Author: Chakrian Hovsep

A1plus
| 15:38:50 | 25-04-2005 | Politics |
LET US WAIT FOR THE PACE SESSION
Tonight it will become clear if the issue of the RA Constitutional
amendments will be heard in the PACE. In the morning the Bureau approved its
being included into the agenda, but the final decision will be made by the
PACE delegates. It will be included into the agenda in 2/3 of the delegates
vote for it.

Pan Armenian News
RUSSIA CAN START WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM GEORGIA THIS YEAR
25.04.2005 08:06
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia can start the withdrawal of its military bases from
Georgia this year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at the
press conference held upon completion of negotiations with Georgian FM
Salome Zurabishvili. `We have achieved a considerable progress and adjusted
positions on the terms’, S. Lavrov said. He also noted that the parties
agreed on stepwise withdrawal, which can be started this year already.
According to the Russian FM, it refers to the `heavy defense technology’ and
the `move of the military bases for the joint usage as anti-terror centers’.
The negotiations on the withdrawal of the Russian military bases from
Georgia have been under way since 2001. Earlier the Georgian party proposed
a 3-year term while Russia insists on 8 years. The Command of Russian troops
in Georgia includes the 12-th military base in Batumi and the 62-nd military
base in Akhalkalaki. Besides, through the Georgian territory the supply of
the 102-nd base dislocated in the Armenian town of Gyumri is being provided.

Pan Armenian News
ARMENIANS SHOULD CONTINUE EFFORTS ON GENOCIDE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
24.04.2005 06:49
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «We must continue efforts on acknowledgement of the
Armenian Genocide and from that point of view any step should be
purposeful,» Nagorno Karabakh Republic Foreign Minister Arman Melikian
stated at Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to Victims of the Armenian Genocide
today. In his words, Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, the Diaspora and Armenia
should unite their efforts to promote work at the civil and state levels.
The impunity of the genocide in early 20-th century resulted in slaughter in
Sumgait, perpetrated by Azeri authorities. As noted by A. Melikian, Nagorno
Karabakh has claims that can be presented to the international community and
Azerbaijan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran
April 24 2005
Armenians commemorate alleged massacre anniversary
Tehran, April 24, IRNA
Members of the Armenian community in Tehran held a rally Monday to
commemorate the anniversary of alleged massacre of Armenians by then
Turkish government under Ottoman rule in 1915 in Turkey.
The Armenians chanted slogans against the massacre, condemning the
carnage of Armenians on April 24, 1915 under Ottoman rule in Turkey,
the Public Relations Department of Iran’s Armenian Archdiocese said.
Armenia’s ambassador to Tehran, MPs representing Armenian community
and members of Armenian associations also took part in the march.
“The government of Turkey under Ottoman rule, in the aftermath of the
World War One, took advantage of chaotic situation, resulted as the
chaos of the war and adopted the policy of genocide against Armenians
to usurp their homeland,” said a statement issued by the Armenian
Archdiocese.
Armenian Archbishop Sibveh Sarkisyan called on the Armenian citizens
to make efforts for development of Iran.
He appreciated the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei for his sympathy with the Iranian Armenians, saying that
Armenians cannot forget the hospitality of the Iranian people who
sheltered the survivors of the 1915 tragic event.
The Armenian community in the central city of Isfahan also held a
similar march to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the massacre of
Armenians in 1915.
Holding placards in the Church of Vaanak in Isfahan, over 500
Armenians condemned the event in Turkey.
The Armenians living in 56 countries across the world commemorate the
anniversary of genocide of Armenians by Ottomans on April 24, 1915 in
Turkey.
The United Nations in a meeting in 1948 termed the slaughter of
Armenians as a genocide.
The central city of Isfahan and southern cities in Iran are home to
12,000 Armenians whose residence in Iran dates back to Shah Abbas of
Safavi dynasty.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 22 2005
‘German MPs Look For Friends in Genocide’
GERMAN MPs DISCUSS ARMENIAN ISSUE
Jan SOYKOK (JTW) German MPs from across the political spectrum
discussed the Armenian issue and Turkish-Armenian relations. Turkish
Armenian researchers argue the decision has no link with the Armenian
issue but a German strategy.
