Author: Hovhannisian John

VAHE KARAPETIAN: HOMELAND IS ON THE RIGHT PATH

Noyan Tapan
March 22, 2010

LOS ANGELES, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The March 4
discussion on Resolution 252 recognizing the Armenian Genocide by the
Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives of the U.S.

Congress was the fourth discussion on this problem. However, as Vahe
Karapetian – a national benefactor, Armenian-American businessman,
member of the Advisory Board of the RA Ministry of Diaspora – told in
an interview with Noyan Tapan, this fourth discussion was much more
significant to the Armenians than the preceding ones and had a number
of noteworthy characteristics, regarding which our talk took place.

– What, in your opinion, was the peculiarity of the discussion of
Resolution 252?

– It was a much more difficult vote than the previous ones. Let’s not
forget that although last year on April 24 President Obama did not use
the word "genocide" (noting that his opinion of the 1915 events did not
change), in the past – prior to becoming president, he had repeatedly
characterized the acts committed against Armenians in 1915 as genocide.

The Speaker of the Congress and many others struggled for years for
adoption of that resolution, but today they all hold high positions.

In this situation Democratic Congressmen found themseleves in a double
position and they had difficulty joining the Armenians’ efforts to
achieve the adoption of the Genocide resolution by the U.S. Congress.

– Do you think this issue will be passed at the Congress?

– There is great danger that this issue will not be passed by the
Congress today because we are not so organized yet. We are not ready
yet. I am sure that next time we will succeed through this new joint
process.

– We all noticed that almost nobody denied the fact of the Armenian
Genocide.

– That was another peculiarity of the vote: almost all the Congressmen
who said no to the resolution noted: "Yes, the Genocide did take place,
but…" This "but" is a political, inadmissible "but" – allegedly for
America’s interests, a "but" allegedly powerless in the face of Iraq,
Afghanistan, and other problems.

After all, nobody accusses present-day Turkey and its people, we accuse
those who committed these actions in the past, and Turkey itself
sentenced many of them to death in 1919. So it is just a political
game by Turkey which condemned the criminals who had committed the
Genocide – because a lot of problems, for example, the problem of
compensation, will arise after its actual recognition.

– In your opinion, what role did the presence of delegates from
Armenia at the vote play?

– Yet another peculiarity of the vote was that it was for the first
time that the representatives of Armenian authorities were standing
during the discussion in that hall – before the eyes of the U.S.

Congressmen. It was an important circumstance as even those
Congressmen, who for years on end were backing the efforts on the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, witnessed for the first time that
the Diaspora was not alone but the Armenians are united with respect
to that demand. It was a powerful step on the path of perceiving the
unity of the Armenians and that force.

And it was not the first step towards building a bridge of mutual
understanding between Armenia and the Diaspora: the first step was the
open discussion that the president had in Diaspora colonies regarding
the numerous problems and suspicions which arose in connection with
the Armenia-Turkey protocols. We all in the Diaspora appreciated the
greatness and benevolence of the Homeland, and we realized that we
had misinterpreted the Armenia-Turkey protocols.

By taking a few steps, the president proved his aspiration: first,
ensuring longevity of Armenia, longevity and recognition of Artsakh,
improving the economic conditions of the people, and neither losing
the rights of Artsakh nor forgetting the demands of the Armenians
or the Genocide. The president proved this all, especially in the
message he issued in Geneva prior to the protocols’ signing, in which
he announced his determination.

The fact that the Armenian deputies attended the discussion of the
Armenian Genocide problem in the Congress served as an addition to the
presidential message and demonstrated to the Diaspora that Armenia
would support that problem and would not make concessions over the
protocols and any other issue.

– You said that we, the Armenians are not well-organized enough yet.

Do you believe that one day we will succeed in acting unitedly?

– I am convinced that we will become united all over the world. The
Homeland is on the right path. Our force is in our hands.

Aysor, Armenia
March 19 2010

NKR President received director-general of Yerevan Brandy Company

On 19 March President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan received
director-general of the Yerevan Brandy Company Ara Grigoryan.

Issues related to the activities carried out by the company in Artsakh
in 2009 and action plans for the year of 2010 were discussed during
the meeting.

