Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

FM says Armenia’s position on Turkey unchanged

April 26, 2013 – 21:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Events in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
victims are held throughout the world these days, Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian said.
`Dwelling on relations with Turkey, our position is based on the
principle envisaging normalization of ties without any preconditions.
We initiated talks with Turkey in 2008 based on this very principle.
>From the very start, the process and our stance received the
international community’s support. However, Ankara refused to ratify
the protocols. Today, the international community, many countries say
the ball is in the Turkey’s field, stressing the need for Ankara to
keep its promise,’ Minister Nalbandian said in interview with
ITAR-TASS news agency.

`Russia is home to the largest Armenian community in the world – 2.5
mln people that are a human link between the two countries,’ he said.

From: Baghdasarian

Diplomatic representations of Armenian and Czech Republics signed
memorandum on mutual understanding

18:08, 26 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS: Director of Diplomatic School of
Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vahe Gabrielyan, who is currently
in Prague with a working visit, and Director of Diplomatic Academy of
the Foreign Ministry of Czech Republic VÄ?ra JeÅ’ábková have signed a
memorandum of mutual understanding on cooperation between the two
diplomatic educational institutions. The memorandum was signed in
Czech Foreign Ministry.

As Armenpress has been informed from press, informational and public
relations department of Armenian Foreign Ministry, the document gives
opportunity of mutual visits and experience exchange between the
teachers, specialists and students. Concrete cooperation programs were
formed after the signing ceremony. Armenian Ambassador to Czech
Republic Tigran Seyranyan also participated in the meeting.

From: Baghdasarian

Congressman Brad Sherman questions US Secretary of State John Kerry
about Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azerbaijani relations

ARMINFO
Friday, April 26, 18:08

Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) questioned US Secretary of State John
Kerry at a full House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, Hay Dat
Office in Washington reported. The congressman voiced questions
related the case of the Azerbaijani murderer Ramil Safarov who killed
an Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan with an axe at the NATO foreign
language courses in Hungary on Feb 19 2004. Safarov was pardoned and
glorified by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Sherman,
particularly, asked what steps the Department of State takes to
influence Azerbaijan to revise its decision and jail Safarov.

The congressman asked if the Administration of the US President is
going to the condition military aid to Azerbaijan with change of the
aggressive rhetoric of Baku. Congressman Sherman spotlighted the
regular threats by Azerbaijan to hit the civil planes that will fly
from the Stepanakert airport. How Azerbaijan will be punished if it
hits those civil planes, Sherman asked. The next question was about
the Armenian-Turkish relations and the protocols signed in 2009 to
stop isolation of Armenia and establish economic and diplomatic
relations between Armenia and Turkey. Sherman asked if Turkey has
taken any serious steps to ratify those protocols. He asked what
measures the Department has taken to make Turkey stop isolation of
Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

Time has come in Armenia to rule with protest-leading groups –
opposition activist

April 26, 2013 | 14:45

YEREVAN. – Armenia is literally occupied, Karabakh war veteran,
Armenia’s opposition Sardarapat movement coordinator Jirair Sefilian
noted during a press conference on Friday.

In his words, waging a battle within the system is naïveté, to put it
mildly.

`The fighting political class must acknowledge that its opponent is
not 26 Baghramyan [Avenue, where the Presidential Residence is
located]. It has become a puppet a long time ago in the hands of a
variety of superpowers. With the absence of such awareness, it will
not be possible to change power. Acknowledging all this, we were
calling upon the opposition forces to come out from this field of the
colonial system,’ Sefilian said.

In the opposition activist’s words, they we unable to convince
opposition Heritage Party Chairman, former FM Raffi Hovannisian – who
was declared runner-up to the winner, incumbent President Serzh
Sargsyan, as a result of the presidential election that was conducted
on February 18, but who claims to be the real winner in the vote – to
adopt a clear action plan to head together with groups that lead the
protest.

`Under the conditions of the unprecedented wave of public discontent,
it was possible to implement all these changes, but, sadly, we were
unable to convince Raffi Hovannisian, and [therefore] we need to begin
the fight with our methods,’ Sefilian said, and added that the time of
leaders has passed, and the time of leading groups has come.

From: Baghdasarian

RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan Meets the Participants of the
Pan-Armenian Youth Forum `The Armenian in My Heart’

25.04.2013

On April 25 the RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan had a meeting with
the participants of the Pan-Armenian Youth Forum `The Armenian in My
Heart’ which also attended the RA Minister of Diaspora.

