Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

FATHER MANUK ZEYNALYAN: CONTINUING DEMOLITION OF AKHALTSIKHE ST.THEOPHANY CHURCH GOES UNPUNISHED

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 21, 2010 – 20:00 AMT 15:00 GMT

On April 21, young people residing in Akhaltsikhe shocked us with
news of demolition of Akhaltsikhe St. Theophany (Surb Yerevman)
Armenian church, pastor of Akhaltsikhe and Borjomi Armenians, Father
Manuk Zeynalyan told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Father Manuk addressed Akhaltsikhe Municipality, yet wasn’t given a
satisfactory reply. "Georgian Culture Ministry was named responsible.

Demolition of St. Theophany church continues, with perpetrators going
unpunished," he stressed.
From: Baghdasarian

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO DISCUSS RESOLVING OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IN FULL STAFF IN MOSCOW

Trend
April 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in a full staff will discuss
resolving of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on
Thursday, Russia’s new co-chairman Igor Popov told media.

He said that afterwards, we will speak about the results of recent
negotiations between the parties.

Russian and U.S co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Igor Popov and
Robert Bradtke held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku today. Former co-chair Yuri
Merzlyakov introduced Popov to the Azerbaijani side at the meeting.

It is expected that French co-chairman Bernard Fassier will join his
colleagues in Moscow on Thursday.

Co-Chairs noted that negotiations took place in Baku positively and
constructively. "As always, I saw the desire of Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev for a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. We also attach great importance to the peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton and President Barack Obama ", Bradtke said.

Bradtke said that there are some points in update Madrid principles
on which the parties must reach an agreement. The co-chairs will
continue to work on it.

Popov said that he will try to maintain continuity and justify the
confidence in his new office. "With the change of the co-chairman
Russia’s position on resolving the conflict will not change, because
the president determines Russia’s position but not the co-chairman,"
he said. Popov also said that he will visit Armenia soon.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s resolutions
on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied
territories.
From: Baghdasarian

DEMANDING THEIR DEPOSITS

A1Plus.am
22/04/10

Many people were gathered in front of the government building on
government session day with different problems.

The depositors of "Armenia" Bank, which declared bankruptcy in 1994,
want their money returned. According to them, the amount doesn’t even
make up the cost of one car.

Depositor Tamara Tovmasyan says she is constantly tricked and left
without money. "I talked to head of the Central Bank Artur Javadyan
and he promised to solve the issue. But there is no change."

There used to be 300 depositors, but now there are only 40-50
depositors left. According to the participants of the action, some
had signed contracts and received half of their money.

Varduhi Poghosyan, 76, had deposited 1,346 dollars and hasn’t received
the percentages in the past 16 years.

"I can’t live like this anymore. I’m going to go out on a hunger
strike," says Varduhi Poghosyan.

With photos of their sons, the parents of soldiers who died in peaceful
conditions were standing in front of the government building along
with the residents of the sale zone.

The parents demand that the government punish the real culprits,
while the residents of the sale zone demand adequate compensation
for their homes.
From: Baghdasarian

ALI HASANOV SAYS AZERBAIJAN SUPPORTS TURKEY IN STRUGGLE AGAINST SO-CALLED "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"

APA
April 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. "How it can be differently to support
Turkey in its struggle against the so-called "Armenian genocide"? The
president called to Turkish president on the same day and said
Azerbaijan was always together with Turkey in this issue.

The decision made by the US Congress Subcommittee was against
Azerbaijan too", said chief of the public policy department of the
Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov speaking about
the campaign started recently and which says that Azerbaijan doesn’t
give enough support to Turkey in struggling so-called "Armenian
genocide".

Hasanov said officials of the Presidential Administration and Ministry
of Foreign Affairs have also made series of statements about that.

