Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee of Canada
Ottawa, ON
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
April 24, 2006
Contact: Aris Babikian
(613) 235-2622
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Reaffirms Government Policy on Armenian
Genocide,
House Of Commons Observes a Minute of Silence
Ottawa–The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Peter Mackay, in response to
Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis’s (Scarborough-Agincourt) question, reaffirmed
today Canadian Government’s policy on the Armenian Genocide.
Last Friday the Prime Minister of Canada issued a policy statement,
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. During today’s debate, Mackay stated that
the Government reaffirmed the motions of the Senate of Canada and the House
of Commons, recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
At the end of the Question Period the Speaker of the House invited the
members of the House to observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims
of the Armenian Genocide. All four party leaders were present during the
minute of silence observance.
Earlier in the day a delegation from the Armenian National Committee of
Canada (ANCC) and its regional chapters, headed by Hagop Der Khachadourian,
ANCC International, and Archbishop Khajak Hagopian, prelate of the Armenian
Church of Canada, visited the Armenian Embassy to lay a wreath at the
monument dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Later the charge
de’ affaires of the embassy, Michael Vartanyan, joined Armenian community
leaders to attend the House of Commons session where Genocide affirmation
statements were made by the representative of all political parties. MP Gary
Goodyear (Cambridge) spoke on behalf of the governing Conservative party;
Raymonde Folco (Laval-Les Iles) spoke on behalf of the Liberal Party, and
Nicole Demers (Laval) on behalf of Bloc Québécois.
The successes of the past few weeks were attained largely due to the
tireless efforts of the ANCC and its regional chapters. In the passed month
ANCC delegates met with representatives of the Government and other parties
to co-ordinate the commemoration of the 91st anniversary of the Genocide.
Today’s affirmation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs was the third
declaration, within a week by the Government, acknowledging the historical
reality of the Armenian Genocide.
-30-
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of
the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.
Regional Chapters
Montréal- Toronto – Laval – Vancouver – Ottawa – Hamilton – Cambridge
St. Catharines – Windsor

Armenpress
YEAR OF ARMENIA IN RUSSIA RECEIVES WARM WELCOME
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: Vigen Sarkisian, an
aide to president Robert Kocharian, told a news
conference today that the audience in Russia is giving
a warm welcome to an extensive range of events held
there as part of the Year of Armenia in Russia.
He said the initiative to hold the Year of Armenia
in Russia should not be confused with what is known as
days of culture, because the Year of Armenia in Russia
is a broader idea encompassing also educational,
scientific programs to be added soon by athletic
events. He said the symphonic orchestra of the Russian
republic of Bashkortostan held a concert with invited
Armenian violinist Martin Yavryan and a singer Vahagn
Makvetsian. Moscow’s Pushkin Museum hosted an
exhibition of treasures from Etchmiadzin, the Russian
Center for International, Cultural and Scientific Ties
is hosting an Armenpress photo exhibition titled
‘Armenia: 15 Years of Independence.’ The exhibition
displays 110 photos shot by Armenia’s leading
photographers.
Saint Petersburg hosted an exhibition of paintings
of local artists of Armenian descent. The museum in
southern Russian Astrakhan is hosting an exhibition
titled ‘Famous Armenians of Astrakhan.’ As part of the
Year a n extensive Armenian delegation, headed by
territorial minister Hovik Abrahamian was in the
southern Russian province of Rostov on April 17-19.
Vigen Sarkisian said exchange visits of students
from sister schools in Yerevan and Moscow are expected
soon and in summer businessmen of both countries will
meet for a business forum in Moscow. Deputy foreign
affairs minister Gegham Gharibjanian said the Year of
Armenia in Russia is a good moral impetus for
thousands of Russian Armenians. ” We felt it during
all our meetings. They are sure that the Republic of
Armenia stands ready to support and defend their
interests,” he said.
Vigen Sarkisian said also the First Russian TV
Channel with the biggest audience will screen on April
24 Armenian-Canadian Atom Egoyan’s’ Ararat’, a film
about the genocide.

