Author: Hunanian Jack

AZERBAIJAN: UKRAINE’S YUSHCHENKO PUSHES FOR ODESSA-BRODY PIPELINE IN BAKU

Posted April 10, 2009 © Eurasianet

Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko visited Baku on April 10 in an
attempt to get his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, to commit to
the ambitious Odessa-Brody-Gdansk oil pipeline project.

A feasibility study of the project will be presented in Warsaw on
April 24, the Ukrainian leader announced, according to a report
distributed by the Newsazerbaijan website. In the meantime,
"consultations will continue on the level of foreign ministries," the
site quoted Yushchenko as saying.

Project stakeholders — Azerbajian, Georgia, Lithuania, Poland and
Ukraine — hope to build a conduit that would begin in Azerbaijan and
travel via Georgia and across the Black Sea to link up with Ukraine’s
Odessa-Brody pipeline. The quintet of states hopes to extend
Odessa-Brody as far as the Polish port of Gdnask on the Baltic Sea
coast and eventually, on the other end of the line, build a sub-sea
pipeline across the Caspian Sea to get Central Asian oil powerhouse
Kazakhstan onboard.

The project has evoked a good deal of skepticism among commentators
who believe that Moscow may block Kazakhstan from joining the project
by obstructing construction of the Caspian Sea pipeline. Azerbaijan
alone may not be able to provide necessary supplies, as Baku is
already committed to Turkish and Russian transit routes.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 11 2009

"END TO ARMENIAN LIES" RALLY TO TAKE PLACE IN NEW YORK

NEW YORK (A.A) – 11.04.2009 – A rally titled "End to Armenian Lies"
will take place in New York on April 25 with the participation of
hundreds of Turks living in the States.

The rally is an annual one and is sponsored by the Young Turks
Association under the umbrella of the Federation of Turkish-American
Associations.

The rally is intended to inform Americans that Armenian allegations on
the incidents of 1915 do not represent the reality and are nothing but
lies. (SOL)

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
April 11 2009

Turkey should not allow to deceive itself: adviser for Turkish Premier

11 April 2009 [13:35] – Today.Az

"If talks between Turkey and Armenia do not lead to liberation of the
occupied lands of Azerbaijan, this will be a tragedy. This is a
tragedy for Turkey and this is a very bad precedent", adviser for
Turkish Prime Geybulla Ramazanoghlu.

"I think that the public of Turkey and Azerbaijan will not stay
indifferent to the unconditional opening of borders, establishment of
diplomatic ties between the countries. The government is well aware of
this.

International forces also urge not to protract this issue as it is
unfovorable for us.

The Azerbaijani public should know that if diplomatic ties between
Turkey and Armenia are established without considering definite
conditions and under support of EU and USA, most reasonable people
will resign. I can say this even today", said he.

The adviser for the Turkish Prime Minister noted that friendship
between Azerbaijan and Turkey will last forever and no one will have
questions on this issue.

"As for the talks conducted by the government, as far as I know, there
are definite agreements in this. Yet, it is impossible to specify
these agreements. It is officials that should declare this. We are
aware that the talks will be finalized one day.

Today’s talks with Armenians undergo not because Ankara wants it. It
goes because of the situation and the circumstances. But the most
important thing is that Turkey should not allow to deceive it. Through
the past 50 years we have got different kinds of oral promises, we are
recommended to take some steps, but unfortunately words do always not
turn into the reality. Turkey does not get the promised things", noted
he.

/Day.Az/

URL:

NEW VOICES AT NEW REP SERIES PRESENTS DEPORTED/ A DREAM PLAY 5/4

Broadway World
April 10 2009

New Voices at New Rep, New Rep’s staged readings series, is pleased
to present Deported / a dream play as its final reading for 2009 on
Monday, May 4, 2009 at 7:30p.m. New Voices @ New Rep is open to the
public, and admission is free.

"New Voices @ New Rep is extremely important to New Rep," says Harriet
Sheets, Managing Director. It fosters the new works of playwrights
and introduces New Rep’s patrons to new plays, which is a central
part of our mission."

