Author: Hambardsumian Paul

Serzh Sargsyan: International recognition of the Armenian Genocide has
no alternative

15:59 24/04/2010 » Politics

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s address on the 95th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide:

"Dear compatriots,

Today is April 24. Ninety-five years ago a grave and monstrous crime
was committed, which had had no precedent in the history of not only
the Armenian people, but all the humanity. The state machine of the
Ottoman Empire fulfilled its program of annihilation of Armenians
through its structures following specific orders. That day in 1915
divided the history of the Armenian people into two periods – before
and after.

1.5 million victims, people bereaved of their Homeland, destruction of
ancient culture – this was the aftermath of a violent desire to
destroy the last traces of Armenians and turn this ideology into a
state policy.

The rest of the Armenian people that survived the Genocide were
expected to fail to get over the blow, assimilate on the five
continents, lose their national identity and ability to be a political
factor. But we, as a united nation, found the strength to return to
the international arena to say that we continue moving forward
resolutely to prevent reoccurrence of similar crimes in the future.

We are grateful to all those in many countries of the world, including
Turkey, who realize the importance of preventing crimes against
humanity and support us in our struggle. There is no alternative to
the development of this process.

Dear compatriots,

Today together with all Armenians I bow my head respectfully to the
memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide. They
entrusted us with living and creating for the sake of kindness,
beauty, Hoemland, our national hopes and all humanity. We will never
betray their memory and behest."

Source: Panorama.am

Serzh Sargsyan: We will not allow turning Nagorno-Karabakh into
Azerbaijan’s hostage

2010-04-24 12:12:00

ArmInfo. Self-determination of the Nagorno-Karabakh people is the
source and the pivot of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and only by
solvin this problem will we be able to solve the other urgent
questions, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview to
RIA Novosti.

"Should Azerbaijan recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence this
problem would be solved within a few hours while the attempts to
eliminate the consequences of the conflict without caring for its
causes may lead to most dangerous scenarios. Our position is that
risks must be minimized as far as people’s security and future are
concerned. We will not allow turning Nagorno-Karabakh into
Azerbaijan’s hostage. We perfectly remember what this all ended in
some 20 years ago and what happend to the Armenian population of
Azerbaijan’s second autonomy – Nakhichevan," Sargsyan said.

Sargsyan said that there is certain danger that the war may resume and
it will exist until an effective peace agreement is signed and peace
and stability are established. "Simply some people in Baku are going
over the limits and are engaging in openly anti-Armenian and bellicose
demagogy," Sargsyan said.

He said that the attempt to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by
means of war is an adventure that may end in a disaster for
Azerbaijan. "New war may destabilize the region for a long time and
may spark new trouble spots but it will not be able to help solve the
problem," Sargsyan said. He is sure that there will be no war in the
near future but the Armenian armed forces must be ready for one at any
moment.

Aysor, Armenia
April 24 2010

Positions of Armenia, Diaspora jump together

Turkey will get rid of the heavy load if it recognizes the 1915
Genocide, a crime against the humanity, told journalists Armenia’s
Minister of Diaspora Mrs. Hranush Hakobian, following the attention of
the Tsitsenakaberd Complex in Yerevan, where the Memorial to the 1915
Genocide Victims is installed.

`Recognition of the 1915 Genocide will make Turkey more democratic and
civilized nation. If Turkey recognizes the Genocide of Armenians, it
will become more receivable to Armenia and to the world,’ said
Minister of Diaspora.

`The Armenian Diaspora has managed to fight for its rights,’ she said.
`Today’s positions of Armenia and Diaspora completely jump together,’
she added.

ASSYRIANS URGE ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT TO RECOGNIZE THEIR GENOCIDE

A1Plus.am
06:28 pm | April 23, 2010 | Social

Assyrians call on the Armenian National Assembly to recognize the
Assyrian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire during the First
World War.

Assyrian Association "Hayadta" has addressed a letter to NA Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan stating that the recognition of the Assyrian
Genocide by the Armenian parliament will raise Armenia’s image on
the international arena, strengthen pressure on Turkey and quicken
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by other countries.

