Author: Kalashian Nyrie

POLITICAL EVENTS OF LAST TWO MONTHS IN ARMENIA MADE THE SITUATION TENSE IN RESPECT OF THE COUNTRY’S DEMOCRATIZATION, A US DIPLOMAT THINKS

arminfo
2008-03-28 22:14:00

ArmInfo. The political events of the last two months in Armenia caused
Washington’s concern, US Charge d’Affaires a.i. Joseph Pennington told
journalists, commenting upon possible "freezing" of the Millennium
Challenge Compact (MCC) Program in Armenia.

According to him, this concern was expressed in a letter addressed
to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan by Chief Executive Officer
of the Millennium Challenge Corporation John Danilovich. "It is
useful to remember that many of the indicators for the continuation
of eligibility of the MCC program in Armenia were already troubled
before these events", Pennington said.

He added that the most problematic sphere concerns the issue of
ensuring good governance, including freedom of media, corruption and
transparency in governance. The events of the last two months made
the situation tense, the diplomat noted. Clarifying the goals of the
MCC program, he stressed that they imply possible development of a
democratic system in the country, as well as free market principles.

This is the basic requirement of the program, he added.

To recall, under the program, the United States is to provide Armenia
with 235 mln USD grant, which will be spent on restoration of rural
infrastructure.

ARIF YUNUSOV: "WE SHOULD HAVE RESTORED IF NOT A DIALOGUE BUT AT LEAST CONTACTS WITH KARABAKH ARMENIANS LONG BEFORE"

Today
March 28 2008
Azerbaijan

We should have restored if not a dialogue but at least contacts with
Karabakh Armenians long before.

The due announcement was made by famous conflict scientist Arif
Yunusov.

"Nagorno Karabakh is our territory, which means that Armenians residing
there are our citizens. Though they have temporarily rejected our
citizenship and followed the way of separatism, nothing is permanent
in this life. Time may change any position in favor of these or those
circumstances. It is now necessary to work in this direction", he said.

He noted that we have turned Nagorno Karabakh into a virtual zone,
of which we do not know too much.

"We avoid contacts and communication with Armenians residing
there and even do not publish any information. It is odd: isn’t it
interesting how people live there? Which problems do they have? It
is our territory!".

Yunusov said we should accept that Karabakh Armenians will not rush
to us after Armenian armed forces leave the occupied lands.

"We should think of restoring contacts with Karabakh Armenians. A new
generation of Armenians, who have never seen Azerbaijanis, only read
or heard not too positive things about them, has appeared there. Will
they agree to annex to Azerbaijan on a goodwill bases? I doubt it.

What would we do? Kill them? Would it not be better to start an
intellectual work? Perhaps we will attain more through conviction
and dialogue?

Asked which work should be carried out in this direction, he said
it is necessary to restore contacts and a dialogue on the level of
journalists and nongovernmental organizations.

"Much should also be done on the state level. It is better to base
the propaganda on TV and press. Our propaganda is primitive so far
and causes more damage to us. It is time to realize that we live in
the 21st century, the era of Internet and new way of thinking. If we
have taken a course for European integration and democratic reforms,
we should behave accordingly", he concluded.

AMBER: LEVON ARONYAN THREEFOLD CHAMPION

Panorama.am
18:34 28/03/2008

The international chess tournament of "Amber" finished and Armenian
GM, the champion of "Chorus Chess 2008" Levon Aronyan is officially
announced as the champion of the tournament. The last round game with
Hungarian Peter Leko finished in draw. Aronyan ended the game having
14.5 scores on his account.

In the "Blindfold" part of the tournament Aronyan gained 6.5 scores
and is in the second horizontal.

Russian Kramnik has the same amount of scores and is in the first
horizontal. In sum up Norwegian Magnus Karlsen gained that second
horizontal and has 12 scores.

Vladimir Kramnik has the same amount of scores as well as Peter Leko
who is in the third horizontal.

