Author: Maghakian Mike

NOMINEE REFUSES TO CALL KILLINGS GENOCIDE
By Desmond Butler

Associated Press
Jun 19, 7:11 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. diplomat nominated to be ambassador to
Armenia came under intense questioning Thursday at her confirmation
hearing over the U.S. policy not to label as genocide the World War
I-era killings of huge numbers of Armenians.

Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, who blocked the Bush administration’s
previous nominee over the issue, told The Associated Press that he had
not decided whether also to block career diplomat Marie Yovanovitch.

Menendez questioned Yovanovitch in prosecutorial style during a hearing
of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the facts surrounding
the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. Yovanovitch, current
ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, explained administration policy,
but would not comment whether she believed genocide had occurred.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed,
an event widely viewed by genocide scholars as the first genocide of
the 20th century. Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide,
saying the toll has been inflated, and that those killed were victims
of civil war and unrest.

"It is a shame that career foreign service officers have to be
brought before the committee and find difficulty in acknowledging
historical facts," Menendez said. "It is a ridiculous dance that the
administration is doing over the use of the term genocide."

The administration has warned that even a congressional debate on
the genocide question could damage relations with Turkey, a moderate
Muslim nation that is a NATO member and an important strategic ally.

In August, the White House withdrew its nomination of career diplomat
Richard Hoagland after Menendez held up his confirmation through a
Senate procedure.

Hoagland’s predecessor, John Evans, reportedly had his tour of duty in
Armenia cut short by the administration because, in a social setting,
he referred to the killings as genocide.

FOUR MORE CENTERS OF AARHUS ENVISAGED TO OPEN IN ARMENIA THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 18, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The National Environmental Protection
Conference held in Yerevan on June 18 was dedicated to the assessment
of the implementation of the Aarhus Convention of the UN Economic
Commission of Europe in Armenia, the progess and relevation of
the existing challenges, as well as the discussion of the further
distinct stategy. It was initiated by the RA Ministry of Environmental
Protection together with the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

As Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the Office, mentioned,
the Aarhus Convention is an important link between the protection of
human rights and surroundings, as availability of information is an
important factor for the democratic development of society and the
whole country. "I am sure that real achievements can be made only
through united forces and cooperation of all the interested parties:
state, regional and civil society and international community." he
said.

S. Kapinos mentioned that at present 10 centers of Public Environmental
Protection Information of Aarhus are functioning in Armenia. He stated
that four more centers are envisaged to open this year in Stepanavan,
Eghegnadzor, Eghvard and Aparan.

Simon Papian, the RA Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection,
expressed hope that the discussions related to environmental protection
and government problems will have a positive impact on making society
aware of the commitments of Armenia concerning the Aarhus Convention.

IMPRISONED AZERBAIJANI OFFICER IN HUNGARY DOES NOT COMPLAINT OF HIS RIGHTS INFRINGEMENT – HUNGARIAN OMBUDSMAN

Trend News Agency
June 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 June /Trend News corr S. Agayeva/ Azerbaijani
officer imprisoned in Hungary Ramil Safarov is constantly under the
close attention of the Hungarian Ombudsman Institute.

"We always keep a control on the situation related to the protection
of rights of the Azerbaijani officer. So far, no one has yet received
any single complaint from him regarding infringement of his rights
in prison," Hungarian Ombudsman Atilla Peter said to journalists in
Baku on 18 June.

Ramil Safarov was imprisoned by the Budapest Court for murder of an
Armenian officer in February 2004. He was basically provoked by the
mocking statements of Armenian officers – students of NATO courses in
which Safarov also participated – against him and another Azerbaijani
serviceman.

Azerbaijan is going to raise the issue on extradition of Safarov to
his own country.

BUYING WATER FOR 7.5 AMD

A1+
[02:10 pm] 17 June, 2008

The 300 residents of the village of Deghdzavan situated near the
border of Georgia have been buying water since 2004. The peasants
used to buy it for 6 AMD a liter but after the increase of fuel costs
Deghdzavan has to pay 7.5 AMD for a liter.

The problem of water has resulted in emigration from the
village. Governor of the village Rubik Hovhannissian hopes that
"Hayjrmughkoyughi" CJSC will restore the construction of a water-pipe
from Stepanavan to Noyemberyan. However, the company will have to
install another water-pipe of 8 km from the main pipe to Deghdzavan,
since the old one is badly damaged.

SARGSYAN TO TOLERATE OPPOSITION MEETINGS

Interfax News Agency
June 17 2008
Russia

Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan says an opposition meeting scheduled
for June 20 represents no threat.Everything will be peaceful, and
there is nothing unusual in holding a meeting on June 20, he told
Armenian TV.

