Author: Chakrian Hovsep

TURKS GOING TO SET UP MONUMENT IN MEMORY OF "TURKS MASSACRED BY ARMENIANS"

Noyan Tapan
April 28, 2008

ERZRUM, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Turks are going to set up a monument
in memory of the "Turks massacred by Armenians" in the Kyopryukyoy
region of Erzrum.

As the Turkish press reports, the monument is to be set up in the
vicinity of the "mass grave of Turks" discovered in the Kyopryukyoy
region.

"Work has started in the mass grave of Moslem Turks massacred by
Armenians.

It is also envisaged to set up a monument on that space, which will
inform all the world about the massacres committed against Turks
in the past," Erol Kiurkcuoglu, the Head of the Research Center of
Armenian-Turkish relations of the University after Ataturk, stated.

ARMENIA WELCOMES TURKISH DIALOGUE REQUEST

Peninsula On-line, Qatar
April 28 2008

YEREVAN â~@¢ Armenia is ready to start dialogue with Turkey on
improving relations if Ankara does not set preconditions to talks,
Armenia’s new prime minister said yesterday.

The two neighbours have no diplomatic links after Ankara severed ties
in protest against Armenian control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region
over which Armenia fought Turkey’s ally Azerbaijan in a war in the
early 1990s.

"I confirm the readiness of the government of Armenia to engage in
constructive dialogue and establish relations without preconditions,"
the press office of the Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarksyan said
he wrote in a letter to Turkey.

An Armenian backed administration controls the Nagorno-Karabakh
region. Armenia and Azerbaijan are still officially at war over the
mountainous area.

Last week Turkey’s foreign minister said he had sent Armenia a letter
calling for dialogue. Armenia is a mainly Christian state of around 3
million which lies on the edge of the Caucasus which hosts a pipeline
pumping oil to Europe from Asia.

Armenia also accuses Turkey of genocide during violence at the end
of World War One. Turkey denies the accusations and says that both
Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks died in fighting.

"I assure you that our efforts will be aimed at ensuring peace,
tolerance and stability in our region," Sarksyan told Turkey in
the letter.

Sarksyan took over as prime minister earlier this month. He had
previously been central bank chief.

Meanwhile, the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church yesterday
denounced what he called the world’s "tyrants" who had supported
Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia.

"Kosovo is not only a question of territory," said Patriarch Pavle. "It
is a question of our spiritual being.

"The tyrants of this world know this very well, and accordingly wish
to wound and collectively punish the Serb people," he charged.

"They wish to destroy and crush it… rip its heart out," said the
93-year-old prelate in a message read for him following an Orthodox
Easter service.

Kosovo, whose population is overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian,
unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February and has
been recognised by some 40 countries including the United States and
most European Union members.

The breakaway provoked Serbia’s anger because Kosovo is considered
by Serbs to be the cradle of their religion and culture. "Kosovo is
an integral part of the life of all Orthodox Serbia," the patriarch
said in his message.

–Boundary_(ID_PbaxDGndOSSG1hksuUWrLg)–

’02’ TV PROGRAMME OF ARMENIAN POLICE – THE WINNER IN THE NOMINATION ‘CRIME AND PUNISHMENT’ AT THE MOSCOW FESTIVAL

arminfo
2008-04-28 14:42:00

ArmInfo. ’02’ TV programme of Armenian Police has become the winner
in the nomination "Crime and punishment" at the Moscow festival
‘Law and Society’ held from 15 to 22 April. The diploma and the cup
were handed over to the leader of the Armenian Police press-service,
Sayat Shirinyan, which headed the Armenian delegation.

As press-service of the Police reports, representatives of Russian
regions, the CIS states and Baltic states as well as Switzerland,
Portugal, Italy, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Romania and other states
took part in the festival.

