Author: Kajoyan Gevork

DEMOCRAT YOUTH COMMUNITY OF EUROPE ADOPTS STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

18:40, 24 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Democrat Youth Community of Europe (DEMYC) Executive Bureau has
adopted an official statement condemning the Armenian Genocide. DEMYC
Unites youth wings of political parties from about 50 countries. The
statement reads:

· Having in mind Pan-Armenian Declaration on the Centennial of the
Armenian Genocide;

· Reaffirming the principles on Human rights and standing on European
value;

· Condemning the genocidal acts against the Armenian people, planned
and continuously perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire and various regimes
of Turkey in 1894-1923, dispossession of the homeland, the massacres
and ethnic cleansing aimed at the extermination of the Armenian
population, the destruction of the Armenian heritage, as well as
the denial of the Genocide, all attempts to avoid responsibility,
to consign to oblivion the committed crimes and their consequences
or to justify them, as a continuation of this crime and encouragement
to commit new genocides;

DEMYC (Democrat Youth Community of Europe) Board states the following:

· We condemn the genocidal acts against the Armenian people, planned
and continuously perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire and various
regimes of Turkey in 1894-1923, dispossession of the homeland,
the massacres and ethnic cleansing aimed at the extermination of
the Armenian population, the destruction of the Armenian heritage,
as well as the denial of the Genocide;

· We commemorate one-and-a-half million innocent victims of the
Armenian Genocide and bow in gratitude before those martyred and
surviving heroes who struggled for their lives and human dignity.

Moreover, we recognize, that the Genocide resulted in the death and
dispossession not only of Armenian people but also extended to the
Pontic Greeks and Assyrians peoples, and we commemorate them as well;

· We join and strongly support the commitment of Armenia and the
Armenian people to continue the international struggle for the
prevention of genocides, the restoration of the rights of people
subjected to genocide and the establishment of historical justice;

· We encourage Turkey to face history and finally recognize the
ever-present reality of the Armenian Genocide and its attendant
dispossession, including but not limited to ensuring a right of
return of the Armenian people to, and a secure reconnection with,
their national hearth–all flowing from the fundamental imperative
of achieving Reconciliation through the Truth;

· We call upon the Government of Turkey to respect and realize
fully the legal obligations which it has undertaken including those
provisions which relate to the protection of cultural heritage and,
in particular, to conduct in good faith an integrated inventory of
Armenian and other cultural heritage destroyed or ruined during the
past century.

ARMENIAN CHURCH IN DERSIM TO BE RENOVATED

19:00, 24 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 24 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. To preserve and restore the
centuries-old heritage that the Armenians left in Dersim,
theFederation of Non-Governmental Organizations of Dersimhas
undertaken a new initiative. This is what President of the Federation
of Non-Governmental Organizations of Dersim Ahmet Balkes, who is
in Armenia as part of the delegation of Dersim, said during a press
conference, as “Armenpress” reports.

“During meetings and discussions with the Union of Friendship of
the Armenians and Alevis of Dersim, we ascertained that there used
to be 162 churches in the territory of Dersim where the Armenians
have existed and continue to exist. We decided to renovate at least
one of those churches, and for that purpose we formed a group
of architects that is currently working with the Union,” Balkes
mentioned, stating that by protecting Armenian cultural heritage,
they are, to a certain extent, making a contribution to the friendship
between the two collectivities. Addressing the Armenians, he said:
“We live next to the cultural values, churches and monasteries that
your ancestors left in Dersim, and I promise that when we return,
we will protect the heritage of your ancestors even more.”

President of the Union of Friendship of the Armenians of Alevis of
Dersim Serkan Seriatash mentioned that the Metskert (Mazgird) Armenian
church will be restored through combined efforts. “The church will
be renovated via the local municipality, but we’ll also support the
efforts,” Seriatash mentioned and informed that they have collaborated
with the Union of Armenian Architects of Turkey (“Haitchar) to have
certain specifications regarding Armenian monuments and memorials.

