Author: Kanayan Tamar

ANTI-ARMENIAN PERFORMANCE IN TURKEY TURNS INTO A TRAGEDY: THE ACTOR EMBODYING ARMENIAN WAS SHOT

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 4, 2012
VAN

VAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. At the theatrical performance, performed
under the auspices of Turkish authorities, where the organizers showed
off their deep hatred towards Armenians, Turk soldier shot and wounded
“Armenian soldier”,Armenpress reports citing Turkish Dogan News Agency.

The city hall organized the performance in the center of the city
in the frame of the 94 anniversary of the Artchesh liberty from
Armenians, where “hero” Turk soldiers are emancipating their lands
from Armenians. The performance, ridiculous in nature for Turks,
turned to a tragedy. During the performance the actor embodying Turk
soldier shot “Armenian soldier” Turk in nationality Murad Alpslaze.

Heavy wounded actor was rushed to hospital.

The Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation to determine how
could the “weapons anticipated for performance be genuine”? Turkish
authorities instead of stepping efforts to abolish the Van earthquake
disastrous consequences are busy with performing Anti Armenian events.

BACK FROM BAKU: EURONEST DELEGATES SAY, ALIYEV’S RHETORIC ASIDE, ALL WAS GOOD AT ASSEMBLY SESSION
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
05.04.12 | 16:07

Members of the Armenian delegation who returned from Baku, Azerbaijan,
and the 2nd plenary session of Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, said
the meeting was positive, despite the inflammatory rhetoric that
grabbed headlines.

Head of the Armenian delegation and chairman of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) parliamentary faction
Vahan Hovhannisyan says that the first day of the session passed
quietly, however, the next day Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev
started his speech using anti-Armenian statements.

“He [Aliyev] called Armenians ‘occupiers’ and ‘fascists’. This
speech had a very negative effect; it was like a cold shower for all
delegates. During the break even the Azeri lawmakers approached us
and said that they felt bad about Aliyev’s speech, too,” Hovhannisyan
says, however not mentioning the names of those lawmakers.

The members of the Armenian delegation say Aliyev’s outburst did more
damage to his own country than anything the Armenians might have said
even if they tried.

During the session the Armenian delegation was isolated from media.

According to Hovhannisyan, mass media representatives managed to
approach them only the first day of the session, however, “they were
simply driven out.”

“A Reuters’ journalist hardly managed to take [record] two sentences;
he was driven out. But I, using my ‘secret revolutionary tricks’,
managed to give an interview to a mass media representative,”
Hovhannsiyan says.

The members of the delegation are satisfied with the hospitality in
Azerbaijan, and the treatment of the hotel personnel. Even walking
in Baku they did not feel that they were subject to Azeri hostility.

Head of Heritage parliamentary faction Stepan Safaryan says that
they have visited an Armenian church, which was without a cross,
and the Armenian primacy, which Azeris have turned into a library.

Referring to the criticism voiced by some press, that the Armenian
delegation should have left the hall after Aliyev’s statement,
Hovhannisyan says: “We could leave the hall, however, it was our
work, we are full members of Euronest, and Azerbaijan was the hosting
country, and Aliyev was simply a guest at the Assembly.”

LITHUANIA INTERESTED IN DEEPENING OF ECONOMIC TIES WITH ARMENIA

NEWS.AM
April 05, 2012 | 14:10

YEREVAN.- High level Armenian-Lithuanian political relations should
be used to boost economic ties, the foreign ministers of two states
believe.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian welcomed his Lithuanian
counterpart Audronius Ažubalis stressing the relations are developing
dynamically.

During the Thursday meeting the Ministers discussed regional and
bilateral issues, talks on the association agreement, strengthening
of Armenia-EU relations.

Minister Nalbandian underscored Lithuania was the first to recognize
Armenia’s independence and the first Baltic state to open embassy
in Yerevan.

In his turn Lithuanian Minister stressed that political relations
must serve a basis to promote economic ties adding several Lithuanian
companies intend to work in Armenia.

Other fields to develop bilateral ties are education and culture.

Minister Ažubalis said Lithuania is glad to host Armenian students.

ARMENIAN OFFICIAL: ALIYEV “COLD-SHOWERED” EUROPEAN MPS AT EURONEST

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 5, 2012 – 13:22 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Vahan Hovhannisyan, head of the Armenian delegation
to Euronest Parliamentary Assembly commented on the statement of
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev at plenary sitting saying it came
as a “cold shower” for the European MPs.

Touching upon the need for Armenian delegation to go to Baku,
Hovhannisyan said: “We had to go, because president Aliyev, probably
involuntarily, damaged his country’s political image so badly we
could never do, however hard we tried.”

Hovhannisyan said many PA representatives and even Azerbaijani MPs whom
he did not name for known reasons, approached the Armenian delegation
after Azerbaijani president’s statement to voice their disagreement
with Aliyev’s words and support the Armenians.

Head of delegation also noted that prior to this statement, during
a meeting with Euronest Bureau management Aliyev never raised the
Karabakh problem.

On April 3, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev called Armenians
“fascists” during a plenary sitting of Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
in Baku. The statement sparked resentment of the Armenian delegation
which dubbed it improper and beyond diplomatic norms. Representative
of Euronest delegation and other countries also expressed discontent
with Aliyev’s conduct.