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ARE MERE PAPERS
Lragir.am
19 April 06
The demolition of Armenian khachkars in Nakhidjevan is cultural
genocide, announced MP Heghineh Bisharyan April 19, during the meeting
of the Commission on EU-Armenia Partnership. She mentioned that the
Armenian khachkars are part of the world cultural heritage. At the
same time Heghineh Bisharyan highly appreciated the role of the EU
and the European Parliament in the preservation of cultural values,
emphasizing the decision to send a fact-finding group of European
parliamentarians to the region. During the same meeting another
member of parliament Hranush Hakobyan announced that the European
parliamentarians should severely condemn the demolition of Armenian
cultural monuments and impose sanctions against Azerbaijan. Hranush
Hakobyan said doing nothing would inflict other similar crimes. Hranush
Hakobyan thinks that including the khachkars in the list of monuments
protected by Unesco would hardly prove effective. “The town of Ani is
one of these monuments, but the stones of the local Armenian churches
are freely removed,” stated Hranush Hakobyan. She finds that it is
impossible to return the lost monuments, and all Armenia can do is to
state facts, which means the international conventions and covenants
are mere papers, says Hranush Hakobyan.

LEONID IVASHOV: THREAT OF RESUMPTION OF HOSTILITIES IN KARABAKH QUITE REAL
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.04.2006 GMT+04:00
Interview
The South Caucasus has always been a place of collision of
superpowers. Due to the Nagorno Karabakh and Georgian-Abkhaz conflict
there is an impression formed that Russia is gradually being forced
out of the region. What is the actual state of affairs?
PanARMENIAN.Net asked first vice-president of the Academy of
Geopolitical Studies, Colonel General, Doctor of Historical Sciences
Leonid Ivashov, who headed Russian Army General Staff till 2001.
How serious are Azerbaijan’s statements on readiness to resumption
of hostilities on the Karabakh front?
Security issues should always be treated seriously.
Taking into account the complexity of the Nagorno Karabakh problem
security is the main task of the state and the major responsibility of
the President and government. Only via military balance it’s possible
to preserve political settlement. The threat of an armed conflict
and resumption of hostilities is quite real.
Keeping the situation within a political settlement is possible only
via balance of military potentials.
Domination of military force of one of the parties can result in a
new bloodshed.
Which is the Russia’s policy towards settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict?
The Russian leadership lacks a precise strategy on the South
Caucasus. In relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia Russia abides
by the balance of friendly interaction. This line helps to maintain
peace in Karabakh.
A notion is formed lately that Russia is trying to strengthen its
position in the South Caucasus resorting to means that are not
popular. Is this true?
Russia, in the person of the reasonable part of its leadership, is
trying to maintain its presence and influence in the Caucasus. It’s
important for Russia to prevent destabilization in the North Caucasus,
deployment of NATO military bases and projection of military force
inland.
In my opinion, Armenia is Russia’s monument point in the South
Caucasus. At the same time it is vitally important for Armenia to have
allied relations with Russia. If Armenia relies on promises made by
the West it will lose its state system and independence.
If Georgia and Azerbaijan escape the zone of Russia’s influence, will
not Armenia be isolated, hoping for Russia’s good will, which can act
in the same manner, as in 1921 by concluding an alliance with Ataturk?
Armenia has the right to establish relations with whom it wishes. But
if it conflicts with Russia’s interests Moscow can transform
cooperation into the level of mutually beneficial relations without
any political or economic preferences. However such situation will
conflict with Armenia’s national interests and will result in the
isolation of the republic and even in its collapse.
A large Armenian Diaspora lives in Russia. “I think it could make a
great contribution to the development of the Russian-Armenian allied
relations.

ARMENIAN FM OSKANYAN ACCUSES TURKEY FOR THE BILATERAL PROBLEMS
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 19 2006
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan argued that Turkey should
take appropriate move to normalize relations with Armenia. According to
the Armenian Minister the only responsible in the relations is Turkey.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said “Armenia sets no
preconditions for establishment of normal relations with Turkey”.
“Armenia was ready yesterday, is ready today and will be ready tomorrow
to establish neighbor relations with Turkey without preconditions
and have open borders with it,” the Armenian FM stated.
However Turkish expert Yesim Sahiner finds Oskanyan’s words ‘funny
word games”. “Armenia has no right to set no preconditions. It is
the Armenian side who occupied 20 percent of a neighbouring country”
she said.
According to Yesim Sahiner Armenia does not recognise Turkey’s
national borders:
“Armenian FM is playing. He is pretenting. He tries to show Armenia a
peacefull country and Turkey as an aggressive country. However Turkey
did not occupy anywehere. 20 percent of Azerbaijan is still under
the Armenian occupation. And Armenia did anything possible not to
speak with the Turks. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan invited
them to Turkey and offer to establish a permenant dialogue. Armenian
side just rejected the kind invitations. Turkey does not need the
Armenian border for its economy. The side in need is Armenia and of
course they cannot set any precondition for dialogue.”
“We admit that problems exist but show me two states, especially
in Europe, experiencing no historical problems. However no state
practises the “instrument of closed borders” to force another state
to renounce its history,” the Armenian Minister said.
The Armenian Tashnak group on the other hand opposes opening of the
borders with Turkey. The Armenian diaspora in particular argue that
no relations should be established with the Turks.
Vartan Oskanian considers that Turkey doesn’t wish to develop bilateral
political relations and this excludes any progress.

