Author: Madatian Greg

THE HOLIDAY OF POLICEMEN CELEBRATED IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
April 18 2005

On April 16, the professional holiday of policemen was celebrated on
the official level in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

A delegation from Armenia headed by Deputy Chief of the RA Police,
General-Major Grigor Grigorian, arrived in Nagorno Karabakh for the
participation in the events.

The festive events began with the solemn formation of the policemen
in front of the NKR Police building. Then wreaths were laid to the
khachkar to the memory of 42 policemen perished during the Karabakh
war. A group of young policemen solemnly swore an oath.

A solemn sitting headed by Police Chief, General-Lieutenant Armen
Isagulov took place in the NKR Police session hall. The congratulatory
message of RA Police Chief Haik Haroutyunian to his Karabakh colleagues
was read at the sitting. Similar message on the behalf of the NKR
Police Chief was sent to the policemen of the RA Police. A number of
the republic~Rs policemen were granted special ranks.

Then, in the Central Revival Square, NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian
handed the NKR Police leadership the military flag for selfless
activity of the system members both in war and peace.

In its turn, the NKR police delegation took part in similar events
in Yerevan.

Turkish Press
April 16 2005

Tuygan: Turkish – American Ties Are Good
Published: 4/16/2005

WASHINGTON D.C. – After holding discussions with high level American
officials in Washington D.C., Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Undersecretary Ali Tuygan has stated that a mutual conclusion was
made affirming good Turkish-American ties.

Tuygan held a press conference at the Turkish Embassy in Washington.

”During our talks, we have seen that our ties are good. We have
informed our American friends about our expectations. Our discussions
were fruitful. We established an atmosphere of mutual
understanding.”

Tuygan indicated that tension in Turkish-U.S. relations is due to the
ongoing war in Iraq. ”Both sides affirmed the strong alliance and
decided to leave the past in the past…”

After asked about Iran’s nuclear program, Tuygan remarked that Turkey
supports Iran in utilizing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
”Yet the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region causes a
serious threat to regional stability.”

Tuygan stressed that recently there has been an increase in attacks
on Turkish military points by the terrorist organization PKK. ”We
have informed the U.S. officials about our concerns on the topic of
PKK, which is using north of Iraq as an heaven.”

Asked if a resolution would be presented to the U.S. congress on the
so-called Armenian genocide, Tuygan replied that, despite some
parliaments’ passage of similar resolutions, the U.S. congress is
expected not to accept such a resolution. ”If the U.S. congress
makes a decision in favor of Armenian demands, such a decision would
cause disappointment in Turkey which has had excellent cooperation
and strategic partnership with the U.S. for 50 years.”

According to Tuygan, Turkey has followed a policy of compromise with
Bulgaria, Greece and Syria in the past decade. ”We wish for
identical relations with Armenia. In the event Armenia chooses a
negative option, it would receive an appropriate response from
Turkey….”

On the topic of Iraq, Tuygan mentioned that Turkey wishes for the
territorial integrity of Iraq. ”We wish for a neighbor (Iraq) that
has a peaceful society and works hard for economic development. We
want to help the Iraqis help themselves.”

Tuygan expressed that certain statements made by the U.S. Ambassador
in Ankara Eric Edelman have become topics of discussion in the
Turkish media. ”Mr. Edelman is a diplomat for whom we have high
respect. We are deeply sad over his decision to leave Ankara. We are
confident that he will continue his good ties with Turkey in his new
assignment in Washington.”

Today, Azerbaijan
April 15 2005

Our soldiers in Armenian captivity is expected to be returned back
this week

3 Azerbaijan soldiers being in Armenian captivity currently are
expected to be returned back this week.

The information was given by the director of Social-Political
department of President’s Office Ali Hasanov.

