Author: Hunanian Jack

La Ville de Marseille se souvient du Génocide arménien
Jean-Claude Gaudin a dévoilé deux grandes banderoles placées sur la
façade de la Mairie

MARSEILLE

samedi24 avril 2010, par Krikor Amirzayan/armenews

Première la l’Hôtel de Ville de Marseille. Vendredi 23 avril à 17h30,
c’est devant une foule nombreuse de plus de 400 personnes que
Jean-Claude Gaudin, dévoila en compagnie de très nombreux élus -dont
l’adjoint Didier Parakian, l’initiateur du projet- la banderole dédiée
au Génocide arménien. Sur les deux banderoles géantes qui couvrent
désormais une partie importante de la façade de la Mairie de Marseille
est inscrit « 1915-2010 génocide arménien la ville de Marseille
n’oublie pas ». Des lettres arméniennes sont également visibles sur
ces banderoles qui orneront ainsi durant quelques jours la Mairie de
Marseille sur le Vieux Port en signe de recueillement et de souvenir
du génocide qui frappa les Arméniens dont 100 000 enfants des
survivants peuplent la ville phocéenne.

Après la cérémonie inaugurale, le public était invité à un cocktail
offert par la municipalité dans une « Salle des mariages »
archi-comble. Prenant la parole, Jean-Claude Gaudin a rappelé le
soutien de sa ville aux commémorations du 95e anniversaire du génocide
arménien. Il a également émis son souhait que la loi de la
pénalisation du négationnisme du génocide arménien demandée par la
communauté arménienne vienne renforcer la loi française.

Le sénateur-maire était entouré de plus d’une douzaine d’élus, dont le
1er Adjoint Roland Blum, les adjoints Didier Parakian et Martine
Vassal, la députée européenne Dominique Vlasto et les députés Valérie
Boyer, Renaud Muselier et Guy Teyssier. Jean-Claude Gaudin salua la
doyenne des Arméniens de Marseille (103 ans) qui se trouvait dans la
salle. Le dudukiste Lévon Minassian joua quelques airs de duduk d’une
mélancolie saisissante. Enfin le public fut invité à partager un
cocktail.

Reportage photo et texte Krikor Amirzayan à Marseille

NaharNet, Lebanon
April 24 2010

Armenians in Lebanon Mark Genocide with Massive Rally

Tens of thousands of Lebanese-Armenians took to the streets of Beirut
on Saturday in a peaceful demonstration to mark the 95th anniversary
of the mass killings of Armenians under the Ottoman empire.

"Our demands today are the same as they have been for the past 95
years: international and Turkish acknowledgment of the genocide,"
Lebanese-Armenian State Minister Jean Ogassapian told Agence France
Presse. "We demand our rights."

Amid tight security, demonstrators including MPs of Armenian origin
blocked a main highway leading into Beirut, waving Armenian flags and
carrying banners that read: "1,500,000 Armenians massacred, but we
survived. We’ll tell you the history of Turkey’s atrocities."

Other banners read: "Run, Turkey, run, but you can’t hide," and
"Impunity nurtures culture devoid of ethics."

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were systematically
killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of
modern Turkey, was falling apart.

The events are marked every year on April 24, the date in 1915 when
Ottoman authorities rounded up and arrested more than 200 Armenian
intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople.

Turkey fiercely rejects the genocide label, arguing instead that
between 300,000 and 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died
in civil strife when Armenians took up arms in eastern Anatolia and
sided with invading Russian troops.

The dispute has poisoned relations between the two neighbors for
decades, and reconciliation efforts launched last year remain frozen.

Hundreds of thousands of Armenian Christians are believed to have fled
to Lebanon after the mass killings.

Lebanon today hosts the Arab world’s largest Armenian community,
estimated at around 140,000 people.(AFP)

wsDesk.nsf/0/75B78F0588F2B51EC225770F0062A471?Open Document

THE CYPRUS QUESTION FROM NOW ON

Hurriyet
April 23 2010
Turkey

Approximately 80,000 people living in the north of Cyprus have elected
DerviÅ~_ Eroglu as the president of the self-proclaimed Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus. Eroglu didn’t win the election, Mehmet
Ali Talat lost it. So did the European Union and Turkey. Despite
all the counter-claims, what Eroglu understands from negotiations
is to transform the current situation into the full independence of
northern Cyprus. Therefore, this election result will create results
way beyond important.

