Author: Kalashian Nyrie

Interfax, Russia
April 24 2010

Armenian defense minister warns Azerbaijan against aggression

YEREVAN April 24

If Azerbaijan resorts to force against Armenia, this will lead to a
disaster for Baku, Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Oganian warned on
Saturday.

"Our army is more than combat prepared today, and it is ready not only
to defend the country but also to take preemptive measures. We should
understand that our advantage over Azerbaijan is that we try to
resolve the existing problems and conflicts in a peaceful way,"
Oganian told journalists at a memorial complex for the victims of the
Armenian massacre in the Ottoman Empire.

Azerbaijan has been regularly making militant remarks, Oganian said.
"They are trying to put psychological pressure on us and on the
international community. But this is impossible. If Azerbaijan tries
to put pressure and use force against our people, this will turn out
badly for Azerbaijan itself and will lead to a disastrous situation,
because we have the second advantage: we defend our homeland," he
said.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev criticized the negotiating process on
settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on Friday. He said Azerbaijan
should be ready to use force at any moment to liberate its lands.

"The war is not over, and only its first stage has been finished, and
we should make sure to be able to liberate our land by military force
at any moment," Aliyev said

Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev said recently that, after
purchasing and deploying new weapons, the Azeri armed forces can now
hit targets on the entire territory of Armenia.

SEARCH FOR MISSING 8-YEAR OLD RUSSIAN CITIZEN AZALIA GADELSHINA CONTINUES

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 23, 2010 – 18:40 AMT 13:40 GMT

Search for missing 8-year old Russian citizen Azalia Gadelshina, who
fell into water supply canal in Yerevan’s Bryusov Street, continues.

Special detachment of lifesavers, a diver and emergency care doctor
were involved in the search conducted on 11km section of water supply
canal. Ararat region rescue party, III and IV Fire Service detachments
participated in 11-hour search.

RA Deputy Minister of Emergency Situation, RA Rescue Service director
and other officials were present at the place of the incident.

TURKISH AMBASSADOR: TURKEY TRUE TO LETTER AND SPIRIT OF ZURICH PROTOCOLS
html

Today
April 23 2010
Azerbaijan

Ankara expected the right decision from Yerevan on Zurich protocols,
however, Armenia should comment on its position itself, Turkish
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilich told journalists today.

According to him, Ankara is true to the spirit and logic of the signed
protocols, and always will.

"We are the countries of one region, we are neighbours. Turkey can not
remain indifferent to the region’s problems. The reasons, for which we
closed the border with Armenia in 1993, are well known," – Kilich said.

Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.

President Serzh Sargsyan addressed with a statement on suspension of
the Armenia-Turkey Protocols’ ratification April 23.

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been frozen
due to Armenia’s claims of an alleged genocide and its occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. The border between them has been closed since 1993.

According to Kilic, Turkey’s active participation in the processes
occurring in the region, should not bother anyone.

"We support peace and harmony in the Caucasus. We are against the
situation where one "window" is open, and others – are closed. We
stand for something, to stay open all windows to both processes
run simultaneously. We stand for all ‘windows’ to remain open,
both processes to be held in parallel. We are ardent supporters of
friendship, peace"- Kilic stressed.

Regarding the steps that Turkey plans to take in the future, Hulusi
Kilic said that Ankara will not rush through action.

"On the other hand, we hope that more serious steps are taken on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue and Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.

Depending on the outcome, we’ll decide what to do next," – Kilic said.

TENS OF THOUSANDS MARCH IN ARMENIA TO REMEMBER GENOCIDE

By Asbarez
ands-march-in-armenia-to-remember-genocide/
Apr 23rd, 2010

YEREVAN-Tens of thousands of people in Yerevan have taken part in a
torch-light procession led by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The demonstrators burned a banner with images of Turkish leaders. They
carried placards with slogans such as "We demand compensation from
Turkey!" and "The recognition time is now!"

Armenians across the world will mark the 95th anniversary of the
Genocide on Saturday.

95 YEARS HAVE PASSED…CRIMINAL LIVES UNPUNISHED…

Panorama.am
24/04/2010

The hill of Tsitsernakaberd has become home today for thousands
Armenians and foreign visitors to pay tribute to Great Armenian
Genocide victims of 1915. One and half million Armenians were
brutally murdered and annihilated by Ottoman Turks. 95 years have
passed since those sufferings and massacre but the hearts of Armenian
people haven’t dispersed and the criminal lives unpunished…

People started visiting Tsitsernakaberd from yesterday evening holding
candles. The delegation of Armenian authorities chaired by President
Serzh Sargsyan is expected to pay their tribute soon.

It’s worth reminding that April 24 is officially announced to be
a non-working day since it’s defined by the law on holidays and
commemoration days.

Panorama.am recalls that Turkey has traditionally rejected the mass
killings of 1,5 million Armenians carried out early in the 20th
century and took the criticism of the West painfully.

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized by lots of states. It was
first recognized by Uruguay in 1965. ), Republic of Cyprus (1982),
Argentina (1993), Russian Federation (1995), Canada (1996), Greece
(1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998), Vatican (2000), France
(2001), Switzerland (2003), Slovakia (2004), Netherlands (2004),
Poland (2005), Germany (2005), Venezuela (2005), Lithuania (2005),
Chile (2007), Sweden (2010).