ARMENPRESS

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT INSTRUCTS TO SET UP A TASK GROUP
FOR IMPLEMENTING SUGGESTIONS INCLUDED IN PACE
RESOLUTION

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian assigned today to set up a task group
which will implement the suggestions included in the
PACE resolution on the activity of the democratic
institutions in Armenia.
Presidential press service told Armenpress that the
task group is headed by the chief of staff of the
president Hovik Abrahamian. It consists of members of
the Armenian delegation to PACE, aide to the
president, deputy foreign and justice ministers,
deputy chief prosecutor, chairman of the public TV and
Radio Council and the chairman of the TV and Radio
National Commission. The group is tasked to present
suggestions on further steps in two weeks.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE STILL CASTS A LONG SHADOW OVER HISTORY
By Herout Kerjilian

Press & Sun-Bulletin, NY
April 24 2008

Armenians worldwide today commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the first
genocide of the 20th century, when on April 24, 1915, the Turkish
government embarked on a planned and systematic ethnic deportation
and massacre of the Armenian population of Anatolia with the purpose
of annihilation and extermination of the Christian Armenian nation
and ethnic cleansing of them from their ancestral lands of 3,000 years.

The Turkish process was so horrific that it led Raphael Lemkin to
campaign against such heinous crimes and coin the word "genocide"
based on the Armenian experience.

Armenians — from the first Christian nation in the world — have,
over the centuries, contributed much to human civilization. However,
it is little comfort to them that their catastrophe gave the world the
word "genocide." One would think that the Turks would be ashamed that
their "murder of a nation," as the American ambassador to Istanbul
at the time, Henry Morgentau, and The New York Times labeled it,
contributed to the creation of that word.

As a matter of fact, one would expect Turkey to be uncomfortable
having the singular dubious distinction of being the only nation in
the world to have executed three genocides: the Armenian, Pontian
Greeks and the Assyrians — all Christian. Yet unlike Nazi Germany,
the Turks vehemently deny that they ever committed a genocide and,
using their geopolitical importance, have successfully thwarted the
passage of resolution No. 106 by Congress — U.S. recognition of the
Armenian genocide.

Twenty-three European countries and 40 U.S. states, including
New York, have recognized it. Besides denying the genocide, the
Turks further claim they are the original inhabitants of Anatolia
(historic Armenian Highlands) and, in a recently published history
book, a Turkish professor claims that all these "so-called" Armenian,
Greek and Assyrian churches and monuments in Anatolia were built by
original Turks who were Christian before converting to Islam.

An article published in a recent Binghamton University alumni
newsletter stated that Turkey is a great democratic country, and that
Binghamton University is very proud to be associated with it. Have
the writers or contributors of this article talked with the Armenian,
Greek or Kurdish refugees in our area?

How can a so-called democratic country deny, even today, the existence
of 15 million Kurds in Turkey and disallow the teaching of any Kurdish
language or letting them practice their cultural heritages?

Our own government will not recognize this tragic event under the
guise of not offending an important ally and partner in the war
against terrorism. Yet, Turkey’s decision not to allow us to enter
Iraq from the north created, in former Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld’s words, a vacuum which allowed the al-Qaida and the Iraqi
insurgency time and space to organize, which led to today’s mess in
Iraq and the unnecessary deaths and injury of thousands of American
soldiers and Iraqis.

As Nazi Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel has said in connection with the
Armenians, "genocide denial is the last act of genocide." We believe
that all people of conscience in this country believe in the values
this country stands for and encourage our government to do what
is right and moral by allowing Congress to pass resolution 106 —
something President Bush promised the Armenian-American community
during his presidential campaign but went back on once he became
president.

On April 27 at 12.30 p.m., please join the Armenian community of
Broome County as we commemorate the 93rd anniversary of this tragic
genocide. The event will take place at the Armenian monument site
at corner of Conklin Avenue and South Washington Street Bridge in
Binghamton.

Kerjilian is a Binghamton resident.

NEW PARLIAMENTARIANS

A1+
[08:10 pm] 23 April, 2008

On April 23 the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of the Republic
of Armenia registered two OYP parliamentarians under the proportional
list, CEC Press Secretary Tatevik Ohanian informed A1+.

Khachik Harutiunian and Artsrun Aghajanian will replace OYP former
MPs Gurgen Sarkissian and Mher Shageldian in the National Assembly.