Armenia says more than 1 million of its people were slaughtered
between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of
modern Turkey, was falling apart. Turkey does not accept the
allegations and says about 523,000 Turkish people were massacred by
the Armenian armed groups and most of the Armenians died due to the
communal ethnic conflicts, famine, epidemic diseases and war
circumstances. According to Turkish historians the number of
Armenians killed is about 100,000. Most of the Ottoman Armenians
joined the Russian Army against the Ottoman Armies during the First
World War in order to establish a separate Armenian State though they
were no majority in any Ottoman city. When Armenian rioted the
Istanbul Government decided to relocate the Armenians near the war
theatre to another Ottoman province (Syria). Germany was Ottoman
Turkey’s main ally in the First World War, and it is argued that
German Government advised Turks to relocate the Armenians.
“TURKEY SHOULD FACE UP THE TRUTH”
During an often impassioned debate in the German Bundestag lower
house of parliament, Friedbert Pflueger, the foreign affairs
specialist for the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said:
“Turkey should face up to the truth.” However he said putting
pressure on Turkey would not lead to Ankara recognizing what had
happened. “We do not want to incriminate and we do not want to
embellish,” CDU M.P. Pflueger added.
Another member of the opposition Christian Democratic alliance
(CDU/CSU), Erwin Marschewski, said in a statement that the value
system of the European Union insisted that countries “shine a
spotlight on the dark pages of their history.” “Recognition by Turkey
of the Armenian genocide of 1915 and 1916 is important,” said
Marschewski.
Fritz Kuhn of the Greens, which form the governing coalition with
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s Social Democrats, said the debate had
taken on increased importance because “we want Turkey to be an EU
member one day”.
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is a staunch backer of Turkish EU
membership and will visit Ankara and Istanbul for talks with Turkish
political and business leaders on 3 and 4 May.
“GERMANY PLAYS A DIRTY GAME”
According to Dr. Nilgun Gulcan from Ankara-based think tank
USAK-ISRO, “Germany plays a dirty game”:
“Germany has been the only state which committed genocide during the
Second World War. The Germans slaughtered more than 5 million Jews in
Holocaust. This should be a terrible shame on Germans. Germany has
made great efforts to create similar cases to the Nazi regime’s
genocide. Thus some in Germany welcomes all genocide claims. They
want friends in genocide. So nobody would accuse the Germans as the
only genocide-makers” added Gulcan.
Davut Sahiner sees the issue as a step to prevent Turkey’s EU
membership and a CDU plan:
“I think the CDU is the main player behind the debates in German
Parliament. German Government gives a great support to Turkey’s EU
membership and the CDU does not want to see Turkey in. They did
anything possible to prevent Turkey’s EU bid. They tried anything,
but Armenian issue. This is the latest part of the game. The CDU’s
another aim is to make hostile Turkish voters and governing German
parties. Turkish voters enthusiastically supports Schroeder. If
German Governments contradict with the Turkish view in Armenian
issue, the it will undermine the Government.”
“FULL OF FACTUAL ERRORS IN BUNDESTAG RESOLUTION”
Turkey’s ambassador to Germany, Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik, has denounced
the planned Bundestag resolution as containing “countless factual
errors” and being written “in agreement with propaganda efforts of
fanatic Armenians”: “Its goal is to defame Turkish history… and
poison ties between Turkey and the European Union,” said the
ambassador.
“NO DOCUMENTS, BUT GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS”
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan last week called the Armenian
side to establish a joint commission to discuss the historical
disputes. However the Armenian Government rejected the offer two
times. Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanian said “there is nothing to
debate”. Turkish Government also declared that all Turkish-Ottoman
archives are open to all researchers including the Armenians. The
Turkish officials further said “the Armenian, particularly the Tahnak
archives must be opened to historians as well”.
According to Yusuf Halacoglu, Head of Turkish History Society,
Armenians cannot provide any documents to prove their allegations.
Similarly Dr. Sedat Laciner, Director of ISRO, says “There are
abundant of documents which prove that there was no genocide or a
state-organized massacres in 1915. We understand more than 523,000
Turkish people were killed by the Armenian militants. All in Turkey
accept the Armenian tragedy. However the Armenians should also see
the Turkish tragedy”. According to Laciner Armenians should bring
their archive documents and discuss the matter with the Turks instead
of blackmailing Turkey in a very sensitive period (Turkey-EU
negotiations).
