Author: Hambardsumian Paul

Armenian Memorial

The Salt Lake Tribune
April 25, 2006 Tuesday

Members of the Armenian community in Salt Lake City hold signs and
carry flags as they walk around the plaza at the Bennett Federal
Building to commemorate the 1915 deaths of Armenians at the hands of
the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

GRAPHIC: Members of the Armenian community in Salt Lake City hold
signs and carry flags as they walk around the plaza at the Bennett
Federal Building to commemorate the 1915 deaths of Armenians at the
hands of the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA ALSO SEUCRES DEFENCE FROM UNAUTHORISED
SHOOTING OF IRANIAN ROCKETS FOR RUSSIA

Yerevan, April 29. ArmInfo. The Iranian nuclear program threatens
national security of Russia. Colonel Anatoliy Tsyganok, head of RF
Forecasting Center at the Institute of Political and Military
Analysis, said this at “Caucasus 2005” international conference in
Yerevan, today.

He emphasized that the destruction fire of the Iranian and Pakistani
rockets didn’t reach the South Federal region of Russia and Ural. He
believes that Russia should strengthens the air defense in South,
taking into account the “probable unauthorized shooting of the Iranian
rockets.” In this context, he emphasized the importance of the Russian
military base in Armenia, which is aimed to control mainly the
Armenian-Turkish border. “The Institute of the Political and Military
Analysis recommended RF Foreign Ministry to support economic sanctions
against Iran, we should express our solidarity with the international
community in aversion of spreading nuclear weapons,” Tsyganok said. He
added that Russia should change the foreign political vector in the
region of the Near East, making development of relations with Israel a
priority issue.

Tsyganok said in the interview to ArmInfo that the economic sanctions
against Iran envisage embargo on several goods, including high
technologies and high tech goods, as well as stopping Tehran-Paris and
Tehran-London flights. He added that after adoption of the sanctions
Iran may develop “Peaceful Atom” project independently. Besides, Iran
may join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

From: [email protected]
Subject: Turkish paper turns to George Bush’s address to the Armenian people

Turkish newspaper turns to George Bush’s address to the Armenian people

ArmRadio.am
28.04.2006 12:21

Turkish `Radikal’ writes that the only factor that overshadows US
State Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s visit to Ankara is US President
George Bush’s April 24th address to the Armenian people on the
occasion of the day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

Although Bush avoided using the word `genocide’ in his speech, he made
reference to the `report characterizing 1915 events as genocide,’ thus
going one step forward than the previous US Presidents.

`With such position Bush caused damage to Turkish-American relations,’
the newspaper wrote.

WHO MISAPPROPRIATES ARMENIA?

Panorama.am
14:12 27/04/06

“Unfortunately, today the Armenian Government doesn’t fully realize
what is said to be diplomacy: they try to bring a 3rd power which
greatly harms the Armenian independence. The Alliance and present
Government lead a policy to misappropriate Armenia.

They love the independence of the country so much that t they simply
“eat” it. And while exchanging diplomatic assets with any country
in order to recognize the Genocide we lose assets, credits and
prospective of development,” member of Armenian National Movement
said during the debates with President of ARF Bureau Armenian Trial
office Kiro Manoyan in “Hayeli” club today.

“In this case the recognition of the Genocide is neither a matter
of spiritual peace nor a way to testify the truth. Firs of all the
problem of Genocide recognition is a political issue,” K. Manoyan
contradicted to the accusations of A. Manoukyan saying that no party
has been dissolved during this government, whereas the ANM stopped
the activity of ARF during its officiating.

COE: KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MEETS INTERESTS OF WHOLE WORLD

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.04.2006 23:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ CoE Secretary General Terry Davis stated he
closely watches everything what happens over the Nagorno Karabakh
problem. “It’s regretful that the problem resolution takes so much
time, since the settlement is in the interests of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and especially Nagorno Karabakh,” the CoE Sec.Gen. said.

When asked about the possibility of regional cooperation before the
settlement of the conflicts available. Mr. Davis said “cooperation
is always possible however the existence of conflicts limits its
volume and level.” When commenting on the CoE’s engagement in the
Nagorno Karabakh settlement Terry Davis said, “The OSCE Minsk Group
plays a leading role in the process. I sincerely wish success to the
Russian, American and French Co-chairs. The conflict settlement meets
the interests of the whole world. But as I have already said, the
leading role belongs to the OSCE but not to the Council of Europe,”
reported Mediamax.

WHAT ARE SERVICEMEN GOING TO THINK ABOUT FUTURE?

Lragir.am
26 April 06

The disabled people of the Karabakh war and the relatives of killed
azatamartiks (participants of the war in Karabakh) in the system
of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are
dissatisfied with the government action. On the legislative undertaking
of the government the National Assembly introduced changes in the
law on veterans in 2003, eliminating the allowances for gas, water,
telephone and transport for the abovementioned category. Instead of
privileges the law established a benefit which formerly was 3 thousand
drams monthly and now is 6 thousand drams.

“The allowances were replaced by benefits in the law. A benefit is
paid out to the weak and the sick,” said a veteran Albert Manukyan. He
says the disabled former servicemen count 1060, and the members of
the families of killed soldiers 2700 people. Albert Manukyan says
the government cannot keep the privileges for only 3700 people,
while officials and oligarchs enjoy nonofficial privileges.

The complainers applied to the president, the president directed their
application to the government, the government to the Ministry of Social
Affairs, and the Ministry of Social Affairs told the veterans it is
not entitled to grant or restore privileges. “A disabled veteran has
to take transport every day and see the doctor.

