Author: Boshkezenian Garik

MEDVEDEV AND SARKISYAN DISCUSS NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM

APA
April 20 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku-APA. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev began a meeting with
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan. Dmitry Medvedev told about
periodically meetings of heads of states and proposed to discuss
bilateral cooperation issues and international problems. APA reports
quoting Vz.ru web-page.

"Such systematic works that we are doing is very important for building
trust and understanding between our countries, as well as the spirit
of strategic partnership", – Medvedev noted.

In turn, Sarkisyan proposed to discuss the question of Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO GREECE MET WITH SPEAKER OF THAT COUNTRY’S PARLIAMENT PH. PETSALNIKOS

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 19, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS: A meeting was held on April 15 in
the Greek parliament between speaker of the parliament Philippos
Petsalnikos and Armenian Ambassador to Greece Gagik Ghalanchyan.

Armenian Foreign Ministry press service told Armenpress that the
parties discussed issues concerning the further consolidation of
the Armenian-Greek cooperation. It was noted that a history of many
centuries dating back to the ancient times up to our days links the
Armenian and Greek people, and that the two friend countries today
have an opportunity of deepening the already established efficient
cooperation in economic, commerce, cultural ties, and of activating
the contacts of Armenian and Greek societies.

The parties attached importance to strengthening of the
inter-parliamentary ties and cooperation, for which good prerequisites
have been established by setting up a group of Armenian-Greek
friendship in the Greek parliament lately. The visit of the Armenian
National Assembly Speaker will surely contribute to moving that
cooperation to a practical stage, which is intended in the second
half of the running year.

The interlocutors also referred to the current stage of the regulation
process of Armenian-Turkish relations.

Expressing gratitude to the speaker of the Greek parliament for warm
reception and readiness of expanding the bilateral cooperation, the
Armenian ambassador noted at the end of the meeting with deep gratitude
that 14 years ago inside the walls of the Greek parliament – in these
April days, the resolution on recognition of the Armenian Genocide by
Turkey and on defining a commemoration day was unanimously adopted,
and that this year, too, the Armenians and Greek will jointly take
part in inspiration and commemoration events organized on the occasion
of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

http://kcet. org/schedule/index.php?day=3D24&month=3D4& year=3D2010&vAction=3Dall&channel=3D

PRE SS RELEASE
KCET Los Angeles
CONTACT:
Diana Barraza, KCET (323) 953-5707; [email protected]
Cathy Williams, KCET (323) 953-5243; [email protected]

KCET AIRS `ARMENIAN EXILE’ AND `MY SON SHALL BE ARMENIAN’ AS
PART OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL DAY ON APRIL 24

Los Angeles, CA – March 30, 2010 – KCET, public media for Southern
and Central California, presents a special live night of programming
featuring back-to-back documentaries by filmmaker Hagop Goudsouzian in
observance of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day on Saturday, April 24.
Goudsouzian, a Canadian filmmaker, and Larry Zarian, Vice Chair of the
California State Transportation Commission and former mayor of Glendale,
host the evening, which begins with Armenian Exile at 7:00 p.m.,
followed by My Son Shall Be Armenian at 8:30 p.m.

In Armenian Exile, Goudsouzian paints a self-portrait in which he
pursues a greater understanding of his cultural roots.

In 1988, Nagorno-Karabakh’s war for independence was in the headlines
worldwide. Halfway across the world in Canada, Goudsouzian’s peaceful
world was suddenly shaken: `I had forgotten I was Armenian, until I
saw the courage of these people who had never forgotten who they were
and knew what they had to do.’

Then, again in 1991, the independence of Armenia triggered a new
beginning for Goudsouzian. At this point, he embarked on what he
considers his most important adventure – to touch this mythical land
in search of his roots.

In Armenian Exile, Goudsouzian travels to Armenia for the first time, in
search of the ultimate connection with his forgotten and sometimes
ignored identity. Seeking clarity of both history and self,
Goudsouzian’s reflection on Armenian identity is also at the heart of
his next installment, My Son Shall Be Armenian.

My Son Shall Be Armenian follows Goudsouzian and five Montreal men and
women of Armenian descent to Armenia in search of survivors of the 1915
Armenian Genocide. Through interviews with elders and the touching
accounts of his fellow travelers, Goudsouzian crafts a dignified and
poignant film on the need to make peace with the past in order to turn
toward the future. This documentary is broadcast in French with English
subtitles.

Encore broadcasts of Armenian Exile and My Son Shall Be Armenian will
air on Sunday, April 25 at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively.