The Head of the State attached importance to the role of the Yerevan
Brandy Company in developing viticulture in the country underlining
the importance of systematized and long-term involvement of the
company in our economy.

The NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan was present at the meeting,
informs the Press Office of the NKR President.

DAVIT HARUTYUNYAN CREATED DISREPUTABLE LEGAL SYSTEM IN ARMENIA: VLADIMIR KARAPETYAN

Tert.am
11:37 ~U 19.03.10

The Armenian National Congress (ANC) is sure that their timetable
on reforms in the RA electoral system would not be presented to the
Monitoring Committee at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE), said ANC foreign relations officer Vladimir Karapetyan.

"No one had any illusions that our document would be presented
at the session of PACE Monitoring Committee, and not that of the
authorities, because the requirement noted in the co-rapporteurs’
February 2 statement was directed to the authorities and it was the
authorities who presented the timetable.

"But our document will make it possible to balance those imitating
actions that the authorities want to present," said Karapetyan,
while talking to Tert.am.

Referring to the necessity of the judicial reforms stated by PACE’s
Monitoring Committee and mentioned by Davit Harutyunyan, Karapetyan
said that Harutyunyan must be held accountable for all the shortcomings
in the juridical and legal system as, during 7 years of office as
Justice Minister, he has had direct participation in the establishment
of this "disreputable juridical and legal system."

"The same Davit Harutyunyan did everything possible so that the
implementation of resolution 1609 will fail, in particular, on
ammendments to the Electoral Code. Now that same person is presenting
a timetable, and now the international community will apply a due
approach to that political figure known for his numerous failures,"
said Karapetyan.

Referring to the timetable presented by the ANC, Karapetyan said that
their proposals are realistic and that the co-rapporteurs, by visiting
Armenia, will discuss with them the provisions presented by the ANC.

BAKU DISTORTS EVERYTHING THAT ACCEPTS, SAYS NALBANDIAN

Aysor
March 18 2010
Armenia

Madrid Document is still the agenda of talks on settlement to the
Karabakh conflict, said Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
at the joint press conference, held with Slovak Foreign Minister
Miroslav Lajcak, who is on a visit to Armenia.

Edward Nalbandian pointed that Azerbaijan for a long time refused to
negotiate under the Madrid Document of November 2007, containing the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ wording on Basic Principles; and since
Azerbaijan involved in talks, it never said of its approval and
acceptance of the Document as a basis for talks. "If Azerbaijan is
accepting the Madrid Document now, then this should be only welcomed,"
said Armenian Foreign Minister.

According to Edward Nalbandian, Aliev administration accepts the
Madrid Document with some exceptions. Nalbandian pointed: "Actually,
the Azerbaijani side excludes more, than accepts; and it even gives a
false color to accepted wordings, meanings of talks and consultations."

According to Nalbandian, MG Co-Chairs have been repeatedly delivering
proposals on settlement to the conflict.

"We discuss these and previous proposals, and this is a usual working
process. Time after time and lately even more actively, Azerbaijan
uses a ‘smokescreen’, saying that one side accepted proposals, or
saying that one side is non-constructive," said Edward Nalbandian.

He also told journalists about his visit to France and meeting with
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Personal Representative of the CiO,
and said that the meeting was held in the same constructive spirit
as in recent years.

ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN PATRIARCHS VISIT TSITSERNAKABERD

armradio.am
17.03.2010 13:02

This morning His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, and His Holiness Kirill I, Patriarch of Moscow and
All Russia, visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to pay tribute to
the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

The two Patriarchs laid a wreath at the Memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims. His Holiness Garegin II conducted a requiem mass,
after which Patriarch Kirill prayed for repose of the souls of the
Genocide victims.

After the prayer the Patriarchs visited the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute and walked about the exhibition halls accompanied
by AGMI Director Hayk Demoyan. His Holiness Kirill I left a note
in the Commemoration Book. Later the Patriarch planted a fir at the
Memorial Alley.

RUBEN SAFRASTYAN: TURKISH PRIME MINISTER SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.03.2010 16:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Prime Minister should be ashamed of himself
for making statements about the eviction of 100 000 illegal Armenian
immigrants from Turkey, director of Oriental Studies Institute at RA
NAS, professor Ruben Safrastyan said.