“Armenia should see that it will benefit a lot from an
EU-member-Turkey. Turkey could help Armenia to become wealthier and
more democratic. Turkey could be a way for Armenia to be integrated
with the West and the world. However Armenian politics has been
dominated by anti-Turkish-obsessed diaspora. The diaspora cannot
understand Armenia’s needs. They are really egoist and they just talk
about the past. Turkey and Armenia cannot establish their relations
on the historical debates but on today’s realities.”
OTTOMANS EXECUTED 63 PEOPLE FOR HARMING ARMENIANS
Nilgun Gulcan says the Ottoman Government took all the necessary
measures to protect the Armenian civilians during the Relocation
Campaign. The Ottoman government executed 63 people for attacking and
harming Armenians during the relocation days, according to a research
carried out within Turkish Prime Ministry State Archives.
Turkey is set to start EU accession talks on October 3.
JTW
22 April 2005

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN CALLS TO CONDEMN THE GENOCIDE
A1plus
| 18:54:50 | 22-04-2005 | Politics |
Today an exhibition of documentaries and photographs on the first
genocide of the 20th century – the Armenian Genocide – was opened
in the RA National Assembly. At the opening ceremony Speaker of
the National Assembly Arthur Baghdasaryan said that the event once
again confirmed the condemning stand of our Parliament to the crime
committed by the Turkish government regarding the Armenian nation.
At the same time this was an appeal to the parliaments of the countries
that have not recognized the Armenian genocide to recognize and
condemn the crime committed in the early 20th century.

The Armenian Genocide: 90 Years Later Turkey Continues to Deny the Extermination of a People
Democracy Now, NY
April 22 2005
——————————————————————-
This week marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide when
more than a million Armenians were exterminated by the Young Turk
government through direct killing, starvation, torture, and forced
death marches. Another million fled into permanent exile. Almost
a century later, Turkey continues to deny the genocide. We speak
with Colgate University professor Peter Balakian, author of “The
Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response”
and Zanku Armenian of the Armenian National Committee of America.
——————————————————————-
This week marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On
April 24, 1915, the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire
began a systematic premeditated genocide of the Armenian people
– an unarmed Christian minority living under Turkish rule. More
than a million Armenians were exterminated through direct killing,
starvation, torture, and forced death marches. Another million fled
into permanent exile. An ancient civilization was expunged from its
homeland of 2,500 years.
Today, almost a century later, the Turkish government continues to deny
this genocide. Books about the genocide are banned in Turkey and its
government funds chairs in Turkish studies at American universities
to ensure a certain version of history is presented. To this day,
Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations.
But now, Ankara’s ambitions to join the European Union are in
jeopardy. French President Jacques Chirac has said Ankara must first
acknowledge the genocide before being allowed to become a member of
the EU. In response, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
called for a “impartial study by historians” concerning the fate of
the Armenian people during World War I.
Today we commemorate the 90th (ninetieth) anniversary of the Armenian
genocide.
Peter Balakian, author, “The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide
and America’s Response.” He is also the Professor of English at
Colgate University
Zanku Armenian, of the Armenian National Committee of America.
To purchase an audio or video copy of this entire program, click here
for our new online ordering or call 1 (800) 881-2359.
To listen/download:

Russian Duma statement condemns 1915 Armenian genocide
Interfax news agency
22 Apr 05
Moscow, 22 April: The State Duma on Friday [22 April] adopted a
statement condemning genocide against Armenians in 1915.
“State Duma deputies completely condemn the act of genocide and think
that its 90th anniversary should be marked by the entire international
community,” says the statement that was unanimously adopted by 310
deputies.
The parliamentarians stressed that “this was one of the most cruel
and tragic events in the history of the 20th century”.

Armenian opposition leader says government change “inevitable”
Noyan Tapan news agency
19 Apr 05
Yerevan, 19 April: Armenia is currently in the hands of several
people and while the Turks devastated Armenia by massacring its
population, it is being devastated without a massacre today, the
leader of the National Democratic Union, Vazgen Manukyan, said at a
press conference today.