ARMENIANS OF SWEDEN CALL TO LIGHT CANDLE IN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 19, 2010 – 15:56 AMT 10:56 GMT

The Armenian community of Sweden has initiated Light the Night
campaign. Head of the Armenian Association of Sweden Vahagn Avedian
said that the community encourages to "Light the Night" by lighting
a candle through the night of April 23rd and into the morning of the
24th, in remembrance of 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.

"Through lighting a candle in the window, we will show that the
victims’ memory will live forever and that we pursue justice and
peace," Avedyan stated.

ISRAEL BANS ARMS EXPORTS TO TURKEY: CAN FRAYING RELATIONS BE MENDED

Daily Mail Post

April 19 2010

Turkey recognized Israel in the aftermath of the decline and breakup
of the Ottoman Empire when 500,000 Arab soldiers under the guidance
Lawrence of Arabia defected and Arab provinces revolted against the
Ottoman Sultanate.

Many think that Mustafa Kamal Pasha brought secularism to Turkey. It
is pedagogical to note that the secularists were, in practical terms
running the country and had been crowning and replacing sultans
starting with Mehmet V as puppets of the secular regime.

After eliminating Abdul Hamid they were extremely powerful. At his
funeral even his adversaries wept. Otto von Bismarck had once remarked
that "90% of intelligence is in the head of Sultan Abdul Hamid, 5% in
my head, and the remaining five in all the heads of the politicians."

A miscalculating alliance with Germany (Autro-Hungarian EMpire)led to
the collapse of not only the Empire, but also of the centuries-old
alliance between Turkish and Arab societies, mainly as a result
of British incitement of Arab nationalism. The last Ottoman caliph
Abdul Majid II had been offered a grand sum of money if he allowed
the creation of a Jewish state in the heart of the Middle East. The
Turks refused.

After the demise of the Ottoman empire, the secularists recognized
Isreal and maintained relations with it.

Eight years ago the religious AK Party was elected to power in over
Ankara, and things began to change. The Turks turned down $38 billion
from America and refused them overflight rights so that the US could
attack Iraq.

Since 2002 Turkey has been moving away from Tel Aviv and has been
critical of its policies.

At the European Economic Summit in Davos, the Turkey’s prime minister
stormed off the stage after a heated debate on Gaza with Israel’s
president. Recep Tayyip Erdogan clashed with Shimon Peres, whose
voice had risen as he made an impassioned defence of Israel’s actions,
jabbing his finger.Mr Erdogan said Mr Peres had spoken so loudly to
conceal his "guilt".

Recently the US Congress passed a resolution criticizing Ottoman
policies against the Armenians. This chagrined the Turks to no end.

Now the Israelis have imposed sanctions on Turkey.

In January of this year the Turkish Foreign Minister surely set the
stage for things to come

Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has made his strongest
criticism yet of Israel and its policies. After talks with his British
counterpart David Miliband at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in
London, the two ministers held a joint press conference during which
Mr Davutoglu answered questions about his country’s lukewarm relations
with Israel. Asked whether Turkey’s criticism of Israel was attributed
to a policy of "Islamisation", Mr. Davutoglu denied the existence of
any such policy and said that Turkey had worked actively for regional
peace; indeed, until 2008 Turkey had had very good relations with
Israel, even to the point of bringing it to the same table with Syria.

The war in Gaza a year ago changed this, said Mr. Davutoglu. "By
attacking Palestinians in Gaza, Israel ruined our peace efforts and we
cannot tolerate this. Attacking children and women is unacceptable,"
he added.

Davutoglu emphasised that his country’s relations would not be
normalised as long as Israel is occupying and attacking Palestine. "If
Israel ends its occupation and unacceptable treatment of Palestinians,
then we will be ready the next day for normalised and good relations,"
he said. "Turkey’s foreign policy is based on equality both with its
neighbouring countries and others. A Jewish kid is not superior to a
Palestinian kid. Both should be treated as equal. This is our vision
for the region."

The Israeli reaction to Turkey is hardly unexpected.

â-¦Israel imposes partial arms embargo on Turkey â-¦"Ties with Turkey
will never be the way they once were" â-¦Diplomatic relations between
the two countries declined in the aftermath of Israel’s 2008-09
conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip â-¦More disharmony followed
Turkey’s decision to forbid Israel Air Force strike aircraft to be
deployed in Turkey Israel will temporarily freeze sales of advanced
military platforms to Turkey over concerns about the perceived
mounting anti-Israel rhetoric from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
reported UK-based Jane’s Defence Weekly.

