Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

LE PARLEMENT BULGARE REJETTE UN TEXTE RECONNAISSANT LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Agence France Presse
10 mai 2006 mercredi
Le parlement bulgare a rejete mercredi un projet de loi soumis par le
parti ultra-nationaliste Ataka (Attaque) et demandant la reconnaissance
du massacre des Armeniens en 1915 comme un “genocide” qui a eu lieu
sous l’Empire ottoman, predecesseur de la Turquie.
81 deputes sur les 170 presents au parlement qui compte 240 sièges
ont vote contre le projet de loi, 56 l’ont soutenu et 33 deputes se
sont abstenus.
Ataka a aussi demande au parlement de declarer le 24 mai “jour de
commemoration pour les victimes du genocide armenien sous l’Empire
ottoman”, indique le texte du projet.
La coalition dirigee par les socialistes a rejete le projet et des
deputes de gauche ont indique que, selon eux, cette initiative pourrait
rendre tendues les relations bilaterales avec la Turquie et au sein
du gouvernement tripartite dont fait partie un parti de la minorite
turque de Bulgarie.
Les Armeniens declarent que quelque 1,5 million d’Armeniens ont
ete massacres entre 1915 et 1917 lorsque l’Empire ottoman fut en
desagregation.
La Turquie, successeur de l’Empire, rejette categoriquement le point
de vue armenien.
La France, la Grande-Bretagne et la Russie ont recemment reconnu le
“genocide” armenien et Paris a propose un projet de loi selon lequel
ceux qui nient ce genocide seraient sanctionnes. Ankara a mis en garde
contre une telle decision qui causerait des “dommages incalculables”
aux relations bilaterales.
–Boundary_(ID_L36O32hhm5aY2sgWa8t8m A)–

UNION OF ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA WILL FOLLOW THAT THE CRIME OF NATIONALIST SKINHEADS IS DETECTED
ArmRadio.am
10.05.2006 14:14
Preliminary investigation of the case of murder of 17-year-old Vigen
Abrahamyan killed by skinheads near “Pushkinskaya” metro station of
Moscow continues.
Head of the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan told “Radiolur”
correspondent that it is still early to say anything, there are some
dissenting facts. Particularly, the version that student of one of
the Moscow secondary schools Denis Kulagin killed the Armenian young
man for pursuing his girl-friend, does not correspond to reality.
April 22 the City Prosecutor’s Office of Moscow launched a criminal
case on the fact of murder of Muscovite Vigen Arahamyan. A committee
has been created to follow the inquiry, the Union of Armenians
of Russia has hired an attorney and will follow that the crime of
nationalist skinheads is detected.
Ara Abrahamyan does not doubt that the young man was killed not
because he was Armenian but because he had Caucasian appearance.

Le Figaro
09 mai 2006
Ankara rappelle pour consultations son ambassadeur en France
Turquie. Ankara a annoncé hier le rappel pour consultations de son
ambassadeur à Paris en raison de désaccords avec la France sur
l’appellation «génocide» des massacres d’Arméniens sous l’Empire
ottoman pendant la Première Guerre mondiale. La Turquie avait averti
la France la semaine dernière que les relations bilatérales
pourraient souffrir des «dommages incalculables» si l’Assemblée
nationale française vote une loi permettant des poursuites pénales
contre toute personne niant le caractère génocidaire des massacres.
L’ambassadeur au Canada a également été rappelé pour les mêmes
raisons.

LIBERATION OF SHUSHI BEGAN ON MAY 8
Lragir.am
09 May 06
On May 8, 1992 the Armenian squads, all in all 2800 soldiers, led by
Colonel Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan (Commandos), launched the operation of
liberation of Shushi. There were 2300 Azerbaijani soldiers in
Shushi. Stepanakert and the adjacent villages were bombed from an
emplacement in Shushi. At 2.30 in the morning of May 8 the Armenian
troops opened fire from the villages of Shosh and Karin Tak. Then the
offensive was launched in four major directions – Janhasan, Central,
Shushi, Lisagor – and two additional directions- Karin Tak and
Ghaibalu. The Azerbaijani forces counterattacked. However, the
operation was so well-planned, that the Armenian squads managed to
liberate the town, which was an effective emplacement of the foe. In
the evening of the same day the Armenian army entered Shushi. On May 9
the Azerbaijani guard had to recede to Lachin. The Armenian troops
provided a corridor for the peaceful population and the soldiers to
leave the town.
The liberation of Shushi allowed the population of Stepanakert to
leave the basements of their houses.
The operation continued in the direction of Lachin, and the result was
that in mid-May the only road connecting Armenia and Karabakh was open
again.
After liberation life in Shushi began to develop. On common consent,
the town was turned an educational and cultural center. Music
schools, even a musical college was established in Shushi, where young
people from Karabakh, and even Armenia and the Diaspora teach. The
population counted 4.5 thousand.
However, both unbearable conditions (the greater part of the town is
burntand ruined) and the attitude of the authorities cut the
population of the town twice. The authorities have not started
reconstruction of the town. Ghazanchetsots Church and Kanach Church,
as well as the central street were repaired.
Several new shops were opened in the part of the town, called
Khachmeruk (Crossroad). A small carpet weaving factory and a
processing unit of herbal tea are operating in the town. However,
there is so much to do that very little change on the appearance of
the town can be seen.
Presently, there are about a dozen cultural establishments – theaters,
bands, choirs – in Shushi. These are in half-ruined buildings. Most
houses have not been repaired yet. However, there are flowers in every
window.

