Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

Armenpress

ARMENIAN PM TO VISIT BELARUS

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian delegation, led by prime
minister Andranik Margarian will fly to Belarus on May 2 on a three-day
official visit at the invitation of Belarus prime minister Sergey Sidorsky.
The Armenian delegation will include finance and economy, territorial
governance, trade and economic development and health ministers, Ararat
province governor, parliament and government members and businessmen.
Prime minister Margarian is scheduled to have talks with Belarus
president Alexander Lukashenka, prime minister Sidorsky. The Armenian
delegation will also visit MAZ and KAMAZ plants.
Margarian will also participate in the Armenian-Belarus business
conference and will attend the opening of an exhibition of Armenian goods in
the premises of the CIS Secretariat.
Within the frameworks of the visit Days of Armenian Television will be
held. Margarian will also visit Victory Square in Minsk, Khatyn memorial and
meet with members of the local Armenian community. Several documents are
supposed to be signed in Minsk.

EUROPE EXPECTS TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, APRIL 26. ARMINFO. Foreign Ministers of EU member-states
will insist on Ankara’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the
course of EU-Turkey sitting in Luxembourg, French Foreign Minister
Michel Barnier says. Regnum agency reports, referring to the German
agency DPA.

The minister says that this proposal will be made to Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdulah Gyul in the course of the negotiations. Barnier also
points out that the given issue must be raised in the course of the
negotiations with the Turkish party fixed for October. Turkey must
response to the demand, expresses confidence Minister Barnier. He
says that the basic principle of the EU is just reconciliation.
Bother German ands France managed to do it, the same must do Turkey.

AZG Armenian Daily #075, 27/04/2005

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ANOTHER CLASH AT DALMA ORCHARDS

Prime Minister Is the Only Hope for Owners of Orchards

Recently another clash took place between the new and the old owners of
Dalma orchards. The new owners of the orchards brought tractors and tried to
ruin the orchards, while the old owners didn’t allow them. When the clash
ended they met with RA prime minister Andranik Margarian.

By the decree of the PM a conference was called up at Yerevan Municipality
to give a sensible solution to the issue.

After the Artsakh war, Vahan Zatikian, head of “Malatsia” Yerkrapah
detachment, allocated small lots to the families of perished freedom
fighters of the war. The lots were at their disposal for 10 years. The
people planted fruit and vegetables orchards here. The term of lease was to
expire in June, 2004. The owners failed to prolong the rent of the orchards.
While in 2003, the orchards were sold to new owners without informing the
old ones.

The former owners of Dalma orchards told in the interview to “Azg” that they
had been frequently threatened by the representatives of the new owners. The
families of the freedom fighters applied to RA President, RA ombudswoman,
general Manvel Grigorian, but they received encouraging response only from
RA prime minister.

When they visited him two weeks ago he ordered the Yerevan Municipality to
settle the issue, then he ordered the community representatives and the
police to protect the 27 owners lest someone hurts them.

The people that ear their living by cultivating fruits and vegetables do not
want any financial compensation for the land the new owners offer them

1,5 hectares of the lots were sold to an Edik Simonian, from Vanadzor, that
currently lives in Moscow.

At present, negotiations are being held for allocating new lands for him in
another place. Notwithstanding this last factor, the tension doesn’t relax.

The spring agricultural works have begun already, while the people not
knowing anything are doomed to uncertain expectations.

By Karine Danielian
RoBST1hSRjI7vynV/rKOw)–

A1plus

| 15:33:32 | 26-04-2005 | Regions |

FLOOD IN ARAGATSOTN REGION OF ARMENIA

Downpour on April 24 caused damages in the Aragatsotn region of Armenia. A
part of the earth dam of the Gekhadir reservoir collapsed, crops in the
communities of Lusagyugh, Aragats, Gnaberd and Geghadir as well as some
dwelling houses were flooded. Drinking water pipe was damaged in the
community of Lusagyugh.