According to a story Jane’s published on April 16, Israel’s defense
assistance and export organization, SIBAT, has decided to evaluate
Turkish requests on a case-by-case basis; one case under review is a
Turkish request for Israeli-made electronic warfare systems. Turkey has
also expressed interest in Rafael’s Spike non-line-of-sight (NLOS)
anti-tank guided weapon as well as Israel Aerospace Industries’
(IAI’s) Barak 8 theatre-defense missile system for its navy and the
Namer heavy infantry fighting vehicle.

"Ties with Turkey will never be the way they once were," a defense
source told Jane’s on April 14. "We are being very careful which
systems we sell them due to the growing Islamic trends in the country."

Diplomatic relations between the two countries declined in the
aftermath of Israel’s 2008-09 conflict with Hamas in the Gaza
Strip because Turkey was among the harshest critics of the Israeli
offensive. They deteriorated further with the delay in deliveries by
IAI of six Heron unmanned aerial vehicles and still further with the
decision to cancel the October 2009 Anatolian Eagle exercises.

More disharmony followed Turkey’s decision to forbid Israel Air
Force strike aircraft to be deployed in Turkey, where they have held
numerous joint exercises in recent years. Israel has instead turned
to Europe for training, aiming to bolster a 2006 agreement to allow
strike aircraft to be deployed in Romania, reported Jane’s quoting
its Tel Aviv correspondent.

According to Jane’s, Israel and Turkey have, however, maintained
a cautious business relationship, jointly discussing with Colombia
the sale of upgraded M60 main battle tanks (MBTs). Israel Military
Industries (IMI) and Turkey’s Aselsan on April 7 handed over the last
of 170 upgraded General Dynamics M60A1 MBTs to the Turkish military
at a ceremony attended by a top Colombian general, said Jane’s.

Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönul was not available to answer
Today’s Zaman’s questions on the issue. 19 April 2010, Monday,
TODAY’S ZAMAN ANKARA

Turkey has been rebuffed by the Jewish President of France Mr.

Sarkozy. France has pretty much told the Turks that it should stop
dreaming about joining the European Union.

Turkey has since then been looking East towards its former provinces
in Central Asia and towards Pakistan. Relations have been very warm
and Turkish Pakistani relations have been instrumental in bringing
about a consensus on Afghanistan.

The latest Isreali-Turkish tiff has huge repercussions on the entire
area. The Turkish Army has been the harbinger of Turkish secularism
and its relations with Israel. Will it intervene? Can Turkey and
Isreal mend their relations?

GALUST SAHAKYAN: TURKEY LOOKING FOR PRETEXT TO OPEN BORDER WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 15, 2010 – 15:21 AMT 10:21 GMT

Head of the Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary group said
that currently the process of the Karabakh conflict settlement
goes on calmly enough, while Azerbaijan uses warlike statements and
speculations as a method of work.

At the same time, Mr. Galust Sahakyan emphasized that the clamor
raised by the Azerbaijani leadership is meant for the Azeri public.

Referring to the Armenian-Turkish normalization, he noted that
after the Armenian President’s visit to Washington the international
community will make new conclusions in Armenia’s favor.

"There is certain progress, since the Azerbaijani President admitted
that the Armenian-Turkish process refers to Armenia and Turkey only,"
he said, adding that in his opinion the Armenian-Turkish border
will open.

As for the initiative of Mevlut Cavusoglu on resumption of the activity
of PACE subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh, Mr. Sahakyan assessed it
as a naive coquetry, which doesn’t need any reaction.

"Naturally, Turkey is still trying to poke its nose into the Karabakh
conflict. Meanwhile, statements that the border will be opened only
if Armenia returns Aghdam and Fizuli to Azerbaijan clearly indicate
that the Ankara needs a pretext to open the border," the Armenian PM
noted, adding that Armenia will never make concessions in Karabakh
process for the sake of opening of the Armenian-Turkish border.

ABD FORECASTS 2% ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 14, 2010 – 17:20 AMT 12:20 GMT

Developing Asia’s strong recovery from the effects of the global
economic crisis is expected to continue through the next two years,
the Asian Development Bank (ADB) says in a new major report.

ADB’s annual flagship economic publication, Asian Development Outlook
2010 (ADO 2010), released today, forecasts robust growth of 7.5% in
2010, well up from 5.2% in 2009, supported by a modest recovery in
global trade and the ongoing effects of fiscal and monetary stimulus.

Growth should moderate slightly to 7.3% in 2011 as effects of those
expansionary policies dissipate.

"Developing Asia’s recovery has taken firm hold and a return to
stronger and sustainable growth is now in sight if the region can
meet the challenge of strengthening domestic demand," says ADB Chief
Economist Jong-Wha Lee.

