Author: Kajoyan Gevork

PRESS RELEASE
April 24 NYC
Email: [email protected]
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99h ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD IN
TIMES SQUARE SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2014 2-4 PM

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY WILL ALSO BE HONORED

NY, NY– On Sunday, April 27, 2014 from 2-4 pm, thousands of devoted
Armenian-Americans and their friends and supporters will gather in Times
Square (43rd St. & Broadway) to commemorate the first genocide of the 20th
Century, The Armenian Genocide (Medz Yeghern). In recognition of Genocide
Awareness Month (April), Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) will also
be commemorated, as well as other genocides that have occurred since then.

The theme of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration is “Turkey is Guilty of
Genocide: Denying the Undeniable is a Crime.” This historic event will pay
tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who were annihilated by the Young Turk
Government of the Ottoman Empire and to the millions of victims of
subsequent genocides worldwide. Speakers will include civic, religious,
humanitarian, educational, cultural leaders, as well as performing artists.
This event is free and open to the public. Dr. Mary A. Papazian, President
of Southern Connecticut State University and Attorney R. Armen McOmber will
preside over the ceremonies.

Dennis R. Papazian, PhD, past National Grand Commander of Knights of Vartan
and Founding Director of the Armenian Research Center at the University of
Michigan-Dearborn discusses the Armenian Genocide. “These killings, which
were labeled crimes against humanity and civilization at the time, exactly
fit the definition of the word genocide, which was coined by Raphael
Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer in 1943,” comments Papazian. “It is only
proper to bring the terminology up to date and apply the international laws
for genocide to the Armenian case.”

Papazian headed the Armenian Assembly of America in 1975, when a
non-binding resolution recognizing the mass killings as genocide, passed
through Congress. On April 22, 1981, then-President Ronald Reagan issued
Proclamation #4838 that summoned Americans to commemorate the anniversary
of the liberation of the Nazi death camps. The proclamation stated, “Like
the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians
which followed it–and like too many other persecutions of too many other
peoples–the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.”

Papazian further discusses that President Barack Obama used the Armenian
phrase Medz Yeghern, which is the equivalent of the phrase genocide in
the Armenian language, in a statement issued to commemorate Armenian
Remembrance Day on April 24, 2013. “But still the U.S. position is still
kept ambiguous about using the word genocide because our country fears
alienating Turkey, an important country in the Middle East,” he adds.

“In the long run, Turkish recognition of the Armenian Genocide is critical,
since Turkey is the responsible successive government of the Ottoman
Empire,” stresses Papazian. “In recent years there have been some positive
developments among progressive Turkish intellectuals, including the
grandson of one of the chief perpetrators; therefore, it is within the
realm of possibility that Turkey itself will recognize the Armenian
Genocide on the one hundredth anniversary of its beginning,” he concludes.

The 99th Commemoration is organized by the Mid-Atlantic chapters of the
Knights & Daughters of Vartan (), an international Armenian
fraternal organization headquartered in the United States, and co-sponsored
by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (
), the Armenian Assembly of America (),
the Armenian National Committee of America (
), the Armenian Council of America and the Armenian
Democratic League (Ramgavar Party).

Participating organizations include the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America, Prelacy of the Armenian Church of America, Armenian Missionary
Association of America, Armenian Catholic Eparchy for U.S. and Canada, the
Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA), the Armenian Youth
Federation (AYF-YOARF), several Armenian youth organizations, and
university and college Armenian clubs.

For more information please visit, ,
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European Parliament discusses Talysh issues

16:12 22/02/2014 >> REGION

The conference entitled “Minority rights, Reconciliation and Bottom-up
Peacebuilding in the South Caucasus” initiated by Unrepresented
Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and the National Talysh
Movement was held in European Parliament in February 19, as UNPO
reports in its website.

The conference addressed the issue of the Talysh living in Azerbaijan.
An international lawyer Fargiya Kerimova of Talysh nationality pointed
out the main problems. She noted that the Talysh in Azerbaijan are
completely deprived of their rights.

The Chairman of the National Talysh Movement Alikram Hummatov, on its
turn, noted that the regional instability as well affects the Talysh.
“Why is the war necessary?” he raised a rhetoric question.

To sum up, the participants of the conference noted that the denial of
the problems doesn’t contribute to their resolution as well as
establishment of stability in the South Caucasus.

