Author: Kanayan Tamar

TURKISH PM DISCUSSES IRAN, ARMENIA WITH OBAMA

Anadolu Agency
April 13 2010
Turkey

WASHINGTON, D.C. (A.A) -13.04.2010 -Tuesday’s meeting between Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Barack Obama took
place "in a sincere atmosphere and focused on many issues including
Armenia and Iran", diplomats said.

Sources said that Erdogan gave information to Obama on Turkey’s
efforts for peace in the Caucasus and Middle East.

During the meeting, Erdogan and Obama agreed on the necessity for
the continuation of talks between Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu and his US counterpart Hillary Clinton on the Caucasus.

Prime Minister Erdogan conveyed his thoughts on Iran’s nuclear
programme to President Obama. Obama informed Erdogan that the US
appreciated Turkey’s diplomacy and efforts for peace in the region
and requested Turkey’s constructive contributions to continue.

The Erdogan-Obama meeting was scheduled to take place in 15 minutes
but lasted 45 minutes.

BAKU, YEREVAN DIVIDED OVER TURKISH ROLE IN KARABAKH

Today’s Zaman
April 16 2010
Turkey

Talks between Turkish and Armenian leaders in Washington this week
have sparked a debate in Armenia and Azerbaijan about Turkey’s role
in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

While Armenia categorically dismisses any Turkish role in the dispute
— saying its efforts to normalize relations with Ankara are not
linked to this territorial rift — Azerbaijani experts and politicians
insist that peace is not attainable in the Caucasus without a solution
in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey has increased its efforts to normalize relations with its
estranged neighbor Armenia in the run-up to a speech traditionally
made by the US president on April 24, the day the world commemorates
the victims of atrocities against Armenians in 1915. Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan
met in Washington, D.C., on Monday on the sidelines of the nuclear
security summit to discuss the status of the reconciliation process
between the two countries. While the contents of the talks remained
undisclosed, Azerbaijan and Armenia made their positions clear in a
series of public statements.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said there was no sense in discussing the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue with Turkey, adding that Turkey cannot act as a mediator in
the Karabakh dispute. "Armenia will never agree to concessions on the
Karabakh issue to normalize ties with Turkey," Nalbandian noted. He
also said linking the settlement of the Karabakh conflict to the
Armenian-Turkish rapprochement would harm both processes. He made
similar statements in Armenia on Wednesday, as well.

Armenia has resisted Turkey’s attempt to link the normalization of
Turkish-Armenian relations to the settlement Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

Azerbaijan, in contrast, claims the opening of the borders would
be a big boon to Armenia, which occupies 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s
territory.

Speaking to members of Azerbaijan’s cabinet on Wednesday, Azerbaijani
President Ä°lham Aliyev questioned the wisdom of solving other issues
in the region while maintaining the status quo on the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute, the local ANS TV station reported.

Erdogan sent a special envoy, Feridun Sinirlioglu, to both Yerevan
and Baku last week. In Baku, he conveyed the view of the Turkish
administration thatAzerbaijan should not be concerned about the
Turkish-Armenian talks. The primary aim of the Baku visit was
apparently to reassure the Azerbaijani administration that Turkey
does not intend to leave it hanging in regional politics.

In his statements to the cabinet, Aliyev said the opening of the border
between Turkey and Armenia is clearly against Azerbaijan’s national
interests. "How can the Azerbaijani public accept this fact if our
national interests are being put aside, the occupation of our country
is ignored and everything possible is being done to rescue a country
[Armenia] from economic hardship?" Aliyev asked.

In addition, Azerbaijani presidential public policy administration
head Ali Hasanov accused the US of often taking a unilateral position
supporting Armenia, in remarks to reporters on Thursday. "We urge the
US to take a neutral position," Hasanov said. Hasanov also lauded
Turkey’s position and effort in bringing the Karabakh issue to the
forefront. "We are fully satisfied with Turkey’s stance on the Karabakh
issue," Hasanov noted.

The Azerbaijani president also stressed that the issue of opening
the borders between Turkey and Armenia is a bilateral affair and
that third parties should not be involved in the situation. "Neither
we nor anyone else should interfere in this. These are relations
between two countries. Of course, while these countries attempt to
solve their problems, they will also consider the ongoing processes,
history and historical relations in the region. What kind of things
do those sides, which know nothing about the processes in the region,
want to achieve by sabotage and pressure? We cannot accept this. This
is clearly against our national policy," Aliyev said.

DELEGATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN SAINT PETERSBURG

National Assembly of RA
April 16 2010
Armenia

The RA NA delegation led by NA Vice Speaker Arevik Petrosyan on April
5-8, 2010 took part in Saint Petersburg in a number of events of the
CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and CSTO Parliamentary Assembly. The
delegation comprised of NA deputies Vahan Hovhannisyan, Artak Davtyan,
Hrayr Karapetyan, Eduard Sharmazanov and Ara Nranyan.