VIEWS FROM ARTSAKH: NATIONAL REVIVAL PARTY TO ENJOY SUPPORT OF MANY POLITICAL AND PUBLIC FIGURES OF ARTSAKH, ARMENIA AND DIASPORA

by David Stepanyan

Monday, March 23, 13:07

“I think, at the May 3 parliamentary elections, the National Revival
Party will enjoy the support of not only Samvel Babayan, but also
other influential political and public figures of Artsakh, Armenia
and Diaspora,” says Masis Mailyan, Head of the NKR Public Council
for Foreign Policy Security.

Talking to ArmInfo, Mailyan said he did not anticipate Samvel Babyan,
the first defense minister of Artsakh, to run for the parliament
or head the opposition. “There were no such reports or statements,”
he said.

Mailyan said representatives of the National Revival Party political
team say Samvel Babayan is ready to support the party, but they do
not mention the format of his involvement in the elections.

Earlier Mass Media reported that MP Vitaly Balasanyan allegedly refused
from negotiations and cooperation with Samvel Babayan. Leader of the
Free Motherland Party Arthur Tovmasyan, in turn, said that Babayan
has no intention to lead the opposition of Artsakh.

LE REPAS DE L’AMICALE MALATIA UNE OCCASION DE PRESENTER LES ACTIONS DE L’ASSOCIATION – PHOTOS

COMMUNAUTE-VALENCE

L’Amicale de Malatia organisait dimanche 22 mars a la salle
communautaire du centre Saint-Sahag de Valence, un repas de specialites
culinaires armeniennes en presence de plus d’une soixantaine de
personnes. Les representants des quatre eglises armeniennes de Valence,
L’Eglise evangelique armenienne avec le père Antranig Maldjian, le
Père Nareg Namoyan de l’Eglise catholique armenienne de Valence, le
pasteur Luder Nissanian de l’Eglise Maranatha de Valence ainsi qu’Elie
Jalouf de l’Eglise evangelique armenienne de Valence etaient presents.

Avaient repondu egalement les associations armeniennes de la region
avec Elisabeth Alachian (presidente de la Croix Bleue des Armeniens de
France section > de Valence), l’association des Dames de
l’Eglise Saint-Sahag, Nazo Alain Jinbachian president de la Maison
de la Culture Armenienne de Valence, Krikor Amirzayan president
d’>, Georges Rastklan conseiller municipal a Valence
et president de l’Amicale des Armeniens d’Urfa. Nathalie Iliozer,
conseillère municipale etait egalement presente comme des membres
de l’association UCFAF de Valence. Khosrof Iliozer, le president
de l’Amicale de Malatia a explique les actions de son association
pour la preservation du patrimoine des Armeniens a Malatia avec la
renovation des maisons et eglises armeniennes dans une ville de plus
de deux millions d’habitants qui ne compte plus qu’une soixantaine
de familles armeniennes. Khosrof Iliozer a egalement evoque l’action
de son association au profit des orphelins a Vanadzor en Armenie avec
la diffusion d’un film-reportage.

Krikor Amirzayan

lundi 23 mars 2015, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE REPORT: UP TO 7 MT OF NARCOTICS TRANSIT AZERBAIJAN ANNUALLY

10:50 23/03/2015 >> SOCIETY

Azerbaijan remains a transit country for illicit narcotics by virtue
of its situation along major drug trafficking routes from Afghanistan
and Iran to Europe and Russia, the US Department of State International
Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2015 reads.

According to the report, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs
(MIA) estimates that between 5.8 and seven metric tons (MT) of
narcotics transit Azerbaijan annually, much of it through Azerbaijan’s
southern border with Iran. Azerbaijan may be an increasingly favored
transit country for drugs over neighboring countries such as Turkey,
which has strengthened its border controls in recent years.