Noting that two parties of the [ruling] coalition, the Republican
Party of Armenia [RPA] and Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun [ARFD], have declared themselves national, he said:
“I would like them to take a sheet of paper and describe clearly
what they mean by national. Not loving the Turks does not mean
‘national’. And the third party of the coalition, the Orinats Yerkir
[Law-Governed Country] Party, wants to establish lawfulness in the
country, even though there is nothing lawful in Armenia.”
In Manukyan’s opinion, a change of government is inevitable in
Armenia. Not only the opposition and people, but also all the echelons
of the authorities realize this. “We must have allies not only among
the population, but also among the authorities,” he said.
In theory, the best way to normalize the situation in the country
would be if members of the government understood that the current
situation has to be changed and tried to carry out changes, which
would be a “revolution from the top”, Manukyan said. However, this
scenario is implausible, in Manukyan’s view. Under these conditions,
the revolution must take place from the bottom – “a big movement that
will make the change of government imminent”.
Manukyan also said that although candidates of the National Democratic
Union are not running in the municipal elections, the party will wage
a struggle to make the elections as fair as possible.

20% of Turkish public ready to recognize Armenian Genocide
ARKA News Agency
April 18 2005
An exhibition of photos by Armin Vegner “Armin T. Vegner and Armenians
of Anatoly, 1915” to be opened in the building of AR MFA on April 20
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cyprus to Armenia
hands his credentials to RA President
The reason of violation of ceasefire regime along the front line
between Armenia and Azerbaijan is that Azerbaijan is sure of its
remaining unpunished
Commemorating Armenian Genocide Armenian people keeps on hoping for
voice of justice: Garegin II
Any dialogue with Turkey acceptable: Armenian Premier
RA Prime -Minister expects some positive steps in the position of
Turkey regarding Armenian Genocide issue
No changes should be expected in Turkey’s policy toward Armenian
Genocide during next few years: Lavrenty Barseghyan
Chairmen of Armenian and Perm CCIS sign cooperation agreement
*********************************************************************
20% OF TURKISH PUBLIC READY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. A fifth of Turkish public is ready to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, Head of the Armenian Sociological
Society Gevorg Poghosyan stated at a conference “Great Genocide.
Reality and Condemnation”, presenting the results of an interview
which was conducted in Armenia and in Turkey in 2001-2004, and involved
1,200 respondents from 34 Turkish cities, and 1,000 respondents from
21 Armenian cities. The respondents were offered three questions:
knowledge of each other, relations and possibilities of further
development. According to Poghosyan, more advanced sections of
Turkey’s population are psychologically ready to recognize the Armenian
Genocide and will not be surprised if the country’s Government adopts
such a resolution. “Moreover, our contacts with Turks showed that a
considerable number of journalists and writers, who are well aware of
this historical fact and of the fact that sooner or later the Turkish
Government will have to admit the Genocide, lay emphasis on Armenians’
further steps in this matter,” Poghosyan said. He added that they are
in more fear of the Armenian diaspora’s hard line. Poghosyan himself
expressed surprise that Turks made the interview results public on
their TV channels. “It testifies to the fact that the authorities
started discussing this problem with their own people. It is a new
step in Turkey, as for 90 years the Genocide has been passed over in
silence,” he said. Poghosyan added that Armenians are much better
informed of Turkey and the Turks than the Turks of Armenia. He pointed
out that 23 Turkish respondents mixed Armenians with Jews. According
to the interview results, Turks’ attitude to Armenians is better that
Armenians’ attitude to Turks. Poghosyan thinks that the admission
of the Armenian Genocide is an matter of future for Turkey, as it is
directly connected with the country’s admission to the EU. “They will
try to throw this burden sooner or later,” he said. P.T. -0–
*********************************************************************
AN EXHIBITION OF PHOTOS BY ARMIN VEGNER “ARMIN T. VEGNER AND ARMENIANS
OF ANATOLY, 1915” TO BE OPENED IN THE BUILDING OF AR MFA ON APRIL 20
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. An exhibition of photos by German writer
and humanist Armin Vegner “Armin T. Vegner and Armenians of Anatoly,
1915” will be opened in the building of AR MFA on April 20. According
to the State Commission on organization of arrangements devoted
to the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, 64 photos are
exhibited. The photos are taken by a simple photo camera and express
episodes displaying the horror of the genocide – deportation, hunger,
death and will to revival. The photos allow imagining Armin Vegner,
a man and fighter for justice. Armin Vegner during the first world war
was in German sanitary corps and became the witness of the massacre of
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Not obeying the instructions not to give
publicity the seen, Vegner collected various kind of information,
statements, notes, letters and photos about Armenian genocide. He
managed with difficulty to keep and send to Germany and the USA part
of photos telling about the horrors of the massacre. In 1915 he was
arrested and sent to Germany. Since 1919 Vegner had had lectures in
German cities telling about the sorrows of Armenians driven by force
to Arabian desert. The same year he sent to the US President Woodrow
Wilson a letter with the appeal to punish the guilty in the Armenian
genocide. The ashes of Vegner was taken to Yerevan and placed in the
memorial wall of the Complex to the victims of the Genocide. Mickele
Vegner, the son of A. Vegner will participate in the exhibition.