Bulgarian Vesselin Topalov is in the fifth horizontal, after come
Vassili Ivanchuk, Indian Vishwanathan Anand, and Russian Alexander
Morozevich.

Sergey Kariakin is in the ninth horizontal with 9.5 scores. And Boris
Gelfand and Shahriar Mamediarov are in the 10-11 horizontals.

Note that the competition was hold in Nice, France.

The total fund of the tournament is 216 thousands euros.

ARMENIAN SWIMMERS TO PARTAKE IN THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

armradio.am
27.03.2008 17:06

Two Armenian swimmers – Michael Koloyan and Harutyun Harutyunyan
of Yerevan – will represent our country at the European Swimming
Championship to be held in Manchester (England) in April, Armenpress
was told from the Swimming Federation of the Republic of Armenia.

RWANDA: CALLS AGAINST REVISIONISTS’ MEET IN CANADA MOUNT
James Munyaneza

The New Times
March 27 2008
Kigali

A planned conference in Montreal, Canada, due to be addressed by
people known for denying the 1994 Genocide has attracted increased
rage and criticism, with some protest comments appearing on an online
petition which until last evening, had been signed up by 618 people.

The conference due to be held on Saturday is seen as an act intended
to open the wounds of the survivors of the 1994 Genocide and Rwandans
in general, especially coming as the country is preparing for the
fourteenth commemoration of the victims of the Genocide set to begin
on April 7.

The meeting is due to be addressed by French author-journalist Pierre
Pean, Spanish lawyer Jordi Palou-Loverdos, Belgian journalist Peter
Verlinden and Canadian author Robin Philpot, all of whom have publicly
negated the Genocide which cost the lives of over one million people
in a spate of 100 days.

In the online petition on a Montreal-based Rwandan community (Hobe
Montreal)’s website, , petitioners expressed
shock and grief that Canada had agreed to play host to a meeting of
revisionists whose aim was to distort Rwanda’s history and to cover
up those responsible for the Genocide.

"As a son of Holocaust survivors, I am deeply offended and ashamed
that such a gathering of Genocide deniers is allowed to take place in
Canada. Please put a stop to this injustice! Let us not add to the
suffering of those who survived, and let us not sully the memories
of those who did not," said one of the petitioners, Sam Chaiton.

And in Kigali, a team of Canadian and Rwandan activists is spearheading
a campaign to denounce the Montreal conference, and says the
revisionists should be dragged to courts of law.

"I feel even more concerned because I am a Canadian and I cannot
accept that such a thing might happen in Canada," Dr Denis Roumestan,
a lawyer-turned-missionary, who is also the President of Justice and
Equity Inc., said yesterday.

Roumestan and his wife, Florence Bolvin-Roumestan, who have worked in
the Great Lakes Region for the last seven years, together with three
Rwandans walked up to the offices of The New Times Publications in
Kimihurura to condemn the planned gathering.

"When it comes to contesting the Holocaust of the Jews, there are
specific actions that have been taken against those contesting it after
lots of organizations, institutions and individuals have petitioned
courts over such deniers. Canadians should do the same to Genocide
revisionists," a seemingly furious Roumestan said.

"Judicial proceedings have been conducted and injunctions sought in
Canadian courts to stop conferencing of people denying the Holocaust.

Why then should a conference denying the Genocide in Rwanda be
organised in Montreal?" he asked.

Referring to the definition of genocide under Chapter 24 (Bill C-19)
of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act (Provisions of the
Rome Statute), the activist said the timing of the conference itself
amounted to committing genocide.

‘For the purpose of this statute, genocide means any of the following
acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national,
ethnical, racial or religious group, as such (a) killing members of
the group; (b) causing serious bodily and mental harm to members of
the group,’ reads part of Article 6.

"What they (Genocide deniers) are doing is to cause mental harm to
survivors of the Genocide. Why do these conferences always come around
March or April? That is committing genocide already because they are
organized around the periods of Genocide commemoration," he said.