Ms. Sheets adds, "I am thrilled to be ending our 2009 reading series
with Deported / a dream play and to be working with local playwright
Joyce Van Dyke and director Judy Braha and assisting them with the
development of this play."

Playwright Joyce Van Dyke, author of A Girl’s War (New Rep 2003),
said, "I’ve been working on this play with director Judy Braha and
a company of local actors for the past two years. It began with
the desire to create a play based on Armenian genocide survivor
stories. Using survivor oral history interviews from the Armenian
Library and Museum of America, as well as memoirs, photographs,
official documents, letters, and personal reminiscences of survivors
and their descendants, we began holding improvisational workshops,
and the script has grown out of this process."

Ms. Van Dyke elaborates, "As the demand for recognition and
understanding of these historical events continues to swell, I felt
a personal need to deal with these haunting stories — and also to
create something constructive, life-giving, and even beautiful, out
of their opposites. Judy and I are excited for Deported / a dream
play to have its first professional staged reading at New Rep."

Monday, May 4, 2009 @ 7:30p.m.

Deported / a dream play by Joyce Van Dyke directed by Judy Braha

Featuring: June Baboian, Ken Baltin, Michael Kaye, Paula Langton,
Doug Lockwood, Marya Lowry, Elise Manning, Rob Najarian, Jessica
Rothenberg, and Bobbie Steinbach

Description: A true story of two women who saved each other’s
lives, and a friendship shaped by the legacy of the Armenian
genocide. Inspired by the author’s grandmother and her close friend,
the play’s dream-layered action spans more than a century and projects
into the future. Nine actors play 30 American, Armenian, Turkish,
Jewish, Kurdish, and European characters in an intimate story that
reverberates universally.

To complement Deported / a dream play, there will be a thematic
panel discussion, Telling Stories about the Genocide in the Theatre,
immediately following the reading. The panel will consist of:

· Dr. Martin Deranian: the real-life son of one of the play’s main
characters, Varter Nazarian Deranian, and the author of three books:
Hussenig, Worcester is America, and Miracle Man of the Western Front:
Dr. Varaztad H. Kazanjian, Pioneer Plastic Surgeon.

· Tina Sajonian: President, BU Armenian Students Association.

· Mariam Stepanyan: Executive Director, Armenian Library and Museum
of America.

· Ruth Thomasian: Executive Director and Founder, ProjectSAVE Armenian
Photograph Archives, Inc.

New Repertory Theatre produces plays that speak powerfully to the
essential ideas of our time. Through the passion and electricity
of live theater performed to the highest standards of excellence,
New Rep expands and challenges the human spirit of both artists
and audience. New Rep presents world premieres, contemporary, and
classic works in several intimate settings. We are committed to
education and outreach, including special dedication to the creation
of innovative in-school programming and providing access to underserved
audiences. New Rep is an active advocate for the arts and a major voice
in the national dialogue defining the role of theater in our culture.

New Rep has received Elliot Norton and IRNE Awards for outstanding
acting, scenic design, direction, and production. Programming at
New Repertory Theatre is supported by a grant from the Massachusetts
Cultural Council.

FREE, suggested donation of $10.

Call 617-923-8487, or online at

FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND GEORGIA ARE A TRADITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.04.2009 18:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Georgia is our age-long neighbor, so friendly
relations between Armenia and Georgia are a tradition," RA President
Serzh Sargsyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter at news conference
in Yerevan.

"We welcome Georgia’s wish to become a strategic partner to Armenia. It
might expatiate settlement of some issues between our countries,"
RA President stated.

Last week Georgian Foreign Affairs minister Grigol Vashadze said that
strategic relations between Armenian and Georgia will be established
in near future.