According to the federation, the death toll of the Assyrian genocide
totaled 750 000

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
April 24, 2010
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

PRESIDENT OBAMA FAILS TO HONOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PLEDGE ONCE AGAIN

— April 24th statement avoids "genocide" characterization

WASHINGTON, DC – In yet another disgraceful capitulation to
Turkey’s threats, President Obama today once again failed to
properly recognize the Armenian Genocide, offering euphemisms and
evasive terminology to characterize this crime against humanity,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Today we join with Armenians in the United States and around the
world in voicing our sharp disappointment with the President’s
failure to properly condemn and commemorate the Armenian Genocide,"
stated ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "After more than a year of
Turkey’s manipulation of the Obama Administration’s policy on this
core human rights issue, and the collapse of even the pretense of
progress of any sort coming from Ankara, President Obama faced a
stark choice: to honor his conscience and commitment to recognize
the Armenian Genocide or to remain an accomplice to Turkey’s denial
of truth and justice for this crime. Sadly, for the U.S. and
worldwide efforts to end the cycle of genocide, he made the wrong
choice, allowing Turkey to tighten its gag-rule on American
genocide policy."

As a Senator and presidential candidate, President Obama pledged
repeatedly to recognize the Armenian Genocide and promised
"unstinting resolve" to end the Darfur Genocide, stating, "America
deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide
and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that
President." View his record on the issue at:
_Genocide.pdf

Since then, while stating that his personal views of the events of
1915 have not changed, President Obama has refrained from properly
characterizing this crime against humanity and going so far as to
oppose Congressional Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.252) –
which he had pledged to support during the 2008 Presidential
campaign.

In contrast to his remarks in 2009, the President chose not to use
the April 24th statement as a platform to push the flawed Turkey-
Armenia Protocols process – stalled by Turkey’s preconditions
related to the Nagorno Karabagh negotiations and shameful efforts
to use the Protocols to block international affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide. The ANCA, in an April 7 letter urging the
President to honor his genocide pledge, asked the White House to
"mark this day sincerely and not, as has too often been the case,
to view it as an opportunity to present a policy statement on the
region." The letter continued to note that an "explanation of U.S.
priorities regarding Armenia-Turkey relations or other current
foreign policy issues, while certainly entirely appropriate in
other settings, clearly does not belong in a Presidential April
24th statement, just as a statement of U.S. policy on the Israel-
Arab peace process would not be appropriate in Presidential remarks
devoted to remembering the Holocaust."

President Obama’s complete statement is provided below.

#####

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________ ___________________________

For Immediate Release
April 24, 2010

Statement of President Barack Obama on Armenian Remembrance Day
On this solemn day of remembrance, we pause to recall that ninety-
five years ago one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century
began. In that dark moment of history, 1.5 million Armenians were
massacred or marched to their death in the final days of the
Ottoman Empire.

Today is a day to reflect upon and draw lessons from these terrible
events. I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in
1915, and my view of that history has not changed. It is in all
of our interest to see the achievement a full, frank and just
acknowledgment of the facts. The Meds Yeghern is a devastating
chapter in the history of the Armenian people, and we must keep its
memory alive in honor of those who were murdered and so that we do
not repeat the grave mistakes of the past. I salute the Turks who
saved Armenians in 1915 and am encouraged by the dialogue among
Turks and Armenians, and within Turkey itself, regarding this
painful history. Together, the Turkish and Armenian people will be
stronger as they acknowledge their common history and recognize
their common humanity.

Even as we confront the inhumanity of 1915, we also are inspired by
the remarkable spirit of the Armenian people. While nothing can
bring back those who were killed in the Meds Yeghern, the
contributions that Armenians have made around the world over the
last ninety-five years stand as a testament to the strength,
tenacity and courage of the Armenian people. The indomitable
spirit of the Armenian people is a lasting triumph over those who
set out to destroy them. Many Armenians came to the United States
as survivors of the horrors of 1915. Over the generations Americans
of Armenian descent have richened our communities, spurred our
economy, and strengthened our democracy. The strong traditions and
culture of Armenians also became the foundation of a new republic
which has become a part of the community of nations, partnering
with the world community to build a better future.

Today, we pause with them and with Armenians everywhere to remember
the awful events of 1915 with deep admiration for their
contributions which transcend this dark past and give us hope for
the future.

#####

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: ARMENIAN ECONOMY ENTERED REHABILITATION PERIOD

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 22, 2010 – 14:11 AMT 09:11 GMT

The National Statistical Service of Armenia published macroeconomic
indices, according to which, economic growth was 5.5% in the first
quarter of 2010.

