Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIA VOWS TO BOOST EFFORTS FOR ‘GENOCIDE’ RECOGNITION

Agence France Presse
April 24 2008

YEREVAN (AFP) — Armenia’s new president vowed Thursday to redouble
efforts to have mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire
recognised as genocide, a label staunchly rejected by Turkey.

Thousands gathered in the Armenian capital Thursday to commemorate
the massacres, which many countries have recognised as genocide,
a term at the heart of a bitter dispute between Armenia and Turkey.

Under bright sunshine, long lines of people climbed to a hilltop
memorial in Yerevan to mark the 93rd anniversary of the start of
killings, which took place between 1915 and 1923 and led to a mass
exodus of Armenians from what is now eastern Turkey.

Tens of thousands take part in the ceremony every year, including many
from Armenia’s widespread diaspora who travel to Yerevan for the event.

In an address at the ceremony, newly elected Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian said his country would boost its efforts toward securing
international recognition of the killings as genocide, regardless of
Turkey’s objections.

"The republic of Armenia should double its efforts for the restoration
of historical justice. When it comes to condemning the genocide,
denial has no future, especially today when many countries around
the world have added their voices to the voice of truth," he said.

Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said in his address that the
massacres showed the need for Armenian unity — a clear reference to
post-election clashes last month between opposition supporters and
riot police that left 10 dead.

The opposition claims Serzh Sarkisian’s February election win was
rigged.

"We cannot be in safety and security if we are divided and
separated. We cannot prevent major disasters from recurring if we
fail to have a strong state," the prime minister said.

Despite the appeal, about 4,000 opposition supporters held a rally
as they marched to the memorial, chanting "Freedom" and whistling in
front of government buildings along the way.

They were joined at the memorial by former president and opposition
leader Levon Ter-Petrosian, who came second in February’s vote.

Ter-Petrosian and his supporters laid flowers and wreaths at the
memorial before dispersing peacefully.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen died in orchestrated
killings during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey says 300,000 Armenians and at least an equal number of Turks
were killed in civil strife when the Christian Armenians, backed by
Russia, rose up against the Ottomans.

The dispute has been a major obstacle in relations between Turkey and
Armenia, which have no diplomatic ties and whose border has remained
closed for more than a decade.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said this week that Turkey was
"open to dialogue" with Armenia’s new government "with the aim of
normalising Turkish-Armenian ties."

The controversy has also complicated relations between EU-aspirant
Turkey and many Western countries, especially those with large
ethnic-Armenian communities such as the United States and France.

Many taking part in Thursday’s ceremony called on Western countries
to pressure Turkey into recognising the massacres as genocide.

"I lost my entire family at the hands of the Turks," said 80-year-old
Srbuhi Pirumian. "The Turks have no place in Europe. They are
dangerous as long as they do not admit the reality of the genocide
and ask our forgiveness."

More than 20 countries, including Belgium, Canada, Poland and
Switzerland, have officially recognised the killings as genocide. In
2006, French lawmakers voted to make it a criminal offence to deny
that Armenians were victims of genocide.

But many countries, including Britain and the United States, refuse to
use the term to describe the events, mindful of relations with Turkey.

The US House Foreign Affairs Committee’s endorsement of a resolution
labelling the killings as genocide last October sparked fury in Ankara,
which recalled its ambassador to Washington.

Under intense pressure from the White House, the authors of the bill
later asked Congress not to hold a debate on the issue.

COURT HEARING OF ISAHAK MALKHASIAN’S CASE POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL 25

Noyan Tapan
April 22, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The court of Yerevan’s Shengavit
community (chairman – Judge Gagik Poghosian) postponed the April 21
court sitting to examine the case of Isahak Malkhasian charged with
violence against a representative of authorities and carrying a gas,
cold steel or dart weapon until April 25. I. Malkhasian is brother of
National Assembly deputy Myasnik Malhasian charged with instigation
of mass disorder combined with murder and usurpation of state power.