Calling for prosecution of Genocide deniers, Roumestan observed
there was a precedent when the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in 2002
conducted a trial involving a denier of the Holocaust, Ernst Zundel,
in which the Mayor’s Committee on Community and Race Relations,
and a Holocaust survivor, Sabina Citron, filed separate complaints
alleging that Zundel "was placing messages of the world wide web that
were likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt."

In that case, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled: "We therefore
order that the Respondent, Ernst Zundel, and any other individuals
who act in the name of, or in concert with Ernst Zundel cease the
discriminatory practice of communicating telephonically or causing
to be communicated telephonically by means of the facilities of a
telecommunication undertaking within the legislative authority of
parliament, matters of the type contained in Exhibit HR-2 and found on
the Zundel site, or any other messages of a substantially similar form
or content that are likely to expose a person or persons to hatred
or contempt by reason of the fact that the person or persons are
identifiable on the basis of a prohibited ground of discrimination,
contrary to s. 13 (1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act."

"This is the time to make the truth triumph over the evil; lets all
stand up and tell the world the truth," Bolvin-Roumestan, who is the
Vice President of Justice and Equity Inc., said.

Her husband added: "It is a clear fact that Genocide happened. You know
the Armenian genocide has been denied by the Turkish Government and
not all the countries have acknowledged it for many different reasons,
but when it comes to the Rwanda Genocide, everybody acknowledges it
except a few people that for their own political agenda or any other
kind of agenda, have been distorting facts. But the facts are there."

He gave an example of a recent documentary, Tuer les Tous (kill
them all), by a French journalist which begins with a message that
was broadcast by RTLM, a hate radio, which warned the public that
something strange was about to strike just before the shooting down
of former president Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane on April 6.

"Genocide never started in 1994, but in 1959. And in 1959 nobody had
downed any plane. So Genocide was prepared and perpetrated for decades,
and only to be completed in 1994," the Canadian lawyer said.

Marie Esterie Murebwayire, the widow of former FAR’s Col. Rwendeye –
who died during the war between the then government troops and the
then RPA rebels – said that denying the "Tutsi Genocide is a mockery
to the victims of the Genocide as well all Rwandans as a people."

"Plans to exterminate Tutsis were open secrets. It is not anything
worth debating," she said emotionally, before adding that revisionists
of the Genocide were only working in the interest of Genocide
perpetrators still at large.

Five associations, most of them composed of Rwandans based in Canada,
are supporting the petition.

PARLIAMENT MEMBER WARNS AUTHORITIES AND OPPOSITION AGAINST BLAMING EACH OTHER

ARMENPRESS
March 26, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS: A parliament member from the governing
Republican Party said today his party will never agree to dissolution
of the current parliament as a way out of the current political
tension.

Speaking at a news conference Samvel Nikoyan said the Constitution
spells clearly out when the parliament can be dissolved. He questioned
the arguments that this may help to diffuse the tensions.

"I believe that after president-elect Serzh Sarkisian is inaugurated
on April 9, the situation in Armenia will change drastically and I
believe that the new government will be working hard to preclude what
we had seen following the presidential election," he said.

He also warned the government that it should have in mind that there
is a strong opposition in the country and because of it the authorities
should seek dialogue with it.

"Dialogue is desirable for people, for the state. I think we have to
differ those who would voice their discontent in Freedom Square from
those who called for toppling the government by force," he added.

Samvel Nikoyan also warned the authorities and the opposition against
trying to blame one another, saying the tragic events on March 1-2
were the defeat of the government and the opposition.

SENATOR BACKS BAN ON IRAN PLANE EXPORTERS

Press TV
March 25 2008
Iran

A US senator has hailed a decision by Commerce Department to impose
ban on British and Armenian firms for re-exporting planes to Iran.

"There is no doubt that the Iranian government is a patron of terrorism
and a weapons proliferator. We must continue to do everything we can
to cut off their supply of goods and sensitive technology," Head of the
US Senate Banking Committee, Senator Chris Dodd, said in a statement.