Euronest inter-parliamentary union includes Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

NKR PRESIDENT, RA DEFENSE MINISTER DISCUSS ARMY-BUILDING ISSUES

armradio.am
05.04.2012 12:13

On April 5 President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
received the Defense Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Seyran
Ohanyan.

Issues related to army-building and cooperation between the two
Armenian states in the defense sphere were discussed at the meeting,
Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President
reported.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SENT A LETTER OF CONDOLENCES TO D. MEDVEDEV

03.04.12, 18:43

President Serzh Sargsyan sent a letter of condolences to the President
of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev on the air crush which took
place near Tyumen and which claimed numerous lives and caused many
casualties. Press service of Armenian President informs about this.

Serzh Sargsyan requested to convey his condolences and words of
encouragement to the families and friends of the victims and speedy
recovery to those who suffered in this tragedy.

EXPERT LINKS CYPRIOT FM’S VISIT TO ARMENIA WITH CYPRUS EU PRESIDENCY

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 3, 2012 – 16:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian political analyst explained the meetings of
Cyprus’ Foreign Minister with “neighbors” of Europe by the country’s
intention to assume EU presidency in near future.

According to Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, Armenia became one of the
countries FM Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis visited due to its active
cooperation with European institutions. The expert further linked the
official’s visit with EU-Armenia partnership rather than discussion
of problems with Turkey.

Cyprus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis will pay
an official visit to Armenia April 3-4, on the invitation of Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Meetings with President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargysan,
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II are on Cypriot official’s
visit agenda, as well as a joint news conference with Mr Nalbandian.

Cypriot Minister will also be taken on a tour over Tsiternakaberd
Memorial to commemorate Armenian Genocide victims.

NA DEPUTY SPEAKER MEETS THE ACTING AMBASSADOR OF GREECE VASILIKI DIKOPULU

03.04.2012

On April 3 the Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov met the Acting
Ambassador of Greece to the Republic of Armenia Vasiliki Dikopulu.

Highly appreciating the high-level relations of friendly nations
having common history and civilizational achievements, the parties
expressed confidence that from now on the economic, political and
cultural relations and cooperation would be strengthened between the
two countries.

Ms Vasiliki Dikopulu recorded that especially during the last years
Armenia had taken big steps in the direction of European integration.

She noted that Greece as an EU member state was ready to show its
support to Armenia for further activating the relations with different
EU structures.

At the guest’s request, touching upon the upcoming parliamentary
elections Mr Sharmazanov in particular noted: “It is very important
for us that the elections be democratic, and the society trust and
believe in reforms.”

During the meeting the parties touched upon the development of
relations, the Karabakh and Cypriot problems, the Armenian-Turkish
relations, the economic crisis in Greece and the ways of its
overcoming, the vital problems of the Armenian and Greek communities
and mutual integration.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER OF FINLAND TO VISIT TSITSERNAKABERD

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 3, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS. At the invitation of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian his Finnish counterpart Erkki
Tuomioja will pay an official visit to Armenia on April 3-4. President
of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan , National Assembly chairman
Samvel Nikoyan will receive the guest.

Foreign Affairs Ministry press office told Armenpress that negotiations
between the foreign ministers of the two countries will launch on
April 4 and will be followed by a joint news conference.

Erkki Tuomioja will visit Tsitsernakaberd and put a wreath in the
memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY COVERS “COWARDICE”: TURKISH MINISTER NOT LIABLE IN SWITZERLAND
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan

ArmeniaNow
03.04.12 | 15:15

Photo:

Egemen BagıÅ~_, Turkey’s Minister for European Union (EU) Affairs
will not be made accountable for his statements over the Armenian
Genocide made in Switzerland in the heat of debate about France’s
failed initiative to criminalize genocide denial. As Turkish mass
media report, the Zurich General Prosecutor’s Office believes that
when BagıÅ~_ made that statement he had diplomatic immunity.

The investigation against BagıÅ~_ started soon after the World
Economic Forum in Davos in January, when responding to a French
journalist’s question about his opinion on the resolution “On
Criminalizing Denial of the Armenian Genocide” adopted by the
French Senate (later the Constitutional Court of France found it
unconstitutional), BagıÅ~_ said that no Armenian Genocide had taken
place. “Switzerland is another country where the denial of the, so
called, genocide is considered to be a crime. Today in Switzerland
I announce that the events of 1915 are not to be considered as
genocide. Let them come and arrest me,” he stated.

The decision of the Zurich Prosecutor’s Office was not unexpected
for Giro Manoyan, Director of the International Secretariat of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Bureau in Yerevan.

“BagıÅ~_ is inviolable as a minister, and I believe this is the only
reason why Switzerland cannot file a lawsuit against him. But he,
making such a statement in Switzerland insults it, knowing that he
breaks the law of this country,” Manoyan told ArmeniaNow, excluding
that the stopping of the investigation against BagıÅ~_ has political
motives. “Had there been such a thing they would not have started
the investigation at all.”

Many in Armenia called BagıÅ~_ a coward, emphasizing that he would not
have made such a statement in Switzerland, where denial of genocide
is banned by the Criminal Code of the country, were it not for his
diplomatic status.