Prospects improved after better-than-expected growth in the second
half of 2009, helped in particular by strong performances in the
People’s Republic of China (PRC) and India. The stimulus measures
of last year will continue to fuel investment in the region, while
private consumption is likely to increase as income prospects pick
up and unemployment declines.

As the recovery lifts domestic demand, it is also likely to boost
consumer price inflation to about 4% in each of the next two years.

The overall current account surplus is predicted to decline further
this year and next as external demand only slowly picks up and domestic
demand strengthens.

But as the recovery proceeds, says the report, the region faces
several risks, including a slower global recovery, with the outlook
for the industrialized economies still somewhat uncertain. There is
concern that as stimulus measures are unwound, particularly in the
major economies, the strength of private demand is not healthy enough
to take over.

Other potentially unsettling issues to watch out for include a sharp
increase in international commodity prices, deteriorating fiscal
positions, and the persistence of global imbalances. Developing Asia
faces the additional concern that its early and relatively strong
recovery and higher interest rates are already attracting potentially
volatile capital flows, complicating macroeconomic management. Rising
food prices, which disproportionately impact the poor, also pose
a risk.

As the report points out, government policy makers must face the
challenge of sustaining growth in this still uncertain environment
through a faithful, yet timely return to sound and responsible fiscal
and monetary policies. These served the region well when the crisis
broke, and authorities need to adapt them appropriately as recovery
takes hold and the crisis recedes.

There is also plenty of scope for longer-term improvements to
Asia’s monetary, exchange rate, and fiscal policy frameworks. Such
adjustments, the report outlines, will enable the region to better
adapt to the post-crisis world.

In East Asia, where recovery is strongest, growth is forecast to
accelerate to 8.3% in 2010, from 5.9% in 2009, with solid recoveries in
the three economies that shrank last year (Hong Kong, China; Mongolia;
and Taipei, China). The gross domestic product (GDP) growth will also
remain buoyant in the PRC, where huge government stimulus measures
will continue to have their effect. The Republic of Korea is expected
to rebound to a 5.2% expansion, driven by stronger private investment
and consumption and the pickup in global trade.

In Southeast Asia, aggregate growth is likely to rebound to 5.1% in
2010, from just 1.2% in 2009, when five of ten economies contracted
(Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand). The
bounce back is due in large part to the revival of global trade and
rising investment. The pace of growth is likely to quicken a bit
in 2011.

South Asia, too, will pick up in 2010, led by a projected 8.2%
performance in India, but also strong growth in Sri Lanka (6.0%),
as it continues to benefit from its recent return to peace after a
long civil conflict. Pakistan is likely to pick up, with growth of
3.0% reflecting better domestic economic fundamentals, while growth
is likely to ease slightly in Bangladesh and Nepal.

Economic growth is also expected to edge up in 2010 in Central Asia,
from 2.7% in 2009, as higher oil prices and a recovery in the Russian
Federation underpin economies. But ongoing weakness in Kazakhstan’s
non-oil economy will hold its overall growth down to 2.5%, while
Armenia and Georgia will eke out only meager growth of about 2%.

In the Pacific, the overall growth rate is forecast to rise to 3.7% in
2010, from 2.3% in 2009, buoyed mainly by a stronger Papua New Guinea
and Timor-Leste, both of which benefit from higher export demand and
prices for natural resources. However, GDP in the Fiji Islands is
expected to contract again, and most of the smaller economies will
grow by less than 1%.

CHINA-ARMENIA FRIENDSHIP GROUP ON VISIT TO YEREVAN

news.am
April 13 2010
Armenia

Members of the China-Armenia parliamentary friendship group visited
Yerevan.

The press service of the RA Parliament informed NEWS.am that Apr 11
the delegation, accompanied by Head of Staff, RA Parliament, Gegham
Gharibjanyan, visited the Memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims
Tsitsernakaberd, laid flowers and kept a minute a silence in memory
of the victims.

The Chinese delegation also visited the Museum of the Armenian
Genocide. The head of the Chinese delegation wrote an entry in the
book of guests of honor.

On Apr 12 the Chinese delegation laid flowers at the stele in memory
of the victims of the terrorist act on October 27, 1999.

The delegation also met with Vice-Speaker of the RA Parliament,
Chairwoman of the Armenia-China friendship group Arevik Petrosyan,
Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee Armen Rustamyan and
Chairman of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Credits Gagik
Minasyan.

ARMENIAN CEMETERIES ANNIHILATED IN TURKEY

Panorama.am
13:37 12/04/2010

Armenian cemetery of Aydynodjaq village, in Gevash region, Van,
has been turned into a school, and now another Armenian cemetery in
Yaylaqonaq village, Van is under threat of annihilation aimed to be
turned into a public house.