Other countries are "still not doing enough to prevent critical goods
from being shipped to Iran," he added.

Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, lauded the measure to suspend the export
privileges of the British-based Balli Group PLC, Armenian-based Blue
Airways and Iran-based Mahan Airways. The firms re-exported three US
aircraft and planned re-export of three more planes to Iran.

The White House ordered Balli to redeliver the three plans to the
United States but the company refused to comply and said it will
not cooperate.

ARMENIA WILLING TO CONTINUE KARABAKH TALKS IN OSCE MG FORMAT

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.03.2008 19:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s President-elect, Prime Minister Serzh
Sargsyan met with Russia’s President-elect, First Deputy Chairman of RF
Government Dmitry Medvedev, the RA government’s press office reported.

Welcoming Serzh Sargsyan to the Kremlin, Dmitry Medvedev first of
all congratulated him on the victory secured in the RA presidential
election. By mentioning that this was Serzh Sargsyan’s first visit to
the Russian Federation in his new capacity, Mr. Medvedev expressed
hope that the ever expanding Armenian-Russian relationship would be
maintained during the Armenian president-elect’s tenure of office
and that the two countries would succeed in building on the existing
multifaceted cooperation in different fields for the good of Armenia
and Russia and to the benefit of the two peoples.

RA Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan thanked Dmitry Medvedev for a warm
reception and reciprocated the congratulations on his convincing
victory in Russia’s successfully-held presidential elections of
March 2, 2008. By stressing that Mr. Medvedev was known in Armenia
as a skilled politician and statesman, Serzh Sargsyan expressed
hope that following his assumption of the office of RF President,
the cooperation between the two States would continue developing in
the same spirit of strategic partnership.

Serzh Sargsyan reaffirmed his invitation to Dmitry Medvedev to visit
Armenia at any convenient for him time. The invitation was accepted
with gratitude. The RF President-elect said Armenia will be among the
first countries to be visited following his entry upon the office as
head of state.

Serzh Sargsyan and Dmitry Medvedev discussed a broad spectrum of
issues bearing on bilateral cooperation.

They have referred to the post-electoral developments and the inner
political situation in Armenia. RA Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan
thanked the Russian authorities for their support, understanding and
assistance in this difficult for Armenia time.

During the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan and Dmitry Medvedev touched upon
regional questions and evoked the cooperation within the framework
of various international organizations, inclusive of the CIS, the
CSTO, the United Nations, the OSCE and others. The parties said to
be pleased with the current level of the Armenian-Russian economic
ties. It has been underscored that economic relations between the two
countries were developing dynamically – with the Russian Federation
firmly holding the first place among Armenia’s trade and economic
partners – which were largely promoted by the active work of the
Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation.

The Armenian and Russian presidents-elect have similarly spoken about
the Karabakh peace process.

Serzh Sargsyan emphasized that Armenia was prepared to continue
negotiating within the framework of the OSCE Minsk group and assured
that, as Armenia’s president-elect, he stood ready to resume the
talks with the Azerbaijani side.

Dmitry Medvedev invited Serzh Sargsyan to attend the June 6-8 economic
forum in St Petersburg. The invitation was accepted with gratitude.

At the end of the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan thanked Dmitry Medvedev
for constructive discussions and wished every success to the
President-elect of the Russian Federation.

WALTER KARABIAN PROPOSES TO MAKE DONATIONS INSTEAD OF BIRTHDAY GIFTS TO ARMENIAN FILM FOUNDATION IMPLEMENTING WORK OF DOCUMENTARY FILM ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
March 24, 2008

At his 70th birthday celebration, which was held in Anaheim,
California, on March 15, Walter Karabian instead of birthday
gifts requested tax-deductible donations to the Armenian Film
Foundation. According to Karabian, due to these donations the
Foundation would go toward completing the third and final Genocide
documentary film, which is titled "Caravans along the Euphrates,
River of Death." The film sheds light on some of the less known facts
about the Armenian Genocide.