At the previous court sitting, I. Malkhasian declared that he rejects
his defence lawyer Melania Arustamian who defended him during the
investigation and he asked to involve a new lawyer. Lawyer Seda
Safarian stated in court on April 21 that she signed an agreement with
the defendant’s relatives on April 19 so she is not familiar with the
materials of the case, she does not even know what crime the defendant
is charged with. Moreover, I. Malkhasian in his turn said that he is
not familiar with the case materials either, while the note of the
investigation that he has been acquainted with the case materials is
a result of the "deception of the investigator". The court decided
to give time to the defendant so that he will familiarize himself
with the case materials.

THOSE WHO COMMITTED A CRIME MUST BE PUNISHED
Gevorg Harutyunyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on April 22, 2008
Armenia

Member of the Republican Parliamentary Faction comments upon resolution
1609 "The Function of the Democratic Institutions in Armenia" passed
by PACE Monitoring Committee.

"Firstly I must underscore that instead of demanding to make changes in
the existing law it is very important, to evaluate, to what extent we
meet the requirements of the law. It was by the appeal, recommendation,
or even demand of the same international experts that we banned armed
rallies and mass gatherings. At present they are dissatisfied that
we met the demand of the law.

The second point of the resolution passed by PACE says for ten days
the pro-oppositional powers were holding rallies, without giving an
official notice; in a manner envisaged by the law. And, by the way,
the authorities tolerated all this. We fulfill our international
commitments to protect the people’s democratic rights. But on the
other hand the state is obliged to meet all the other requirements
of the Constitution and the law."

"Immediately after the elections the same co-reporters, as well
as the observation missions underscored that the elections were of
unprecedentely competitive nature and that there were no restrictions
and obstacles during the pre-election campaign. At the moment they
hint that there were unequal conditions for the candidates during
the pre-election campaign."

"Before the tragic events of March 1, the Council of Europe and all
the other international structures published exclusively positive
ideas and conclusions. After March 1, the representatives of the
same structures, in their evaluations, were based on the baseless
announcements made by the pro-oppositional powers, in fact, the
organizers of the mass disorder.

I have personally participated in the session of the Constitutional
Court disputing the election returns. Neither did Ter-Petrosyan’s
nor Tigran Karapetyan’s representatives point out any facts
substantiating the authenticity of the breaches. It is evident that
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters also committed lots of wrongdoings
during the elections. And eventually the plaintiff didn’t even deem
it necessary to listen to the decision of the Constitutional Court.

And even though point 9 of PACE resolution directly records that all
the pro-oppositional parties must recognize the election returns,
some part of the pro-oppositional powers, without any substantiation,
declared themselves winners and they continue to complain and send
commissioners to the Europe and the USA."

"Mr. Petrosyan PACE demands a trustworthy and independent examination
of March 1 events, drawing assumptions that the law enforcement
agencies used disproportionate force."

"The tragic events of March 1 had a very bad consequences and of
course the state is responsible for it. But it is also indispensable
to find the guilty and to eliminate the serious consequences. In this
context PACE makes certain demands some of which we must admit in an
unreserved manner. All the assumptions of the international structures
can be checked through trustworthy and independent examination,
but they don’t set the affair going.

Our General Prosecutor’s continues the inquiry. If it turns out that
the police went beyond their competencies, and used disproportionate
force all the officials will be punished, in a manner envisaged by
the law. We haven’t yet found similar facts. And the international
structures as well haven’t submitted any concrete facts, substantiating
the before mentioned wrongdoings. Instead they make unfounded and
general announcements."

"According to the resolution the arrests are evidently conditioned
by political motives and artificial accusations. Is it a political
speculation or a real desire to clarify who is guilty, in reality?"

"It’s worth mentioning that there are no categorical or affirmative
conclusions in the resolution. They would be wrong, in case they were
there, because everything is clarified due to investigations. Many
detainees are already released, after clarifying that they have certain
political stances, but they didn’t commit any crime. Some have already
been convicted of election breaches and other criminal crimes, but have
been released on probation. Those who committed more serious crimes,
due to which many people have been seriously damaged and even, died,
will be sentenced to imprisonment, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

There are various videos and facts, on how Nikol Pashinyan appeals for
armed violence, building barricades, to disobey the law enforcers,
dissolve the state system, etc, or Levon Ter-Petrosyan appealing to
the students to go on a strike, to throw down the constitutional order
or to usurp power, all the before mentioned actions are prohibited
by the law and the wrongdoers must be punished.

