Author: Karakhanian Suren

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE

January 13, 2009
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

SECRETARY OF STATE CONFIRMATION HEARING: MENENDEZ URGES AFFIRMATION OF
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, RECALLS CLINTON’S SUPPORT

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY PURSUES REVERSAL OF ANTI-EVANS DOCTRINE

Washington, DC – "As the world collectively embraces the irreversible
trend of Armenian Genocide affirmation, today’s confirmation hearing of
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is testament to the fact that there is no
turning back," said Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) Executive
Director Bryan Ardouny. "President-elect Obama and Senator Clinton have
forcefully advocated for genocide prevention and affirmation and are
poised to bring about a new direction in this key policy area, including
the repudiation of President Bush’s anti-Evans doctrine."

The Assembly would like to congratulate Senator John Kerry (D-MA) for
his ascension to the Chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. Senator Kerry presided over today’s confirmation hearing of
Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Senator Clinton
fielded a broad range of questions and is expected to be confirmed by
the full Senate prior to the inauguration of President-elect Barack
Obama.

During the question and answer session, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ),
a long-time supporter of Armenian issues, noted the importance of
Armenian Genocide affirmation and the need to move forward, stating:
"[I]f we are to say ‘never again,’ part of that is ultimately the
recognition of what has happened so that we can move forward. And I hope
that you will be an advocate of having us get off of where we have been
and move forward to a recognition of that part of history so that it is
universally recognized so that we can move forward in that respect."

Secretary Designate Clinton responded, "[W]e will be looking very
closely at those and other challenging issues with the eye of moving
forward and being effective in responding to these very legitimate
concerns."

"The Armenian Assembly whole-heartedly concurs with Senator Menendez.
Senator Clinton has consistently supported affirmation of the Armenian
Genocide and the Assembly looks forward to working with the new
Administration to reverse the Bush Administration’s Anti-Evans
Doctrine," stated Assembly Board Member Annie Totah.

The Anti-Evans Doctrine was formulated by the Bush Administration to
remove U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John M. Evans after he acknowledged
the Armenian Genocide in 2005. Ambassador Evans’ statement, however, was
consistent with former President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide, as well as George W. Bush’s acknowledgement by
reference to the International Center for Transitional Justice 2003
analysis on the Armenian Genocide.

First elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, Secretary Designate Clinton
has consistently supported efforts to reaffirm the historical truth of
the Armenian Genocide. In addition to co-sponsoring affirmation
resolutions, Clinton also repeatedly urged President George W. Bush to
reaffirm the Armenian Genocide in his annual April 24th statements. In
2006, for example, she signed a letter to President Bush stating: "The
memory of the Armenian Genocide underscores our responsibility to speak
forcefully about our respect for fundamental human rights and opposition
to mass slaughters. It is in the best interests of our nation and the
entire global community to remember the past and learn from these crimes
against humanity to ensure that they are never repeated. We respectfully
request that you refer to the mass slaughter of Armenians as genocide in
your commemorative statement." Senator Clinton also supports expanding
U.S.-Armenia relations and "a fair and democratic resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabagh conflict."

During her historic presidential campaign Secretary Designate Clinton
stated: "I believe the horrible events perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire
against Armenians constitute a clear case of genocide. Our common
morality and our nation’s credibility as a voice for human rights
challenge us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be recognized and
remembered by the Congress and the President of the United States."

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###
NR#2009-004
Editor’s Note:

The Assembly press release in regard to President-elect Obama.

The Assembly press release in regard to the letter sent to President
Bush in 2006.
006/04-20-06__2006-037_Over_
200_House_and_Senate_ Members_Urge_President_Bush_to_Acknowledge_the_Gen o
cide.pdf

The Assembly press release in regard to Vice President-elect Biden.

Int ernational Center for Transitional Justice analysis on the Armenian
Genocide.
g/Affirmation.244/current_category.5/affi
rmation_ detail.html

President Reagan’s 1981 statement affirming the Armenian Genocide.
tion.63/current_category.4/affir
mation_detail.htm l

ArmRosgasprom to continue its programs with better efficiency in 2009

YEREVAN, January 10. /ARKA/. The program should be implemented in 2009
with better efficiency, General Director of ArmRosgasprom company Karen
Karapetyan said Saturday. He also stressed the importance of improving
the quality of the services and the management structure.