Director of the department stated that talks for returning the
captives back are on. The talk is held between the State Commissions
of both countries on Captives, the Lost and Hostages. It must be
mentioned that, 3 Azerbaijan soldiers- Khayal Abdullayev, Hikmat
Taghiyev and Ruslan Bashirov were captivated in Hasangaya village of
Terter region on 16 February of this year.

Interfax
April 14 2005

Armenian students protest Georgian policies

YEREVAN. April 14 (Interfax) – Armenian students held a protest rally
in front of the Georgian Embassy in Yerevan on Thursday against what
they see as Georgia’s policy of assimilation of ethnic Armenians.

Arsen Balian, one of the rally organizers, told Interfax the Georgian
national policy “goes beyond the limits of common sense.”

“We ask the Georgian authorities not to yield to provocation by third
forces, because Armenia and Georgia are countries friendly to each
other,” Balian said.

The protesters said the Georgian authorities should not have used
force to disperse demonstrations held by ethnic Armenians living in
Georgia in protest against the withdrawal of the Russian bases from
Georgian territory.

At the same time, the organizers emphasized that they were not
pursuing any political ends.

The protesters handed over a letter to the Georgian Ambassador to
Armenian Giorgi Saganelidze.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
April 14, 2005 Thursday 1:05 AM Eastern Time

Russia govt to consider 4 bills, accords with Armenia, Yemen

By Natalya Slavina

MOSCOW

The government of the Russian Federation meets here Thursday to
consider four Federal bills, with the one about a Special Economic
Area in Kaliningrad Region being the main of them. A report on the
subject is to be made by Gherman Gref, Minister of Economic
Development and Trade (MEDT), a government press service official has
told Itar-Tass.

Gref is also to brief the Cabinet on another two bills. The MEDT
suggests that the government approve ratification of agreements
between Russia and Armenia, as well as the one between Russia and the
Republic of Yemen on the encouragement and mutual protection of
capital investments.

Vladimir Yakunin, Deputy Minister of Justice, is to present his
proposals on a bill about State registration of the charters of
municipal entities.

Alexander Sokolov, Minister of Culture and Mass Communication Media,
is to speak on an item concerning the allocation of resources to the
Ministry from the govenrment’s reserve fund.

The Cabinet is also expected to decide on the allocation of the
government’s reserve-fund resources for the prevention and
elimination of the aftermath of emergencies and natural calamities in
the Chechen Republic and Kaliningrad Region. Ruslan Tsalikov, Deputy
Minister for Emergencies, is to speak on the subject. The
government’s meeting is expected to be chaired by Prime Minister
Mikhail Fradkov.

Detroit Free Press
April 9, 2005, Saturday

Billionaire targeted money from GM suit for charity

By Sarah A. Webster

Kirk Kerkorian, the billionaire casino magnate who on Thursday lost
his lawsuit challenging the merger between Daimler-Benz AG and the old
Chrysler Corp., had taken steps to give away any award he might have
won in the case to charity.

Kerkorian, who Forbes magazine estimates is worth $ 8.9 billion, had
asked for as much as $ 3 billion in damages in his lawsuit, which was
filed in 2000 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

Last year, Kerkorian received a special ruling from the Internal
Revenue Service that any potential winnings in the case could go
directly to charity and not be taxed, Terry Christensen, Kerkorian’s
lawyer, said in an interview on Friday.

During a trial that ended in early 2004, DaimlerChrysler AG had
alleged Kerkorian’s motive for the lawsuit was greed. But outside the
courthouse one day, Kerkorian insisted otherwise to a throng of
journalists.

“This is not about the money,” Kerkorian said. “It’s about deceit and
fraud.”

Christensen said that Kerkorian spent “six figures” to hire a
Washington, D.C. law firm to work to get the special IRS ruling, which
was delivered on Dec. 15, 2004. Christensen said the ruling declared
that the entirety of any award could be given to a qualifying
nonprofit charity without taxation.

“That’s consistent with him saying it was about doing the right
thing,” Christensen said of his client.

