Author: Karapetian Hovik

BAKO SAHAKYAN’S ADDRESS TO COMMEMORATE GENOCIDE VICTIMS

Panorama.am
24/04/2010

On 24 April President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan sent
an address in connection with the 1915 Genocide victim day, Artsakh
President’s press service reported.

The address runs as follows: "Dear compatriots, 95 years ago
a monstrous and unprecedented crime, the Armenian Genocide, was
committed. It was the first genocide of the 20th century; millions of
Armenians fall a victim to this, thousands of Armenian churches and
monasteries, schools and colleges were plundered, a unique civilization
was destroyed. The Armenian nation was deprived from the great part
of its historical Motherland and spread all over the world.

For our people these 95 years have been the years of struggle and
creation, survival and restoration of historical justice. However,
we have not been alone in this struggle; the progressive mankind
has been standing side by side with us. We are grateful to all those
who gave a helping hand and shelter to the refugee Armenians having
escaped from slaughter.

Many countries have recognized and condemned the Genocide. It is
important both for us and the whole mankind because in this way future
massacres could be prevented and excluded. Impunity is an evil in
itself generating new crimes. The Jewish Holocaust organized by the
Nazis, Armenian pogroms in Sumgait, Baku and a number of other crimes
are just a few testimonies of that.

Dear friends, Today be bow our heads to the memory of innocent
victims of the Genocide. The best way to immortalize their memory is
to build independent and powerful statehood, to further strengthen
the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity realizing nationwide programs
and goals. Every single Armenian must do everything possible to make
our Motherland powerful and invincible, flourishing and prosperous".

MEMORY PARK HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN THE TERRITORY NEAR THE GENOCIDE MUSEUM-INSTITUTE

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 22, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS: Memory Park has been established
today in the territory near the Genocide Museum-Institute of the
National Academy of Sciences: 95 tree seedlings brought from different
settlements of Armenia have been planted. The event has been initiated
by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets,
Genocide Museum-Institute and "VivaCell-MTS" company. The event is
dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The tree-plants were blessed by the Archbishop Navasard Ktchoyan
after which with the participation of cultural and art figures,
diplomats the trees were planted and ribbons on which "I remember"
is written have been fixed on the trees.

"The Tsitsernakaberd memorial with its territory is not only a unique
holy place but one of the important green zones of our country. With
this nature protection event we are trying to keep bright the memory
of our innocent compatriots," the director of the foundation Ruben
Khachatryan said.

Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan said
that April 22 is marked in the world as an earth day which in Armenia
is celebrated with the tree planting.

RA SAMBO MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP IN GYUMRI

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 23, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: Sambo Men’s Championship of the
Republic of Armenia will be held April 25 in Gymri. An official from
RA Sambo Federation told Armenpress that the best sambo practitioners
of the republic of 9 weight categories will compete for achieving the
title of the champion. The list of the participants of the European
Championship, which is expected to be held May 13-17 in Minsk, will
be made according to the results of the above mentioned championship
in Gyumri.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS DECREES TO HALT PROTOCOLS RATIFICATION PROCESS

/ARKA/
April 22, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, April 22. /ARKA/. Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan decreed
today to halt the process of ratification of two Turkish-Armenian
protocols in parliament on normalizing relations with Turkey, the
presidential press office reported.

The two protocols on establishment of diplomatic relations between
Turkey and Armenia and normalization of relations were signed October
10, 2009 in Zurich, Switzerland. The president assigned foreign
minister of Armenia to notify Turkey about halting the ratification
process, the press service said.

SUSPENSION OF PROTOCOLS A WELCOME, YET INCOMPLETE MOVE

Armenian Weekly Staff
Fri, Apr 23 2010

On April 22, President Serge Sarkisian made a televised announcement on
the process of normalization between Armenia and Turkey. The president
said that Turkey was not ready for the normalization process, that the
preconditions set forth by Turkey were unacceptable, and that "the
pointless efforts of making the dialogue between Armenia and Turkey
an end in itself" were also unacceptable. He stated, however, that
Armenia will not exit the process, but will suspend the ratification
of the protocols.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation has reason to approach this
development with guarded optimism. Armenia’s decision to effectively
suspend discussions, until a change in attitude from the Turkish side,
is the most open acknowledgement to date of the dangers inherent in
this process.

This announcement also makes it clear that the voice of the Armenian
people both in Armenia and the Diaspora has undoubtedly had an effect
on the Armenian government. This is, therefore, also an opportunity
for us to redouble our efforts to make our voices fully heard.

Hopefully, the Armenian government has also learned to listen to its
people before embarking on such adventures in the future.

However, by now, it must have become abundantly clear to official
Yerevan that Ankara has no intention to normalize relations with
Armenia without preconditions, and is simply using the negotiation
process to stall genocide recognition. To steer clear of this ongoing
maneuvering by Turkey, Armenia must fully disengage from the process,
namely by rescinding its signature from the protocols.

The announcement by President Sarkisian also comes two days before
President Obama’s statement on the 95th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide. Last year, also on the eve of April 24, the roadmap to
Turkey-Armenia normalization was announced, and President Obama
refrained from using the term "genocide" citing " the efforts by
Turkey and Armenia to normalize their bilateral relations." Back then,
Obama noted that "the two governments have agreed on a framework and
roadmap for normalization. I commend this progress, and urge them to
fulfill its promise." Now that Ankara has dragged its feet for a year,
it is high time for President Obama to fulfill his promise to properly
acknowledge the Armenian genocide pave the way for an honest and open
discourse and dialogue that does not hold history hostage.

AZERBAIJANI FM: RESOLVING OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT POSSIBLE ONLY WITHIN AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

Trend
April 22 2010
Azerbaijan

Preservation of the status quo, which occurred as a result of
occupation of the Azerbaijani territories by Armenia is unacceptable
and resolving of the conflict is possible based on norms and principles
of international law and only within the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said today
at the meeting with Emilia Muller, minister for Federal and European
Affairs of the State of Bavaria, Germany.

Muller, expressing her satisfaction with the stay in our country said
Germany is interested in developing relations with our country and that
there are opportunities in this direction. Muller said that a number
of the Bavarian companies have implemented successful projects in our
country, and her country is interested in deepening of cooperation
with Azerbaijan in economic, educational, construction, engineering
and other fields in the future. Then the German guest inquired about
the processes in the region.

In his turn, Mammadyarov said that the interest is mutual, and stressed
that he shares the idea of the importance of implementing specific
projects for further deepening of the relations.

RAJAB TAYYIP ERDOGAN: "IT RESTS WITH ARMENIA"

APA
April 22 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. "It rests with Armenia"- it was the first reaction of
Erdogan toward the decision of ruling coalition in Armenia, APA
reports quoting Haberturk.

He once more stated that no country has right to make others admit
its history by force.

Erdogan thinks that adoption of such decision 2 days before the
anniversary of so-called Armenian genocide will not affect the content
of US President Barack Obama’s speech on April 24.

Note that Armenian government coalition consisting of the Republican
Party led by President Serzh Sargsyan, Orinats Yerkir party and
Flourishing Armenia party offered to stop the process of the
ratification of the protocols signed with Turkey at the parliament.

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA WON’T OPPOSE REMOVAL OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS FROM NA AGENDA

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 22, 2010 – 14:43 AMT 09:43 GMT

Resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and normalization of
relations with Turkey top the Armenian foreign policy agenda, a
spokesman for Prosperous Armenia party said.

"On the threshold of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, the
Armenian-Turkish relations reached culmination. Turkey’s demands like
withdrawal of Armenian forces from the liberated territories or return
of two regions in exchange of opening of the border are unacceptable,"
Khachik Galstyan told journalists on April 22.

As to Karabakh peace process, he said that it’s time for Azerbaijan to
recognize independence of NKR. "Otherwise, talks will be inefficient,"
he added.

Commenting on the statement RA President Serzh Sargsyan is going to
make today, Mr. Galstyan said, "The presidential address will include
all provisions the coalition forces agreed aupon during the meeting
of the National Security Council."

He also informed that Prosperous Armenia won’t oppose removal of
Armenian-Turkish Protocols from the RA parliament’s agenda, in case
of relevant decision by the President.

Armenia Removes Protocols Signed With Turkey From Parliamentary Agenda

RIA Novosti
April 22, 2010
YEREVAN

The ruling coalition of the Armenian National Assembly said on Thursday
it would take Armenian-Turkish protocols off the parliamentary agenda,
the parliament’s press service said.

Strained relations between Armenia and Turkey began to improve on
October 10, 2009, when Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan
and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Devutoglu signed protocols on
establishing of diplomatic relations and the developing bilateral
relations at the University of Zurich.

The documents were to be ratified by both countries in order to come
into force.

The Armenian-Turkish border has been closed since 1993 on Ankara’s
initiative. Bilateral relations between the countries are complicated
by Turkey’s support of Azerbaijan’s position in the Nagorny Karabakh
problem and Turkey’s reaction to the international recognition of
the genocide of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I,
which Ankara consistently denies.

‘MEDIATORS SHOULD CONTINUE ASSISTANCE TO RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT’

news.az
April 20 2010
Azerbaijan

Michael Bennet The US in cooperation with international partners
should continue effort to assist to resolution of the Karabakh
conflict settlement.

‘We must work to settle the continuing conflict in the Nagorno
Karabakh region. This conflict killed tens of thousands of citizens
and forced hundreds of people flee their homes’, noted US Senator of
Colorado Michael Bennet in a response letter to the letter of one
of the members of the US Azerbaijanis Network to a nongovernmental
diaspora organization.

‘The United States, Russia and EU must encourage the presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue peace talks and work in the
direction of the long-term settlement’, Bennet said.

He noted that the Senate supports the US policy on the resolution
of this conflict and he will take into account the opinion regarding
this problem voiced by the activist of the Azerbaijani diaspora.