THE ARMENIAN POOREST MARZ ACCORDING TO THE UNO DATA
A1+
[03:27 pm] 18 April, 2006
Ghegharkunik was considered the most vulnerable region according to
the UNO survey data. Both the rural and urban refugees live in awful
social conditions. The list of the poorest is topped by 8 refugee
communities of the marz.
Our compatriots who deported from Azerbaijan settled in 5 urban and
37 rural communities of Ghegharkunik.
Though they have lived in Armenia for 15 years they still have
adaptation problems. Mrs. Svetlana living in Azerbaijan in the
past now lives in a new community and gets adjusted with the rural
housing conditions with great difficulty. There are many people like
her who are cut from the outer world as they haven’t got TV sets and
newspapers are not available for them. The marz dwellers are mainly
involved in agricultural work. Their number one problem is connected
with flats. So far only 21 refugee families received flats.
About 20 000 Armenian refugees found a shelter in the marz in the
years following the migration and they mainly settled in Vardenis
and Tsambarak.
In those territories the roads are in a terrible state and there
are no means of transportation and communication. The refugees
deem themselves ignored and neglected. The regional department of
Human Rights Protection Centre after Sakharov is concerned with
their matter. The latter implements the program “The refugees in 15
years’ time” with the assistance of the World Bank Yerevan Office
and Open Society Institute Fund in order to raise the level of public
awareness on refugee needs and issues. The organization has held free
legal consultation and material support for the refugees living in
the region.
This time the regional department of Human Rights Protection Centre
after Sakharov organized a photo – exhibition discussion titled
“The refugees in 15 years’ time.” The chief of the program Ruben
Khachikyan while quoting the strategy program combating poverty,
the UNO survey of the vulnerable local and refugee dwellers stated
that the refugee index was worse than that of the local inhabitants.
“Kjavar” TV channel of Gavar

FOUR BORDER VILLAGES OF TAVUSH TO BE SUPPLIED WITH NATURAL IRRIGATION WATER
Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2006
NOYEMBERIAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Construction of a 27-km
Voskepar-Baghanis-Voskevan-Koti natural irrigation water pipe will
start in a month. Land plots of the total area of 1,100 ha in these
villages will be irrigated thanks to the water pipe with a capacity
of 370 litres per second. Rafael Vardanian, head of the irrigation
system operation unit in Noyemberian, told NT correspondent that the
2.3 mln-dollar program is financed by the International Organization
for Agriculture Development (IFAD).

ABASSI: IRAN TRAINED 40 THOUSAND SUICIDE BOMBERS READY TO HIT US AND UK
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.04.2006 23:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A 40-thousand battalion of suicide bombers ready to
hit targets in the US and UK has been formed in Iran, head of Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps Hassan Abbassi stated. As reported by AP,
the audio with Abbassi’s statement was conveyed to British journalists.
Meanwhile UK Prime Minister John Blaire stated that London will not
support the US in war against Iran.
The UK can support to diplomatic measures for normalization of the
situation.

A1+
THE CHRISTIANS WILL CELEBRATE EASTER
[06:56 pm] 14 April, 2006
more images This year Armenian Apostolic Church
celebrates the Holy Resurrection of Christ on April
16. The celebration is also called «Easter» which
means giving up the sins and return to God. Easter is
the greatest Christian holiday.
The resurrection of Christ became the basis for the
Christian belief. On this day the Christians dye eggs.
The egg is the symbol for resurrection and a new life.
And the red color symbolizes the blood Jesus poured
for the salvation of the humanity.
As for the custom of egg dyeing, Saint Grigor
Tatevatsi said, `The egg is an example of the world:
the shell is like the sky, the membrane is the air,
the egg-white is the water and the yolk is the earth.
The red color symbolizes the salvation of the world by
the blood of the Christ’.