"Thus, we can state that our economy entered a rehabilitation period,"
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at the government session on
April 22.

According to him, in the first quarter of 2010 the growth in
the industry sector was 10%, specifically, electricity generation
increased by 10%. A 3.2% growth was recorded in the agriculture sector
while the fall in the construction industry persists due to economic
diversification, on the one hand, and lack of private investments in
the sector, on the other hand.

Mr. Sargsyan mentioned that 75% of construction projects were financed
by the private sector in 2008.

He said that the government did not allocate resources to finance
the construction industry but merely provided state guarantees to
complete construction. According to Mr. Sargsyan, the government
stimulated commercial banks to finance the construction, with banks
completely assuming the valuing risk.

"The state guarantees ranked AMD 5bn, with resources allocated
for mortgage financing by commercial banks exceeding crediting of
incomplete construction three-fold," he stressed.

The government only funded establishment of the National Mortgage
Company (UCO) (AMD12bn) and Apartments for Youth (AMD 3bn), the Prime
Minister said.

RED CROSS REPRESENTATIVES VISIT ARMENIAN FAMILY IN AZERBAIJAN

news.az
April 22 2010
Azerbaijan

ICRC Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) visited the Armenian family.

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
visited the Armenian family which escaped from Armenian to Azerbaijan
on January 10, 2010, ICRC spokeswoman in Baku Gulnaz Guliyeva informed.

She said they visited the Armenian family on April 16 and conducted
monitoring of their detention conditions. The family sent a "Red
Cross letter" to their relatives.

Armenian citizen Yegishe Petrosovich Gevorkyan, 52, his wife and
three children passed to the Azerbaijani territory on January 10, 2010.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry said that Gevorkian didn’t pay attention to
the warning of Azerbaijani border guards and passed to the territory
of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan from Yeraskh region
of Armenia. Azerbaijani soldiers reportedly opened warning shot.

Armenia said Gevorkyan was convicted for 8 times for robbery,
carjacking and other crimes.

LA SENATRICE ALBERTINA SOLIANI DEMANDE AU SENAT ITALIEN DE RECONNAITRE LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews
22 avril 2010

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

La senatrice italienne Albertina Soliani du Parti Democrate
(opposition) a demande au Senat italien de reconnaître le genocide
armenien. Hier lors de la seance du Senat, A. Soliani a rappele que
le 24 Avril est commemore en Armenie et en diaspora comme la Journee
de souvenir des victimes du genocide armenien.

" A tous nos collègues nous lancons un appel au nom de la Republique
d’Armenie et de la communaute armenienne d’Italie afin de commemorer
ensemble le souvenir des victimes. Nous sommes convaincus que la
reconnaissance de ces faits creera les bases de nouveaux rapports
et de cooperation solides entre l’Armenie et la Turquie " dit la
senatrice italienne qui demande ainsi a son pays de reconnaître le
genocide armenien.

MEMORANDUM OF TURKISH DOUBLETHINK

news.am
April 21 2010
Armenia

According to Russian BBC, Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a memorandum
for Turkish officials and embassy officers with 10 provisions on how
to resist questions on Armenian Genocide.

The document reads rules, recommendations and terms to be followed by
Turkish officials while answering the questions about Genocide. These
principles also concern Turkish officials traveling abroad.

Recommendations specify importance of Armenian-Turkish relations
and emphasize Turkey’s offer to set up historians’ commission for
discussion of Armenian and Turkish common history.

EXHIBITION FOR THE 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Aysor
April 20 2010
Armenia

The RA NA Chairman Hovik Abrahamyan in the Union of the Armenian
Artists partook in the opening ceremony dedicated to the 95th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Karen Aghamyan the chairman
of the Artists’ Union informed that there have been chosen 250 out
of the 600 works that have been presented for the exhibition. Some
of them the state will obtain for filling the funds of the Armenian
National Gallery.

The head of the parliament accompanied by the Culture Minister Hasmik
Poghosyan and the chairman of the Union of Artists has walked about the
halls getting acquainted with the works of the Armenian and Diaspora
artists presenting scenes of Armenian Genocide taken place n 1915.

The Public Relations and information department of the RA NA informs
that on the opening ceremony of the exhibition were present artists
and art lovers, social and political workers.