Azerbaijan’s MIA reported that it seized approximately 700 kg of
illegal drugs over the first ten months of 2014. Authorities opened
1,743 cases for drug-related crimes during the same period, of which
449 involved narcotics sales. According to ministry statistics,
authorities convicted 1,252 people of drug-related crimes in the
first half of 2014. Of the individuals, 91.9 percent were unemployed,
28.2 percent were previously convicted, and 2.6 percent were women,
the report reads.

According to a UN report, “Northern Balkan Route” of drug trafficking
from Afghanistan to Europe lies precisely through Azerbaijan. Drugs
freely cross Azerbaijan-Turkey-Iran route. The second, “Old Balkan
Route” lies straight through Iran to Turkey. People engaged in
the smuggling are mainly assisted by the Azerbaijani and Kurdish
population of northern Iran. The third way is through Azerbaijan and
the Caucasus which lies through the Turkmen seaport after Turkmenbashi,
in Baku. Here the drugs are easily smuggled into Russia.

Related:

Georgia puts an end to import of 3 tons of liquid heroin from
Azerbaijan that equal to hundreds of millions of dollars

UN report: The highest rate of injection drug use in world was fixed
in Azerbaijan

CONSUL’S DENIAL SHELL GAME

Aram Hagopian,

Toronto, 18 March 2015

The Turkish consul-general of Toronto once again dabbles in digression,
excuses, half-truths, and obfuscations (Keghart.com, March 1). Hitler’s
Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels’ big lie pales in comparison
with what the Turkish government, its representatives, and hired
guns have been fabricating for decades as they deny the Armenian
Genocide. The consul general’s denial reminds one of Orson Welles’
hall of mirrors in “Lady From Shanghai,” where a single image is
reflected ad infinitum, without adding anything new.

The consul-general states: “Turks were also killed and massacred
before, during and after the First World War.” The two losses are
not related. The Armenians had nothing to do with Turkish deaths, but
the Turks had everything to do with Armenian deaths. Turkish losses
were the result of war (Turkey was an ally of Germany and Austria)
against France, Britain, Russia and later America. Turkey’s dead were
combat casualties. The Armenian civilian losses were the result of a
government sponsored extermination. Even pro-Turkish writer Michael M.

Gunter rejects such comparison. Mr. Gunter wrote: “That even more
Turks (than Armenian) also died during World War I is both true,
but largely irrelevant to the argument here because most of the many
Turkish deaths resulted from hostilities against the Allies, not the
Armenians.” ….Read more >>

RUSSIA’S COMMUNITY IN ARMENIA DISCUSSES PLANS AT CONFERENCE IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, March 23. /ARKA/. The eighth country conference of Russian
community in Armenia opened Sunday in the Moscow House in Yerevan.

Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volinkin said the conference has
gathered representatives of all compatriots’ organizations from all
the provinces of Armenia.

he said.

The ambassador said that in Yerevan and other cities Russia’s all
holidays were celebrated, round-table discussions, seminars and
conferences were held in 2014 and exhibitions were opened.

he said.

He said the Coordination Council convenes its sessions regularly. The
New Generation Club of the Russian Science and Culture Center in
Armenia, which gathered 20 head of nongovernmental youth organizations,
operates now and the head of the Coordination Council attends sessions,
which are held in the embassy. Volinking said adding that the practice of attraction
of young people has produced particular results.

He said all the youth organizations wanting to contribute to
development should get a chance to do it.

The Russian ambassador said that Russia has to remain stuck to
austerity policy for one or two years.

The conference is organized by the Coordination Council of Russian
Compatriots’ Nongovernmental Organizations in the Republic of Armenia
with support from Russia’s embassy in Armenia and the Russian Science
and Culture Center in Armenia.

Some 15 nongovernmental and youth organizations are taking part in
the conference.

In the resolution that will be adopted at the conference, the Russian
authorities’ growing interest in problems of compatriots living abroad
and the necessity of continuation of consolidation work are stressed.

The establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union is welcomed in the
resolution. Besides, support for compatriots living in Ukraine is
expressed here with condemnation of falsification of Great Patriotic
War facts. —0—–

BOTANIST CONCERNED WITH DEEP PRUNING IN YEREVAN (PHOTOS)

14:44 March 20, 2015

EcoLur

Anush Nersisyan, Senior Researcher at Botany Institute of NAS RA, PhD
in Biological Sciences, is concerned with the deep pruning in progress
in Yerevan. In her letter addressed to EcoLur Anush Nersesyan says,

“Our trees in the city again “beheaded”. Several years ago completely
mature and healthy willow trees were left without any branches near
the Botanical Garden. This year the branches again grew up and the
trees regained their beautiful view. Today the willow trees again
underwent deep pruning. Again the trees are deprived of their beautiful
branches. Unfortunately, the willow trees near the road running to
Avan-Norq are just one of these numerous examples.

If you think we don’t need beauty, you should think about the health
of our children, as after deep pruning the total surface of the leaves
is reduced several times. Green leaves absorb CO2 and give oxygen,
trap dust and heavy metals.”

EcoLur would like to draw Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan’s attention
to this letter. So far around 7000 trees have been pruned and formed
in Yerevan.

MOSCOW SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TO GIVE A CONCERT ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

YEREVAN, March 23. /ARKA/. The Moscow State Academic Symphony Orchestra
will perform a concert to commemorate the 1915 genocide of Armenians,
on April 18, the press office of the orchestra reported.

The concert will be conducted by Pavel Kogan, says the report, as cited
by Novosti-Armenia. The concert program includes Schonberg and Mahler.

The orchestra will be joined by the choir of the Choral Art Academy
after V.S. Popov and Sandra Mack-Master (contralto, Great Britain).

-0–

“100 SECONDS” PROJECT TO PRESENT TESTIMONIES OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVORS

YEREVAN, March 23. / ARKA /. Mediamax Media Company and VivaCell-MTS
presented “100 Seconds” project in Yerevan today, at Komitas Museum-
Institute. The project is timed to the Armenian Genocide Centennial.

“100 Seconds” project is based on the testimonies of Genocide survivors
published by the National Archive of Armenia. 100-second long excerpts
from the testimonies were offered to read to people having public
influence in the world and in their countries, among them writers,
journalists, musicians, directors, actors.

Within the framework of the project, 24 videos were shot and starting
from March 23 they will be daily posted on Mediamax.am/100 seconds.

The presentation of the videos to the media was preceded by a joint
press conference presided by the Coordinator of the Events Dedicated
to the Armenian Genocide Centennial, Chief of Staff of the President
of Armenian Vigen Sargsyan, VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian
and the Director of Mediamax Ara Tadevosyan.

“”100 Seconds” project mainly aims to draw the attention of people
throughout the world to the horrifying sufferings Armenians were
subject to 100 years ago. To read and listen to these testimonies is
not easy but the more people get shaken by what they hear, the more it
is likely they will spare no effort to prevent the recurrence of new
genocides. Our project aims to refute what Adolf Hitler said in 1939,
a week before the invasion of Poland: “Who, after all, speaks today
of the annihilation of the Armenians?”” said Director of Mediamax
Ara Tadevosyan.

“I would like to extend my special gratitude to VivaCell-MTS which
continuously supports crucially important social initiatives like
this. Here we have achieved results that hold special value also
because the participants of the project have benefited to making
our history heard by the world without getting paid for that, using
their good reputation and recognition. As the coordinator of the state
committee, I welcome this project and would like to ask everybody to
support in spreading its materials,” Vigen Sargsyan said.

“VivaCell-MTS attributes high importance to the “100 Seconds” project.

Over the last 10 years we have carried out a number of important
projects in partnership with Mediamax but this project is special
as it should remind the world of the dreadful page of our nation’s
history. We are grateful to people of various nationalities who took
part in this project, thus showing that the Genocide issue does not
refer to only Armenians,” said VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph
Yirikian.

VivaCell-MTS is the general partner of the project. TUMO Design
company provided post-production services. -0-