"There was special address by the Azerbaijani parliament that if
the processes develop so, the parliament will cut relations with the
US Congress. Our Diaspora organizations over the world sent letters
to the congress. How it can be to support differently? Azerbaijani
government and people are together with Turkey and main issue is that".
From: Baghdasarian

Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands (FAON)
Address: Weesperstraat 91
2574 VS The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31704490209
Website:
and
Hay Tad Netherlands
The Hague, The Netherlands
Website:

Contact: M. Hakhverdian and M. Arseenian
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Tel. +31624272574 or +31652501463

PRESS RELEASE

Wide support at rally and demonstration for Turkish recognition of Armenian
Genocide and for a Memorial in The Hague

The Hague, 20 April 2010 – Armenians from all over the Netherlands came to
The Hague today for participating in a rally and demonstration organised by
the Joint Armenian Organisations of The Netherlands to mark the 95th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. A wide range of members of Dutch
parliament joined the rally and gave their support by expressing protest
against the policy of denial by the Turkish government. The organisations,
namely the 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in
The Netherlands (FAON) and Hay Tad Netherlands, also welcomed declarations
of support by the Dutch politicians to the idea of erecting a Genocide
memorial in The Hague, the city of international law.

The rally took place amid a great public and press interest in Het Plein
Square in The Hague, in front of the Dutch Parliament. Successively Mr.
Harry van Bommel of Socialist Party (SP), Mr. Kees van der Staaij of
Reformed Party SGP, Mrs. Kathleen Ferrier of Christian Democrat Appeal
(CDA), Mr. Joël Voordewind of Christian Union (CU) and Mr. Hans ten Broeke
of Liberal Party (VVD) addressed the rally and made very clear that Turkey¹s
Armenian Genocide denial is unacceptable. Ronny Naftaniel, director of
Centre for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI), gave full support to
the Armenians and condemned Turkish official position on the Armenian
Genocide.

The organisations¹ starting shot for a Genocide memorial in The Hague was
explicitly welcomed by him as well as by Mr. J. Voordewind, Mr. H. ten
Broeke and Mr. K. Van der Staaij. Speeches also were delivered by leaders of
24 April Committee and Hay Tad. Duduk music and Armenian songs were also
performed on the stage.

A delegation of Armenian organisations then submitted a petition to Mr. Henk
Jan Ormel (CDA) Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in
Dutch Parliament at the presence of all members of the Committee in the
Dutch Parliament. The petition request includes:
* Increased alertness and action on the Turkish Genocide denial in line with
motion of Mr. Rouvoet from 2004 and sharp condemnation of this attitude at
every opportunity;
* More and overt support to those in Turkey and elsewhere who promote an
open discussion on the Armenian Genocide;
* To promote the effective prosecution of the Armenian Genocide denial in
the Netherlands, which is punishable as Minister Hirsch Ballin stated;
* To support or to cooperate for erection of a Genocide memorial in The
Hague, city of international law.

In an atmosphere of unanimity the participants of the demonstration marched
to the Turkish Embassy.

The 95th anniversary of Armenian Genocide will be marked in the Netherlands
by wreath laying and commemorative ceremonies in Assen and Almelo on 24
April 2010.
From: Baghdasarian

JETS D’OEUFS CD’AFFAIRES TURCSONTRE DES HOMMES
Jean Eckian

armenews
20 avril 2010
Beyrouth

Environ 200 Armeniens ont organise une manifestation contre la
conference turco-economique libanaise a Beyrouth. Les manifestants ont
jete des ~ufs sur des hommes d’affaires turcs a la sortie de l’hôtel
a Beyrouth pour protester contre leur participation a cette conference.

Dans leurs mains, ils portaient des drapeaux et des banderoles "Le
commerce est cher, mais la justice n’a pas de prix."

Ils ont egalement lance des ~ufs sur les voitures et les entrepreneurs
pour attirer leur attention. Les participants de la manifestation
ont ete disperses par la police locale.

La communaute armenienne du Liban se compose de 150 000 personnes,
soit 4% de la population totale.
From: Baghdasarian

BIZ MYASSINE/ NOUS ENSEMBLE : HOMMAGE UNITAIRE AUX VICTIMES ARMENIENNES DE 1915
Jean Eckian

armenews
20 avril 2010
PARIS

Pour la quatrième annee consecutive, l’association Biz Myassine/ Nous
ensemble , creee a l’initiative de Michel Atalay et de Denis Donikian,
a reuni une quarantaine de personnes, Francais d’origines turque
et armenienne, et sympathisants, pour une commemoration unitaire du
genocide armenien de 1915, au pied de la statue de Gomidas a Paris,
le 18 avril dernier.

Outre les fidèles aussi bien armeniens que turcs, etaient presents
cette annee des representants de la communaute juive, des membres de
l’association Turquie Europeenne, un elu Vert de Sarcelles.