As far as Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP,
government is concerned, the result can be interpreted as the latest
fiasco on consecutive initiatives launched lately. First normalization
with Armenia, and then the democratic initiative to settle the Kurdish
problem and now a solution in Cyprus has failed. The Cyprus question,
which has been underestimated by Turkish foreign policy so far, has
become more critical since Sunday evening. Turkey is continuing to
lose time and money in Cyprus for the sake of nationalist ambitions.

Three scenarios

What will happen now? The first scenario is the collapse of peace
talks and the start of a permanent separation process. That means
northern Cyprus effectively becoming the 82nd province of Turkey,
the de facto end of Turkey-EU membership negotiations and the Turkish
Armed Forces, or TSK, being settled in the island permanently.

Economic sanctions that the EU has applied to northern Cyprus from
the beginning and the settlers from Anatolia have made northern
Cyprus a totally dependent piece of land. Such a burden, including
military costs, will not hurt Turkey’s economy, but obviously it has
a political price tag on it: The TSK going back to barracks in Turkey
will continue to be involved in politics in northern Cyprus on a de
facto basis. And with the end of EU talks, the present perception
both inside and outside Turkey that "Turkey is turning its back to
the West" will be reinforced.

On the other hand, the Republic of Cyprus in the south will not be
affected much by this scenario. Greek Cypriots who are the member of
the EU, having excellent relations with the Arab World and the Orthodox
World starting with Russia, having expertise in offshore banking and
attracting 3 million tourists a year could bear the consequences of
a permanent separation.

In the face of this black scenario, a second possibility for Turkey
is to make unilateral compromises to pave the way for solution and
take necessary steps in this direction. President Abdullah Gul keeps
saying that it is unacceptable that the Cyprus question could handicap
Turkey. In fact, Turkey’s international ambitions are more important
than Cyprus. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite all his
nationalist rhetoric, repeated over the weekend that the talks must
go on. Along this policy line, Eroglu may be forced to remain at
the table and stick with current negotiation parameters. And for
the sake of EU membership talks, Turkey can open air and sea ports
unilaterally. However this scenario is not realistic in advance of
the 2011 elections in Turkey. Let’s not forget that the opposition
will provide unconditional support to Eroglu.

Therefore, a third scenario could be envisaged. Prime Minister Erdogan
and the president of the Republic of Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias,
have already voiced multilateral processes. In addition to the two
sides in Cyprus, the names of Turkey, Greece, the EU, the United
Nations Secretariat and the five permanent members of the U.N. General
Council have been uttered so far. Probably, the remedy will be found
in this option. If a solution is desired in Cyprus, which is a big
obstacle for all concerned, it is nonsense to keep talks limited
to the two leaders. Considering the fact that Eroglu is incapable
of negotiating and has no intention of doing so, as Christofias is
facing a great deal of trouble in the governing coalition, the "two
negotiator formula" has no future.

In advance of Prime Minister Erdogan’s official visit to the Greek
capital Athens on May 14, no progress should be expected. But
the visit could trigger a new process suggesting a comprehensive
approach to all existing feuds between Turks and Greeks, including
the Cyprus conflict. In the meantime, a serious and comprehensive
crisis management is needed on the island.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES ARRIVED IN TSITSERNAKABERD

Panorama.am
24/04/2010

Flowers were put and tribute was paid to Great Genocide victims at
the ever burning fire by Armenian authorities.

The delegation chaired by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan includes
National Assembly Chairman Hovik Abrahamyan, PM Tigran Sargsyan,
high ranking officials of legislative and executive bodies.

The Supreme Patriarch of Armenian Apostolic Church Karekin II is
also in Tsitsernakaberd holding special mass to commemorate Genocide
victims.

YEREVAN SUSPENDS RECONCILIATION PROCESS WITH TURKEY
Marianna Grigoryan

EurasiaNet
April 22 2010
NY

Two days before Armenia commemorates Ottoman Turkey’s World War I-era
slayings of ethnic Armenians, President Serzh Sargsyan on April 22
called on Armenia’s parliament to "suspend" the process to ratify
reconciliation protocols with Turkey.

Sargyan described the current stage of relations with Turkey as
"exhausted." A senior Armenian politician, meanwhile, indicated that
the agreement may be recalled from parliament.

In a televised speech to the nation, Sargsyan, who has long backed
normalizing ties with Turkey, took issue with what he termed
"preconditions" set by Ankara for a peace deal with Armenia. These
preconditions, the president contended, caused the process to stall.

"Preconditions" refers primarily to recent comments made by Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who indicated that Turkey would
not normalize relations with Armenia unless Yerevan made progress in
peace negotiations with Turkish ally Azerbaijan concerning the future
of Nagorno-Karabakh. [For background see EurasiaNet’s archive].