The level of River Arpa has risen flooding the fields adjacent to Vayots
Dzor.

A governmental commission has been formed for investigating the damage
caused. The department or emergency situation does not possess fresh
information on the floods and new destructions.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee – Lebanon
Arax Street, Bourj Hammoud, Metn 1203 2050 – Lebanon
Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon
Contact: Hovig Hovhannesian
Tel: 00961 1258300
Cel: 00961 3043727
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Major Commemoration Event in Antelias

The AGCC organized a public commemoration in the Armenian Catholicossate of
Cilicia on the 23rd of April. The gathering was attended by the Armenian
ambassador to Lebanon H.E. Mr. Arek Hovannesian, representatives of the
Armenian political and social organizations in Lebanon and presided by the
three religious denominations leaders.

After the opening statement, the three religious leaders spoke about the
importance of keeping the Armenian Genocide alive in the memory of the world.

Afterwards taking the stand, Mr. Hovannesian assured in his statement that the
Armenian State is seriously committed to keep the issue of the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide on the top of its foreign affairs agenda.

Speaking on behalf of the organizing committee, Mrs. Seta Khedeshian stressed
upon the policy of denial implemented by the successive Turkish governments in
the previous 90 years. She pointed out that despite the policy of denial and
the attempts of concealing the truth, the wall of silence around the Armenian
Genocide has been broken and the number of States recognizing the Armenian
Genocide is constantly increasing.
Finally, she reminded that never in history a just cause has been lost,
especially if there is a Nation fighting for it.

Génocide arménien
Erevan se recueille

lundi 25 avril 2005 (Liberation – 06:00)

Pour le quatre-vingt-dixième anniversaire des massacres perpétrés par
les Turcs, les autorités arméniennes espéraient 1,5 million de
manifestants, c’est-à-dire autant que de victimes, pour se recueillir
hier à Erevan devant le monument du génocide de 1915. «Il a été commis
un crime sans précédent dans l’histoire de notre peuple et de toute
l’humanité», a déclaré le président Robert Kotcharian dans une adresse
à la nation, assurant toutefois que l’Arménie était «prête à
construire des relations naturelles avec la Turquie» avec laquelle
Erevan n’a toujours pas établi de relations diplomatiques, tout en
soulignant que «la dénégation de la Turquie suscite non seulement
notre perplexité, mais celle de la communauté internationale tout
entière».
AFP

The California Aggie Online
April 25 2005

Students remember Armenians at vigil

Apr. 24 marks official day for genocide observance

By JOANNA TUNG / Aggie News Writer

Joanna Tung/Aggie

With a new bill signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on
Thursday, Apr. 24 now marks the official anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide that took place between 1915 and 1923.

In remembrance of the genocide, which resulted in the deaths of 1.5
million Armenians, the Armenian Student Association at UC Davis held
a candlelight vigil Friday evening on the Quad.

Michael Armstrong, an executive member of ASA, was one of the
speakers at the event who reviewed the atrocities of the genocide and
conveyed an urgency to prevent such an event from being repeated in
the future.

“I stand here as a UC Davis student, but in the context of this
day, I am here as representative of one person in my family who was
able to survive,” Armstrong said. “In my heart and in my veins runs
the blood of a nation martyred.”

Other speakers at the vigil included Associate Executive Vice
Chancellor Rahim Reed, ASUCD President Caliph Assagai, ASA President
Aileen Babajanian and ASA executive member Garo Manjikian.

Friday’s event marked the conclusion of the annual Genocide
Awareness Week, which included documentary and movie screenings, a
genocide forum and a March for Humanity to the Capitol in support of
the state bill.

In previous years, the ASA focused its efforts solely on the
Armenian Genocide, but this year’s events also touched on mass
persecutions that affected other groups, according to Manjikian.

While the Armenian Genocide devastated the Armenian nation, the
systematic elimination of particular groups of people is not limited
to one culture alone, as history has shown in the Holocaust and the
Tutsi genocide in Rwanda, to name a few.