EVENTS DEDICATED TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CONDUCTED IN LEBANON

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 23, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: A number of events are taking place
these days in Lebanon – marches, commemoration evenings, lectures,
cultural initiatives, film showings – dedicated to the 95th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide.

Foreign Ministry press service told Armenpress that April 22 under the
auspices of His Holiness Aram A Catholicos of Cilicia in pan-National
"Lucy Tutunjyan" gallery a collective exhibition opened entitled
"Respect to the victims of the Armenian Genocide". The exhibition
presents works of Lebanese and Armenian art figures. The speakers
noted that the exhibition is a protest against the injustice and
expresses human moral and physical sufferings. It creates another
opportunity to revive the greatest pain the Armenians suffered and
condemn the awesome crime against the Armenian people.

At the opening of the exhibition present were Armenian ambassador to
Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan, officials, primate of the Lebanese Diocese
of the Armenian Church Archbishop Gegham Khacheryan, representatives
of the Armenian community.

OSCE MINSK GROUP STATEMENT: THERE IS NEW IMPETUS TO ADVANCEMENT OF PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend
April 22 2010
Azerbaijan

High level meetings in Washington, Baku and Moscow provide a
new impetus to the advancement of a peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of the Madrid Principles,
the joint statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group says.

Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian Federation;
Ambassador Bernard Fassier, France; Ambassador Robert Bradtke, United
States) made the statement as a result of their meeting in Moscow on
April 22.

The meeting was organized to discuss recent developments on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, including high level meetings
in Washington, Baku, and Moscow.

The Co-Chairs will travel to Vienna in early May to brief the Minsk
Group on these efforts.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s resolutions
on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied
territories.

EDUARD SHARMAZANOV: TUKEY’S STATEMENTS ARE NOT OF VALUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 22, 2010 – 17:54 AMT 12:54 GMT

Secretary of the Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary group
Eduard Sharmazanov said that despite Turkey’s aspiration to link the
Armenian-Turkish process to the Karabakh conflict settlement, the
world powers have repeatedly stated that these are different processes.

According to Mr. Sharmazanov, the international community should
make its conclusions after Turkey’s contradictory statements,
as its position has served as a reason for Armenia to freeze the
Armenian-Turkish process.

"It should be noted that Turkey’s statements are not of value, as
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared in Washington
about Turkey’s willingness to continue the Armenian-Turkish
rapprochement without preconditions, but later he spoke about the
border’s opening only after surrender of two regions around NKR,"
he said.

ARS of Western USA, Inc.
Regional Office
517 W. Glenoaks Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91202
Tel. (818) 500-1343
Fax: (818) 242-3732
E-Mail: [email protected]

"ARS Family Day" at Carousel Restaurant

ARS Family Day has been declared by Carousel Restaurant owner Mike Cholakian

on Thursday, April 29, 2010. On that day, customers who mention they support
the ARS will have a portion of what they spend at the restaurant donated to
the Armenian Relief Society.

The ARS of Western USA, Regional Executive calls upon all supporters and
members of the ARS, including their families and friends, to take part in
this wonderful opportunity at Carousel.

With the slogan "From the people, to the people," the ARS has been serving
the Armenian community and offering humanitarian assistance since its
founding 100 years ago.

We appreciate Mike Cholakian’s generosity. We are certain that those who
attend ARS Family Day will have a most enjoyable experience and will carry
on their support of the organization.

Carousel Restaurant is located at 304 N. Brand Blvd. in Glendale. For more
information, please contact the ARS Regional Headquarters by calling (818)
500-1343 or emailing [email protected].

###

STATEMENT BY THE POLITICAL COALITION

A1Plus.am
22/04/10

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE POLITICAL COUNCILS OF THE PARTIES FORMING THE
POLITICAL COALITION IN THE RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

In the last two years, the RA President has taken consistent steps
toward establishing and developing Turkish-Armenian relations without
preconditions with support from the political majority of the RA
National Assembly.

The US, the Russian Federation, France and Switzerland actively
contributed to the process and many countries of the world gave
a positive response to the initiative, stressing its exceptional
importance for establishing stability in the region and solving
current issues through civilized dialogue.

Armenia’s constructive efforts and the international community’s
expectations clashed with Turkey’s inconsistent and dodging positions,
its ongoing policy on setting preconditions which led the process of
ratifying the Turkey-Armenia Protocols signed on 2009 October 10 in
Zurich in a reasonable timeframe into a labyrinth.

The majority of the RA National Assembly does not accept Turkey’s
announcements, particularly the latest announcements by Prime
Minister Erdogan according to which the Turkish parliament continues
to directly link the ratification of the Turkey-Armenia Protocols with
the settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Taking into account that Turkey’s refusal to meet the commitments
of ratifying the Protocols without preconditions and in a reasonable
timeframe makes it senseless to continue the process of ratification
at the RA National Assembly, the majority deems it necessary to decree
a moratorium and, as an issue of necessity, take the discussion of
the issue out of the agenda of the National Assembly’s four-day
sessions until the Turkish side is ready to continue the process
without preconditions.

REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA "BARGAVACH HAYASTAN" (PROSPEROUS ARMENIA)
PARTY "ORINATS YERKIR" (COUNTRY OF LAW) PARTY