A.H.-0–
*********************************************************************
THE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF CYPRUS TO ARMENIA
HANDS HIS CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. The Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of Cyprus to Armenia Leonidas Pantelides handed his
credentials to RA President Robert Kocharyan. According to the RA
President’s Press Service, issues of broadening cooperation between the
states were discussed by the sides. Pantelides noted that strengthening
cooperation in the framework of international organizations may ply
important role in enlargement of bilateral communication. In his
turn Kocharyan attached much importance to the necessity to review
of the bilateral relations. He added that it was necessary to use
the new opportunities for strengthening the relations. A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
THE REASON OF VIOLATION OF CEASEFIRE REGIME ALONG THE FRONT LINE
BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN IS THAT AZERBAIJAN IS SURE OF ITS
REMAINING UNPUNISHED
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. The reason of violation of ceasefire regime
along the front line between Armenia and Azerbaijan is that Azerbaijan
is sure of its remaining unpunished, as stated AR MFA Press Secretary
Hamlet Gasparyan commenting the recent statements by the OSCE Minsk
Group, according to RA MFA Press Secretary. According to Gasparyan,
it’s obvious that ther statements of the OSCE MG Co-Chairs refer
to Azerbaijani side, since exactly Azerbaijan “rattle the sabre”
and makes bellicose appeals. “Everybody knows who encroaches, and
everybody understands that Azerbaijanians openly violate armistice”,
he said. He also stated that nevertheless nobody says publicly who
is the initiator. “As a result, the Azerbaijanians again and again
infringe armistice”, he concluded. To remind, on April 15, 2005 the
Minks Group co-Chairs made a statement in which they expressed their
concern about the growing tension between Armenian and Azerbaijan, as
well as about public statements by Azerbaijan about the possibility
of resuming war. The co-Chairs found it appropriate to recall that
“such violations are causing needless loss of life and jeopardizing
the cease-fire”. the Co-Chairs strongly urge the sides to reinforce
the cease-fire on the line of contact and refrain from any public
statements that could lead to escalation of the conflict. A.H.–0–
*********************************************************************
COMMEMORATING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ARMENIAN PEOPLE KEEPS ON HOPING FOR
VOICE OF JUSTICE: GAREGIN II
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. Marking the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, the Armenian people keep on hoping for
the voice of justice, says a message addressed to the conference “Great
Genocide. Reality and Condemnation” by Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II. According to him, during the Genocide “we experienced the
most horrible things that a people may experience.” However, during
those evil days, trusting in God, the Armenian people succeeded in
restoring its national independence, and “the hearths of Armenians
scattered about the world started smoking again.” “Thank God, times
have changed, and many countries and international organizations are
recognizing and condemning the Genocide now,” says the message. The
international community recognizes and condemns the Genocide being sure
that a deserved appraisal of the heinous crime committed 90 years ago
will be of high importance for the humanity’s moving toward peaceful
co-existence and partnership. According to Garegin II, the Armenian
Genocide not only resulted in human victims and destruction of cultural
values, but also was a violation of human and divine laws. In this
context, Garegin II stressed that the triumph of the new century way
of thinking must be in the rejection of permissiveness, which will
put an end to violence, cruelty and humiliation in human life, and
strengthen humanitarian values. “We are praying to the heaven, asking
God for peace and good in the entire world and His blessing of all our
efforts for the triumph of our just cause,” says the message.P.T. -0–
*********************************************************************
ANY DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY ACCEPTABLE: ARMENIAN PREMIER
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. Any dialogue with Turkey aimed to specify