"Armenia shall retain her signature under the protocols because we
desire to maintain the existing momentum for normalizing relations,
because we desire peace," a transcript of the speech published on
Sargsyan’s presidential website stated. "Our political objective
of normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey remains valid,
and we shall consider moving forward when we are convinced that there
is a proper environment in Turkey, and there is leadership in Ankara
ready to re-engage in the normalization process."

Armenia’s governing coalition – Sargsyan’s Republican Party of Armenia,
the Prosperous Armenia Party and Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) Party
— earlier in the day declared that Turkey’s refusal to ratify the
agreement "without preconditions" means that "there’s no sense in
further continuing the process of their ratification at this stage"
in Armenia’s National Assembly.

Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov told
EurasiaNet.org that the April 22 announcement does not signal a break
with the normalization process in full. "We are not withdrawing from
the process; we are waiting for a real answer from Turkey — yes
or no, but not an imitation [of real steps toward reconciliation],"
Sharmazanov said.

The chair of parliament’s European Integration Parliamentary Committee,
Naira Zohrabian, told EurasiaNet.org that President Sargsyan’s recent
meetings with coalition leaders suggest that the protocols will be
recalled from the National Assembly. Zohrabian, who is also a senior
member of the Prosperous Armenia Party, did not elaborate.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson told reporters in Ankara
that Turkish leaders were considering how to respond to Sargsyan’s
announcement. Prime Minister Erdogan later repeated Turkey’s commitment
to the reconciliation process.

Sharmazanov claimed that the international community will understand
Armenia’s move. He suggested that the Turkish position had the
indirect effect of complicating efforts by the United States, Russia
and France, the three co-chairs of the Minsk Group, to make progress
in the Karabakh peace process. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive].

"I think the international community will interpret our step as
normal since the Armenian side does not recall its signature [of the
protocols], but rather suspends the process," Sharmazanov asserted.

"In this case, Turkey has no way to escape."

One Yerevan-based analyst questioned the government’s logic. "Trying
to correct a mistake through another mistake is wrong," said Tatul
Hakobyan, and analyst with the Civilitas Foundation and a former
journalist who has written extensively on the Karabakh war.

"The Armenian side shouldn’t have removed discussion of the protocols
from the National Assembly agenda, but should have left them there to
turn into dust," Hakobyan said. "Now the Turks will start to blame
Armenia for spoiling the [reconciliation] process, while Armenia
won’t be able to persuade the international community that it’s not
Armenia’s fault the process didn’t succeed."

Suren Surenyants, a senior member of the political board of the
opposition Republic Party, also believes the international community
may react negatively to Armenia’s move. Though senior Turkish officials
have repeatedly made statements about "preconditions," the Turkish
side never declared it had suspended parliamentary discussion of the
protocols, he noted.

"Yerevan was the first to voice this statement," Surenyants said.

"Actually, the Turkish authorities achieved their aim by driving
Armenia to take an irrational position. It turns out now that not
only Turkey, but the Yerevan government as well puts preconditions
[on the deal by] stipulating ratification of the protocols based only
on Turkey’s position."

A more understandable move for the international community would
be if Armenia had allowed the vote on the protocols to proceed and
succeed or fail based on the agreement’s own merits, he added.

Zohrabian said the Prosperous Armenia Party would have responded
negatively to any National Assembly decision to ratify the agreement.

"I think the coalition made a very correct move by suspending the
process," Zohrabian said. "This is a political break for Turkey to
determine its position, whether it wants to follow a civilized path,
or whether it prefers irresponsible declarations and reckless schemes."

RALPH YIRIKIAN: WE LIVE TO LOVE OUR IDENTITY AND WE TRANSLATE OUR LOVE BY SERVING IT

ArmInfo
2010-04-22 17:42:00

ArmInfo. VivaCell-MTS, a subsidiary of "Mobile TeleSystems" OJSC,
informs that its Corporate Responsibility programs expand their
geography. The press- service of VivaCell-MTS told ArmInfo that the
Company presented its hard path of success to the Armenian communities
in New York, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles.

"Being Armenia’s leading mobile operator, a big responsibility lies
upon the shoulders of VivaCell-MTS: endorsing and supporting the
preservation of the national identity. We need to tell every Armenian
in the whole world how great our Hayrenik is and how responsible we
are to grow it and prosper it," stated VivaCell-MTS General Manager
Ralph Yirikian during the multiple sessions with Armenians from
different walks of life in the United States of America.

