Author: Khoyetsian Rose

MATENADARAN MUST NOT LOSE ITS EXCLUSIVE COPYRIGHT

AZG Armenian Daily #074, 21/04/2007

As it was predicted, the discussion of the agreement signed between
the Matenadaran Ancient Manuscripts Museum Instutute, Armenia,
and the St. John "Hill" Museum-Library of Manuscripts, USA, at the
Armenia National Science Academy was full of emotion and polarized
contradiction. One part of the Armenian scientists, supporting
the agreement, were advocating the idea of having digital copy of
the Matenadaran archives, the other perceived the ruin of Armenian
culture heritage and historical science in exporting the copies of
the archive to a foreign state.

President of the Academy Sen Arevshatian, who tried to balance between
the arguing groups, in his speech noted that the argument would not
be so furious if the Armenian public were previously warned about
its endorsement.

The most of the discussion’s participants were first of all interested
in the juristic aspects of the agreement, and eager to be sure that
Matenadaran’s copyright is ensured by it.

Mr. Arevshatian informed the members of the Academy that it was a
preliminary agreement, after which three more agreements – scientific,
financial and technical, are to be signed and examined by a group
of experts.

Garegin Chuqaszian noted that nobody doubts that the Matenadaran
administration was honest in signing that agreement. He added that the
implementation of the agreement will involve also experts of IT sphere,
and that the IBM corporation is to undertake the preparation of the
digital copies of the Matenadaran’s manuscripts. Mr. Banuchian stated
that the Culture and Education Ministry on behalf of the Government
of the Republic of Armenia has approved the agreement.

Matenadaran’s administration in its turn stated that the manuscripts
stored at the institute bear no information that can by any means harm
Armenia’s international status and that they are free for publication
worldwide.

The Academy came to conclusion that a commission of experts must be
establish ion order to elaborate certain details of the agreement,
insuring perseverance of Armenian national interest.

By R. Poghosian

IT IS STILL EARLY TO GIVE FINAL ESTIMATE TO RESULTS OF BELGRADE MEETING, RA FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 20 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN. "The Belgrade meeting was a normal
meeting which was held in a rather calm conditions." Vartan Oskanian,
the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia stated about it at the
April 20 press conference, estimating his meeting with the Minister
of Foreign Affairs recently taken place in Belgrade.

The Minister at the same time mentioned that it is still early to give
a final estimate to that meeting as the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen
"presented their ideas concerning the principles involved in the
negotiation document."

Those, in V. Oskanian’s words, were not agreed yet and were presented
to discussion of the two countries’ Presidents. The Minister mentioned
that only after the Presidents present their position, it will be
clear if "we move forward or do not."

In V. Oskanian’s words, it is supposed that before the parliamentary
elections in Armenia, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen will separately
meet with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. And after
the elections, probably, the Co-Chairmen will visit the region in order
"to discuss the problems in a more detailed way as well as to affirm
the next meeting of the two countries’ Presidents.

As for the statement recently made by him about the issue that "the
conflict sides have never been so close to the conflict solution,"
V. Oskanian mentioned that it must be observed in comparison with the
previous negotiation materials. In his words, the document relating
to the conflict settlement which is being discussed at present is
more realistic as if compared with the previous ones in the sense of
adoption of the sides as it is more balanced and a correct balancing
among different principles exists in that document. "If we compare
with the previous agreements, the agreed issues make the overwhelming
degree in the present document, some issues remain not agreed,"
V. Oskanian said.

TURKEY DENOUNCES GRISLY MURDERS, CHRISTIANS DECRY ‘WITCH HUNT’

Turkish Press
April 19 2007

A Turkish man walks through Malatya. Turkey has condemned the gruesome
murder of three people at a Christian publishing house, as church
leaders warned of a "witch hunt" against their tiny minority in this
largely Muslim nation.

(AFP/File)

Turkey on Thursday condemned the gruesome murder of three people at a
Christian publishing house, as church leaders warned of a "witch hunt"
against their tiny minority in this largely Muslim nation.