For this reason, the ASA emphasized cultural awareness and respect,
stressing the importance of understanding these historical crimes
against humanity to prevent future intolerance and destruction,
Manjikian said.

Although 90 years have passed since the genocide, ASA students
believe much more can be done to educate the public about the
Armenian Genocide to attain future peace and harmony among various
cultures.

After the ceremony, vigil participant and former Turkish missionary
Melissa McKeand addressed the lack of both religious and cultural
tolerance that contributes to the ongoing cruelty facing Armenians
today.

“People desperately need to develop a greater tolerance for each
other, not only for culture, but for religion too,” McKeand said.

ASA members announced that for the first time, the week’s
participants included scholars from outside the Davis community, thus
creating a greater sense of unity among several universities and
their diverse student bodies.

As the week came to a close, Manjikian said the ASA hoped to spark
a spirit of open-mindedness, universal acceptance and harmony among
people.

“I’m definitely happy the bill passed …. It’s going to raise more
awareness about the genocide,” he said. “We’re still waiting for
federal government to recognize the genocide.”

Berliner Morgenpost, Deutschland
24 April 2005

Armenier gedenken ihrer Opfer.

Berlin begeht 90. Jahrestag des türkischen Massakers – Bischof Huber
bekennt deutsche Mitschuld
(Bishop Huber admits German partial responsibility)

Von Regina Köhler

Im Plenarsaal des Abgeordnetenhauses hat gestern eine
Gedenkveranstaltung für die Opfer des Genozids an den Armeniern
stattgefunden. Die Armenische Gemeinde und die christliche Armenische
Kirche gedachten des 90. Jahrestages des türkischen Massakers an bis
zu 1,5 Millionen Armeniern im Osmanischen Reich während des Ersten
Weltkrieges. Als Redner wurde Parlamentspräsident Walter Momper (SPD)
erwartet.

Vorab hatte die Türkische Gemeinde alle Türken zum Protest gegen die
Veranstaltung aufgerufen. Acht große türkische Dachverbände Berlins
hatten zudem alle in Deutschland lebenden Türken aufgefordert, per
Fax oder E-Mail dagegen zu protestieren. Zum einen sei das Datum eine
Provokation, hieß es – die Türken feiern seit Jahren am 23. April die
Parlamentsgründung durch Atatürk mit einem internationalen Kinderfest
im Volkspark Schöneberg und seit jüngster Zeit auch am Brandenburger
Tor -, zum anderen sei umstritten, ob die Verbrechen der Türken im
Osmanischen Reich als Völkermord zu bezeichnen sind. Während die
meisten türkischstämmigen Politiker die Bezeichnung ablehnen, haben
deutsche Historiker wie der Berliner Holocaust-Forscher Wolfgang
Benz, den Begriff Völkermord in diesem Zusammenhang stets klar
bejaht.

Vor der Gedenkveranstaltung am frühen Abend im Abgeordnetenhaus hatte
die Armenische Kirche mit einem Gottesdienst im Berliner Dom der
armenischen Opfer von 1915/16 gedacht. An der Seelenmesse nahm auch
der Ratsvorsitzende der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland, der
Berliner Bischof Wolfgang Huber, teil. Huber appellierte an die
Türkei, sich mit ihrer Vergangenheit auseinanderzusetzen. Die
Deutschen wüßten aus eigener Erfahrung, wie wichtig die Aufarbeitung
der Vergangenheit sei, sagte der Bischof. Er forderte Armenier und
Türken auf, sich für die Versöhnung untereinander einzusetzen.
Zugleich bat der Ratsvorsitzende angesichts der deutschen
Mitwisserschaft das armenische Volk um Verzeihung. Das mit dem
Osmanischen Reich im Ersten Weltkrieg verbündete Deutschland habe von
den Ereignissen gewußt, aber nicht eingegriffen. Bundesregierung und
Bundestag sollten sich zur deutschen Mitschuld bekennen, forderte
Huber. Außerdem appellierte er, die Geschichte der Armenier auch in
deutschen Schulbüchern zu behandeln.