Armenian schools, universities and educational institutions from the
east to the west coast of the United States opened their doors widely
to the "Business with a Mission " project led by VivaCell-MTS General
Manager and his team. "The business with a Mission" project launched
in Armenia flew us to you, our compatriots in the Diaspora as an
obligation to share with you the prosperity we see in our homeland
and the potential of its growth. VivaCell-MTS is a living example
that could not be achieved without the efforts of Armenian young
graduates and gifted executives," stated Mr. Yirikian in New York.

In Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, Armenians of all backgrounds
gathered to attend what a successful business from their beloved
homeland had to tell them and share with them. "We are an operator
that serves the people, as we are from the people and to the people and
not only in the homeland, but all over the world – wherever there are
Armenians. And we gladly serve them with our Corporate Responsibility
way of thinking," added VivaCell-MTS General Manager.

Los Angeles, the last stop of the "Business with a Mission"
project witnessed a hype like no other in terms of the eagerness and
anticipation to get exposed to the messages brought from Armenia by
a brand some of them heard about: "We see the image of our Hayrenik
glittering throughout the achievements of our Company: If we could
make it and succeed, so could you." "One should not ask what the
Hayrenik can do for me but what I can do for my Hayrenik," stated Mr.
Yirikian, while meeting with university and school students.

Inspiring, motivating and full of positive messages and hope… That’s
how the trip to the United States was described by most of those,
who had the chance to share this experience with VivaCell-MTS during
the tour.

More than 10 days to remember, not only in the history of VivaCell-MTS,
who was blessed by the meeting with compatriots in the USA, but also
in the life of the compatriots aching to always hear good news about
their homeland. This time they were motivated to be part of this
prosperity to happen, said Yirikian.

ARMENIA ENTERS RECOVERY STAGE: PRIME MINISTER

/ARKA/
April 22, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, April 22. /ARKA/. Armenian prime minister Tigran Sarkisian
said today the country’s economy was out of the crisis and back to
recovery track.

Speaking at a recurrent Cabinet session he cited the latest figures
of the National Statistical Service according to which the economic
recovery continued to accelerate in March resulting in a 5.5% GDP
growth in the first quarter. The prime minister singled out a 10%
industrial output growth, a similar growth in energy production and
a 3.2% growth in agriculture.

The construction sector, once a key engine of growth, was the
only sector that dropped in the first quarter by 0.6% to 46.7
billion Drams. The year-on-year growth rate reported by the National
Statistical Service was up from 3.1% reported in January-February. The
government predicted last November that the economy, which contracted
by 14.4 percent in 2009, will expand by only 1.2 percent this year.

Late last month it revised the full-year forecast upwards to 1.8
percent.

According to the prime minister, the latest numbers testify
to diversification of the economy and its reduced dependence of
construction sector growth, but on the other hand they also mean that
private investors are not in a hurry to invest in this sector. The
premier downplayed a popular belief that the government finances
construction sector by reminding that 75% of investments last year
into construction came from private investors.

The prime minister also singled out a 6% growth in services, a 60%
growth in exports and a 23% growth in imports. He also said IT sector
grew by 3%, while production of building materials was up by 50%
and the mining sector posted a 21% growth.

The chemical industry posted a 2.5% growth, the jewelry sector rose
by 40% and production of equipment was up by 15%. Prime minister
emphasized also a 5% tourism growth. According to him, the accelerating
growth was due to the government’s anti-crisis measure.

He also added that `the entire world is emerging from the recession.’
($1 – 393.23 Drams).

MUSA DAGH DESCENDANT CARRIES ON FOREBEARS’ STRUGGLE
Arpa Hatzbanian

Haytoug.org
4/musa-dagh-descendant-carries-on-forebears-strugg le/
April 22 2010

During the Armenian Genocide, my ancestors-the people of Musa
Dagh-were one of the only groups who were able to fight back and defend
themselves. Today, like my ancestors, I choose not to be an observer
to atrocities and oppression. For me, working tirelessly to resist the
same injustice which my forebears died for is not a choice, but a duty.

My maternal ancestors originated from Musa Dagh, a mountainous
region on the Mediterranean coast. During the Armenian Genocide,
the people of Musa Dagh were exiled from their homes and given only
eight days to evacuate. They gathered all their weaponry and food,
embarking on a climb to the mountaintops. The villagers protected
themselves against the 200-person Turkish special army, because they
were more experienced in the mountainous terrain. Although victorious
in resistance, they soon ran out of living necessities and were
forced to leave the mountains. They were saved by a French ship,
who heard their plea for help. Despite promises that they would one
day return to their homes, they never did.