Construction activities have also started, Haber 1 reported. It’s
reported that the Armenian cemetery will be completely destroyed, the
graves and stones are broken which made the bones of dead Armenians
to appear.

The local residents of the village submitted protest letters to the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey to make the construction
stop but everything is reported to be in vain. Kurdish oriented BDP
party chief applied to Culture Minister Ertugrul Gyunay.

It was highly recommended to send expert group to study the case,
but since the roads to the village are impossible to pass, the group
didn’t arrive.

OBAMA HIGHLIGHTS THREAT OF NUCLEAR TERRORISM

Independent/uk
Monday, 12 April 2010

President Barack Obama said yesterday that efforts by al-Qa’ida to
acquire atomic weapons posed the biggest threat to global security,
and world leaders meeting this week must act with urgency to combat
this danger.

Obama, speaking on the eve of an unprecedented 47-nation summit in
Washington aimed at thwarting nuclear terrorism, said he expected
"enormous progress" at the conference toward the goal of locking down
loose nuclear material worldwide.

"The central focus of this nuclear summit is the fact that the single
biggest threat to US security – both short-term, medium-term and
long-term – would be the possibility of a terrorist organization
obtaining a nuclear weapon," Obama told reporters.

"We know that organizations like al-Qa’ida are in the process of trying
to secure a nuclear weapon – a weapon of mass destruction that they
have no compunction at using," Obama said before talks with South
African President Jacob Zuma.

Nuclear non-proliferation experts say there are no known instances of
terrorist groups obtaining highly enriched uranium or plutonium that
could be used to make a crude nuclear bomb but note there have been
18 cases of nuclear material being stolen or going missing since the
early 1990s.

"This is something that could change the security landscape of this
country and around the world for years to come," Obama said, warning
of the potential consequences if a nuclear bomb were detonated.

Obama’s goal at the two-day summit is to get nations to agree to
secure vulnerable nuclear material within four years and to take
specific steps to crack down on nuclear smuggling.

The US president held talks yesterday with the prime ministers of
nuclear-armed foes India and Pakistan, Kazakh President Nursultan
Nazarbayev and South Africa’s Zuma. He will see Chinese President Hu
Jintao, Jordan’s King Abdullah and the leaders of Malaysia, Ukraine
and Armenia on Monday.

Signaling the US-led push for new sanctions on Iran is on leaders’
minds even if not on the summit agenda, the White House said Obama
told Zuma a "strong and unified international response" is required
over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The West wants further sanctions to deter Iran from what is seen as
a covert nuclear weapons development drive, while Tehran says it has
only peaceful nuclear ambitions.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani "indicated his assurance that Pakistan
takes nuclear security seriously and has appropriate safeguards in
place," the White House said. It said Obama reasserted to Gilani
"the importance of nuclear security, a priority he has reiterated
for all countries."

Nuclear non-proliferation experts say Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and
stockpile of weapons-grade nuclear material is heavily guarded but
the threat from al-Qa’ida and the Taliban make the country one of
the areas of greatest concern.

Pakistan is still trying to move out from the shadow cast by scientist
Abdul Qadeer Khan, who was at the center of the world’s biggest
nuclear proliferation scandal in 2004. He has confessed to selling
secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

In his 50-minute meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
Obama heard a litany of concerns about India’s neighbor Pakistan,
according to Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who briefed
reporters.

Singh talked to Obama about the activities of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the
Pakistan-based militant group responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks,
"and also the fact that unfortunately there was no will on the part
of the government of Pakistan to punish those responsible for the
terrorist crimes in Mumbai," Rao said.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since 1947 and several
smaller conflicts, including one in 1999. Both nations conducted
nuclear tests in 1998 and are not signatories to the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty.

White House officials said Obama praised Kazakhstan’s Nazarbayev
as a model leader in their meeting for the steps he has taken to
denuclearize his central Asian nation.

The former Soviet Union carried out nearly 500 atmospheric and
underground nuclear test explosions in Kazakhstan between 1949 and
1989. Nazarbayev closed the testing site in 1991 and has disposed of
more than 100 nuclear warheads.

The Kazakh government has erected posters around Washington ahead
of the summit highlighting the country’s decision to get rid of its
nuclear arsenal, once the world’s fourth largest.

White House officials said Obama would also meet Turkish Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the summit. A US congressional
committee last month voted to label the World War One-era massacres of
Armenians by Turkish forces as genocide, angering Ankara and prompting
it to recall its ambassador from Washington.