Author: Ekmekjian Janet

ADAMKUS: ARMENIA SHOULD JOIN EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Regnum, Russia
April 26 2006
“After Lithuania gained independence, the principle of proper attitude
became a leading one of our foreign policy regarding to all countries
of the world, including Russia,” Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus
stated during his official visit to Armenia, meeting with students
and lecturers of Yerevan State University on April 29.
“Of course, we may have some difficulties concerning certain questions,
but we should find ways to overcome them for the sake of today’s
generation, i.e. of our future,” Adamkus stated. The president
is quoted by a REGNUM correspondent as saying that “Lithuanian
foreign policy will not change, and will base on mutual trust and
respect.” “Since the time of gaining political independence by our
countries, relations between Lithuania and Armenia have been based
on friendship and mutual respect, and I do not see any reasons to
change the policy,” he stated.
“Armenia should join the European community, become a full family
member and assume appropriate obligations,” Adamkus stated. Answering
the question, how Lithuania can particularly help Armenia in the
way of Euro-integration, the president stated: “We already have
such cooperation; our specialists meet with Armenian colleagues,
widely exchanging experiences. Political will to effect reforms in
all spheres is important here; and the Armenian authorities have
such will. We are open and ready for cooperation. Of course, we made
mistakes, joining the EU, but we do not want you to repeat them.”

PRESS RELEASE
St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church
4125 Fessenden St. NW
Washington, DC 20016
Contact: Fr. Vertanes Kalayjian
T: 202.363.1923
[email protected]
ACYOA Leads Vigil; Secures Location for `System of a Down’ & Genocide Rally
Church Group Stands Ground in Face of Police and Turkish Pressure
Washington, DC. – Members of the St. Mary Armenian Church Youth
Organization of America (ACYOA) secured the front entrances and
property in front of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC in
preparation for an annual April 24 genocide rally while leading a
91-hour vigil in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. Armenian
Christians from the Washington, DC area were participating in a 91
consecutive hour prayer vigil when United States Secret Service
(Uniformed Division) officers, and later a representative from the
Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), attempted to
displace the Armenian group from the area that it had already occupied
for over 3 days.
`After speaking to the Secret Service and DC Metropolitan Police itwas
clear that they preferred that we move from our designated location.
When the ATTA representative arrived he attempted to relocate us as
well so that they would be able to use that space for their denial
campaign. But we had been stationed in front of the Embassy for over
75 hours and weren’t about to give it up to the Turks,’ remarked
Sarine Zenian, a spokesperson for the St. Mary ACYOA. `The police
ultimately sided inour favor and worked tirelessly and professionally
throughout the duration of the vigil and rally to ensure public
safety.’
Soon after, members of the Washington/Baltimore Armenian community, as
wellas others from around the country, rallied in support of the
recognition ofthe Armenian Genocide. Over 400 participants from
several local Armenian organizations and institutions including: the
ACYOA Central Council, the Armenian National Committee, the Armenian
Youth Federation, Hamazkayin Cultural Association, Homenetmen Scouts
and Athletic Union, Soorp Khatch Armenian Church, St. Mary Armenian
Church, and others; gathered together to call on the Turkish
government to admit its crimes, repent, and give the Armenian
peoplethe justice they deserve.
Special guests at the rally were members of the popular rock band
`System of a Down’ represented by band members John Dolmayan and
SerjTankian. Their presence added a unique element to the rally and
attracted Armenian-Americans to the annual rally in record numbers.
After the rally ended, the 91-hour vigil resumed through the night
ending at 10am on Tuesday, April 25, 2006. St. Mary ACYOA Chairman
Sevan Ohanian explained, `This vigil, and the 90-hour vigil of 2005,
sends a powerful message to the American people and the Turkish
government. We remained present on the street around the clock to
witness to the truth of the ArmenianGenocide.’ Vigil organizers
estimate an average of 50 vehicles drive past the Turkish Embassy each
minute during rush hour traffic. The vigil, which spanned 5 days,
exposed over 30,000 Washingtonians, including Turkish diplomats and
embassy staff, to the facts of the Armenian Genocide and thegreat
suffering that the Armenian people endured at the hands of the Ottoman
Turks.
Vigil participants endured inclement weather, cold nights, and
torrential rain during the first 50 hours and were repeatedly heckled
by area Turks and genocide deniers among the American community.
However, the vigil also provided an opportunity to engage pedestrians,
one on one, to discuss the issue and enlighten them about Armenia and
Armenian history. Muslims on their wayto the neighboring National
Islamic Center and Mosque offered insightful and often inspirational
views about humanity, human suffering, and mankind’s cruelty to
mankind.
Evenings at the vigil brought about opportunities for reflection and
prayer. Vigil spiritual leader, Dn. Zaven Kalayjian of Yerevan, led
the group in daily requiem services and group prayer focused on the
need for God’s grace and wisdom to be imparted on to the Turkish
people so that truth mayprevail over denial and ignorance in Turkey.
Vigil participants humbly prayed for God’s blessings on the martyrs of
the Genocide as well as the survivors and their legacy.
# # #