His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate, attended this event
and in his remarks praised Mr. Karabian and his family, as well as
the organizers, for their contribution to the Armenian cause.

The Armenian Weekly On-Line
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-3974
[email protected]

http://www.a rmenianweekly.com

The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 11; March 22, 2008

AYF Section:

1. AYF Members Go to Washington

2. Alumni Spotlight: Jack Papazian

***

1. AYF Members Go to Washington

>From March 12-14, ANCA activists from across the country made their way out
to Washington, D.C., to call on Congress to recognize the Armenian genocide
and take action to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur. The concerted
lobbying effort was part of the ANCA and Genocide Intervention Network’s
second annual Grassroots Capitol Campaign.

Participants in the campaign flooded the halls of Capitol Hill and called on
members of Congress to end the cycle of genocide by passing the Armenian
Genocide Resolution and funding peacekeepers in the Darfur region of Sudan.

As in years past, the number of young people taking part in the Capitol
Campaign was quite significant. AYF members from New York, Philadelphia, New
Jersey, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Washington and Arizona all made
there presence felt throughout the three days, sending the message to our
elected officials that the next generation of Armenian-Americans will not
rest until the scourge of genocide is eradicated.

For many of the youth involved, this was the first time they had visited
Capitol Hill and met with elected officials. For example, Zohrab Piranian of
the New York "Hyortik" AYF Chapter had never lobbied before and long felt
that such activities were not for him. However, at the urging of his fellow
AYF members, he came out to D.C. and got the chance to see first-hand what
ANCA advocacy was all about.

Others such as Shant Hagopian of the San Francisco "Rosdom" Chapter and
Nazareth Markarian of the New York "Hortik" Chapter had prior advocacy
experience through their participation in the ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship
Program. Both felt that the program had given them the proper preparation to
lend a hand in the advocacy campaign and they came to D.C. to do just that.

Markarian adds that he also came "to meet like-minded Armenian advocates who
are willing to put in the work and effort to make sure that the goals of the
Armenian community in America are attained."

Having these youth join other activists of various ages made the campaign
evermore powerful. Congressional officials and staffers took note of the
fact that so many young people were passionate about the campaign and
determined to put an end to the cycle of genocide. This display of youth
involvement demonstrated that the issue of recognizing the Armenian genocide
and preventing future genocides would not go away anytime soon.

Furthermore, it was the younger activists who were especially adamant about
making the connections between the Armenian genocide and the current
atrocities in Darfur. "The Armenian community shares a common bond with all
those who have suffered in the past, but also with the Darfurians today,"
said Arin Vartanian of the New Jersey "Arsen" Chapter. "Our fight for
recognition is not limited to the past but also the present and future."

During his remarks at a Capitol Hill reception for participants, Rep. James
McGovern (D-Mass.) made it a point to highlight the importance of seeing so
many youth involved in the campaign against genocide. "A lot of young
people, in particular, have been out on the forefront which is really
inspiring to me because it gives me hope for the future," he said.

Despite having to take off time from work and school to come to D.C. in the
middle of week, the youth involved in the advocacy campaign found it to be a
truly rewarding experience. "Working with other young activists to make a
difference was the greatest experience of all," explains Vartanian. "I hope
our efforts and voices are heard and, if not, I will be ready to lobby again
next year."

***

1. Zohrab Piranian (New York "Hyortik"): "If you don’t raise your voice, no
one is going to listen to you."

2. Arousiag Markarian (New York "Hyortik"): "We can’t expect others to fight
our battle. Each one of us needs to take the reigns and lobby for the issues
that are important for us as Armenian-Americans."

3. Arin Vartanian (New Jersey "Arsen"): "I feel it is essential for young
people to get involved not only in Armenian genocide activism, but activism
in general. We all have a voice and, in order for our voices to be heard and
taken seriously, our younger generation needs to be active politically."