Police detained 10 people over Wednesday’s attack in this conservative
eastern city in which three people, among them a German, were tied
to chairs and had their throats slit.

"This is an attack against Turkey’s stability, peace and tradition
of tolerance," Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in Ankara, as he
voiced concern for the country’s image abroad.

"There have been similar attacks in the past… We will certainly
take stricter measures," he added.

Turkey is under pressure to guarantee the protection and freedom of
non-Muslim minorities as part of its efforts to join the European
Union.

The Zivre (Summit) publishing house, which distributes bibles and
publishes Christian literature, had previously been the target of
protests by nationalists, media reports said.

In remarks to the Italian daily La Stampa, the papal envoy to Turkey
linked the killings to upcoming presidential elections, noting the
"presence of well-known fanatical, ultra-nationalist groups."

"Events like this have already happened during electoral campaigns,"
Monsignor Antonio Lucibello said.

Pope Benedict XVI made a landmark visit to Turkey in November — his
first to a Muslim country — during which he stressed that respect
for religious freedom must be a criterion for EU membership.

Ambassadors from the 27 EU member countries met in Istanbul on
Thursday, after which the envoy from Germany, which currently holds
the rotating EU presidency urged Ankara to take measures to protect
religious freedoms.

"We see the murders as an attack not only against individuals,
but also against the principles of freedom and tolerance," German
Ambassador Eckhart Cuntz said.

Turkish newspapers said all those arrested at the scene were carrying
copies of a letter that read: "We did it for our country. They are
trying to take our country away, take our religion away."

Protestant leaders here spoke of a growing intolerance towards
Christians, which they said was being fuelled by politicians and
the media.

"Today in Turkey, there is a missionary hunt, just like the witch
hunts of medieval times," Ihsan Ozbek, a leader of the Alliance of
Protestant Churches in Turkey, said.

"Turkey is facing dangers and threats unprecedented in its history.

The fact is that Turkey has become a place of unprecedented intolerance
and rejection," he said.

Speaking to reporters in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, European
Parliament member Joost Lagendijk said the killings would send Europe
a negative message.

"Europe will perceive the killings to mean that those who attempt to
seek converts to other faiths in Turkey will face a similar fate,"
Lagendijk said. "It is very important for the government to appeal
for the acceptance of different religions and ethnic backgrounds."

The dead were identified as German Tilman Geske and Turkish nationals
Ugur Yuksel and Necati Aydin, the pastor of Malatya’s 30-strong
Protestant community.

Proselytizing is not banned but generally viewed with suspicion in
Turkey, whose population is 99 percent Muslim; small Greek Othodox,
Catholic, Armenian and Jewish communities are concentrated mainly
in Istanbul.

The Protestant community consists of some 3,200 people, Ozbek said.

In February 2006, Italian Catholic priest Andrea Santoro was shot
dead as he prayed in his church in the northern city of Trabzon. A
teenager was convicted of the murder and jailed for nearly 19 years.

In January, journalist Hrant Dink, a prominent member of Turkey’s
Armenian community, was gunned down in an Istanbul street. A
17-year-old, detained along with 11 other suspected ultra-nationalists,
confessed to the killing.

PAPAL ENVOY LINKS MURDERS AT CHRISTIAN BOOK PUBLISHER TO ELECTIONS

Agence France Presse — English
April 19, 2007 Thursday

The papal envoy to Turkey has linked the grisly murders of three
men at a Christian Turkish publishing house to upcoming presidential
elections in the country, a press report said Thursday.

"Events like this have already happened during electoral campaigns,"
Monsignor Antonio Lucibello told the Italian daily La Stampa.

The papal nuncio linked the murders to Saturday’s protest in Ankara,
when half a million people demonstrated against any presidential bid
by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan’s critics fear he would seek to Islamicise Turkey if elected.

He announced Wednesday that he would announce his party’s nomination
for upcoming presidential elections next week.

Outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a staunch secularist, must
step down on May 16.