Welcoming the visit of the Diaspora young boys and girls to the
National Assembly the Head of the Parliament noted that the
participation in the forum already witnesses of their national way of
thinking and psychology, endeavours for the benefit of the nation and
high consciousness of national identity. Observing the Forum `The
Armenian in My Heart’ as a logical continuation of `Ari Tun/Come Home’
Pan-Armenian programme, Hovik Abrahamyan greatly highlighted in the
preservation of Armenian identity the problem of language
preservation. He expressed confidence that such gatherings essentially
promote the strengthening of patriotic spirit, the introduction to
Armenia, its history and culture, implementation of programmes
benefiting for Armenians with joint forces. The NA President deemed
being in Armenia on April 24 symbolic and the participants together
with the youth of Armenia remembered the memory of 1,5 million
innocent Armenians killed in Ottoman Turkey. `This was another
evidence of the joint fighting, united steps and unreserved
realization of the united goal born from our national pain,’ Hovik
Abrahamyan noted.

The Head of the Parliament presented the structure and directions of
the National Assembly activity to the participants of the meeting,
touched upon the international cooperation of the legislative body,
Armenia’s inner and external problems, regional issues, including the
Armenian-Turkish relations and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. With
respect to the latter, Hovik Abrahamyan reiterated Armenia’s readiness
of solving the problem within the framework of the Minsk Group format
through peaceful negotiations based on three well-known principles.
`However, Azerbaijan with its bellicose posture leads the process into
deadlock, and because of its position, progress is not registered,’
the NA President said.

He also presented the activity of the Youth Parliament formed in the
NA, called on those present to develop active cooperation with the
European Parliament, as well as with other parliamentary structures.
Hovik Abrahamyan expressed hope that the Diaspora young people’s
relation with the Motherland would become closer, and they would not
only keep the Armenian in their heart, but they will also use it as a
language, as a weapon and ideology for the benefit of the
strengthening, multiplication of the Armenian people, for the sake of
its future in Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora.

The NA President also answered the numerous questions concerning the
participants of the meeting.

In the name of the attendees the RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush
Hakobyan thanked Hovik Abrahamyan for detailed and sincere talk. In
the NA Session Hall the participants of the meeting were taken photos
with the Head of the Parliament.

From: Baghdasarian

Vardan Bostanjyan does not campaign for Prosperous Armenia

5:16 26/04/2013 » POLITICS

Bostanjyan is a busy person and naturally cannot carry out
campaigning, and he does not need it, former Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP) MP, economist Vardan Bostanjyan told reporters on Friday when
asked if he urges his relatives and neighbors to vote for Vartan
Oskanian at municipal elections.

Asked if he is pleased with the work of Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan,
Bostanjyan said that he has `vulnerable’ taste and does not like many
things.

Mr Bostanjyan added that ARFD is the only political force in Armenia
which is based on ideology. Asked why then he joined PAP instead of
joining ARFD, Bostanjyan said, `Because I am closer to PAP.’

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

Union of Journalists President: There is no culture of debate in Armenia

14:38 26/04/2013 » POLITICS

Four years ago, it was rather difficult to work in a body which did
not have any traditions. We were facing difficulties, especially in
the initial period, but we quickly managed to find a way leading to a
Council of Elders meeting, President of the Union of Journalists of
Armenia Astghik Gevorgyan told reporters today when commenting on the
activities of the Council of Elders which was being formed four years
ago.

Referring to the pre-election situation, Mrs Gevorgyan praised the
civilized behavior of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) which does
not label anyone, while `some opposition forces are filled with
hatred.’

She added that regrettably, `there is no culture of debate’ in Armenia.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

HAK activists were assaulted by supporters of Aragatsotn governor

Friday,April 26

`Zhoghovurd’ paper writes, citing its sources that it was supporters
of Sargis Sahakian, the governor of Aragatsotn province, who assaulted
activists of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) on April
23.

`The governor had opened a campaign office for Taron Margarian in
Ajapniak administrative district of Yerevan. Not only Yerevan
residents, but also residents of Aragatsotn work in that office. The
governor told the newspaper that it was for the first time that he
heard about the assault on HAK activists. When asked if he has an
office in Ajapniak, he said `Yes, I do. And people from the province
work there’.

TODAY, 11:22
Aysor.am

From: Baghdasarian

Menendez: There is no other word for Armenian Genocide

13:33 26/04/2013 » COMMENTS

The Chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House
Foreign Affairs Committee – the two powerful Congressional panels with
oversight over U.S. foreign policy – joined with their colleagues on
the evening of April 24th on Capitol Hill in rallying bipartisan
support for a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide,
Asbarez reported, citing the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

In moving remarks, Chairman Menendez stressed that there should not be
any verbal equivocation when dealing with genocide: `So let’s be
perfectly clear, there is no other word for it; there is no euphemism;
there is no avoiding it; there are no excuses. As part of this
commemoration we must fully commit ourselves to acknowledging the
fundamental truth that what happened from 1915-1923 was by definition
a blatant act of genocide – an acknowledgement that must come from
Turkey, and it must come from our own government.’

