Author: Chatinian Lara

PRESIDENT OF ROMANIAN SENATE RECEIVES NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF ARMENIA HAMLET GASPARIAN

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 7,2010
BUCHAREST

On May 6, President of Romanian Senate Mircea Geoana received newly
appointed Ambassador of Armenia Hamlet Gasparian.

According to the MFA press service, the Ambassador briefly presented
Armenia’s foreign political priorities and urgent problems. H.

Gasparian mentioned the opportunities that can boost Armenian-Romanian
partnership in all spheres.

Mr. Geoana, in his turn, stated that the centuries-old contacts of
the two peoples enable to develop close collaboration between Romania
and Armenia. Rating as important high-level political dialogue on
issues of mutual and international interest he expressed readiness
to expand the dialogue at the parliament level, between parliaments’
managements and friendship groups.

Mr. Geoana attaching importance to the South Caucasus for Europe and
considering it its historic an civilized part mentioned EU Eastern
Partnership and Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization as
structures for efficient collaboration noting that Romania is actively
involved in them. He expressed hope that tension in the South Caucasus
will decrease soon, thus region’s abilities can be used completely
and Armenia can be involved in many-sided economic projects.

ARMENIA TO HOST 6TH YOUTH DELPHIAN GAMES OF CIS COUNTRIES

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 6, 2010
YEREVAN

On June 26 – July 2, Armenia will host the 6th Youth Delphian Games
of CIS countries, an event dedicated to the 65th anniversary of
the victory in World War II. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Armen
Gevorgian has been selected Chairman of the Organizing Committee of
the Delphian Games.

According to the RA Ministry of Culture, the Delphian Games date
back to 582 B.C. and were held in honor of Apollo who killed the
dragon snake Python. The ancient Delphian Games were held mostly
near the Temple of Apollo of Delphi and for that reason they were
called Delphian Games. In 1927 Greece revived the tradition of holding
Delphian Games, and from 1927 to the start of World War II the Delphian
Games took place every three years – as in ancient times. The new era
of Dephian Games began in 2000 when the first World Delphian Games were
organized with the participation of 27 countries, including Belarus,
Vietnam and Greece.

Since 2002 the Delphian Games have been held in the CIS territory –
based on the decision on main events in the sphere of culture in CIS
members states until 2005, which was signed in Moscow on 29 November
2001 by the Council of Heads of Governments of CIS States. Based on
that decision, the Executive Committee of the CIS set up a working
group for organization and assistance to Delphian Games in CIS
countries. Representatives of Armenia have always been involved in
the activities of the working group.

Note that during the 5th Youth Delphian Games held in Belarus in
2008, 2 out of 13 participants of the Armenian delegation won gold
medals, 4 won bronze medals, and 7 participants received diplomas,
while Armenia’s team took third place.

ASBAREZ ENGLISH SECTION CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 5, 2010
LOS ANGELES

In 1970, the 62-year-old Asbarez publication moved from Fresno to
Los Angeles and launched its English Section. Today when the Asbarez
English Section celebrates its 40th anniversary, Asbarez is the largest
Armenian/English bilingual daily newspaper in the United States. To
celebrate this jubilee, the newspaper initiated a campaign called 40
For 40. Community members are asked to donate 40 dollars to Asbarez
on this occasion. The raised money will help to bring readers more
up-to-date information and promote the newspaper’s operations in its
new media center in Little Armenia.

DEPARTMENT CHIEF OF AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION: "ARMENIA DEMANDED TWO WEEKS, SEVERAL MONTHS PASSED, BUT NO REACTION YET"

APA
Azerbaijan
May 5 2010

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. "Araz Azimov’s ideas comprehensively
clarify certain issues that are on the negotiation table.

The deputy minister raised the issues negotiated there", said
Novruz Mammadov, Chief of International Relations Department of the
Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, APA reports.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov said Armenia demanded
time for withdrawal from Lachin and Kelbajar.

Mammadov said these proposals were elaborated by the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs. "From this point of view, indeed Armenia demanded
time not only for withdrawal from these two regions, but for other
issues raised by Araz Azimov. Armenia demanded two weeks, several
months passed, but there is no reaction yet".

