
subverted Pashinyan’s campaign in his “estate”. He did nothing when
the opposition candidate was assaulted in the constituency where
Ruben Hairapetyan was nominated.

As a result, nobody was left dissatisfied. Samvel Alexanyan won, so
did Ruben Hairapetyan whom he had instructed to deal with football,
Karen Karapetyan won in Tashir. All the Republican and Prosperous
Armenia oligarchs are in their places.

Serzh Sargsyan’s political strategy was effective. They created a
reformist image for the president who said the number of oligarchs
must be reduced, and politics must be based on civil demands, and a
few days before the election he visited Mashtots Park and instructed
to dismantle the boutiques.

In fact, the money Serzh Sargsyan paid his group of political
strategists was a good investment. Now they are dealing with the
preparation of the presidential election. What will they invent this
time? Although the mechanism has been worked out in detail, and there
is nothing to invent. Now they only need to grease it a bit to make
sure it does not squeak.

EXPERT RULES OUT PROSPEROUS ARMENIA’S JOINING OPPOSITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 10, 2012 – 14:07 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Prosperous Armenia will join the newly formed
coalition with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and
Orinats Yerkir party, a political analyst said.

“I don’t think Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan will join
the opposition. The party is simply stalling for time, trying to name
a “higher price”,” Karen Kocharyan said, commenting on Prosperous
Armenia’s opposition statements during the election campaign.

As the expert told a press conference, RPA, which enjoys parliamentary
majority, is in need of a coalition considering the future presidential
campaign.

Asked whether Prosperous Armenia’s joining the coalition will affect
RPA’s rating, the expert noted that the party never considered itself
radical opposition.

Dwelling on the possible commonality between the top numbers of
Prosperous Armenia’s candidates list Gagik Tsarukyan and former foreign
minister Vartan Oskanian, who constantly make contradictory statements,
Mr. Kocharyan said, “Robert Kocharian unites them.”