THE 1909 ADANA MASSACRES
By Mihran Boyadjian

AZG DAILY
11-04-2009

Armenian Genocide

The Adana Massacres of 1909, whose 30,000 victims are being
commemorated on the centenary of their death this year, are of special
significance to the Armenians of Cyprus since a large proportion
of them are descendants of the 1915 Genocide survivors from Adana
who found refuge in Cyprus, and who still consider themselves
"Adanatsi". In Larnaca, the Armenian Church of St. Stephanos, built
in 1913, is dedicated to the 1909 victims. Massacres of Armenians
in Turkey were nothing new, in fact about 15 years earlier, the
Hamidian Massacres of 1894-96 had claimed tenfold that figure and
had shown the lack of enthusiasm of the European powers for taking
any effective preventive action. It must be mentioned however that
the American Missions, whose members were eyewitness to the events,
saved countless lives through their valiant efforts on the ground and
their very effective fund-raising back home. Earlier Massacres had been
more local affairs, usually the result of periodic Kurdish raids on
helpless villages and small towns. Some were opportunistic, "pacifying"
operations by local governing pashas whose main aim was to raise
revenue by pillage and extortion to recoup the large sums (some would
call them bribes), which they had to pay the Porte to obtain their
posts. The Russian Empire, whose primary foreign policy objective was
to gain access to the Mediterranean through Ottoman territory, found a
convenient pretext for intervening in Ottoman affairs by assuming the
role of protector to the Christian population. The European powers,
led by Great Britain, fiercely opposed any Russian expansion into the
Mediterranean and wanted any pieces of the slowly collapsing Ottoman
Empire for themselves. Hence they supported the Sultan. The Armenians,
caught in the middle, had great hopes on the constitutional changes
forced on the reluctant Sultan by the European powers. However, these
changes were on paper only and were largely ignored by the Porte. It
was in this context that Cyprus was ceded to Great Britain in 1878
in return for promised British protection against Russia.

Some time ago, I came across and purchased a letter written by the
Commissioner of Kyrenia of the time, W.N. Bolton, which reveals a
macabre link between Cyprus and the Adana Massacres of 1909. The
letter, written on cream coloured notepaper blind embossed with the
British coat of arms, is apparently in response to an enquiry by
Harry Lukach, Private Secretary to the Governor of Cyprus Hamilton
Goold-Adams. Today, he is better known as Sir Harry Luke, having
changed his surname to Luke in 1919. Subsequently, he had a highly
successful career in the colonial service and authored numerous books
mainly on the Middle East where he served in Cyprus, Armenia (1920),
Jerusalem, Malta etc. His books are full of anecdotal material of his
experiences in the places he served in, and show his compassionate
interest in the people he came in contact with.

Kyrenia 30th January, 1912

"Dear Lukach, I have just been looking up the inquests held in my
district in 1909 on unknown bodies washed up by the sea. The first case
was in the first week in May on the body of a man washed ashore near
Lapithos. This body was much decomposed but had two bullet wounds one
in the neck and one in the abdomen just above the groin. The two next
both males came ashore one at Ayios Ambrosios & one at Ayios Epiktetos
but I do not think there were any marks showing cause of death. No
4 was the body of a little girl about 6 to 8 years her head had been
smashed in by some heavy weapon like a hammer or a pick. As far as we
could tell from their dress they were all Armenians. Dr. Fuleihan now
Ast D.M.O. Nicosia was the officer who examined the bodies and might
if you want it give you more information. Besides these there were
several bits on which I did not hold inquests. And I also believe
a very large number came ashore in the Carpas. I cant write owing
to gout which I am glad to say is getting better but very slowly. I
sent you a wire about the Lapithos road on Saturday as Williams was
over in the P.W.D. Motor on Friday & told me it was quite passable
with care, since when they have been hard at work mending it so it
should be quite all right.Yours SincerelyW.N.Bolton".