Three men including a German had their throats slit Wednesday in the
eastern Turkish city of Malatya at the Zirve (Summit) publishing house,
which distributes bibles and Christian literature. The publishers
had already received threats.

Police have taken ten people into custody over the killings, which
shocked the mainly Muslim country and fuelled fears among Turkey’s
tiny Christian community.

Lucibello noted the "presence of well-known fanatical,
ultra-nationalist groups" in Turkey, but he urged against generalising
because "Turkish society has very different positions … from those
of the fanatics."

Christians of various denominations including Syriac, Armenian,
Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic or their places of worship have
come under attack in the past.

A.R.F. Shant Student Association
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 306
Glendale, California 91206
Tel: 818-462-3006
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE
April 18, 2007

PASADENA, CA – This year’s "Youth Rally for Recognition" will be held
on Friday, April 20th, 2007 at 7:30pm at the Pasadena Armenian Center
location on 740 E. Washington Boulevard. The event, which has become
an annual tradition, is hosted by Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Shant Student Association (ARF SSA) with the sponsorship of the
Armenian Youth Federation Western United States (AYF).

The evening’s program will be comprised of rallying speeches by
renowned guests, performances by revolutionary and patriotic singers,
and presentations of never-seen-before videos about the Armenian
Genocide.

Past guests at the annual "Youth Rally for Recognition" have included
such notable persons as Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,
Congressman Brad Schiff, writer Samantha Power, founder of Alternative
Radio David Barsamian, and others.

The "Youth Rally for Recognition" is now more important than ever
especially as the U.S. Congress considers a resolution that would
recognize the Armenian Genocide. It is imperative to show our
government that Armenian-American youth are organized, energized, and
mobilized to demand immediate passage of this resolution.

Guests may R.S.V.P. for the Rally and reserve a free Rally T-Shirt by
visiting ARF Shant’s website located at

The mission of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation "Shant" Student
Association (ARF Shant) is to bring a higher level of political and
cultural awareness to Armenian students within American Universities
and institutions of higher learning. The ARF Shant’s goal is to work
side by side with the Armenian Student Associations and other Armenian
Student organizations to further the Armenian Cause.

WE ALL MUST BE SCREAMERS, SYSTEM OF A DOWN SAYS

Panorama.am
18:12 17/04/2007

The premier of "Screamers", a documentary shot by American Armenian
Carla Karapetyan, will take place today. The film is dedicated to the
genocide. Famous System of a Down rock group is shot in the film. The
group calls to recognize 1915 Armenian Genocide up to day rejected
by Turkey and USA. "I think we all must be screamers," Serzh Tangyan,
member of System of a Down group says at the end of the film.

‘INGO ARMENIA’ ESTABLISHES A SCHOOL TO TRAIN SPECIALISTS IN SPHERE OF INSURANCE

Arminfo
2007-04-16 18:59:00

"Ingo Armenia", one of the leading insurance companies of Armenia,
has established a school in the company to train specialists in the
insurance sphere.

The director of the company, Levon Altounyan, told ArmInfo that
qualified specialists will train insurance agents. Students of
core faculties will attend the course. By means of the course
the company raises the level of training to the extent that the
attendants can pass an examination in the Central Bank as agents,
L.Altounyan noted. The need in agents is currently ranging from 50 to
100 per each insurance company, as for the market’s need in general,
it is unlimited. Therefore, the top management of the "Ingo Armenia"
intends to establish a permanent process of training. Besides, the
formation of the school in the company is one of the elements of its
recruiting policy.

Assessing the level of the professional training of the "Ingo
Armenia" personnel, L.Altounyan referred to the positive opinion of
the company’s clients and partners. However, the leadership of the
company considers that the personnel still needs to pass a long way
of perfection to become the absolute leader of the Armenian insurance
market.