Reminder: under an April 21 decree of President Serzh Sarkissian
Gurgen Sarkissian was appointed RA Minister of Transport and
Communication. Under another decree of the President Mher Shahgeldian
was appointed Minister of Emergency Situations.

RA PRIME MINISTER FORWARDS ADDRESS IN VIEW OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS REMEMBRANCE DAY

arminfo
2008-04-24 12:45:00

ArmInfo. RA Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan forwarded an address
in view of the Armenian Genocide victims Remembrance Day. As the
Armenian governmental press service reports, the address notes, in
particular: "The Armenian Genocide victims Remembrance Day is one of
the symbolic days when the all the Armenians pay court to the memory
of the Genocide victims. The crime, executed by the Ottoman Empire
authorities was aimed at extermination of the Armenian people, as a
result of which over 1,5 million Armenians died, hundred thousands
of old men, women and children underwent forced displacement. Today,
we mourn, and paying tribute of respect to the innocent victims of
the Genocide and conceiving one of the most important lessons of the
past in a new light, we understand that we cannot live safe if we are
apart, if our state is not strong. As a nation, we cannot and must
not forget our own history. Dear compatriots! We should go forward,
we should join around the national aspirations and aims, we should
be able to build a strong and democratic state, as well as to do our
best to assure security, prosperity and development of our country".

EVENTS DEDICATED TO 93rd ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TAKE PLACE IN GLENDALE

Noyan Tapan
April 24, 2008

GLENDALE, APRIL 24, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Events dedicated to
the 93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide took place on April 21
in Glendale Memory Hospital and on April 18 in Sahak-Mesrop Armenian
Christian school.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the primate of the Armenian Church of
North America Western Diocese, was present at the events.

FULLER VERSIONS OF COMMERCIALS ADVERTISING ARMENIA AS COUNTRY OF TOURISM SENT TO CNN AND EURONEWS

Noyan Tapan
April 23, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Fuller versions of the commercials,
which have been demonstrated by CNN and Euronews television channels
since September 2006 and which advertise Armenia as a country of
tourism, have been sent to CNN office in London and Euronews office in
Paris. NT correspondent was informed by Mekhak Apresian, head of the
tourism department of the RA ministry of economy that the commercials
presenting Armenia as an attractive country for winter tourism will
be broadcast by Euronews starting from next week and by CNN – from May.

According to M. Apresian, these commercials are of special importance
for showing Armenia’s tourism opportunities and presenting it as a
stable country attractive for entrepreneurial activities.

AZERI ARMY THE STRONGEST IN REGION – ALIYEV

Interfax, Russia
April 22 2008

Azerbaijan will spend more money on increasing the combat capability
of its army, while the Azeri army is today the strongest in the region,
Azeri President Ilkham Aliyev said.

Speaking about preparations for the upcoming military parade dedicated
to the 90th anniversary of the National Army of Azerbaijan, Aliyev
said that one of the goals of this event is to show the military
might of the country.

Let the whole Azeri people see this, let our friends be happy about
this and let out enemies understand that Azerbaijan has the strongest
army in the region, the Azeri president said.

Azerbaijan marks the National Army Day on April 26. The last military
parade took place on the day in 1992. This year the parade will take
place on the largest square in Azerbaijan – Liberty Square – in Baku,
the president said.

We have the largest military potential and the strongest army, both
from the point of view of training and technical provision, Aliyev
said visiting a military unit.

The Armenian authorities do not have the right to state that Azerbaijan
arms itself at the expense of oil incomes.

Primarily, we spend our own money: both oil incomes and the funds
acquired thanks to the development of non-oil industries. Unlike
Armenia, we increased military expenditures ten times in the past four
years, and we will increase them again soon. Secondly, the Armenian
authorities would rather count their own pennies. In any case we,
unlike Armenia, are not one’s outpost and spend our funds as we like,
this is up to us, the president said.

Azerbaijan will continue to take every necessary measure to liberate
the Armenia-occupied territories, the president said, adding that the
Azeri economic development rates, incomparable to the Armenian ones,
serve for this goal.

We hold our economic potential in our hands, unlike Armenia, and
our borders are protected by our own soldiers, not border troops
of other countries, as is the case there, Aliyev said, according to
local TV channels.