It is interesting to note that the Adana Massacres started in early
April and bodies started to get washed up in Cyprus about a month
later. Today the fiction being propagated by the Turkish state is that
there was no Genocide in 1915 and that deaths occurred on both sides
as a result of fighting between Armenians and Turks. They further claim
that the deportations, during which some "unfortunate" deaths occurred,
were necessary for the security of the Ottoman Empire. They neglect to
mention that most of the fit Armenian men, who had been conscripted
into the Ottoman Army in 1914, were later disarmed, transferred to
labor battalions, and subsequently executed. The fighting claimed by
the Turkish state only took place in a few mountainous regions when the
Ottoman army tried to enforce the deportation orders of 1915. We see
here another example of reversal of facts employed by the Turkish state
similar to that of claiming the bodies of Armenian victims exhumed
from mass graves were those of Turks killed by Armenians! The final
destination of the entire Armenian population of Anatolia, consisting
mostly of older men, women, and children, was the small oasis town
of Der Zor in the middle of the Syrian Desert! Very few were fit or
lucky enough to reach there. The majority were killed on the way or
died of thirst, starvation or exhaustion during the forced marches,
as was intended by the Ottoman government.

ZARUHI POSTANJYAN AND STEPAN SAFARYAN TO REPLACE RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN AT PACE AND NATO
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
09.04.2009 17:17

Representatives of the "Heritage" faction Zaruhi Postanjyan and Stepan
Safaryan will replace Raffi Hovhannisyan in the Armenian delegations
to PACE and NATO respectively. Head of the "Heritage" faction Aremn
Martirosyan told a press conference today that the opposition has to
be represented in those structures earlier or later.

Referring to the recent information in media that Raffi Hocvhannisyan
is not going to be in Armenia during the elections to the Yerevan City
Council and is preparing to leave politics, Press Secretary of the
Heritage Party Hovsep Khurshudyan noted the rumors do not correspond
to reality. Raffi Hovhannisyan is not going to leave politics and
the Party will continue its activity.

Armen Martirosyan attached importance to the recent meetings in
Turkey and the visit of the delegation of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary
Cooperation Commission to Armenia. According to him, the "Heritage" had
a meeting with the delegation; a broad range of issues was discussed.

According to Hovsep Khurshudyan’s assessment, reforms are needed in
the political and economic fields of the country.

THE ARMENIAN POLITOLOGIST PRECLUDES A NEW WAR IN GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2009 19:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian MFA statement on establishment of strategic
ties with Armenia is conditioned by internal political problems
of Georgia, Caucasus Institute director, politologist Alexander
Iskandaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

"Georgian opposition has planned a serious rally on Apr. 9. Still,
revolution and change of power are highly unlikely. Opposition does not
have sufficient resources to introduce such changes in the country,"
the politologist noted. "Illegitimate and weak though Saakashvili’s
regime is, Georgian opposition is not strong enough to overthrow him."

Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze stated that Georgia and
Armenia will establish strategic ties in nearest future. According
to Georgian FM, Georgian -Armenian ties will become an important part
in foreign policy of the country.

ARAM SATYAN: WE DON’T NEED SERIOUS ART, EVERYTHING IS MEASURED TODAY BY POP-MUSIC

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2009 20:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The reason for low quality of today’s popular music
is inactivity of RA Composers’ Union, which has to pass its judgment
on every new song, composer Aram Satyan told a news conference attended
by RA Symphonic Orchestra conductor Eduard Topchyan.

Eduard Topchyan regretfully noted that both control and discussions
on professional quality of songs performed are useless, as quality
songs are initially lacking in repertoires of today’s singers.

According to Aram Satyan, judging by songs broadcast today over TV
and Radio, "We don’t need serious art, everything is measured today
by pop-music."

Eduard Topchyan is confident that there’s no sense in looking for
someone to blame, as with all the wide choice of music Armenian
population has, it opts for low quality music.

"Local singers perform low quality songs for one simple reason –
it’s what most of people want to hear," Eduard Topchyan noted.

ARMENIA WINS THREE MEDALS

A1+
03:08 pm | April 06, 2009

Sports

The International Judo Tournament ended in the Georgian town Gory. The
tournament featured 12 Armenian judoists.

According to the Armenian Judo Federation, Gor Harutyunyan (55 kg)
stood out among the Armenian judoists taking the lead. Gor showed him
off to best advantage from the very start and won a gold medal. Two
other sportsmen, Vahe Haneyan (90 kg) and Artush Lazarian (100+ kg),
won bronze medals.

The Armenian team is presently training for the European Judo
Championship 2009 due in Tbilisi on April 22.