TURKEY REFUSED COOPERATION WITH CANADA OWING TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 22:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey refused Canada’s participation in the tender
for the building of the nuclear power plant. The decision was passed
due to Ottawa’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey
in 1915. “Canadian companies, which are going to take part in the
tender for the building of the nuclear power plant in Sinop Black Sea
province, will not be admitted due to Ottawa Administration recognition
of the Armenian Genocide,” the Hurriyet Turkish newspaper writes.
Referring to a senior representative of the Turkish MFA the newspaper
notes Ankara could not presume “the Canadian Government will
jeopardize the wide-scale cooperation between the two countries for
the sake of a few Armenians’ votes.” “All foreign governments should
now understand that they will have to pay for unfair accusations
against Turkey. Everyone should know we follow with attention all
initiatives in all regions of the world and they will encounter
the same attitude,” the Turkish diplomat said, reports RIA Novosti
referring to the Hurriyet.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: CURRENTLY THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS IS IN AN ACTIVE PHASE
ArmRadio.am
25.04.2006 17:52
MEDIAMAX Agency informs that RA President Robert Kocharyan declared
today in Yerevan, “I see no connection between the activation of
the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the situation
around Iran.” The President said this in response to the question of
a Lithuanian journalist during the joint press conference with the
President of Lithuanian Valdas Adamkus.
Robert Kocharyan declared that “he does not feel any pressure from
the US in the settlement process.” RA President underlined that the
American, Russian and French Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group “have the
same position and work coordinately.”
Robert Kocharyan said that “currently the negotiations process is
in an active phase,” noting that it is not the result of pressure on
the part of the mediators.
“The mandate based on which the Co-Chairs are launching their
activity does not envisage execution of pressure on the parties to
the conflict. The mediators solely simplify the efforts of the parties
directed at finding a solution, ” RA president said.

MOSCOW POLICE ARREST TEENAGER IN CONNECTION WITH FATAL STABBING OF ARMENIAN STUDENT
PRAVDA, Russia
April 24 2006
Police arrested a teenager in connection with the fatal stabbing of
an Armenian student on a Moscow subway platform over the weekend,
a city prosecutor’s official said.
The killing was the latest in a wave of attacks against dark-skinned
immigrants from the southern Caucasus regions and former Soviet
Central Asia.
Sergei Marchenko, a spokesman for Moscow prosecutor’s office, said
in televised comments that a 17-year-old boy was detained Monday and
had confessed to the Saturday evening killing.
Russian news agencies said investigators had classified the attack
as simple murder, but were considering classifying the killing as a
hate crime.
The ITAR-Tass news agency said the victim – a 17-year-old Armenian
native and Moscow university student – was standing with a group of
acquaintances when seven people got off a train and attacked them,
stabbing him once in the chest. The victim died on the spot.
The incident prompted sharp criticism from the Union of Russian
Armenians, a civic organization in Moscow.
“It’s not important what nationality the killed person is. This
concerns everyone. This is a problem for all of Russia,” union chief
Ara Abramian said on Ekho Moskvy radio. “If we have extremism and
nationalism, we should call these things exactly what they are and
then maybe these incidents won’t be repeated.”
Law enforcement authorities often classify attacks on minorities as
simple “hooliganism” with no racial motivation, fueling the anger of
Kremlin critics who say the government does little to stem hate crimes.
Several attacks on foreigners and ethnic minorities have occurred in
Russia in the past few weeks, and the country has seen a marked rise
in xenophobia and racism in recent years, with rights groups accusing
the government of inaction.
Assailants, often young skinheads or other nationalists, have committed
hundreds of attacks on foreigners from Africa, Asia and Latin America,
dark-skinned immigrants from former Soviet Central Asia and the
Caucasus Mountains region, and Jews. Dozens have died.
Rights activists say hate groups are emboldened by what they believe
is the authorities’ mild approach to prosecuting hate crimes, and
complain that neo-Nazi and other extremist literature and propaganda
is widely available on the streets and on the Internet.
Also Monday, Russian news agencies reported that a 25-year-old Tajik
man was killed and another 25-year-old Tajik was wounded after being
attacked in Moscow on Sunday. Prosecutors were investigating the
crime as a possible racial attack, the AP says.