On April 6 the Head of the Armenian delegation Arevik Petrosyan
took part in the 34th plenary session of the Council of the CIS
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, where a number of important decisions
were adopted, and the Armenian MPs took part in the works of the
permanent commissions.

On April 7 in the Duma Hall of the Tavricheskiy Palace the 34th plenary
session of the Council of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly was
held. The speeches of the representatives of CIS member states were
dedicated to the legal-social protection of the Great Patriotic
War veterans.

On the same day an International Parliamentary Conference dedicated
to the 65th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War,
in which take part heads and representatives of PACE and other
international organizations. NA Vice Speaker Arevik Petrosyan gave a
speech in the Conference. She highly assessed the common victory, which
was gained at the price of big human, spiritual and material losses,
which saved the mankind from slavery and predetermined its further
destiny. In the destruction of the great victory and fascism among
the numerous nations the Armenian people also had their significant
contribution. About 600.000 Armenians took part in the Great Patriotic
War, from which 300.000 people died in the battlefield. The Armenian
people gave a wonderful example of military glory to the world 3
marshals and one admiral, more than 80 generals and vice admiral and
108 heroes. About 70.000 Armenians were awarded military orders and
medals. During the war years the contribution of the Armenian people
had also been great in the rear in the development of the fundamental
sciences and organization of production.

Mrs. Petrosyan noted that in our days more than ever the mankind
highlights and assesses the role and importance on non-use of force,
development of inter-ethnic dialogue, peaceful coexistence.

According to NA Vice Speaker’s assessment, the World War II once again
proved that any crime perpetrated against humanity and not condemned,
brings forth a new crime. He reminded Hitler’s words pronounced in
1939 before the Chief Command: "The aim of the war is not to reach
certain borders, but the enemy’s physical destruction. Who, after all,
today remembers and speaks of the annihilation of the Armenians?" The
latter meant the Genocide of 1,5 million Armenians that was perpetrated
in the Ottoman Empire and Western Armenia in 1915. Mrs.

Petrosyan added that the victory of the World War II in its turn
proved that those, who commit crime against humanity, sooner or later,
answer, get punished and condemned.

On April 7 Vahan Hovhannisyan gave a speech on the agenda fourth
issue ‘The Role of the Parliaments in Preventing the Conflicts’ of
the joint sitting of the permanent commissions on Political Issues
and International Cooperation and on Defense and Security Issues.

According to his assessment, the contradiction of the two principles
of the international law, territorial integrity and the rights of
the nations’ self-determination and their opposing is artificial. The
principle of territorial integrity should act between the sovereign
countries, and the right of the nations’ self-determination should be
applied in all cases, when the oppressed nation decides to separate
and create its own state.

Thus, these two principles act on different planes. The Nagorno
Karabakh Republic is the brilliant example of the second way.

The delegation of the National Assembly with the delegations of the CIS
states took part in the solemn mourning ceremony in Piskarev Pantheon.

On the same day the International Parliamentary Conference on the
theme ‘The Future of the European Security’ was held, which the CIS
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly organized jointly with PACE. In the
plenary session Vahan Hovhannisyan gave a speech. He considered
unacceptable the use of the double standards towards different
countries and the subjects having right of self-determination, in
particular, Nagorno Karabakh. Such differentiated and unrealistic
approach excludes not only the just solution, but also ignores the
truth. According to the speaker, as just approach is not applied in
such issues, there is no word about the reliable system of security.

The work of the International Parliamentary Conference continued
in separate sections, where NA deputies Eduard Sharmazanov and Ara
Nranyan gave speeches.

According to Eduard Sharmazanov’s assessment, the problem of the
Eurasian and regional security should be solved in accordance with
international norms and principles and everybody’s joint efforts. And
the distinct position of RA President Serzh Sargsyan in establishing
relations with the neighbouring Turkey without preconditions is aimed
at the settlement of this problem. Regarding the accusation of the
Turkish MP of digging the history Mr. Sharmazanov opposed saying that
the they dig the history, trying to make the historical commission
an arena for discussing the issue of being or not being the Armenian
Genocide, an evident fact, which has no need of proof and is not a
subject of discussion.

The NA deputy Ara Nranyan spoke about the necessity of improving
the system of the European security. We are often proposed schematic
and superficial solutions of the regulation of the conflicts without
going deep in their sources and reasons, without realizing the main
conditions of the nations’ survival. Mr. Nranyan considered the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh issue by such approach.