4. Shant Hagopian (San Francisco "Rosdom"): "We are the next generation and
if young people do not get involved in politics they will not effect change
and get the policies that we need. There is no reason to be timid, there is
no reason to be shy."

5. Nazareth Markarian (New York "Hyortik"): "It looked good on paper but I
wanted to come out here and see what lobbying was like in real life, and,
indeed, I’ve been very pleased with the outcome."

6. Ishkhan Boghossian (Pasadena "Nigol Touman"): "It’s extremely important
for other youth to have the opportunity to experience what we have
experienced this past couple of days. The advocacy days give you a clearer
vision of what it takes to become a successful lobbyist for a righteous
cause."

7. Salpi Demirjian (Pheonix "Kedashen"): "Please get involved! This is an
experience worth your while. You get to meet so many new and diverse people
who are all working for the same cause."

8. Mato Senekeremian (San Francisco "Rosdom"): "It’s the best feeling to be
able to talk to political leaders directly and be a part of something that
will hopefully help the Armenian people."
———————————— —————————

2. Alumni Spotlight: Jack Papazian

As Hratch Dasnabedian once famously explained, there are certain
characteristics that personify an ARF member, a certain moral and ethical
standard which is not written down but rather passed down from the earliest
experiences of the organization and its key figures.

The same has been true for the AYF. With General Karekin Njdeh’s bravery,
sacrifice and commitment serving as the founding example for the AYF to
follow, generations of Armenian youth have understood that to be true to the
organization requires carrying oneself in line with the characteristics
passed down by our forbearers.

In many respects, Jack Papazian embodies this legacy. From the moment we met
for an interview, he demonstrated a sincerity and passion for the Armenian
community that was unmistakable. Rather than talk about himself or what he
has accomplished, he preferred to discuss the origins of the AYF and the
"founding fathers" who gave it life. Instead of boasting about his many
contributions, he emphasized all that he has gained from being involved with
the organization.

As someone with a long history of involvement in the Philadelphia community,
Papazian has played a pioneering role in that community’s development. After
initially joining the AYF in 1955, mainly to play basketball, he soon began
attending senior-level meetings and became more active. He went on to hold
numerous executive positions in the Philadelphia chapter and directed
various educational and athletic committees. Aside from a two-year service
in the Army and going away for college, Papazian fully devoted himself to
AYF activity.

Looking back, he remembers how in 1967, following the general political
awakening of Armenians on the 50th anniversary of the genocide, the AYF in
Philadelphia sponsored a seminar at Temple University where New York Times
articles documenting the horrors of 1915 were presented to the audience.
Soon after, other chapters conducted similar research and held educational
events where such evidence was presented for the first time.

He also recalls memories of the early AYF educational Blue Books, learning
at a young age how to organize successful functions, and traveling to
distant communities for Olympics and other AYF activities. Even after
graduating from the AYF, Papazian remain involved with the local
Philadelphia juniors and revitalized their presence at gatherings such as
Junior Olympics. For his longstanding contributions, Papazian was bestowed
the prestigious title of AYF Olympic King.

Whether discussing his subsequent professional career, involvement in the
church or continuing work with Armenian youth, Papazian always expresses
gratitude to the AYF for providing him an avenue to develop valuable skills
and grow as an Armenian.

"The organization and people working with each other was a very rewarding
experience for me," Papazian explains. "The AYF enabled me to see more of
the Armenian panorama, whether it be in this country, overseas or in
history. It just opened my eyes to being an Armenian."

With his wife also being a former AYF member, his children being actively
involved, and his grandchildren on the road to following in their footsteps,
Papazian sums up his AYF experience by saying, "It’s been my family … it’s
a family."

For the many people who have been inspired by Papazian’s enthusiastic
involvement in the Armenian community, he is surely a shining example of
what the AYF stands for. His humble devotion will hopefully set a precedent
for future generations to emulate.