Everyday is an ongoing struggle within the Armenian community. At
times our own government gives up on our Cause because it is a
difficult inner conflict to overcome. We are constantly faced with
the choice to either accept the pain and let it slowly ware off, or
work vigorously day in and day out for recognition. It is my personal
choice to take the more difficult route, and work for my Cause rather
then let the memory of my ancestors be forgotten and ignored.

In order to fight for recognition of the Armenian Genocide, I
work yearlong within effective organizations such as the Armenian
Youth Federation (AYF) and the Armenian National Committee (ANC)
in informing the world about the atrocities of 1915 and the crimes
still being committed by the Turkish government.

Recently, I have helped with the AYF’s annual April 24 protest
in front of the Turkish Consulate. Thousands gather yearly in Los
Angeles, to show that the Armenian people have not given up. Also,
I work with the United Human Rights Council (UHRC), to help prevent
other human rights violations from happening around the world today.

The struggle of my ancestors has encouraged me to fight for justice.

When I look at my grandmother and the pain that will never go away,
I am inspired to use that pain as a muse to work even harder against
injustice.

As an Armenian, I am obligated to work for my Cause. But, as global
citizens, we are all obligated to work for a more peaceful and stable
world for our future generations to live in.

You too can demand justice and honor the memory of our fallen. Here
are details to the April 24 protest at the Turkish consulate.

ARMENIA’S DECISION IS BENEFICIAL FOR TURKEY: ANKARA RESPONDS TO COALITION’S STATEMENT

Tert.am
22.04.10

The statement made by the Armenian parliamentary coalition over the
Armenia-Turkey Protocols is beneficial for Turkey, CNNTurk quotes
Turkish retired ambassador and a foreign policy expert Yalim Eralp
as saying.

"Earlier Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that they had made
a decision over the Protocols and that they would make a statement
about it soon. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared
in Washington that Ankara is accountable for its signature put under
the Protocols. The Armenians had earlier adopted a law which allows
annulling international agreements. But this is not the case. The
signatures are not being disowned: it is only the ratification of the
Protocols that is being suspended. In fact the ratification process
is suspended in Turkey. By the same token, judging by the situation
in Turkey, Armenia’s decision is a convenient one. It leaves the
impression that the Armenians will take action as soon as the Turks
do so," said the diplomat.

"Earlier President Sargsyan had said that they would not start the
ratification of the Protocols unless Turkey does so. I do not think
this is a serious development. The process would have been terminated,
should they have withdrawn their signature. But the signatures are
still in force, and it is the ratification that is being suspended,"
explained the expert.

Local Turkish daily Hurriyet, in turn, quotes Turkish Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson Burak Ozugergin saying that they do not have any official
information about it.

"We do not have any official information about that decision yet. If
it is confirmed, we will make a relevant statement," Ozugergin was
quoted as saying.

E. SHARMAZANOV SAYS WE’RE FAITHFUL TO SETTLEMENT OF TIES

Panorama.am
22/04/2010

"I think the joint statement of coalition is quite realistic, which
matches with state and national interests," NA Deputy, Speaker of
Republican Party Edward Sharmazanov told Panorama.am.

According to the NA deputy the statement reads quite clearly that
the constructive efforts of the Armenian side and the expectations
of the international community faced Turkey’s inconsistent policy of
evasion and preconditions, which brought the process of ratification
of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, signed in Zurich, October 10,
2009, within a reasonable timeframe into a deadlock.

Republican Speaker said Turkey had stated quite clearly in Washington
that Ankara wasn’t ready to ratify the protocols, that’s why the
political majority recommended the suspending of this issue.

"The message is that we are faithful to the spirit of protocols, and
we are faithful to the normalization process. We haven’t suspended
our signature, when Turkey is ready to make the step, we’ll perform
ours then," Republican speaker said.

E. Sharmazanov stated: "Both, President Sargsyan and FM Nalbandyan
have been declaring various times Armenia won’t let anybody to speak a
preconditions language with us. Moreover, President Sargsyan declared
at his London released speech that when Turkey ratifies the protocols,
Armenia will have no problems to do it."

"But Turkey’s PM Erdogan’s statement that Armenian-Turkish ties are
directly linked with NK issue and the conflict with Azerbaijan, has
made us suspend the process until Turkey acknowledges its steps in
balance with the spirit of protocols," NA deputy said.