Author: Hakobian Adrine

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

May 27, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

GENOCIDE AWARENESS ACT MOVES TO CALIFORNIA SENATE FLOOR FOR VOTE

— "Justice for Genocide Victims" bill on deadline for vote in CA
Assembly committee

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senate Bill 234 (SB 234), authored by California
Senator Mark Wyland (R-northern San Diego County) is now on its way
to the full Senate floor for consideration. Known as the "Genocide
Awareness Act", the bill instructs the California State Curriculum
Commission to consider the inclusion of an oral history component
in its already mandated genocide education curriculum.

"Senator Wyland has been a champion of this issue for over a
decade. His efforts continue to ensure that California remains at
the forefront in educating our next generation about genocide and
the role we can play as a society to confront this terrible crime
against humanity," remarked Gayana Badalyan, Chairwoman of the ANC
of San Diego County.

Turkish Coalition of America Board Member Bruce Fein traveled from
Washington, DC in an effort to undermine SB 234 as well as Assembly
Bill 961 (AB 961), the "Justice for Genocide Victims Bill,"
introduced by Assembly Member Paul Krekorian. Fein’s presentation
before the Senate panel, in which he denies the Armenian Genocide
as well as the Cambodian and Sudan genocides, may be viewed at:

Kr ekorian’s AB 961 would prevent California from awarding contracts
to companies that have profited from genocide. The bill awaits a
vote in the CA Assembly Appropriations Committee, which must
consider the bill before the end of this week for it to be able to
continue to the full Assembly floor for consideration.

The ANCA has encouraged California residents to contact Assembly
Speaker Karen Bass and Appropriations Committee Chairman Kevin de
Leon to urge swift action committee action on the measure. Free
ANCA Webmails can be sent from:
=13395506&type=CU

In the past weeks, the Asbarez Armenian Daily Newspaper covered
this issue in a feature article titled "Anti-Genocide Legislation
Showdown in Sacramento," detailing Turkish Government opposition to
the measures under consideration.

With today’s action, California comes one step closer to ensuring
that survivor and witness accounts are used in classrooms
throughout the state to help broaden the community’s understanding
of genocide.

Speaking about the legislation after it was unanimously approved by
the California Senate Education Committee, Senator Wyland noted
that "the ultimate purpose is to make students even more aware of
these horrible crimes against humanity, so ultimately, these
occurrences do not happen again."

NORWAY SUPPORTS OSCE MINSK GROUP EFFORTS

Panorama.am
14:31 26/05/2009

The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received today the new
appointed Ambassador of Norway Knoot Howg to hand his credentials,
the President’s Cabinet reports.

Congratulating the Ambassador the President said that Armenia
is interested in developing and strengthening the bilateral and
multi-sided format relations with Norway. The President mentioned that
the Armenians remember brightly the support provided by Norway during
the 1988 earthquake of Spitak. "We have a Norwegian village in Armenia
which reminds us about that help and support," the President said.

The Ambassador said that his country is also wishing to set developed
cooperation with Armenia and that he would take appropriate measures
to organize that collaboration. The parties have also discussed
regional questions.

The Ambassador stressed that Norway supports the OSCE Minsk Group
efforts to reach the peace and regulation of the conflict.

NIKOYAN HAS ALL THE FACTS?

A1+
05:54 pm | May 26, 2009

Politics

Head of the "Heritage" faction Anahit Bakhshyan sent a letter to
Serzh Sargsyan drawing his attention to the fact that the work of
the Fact-Finding Group has remained frozen since May 4.

The fact of the matter is that head of the group Vahe Stepanyan
was on vacation, yet that is not foreseen by the RA Charter of
October 23, 2008. All of the documents are kept locked up by his
administration. Upon his return, Stepanyan announced his resignation.

"During his seven months as head of the group, the group has been
subjected to pressures and has overcome many obstacles. Nevertheless,
according to the RA President’s Charter propositions approved on
October 23, 2008, the NA ad hoc commission leading the investigation
into the events of March 1-2 has presented important facts, which are
in line with the demands of the PACE Resolution 1643. We expect the
restoration of the work of the Fact-Finding Group, which was created
by your order," as stated in the letter.

"WORLD OF CONFLICTS" INITIATIVE PRESENTATION WAS HELD IN YEREVAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
26.05.2009 17:57 GMT+04:00

"World of Conflicts" Initiative, featuring film series entitled
"Farewell to weapon: From Belfast to Balkans" launched on May 26
in Yerevan. The initiative was organized by British Embassy in RA,
INTERNEWS representations in Yerevan and Baku.

INTERNEWS representations in Yerevan and Baku created 6 films
portraying 6 conflicts in Europe and offering mechanisms of their
settlement, INTERNEWS Yerevan Executive Director Nune Sargsyan said
at the presentation.

According to her, film authors tried to present the conflict from
viewpoints of its victims. "All of these films will be screened both
in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Negotiations are being conducted for the
films to be screened in Russia and Kazakhstan," Nune Sargsyan noted.

In his turn, representative of British Embassy in RA, Narine Sultayan
noted that the project aims to help conflicting parties find peaceful
settlement to NKR issue.

ODESSA TO HOST CELEBRATIONS DEDICATED TO FIRST REPUBLIC ANNIVERSARY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
26.05.2009 12:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the occasion of the first Armenian Republic’s
anniversary, the Armenian Cultural Centre of Odessa will host a
big concert with the participation of dancing and vocal ensembles
representing the local Armenian community.