Devant les personnes reunies se tenant par la main, Sevinc Atalay a
rappele au cours d’une rapide declaration le cadre de cette ceremonie :
se recueillir, chacun avec sa conscience, et en toute serenite, a la
memoire des 1 500 000 victimes armeniennes du genocide de 1915. Elle
a egalement souligne, selon la pensee de Hrant Dink, la necessite
d’apprendre a se mettre a la place de l’autre et ainsi de permettre
aux Armeniens qu’ils tendent la main aux Turcs de bonne volonte,
et aux Turcs de reconnaître la douleur armenienne dans toutes ses
implications. Puis les participants etaient invites a detourer
l’une de leurs mains sur un carton, en y ajoutant un mot. En voici
quelques-uns : Nous devons perseverer dans notre demarche ; Paix aux
hommes de bonne volonte ; Un jour l’impossible sera ; J’encourage
ce mouvement qu’il aboutisse rapidement ; Paix et vivre ensemble ;
Que d’espoir ; Se parler ENFIN…
From: Baghdasarian

BERMAN TAKES ON TURKISH CAUCUS
Kevin Bogardus

The Hill
n-takes-on-turkish-caucus
April 19 2010
DC

A controversial genocide resolution has led to some heated words
between House members.

In an April 13 letter, Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), chairman of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized lawmakers who opposed a
resolution that would recognize the killing of 1.5 million Armenians
by Ottoman Turks during World War I as genocide. Berman, a long-time
backer of the measure, called some of the arguments being made against
the resolution as "morally-blind."

"I disagree with many points in the letter, but I take particularly
strong exception to the use of the phrase ‘so-called ‘Armenian
Genocide Resolution," which casts doubt on the historicity of
the Armenian Genocide. In doing so, it flies in the face of the
overwhelming weight of unimpeachable historical evidence and the
virtually unanimous opinion of genocide scholars," Berman writes in
his Dear Colleague letter.

The California Democrat was referring to another Dear Colleague letter,
this one dated March 29 and signed by Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.),
Kay Granger (R-Texas) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), the three co-chairs of
the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations. In their letter,
the three lawmakers asked their peers to call on Speaker Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.) to not let the resolution come up for a floor vote.

A spokeswoman for one of the members said it seemed as if Berman
misread their letter.

"The chairman’s entire letter seems to emanate from a misreading of
the words he referenced. The words ‘so called’ modify or refer to
‘Resolution’ — not to ‘Armenian Genocide’ — hence, the ‘so called
Resolution’ or the ‘so called Armenian Genocide Resolution,’" said
Whitfield spokeswoman Kristin Walker.

Walker also said the letter has not been released to Pelosi yet and
has more than 20 lawmakers signing onto it so far.

In their letter, the three members argue the resolution will cause
"irrevocable harm" to U.S. foreign policy as well as "derail" the
normalization process between Turkey and Armenia, which has been
helped along by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, if it is
voted on by the full House. They also believe the measure could hurt
the U.S. economy, considering the more than $10 billion shipped to
Turkey in U.S. exports each year.

In his response, Berman takes issue with all of the Turkish Caucus
leaders’ points, saying that Turkey would not give up seeing U.S.

intelligence on anti-Turkey militants in Iraq or forgo U.S. investment
because of the measure. He also believes the normalization process
between Armenia and Turkey has stalled not because of the U.S.

resolution but because disagreements both sides have had on the
deal instead.

On March 4, Berman’s panel approved the resolution on a tight vote of
23-22 in its favor. Armenian-American groups pushed for the measure
while Turkey heavily lobbied against the resolution, recalling their
ambassador in protest hours after the committee vote.

The fervor has since tempered. While remaining relatively quiet about
the measure at first, the Obama administration made a more forceful
case against it after the panel vote. Turkey’s ambassador has since
returned to the United States.

It is unclear whether the resolution will get a House floor vote before
the genocide’s anniversary of April 24, which Armenian-American groups
would like to see — or even at all this year. It has gained some new
supporters since the panel vote and now has 140 co-sponsors but Pelosi
has not said when the measure will be considered by the full House.

Messages asking a Pelosi spokesman when a vote would take place were
not returned before press time.
From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY ALL IN A FLUSTER YET AZERIS DON’T CARE

Hurriyet
April 14 2010
Turkey

WASHINGTON – On one side, I felt sentimental toward the Turkish
delegation in Washington, yet was offended on the other.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is preoccupied with meetings so
is Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Both have plenty of contacts.