DaimlerChrysler spokesman Han Tjan said the automaker had no comment
about Kerkorian’s intentions.

Kerkorian’s lawsuit had accused DaimlerChrysler CEO Juergen Schrempp,
the former chief executive officer of Daimler-Benz, of masking with
Chrysler as a “merger of equals” when it was really a takeover. The
motive behind the alleged deception, Kerkorian charged, was to avoid
paying Chrysler Corp. investors an acquisition premium.

One expert testified that the premium would have been worth an extra $
6.4 billion to Chrysler investors, including $ 856 million more for
Kerkorian.

Kerkorian, who was the largest Chrysler shareholder at the time of the
deal, has said he never would have voted the shares owned by his
company, Tracinda Corp. , in favor of the merger, or encouraged other
investors to go along, had he known the German executives planned to
take control of the company.

On Thursday, Judge Joseph Farnan Jr. ruled in favor of DaimlerChrysler
on all counts. He said the automaker followed the terms of the deal
that it laid out for investors at the time of the merger.

Christensen said he was not certain to which charity Kerkorian had
planned to donate.

Kerkorian is a well-known philantropist. In 1989, he founded the Lincy
Foundation — which, like his corporation, is named after his
daughters Linda and Tracy.

The Lincy Foundation is a private non-profit foundation based in
Beverly Hills, according to the California Secretary of State’s
office. It makes contributions to other nonprofit organizations that
support humanitarian efforts around the world, especially in Armenia.
Kerkorian is Armenian.

The foundation’s president is listed as James Aljian, a longtime
Kerkorian insider.

Aljian had served on the old Chrysler Corp. board, as a representative
of Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corp. at the time of the merger. He was later
a member of DaimlerChrysler’s shareholder committee.

Because of Aljian, Kerkorian was privy to intimate details of the
negotiations between Daimler and Chrysler, and Judge Farnan referred
to that fact in his opinion as a reason why Kerkorian was fully
informed about the terms of the deal and not duped, as he had alleged
in the case.

“As a member of the Chrysler board of directors,” Farnan wrote,
“Aljian was briefed on discussions between Schrempp and Eaton …
Aljian kept Tracinda apprised of developments regarding the merger.”

Aljian was not in the Lincy offices on Friday afternoon and could not
be reached for comment.

Christensen said Kerkorian is disappointed with the court’s Thursday
ruling in favor of DaimlerChrysler but is still considering whether to
appeal.

Itar-Tass
TASS
April 14 2005

Armenia says no proposals from Turkey on genocide commission

YEREVAN, April 14 (Itar-Tass) – Armenian government did not receive
any proposals from Turkey on setting up a bilateral expert commission
to study the facts of genocide of ethnic Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire in 1915, said Victor Sogomonian, the press secretary of
Armenia’s President.

`The presidential administration staff did not get any letters to
that effect from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,’
Sogomonian said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdulla Gul said in the national parliament
Wednesday that Erdogan had sent a letter to President Robert
Kocharian containing a proposal to set up a commission that would
study the facts of extermination of ethnic Armenians in 1915.

He also said Turkey was ready to hold talks with Armenia on the
personalities to work on the commission and the methodology of their
activity.

Ankara believes this might help normalize relations between the two
neighboring countries.

The problem of Armenians genocide is the stumbling block in the
progress of relations between Turkey and Armenia that do not have
even diplomatic relations.

Armenia puts international recognition of genocide on the list of its
foreign policy priorities. Turkey denies those facts.

The campaign of carnage against the Armenians who lived in the
Ottoman Empire resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million people.

Lowell Sun, Masssachussettes
April 11 2005

Events slated to remember 90th anniversary of Armenian Genocide
The Lowell Sun

LOWELL — The Patrick J. Mogan Cultural Center will host dozens of
events this spring and summer to commemorate the 90th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. From 1915 to 1923, 1.5 million Armenians were
killed at the hands of the Turkish government and thousands more were
displaced., The commemoration began April 3 with an opening-day
reception at the cultural center, 40 French St.