Source: Panorama.am

Azerbaijani Disgrace of Atletico Madrid

Lragir.am
Politics – Saturday,

Atletico Madrid players will be wearing black armbands during the
matches with Real Osasuna and Real Madrid in memory of “victims of the
invented genocide in Khodjallu”, Trend Agency informed, referring to
Azertag.

Atletico’s Turk legionnaire Arda Turan, as well as some other players
will feature a video that will be posted on the club’s website.

Note that Azerbaijan is Atletico’s sponsor.

– See more at:

Wicked Local- Weston, MA
Feb 22 2014

Letter from Governor’s Councillor: Setting the record straight

As Governor’s Councillor, I must address some very misleading
information concerning Joseph Berman’s nomination for Superior Court
judgeship. I take no joy in this.

By Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney
Posted Feb. 21, 2014 @ 4:44 pm
Updated Updated at Feb 21, 2014 at 4:45 PM

TO THE EDITOR:

As Governor’s Councillor, I must address some very misleading
information concerning Joseph Berman’s nomination for Superior Court
judgeship. I take no joy in this.

Following Mr. Berman’s’ Nov. 13 hearing, five of eight councilors
advised Gov. Deval Patrick in writing that we would vote against Mr.
Berman’s nomination. The governor has not allowed the vote to be taken
for three months now.

Councillor Robert Jubinville asked Mr. Berman, who was under oath,
whether he had contacted any official or candidate to lobby the
councillors on his behalf, including anyone on his $110,000 political
donor list. He replied “no.” The question was asked again. Mr. Berman
replied, “Absolutely not.”

When questioned again by Councillor Jen Caissie, Mr. Berman replied,
“Oh, I didn’t know you meant today.” He admitted calling Congressional
candidate Katherine Clark that very morning to call Councillors
Michael Albano and Jubinville. Why the lies? Honesty is paramount for
a judge. Mr. Berman has contributed $3,600 to Ms. Clark. Mr. Berman
stated Sen. Clark agreed to make calls.

After Mr. Berman was not approved for a District Court judgeship by
the Judicial Nominating Commission in 2004, he gave $110,000 in
campaign contributions to state and federal candidates, in addition to
fundraising right up to the present application for Superior Court.
The timing and size of these contributions have understandably created
a public perception of improper influence in his pursuit of a
judgeship.

Mr. Berman lacks criminal trial experience in Superior Court. He has
done nothing to educate himself on criminal law, as he admitted.
Councillor Jubinville asked how many trials he has had in District
Court. He replied, “I think I had one or two.”

The majority of Councillors believe Mr. Berman’s deportment at the
hearing was unacceptable for a judge.

Councillor Jubinville asked Mr. Berman, “In your opinion, is drug
addiction medical or criminal?” Mr. Berman shot back sarcastically,
“I’m not a doctor,” and added, “No one in my family is drug addicted.”
Respectful demeanor and composed temperament on the bench are
essential. Mr. Berman’s lack of knowledge and experience in this
crucial legal area is of significant concern to council majority.

When nominees appear before the council, their presentation concerns
their qualification to be a judge. Mr. Berman is the only nominee who
boasted about his political organizational skills. He spoke about
running offices of candidates, organizing fundraising, organizing
workers, “strategizing with people.”

Are political skills a quality to look for in a judge? Mr. Berman has
definitely proven his political skills in his ongoing politicking for
this judgeship. I know of people he has lobbied. However, solid and
relevant legal experience, not campaign experience, is what the public
and Governor’s Councillors expect in a judge.

Regarding National Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Armenian Genocide
recognition, I fault Mr. Berman, 19-year member of the ADL New England
and national commissioner, for never publicly speaking out against the
national ADL’s direct collaboration with the Turkish government
against genocide recognition long before, during and after the issue
broke in 2007, as he acknowledged at his hearing.

On Aug. 14, 2007, after learning of ADL’s years of successful lobbying
in defeating Congressional resolutions recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, I authored a proclamation to withdraw Watertown from the
ADL’s “No Place for Hate” program. I won the support of many
communities that also withdrew, including Newton. Mayor David Cohen
publicly spoke out strongly against the ADL’s discrimination against
the Armenians.

Mr. Berman neither spoke out publicly nor resigned. New England ADL
Director Andrew Tarsy spoke out publicly and honestly and as a result
was fired. Contrastly, Mr. Berman received leadership awards from the
ADL.