How is he supposed to use transport twice a day and see the doctor,
pay for gas, water, electricity, telephone on 6 thousand drams. When a
public official drives in an expensive car and sees a disabled veteran
at the bus stop, who can hardly get on a trolleybus, how can this
official be so indifferent? If I bring together all these disabled
people and the families of killed soldiers, how are the members
of government going to look these people in the eye?” says Albert
Manukyan.

He believes that if today their rights are violated, the present-day
servicemen might think that they will be treated similarly tomorrow.

And it is already a question of national security, says Albert
Manukyan.

ARMENIAN YOUTH WANT FRESH START WITH TURKEY
By Selahattin Sevi, Yerevan

Zaman, Turkey
April 25 2006

Armenia leaves behind an eventful April 24 marking the 91st year of
the so-called genocide. There were traditional scenes of commemorative
ceremonies in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. Chairman of the “Union
against Genocide,” a Turkish organization in Germany, Ali Ertem’s
declaration calling on Turkey to recognize the so-called genocide is
being congratulated.

The Turkish flag is being set fire to at demonstrations organized
by the Armenian Tasnak Party Youth Branches in Opera Square, but the
opinions of Armenians about Turks and Turkey vary dramatically.

“Imagine you live in an apartment building where you speak with all
your neighbors except with one. Your relations with this neighbor are
not good and you do not know exactly why except that our grandfathers
had problems with each other years ago,” says Ali Ozinan, who was born
in Istanbul and came to Yerevan to complete his university education.

Ozinan is actively involved in the New Neighbors project aiming at
securing news and information between Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia.

“Our grandfathers were upset with each other, but at least we greet
each other… even if it is sometimes secretly.”

“They sometimes called us ‘infidels’ in Istanbul, and sometimes we miss
this because at least we remembered who we were. The identity of our
children living in France is disappearing,” 61-year-old philosopher
Agop Ardic complains.

The conscience test that asks, “Do you know the Armenian genocide?”

ends before it starts, Ardic harshly warns his friends. Zafer Atajanov
Nabijanovich, who came to Yerevan from Uzbekistan to study at a
university, is also saddened by the situation.

Everyone we met in Yerevan talks of their pleasant memories of Turks.

Offering us Turkish coffee at his house overlooking the only mosque
in Yerevan, Gok Mescit, 32-year-old Vazdges Abovyan says Armenians
prefer Turkish food stores over Russian’s in Moscow.

“Look at the shops in Yerevan, without fear, they clearly show that
the products they sell are from Turkey. That is because people are
aware of the quality of Turkish goods,” Abovyan says.

Harutyun Chilingarjan Azmenakovith, whose grandfather immigrated to
Abkhazia from the Turkish city of Ordu and who came to Yerevan to
study, talks about how Turkish youths saved him during an argument
with Russian youths in Moscow. Harutyun, who was taught that Turks
are bad and hostile, said, “But as an Armenian, I favor improving
our relations with Turkey.”

A 22- year-old master’s student at Yerevan State University
International Relations Department, Anna Kartashyan gives her
impressions about Turkey.

“It is weird, but I had positive impressions. Attitudes were kind,
and I was told that all the roads and cities were in the style of
European. I suppose however that Turkey will not become a European
Union member country if it does not recognize the so-called Armenian
genocide.”

ARMENIAN LEADER DENIES LINKS BETWEEN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT, IRAN CRISIS

Mediamax news agency
25 Apr 06

Yerevan, 25 April: “I have not noticed links between the
intensification of the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement process and the
situation surrounding Iran,” Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said
at a joint news conference with Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus
in Yerevan today.

Kocharyan said that he did not “feel any additional pressure from the
USA in the settlement process”. He pointed out that the US, Russian
and French co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group “have a single position
and coordinate their work”.

Kocharyan also said that “the negotiating process at present is in
an active phase”, adding that this was not the result of pressure
exerted by the mediators.

“The mandate on the basis of which the mediators are implementing
their activity, does not imply putting pressure on the parties to
the conflict. The mediators are only facilitating the efforts of the
sides aimed at achieving a resolution,” the Armenian president said.

TURKEY TO ADDRESS UNESCO WITH COMPLAINT AT FRANCE REGARDING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIALS
Author: R. Abdullayev

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 24, 2006

Turkey is going to address UNSECO with a complaint at France regarding
so-called Armenian genocide memorials, Trend reports with reference
to Turkish media.

The ground for the complaint was erection of monuments in memory of
so-called Armenian genocide in Paris and Lion. Both the monuments
are erected on grounds on the list of “world’s cultural heritage”
by UNSECO.

For instance, Lion’s monument is located on historical square
Antonin-Ponchet that was claimed the part of “world’s cultural
heritage” in 1998.

The message says also Syria has addressed UNESCO accusing Paris of
demolishing historical fortress Yejjad.

ARMENIANS OF GEORGIA MARK GENOCIDE 91ST ANNIVERSARY

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 00:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A number of events dedicated to memory of 1.5
Armenians slaughtered in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 were held in Tbilisi
on April 24. On the initiative of “Nor Serund” with the assistance
of the Armenian Center of Cooperation of Georgia a protest action
was held at the Turkish Embassy in Tbilisi. A memorial service was
held in the Cathedral of St. Gevorg Church. A soiree was held in the
Armenian dramatic theater after Petros Adamyan. Later a march towards
Nor Echmiadzin Church is expected. The event will end in lighting
of candles.