The company’s press service reported that the General Director
presented a list of measures to be implemented this year to maintain
stable financial operations and further development of the company.

Karapetyan summarized the company’s activities for 2008, appreciated
the programs implemented and assigned to respective departments to
submit reports on activities performed in 2008 and the plans for 2009.

`ArmRosgasprom’ holds the monopoly for supply and distribution of the
Russian natural gas on the domestic market in Armenia.

The company was founded in 1997. `Gasprom’ open joint stock company and
Armenian Ministry of Energy had 45% of the shares each with the
remaining 10% belonging to `Itera’. After implementation of two out of
three planned investment stages of the project (after purchase of
additional shares of ArmRosgasprom in 2006 and 2008) the share of
`Gasprom’ company in the authorized stock has increased to 75.55%. The
share of the Armenian Government is 20% and that of `Itera’ 4.44%. ‘0’

Abovian Armenian Cultural Association
Address: Weesperstraat 91
2574 VS The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31704490209
Email: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: I. Drost

Press Release

Farewell lecture by armenologist Professor Jos Weitenberg

On Thursday 22 January 2009 a ceremony will be held at the University of
Leiden to say goodbye to armenologist Professor Dr. Jos Weitenberg, because
of his retirement. You may participate to the farewell lecture by Professor
Weitenberg. For registration and other details see the following
announcement by the university.

Professor Weitenberg has been a scientific staff member at the department of
Indo-European linguistics of Leiden University since 1980. He is specialised
in particular in Hittite and Armenian and the early history of Anatolia. In
1996, he was appointed, with support of the Gulbenkian Foundation as
extraordinary professor of Armenian Studies Chair. From 2005 the Leiden
University Fund finances the Chair of Armenian Studies.

Beside his academic activities, Professor Weitenberg has been always
actively involved in many ways in the Armenian community of the Netherlands.
In the eighties and nineties he was regularly teaching Armenian language at
Ararat Foundation in Amsterdam. He is the author of a Dutch-Armenian list of
words (1985). Furthermore he is, among others, member of the Recommending
Committee of 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations
of the Netherlands and just recently he was a member of the Advisory
Commission of the survey of Armenians in the Netherlands. He is closely
interested in the development of the Armenian education in the Netherlands.
Moreover, he gives lectures and organises courses on Armenian culture,
emphasising especially the old ties between Armenia and Europe.
=========================
Announcement by the Leiden University

The Department of Comparative Indo-European Language Studies has the honour
to invite you to attend the farewell lecture by extraordinary professor of
the Armenian Studies Chair
Prof. Dr. J.J.S. Weitenberg

The farewell lecture will take place on 22 January 2009 at 4:15 p.m. in the
Groot Auditorium of the Academiegebouw, Rapenburg 73 in Leiden.
After the farewell lecture you may shake hands with Mr. and Mrs. Weitenberg
at a reception in the Academiegebouw.

Your presence is highly appreciated.
RSVP: [email protected] or phone +31715272501

Professor Weitenberg supports the University Asylum Fund UAF and would
appreciate if you consider a financial contribution to this organisation.
For further information about this contribution please contact
[email protected], phone +31715272501.

Please take into account time-consuming parking problems in the
neighbourhood of the Academiegebouw.

Hürriyet, Turkey
Jan 5 2009

Armenian patriarch to stay despite his illness

ISTANBUL – The Armenian Patriarchy is not an office that can function
without an acting patriarch, said the editor-in-chief of Armenian
daily Jamanak Ara Koçunyan, criticizing the decision of the
Spiritual Council not to replace Patriarch Mesrob II who is said to be
suffering from frontal lobe dementia.

As concern grows over the patriarchy without a patriarch, senior
members of the community say any comments about the health of the
patriarch attracts serious criticism from the conservative community
and the patriarchy.

Speaking to Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review,
Koçunyan, whose newspaper first broke the story about the
deteriorating health of the patriarch, said: "It is a very sensitive
subject. It can be perceived as disrespectful to the office of the
patriarch.

Koçunyan said the Spiritual Assembly met mid last year due to
increasing concern over the patriarch and asked for the community to
wait until the new year for a decision.