In 2007, prominent ADL members resigned, including Stewart L. Cohen
and Boston City Councillor Mike Ross, whose father survived
concentration camps in the Holocaust. Many principled Jewish Americans
(including rabbis) spoke out publicly as well. I stated that if I was
a member of an organization that opposed a Holocaust resolution and
did not recognize it as a holocaust I would resign.

The national ADL has still not unambiguously acknowledged the Armenian
Genocide. New England ADL Director Derek Shulman said in 2012 that the
ADL will not support a Congressional resolution on the Armenian
Genocide.

Finally, some media took my comment about the ADL out of context.
Please listen to the tape of the hearing at the Governor’s Council
office. At the conclusion of the hearing, I stated that though I have
a “bias” against the ADL for depriving the Armenians of their history,
I would have an “open mind regarding Mr. Berman.”

I am proud of the unbiased attention and respect that Councillors and
I have for nominees such as Mr. Berman. Thank you. – Marilyn M.
Petitto Devaney, Governor’s Councillor

Igor Muradyan: Armenia Has Crossed Itself Out of List of Political Nations

Lragir.am
Politics – Saturday, 22 February 2014, 16:28

Armenia has unfortunately crossed itself out of the list of political
nations, said political scientist Igor Muradyan in today’s press
conference, noting that nothing should be expected in terms of
reflection of Ukrainian developments in Armenia.

“The questions must not be what impact Maidan developments will have
on the political life of Armenia but what changes may take place in
Ukraine’s domestic policy and to what extent it is related to us. We
know that Ukraine was in close relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey in
economic, if not political spheres. Establishment of closer relations
between Ukraine and the European political community would limit those
relations,” Igor Muradyan said.

The political scientist noted that without any hope for foreign
support the Ukrainian society stood up against Russian colonization.
Maidan is an area where national liberation movement is taking place,
it is a space of clarity. According to him, Armenia is silent as it
faces loss of its sovereignty.

“Everyone is silent, those who proudly called themselves nationalists,
patriots, liberals etc. Why are they silent? What’s the matter? There
is no answer. Everyone hopes to get the last séance with Russia’s
support. Everyone is waiting for Russia’s support,” he says.

Igor Muradyan states that political life in Armenia has died. The only
thing left to do in Armenia is to follow Ukrainian developments with
interest.

He notes that developments in Ukraine were predictable. According to
him, the president of Ukraine Yanukovych had an excellent chance to be
reelected. There was such a prospect because he was facing the West
and he had the green light for association with Europe.

According to the political scientist, Yanukovych was an American
project. In the beginning the factor of falling into dependence on
Russia was absent, and Yanukovych understood that association with the
EU was the future of Ukraine.

According to him, the Russian propaganda now tries to make people
believe that the Ukrainians are dissatisfied that the country denied
European integration. “It’s not true, it’s demagogy. Ukraine is faced
with imperial threat, loss of sovereignty. It’s impossible, people
would not allow, it turns out to be very bad for Russia. What is bad?
It’s bad that Ukraine has practically assumed a neutral position,
neither West, nor East, all by itself. It is also bad that being in a
balance between the West and Russia, they will be a little closer to
the West. Membership with NATO and the EU is not on the agenda of the
government of Ukraine. Even that was impermissible for Russia,” he
stresses.

According to Igor Muradyan, the Western community with some of its
Asian partners is blocking Russia, a geopolitical blockade of Russia
is underway. Sooner or later it will lead to collapse of economy,
shatter inner stability, and Moscow may face Maidan in a certain
extent. The Russian government, according to him, would not have this
and understands that Ukraine, not the Caucasus or Central Asia is
staked.

Igor Muradyan says in Ukraine it will be decided whether a wall will
be built between Europe and Russia, who is building this wall, whether
it is a British or a German project. According to him, to Russia’s
dismay a German project is being implemented.

In the result of the developments in Ukraine, according to Igor
Muradyan, some people may sit down and draw the borders of Ukraine. It
is a fact that something interesting and dangerous will happen to
Ukraine. The real clash has not started yet. The real clash will
happen when they pick up a pencil and start drawing the borders on the
map. The clash will go across every village, not just Maidan. One
village will stay on one side, the other on the other side, he says.