This country has always seen mass rallies, and I have repeatedly
stated that I will defend the right of citizens to express their will.

For example, our citizens freely express their opinions on TV and in
the press, he said.

If mass events go beyond the law, the police are fully responsible
for dealing with this. Nobody has the right to conceal his criminal
intentions under a democratic slogan. All offenses against the law
and order should be strictly suppressed. Strictly, but not brutally,
he said.

There is no point of holding an early parliamentary election, he
said. Only in a case where 100% of the population votes in the
election, and one party garners 100% of the vote, are there no
malcontents. All of us realize that it is impossible, Armenian TV
channels quoted Sargsyan as saying.

The winners ought to realize that there are those who have lost,
and the contented people ought to realize that there are malcontents,
he said.

Sargsyan advised the opposition to abide by the law.

MINISTRY OF DIASPORA: NEW VISIONS
By Shahan Kandaharian

Aztag Daily
June 13 2008
Lebanon

We received official news that the government of Armenia has proposed
the creation of Ministry of Diaspora.

At the time when the cadre of the present government was completed, we
were surprised to notice that the Ministry of Diaspora was missing. We
avoided drawing conclusions instantly or questioning the pre-election
promises.

The news announced the start of the procedure. The Parliament has
to confirm the draft presented by the government, after which, as
it is expected, a new ministry is included in the government and our
country will have a Minister of Diaspora.

At present, the functions of such a ministry are not
simple. Undoubtedly the file sent by the government specifies and
classifies the necessary topics and subtopics. A few days ago the
American "Associated Press" News Agency had posted a report about
the count of the Armenian people. According to the news agency 5.7
million Armenians live outside of Armenia, distributed as follows:
two million Armenians living in Russia, 1.4 million in the United
States and 450 thousand in France.

The classical picture of the Diaspora is changed today. If Diaspora
means the abroad, then the largest Diaspora community obviously
is the Russian-Armenian community. However, in that overall count
it’s not possible to dissect and know what proportion constitute
the permanent immigrants, what part of it is the old traditional
community and, finally, what proportion constitute those who migrated
lately looking for a job. The 1.4 million American-Armenian community
also includes a large portion of immigrants from Armenia. Although
not stated officially, figures show that a considerable number of
Armenian immigrants have settled in Eastern Europe at large, as well
as in Spain and Greece.

Moreover, in a pure state-understanding, the Diaspora also includes the
Georgian-Armenians, the Turkish-Armenians of Istambul as well as the
considerable number of Armenians who have moved there (and probably
still moving). We should at least have the chance of questioning:
are the latent Armenians, the Armenian speaking Hamshen Armenians
and the Armenians who have turned Islam, included in the Diaspora
concept. In that case the "Associated Press" News Agency will have
made a very sordid assessment…

Yes, the concept of the Diaspora is changed. There is the necessity
of finding a new guideline for approaching the Diaspora problems,
for arranging the relationship between Armenia and the Diaspora and
for extending cultural-educational functions between them. It’s not
by chance that both issues of citizenship and the establishment of
the Diaspora Ministry are proceeding hand in hand with a harmonious
rhythm. The large part of the above mentioned numbers, the members of
the new Diaspora, will be able to restore their Armenian citizenship
by the new citizenship law. The classical Diaspora, in its turn,
will be able to get its Armenian citizenship along with its current
one. It turns out that the classical understanding of the Diaspora
attains a new dimension and space, and we hope that the citizens of
Armenia will be granted a new count.

The cultivation of a policy of this volume must be done with a
representation in line with the suggested inclusiveness. In other
words, the state must come up with a discussion and guidelines
cultivating mechanism, where both the state and the classical and
the new Diasporas are represented. The cultivation of a new policy
for the Diaspora issues is presented with its pan-Armenian essence,
dimension and acute urgency. In this context we will have the chance
to further discuss the necessity of the adoption of strategies by
the Armenian Diaspora on the following issues: the formation of the
Turkish-Azerbeijani Diaspora, politicizing and extending political
propaganda functions as well as controlling and neutralizing the
latest inter-state initiatives.

This guideline is multi-faceted and has many perspectives. Sound and
objective preparation is more than necessary; also, the inclusion of
the Diaspora along with the state of Armenia.

DR. LUSINE SAHAKYAN TO PRESENT " THE EPIC NOVEL ABOUT GENERAL ANDRANIK"

KarabakhOpen
12-06-2008 16:13:57

The general public is cordially invited to a lecture and discussion
on " The Epic Novel about General Andranik " by Lusine Sahakyan,
Associate Professor of Turkish Studies and Director of the Center
for Ottoman studies at the Yerevan State University .