In a statement released by the Spiritual Synod last week, it was
reported that members recognized Patriarch Mesrob II as the spiritual
leader of the Armenian community in Turkey and that the patriarch was
capable of handling all his responsibilities. "Members of the
Spiritual Council do not believe it is necessary to cloud the
community’s agenda with an issue such as the election of the patriarch
and advise members of the community to wait in faith and patience," it
said.

Koçunyan said the Spiritual Council did not have the right to
issue such a declaration and that the Armenian Church traditionally
did not have such an executive mechanism. "The Spiritual Council does
not elect the patriarch. It is trying to force a fait accompli on the
community."

Koçunyan said, "I would not like to judge the policies of an
ill patriarch, but he did not display the democratic sensitivities of
his predecessor," stating that both his newspaper and the Agos weekly
faced embargoes and other prohibitions from the patriarchate in the
past.

FOOD SAFETY AND VETERINARY INSPECTION CONDUCTS 1,636 CHECKS THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Dec 19, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The Food Safety and Veterinary
Inspection of the RA Ministry of Agriculture conducted 1,636 checks
this year, which is more by 400 than in 2007, the inspection head
Grisha Baghian stated at the December 29 press conference.

According to him, during the checks at food servicing facilities with
the participation of members of NGOs, attention was paid first of
all to bread production and sale-related issues. In connection with
violations revealed, about 110 economic entities were instructed to
eliminate the violations in a short period. Besides, fines of a total
of 9.5 million drams (about 30 thousand USD) were imposed on these
economic entities. Nearly 200 tons of old, unprocessed or low-quality
foodstuffs (canned goods, sausages, beer, vodka, flour, buckweat) to be
imported into Armenia were seized and destroyed at border check points.

As regards the checks conducted at food facilities of comprehensive
schools and kindergartens, G. Baghian said that 71 checks in the period
from October up to now have revealed numerous cases of the sale of
sausages and confectionery without the necessary certificates. Gross
violations of hygiene and food storage were recorded, with fines of
a total of 2.5 million drams being imposed.

G. Baghian announced that the inspection has taken a number of measures
to eliminate the violations at schools, thanks to which the number
of cases of selling old and uncertified foodstuffs has declined,
and the servicing companies have obtained certificates for public
catering organization.

President Sargsyan awards honorary titles and medals

armradio.am
27.12.2008 13:57

President Serzh Sargsyan today signed a decree on awarding Anania
Shirakatsi Medals to Deputy Minister of Labot and Social Affairs Artem
Asatryan, member of the Public Services Regulatory Commission Samvel
Arabajyan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Iosif Isayan
and Deputy Minister of Finance Suren Karayan for productive activity on
the field of state governance.

According to another prsesidetial decree, absolute world champion
Vakhtang Darchinyan has been awarded a Movses Khorenatsi Medal for
brilliant victories in boxing.

Weightlifting coach Vahan Bichakhchyan and the Dean of the Department
of Sport Health of the State Physical Culture Institute of Armenia
Anahit Harutyuntan were granted the title of the Honoured Master of
Sports.

SINGER CHARLES AZNAVOUR GRANTED ARMENIAN CITIZENSHIP

Agence France Presse
Dec 26 2008
France

YEREVAN (AFP) — The renowned French singer of Armenian origin Charles
Aznavour has been granted Armenian citizenship by presidential decree,
the presidency of the ex-Soviet republic said Friday.

"Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has signed a decree granting
Armenian citizenship to the prominent singer and public figure, a
hero of the Armenian people, Charles Aznavour," the presidency said
in a statement.

Born Shahnur Aznavourian, the 84-year-old singer is among the
best-known figures of France’s 400,000-strong Armenian diaspora. He
was born in Paris to Armenian parents.

After the 1988 earthquake in Armenia which killed 25,000 people,
Aznavour set up a foundation and organised a series of charity concerts
to help quake victims.

He also serves as Armenia’s permanent delegate to the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The author of over 1,000 songs, Aznavour is one of France’s most
popular singers and is the first French performer to have a recording
that went platinum in Europe. He sold over over 100 million records
worldwide.

In 1998 he was named Entertainer of the Century by CNN and Time Online.

CONTROL SERVICE OF RA PRESIDENT SENDS 630 APPLICATIONS TO PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 25, 2008
YEREVAN

The RA President’s Control Service sent 630 applications on intitiation
of proceedings to the Prosecutor’s Office in the second half of 2008,
the head of the service Hovhannes Hovsepian said at the December 25
press conference.

According to him, during that period the RA Nature Protection
Ministry’s study of the activities related to the operation of 19
nonmetal mines near Yerevan revealed violations in 15 mines. First
of all, these mines were passed from the state to the private sector
without acceptance, which makes the registration of mining volumes
impossible. Basalt, clay and gypsum mines are illegally operated near
Yerevan. H. Hovsepian said that those operating 15 out of the 19 mines
indicated only 30% of extracted volumes in their reports submitted to
tax bodies. The 40 ha occupied by 19 mines were leased by the state
without a lease agreement. The damage done to the state because of
violations committed by the indicated 15 economic entities amounted
to 242 million drams (about 785 thousand USD).

H. Hovsepian added that following the October 8 consultation on issues
of mines’ operation with the participation of Armenian president, an
interdepartmental commission was set up to examine this sector. Damage
of a total of 626 million drams was revealed as a result of checks
of 36 entities operating mines.

The Control Service examined the correspondence of the leasing of
land plots in Sevan National Park to the legislation. It came to
light that out of the lease agreements signed with 983 natural and
juridical persons, the agreements with 472 persons did not have state
registration, as a result of which the unpaid lease payments amounted
to 30 million drams. Besides, construction work by "false permission"
was done in the park.

In the words of H. Hovsepian, checks in the system of the State
Committee of Cadastre revealed that the damage to the state due to
privatization of lands at a lower value than it was envisaged amounted
to 300 million drams. Damage due to registration of lands in a lower
zone during the settlements’ zoning process made one billion drams.

Numerous cases of illegal construction were prevented, and over 10
structures were dismantled as a result of examination of activities
of Yerevan mayor’s office. H. Hovsepian announced that "some heads of
the cadastre, top executives of the mayor’s office, head masters of
schools were dismissed", and the dismissal process "reached the level
of a deputy minister". The work of some departments was also checked.

H. Hovsepian said that the number of application-complaints that
the Control Service received from citizens in the second half of
2008 exceeded the respective index of last year by 250%. In the past
seven months about 10,000 applications were received, 25% of which
were related to work of Yerevan mayor’s office, 17% to the court and
legal system, and 16% to the social system. 37.1% of applications got
a positive solition. Besides, in the second half of 2008 the Control
Service organized reception of 4,800 citizens. Its studies are based
on mass media publications and programs.

OFID TO EXTEND $14 MILLION LOAN TO ARMENIA

ARKA
Dec 25
YEREVAN

The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) will extend $14mln
loan to Armenia, the RA Foreign Ministry reports.

Armenia’s Ambassador to Austria Ashot Hovakimyan and OFID Director
General Suleiman J. Al-Herbish.

The funds will serve for the Program Marketing Opportunities for
Farmers aimed at developing Armenia’s villages with the help of
investments.

Hailing OPEC’s cooperation with the RA government, Al-Herbish vowed
support to further initiatives.

On behalf of the RA government, Ambassador Hovakimyan thanked OFID for
assisting Armenia, assuring the OFID director general he will witness
the program’s productive results as he visits Armenia in 2009.

JAVIER SOLANA CALLS ON ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN TO CONTINUE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE

ArmInfo
2008-12-23 14:24:00

The EU supports any regional cooperation and constructive dialogue,
which intensify relations between countries in the region, Javier
Solana, EU High Representative for the CFSP, said in an interview
with Trend.

Touching on the Karabakh conflict settlement Javier Solana said:
‘We welcomed the Moscow declaration of Nov. 2 and the declaration of
Helsinki of Dec. 4, as they confirmed that all sides sign up to the
need for a peaceful solution’. ‘Today’s impulse should not be lost’,-
Solana said and added that progress in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will also facilitate the normalization of relations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia.

To recall, the Moscow declaration signed by Presidents of Azerbaijan,
Russia and Armenia at the meeting on Nov. 2 and envisages stirring
up of activity by the sides in order to reach peace within the OSCE
Minsk Group in the region.