During the works of the International Parliamentary Conference the Head
of RA NA delegation, NA Vice Speaker Arevik Petrosyan and the member
of the delegation, the Head of the ARF faction Vahan Hovhannisyan
gave interview to Mir TV Company.

OFFICIAL OF AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION: "WE DON’T INTEND TO BREAK OUR RELATIONS WITH TURKEY, WHICH HAVE NO ANALOGUE, UNDER THE DICTATION OF ANY ONE"

APA
April 15 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. Azerbaijan is satisfied with the
position of Turkey, said Chief of the Public Policy Department of
the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov, APA reports.

"Turkey is a strategic partner to Azerbaijan. We have diplomatic,
political, social and cultural relations with Turkey on the basis of
principle of "one nation, two states" and we don’t intend to break
these relations, which have no analogue, under the dictation of
any one".

Hasanov reminded about the statements made by Turkish Prime Minister
Erdogan and Foreign Minister Davutoglu during their Washington
meetings. "They stated that Turkey and Armenia can not establish normal
political and economic relations without solution to Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, without normal diplomatic progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan
frontline and without withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied
lands. We are satisfied with this position. We consider that Turkey,
as a friendly country, will protect this position".

TIMEFRAME CRITICAL TO IMPLEMENT ARMENIA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS: PHILIP CROWLEY

news.am
April 14 2010
Armenia

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Crowley stated that
all concerned parties have a critical timeframe to assist the
implementation of Armenia-Turkey Protocols.

Asked about April 13 meeting of U.S. Secretary Hillary Clinton
and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Crowley said that
the Ministers discussed the Armenia-Turkey reconciliation and
Bosnia-Herzegovina relations with NATO.

According to him, the 45-minute Clinton-Davutoglu meeting was quite
positive. He also did not rule out the possibility of another meeting
of the officials.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT IS RULED FROM A BASEMENT: HOW MANY PRESIDENTS DOES THE COUNTRY HAVE?
H. Hamidov

Today
April 3 2010
Azerbaijan

Some people say they made their way upstairs on their own, but actually
they had some help.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan celebrated his first two years in
office April 9. The public does not know how he celebrated the event.

The only thing known about the celebrations is that Sargsyan first
left for the resort town of Dilijan to make several public statements.

When asked about ex-President Robert Kocharian’s possible return to
politics, Sargsyan said the following: "Did Kocharian quit politics
only to come back right now? He has always been in politics … There
is nothing strange about this at all."

It remains a mystery what Sargsyan meant when he said that "he has
always been in politics."

Kocharian is not officially a member of the government, does not
head any political party and is not a deputy either. He has not even
expressed an intention to run in the next municipal, parliamentary
or presidential elections.

However, for some reason, he regularly travels abroad to hold
meetings with fellow former heads of state or lower-and middle-ranking
officials.

Not long ago, he decided to hold a meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group
U.S. co-chair. After some time, he criticized the Armenian government.

It is obvious that the relationship between Armenia’s current and
former presidents are either too trusting or completely damaged.

However, one can confidently say that Sargsyan is afraid of his
former boss. In fact, Kocharian did not lose power over the country,
as it seems at first glance.

Since his early days as president, Sargsyan has failed to make an
impression of an individual who completely and independently rules
his country. His recent statements also seem to create the impression
that Armenia is actually run by two presidents.

Moreover, Sargsyan is either a kind of puppet in the hands of the
influential and authoritative Kocharian, or each one of them has their
own separate government. In this case, it is possible that Kocharian
is sitting somewhere in the basement of the presidential palace,
managing his own ministers, who are also sitting in ministry basement.

Of course, Sargsyan is offended deep down inside because he thinks he
is capable of running the country on his own. But he can do nothing
about the situation.

Perhaps, this is the reason for Sargsyan’s two-faced policies on the
domestic and foreign arenas. Sargsyan wants independence and wants to
prove that he has grown up and is able to run the country. He makes
statements, takes steps and voices intentions. But after a while, he
receives yet another task on his desk "from the basement." Later, we
see a different Sargsyan, different statements, different actions. He
doesn’t like this and is frankly very offended. But really there is
nothing that he can do.

He needs to be self-confident and become a real president. He has
probably dreamed of this since the moment he took over the presidential
chair two years ago. But he lacks something. Maybe it’s a simple
human courage.

So, this is how Sargsyan is celebrating his two years in office,
responding to stinging and uncomfortable questions from local media.