Chairman Royce reviewed how Ottoman Turkish authorities made no
effort, at the time of the Genocide, to hide their intent to destroy
the Armenian people: `The events that we remember today, that
commenced 98 years ago is not only still today – shocking – the
genocide, or as Hitler said the annihilation. [. . .] An attempt to
annihilate an entire race, in which the American Ambassador Henry
Morgenthau was present at the time – an observer – and said that these
deportations were an attempt to annihilate a race and that those who
gave the orders understood it. And that far from trying to conceal it,
they shared with him, what indeed would be the outcome.’

The Armenian Genocide remembrance, held before a standing-room-only
crowd in the Hart Senate Office Building, was hosted by the
Congressional Armenian Caucus, with prominent attorney and Capitol
Hill veteran Sarig Armenian serving as Master of Ceremonies. In
addition to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez
(D-NJ) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA),
others offering remarks and participating in the remembrance were:
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); Joe Crowley (D-NY), the
Vice-Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus; Eliot Engel (D-NY), the
Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressional
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Michael Grimm (R-NY) and Frank Pallone
(D-NJ), and Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA), David Cicilline
(D-RI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ),
Janice Hahn (D-CA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John
Sarbanes (D-MD), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jackie
Speier (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Niki
Tsongas (D-MA). Legislators, including Senators Jack Reid (D-RI) and
Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Representative Linda Sanchez extended support for
the program and widely publicized the event using social media.

`Armenian Americans from across the nation came together today to
deliver a powerful message to Congress about our community’s enduring
commitment to a truthful, just, and comprehensive resolution of the
Armenian Genocide,’ said Aram Hamparian, ANCA Executive Director. `We
thank all those from our community and among our coalition partners
who joined us on Capitol Hill. And, of course, we want to express our
appreciation to all the legislators, Republican and Democratic, who
are working to promote our nation’s values and advance our regional
security interests by ending Turkey’s denial of truth and obstruction
of justice for this crime against all humanity.’

In the weeks leading up to April 24th, the ANCA formally invited
scores of senior Administration officials, including Secretary of
State John Kerry, to attend the April 24th Capitol Hill Armenian
Genocide remembrance. On the morning of the observance, after weeks of
consideration, the State Department informed the ANCA that, as a
matter of policy, the Obama Administration had decided not to
participate in the event, or even to arrange for a single official to
be present at the Congressional program. The State Department remains
set, however, over ANCA’s objections, to send U.S. Ambassador to
Turkey Francis Ricciardone to speak at an April 26th Washington, DC
conference of the ATAA, a group devoted, in large part, to the denial
of the Armenian Genocide.

As in years past, the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues –
co-chaired by Representatives Grimm and Pallone – was joined by
Armenian American organizations, the Embassy of the Republic of
Armenia, and the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in hosting
the event. In addition to remarks by legislators, powerful speeches of
solidarity with the global movement for a just resolution of the
Armenian Genocide were offered by Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S.,
Tatoul Markarian, and Republic of Nagorno Karabakh Representative
Robert Avetisyan.

The program’s opening prayer was offered by Archbishop Vicken
Aykazian, the Legate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America, and the benediction was given by Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan,
Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern U.S., who,
once again this year, also opened the April 24th session of the U.S.
House with a prayer broadcast nationwide on C-SPAN. As has become a
tradition in recent years, the reach of the program was multiplied by
social media, with Senators and citizens alike posting photos,
tweeting impressions, and emailing updates throughout the event.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

Ongoing Emigration: Why Migration Service Doesn’t Release Data

The Armenian Time Daily reports the State Migration Service of Armenia
has not released statistics on the departures and arrivals in the
first semester 2013. Usually, data is published in the following month
of the given period. Gagik Yeganyan, head of State Migration Service,
told the Armenian Time that the reason is that the State Statistics
Service does not issue the data. The newspaper concludes that
statistics would show how many people will leave Armenia forever, so
most probably the data is not released until some numbers are
`corrected’ or they are just marking time till the end of the mayoral
elections. The difference between arrivals and departures in the first
two months of this year is 1.5 in favor of departures, which means at
least 70,000 will leave Armenia this year, and the total number for
the past five years will be 330,000.

10:45 26/04/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

From: Baghdasarian