Die zentrale Gedenkfeier der Armenier findet heute in der Paulskirche
in Frankfurt am Main statt. Geladen sind Vertreter aus Politik,
Kultur und Wissenschaft. Die armenische Botschafterin Karine Kazinian
nimmt ebenso teil wie der Vorsitzende des Zentralrats der Armenier,
Schawarsch Owassapian. Das Grußwort soll Regierungspräsident Gerold
Dieke sprechen. Der Publizist Ralph Giordano wird einen Vortrag
halten.

TURKEY’S POSITION IN ISSUE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – FALSE CYNICISM,
RUSSIAN SENATOR THINKS

MOSCOW, APRIL 22. ARMINFO. <To avoid recognition of the Genocide
fact, Turkey tries to persuade the international community that only
“excesses” took place in connection with the military situation. It
is a false cynicism that makes one to doubt that the Turkish state
aspiring to become a member of the European family has reached
relevant standards.> The member of the Council of Federation of the
Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Russian
party of self-government Levon Chakhmakhchyan writes in his article
in the newspaper “Nezavisimaya Gazeta.”

Meanwhile, the author writes that even several Turkish figures were
ashamed of the acts of their compatriots yet at the beginning of the
20th century. Thus General Sheriff-pasha, who became an exile for his
views, published an open letter in the Swiss “Journal de Geneve”
wherein he stated “If there is any nation that have given more
services to Turkey due to its state figures and talented officials
owing to their mental faculties in all the spheres it is the Armenian
nation. There is no educated Turk who would not sign the statement of
my friend, the deputy of the English parliament Lynch saying that
Armenians have exclusive abilities to bear new civilization; our
highest ideals have become closer to them:

At the same time, Chakhmakhchyan writes that lack of desire to study
and lear the lessons of the history have brought to numerous bloody
dramas of the 20th century, to dozens of millions of victims. That is
why recognition of the fact of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 is
necessary to those alive and not to the death. Those are not
indifferent to human fates are well aware of this. In 1987 the fact
of the Genocide was condemned by the European parliament, similar
resolutions were adopted by the State Duma of Russia, parliaments of
many European states, a number of American States: And Turkey’s
denial of the fact of the Armenian genocide recognized by the
international community and given relevant international and legal
assessment is not only cynic but also has no prospects from the
political point of view. The current and the future authorities of
Ankara will have to agree with the decisions and recommendations of
the international community concerning the public recognition of
Genocide and responsibility for it already in the visual future.

DIRECTOR OF HOLOCAUST INSTITUTE: SITUATION IN ISRAELI PUBLIC IS
GRADUALLY CHANGING IN DIRECTION TO RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, APRIL 22. ARMINFO. If the Turkish authorities in the person
of Prime Minister Erdougan who is to visit Israel soon try to exert
pressure in our authorities in the issue of Armenian Genocide, the
scientists and opposition of Israel will decisively opposite it,
Director General of Holocaust Institute Israel Charni informs
ARMINFO’s correspondent.

He said that Government of Israel pursued pragmatic goals in the issue
of Armenian genocide, without taking into account the moral side of
the question. The position of Israeli authorities in the issue of
Armenian genocide is dictated by the fact that maintenance of good
relations with Turkey is of prior importance of politicians. It is a
wrong position for any parliament and especially for the Israeli one
as the latter must most of all proceed from the principles of morality
and not to allow such mistakes. It insults the religious feelings of
Jews, the scientist thinks. He considers the situation in Israeli
public is gradually changing in direction to recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.

To note, Turkish Mass Media reports that in the course of his
forthcoming visit to Israel, Turkish Prime Minister is expected to
elaborate joint plans with the Israeli leadership on denial of the
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915.