Other events are:

* Thursday, April 14, 7 p.m., Mogan Center: Public forum on the
genocide moderated by Levon Chorbajian of UMass
Lowell. The forum includes Henry Therault of Worcester State College
on `Status of the Armenians in the Eyes of the Perpetrator,’ and
Dikran Kaligian of Westfield State College on `Reversing Historical
Revisionism and Denial in the Mass Media.’

* Sunday, April 17, 3 p.m., North Andover High School: Memorial
Service by area Armenian churches. Local survivors to be honored.

* Wednesday, April 20: Capitol Hill observance and visit to
congressional offices in Washington, D.C. Contact Joe Dagdigan for
details at 978-772-9417.

* Saturday, April 23, 10 a.m.: Annual procession and raising of the
Armenian flag at Lowell City Hall. Procession starts at the corner of
John and Merrimack streets. Reception to follow at the Mogan Center.

* Sunday, April 24: New York City Times Square Armenian genocide
observance and memorial service at St. Patrick Cathedral. Contact the
local Armenian Church for details.

* Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15, 1:30 to 3 p.m.: Walking tour,
`This Was Our Neighborhood,’ conducted by Alan Manoian of the Nashua
Conservation Commission. Starts at historic St. Vartanantz Armenian
Church, 60 Lawrence St.

* Tuesday, May 17, 7 p.m.: Fellowship evening, men’s clubs from area
Armenian churches. Buffet dinner at the Mogan Center. Lecture by
Mehmed Ali on `The Other Side of Genocide — The Turkish Community of
Lowell.’

* Thursday, May 19, 7 p.m., Mogan Center: Public Forum, `Issues in
Comparative Genocide,’ moderated by Levon Chorbajian. Featured
lectures are Henry Theriault on `Comparing Genocide Denials’; George
Chigas of UMass Lowell on `Is There an Effective Response to the
Genocide? The example of Cambodia’; and Adam Strom on `Why Teach
about Genocide.’

Additionally, the Mogan Center is showcasing paintings by Chelmsford
artist Danial Varoujan Nejinian; historical photos from Project SAVE
and photos of local genocide survivors contributed by Alan Manoian;
and documents, artifacts and photos from the Armenian Library and
Museum in Watertown.

The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays
through Fridays, Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

For more information, call Aram Jeknavorian at 603-883-0535.

RA CB UNDERTAKES HISTORY EXHIBITIONS DEDICATED TO NATIONAL CURRENCY IN
MARZES

VANADZOR, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition dedicated to the
history of the Armenian national currency which also represents
activities of the RA Central Bank was opened in Vanadzor on April
9. As Tigran Sargsian, the Chairman of the RA Central Bank mentioned
at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, it was the first time such
an exhibition was organized outside Yerevan. According to him,
investigations showed that the society does not yet value important
components of independence including the national currency. In the CB
President’s opinion, it is particularly caused by the circumstance
that the stage of stabilization of the state system, which is combined
with economic and social problems, is still going on. Population is
concentrated on their solution and does not pay attention to those
important historic events which he participates in. According to
T.Sargsian, few people saw importance of the national currency at the
initial stage of its circulation, the currency was losing its value
with every passing day which was caused with the distrust towards
it. But time showed that the dram became stable and valued against
foreign currency.

Armenia has no territorial claims on Turkey –
president

Interfax News Agency
April 11, 2005

YEREVAN. April 11 (Interfax) – Armenia has no territorial claims on
Turkey, its President Robert Kocharian told students and faculty of
Yerevan State University on Monday.

“No Armenian state structures have made any territorial claims against
Turkey,” he said.

“A campaign for international recognition of the genocide against
Armenians is one of the tasks on our foreign policy agenda,” Kocharian
said.

At the same time, he noted that Armenia’s expectations about
international recognition of the genocide should not be “too far from
reality,” or people may be disappointed.