The event is scheduled for May 28, Analitika.at.ua news site reports.

Concerts dedicated to the anniversary of the First Republic will take
traditional nature in many parts of Ukraine, attracting big audiences.

TURKISH FM TO TRAVEL AZERBAIJAN TO DISCUSS REVIVING KARBAKH PROCESS

Anadolu Agency
May 25 2009
Turkey

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER: MINSK GROUP FAILS TO MAKE PROGRESS IN
UPPER KARABAKH ISSUE, INTERNAL MECHANISM AGAINST CRISIS SHOULD BE
ESTABLISHED WITHIN OIC

DAMASCUS (A.A) -25.05.2009 -Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
said Sunday that the Minsk group failed to make any progress in the
solution of the Karabakh issue.

Davutoglu who is attending the 36th meeting of the OIC Council of
Foreign Ministers in Damascus told AA that he would travel to Baku
together with his Azarbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov and hold
meetings with Mammadyarov and Azarbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on
a wide range of issues including the Karabakh issue.

He said the Armenian occupation of Azarbaijani territory in Upper
[Nagornyy] Karabakh had been going on for 17 years adding that it
was hard to disagree with Aliyev’s remarks about performance of the
Minsk group.

"The historic record shows it. There has been no progress. It is
time to revive this process. Turkey will continue its efforts,"
said Davutoglu.

Davutoglu said Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsian would
meet in numerous occasions and expressed his wish that those meetings
would bring a solution in a way that would please all parties.

Davutoglu also said that an internal mechanism within Organization
of the Islamic Conference for preventing and countering crisis was
necessary.

Davutoglu who is attending the 36th meeting of the OIC Council of
Foreign Ministers in Damascus, told AA that there was a lot the OIC
could do to prevent conflicts among the Muslim countries, noting that
a mechanism comprising of experts could prevent or contain crisis.

He said the OIC should be the first to intervene in crisis in the
Muslim community, as this was the very foundation principle of this
organization.

"Secretary General Prof Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu called for
establishment of such a mechanism. Turkey supports this call,"
said Davutoglu.

Davutoglu said the formation of a peace force within the OIC could
be discussed in later stages, adding that the mechanism for crisis
prevention could intervene in problems between Muslim states or Muslim
minorities and their governments.

Davutoglu said Turkey made major contributions to prevention of crisis
in many cases, through use of soft power, adding that it could play
an important role within that mechanism.

FOR QUALITATIVE MEDICAL CARE

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
May 15, 2009

Today, the NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan has conducted a
conference with head doctors of republican and regional medical
establishments. The Head of the Government inquired about proceeding
of medical sphere’s financing by the state and about efforts directed
at settlement of existent problems. Responsible officials of medical
establishments spoke with corresponding information noting both
their financial obligations of entrusted establishments against
the state. The general state gives no serious cause for anxiety: in
condition of financially difficult year the envisaged state assistance
to the sphere is mainly executed, and a number of problems are settled
by charity means.

Eight countries do not participate in World Junior Boxing Championship
23.05.2009 16:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today World Junior Boxing Championship started in
Yerevan. As the Armenian Boxing Federation reports, national teams of
42 countries take part in the Championship.
8 national teams, previously applied for participated, have not come
to the tournament, particularly from Venezuela, Tunis, Check Republic,
Slovakia, Nigeria, Mongolia, Ghana and Botswana.
54 teams applied for participation, later teams of Mexico, Argentina,
Wales, Turkmenistan refused from participation.
Thus, national teams from 42 countries have arrive in Yerevan,
including Algeria, Australia, Belorussia, Bulgaria, China, Taiwan,
Cyprus, Cuba, Dominican Republic, England, Ecuador, Finland, Germany,
Greece, Georgia, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Kirgizia,
Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Montenegro, Morocco, Poland,
Puerto Rico, Croatia, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey,
Ukraine, U.S., Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Serbia and Armenia.

THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS, ONE CANNOT SOLVE – PRESIDENT OF CROATIA MESSITCH ABOUT THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

armradio.am
22.05.2009 16:55

New page in the Armenian-Croatian relations: this is how the
presidents of Armenia and Croatia Serzh Sargsyan and Styepan Messitch
appreciated their first official meeting. As a result, there were many
bilateral congratulations concerning opening of the new phase of the
Armenian-Croatian relations. The meeting of the Presidents of Armenia
and Croatia pass in a friendly and constructive atmosphere. Serzh
Sargsyan hoped that the visit of his Croatian colleague would give
a new quality to the bilateral relations.

Styepan Messitch said that his first official visit to Armenia gave
an opportunity to acquaint each other.

RPA CALLS ON POLITICAL PARTIES TO GO TO ELECTIONS WITH COMMON SLOGAN "IN THE NAME OF YEREVAN"

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
22.05.2009 16:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Representative of a ruling Republican Party Of
Armenia Araik Hovhannisyan , speaking of the forthcoming elections
to the Elders’ Council of Yerevan, particularly mentioned that local
elections are at the core of democracy, and pre-election campaign
started in Yerevan move at the regular pace.

According to RPA representative, transfer to a new system of city
administration elections should be very smooth. He also believes, that
pre-election promises must be based on truly realizable programs. "Our
population will give votes to the candidate, who will give the most
realistic promises, and who is experienced in urban management. Our
promises should have real ground," stressed Hovhannisyan.

RPA representative called on political parties to go to elections
with the common slogan "In the name of Yerevan".