The Europeans themselves emphasize that a person can’t be imprisoned
for his/her political convictions. But those who committed crimes
must be punished otherwise it will lead to chaos in the country.

In my view the Council of Europe is not concerned about establishing
law and order in our country or the security of our country and
the people, they simply do paperwork and manifest paper-based
mentality. They simply demand to provide artificial freedom."

Dimanche 27 avril 2008 de 10h à 20h, sur le Parvis de Notre-Dame de Paris

1915/2008 : « Les génocides vous regardent »
Arméniens, Juifs, Tutsis, Darfouris : un mur contre le déni

Le dimanche 27 avril 2008 de 10h à 20h, sur le Parvis de Notre-Dame de
Paris, le Collectif VAN [Vigilance Arménienne contre le Négationnisme]
rendra hommage aux victimes des génocides arménien, juif et tutsi et
de celui en cours au Darfour.

Un mur de 8 mètres de long sera dressé pour dénoncer le négationnisme
dont ces génocides font l’objet. Le public sera invité à apposer sur
le mur, un symbole de la vigilance face au déni, en collant des
phrases sur toute sa surface : « Les génocides, ça me regarde », «
Plus jamais ça », « Le négationnisme est la phase ultime d’un génocide
», « Il n’y a pas d’avenir pour une humanité qui cautionne le génocide
», « La négation d’un génocide, c’est le double meurtre », « Les
négationnistes sont les assassins de la mémoire », « Le négationnisme,
c’est l’anti-histoire », « Les négationnistes n’expriment pas une
opinion : ils perpétuent le crime », « Watch denial, Stop denial
». Disponibles en arménien, hébreu, kynyarwanda, arabe, allemand,
anglais, chinois, espagnol, français, kurde, russe et turc, ces
citations témoigneront de l’universalité des messages proposés.

Comme chaque année*, les stèles de la vigilance arménienne contre le
négationnisme (sur les thèmes : génocide arménien, un siècle de
génocides en Turquie, négationnisme, crimes imprescriptibles, haine
raciale, Europe, travail de mémoire, droits de l’homme) et la stèle en
hommage au journaliste Hrant Dink**, complèteront ce dispositif de
sensibilisation aux génocides et à leur négation.

Cette année, des toiles originales réalisées à cette occasion par des
artistes-peintres de l’APAF [Association des Plasticiens Arméniens de
France]*** et consacrées aux victimes arméniennes, juives, tutsies et
darfouries, seront exposées au recto des stèles.

*Depuis 2004, le Collectif VAN a réalisé 39 actions de sensibilisation
et de communication autour des génocides et du négationnisme (voir sur
:
&lt ; p;page=3D1> &page=3D1).

**Journaliste arménien de Turquie, assassiné le 19 janvier 2007 à
Istanbul.

*** Nos remerciements à : Dibasar, Laurent Nissou, Marguerite
Mateossian, Marc Aram et Vatché.

Avec le soutien de :

Collectif Urgence Darfour
<;

Centre Simon Wiesenthal
ope_index.htm

Ibuka
<;

MEMORIAL 98

<;

Association of opponents to genocides

[Francfort sur le Main – Allemagne]

Communauté Rwandaise de France
< press.com/>

Vigilance Soudan
<;

Working Group Recognition Against genocide
for international understanding [Berlin – Allemagne]
<;

Urgences Afrique

CPCR [Collectif des Parties Civiles pour le Rwanda]

http://www.collectifpartiescivilesrwanda. fr
< />

Action menée sous l’égide du CCAF [Conseil de Coordination des
organisations
Arméniennes de France]

—

Séta Papazian, Présidente du Collectif VAN
[Vigilance Arménienne contre le Négationnisme]
Boîte vocale : 08 70 72 33 46 – [email protected] –
<;
Collectif VAN – BP 20083 – 92133 Issy-les-Moulineaux Cedex – France

RAPPEL : Une Messe de Requiem en hommage aux 1 500 000 victimes du
génocide arménien est célébrée le même jour à 15:00 en la Cathédrale
Notre-Dame de Paris.

ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM

PRESS RELEASE – 22 April 2008

DIVAN OF THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM
PO Box 14235, Jerusalem 91141
Contact person: Joyce Sulahian
Tel: (9722) 628-2331, Ext. 206
FAX: (9722) 626-4861
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

Violation of Armenian Status Quo Rights in the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre on Armenian Orthodox Palm Sunday

Several international press reports on Orthodox Palm Sunday’s incident
in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem wrongly portray the
reasons that led to a scuffle involving the Armenian and Greek
Orthodox Churches.

Despite several written protests by the Armenian Patriarchate, the
most recent on April 18, on Armenian Orthodox Palm Sunday, and
contrary to Status Quo provisions, a Greek monk once again placed
himself inside the Edicule, a vestibule that lies just outside the
entryway to the Tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ, during the Armenian
solemn procession. Armenian priests persuaded the Greek monk to exit
from the Edicule and peacefully led him out. The Israeli Police,
however, attempted to reinstate the monk inside the Edicule, but that
attempt failed due to the opposition of the Armenian priests. A
scuffle followed between the police and members of the Armenian
community who had witnessed the reinstatement attempt that appeared to
support Greek efforts to capitalize on their cordial relationship with
the Israeli authorities.

The presence of the Greek monk inside the Edicule is a serious
violation of the Status Quo terms governing the Holy Places, of which
the Armenians, Latins and Greek Orthodox share equal rights of
custodianship. The Armenian Patriarchate has made its position clear
that on the Feast of the Holy Cross, the 1st Sunday of Great Lent,
Palm Sunday and Holy Fire Saturday, when they are in possession of the
Holy Tomb, the Greeks should refrain from placing their monk inside
the Edicule.

The rights of the Armenian Orthodox in the Holy Places have been
granted in a Firman, Al Hijrah 1245 (1829). It stipulates that "no
interference or intervention should ever be allowed to occur in
respect of the celebration of mass and other processions of the
[Armenian] community".

The Armenian Patriarchate views the presence of the Greek monk inside
the Edicule not only as blatant interference but also as yet another
attempt to challenge the well-established rights of the Armenians,
which have been recognized and preserved for centuries. The
entitlement of the Armenians to exclusivity in the Holy Sites on the
certain dates above for holding their ceremonies as been described in
the 1890 Book of Ceremonies in the Holy Places. It was established
that `During the days that Armenians have solemn religious ceremonies
… the Greek monk has no right to enter the Edicule." (page 26).

This latest incident comes on the heels of another dispute with the
Greek Orthodox concerning the Holy Fire Ceremony on Holy Saturday that
has remained unresolved since 2002 despite attempts by the Armenian
Patriarchate to seek mediation through Israeli authorities.

Hundreds of Armenian worshippers from Jerusalem and throughout the
world are expected at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the
upcoming Holy Fire Ceremony on Holy Saturday, April 26. The Armenian
Patriarchate shares the concern of the Armenian world community that
Armenian worshippers may be unable to attend freely services to be
held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Holy Saturday, one of the
holiest days of the Armenian religious calendar. It regrets that
Israeli police following Sunday’s scuffle briefly detained an Armenian
youth.

The clerical order of the St. James Brotherhood zealously maintains
and safeguards centuries’ old Armenian religious rights and privileges
in the holy sites. There is documented evidence of the Armenian
presence in the Holy Land dating back to the Roman Empire’s renowned
Tenth Legion, comprised of Armenians.

AZERBAIJAN CALLS UPON NEW LEADERSHIP OF ARMENIA NOT TO REPEAT MISTAKES OF PREVIOUS LEADERS REGARDING NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend News Agency
April 21 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 21 April /corr. TrendNews S.Agayeva / Azerbaijan
calls upon the new leadership of Armenia not to repeat the mistakes of
the previous leaders, but to take a constructive position in the issue
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Press Secretary of Azerbaijan Foreign
Ministry, Khazar Ibrahim, said to a press-conference on 21 April.