The department chief said the co-chairs were working on that and
keeping in touch with the sides. "May be we will be informed about the
positions of the sides soon. The raised issue is the most correct way
for solution to the conflict. There is no other solution. Armenia must
understand it very well. This is an opportunity for the international
community and for the leaders of the co-chair countries. It needs to
pressure on Armenia and to try to solve the problem".

Answering the question "can the war be unavoidable by the end of the
year", Mammadov said: "It is difficult to forecast the war, but we
are always ready to liberate our lands by all means".

Mammadov said the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs were working in Vienna
on the issues raised by Araz Azimov. "They have to force Armenia to
accept the project elaborated by them".

CHAIRWOMAN OF NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AFFAIRS MEETS WITH AMBASSADOR OF CZECH REPUBLIC

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 4, 2010
YEREVAN

On May 4, Chairwoman of the NA Standing Committee on European
Integration Affairs Naira Zohrabian met with Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of Czech Republic to RA Ivan Estrabi.

Mrs. Zohrabian hailed him for his efforts in activizing the
Armenian-Czech rleations, specifically, for restoring student
scholarships and making it possible for Armenian students to study
at Czech Republic universities. Mrs. Zohrabian had raised the issue
of student scholarships at the meeting with the Czech parliament
delegation in March.

According to the RA NA press service, issues referring to further
steps in the implementation of Eastern Partnership, Armenia’s European
integration, activization of the Armenia-Czech Republic relations
were discussed. The sides expressed concern over Euranest launching
delay noting that alienating Belarus from Eastern Partnership will
not resolve problems of democratization in Belarus.

The Ambassador informed Mrs. Zohrabian of preelection situation in
Czech Republic and Mrs. Zohrabian presented the political reasons
of suspension of the Armenian-Turkish protocols ratification by the
RA President saying that the international community comprehends
the necessity of that measure by the Armenian side due to Turkey’s
inconsistent policy.

Ambassador Estrabi expressed hope that Mrs. Zohrabian will visit
Czech Republic after the parliamentary elections to be held this month.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.

ARMENIAN FM MEETS VILLEURBANNE DELEGATION

news.am
Armenia
May 4 2010

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian held a meeting on May 4 with
a delegation of Villeurbanne, France, led by Mayor Jean-Paul Bret.

The press service of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed
NEWS.am that, welcoming the delegation, Minister Nalbandian expressed
his appreciation of Mr. Jean-Paul Bret’s personal contribution to
the development of Armenian-French relations – both as Villeurbanne
Mayor and as former chairman of the France-Armenia deputy group,
which was co-author of the bill on the Armenian Genocide adopted by
the National Assembly of France.

Mr. Jean-Paul Bret pointed out a warm attitude to Armenia and Armenians
in France. He said that the main goal of his visit to Armenia is to
expand Armenian-French cooperation.

The sides pointed out the importance of decentralized cooperation
between about 50 cities and regions of Armenia and France.

DECLARATION DE FRANCOIS HOLLANDE A L’OCCASION DU 95EME ANNIVERSAIRE DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Stephane

armenews
4 mai 2010
FRANCE

A l’occasion des commemorations du 95ème anniversaire du genocide
armenien de 1915 perpetre par le gouvernement turc, je voudrais
assurer le peuple armenien de tout mon soutien dans le combat qui est
le sien. 95 ans après le genocide armenien, il est inacceptable que
le gouvernement turc soit encore et toujours dans la posture de la
negation d’un genocide reconnu par la communaute des Historiens et par
de nombreux Etats a travers le monde. Il faut refuser le negationnisme
du genocide armenien. La proposition de loi penalisant la negation du
genocide armenien, que nous avons fait voter a l’Assemblee nationale
le 12 octobre 2006 doit etre inscrite a l’ordre du jour du Senat dans
les meilleurs delais. J’appelle le President du Senat, Gerard Larcher,
a en faciliter l’examen en l’inscrivant a l’ordre du jour du Senat. La
France ne doit pas ceder a quelque chantage que ce soit. La Justice
doit etre notre aiguillon. En toute circonstance.

HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN: "ARMENIA IS READY TO ESTABLISH RELATIONS WITH TURKEY WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS"

ARMENPRESS
MAY 4, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS: "Armenia is ready to implement the assumed
international commitments but this readiness does not mean inferiority
of its own interests," chairman of the Armenian National Assembly
Hovik Abrahamyan said today during the 23d four-day conference of the
Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly of the European region. He reminded
that Armenia and Turkey signed in Zurich protocols on normalization of
relations and after their ratification in parliaments establishment
of diplomatic relations without preconditions and opening of borders
were supposed. "While Armenia has many times stated its readiness to
implement commitments, Turkey from the very beginning was evading,
bringing forth different reasons, stepping down from the words, linking
the protocols with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process
delaying their ratification in the parliament. The forwarding of such
preconditions is unacceptable for Armenia. And the president of our
country signed a decree on suspending the protocols’ ratification
procedure," Armenian NA speaker said, adding that Armenia is not
withdrawing itself from the process and our country is waiting for
constructive approach of Turkey.

Hovik Abrahamyan once again pointed out that the issue on the
recognition of the Armenian genocide cannot be auctioned. "Stating that
it is ready to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions,
Armenia at the same time is saying that it is devoted to its national
principles and will never make a step to harm the interests of the
Armenian people. Armenian authorities have many times stated that
our country has never put and will never put under doubt the fact of
the Genocide and the importance of its international recognition,"
Hovik Abrahamyan said.

Applying to the participants of the conference, the NA speaker
expressed wish that they view everything in an unbiased way,
irrespective of political sympathies and orientations.

He repeated again that the Nagorno Karabakh issue has no connection
with the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations not only
because there is not a word about it in the protocols and they are
separate processes but because in Zurich the protocols were signed
by Armenia and Turkey and not the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and
Azerbaijan.

Head of the European region of the Francophonie Parliamentary
Assembly Jan-Paul Wahl said they remember what happened in 1915 and
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. "The future cannot be imagined
without evaluation of the past. As a consequence of the Armenian
genocide a great Armenian Diaspora exists in the world which is of
great significance in the political, cultural, scientific lives of
different countries," he said.

Jan-Paul Wahl also expressed conviction that in spite of what happened
in past between Armenia and Turkey, "the two countries will choose the
path of overcoming the historic taboos and normalization of relations."

MOTHER SEE REFUTED INFORMATION ON KAREKIN II VISIT TO SHAHID ALLEY

news.am
May 3 2010
Armenia

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin refuted information that Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II visited Shahid alley in the course of
his visit to Baku.

Earlier, Azerbaijani press spread information that Muslim
Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh stated that Karekin II visited
Shahid alley put up in commemoration of Azerbaijanians killed in
Karabakh war.

"This statement is artificial," says the statement by Etchmiadzin.

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin also appealed to the Caucasus Muslims
Office hoping that they will issue official refutation.

EurAsia Review
May 1 2010

In Turkey ‘People Are Rebelling’ Against Armenia Genocide Denial

Saturday, May 01, 2010
By Lou Ann Matossian

(The Armenian Reporter) — As Armenians in Yerevan laid flowers at the
Eternal Flame on the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
Turkish citizens in Istanbul solemnly commemorated April 24 with
candles and red carnations-despite protests from ultranationalists and
the denial policy of their own government.

Seated on the steps outside Haydarpa’a Station, activists from the
Istanbul Human Rights Association held carnations and posters of
Armenian community leaders whose arrest and deportation from that very
place had heralded the Young Turks’ extermination campaign. "April 24,
1915-Never Again" proclaimed the organization’s banner as human rights
attorney Eren Keskin addressed the solemn group.

"The events of 1915 must not be repeated," Ms. Keskin was quoted in
press reports. "We have gathered here to say no to genocide."

Turkish police stood guard at the peaceful demonstration of about 100
mourners, keeping counter-demonstrators at bay. As journalists’
cameras clicked and whirred, Ms. Keskin and the others threw their
flowers into the Bosphorus, closing the vigil on the Asian shore of
Istanbul.