"By making such statements, Turkey, the successor of Ottoman
Empire, the Armenian Genocide perpetrator, confirms that no changes
occurred over the last 100 years. Despite the fact that Genocide
was acknowledged by scientific and historical centers of authority
worldwide, Turkey continues with its policy of Genocide denial,"
the professor told PanARMENIAN.Net.

At the same time he noted that 100 000 illegal Armenian immigrants
in Turkey is not a real figure. "Numerous researches conducted show
the actual number of illegal Armenian immigrants in Turkey does not
exceed 15 000," prof. Safrastyan emphasized.

ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN ECONOMIC FORUM TO BE HELD IN TBILISI

news.am
March 17 2010
Armenia

An Armenian-Georgian economic forum, Joining Efforts to Overcome the
Crisis, is to be held in Tbilisi on April 30-May 3.

The forum has been organized by the Union of Manufacturers and
Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA) and the "Master" Center for promotion
of international integration.

UMBA Chairman Arsen Ghazaryan told reporters that the forum will
facilitate the integration of the two markets.

Ghazaryan said that forums like that will help Armenia and Georgia
to act as "a regional unit" for large foreign investments and
transnational companies.

The Armenian and Georgian sides plan to establish cooperation in
construction and banking.

SO-CALLED GENOCIDE CLAIM CARRIES DISRESPECT FOR HISTORY, GUL

News.az
March 16 2010
Azerbaijan

President Abdullah Gul said that recognizing "genocide claims" in
various parliaments around the world was a mistake.

"We resent the politicization of the issue," he said.

He was referring to the recent acts of the US House Committee on
Foreign Affairs and the Swedish parliament labeling the killings of
Anatolian Armenians during World War I as genocide at the cost of
damaging bilateral relations between Ankara and Washington. Ankara
recalled its ambassadors to Sweden and the United States in a show
of protest.

Gul mentioned what he had heard from some US representatives in
Congress in the past.

"There was a similar debate. I had a speech at this committee. I
talked and talked. A female member of Congress approached me and said,
‘Mr. Gul, why do you exhaust yourself? Accept this and go. When you
go back, you can pass a resolution in your Parliament regarding the
Americans’ extinction of the Indians, and that’s it.’ That’s how they
see it," the president said.

Gul added that members of Congress, indeed, do not know about the
past killings in Turkey. He said that he had asked them and had not
received any adequate responses.

EAFJD COMMENDS SWEDISH PARLIAMENT FOR ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.03.2010 15:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Armenian Federation for Justice &
Democracy (EAFJD) has applauded the Swedish parliament for adoption
of the resolution recognizing the Armenian, Assyrian/Syriac/Chaldean
and Pontic Greek genocides.

"We congratulate the Assyro-Chaldean and the Pontic Greek populations,
who along with the Armenians, were victims of genocide perpetrated by
the Turkish government. We commend the Swedish members of Parliament
for their courage against the pressures of the Turkish lobby," stated
Hilda Tchoboian, President of the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy.

The European Armenian Federation underscored that the decision taken
in spite of the pressure and threats from the Turkish government a
week after the vote in the US House panel, highlights the failure of
Turkey’s policy of denial.

"Turkey manipulated the public opinion by signing the protocols with
Armenia in hopes of burying the Genocide issue but its position became
intolerable in the face of the inescapable pursuit for historical
truth," Mrs. Tchoboian said.

The Federation called on the Swedish government to apply the
parliamentary resolution to the agenda of its bilateral relations
with Turkey.

PRESS RELEASE
Institute of Armenian Studies
University of Southern California
Taper Hall of Humanities, Suite 252
Los Angeles, California 90089-4015
Tel: 213-821-3943
Email: [email protected]

USC INSTITUTE OF ARMENIAN STUDIES
&
ST. GREGORY ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH

Cordially Invite you to the Presentation of

Classification of Hymns of the Armenian Apostolic Church
By
Deacon Kevork Panoyan

The Institute is privileged to sponsor the publication of this volume as
the first opus of its book series

Fr. Dr. Zaven Arzoumanian will present the book

Deacon Vahe Charkhetian will present the author

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
7:30 p.m.

St. Gregory Armenian Church
2215 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena CA 91107