The leadership of Armenia should unconditionally withdraw its
troops from Azerbaijani occupied territories. " Armenia should
understand that there are three states in South Caucasus and there
is not a place for the fourth country here," he said. In addition,
the official representative of the Foreign Ministry called upon the
leadership of Armenia not to mislead the community of the country,
but to provide them with true information.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven neighbouring Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

The Prime Minister and leader of Republic Party of Armenia- Serj
Sarkisyan, was elected as the President of the country, as a result
of elections on 19 February. Armenia’s former ambassador to France,
Eduard Nalbandyan, replaced Vardan Oskanyan at the position of Foreign
Minister of the country.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE AMBASSADOR OF ARMENIA TO LEBANON AND
THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF HAMAZKAYINE VISIT HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

His Holiness Aram I received the Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon, Vahan Der
Ghevontian, in Antelias on April 19. The Ambassador’s visit was followed by
a meeting with the Central Committee of the Hamazkayine Cultural Association
headed by Dr. Megerditch Megerditchian. This year Hamazkayine celebrates its
80th anniversary worldwide, with special events planned in Armenia and the
Diaspora for this purpose.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia has always praised Hamazkayine for the
contribution the association brings to Armenian cultural life. His Holiness
and the committee members discussed the upcoming events marking the
organization’s anniversary.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

15 ARMENIANS TO PARTAKE IN THE EUROPEAN INDIVIDUAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

armradio.am
21.04.2008 12:31

The European Individual Chess Championship started in Plovdiv
(Bulgaria) today. Fifteen Armenian chess players will participate in
the tournament including grand masters Vladimir Hakobyan, Gabriel
Sargsyan, Karen Asryan, Tigran Petrosyan, Artashes Minasyan, Ashot
Anastasyan, Tigran Kotanjyan, Elina Danielyan, Lilit Lazarian, Nelly
Aghinyan, International Masters Lilit Galoyan, Siranush Andreasyan
and Master Samvel Ter-Sahakyan.

EVENT DEDICATED TO 93RD ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.04.2008 14:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On April 20, the Moscow Organization of the Union
of Armenians of Russia (UAR) will hold an event dedicated to the 93rd
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

As a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter came to know from the UAR, a new feature
film about the Armenian Genocide will be screened during the event.

The Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 is the first genocide of the 20th
century. Some 1.5 million of Armenians were slaughtered in the ethnic
cleansing organized by the Ittihad ve Terakki (Unity and Progress)
party. Some 500 thousand fled and found shelter in various countries,
thus forming the Armenian Diaspora, which numbers 5 millions now.

55 NEW BUSES TO RUN IN YEREVAN

ARKA
April 18, 2008

YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. Fifty-five new buses are shortly to start
running in Yerevan’s streets, the Ameria Company told ARKA.

The Tigran Ltd ordered the Ameria Company, leader on Armenia’s
investment consulting market, a draft project of putting new vehicles
into service. Ameria experts elaborated an investment project. Under
the project, the Armimpexbank issued a $3mln credit to the Tigran
Ltd to purchase and deliver 55 ZONDA buses.

The first stage of the project envisages the purchase of nine ZONDA
buses to replace 21 minibuses and four PAZ buses. At the second stage,
45 more ZONDA buses are to be delivered to replace 103 minibuses.

The company reported that the preference has been given to ZONDA
buses due to their economy, safety and ecological compatibility.

The TIGRAN Ltd is one of the first entities replacing minibuses with
buses on the routes served by it. Buses, minibuses, trolleybuses
and the Underground are the principal means of transport in Armenia,
with minibuses transporting 80% of passengers.

The annual increase in the number of cars is 9,000 to 10,000 in
Armenia. The Yerevan Municipality approved a project of increasing
the number of buses.

At the same time, the number of minibuses will be decreased.

Ameria is a group of companies rendering comprehensive services. It
specializes in management consulting, audit, accountancy and tax
consulting, legal consulting and investment and banking services.

Established in 1998, the company became leader on Armenia’s market
of consulting services. Ameria applied international experience with
understanding of local peculiarities in dealing with comprehensive
tasks in over 30 fields of economic and social activities.