North Korea sends sympathy message to Russian president over plane crash
KCNA, Pyongyang
8 May 06

Pyongyang, 8 May: Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK
[Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] Supreme People’s Assembly, on
4 May sent a message of sympathy to Russian President V.V. Putin as
regards the human losses caused by the crash of an Yerevan-Sochi
airbus of the Armenian Airline.
In the message he evinced deep sympathy with the Russian president
and, through him, with the bereaved families and expressed the belief
that the Russian leadership would heal the aftermath at an early date.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 8 2006
Azeri, Armenian ministers to table Garabagh in two weeks
Baku, May 5, AssA-Irada
Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia Elmar Mammadyarov and
Vardan Oskanian will hold another meeting to discuss settlement of
the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict in two weeks, Armenian media
reported.
Oskanian said the meeting will take place at a meeting of the Council
of Europe Ministerial Committee in Strasbourg.
He said the discussions would center on making preparations for a
meeting of the two countries’ presidents scheduled for early next
month. He said the precise timeframe and venue for the two leaders’
meeting is not known yet.
The Azeri government has not released any information concerning a
meeting of the two presidents.
The OSCE mediators will visit the region individually, but not as a
group. Commenting on the matter, Oskanian said one should not look
for any political connotation over this, as soon afterwards they will
arrive in the region together.
Oskanian’s statement, released by Armenian Mediamax news agency, came
after his meeting with the French co-chair of the mediating OSCE
Minsk Group Bernard Fassier.*

The Washington Post
May 7, 2006 Sunday
Final Edition
Unfurling New Glory: America’s International Anthem
You say, “O say,” they say, “O zog!” “O! sagt” “O dites.” Let’s call
the whole thing a land of immigrants.
After Latino pop stars recently recorded “The Star-Spangled Banner”
in Spanish as “Nuestro Himno,” President Bush said the song should be
sung in English. But for generations the anthem has been rendered in
the voices of assorted Old Countries. Here are eight published
versions. All together now, with feeling!
English: O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Armenian: Usek gurnak took ter desnel vagh aikoon
Mutunshaghin ain turoshn mer woghtchoonads
Yiddish: O zog! konstu zen in likht fun sof nakht,
Vos mir hobn bagrist in demer-shayn mit freyd?
Samoan: Aue! se’i e vaai, le malama o ataata mai
Na sisi a’e ma le mimita, i le sesega mai o le vaveao
Polish: Ach! czy widac tam, patrzaj w swit bracie moj,
Dumny znak nasz co lsnil wczora gdy gasly zorza?
German: O! sagt, koennt ihr seh’n, In des Morgenroths Strahl,
Was so stolz wir im scheidenden Abendroth gruessten?
French: O dites, voyez-vous, Dans la lumière du jour
Le drapeau qu’on saluait, À la tombée de la nuit?
Spanish: Amanece, lo veis, a la luz de la aurora,
Lo que tanto aclamamos la noche al caer?
— David Montgomery
–Boundary_(ID_fyTu9+6W7nyReu1amvhc6g) —

National Post (f/k/a The Financial Post) (Canada)
May 6, 2006 Saturday
Toronto Edition
Columnist lauds Canada’s stance on Armenian genocide
OTTAWA
OTTAWA – A leading Turkish columnist gave a nod to Prime Minister
Stephen Harper and Foreign Minister Peter MacKay for recognizing the
Armenian genocide. In an article for the Istanbul daily “Radical”
journalist Muart Yetkin wrote that if economic boycott threats and
the freezing of relations with Canada are serious, why doesn’t the
Turkish Army sever its partnership with French carmaker Renault.
Furthermore, Turkey should break its relations with the United States
since 36 states recognize the Armenian Genocide. The columnist added:
“Boycott threats will not bring any significant results.” He also
wondered how far would Turkey pursue its current policy. “Will we
boycott Russia … on whom we depend for our gas supplies?” he asked.
Mr. Yetkin’s comments came in response to the Turkey’s foreign
minister’s threats against Canada and France. The French Parliament
is in the process of voting on a bill banning the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. The Turkish government’s paranoia about the
Armenian Genocide, and its denialist policy are damaging its
diplomatic relations with the international community, said Aris
Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada (ANCC). “Once again Turkey resorts to hollow threats and doom
and gloom scenarios to blackmail and scare the international
community from recognizing the Armenian Genocide,” Mr. Babikian said.
“The Turkish government should come to terms with its dark history
and reconcile with the Armenians and admit the reality of the
Armenian Genocide to the international community.”

RAMKAVAR-AZATAKAN PARTY PRESENTS ITS CONDOLENCES TO RELATIVES OF VICTIMS OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 04 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Central Board
of the Ramkavar-Azatakan Party of Armenia presents its condolences
to the relatives of the victims of the accident of Yerevan-Sochi
A-320 plane, to RA President Robert Kocharian, to state officials,
to Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.
This was mentioned in the report provided to Noyan Tapan from the
party’s Central Board.

GAMES OF FOURTH TOUR OF RA FOOTBALL HIGHEST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP POSTPONED
Noyan Tapan
May 04 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The games of the 4th tour of RA Football
Highest League Championship that were envisaged for May 5 and 6
were postponed.
Such a decision was made by the leadership of the Armenian Football
Federation in consideration of the fact that May 5 and 6 were announced
mourning days in connection with the crash of Armavia airline’s A-320
plane. As Noyan Tapan was informed from the Press Secretariate of
the Armenian Football Federation, the Gandzasar-Ararat games fixed
for May 5 and Ulis-Shirak games fixed for May 6 will be held on May
7 at 17:00. The football-players will play with black bands on their
arms. The Kilikia-Pyunik and Banants-Mika games fixed for May 5 will
be held in the period from June 3 to June 5.