Author: Kanayan Tamar

PALLONE SECURING SUPPORT FOR PRO-ARMENIA FOREIGN AID PRIORITIES

asbarez
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

Rep. Frank Pallone

Friends of Armenia are contacting their legislators through the ANCA
WebMail system in support of aid to Armenia, Karabakh and Javakhk

WASHINGTON-Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) is
currently securing the support of his U.S. House colleagues for
increased aid to Armenia, expanded assistance for Nagorno Karabakh,
targeted allocations for Javakhk, and refugee resettlement funding
for displaced Christian Armenian populations in the Middle East, in
the Fiscal Year 2013 foreign aid bill, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America.

The New Jersey legislator and longtime leader on Armenian issues has
circulated a sign-on letter that will be sent to the leadership of
the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations. In
seeking the support of his colleagues, he explained that: “This
year’s request represents our strong support for U.S. assistance to
Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia
and displaced Christian Armenian populations in the Middle East. The
funds provided through the FY 13 State and Foreign Operations
appropriations bill will ensure that we support the U.S.-Armenia
strategic relationship through economic development and security
assistance.” The key requests in the letter are:

– At least $5 million in U.S. aid to Nagorno Karabakh.

– At least 10% of U.S. assistance to Georgia to be earmarked for job
creation programs in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of that country.

– At least $50 million in U.S. economic aid to Armenia.

– Funds for humanitarian and resettlement assistance specifically
targeted to Armenian and other Christian populations as well as other
minority communities affected by the recent unrest in the Middle East.

– Language strengthening Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to
Azerbaijan.

– Removal of barriers to contact and communication with representatives
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

– Language calling for the participation of Nagorno Karabakh leaders
in the OSCE Minsk Group negotiations

Pro-Armenia activists are encouraged to send a free ANCA WebMail to
their Representative to cosign the Congressional letter, which will be
delivered to the Foreign Operations Subcommittee co-Chairs on Monday,
March 19th. Send a WebMail.

“We join with Armenian Americans from the Garden State and across
America is sharing our appreciation with Representative Pallone for
bringing together legislators from both sides of the aisle to support
Armenia’s growth, Artsakh’s security, Javakhk’s welfare, and provide
for the humanitarian needs of at-risk Armenians and other Christians in
the Middle East,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

UN FILM ARMENIEN SUR L’HISTOIRE D’UNE GRAND-MÈRE A ISTANBUL
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 15 mars 2012

A l’occasion de sa 10ème edition le festival international du cinema
de femme diffusera un documentaire explorant les experiences en 1915
de Khanoum Nene, la grand-mère la realisatrice armeno-Suedoise Suzanne
Khardalian a annonce le journal Hurriyet.

” Les tatouages de Grand-mère ” seront sur l’ecran du theatre AFM
Fitas Beyoglu les 15 et 16 mars. le Centre Culturel francais devait
projeter le film, mais le programme a ete change a la dernière minute.

Pendant sa diffusion en Suède quelques Turcs ont proteste.

Suzanne Khardalian a dit qu’elle etait enchantee que son film puisse
etre vu des spectateurs Turcs. ” Mon film pourrait servir comme une
plate-forme pour inviter le dialogue, discuter des questions qui
sont très difficiles. C’est en realite une invitation a traiter avec
nos tabous enracines, tabous qui nous ont estropies a la fois les
armeniens et les turcs “.

Mme Khardalian a dit qu’elle etait aussi un peu nerveuse parce que
le film etait une histoire très personnelle. ” En faisant ce film,
j’ai compris après une longue deliberation et reflexion que je devais
faire ce film. Bien que le film soit au sujet de ma grand-mère,
c’est aussi sur moi. C’est a propos de ma realite aujourd’hui “.

” SABRO ” LE PREMIER JOURNAL DES ASSYRO-CHALDEENS DE TURQUIE
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
mercredi 14 mars 2012

Les Assyro-Chaldeens de Turquie ont leur premier journal. ” Sabro
” vient de voir le jour. Il est en turc et en assyrien. Mensuel,
le desir de la direction est de trouver le financement necessaire
pour publier le journal de a cadence hebdomadaire. ” Sabro ” desire
bien evidemment rapporter l’actualite des Assyro-Chaldeens de Turquie
mais egalement de la diaspora. La redaction recherche egalement la
diffusion de la culture assyro-chaldeenne a travers les articles et
documents. Selon ” Sabro “, la communaute assyro-chaldeenne de Turquie
qui vit essentiellement dans le sud-est du pays dans les provinces
de Mardin, Chrank et Batman est evaluee a 25 000 membres. Rappelons
que les Assyro-Chaldeens de Turquie furent egalement l’objet d’un
genocide de la part de la Turquie au debut du 20e siècle.

EXHIBITION OF ARMENIAN EARLY PRINTED BOOKS TO BE ORGANIZED IN ROMANIA

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 13, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Culture Minister Hasmik
Poghosyan received today Romanian Ambassador to Armenia Krina Rodika
Prunariu.

During the meeting the Minister presented to the ambassador the
most important cultural programs of the year, inviting the latter to
participate in large-scale events dedicated to Yerevan Book Capital
2012 and 500th anniversary of Armenian Book Printing.

The minister specifically referred to participation of Romanian
publishing houses in “ArmBookExpo” exhibition to be held April 21-23
in Yerevan, as well as in the expo of the first printed books of the
world due in autumn.