TURKISH EMBASSY IN BAKU REGISTERED NO INCIDENTS RELATING TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 20:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Embassy in Baku registered no incidents
relating to the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, stated Embassy
Spokesperson Bulent Ugur. “Due to the anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide the Turkish MFA has instructed all its diplomatic missions
to take special security measures,” he remarked.
In his words, “reports from Ankara said incendiary mixtures might be
thrown on the Turkish Embassy in Baku. Responding to reports of this
kind is part of routine work. However, as expected, no incidents were
registered,” B. Ugur said. When speaking at Asia University on April
24 Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali also confirmed there
was “a threat against the Embassy by phone,” Trend reports.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN’S ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE DAY OF COMMEMORATION OF THE GENOCIDE VICTIMS
ArmRadio.am
24.04.2006 13:48
RA president Robert Kocharyan issued an address on the occasion
of the day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims. The
address particularly says, “Dear compatriots, today we pay homage to
the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Osman Turkey and its successor
bear full responsibility for this crime.
The whole further history of the Armenian people, which suffered
the Genocide, carried the heavy results of this tragedy. The pain
is even stronger, since we have to struggle for the recognition
and condemnation of this black page of the history. The Republic of
Armenian, as the homeland of Armenians and as the expresser of the
interests of Diaspora Armenians will continue this struggle. We are
grateful to those countries, organizations and individuals that assist
us. The comprehension that this is the problem of the whole mankind
and the most effective way of preventing similar crimes increases
year by year.
The struggle of Armenians has no pretext of revenge. We look forward,
since our best response to denial should be the strong statehood,
the progress and prosperity of Armenia.”

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILLBOARD CRUMBLES FROM WATER DAMAGE
By Christopher Loh/ Staff Writer
Watertown TAB & Press, MA
April 24 2006
A billboard at 160 Arsenal St., promoting awareness of the April 1915
Armenian Genocide, looked as though it had been vandalized, as a large
section in the middle was torn from the top all the way to the bottom.
However, Watertown Police said it doesn’t appear to have been
vandalism.
The billboard’s collapse couldn’t have happened at a worse time,
because this past weekend was the 91st Anniversary Commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide.
The billboard’s condition was reported to the Watertown Police
Department on Saturday, April 22, at 5 p.m.
Police said Clear Channel, who owns the billboard, investigated the
matter Monday morning, but found no evidence of foul play.
Lois Catanzaro, director of public affairs for Clear Channel, said
company representatives had gone to the site, and believed the damage
was caused by water.
Daniel Hejinian, a representative of Peace of Art, the company who
owned the advertisement, said the cause of the damage could be many
things, and that Peace of Art is looking to replace the billboard
with another concerning the Armenian Genocide.
The representatives removed the remaining remnants of the
billboard. Currently an old United States Navy advertisement is
displayed.
Police are still investigating the matter.

Armenians say Patrick ally despite ties to Turk lobby
By Kimberly Atkins
Boston Herald
April 22 2006
Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Deval Patrick attended a State House
event yesterday marking the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide –
just days after the Herald exposed his ties to a lobbyist working to
block U.S. recognition of the Turkish government’s slaughter of 1.5
million Armenians.
The Herald reported Wednesday that a Washington, D.C., fund-raiser for
Patrick was hosted by Bernie Robinson, a consultant to the Livingston
Group, a lobbying firm that took in millions of dollars from the
Turks to fight a congressional plan to recognize the genocide.
Yesterday Patrick spent roughly an hour at the commemoration ceremony
hosted by Rep. Peter Koutoujian (D-Waltham). Patrick didn’t speak,
but Sharistan Melkonian of the Armenian National Committee said his
presence reinforced the belief of the Armenian community that Patrick
is an ally, not an adversary.
“He has a history of very strong support around the issue that most
Armenians care about, like human rights and civil rights and justice,”
Melkonian said.
In a letter to the Herald, Patrick said “reports of my association
with those who deny the Armenian genocide are completely false.”
Patrick also took umbrage with gubernatorial rival Attorney General Tom
Reilly, who told the Herald that he “wouldn’t want to have anything
to do with” anyone associated with such a firm. Patrick said he was
“disappointed to see my political opponents trying to exploit this
tragedy.”

ARMENIA-EU NEGOTIATIONS SECOND ROUND TO BE HELD IN EARLY MAY IN
BRUSSELS AS PART OF ENLARGED EUROPE – NEW NEIGHBORS EU PROGRAM
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 20 2006
YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. The second round of Armenia-EU negotiations
is to be held in the beginning of May in Brussels as part of Enlarged
Europe – New Neighbors EU Program, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan said at a news conference given Thursday after meeting with
his Austrian counterpart Hans Winkler in Yerevan.
In his words, the program will give a new impetus to cooperation
between Armenia and European Union and raise it to a new level. He
said the program will pay special attention to democratic reforms in
Armenia, especially taking into account parliamentary and Armenian
presidential elections expected in 2007 and 2008. Oskanyan stressed
that if the elections are conducted in wrong way, Armenia will loose
not only moral, but also financial support from European institutions.
Austrian Foreign Secretary Hans Winkler, in turn, noted that
the program adoption will lay proper groundwork for deepening
cooperation between the countries. He also expressed hope that
Armenian parliamentary and presidential elections will be up to
European standards.
EU Three delegation headed by Austrian Foreign Secretary Hans Winkler
arrived in Armenia on Thursday as part of his regional visit. The
delegation is made up of Austrian and Finnish Ambassadors to Armenia,
EU Special Envoy in South Caucasus as well as European Commission
and European Union representatives.
The delegation members are set to meet Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan and Armneian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan
in Yerevan. M.V. -0–