That same evening in the heart of downtown, on the European side, the
Initiative to Say No to Racism and Nationalism held a peaceful
sit-down demonstration in bustling Taksim Square.

A large black placard, inscribed "This is OUR pain. This is a mourning
for ALL OF US," in Turkish, Armenian, and English, was placed on the
ground with bouquets of red carnations and rows of votive candles
resembling red apples.

"In 1915, when we had a population of only 13 million people, there
were 1.5 to 2 million Armenians living on this land," an organizer
proclaimed in Turkish. More than 200 mourners sat in silence as she
named the cities and regions where Ottoman Armenians had lived, from
Kars in the east to Thrace in the west.

"They were the grocer in our neighborhood, our tailor, our goldsmith,
our carpenter, our shoemaker, our farmhand, our millwright, our
classmate, our teacher, our officer, our private, our deputy, our
historian, our composer…our friend," the statement continued. "Our
next-door neighbors and our companion in bad times.

"On April 24th, 1915, they were `rounded up’. We lost them. They are
not here anymore. A great majority of them do not exist anymore. Nor
do their graveyards," the organizer read out, evoking "the
overwhelming `Great Pain’ that was laid upon the qualms of our
conscience by the `Great Catastrophe’."

Clark University professor Taner Akçam, an endorser of the Taksim
Square statement, called the April 24th commemorations in Turkey a
"serious crack in the wall" of silence and denial. "The other
Turkey-the Turkey that doesn’t belong to denialists-is coming to the
surface," he told the Armenian Reporter.

"People are rebelling," he concluded. "They are saying, `We want to
learn the truth’."

Without identifying the Armenian Genocide as such, the statement urged
"all peoples of Turkey who share this heartfelt pain to commemorate
and pay tribute to the victims of 1915." (The full text, posted online
at buacihepimizin.org with some 1,500 signatures, was endorsed by
about 80 prominent intellectuals and activists in Turkish society.)

Shouts of "Death to the Armenian Diaspora!" could be heard from
counter-demonstrators as the mourners paused in silent commemoration,
reported an eyewitness, Armenian Weekly editor Khatchig Mouradian.
"This is Turkey! Love it or leave it!" chanted a group of angry men
from behind police lines, in a video shot at the scene and posted to
YouTube. Haranguing the mourners as traitors, they extended their
first and fourth fingers in the ultranationalist Grey Wolf gesture.

At the close of the vigil, the mourners tossed carnations into the
air, reported Hürriyet. "The brotherhood of Armenians, Turks, and
Kurds!" they chanted, marching down Istiklal Avenue. "Shoulder to
shoulder against fascism!"

Additional public vigils were reportedly held in Galatasaray, not far
from Taksim Square, by Kurdish mothers of "disappeared" children, and
outside the offices of Agos Armenian newspaper, where editor Hrant
Dink was gunned down in January 2007.

A reparations debate in Ankara

In Ankara, meanwhile, international scholars and writers participated
in a two-day conference on "1915 within its pre- and post-historical
periods," organized by the Ankara Freedom of Thought Initiative.
Nearly cancelled due to political and bureaucratic obstacles, the
panels were held under tight security, with no counter-demonstrations
permitted. Unusually for a conference in Turkey, proponents of the
government’s "official history" were notably absent from the list of
invited presenters.

Nevertheless, a panel on "The Armenian Issue: What is to be done and
how?" sparked plenty of controversy as Worcester State University
philosopher Henry Theriault called for genocide reparations. Turkey
should return or compensate for Armenian property, wealth, slave
labor, pain and suffering, and the loss of 1.5 million people, as well
as cultural, religious, and educational losses, Prof. Theriault
stated.

Although Sevan Nishanian of Agos newspaper flatly rejected these
demands as unjust and unproductive, author Temel Demirer and Welsh
writer-activist Eilian Williams defended them, according to The
Armenian Weekly’s Mouradian, who participated in the intense debate
among the panelists and audience members.

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