Minister Hasmik Poghosyan told the ambassador that within the
frameworks of the events on 500th anniversary of Armenian Book
Printing, an exhibition of Armenian early printed books will be
organized in 2013 in Romania.

The parties referred to the scientific conference conducted this
year in Romania, which is dedicated to presentation of local Armenian
cultural heritage, study and scientific assessment of that heritage.

Issues on organization of the individual exhibition of
Romanian-Armenian artist Miklos Jakobovich this year in Yerevan were
also discussed.

OCCUPY MASHTOTS PARK ACTIVISTS PITCH FIRST TENT WHILE SURROUNDED BY POLICE (VIDEO)

epress.am
03.13.2012

Environmental and civic activists who have been coming nearly every
day for almost a month to Mashtots Park to protest the construction
of shops pitched their first tent earlier today to kick off the next
round of their activism – a round-the-clock sit-in.

Yerevan Deputy Police Chief Karen Movsisyan urged activists to remove
the tent, saying that pitching a tent is not covered under the law
on freedom of assembly, but activists did not comply. Lawyer Artur
Grigoryan defending the activists replied, “All that which is not
prohibited is protected by the law on rallies.”

The deputy police chief then asked to remove the tent “at least for
the time being,” until he procures permission for pitching the tent
from Yerevan City Hall. “If not for the sake of the law, then at least
for me, remove the tent,” he added as a final attempt. Negotiations
between the officer and activists were still ongoing at the time
of publication.

At the time, activists had surrounded the tent, who were, in turn,
surrounded by police.

Activist Yeghia Nersisyan said the first tent is symbolic and they’re
not going to remove it.

ARMENIA APPOINTS NEW AMBASSADORS TO UAE, GREAT BRITAIN AND NORWAY

armradio.am
13.03.2012 18:56

According to a presidential decree dated March 12, former head of staff
of the National Assembly Gegham Gharibjanyan was appointed Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the
United Arab Emirates (seat in Abu Dhabi).

According to another decree, Karine Ghazinyan was appointed Armenia’s
Ambassador to Great Britain and Ireland.

Armenian Ambassador to Denmark Hrachya Aghajanyan was appointed
Armenia’s envoy to Norway.

REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA TO ADMIT SHUSHAN PETROSYAN’S MEMBERSHIP

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 13, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: Press Secretary of Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) Eduard Sharmazanov positively assesses singer Shushan
Petrosyan’s membership in the party. As Sharmazanov said in an
interview with Armenpress, Shushan Petrosyan is one of the singers,
who has always cared for the destiny of the homeland.

“She has always been interested in Armenia, and songs about
the homeland have prevailed in her song list. The party, in all
appearances, will admit the singer’s membership, as there will hardly
be people who will be against it,” said Sharmazanov.

Referring to the membership of Armenian singers in general, Eduard
Sharmazanov noted it is not right to speak of people, who do not
publicize their names.

FRENCH-ARMENIAN SINGER PATRICK FIORI AGAIN TO VISIT ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 13, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: World famous French-Armenian singer
Patrick Fiori will give a concert March 31 in “Mezzo” club, Yerevan.

Gevorg Margaryan, Mezzo’s manager, said in an interview with
Armenpress that the tickets will cost 20-100.000 AMD. He said that
though the program is not specified yet, nevertheless, it is decided
that Fiori’s songs will sound in a club version. Both well-known and
new songs will be performed.

Whether Patrick Fiori will sing only in the club, or will give another
concert, will be known in near future.

French-Armenian singer held a concert in Armenia in 2004 with loved
singer Nune Yesayan.

GREEN ACTIVISTS CELEBRATE THEIR VICTORY: PRESIDENT RETURNS THE BILL “ON EXPERTISE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT” TO PARLIAMENT

arminfo
Tuesday, March 13, 17:54

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has returned the bill “On Expertise
of Environmental Impact” to the parliament, activist Gor Hakobyan
said on March 13.

“This is very happy news. Over the 20-year history of Armenia’s
independence, there were only 3 or 4 cases when the president did
not ratify the law and returned it to parliament”, he said.

The bill “On Expertise of Environmental Impact” was adopted by
the Parliament despite the public protests. In November 2011 the
environmentalist and green activists addressed an open letter to
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Environmentalists say that the given bill violates a number of
legislative norms, including the Aarhus Convention. In particular,
the public did not take part in the discussion of the bill. They
also think that the bill lacks the system of assessment of the damage
caused to the environment.

Earlier this year the green activists held a procession to the
president’s residence and demanded that the president should not
ratify the law “On Expertise of Environmental Impact”.

‘ARMENIAN-TURKISH NORMALIZATION DEPENDS ON KARABAKH PROBLEM RESOLUTION’

TODAY.AZ
13 March 2012

Nagorno Karabakh is Azerbaijani and Turkish land occupied by Armenia.

“Our only desire is to return our lands,” Turkish Vice Premier Bekir
Bozdag told journalists in Baku on Tuesday.

He stressed that Turkey provides full support to Azerbaijan in
the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, adding that the
normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties depends on the resolution of
the Karabakh problem.

“As long as Armenia does not leave Nagorno-Karabakh, rights
of the Azerbaijanis of the region will not be restored and the
Turkish-Armenian relations will not be normalized. We want to resolve
this conflict peacefully and in a short time, and we will continue
our efforts in this direction,” Bozdag said.

Yesterday, President Serzh Sargsyan said Nagorno Karabakh will remain
part of Armenia, and it will do its utmost to achieve this.