POSSIBLE US STRIKE ON IRAN MAY TOP ALIYEV-BUSH TALKS
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is expected to meet US counterpart
George Bush in Washington on April 28 for talks many say will
focus on the possible US campaign against Iran and the settlement
of a long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh. This will be Aliyev’s first official visit to the United
States since he became president in 2003.
The details of President Aliyev’s visit were discussed during
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov’s meeting with Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice in the United States on Friday. Rice said that
during the visit, the two countries would continue the dialogue on
expanding strategic ties. Some Azeri experts say Washington is likely
to focus on efforts to draw Azerbaijan into an international coalition
against Iran over what the West describes as this country’s ambition
to develop a nuclear weapon.
The head of the President’s Office international relations
department, Novruz Mammadov, said that during meetings with the Bush
administration, the parties will discuss democratic development,
cooperation in the South Caucasus, energy and security issues and
combat against terrorism. Commenting on the statements by some
experts that the US-Iranian tensions will be tabled in Washington,
Mammadov said most political analysts tend to make certain allegations
without bothering to substantiate them. He said the repeal of Section
907 to the Freedom Support Act, which bans US government’s direct
assistance to Azerbaijani government, will be one of the priority
issues during President Aliyev’s meetings. Mammadov described the
document as being unfair. “This sanction should not be applied
against Azerbaijan. On the other hand, whether or not it will be
upheld is not a concern for us. We may not need assistance any more,”
Mammadov told Lider TV channel. The official said the legislative
process in the US is so complex that its government is apparently
unable to lift the section. “But the Azerbaijani president’s visit
may facilitate the process of repealing it,” he added. The head of
the President’s Office socio-political department, Ali Hasanov, has
brushed aside the allegations that the US-Iranian tension would be
discussed during the visit. “I don’t believe Iran will be the main
topic of the talks between the two countries. Our ties with Iran are
just as good as those with the United States. Iran is a neighboring
country and we share a common culture. Our citizens have close ties
with this country.” Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov dismissed
reports suggesting that Azerbaijan plans to be part of an international
coalition against Iran. “The reports are untrue.
Moreover, how can this happen in the absence of such a coalition?”
Azimov added that the country is not interested in joining such
a group even if it is formed in the future. The official did not
rule out that US-Iranian relations would be free of third-party
involvement. Online edition Day.az approached well-known politicians
and pundits to examine reasons for President Aliyev’s visit to the
U.S. and the feedback of the Azeri opposition which maintains that
the visit has not taken place so far due to alleged problems over
the Azeri leader’s legitimacy. Deputy chairman of an opposition
Democratic Party, Sardar Jalaloghlu, said the invitation to the head
of state to pay an official visit to the U.S. is explained by the
US-Iranian stand-off and the attempts by the Bush administration to
lure Azerbaijan into an international anti-Iranian coalition. “As for
the opposition’s reaction, the United States has already stated its
feedback on the 205 Azeri parliamentary election in a State Department
report. Besides, we understand that the problem with Iran is currently
much more important for the USA than democratization in Azerbaijan,”
said Jalaloghlu. MP Anar Mammadkhanov said the president’s visit to
the U.S. will undoubtedly be one of the most significant events in
the country’s socio-political life. “The visit has been expected for
a long time, especially considering the very high level of US-Azeri
ties,” he said. Mammadkhanov went on to say that a special emphasis
would be laid on the settlement of the Garabagh conflict during the
visit. “We recall that in late last year many analysts were predicting
that 2006 would be a watershed in the conflict resolution. I hope
that the outcome of the president’s visit to the U.S. will show how
realistic those projections were. As for the opposition’s reaction
to this, I have said on many occasions and can repeat now that there
is no opposition in Azerbaijan. I am not being sarcastic and am just
stating the facts. They are just a group of people that call themselves
opposition. What they will say about President Ilham Aliyev’s visit is
of no interest to the Azeri public or even their closest cohorts.” A
well-known political analyst Ilgar Mammadov said that after the
opposition’s failure in last year’s elections, the U.S. no longer
has any reason to postpone the Azeri leader’s visit. Moreover, the
US-Azeri relations are currently on a very high level, he said. “As
for the opposition’s feedback, its most intelligent representatives
will simply keep silent. But there will be others that will lambaste
the United States over this, which will be another ridiculous action
by the opposition and an attempt to pin the solution of their own
problems on others. Besides, it is not ruled out that during the visit,
the U.S. will suggest to President Aliyev that the authorities soften
their stance toward the opposition, which we will probably witness
upon his return from the United States,” Mammadov added.