The reason is to stop U.S. President Barack Obama from uttering the
word "genocide" during his expected speech on April 24 and convince
the U.S. administration to say "Meds Yeghern" (Great Catastrophe)
as they did last year, which is almost a synonym for Armenians.

We keep experiencing this infamy every year.

Turkish-American relations get tense every year as battle of words
turns into blackmails. And each year we exert tremendous efforts to
stop the approval of a "genocide" bill in the U.S. Congress.

The word "genocide" put Turkey through the wringer as Turkish
authorities get exhausted to save the country from a nightmare.

For the first time, a mechanism to break this cycle and freeze the
genocide issue at least for a while has been found. The protocols
Turkey and Armenia signed are of historic importance.

As officials pushed the button an unexpected reaction came from the
Azeri capital Baku.

I wouldn’t want to discuss here if it was because Turkey was informed
late or Azeris first undermined the developments but then got sober
at a later time.

After a series of incidents such as lowering the Turkish flag at
the Turkish cemetery, fiercest remarks targeting Ankara, Erdogan had
to step back and tied the protocols to the solution of the Karabakh
conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Yet Armenians and Americans outraged blaming Turkey to create a new
pre-condition.

But Ankara was trying to show Baku that they were not alone; that’s
all. Instead of ridding of the biggest trouble they had, Ankara was
pushing forward the Karabakh issue.

If Turkey had considered self interests only, it could’ve acted very
differently. Turkey could’ve considered that Azerbaijan needs Turkey
more than Turkey needs it. So, Turkey could’ve forced Azerbaijan.

But it didn’t.

Erdogan paid a visit to the Azeri President Ä°lham Aliyev in Baku
and reconciled with him.

All right, but what are our Azeri brothers doing in return?

Azeris are simply watching and gibing

Amid the on-going struggle, our Azeri brothers are just watching us
from a distance.

Let me ask you this: Has Azerbaijan taken sides with Turkey, even for
a single day, in the genocide question? Have they supported Turkish
lobbying in the U.S. Congress? For instance, which PR firm they had
a deal to join a Turkish campaign in the subject matter?

I don’t remember any.

If there is even a single effort please let me know, please surprise
me.

Baku has always acted like a mere spectator.

Azeris think Turkey needs them. Although Azeri officials do not
openly utter in exact words they imply, "We are rich and you have to
do whatever we ask you to do." Such arrogance! That beats me up!

Their general attitude is like "We have brought Turkey to heel."

I am not resentful in general and never lost myself in the dark
corridors of nationalism.

But as I watch what is happening in Washington, I have noticed
such bias.

Let’s not forget relations or official contacts among leaders are not
everything. The minute you spoil or force love and respect between
nations, it becomes impossible to mend a broken heart no matter how
leaders act.

I believe that Turkey cannot ignore Azerbaijan. And that has nothing to
do with less expensive oil or natural gas sales. Turkey feels sorry in
case of a break-up in bilateral relations. But Azerbaijan loses a lot.

>>From now on, Azerbaijan should pay utmost attention to bilateral
relations.

Azeri officials should pause before they speak and be aware of what
they say. They should stop issuing relentless statements.

They should be fair to Turkey.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA ‘RENEGES’ ON PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS

news.az
April 16 2010
Azerbaijan

Ziyafet Asgarov The first vice-speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament
has commented on the US attitude to the Karabakh problem.

‘We demand the just approach of the OSCE Minsk Group and objective
assessment of issues related to the settlement of the Karabakh
problem’, first vice-speaker of Milli Majlis Ziyafet Asgarov told
reporters Friday

‘First, the relations between Baku and Washington have not spoiled.

It’s just that we have certain expectations from the United States
both as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and a strategic partner.

If the United States considers Azerbaijan to be its strategic partner
and ally, we encourage them to take a fair position in the Karabakh
issue’, said Asgarov.

According to him, today Armenia has reneged on previous agreements.

‘The support provided to Armenia by the United States and other
countries of the OSCE Minsk Group led to the fact that Armenia has
taken an unconstructive position and organizes a political demarche’,
he said.

‘This is inadmissible for Azerbaijan. We demand from the OSCE to
show an equitable approach to the Karabakh conflict and to give up
pressure on Turkey in this matter’, he said.
From: Baghdasarian