both countries’ positions is acceptable, RA Premier Andranik Margaryan
told reporters. According to him, a dialogue at any level may be
useful for the formation of an atmosphere of confidence and for
settling the problem at the diplomatic level. Margaryan is against the
formation of a commission of scholars only to confirm the fact of the
Armenian Genocide. “I do not see the task of confirming the fact of the
Genocide. Numerous people residing in Armenia experienced Genocide and
know about it not just from books,” Margaryan said. He pointed out that
a talk of confirming the fact of the Armenian Genocide with Turkish
scholars is unacceptable for him. “It is only the establishment of
diplomatic relations that can be spoken of. Numerous agreements of
1918-1920 exist, and we must decide which of them are acceptable for
us, and which are not. It means establishing relations between the
two states, not between the Turkish and Armenian peoples, in a new
situation,” he said. P.T. -0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRIME -MINISTER EXPECTS SOME POSITIVE STEPS IN THE POSITION OF
TURKEY REGARDING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ISSUE
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. RA Prime -Minister Andranik Margaryan
expects some positive steps in the position of Turkey regarding
Armenian Genocide issue. According to him, positive changes will
happen in the position of Turkey considering public opinion abroad,
in particular, among countries-members of EU, and the discussion
of its membership in EU planned to take place in autumn 2005. “It’s
obvious that there is some progress, but how serious it will be and
whether we will see the results of it this year or within the next
years is difficult to say”, he said. Margaryan noted that “everything
should be imagined in process, and not to expect momentary solution
of the problem”. “If our generation achieves that Turkey establishes
diplomatic relations with Armenia, then the borders would open,
economic relations would be established and atmosphere for the
development of further issues would form. This would be both progress
and victory”, he said. A.H. -0–
*********************************************************************
NO CHANGES SHOULD BE EXPECTED IN TURKEY’S POLICY TOWARD ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE DURING NEXT FEW YEARS: LAVRENTY BARSEGHYAN
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. No changes should be expected in Turkey’s
policy toward the recognition of the Armenian Genocide during next
few years, Director of the Museum of the Armenian Genocide, Professor
Lavrenty Barseghyan told reporters. According to him, Turkey has been
following this hard line for several years.”When the matter concerns
the adoption to the European Union, they follow a different line,
but when they are faced with the admission of the Armenian Genocide,
they assume a harder stand,” Barseghyan said. He pointed out that in
the context of arrangements on the occasion of the 90th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide Turkey has launched a harder policy. “I am
sure that no progress in Turkey’s admission of the Armenian Genocide
should be expected in the near future,” Barseghyan said. He added that
the Turkish authorities will hardly have enough courage to admit the
Armenian Genocide, as Germany did it in the case of Jews. P.T. -0–
*********************************************************************
CHAIRMEN OF ARMENIAN AND PERM CCIs SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. The Chairmen of the Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of Armenia and of the Perm region, Russia, signed a
cooperation agreement in Yerevan today. Following the signing ceremony,
Acting Governor of the perm region Oleg Chirkunov stated that the visit
of the Russian delegation, which includes businessmen of Perm, will
give an impetus to the development of trade between Armenia and one
of the largest Russian regions. “The agreement will enable Russian and
Armenian business to speak one language,” Chirkunov said. He added that
cultural ties between Armenia and Perm should be developed as well.
During his visit, Chirkunio held meetings with RA President Robert
Kocharyan, Premier Andranik Margaryan, Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II, Governor of the Gegharkunik region Stepan Barseghyan. The
delegation is also scheduled to visit the Armenian State University
of Architecture, as well as the brandy and wine factory. P.T. -0–
*********************************************************************