To note, 75% of shares of "Ingo Armenia" belong to "Ingosstrakh",
the largest Russian insurance company. At the moment, "Ingo Armenia"
is effecting insurance of property, cargoes, vehicles, liabilities,
as well as tourist, medical and accident insurance. The reinsurance of
the company’s agreements is made by such large international insurance
companies as Munich Re Group (Germany), LLOYD’S (England), Zurich Re
Group (Switzerland), and Scor Group (France).

LANDS OF 27 THOUSAND HA TO BE SOWN WITH TRUCK CROPS AND MELONS IN ARMENIA THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Apr 17 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Lands of the total area of 27 thousand
ha will be sown with truck crops and melons in Armenia this year. NT
correspondent was informed from the Plant Cultivation and Seed Growing
Department of the RA Ministry of Agriculture that young tomato plants
will occupy an area of 8-9 thousand ha, while demand for high-quality
tomato seeds has grown this year.

In order to meet this demand, seeds of such tomato varieties as "Dick",
"Reed", "Elitar Pakhmurny" and greenhouse type "Florida" have already
been imported into Armenia.

Other truck crop and melon seeds to be distributed to farms are of
local production: they will be allocated by the RA Scientific Center
of Truck and Industrial Crops, the Gyumri Selection Station and by
the Sortseedvegetable companies of Akhurian and Armavir.

To recap, last year the gross croppage of vegetables amounted to 780
thousand 25 tons, with the average crop yield making 309.8 centners.

MEDIA SITUATION IMPROVING IN ARMENIA AHEAD OF POLLS – US CHARGE D’AFFAIRES

Mediamax news agency
17 Apr 07

Yerevan, 17 April: The media environment in Armenia is becoming more
balanced, US charge d’affaires Anthony Godfrey has told Mediamax.

[Passage omitted: broadcast media outlets are the main sources of
news for the most Armenians]

"It is still too early to make conclusions but I am inspired by the
Yerevan Press Club assessment which was made following monitoring
carried out a month before the start of the election campaign. The
viewpoint of [Yerevan Press Club president] Boris Navasardyan was
presented clearly: opposition candidates had a greater access to TV.

"The long-term election observer mission of the OSCE/ODIHR has its own
group of media monitors. I have been in their office and seen them
closely watching the work of TV channels. Today we can see a better
picture. We were concerned before but we will refrain from making
conclusions before we see the next interim report of the OSCE/ODIHR
mission," Godfrey said.

"I was inspired by what we saw before the election campaign and the
first days [of the election campaign]: all candidates have access to
TV, and not only to election broadcasts but also to news bulletins.

The media environment is becoming more balanced."

Commenting on the pre-election situation in Armenia, Godfrey said:
"It is still too early to give any assessment. Only one month is
left to the election, and a lot may happen during this period. We
are waiting for the next interim report of the OSCE/ODIHR observer
mission. However, I can say that the process of the registration of
candidates and political parties went quite well."

[Passage omitted: Godfrey says the registration of candidates went
smoothly]

THE MILITARY POLITICAL ASPECT OF THE VISIT OF SERGEI IVANOV TO YEREVAN
Source: Novoe Vremya (Yerevan), April 12, 2007, p. EV

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
April 16, 2007 Monday

The two-day working visit of Senior Deputy Prime Minister Sergei
Ivanov to Yerevan is remarkable in the context of the current stage
of bilateral relations.

Ivanov stated: "I believe that Armenia is our strategic partner and
this is measured not only by the military political interest."

In any case, very much was said about the military political
interests. Thus, according to Ivanov, the location of the Russian
military base in Armenia is an "element of strategic partnership"
because it provides for the security of both Armenia and Russia in
the extremely important southwestern strategic direction. In turn,
the Prime Minister of Armenia emphasized that Yerevan did not support
the creation of additional dividing lines in the region "that will
not add anything to the structure of our security." According to S.

Sarkisyan, the location of NATO bases in the South Caucasus will
not contribute to the improvement of regional security. The Armenian
Prime Minister said: "Reduction of the military presence of Russia in
the region should not lead to an automatic increase of the military
presence of any other country or organization."