But what can you do…

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Sisters Academy
440 Upper Gulph Road
Radnor, PA 19087

Contact: Susan Pogharian
Tel: 610-757-7090
Fax: 610-687-2450
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Armenian Sisters Academy to Commemorate 95th Anniversary of Armenian
Genocide

Students at the Armenian Sisters Academy, Radnor, PA will remember their
ancestors who perished in the first genocide of the 20th century. On
April 24, 1915, prominent Armenian intellectuals and clergy were rounded
up and killed as a prelude to massacres and deportations that resulted
in 1.5 million deaths. On Friday, April 23, 2010, Academy students will
commemorate this tragedy with priests from all five local Armenian
churches. Students will participate in a planting ceremony at 9:00 a.m.
with the commemorative program and requiem service at 10 am. Priests in
attendance will be:

Very Reverend Armenag Bedrossian of St. Mark’s Armenian Catholic
Church, Wynnewood, PA,

Reverend Father Hakob Gevorgyan, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Cheltenham, PA

Very Reverend Father Oshagan Gulgulian, St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian
Apostolic Church, Wynnewood, PA,

Archpriest Fr. Nerses Manoogian, St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian
Apostolic Church, Philadelphia, PA,

Reverend L. Nishan Bakalian, Armenian Matyr’s Congregational Church,
Havertown, PA

Academy students will also participate in the following commemorative
events:

Armenian Genocide Walk, 1 pm, Saturday, April 24, 2010 at the steps to
the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Inter-Communal Committee April 24 Commemoration
Saturday, April 24, 2010
6:30 pm
St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Church
630 Clothier Road
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania 19096

For more information on this event, contact Susan Pogharian at
610-757-7090 or [email protected]. For more information on the
Armenian Sisters Academy, visit

OBAMA DISCUSSED WITH SARKISIAN PROSPECTS FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS AND THE RESOLUTION OF THE NKR CONFLICT

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 13, 2010
WASHINGTON

U.S. President Barack Obama discussed with his visiting Armenian
counterpart, Serzh Sarkisian, prospects for the normalization of
Turkish-Armenian relations and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict during their first-ever talks held in Washington on Monday.

The White House did not immediately issue any statements on the talks
held on the sidelines of the nuclear security summit hosted by Obama.

The stalled Turkish-Armenian normalization process was expected to be
their key focus, with Washington seen as making last-ditch attempts
to salvage the U.S.-backed protocols signed by Ankara and Yerevan
last October.

Sarkisian’s office, for its part, gave few details of the meeting
which reportedly lasted for less than an hour. It said only that the
two leaders spoke about "the course of normalizing relations between
Armenia and Turkey" and "exchanged thoughts" on the current status
of the Karabakh peace process. They also discussed "prospects for
the development of bilateral Armenian-American relations," it said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has been personally
involved in the Turkish-Armenian diplomacy, and Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian were also present at the talks.

According to radio "Liberty", Sarkisian and other Armenian leaders have
repeatedly praised the U.S. administration for backing their pursuit
of an unconditional and speedy implementation of the Turkish-Armenian
protocols. They have threatened to walk away from the agreements if
the Turks continue to link their parliamentary ratification with a
Karabakh settlement acceptable to Azerbaijan.

Sarkisian’s participation in the summit and face-to-face encounter
with Obama reflected Washington’s strong support for his conciliatory
policy on Turkey that has sparked serious controversy in Armenia and
its worldwide Diaspora. He is the first Armenian head of state to
meet a U.S. president in nine years.

Sarkisian’s predecessor, Robert Kocharian, and the late Azerbaijani
President Heydar Aliyev were separately received by President George
W.Bush in the White House after several days of U.S.-sponsored peace
negotiations held on the Florida island of Key West in April 2001.

KARABAKH SPORT-WINNERS AT THE COMPETITIONS IN FRANCE

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-04-13 14:09

Besides sportsmen from various countries, representatives of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic participated in the April 11 international
race competitions in the French city of Medon (near Paris).

According to the information of the NKR Permanent Mission to
France, the Artsakh athlete, Arthur Petrosian, who was among the 700
participants, won the 10-kilometer race competition. Another athlete
from the NKR, Ashot Hayrapetian, won the 5-kilometer race competition.

RA PRESIDENT TO MEET SPANISH PM IN U.S.

news.am
April 12 2010
Armenia

On April 12, RA President Serzh Sargsyan will meet U.S. President
Barack Obama following the meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, on the sidelines of the Global Nuclear Security Summit
in Washington. This will be the two Presidents’ first official meeting.

Before the meeting Serzh Sargsyan will lay a wreath to the U.S. former
President Woodrow Wilson’s grave.

The Armenian leader is also scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton. Tonight, Sargsyan will have an official dinner
with President Obama. Tomorrow, RA President will attend the Global
Nuclear Security Summit.

Unprecedented security measures have been taken in Washington, as the
leaders of 44 states have arrived in the U.S. capital. RA President
is likely to meet Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.