If the ex-prime minister of Ukraine Yulia Timoshenko were free, a lot
would be different. “That lady has more energy than the opposition
troika. And now, one way or another, a lot will change, I think. She
is a fanatic, though she is rich, money is not the most important
thing for her, Timoshenko’s purpose of life is politics,” the
political scientist says.

– See more at:

Armenian Ambassador raises Azerbaijan’s Safarov scandal in UN Security
Council – Video

15:01 22.02.2014

Armenia, Ramil Safarov, UN

Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Karen
Nazarian cited the Aliyev regime’s pardon, praise and promotion of
convicted axe-murderer Ramil Safarov as just one example of the
absence of rule of law in Azerbaijan, during the UN Security Council
hearing titled “Rule of Law in the Maintenance of International Peace
and Security.”

In 2004, Safarov brutally axed to death Armenian Army Lieutenant
Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO sponsored English
language program in Hungary.

Safarov, who was tried, convicted and given a lifetime prison sentence
in Hungary, was inexplicably extradited to Azerbaijan in 2012, where
he was where he was given a hero’s welcome by President Ilham Aliyev,
in addition to financial compensation and a promotion in military
rank.

SLAVMED MEDICAL CENTER OPENING CEREMONY ATTENDED BY ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, February 20. /ARKA/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
attended today the opening of Slavmed, a new modern medical center,
in which AMD 5 billion had been invested, the presidential press
center reports.

The president looked over the center and discussed current and future
development projects with the centre administration.

The Slavmed establishment process began in 2012 – the total area of
3,600 square meters and 1,500 square meters of back office have been
substantially repaired.

The medical center has comfortable rooms and modern equipment. There
are units providing laboratory and diagnostics services in the center.

Some 180 people work here, and the number of the personnel will be
increased as part of its development program. ($1 – AMD 412.09).

—0—

– See more at:

“IF YOU GET ANGRY, YOU ARE WRONG”, A. RUSTAMYAN TO SERZH SARGSYAN (VIDEO)

17:31 | February 20,2014 | Politics

The works of the NA four non-governmental powers for expressing
distrust to the Government are continuing, there is still no solution.

Today the head of Dashnaktsutyun party Armen Rustamyan told the
journalists after one hour discussions at the NA by adding, “At this
session this question isn’t ready, we work on the project’s plot
and strategy.”

Another question for discussion among four non-governmental powers
was the participation in Gas issue new temporary committee creation,
“We have suggestions and changes in general, which we will present
to the head of the NA Hovik Abrahamyan’s discussion.”

What refers to the thoughts of Serzh Sargsyan on the gas and mandatory
funded pension system at the YVU congress, during which he apparently
got angry, Armen Rustamyan noted, “Cesar, if you get angry, you are
wrong, Serzh Sargsyan felt that he was getting angry and said, no,
I am not getting angry, I just want to pass my emotions to you. I saw
more anger. It already means that our situation isn’t good, and our
president is in that anger. I think that Serzh Sargsyan is in confusion
because of so called specialists, he himself is not obliged to know
all professional nuances and estimate like a specialist. It means he
believes in his advisors, whom we see here in the NA. Let them come
and speak with us and give right answers. The advisors come here,
fail when asked 25-30 questions and answer only 15-20% of them.

The head of the country must listen to two sides and be a judge,
he must recover his role of arbiter, and not to be for.”

VIDEOS OF PEOPLE PROTESTING AGAINST THIS GOVERNMENT.

VIDEOS

Armenian Policemen Afraid of Oligarchs’ Bodyguards – Activist

Man Lashes out at Republican MP in Yerevan

20.02.14

Armenian Opposition MP Propose Re-Launching March 1 Committee

20.02.14

Armenian Activists Join Students Protesting Pension Reforms

20.02.14

Armenian Students Protesting Pension Reforms

20.02.14

Protest Against Pension Reforms in Yerevan

20.02.14

GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE 62 MILLION DRAMS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIA’S NATIONAL BRAND

YEREVAN, February 20 . / ARKA /. The Armenian government will release
62 million drams to help develop a national brand, economy minister
Vahram Avanesyan told a Cabinet session today.

According to him, part of the money will be used to present the
Armenian brand globally. He said also the USAID has promised donor
assistance.

To develop the national brand the economy ministry will sign a grant
agreement with the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia
to seek an additional $225,000 which are necessary for the full
implementation of the project. ( $ 1 – 412.09 drams). .-0-

– See more at: