Author: Karapetian Hovik

Agence France Presse
March 2, 2010 Tuesday 6:19 PM GMT

EU urges progress in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks

BAKU, March 2 2010

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos called on Europe’s
behalf Tuesday for progress in peace talks on the disputed Nagorny
Karabakh region and in reconciliation efforts between Armenia and
Turkey.

Visiting arch-rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan, Moratinos — whose
country holds the six-month rotating European Union presidency — said
the EU wants to see "a quick settlement" in the conflict over
Karabakh.

"If both countries show good will, this conflict can be settled
peacefully. We should use all possibilities and resources to resolve
this conflict," he said after talks in Baku with his Azerbaijani
counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.

Backed by Yerevan, ethnic Armenian forces seized control of Nagorny
Karabakh and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan in the early
1990s, in a war that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.

The two countries have failed to negotiate a settlement on Karabakh
and tensions remain high, with the defence ministry in Yerevan saying
Tuesday that an Armenian soldier had been killed in fighting near the
disputed region.

Moratinos earlier Tuesday met with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard
Nalbandian in Yerevan, where he called on Turkey and Armenia to speed
up stalled reconciliation efforts by ratifying two protocols they
signed in October to establish diplomatic ties and reopen a shared
border.

"The EU urges Armenia and Turkey to ratify the protocols in a
reasonable time and without preconditions," Moratinos said.

The signing of the deals was hailed internationally as a key step in
overcoming decades of enmity stemming from World War I-era massacres
of Armenians under Ottoman Turks.

But ratification by both countries’ parliaments has stalled as the two
sides have traded accusations of trying to modify the deal.

Moratinos was also due to visit Georgia Wednesday as part of a two-day
visit to the volatile South Caucasus region on behalf of EU foreign
affairs chief Catherine Ashton.

Targeted News Service
March 4, 2010 Thursday 9:03 PM EST

Watson Votes for H.Res. 252: Affirmation of the U.S. Record on
Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON

Rep. Diane E. Watson, D-Calif. (33rd CD), issued the following news release:

Rep. Watson today voted in support of a bipartisan resolution which
affirms the U.S. Record on the Armenian Genocide. The resolution calls
upon President Obama to ensure that U.S. foreign policy accurately
reflects our nation’s historical record relating to the mass
atrocities and killings of more than one and a half million Armenians
from 1915 to 1923, as well as the displacement of over five hundred
thousand Armenian men, women and children from their homeland.

"As a member of Congress whose district includes a growing Armenian
constitueny as well as Turkish residents, I have listened carefully
and caringly to passionate voices on both sides and believe that even
though currently there is not yet a common understanding recognized by
the governments of Armenia and Turkey, the United States must make a
good-faith effort to reflect in our foreign policy a perspective that
allows all to move forward."

"While the United States continues its active engagement to encourage
diplomatic talks between President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia and
President Abdullah Gul of Turkey, to normalize relations and move the
peace process forward, it is important that we not lose sight of the
humanitarian role that America played, acting in a time of great need
on behalf of a nation’s people in distress."

Aravot, Armenia
March 4 2010

Azeri killed in Armenia allegedly during cattle stealing attempt

Servicemen of special Armenian subunits killed an Azerbaijani man, who
had crossed into Armenia, in Koti village of Armenia’s Tavush Region
on the night of 2-3 March.

The Azerbaijani man, aged about 30, was one of four Azerbaijanis who
had crossed into Armenia and stolen cattle from an Armenian resident
of Koti village during that night, the paper said.

Koti is located close to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and attempts
of cattle stealing have been frequent in this area of Tavush Region
recently, the paper said.

The body of the killed Azerbaijani man is currently in a hospital in
Ijevan town, the capital of Tavush Region. The stolen cattle were
found in another part of the village in the afternoon of 3 March, the
paper added.

CUTTING AND PLANTING

cology
01:17 pm | March 04, 2010

Official

The Yerevan city council has assigned a specialized committee to
regulate, as well as show a professionally grounded and unified
approach to sanitary tree-cutting and trimming.

The committee comprises correspondents of Yerevan city council’s
department of environmental protection and the environmental protection
program at OSCE Office in Yerevan, representatives of the RA Ministry
of Nature Protection and "Orhaus" informational-analytical centers,
as well as researchers and assistant researchers from Yerevan State
University and the Botanical Institute.

According to the press release of the municipality, the committee has
completely studied the state of trees on Zakyan and Khorenatsi streets,
as well as Myasnikyan and Isakov avenues. The trees on Khorenatsi and
Zakyan Streets were mainly ash-trees and were planted in the period
between 1950 and 1955.

According to conclusions by professionals, the roots of those tree
types are fully destroyed. There are deep hollows and notable cracks
that have debilitated the growth of roots.

Ash-trees live up to a maximum of 45-50 years, but they currently live
up to 50 years. Such trees are a potential danger to road accidents
and human life. In order to avoid that, according to the specialized
group’s conclusion, a decision has been taken to cut these trees and
plant new ones.

The issue of trees on Myasnikyan and Isakov avenues mainly refers
to the black poplars. The trees were planted from 1955 to 1960 and,
based on the specialized group’s conclusions, need to be rejuvenated.

Observations have shown that black poplars have mainly outgrown. Their
roots are superficial and as a result, these trees often fall down
due to strong winds and cause accidents. The rejuvenation of these
trees will ensure their security and raise longevity," as stated in
the notice by Yerevan city council’s department of information and
public relations.

After project implementation, there will be 70 rejuvenated and 90
new trees in Yerevan in 2010.

NSS INVESTIGATOR ACCUSED OF BRIBERY

nproc
05:28 pm | March 03, 2010

Official

The preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on
the receipt of the bribe by the investigator of the Investigation
Department of the RA National Security Service was completed in the
Special Investigation Service.

The prosecutor supervising the preliminary investigation of the
criminal case confirmed the bill of indictment.

During the preliminary investigation it was stated that on July 15,
2009 in "Zvartnots" airport the employees of the RA National Security
Service double checked the RA citizens H. Gevorgyan and M. Avetisyan
who arrived in Yerevan from Tehran, as a result of which 0,5 mg.

acetic acid anhydride, which had illegally been obtained and hidden
from the Customs Control, had been found at M. Avetisyan.

The materials prepared on this case had been sent to the RA National
Security Service Investigation Department and on July 15, 2009 the
preparation of the materials had been tasked to Vladimir Kotolyan,
an investigator of the mentioned department. However V. Kotolyan had
demanded 4000 USD from H. Gevorgyan in order not to launch a criminal
case and not to subject H. Gevorgyan to criminal liability.

V. Kotoyan had received the money in two portions each 2000 USD in
2009 July and August in the cafe "Mama Mia".

On the obtained evidence V. Kotolyan was charged according to the RA
Criminal Code Article 311, part 4, point 2.

The criminal case was sent to the Court of First Instance of Kentron
and Nork-Marash administrative districts for the proper examination.

HAY DAT: TURKEY NOT INTEND TO RATIFY ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2010 14:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It is already clear that Turkey does not intend to
ratify the Armenian-Turkish Protocols , Giro Manoyan , head of the
Central Office of Hay Dat (Armenian Cause) told a news conference
in Yerevan.

According to him the recent statements of the Turkish side are the
pretext for Armenia to declare that the Armenian-Turkish normalization
has failed because of Ankara, to withdraw from the process and to
state that Armenia would return to the negotiating table only if
Turkey agree to held talks without preconditions. "The later we
withdraw from the process, the harder it would be," Manoyan said.

He also referred to the statements of some U.S. Congressmen,
who argued that the decision of the U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Foreign Affairs to adopt Armenian Genocide resolution
252 may interfere with Armenian-Turkish process. According to him,
those statements became a lever of pressure on Armenia in the Karabakh
settlement, as well.

On March 4 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign
Affairs adopted Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res.252) by 23 votes "n
favour"and with 22 votes "against". After the vote in the appropriate
committee, the resolution will be sent to the House of Representatives
for a final vote.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of
Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’ Organic Law.

The Armenian Cause (Hay Dat) is the whole set of problems taking start
with the Armenian national liberation movement for restoration of the
independent Armenian state and reunification of Armenians. The core
issue is the worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Hay Dat
has offices across the globe.

U.S. HOUSE PANEL APPROVES RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

RIA Novosti
March 5, 2010
Washington

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives
has approved a resolution recognizing the genocide of Armenians by
the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

The panel voted 23-22 in support of the resolution following almost
six hours of heated debates on Thursday.

The resolution, which has already become a diplomatic flashpoint
between Washington and Ankara, has not been finally adopted and
will now go before the full House, although no date has been set for
the vote.

Turkey, which has always refused to recognize the killings of an
estimated 1.5 million Armenians at the end of the Ottoman period in
1915 as an act of genocide, warned Washington that this move could
jeopardize U.S-Turkish cooperation and set back the talks aimed at
opening the border between Turkey and Armenia.

On the eve of the vote, the Obama administration urged the committee
not to approve the resolution, fearing it could alienate Washington’s
NATO ally, whose help the White House considers invaluable in solving
confrontations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

The Foreign Affairs Committee approved a similar genocide measure in
2007, and Turkey temporarily recalled its ambassador to the United
States.

However, after intensive pressure by the Bush administration, the
resolution was not brought to the House floor.

A number of states have recognized the killings in Armenia as the
first genocide of the 20th century, including Russia, France, Italy,
Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Greece, as well as 42 of the
50 U.S. states. The Vatican, the European Parliament and the World
Council of Churches have also denounced the killings as genocide.

Uruguay was the first to do so in 1965.

LEADER OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ARMENIA: H.RES.252 ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO SHARE THE DESTINY OF H.RES.106

ArmInfo
2010-03-05 15:19:00

ArmInfo. One should not doubt at all that H.Res. 252 on the Armenian
Genocide affirmed by the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs will
share the destiny of H.Res.106 affirmed by the same Committee in 2007,
Leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia Aram Sargsyan told ArmInfo
correspondent.

"I think the new pro-Armenian resolution will not be submitted for
general consideration of the Congress as the US Administration’s
position on this issue is direct evidence of that. This is a position
that proceeds from conformist political reasons, not universal
principles. I myself am amazed at the fact that being advocates of
human rights in the world, the United States have put aside their
principles and now proceed only from foreign political reasons",-
he said.

Sargsyan pointed out that the 22 Congressmen, who voted "against"
the resolution, recognized the fact of the Armenian Genocide at the
same time and expressed their regret for this fact. At the same time,
their only argument in favor of their decision was that "it is not
time yet" and let the parties themselves solve their problems. "This
is not our problem, this is not the problem of Armenia, Genocide
is the problem of everybody, that is, the American society should
discuss this fact and take a decision independently. And we should
cease asking them to recognize this fact",- he said.

Aram Sargsyan thinks that the position of the current leadership of
Turkey proves that the Justice and Development Party members are not
ready to revise their attitude to history and continue identifying
themselves as Young Turks. For instance, on behalf of the German
people, the great German politician Willy Brandt begged the Jewish
people’s pardon. Thus, having condemned the crimes of Nazism, German
people automatically gave up identification with the Nazis and are
currently considered to be one of the highly developed and intellectual
nations, Sargsyan said.

"Therefore, I want to calm down some of our politicians stating that
modern Turks are not the Turks that extirpated Armenians in 1915-1923.

In our time, we suggested creating diplomatic missions of Turkey and
Armenia, which would draw up a memorandum and describe their mutual
claims there. In its turn, this would allow creating mechanisms for
their settlement, as the nulling of problems with neighbors against
the background of denial of the Armenian Genocide is not a settlement
of the problem. The problem exists and it should be settled",-
he stressed.

On March 4 2010 the House Committee on Foreign Affairs affirmed House
Resolution 252, or the non- binding Armenian Genocide Resolution, that
calls upon the President to recognize the death of 1.5 million ethnic
Armenians as genocide in his annual remembrance on April 24. The
committee split 23 yes votes to 22 no votes. For final adoption,
the resolution requires approval by the House of Representatives. No
approval by the Senate or the President is required. Earlier Turkish
Parliament addressed a letter to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
saying that affirmation of the Resolution may impede the Armenian-
Turkish normalization.

U.S. CONGRESS COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PASSES RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING GENOCIDE

ARKA
March 5, 2010

YEREVAN, March 5. / ARKA /. Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
U.S. Congress adopted a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

For the adoption of the resolution there were 23 congressmen, and 22
were against it.

The majority that voted in favor of adopting the document of Congress
explained their decision saying that the adoption of the resolution
should serve as a precedent to prevent genocides in the future.

The document, consisting of 30-points document (resolution number 252)
calls upon the U.S. President to undertake efforts to accept decent
decisions on those matters that relate to human rights and freedoms,
ethnic cleansing and the genocide of Armenians.

In Washington, to participate in the discussion of the resolution,
a delegation of the Armenian parliament has been present since March 3.

It is composed of members of the parliamentary faction of the
Republican Party of Armenia Artak Zakarian and Koryun Nahapetyan and
head of the parliamentary faction ARF Vahan Hovhannisyan.

At the meeting there were also the survivors of genocide.

Armenian genocide (1915-1923) was the first genocide committed in
XX century.

Turkey rejects the accusation of massacres and the killing of one
and a half million Armenians during World War I.

As a result of massacres and deportations about 1.5 million people
were killed, 350 thousands of Armenians fled to the Caucasus and Europe
and 150 thousand of the 2 million Armenians were left in Turkey living
there at the beginning of XX century.

The fact of the Armenian genocide is recognized by many countries,
particularly by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, 42 of the 50 U.S.

states, as well as by the parliaments of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina,
Belgium, Wales, National Council of Switzerland, Common House of
Canada, the Seym of Poland and lower house of Italian parliament.

CENTERS OF ARMENIAN MANUSCRIPTS

rahos17050.html
16:55:09 – 04/03/2010

Today, the map of the Armenian centers of manuscripts was released in
internet at The map outlines the centers of the
Armenian culture where from 400 to 1600 years, manuscripts decorated
by colorful miniatures were created. On the map, the settlements from
where at least 10 manuscripts were saved are shown.