Lusine Sahakyan’s editorial efforts culminate in presenting the reader
with a work that was originally recorded and revised in 1960s-1980s
by a survivor of Western Armenia dialectologist-ethnographer Suren
Sahakyan as the " Story about Andranik " epic novel. This folk story
is a unique example of an epic created in 19’th-20’th centuries,
a wonderful product of Armenian collective thought, manifesting an
attitude towards a heroic and a national liberation struggle. The epic
novel is comprehensive equivalent of national hero’s life achievements.

This very special event will take place on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at
7:00 p.m. at Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St., Glendale,
CA. The event is open to the public and admission is free.

GOVERNMENT TO CONVENE THIS YEAR THREE SESSIONS OUTSIDE YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
June 11, 2008

The government of Armenia will convene this year three sessions
outside Yerevan. Vice Prime Minister Armen Gevorkian, who is also
territorial minister, said today the first is scheduled for June 12
in Gyumri, the capital of northwestern province of Shirak, the second
will take place in Vayots Dzor in September and the third in December
in Aragatsotn province.

According to Armen Gevorkian, these sessions will be convened outside
Yerevan so that government members have an opportunity to learn about
each province’s problems on the ground, to adopt strategic programs
and concepts for their resolution.

He said the idea is to give also a boost to mitigating disproportional
economic development of Armenian regions. He said a government session
will be held every quarter in the provinces in 2009-2012.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARKISIAN VISITS KOMITAS PANTHEON TO REMEMBER LATE PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARIAN

RMENPRESS
June 12, 2008

Today is former prime Minster Andranik Margarian’s birthday. He died
of a heart attack on March 25, 2007.

Today President Serzh Sarkisian, Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian
and other officials visited Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan where Andranik
Margarian is laid to rest to remember the late prime minister who
would have become 57 today.

Members of Andranik Margarian’s family, his fellows from the
Republican Party, parliament members, army officers and veterans of
Nagorno-Karabakh came to pay tribute to Andranik Margarian.

President Sarkisian laid flowers at Margarian’s grave and stood in
silence for one minute to remember the late prime minister. Then he
approached Andranik Margarian’s widow to say words of consolation.

University Director’s Project Earns ENERGY GLOBE Award

An Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) administrator’s
novel scheme for replenishing forests in the Republic of Armenia while
simultaneously fighting poverty in the former Soviet Union, is one of the
world’s best environmental projects.

Newswise Science News (Source: Indiana University-Purdue University
Indianapolis, May 29, 2008)-An IUPUI administrator’s novel scheme for
replenishing forests in the Republic of Armenia while simultaneously
fighting poverty in the former Soviet Union, is one of the world’s best
environmental projects.

The Backyard Nursery Project, designed and initiated in Armenia by Ian
McIntosh, Ph.D., is the recipient of a national ENERGY GLOBE Award for
Sustainability. The award-winning project involves the creation of
micro-businesses – backyard tree nurseries – to meet reforestation needs,
combat deforestation by reducing reliance on trees for fuel, and boost
income among some of Armenia’s poorest citizens.

>From 2002-2004, McIntosh, now IUPUI’s director of international
partnerships, served in Armenia as deputy country director of the
Yerevan-based Armenia Tree Project. There – along with forester George
Nercessian – McIntosh, an applied anthropologist, spearheaded the Backyard
Nursery Project.

ENERGY GLOBE Awards recognize extraordinary environmental projects that
conserve and protect resources or use renewable energy. An international
winner is chosen in each of five categories: water, earth, fire, air and
youth. National award winners are the best in their respective countries. A
gala ceremony honoring all ENERGY GLOBE winners took place Monday (May 26,
2008) at the Plenary Hall of the European Parliament in Brussels.

McIntosh’s project, a collaboration with villagers in Aygut in northern
Armenia’s Getik River valley, has involved the creation of more than 400
backyard tree nurseries and the planting of more than one million trees in
Armenia’s denuded forests.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union and the outbreak of war with
Azerbaijan, Armenia’s oil and natural gas supplies were slashed. The
country’s forests took a major blow as citizens turned to trees as a source
for heating and cooking fuel.

"So rapid was the loss of tree cover when the oil and gas supplies from
Azerbaijan were cut that Armenia was facing desertification within 20
years," McIntosh said. "And with the loss of trees came the loss of top
soil, the spoiling of rivers and other fresh water supplies, and erosion on
a massive scale, threatening to destroy the infrastructure – roads, train
lines, even whole towns – of the young Armenian nation."

The Aygut villagers, victims of ethnic cleansing during the war with
Azerbaijan over the contested province of Nagorno Karabakh, were contracted
to grow trees in the tiny fertile spaces they had available in their
backyards. The families involved, some of the nation’s poorest, have doubled
their annual income through the program.

"It was no easy decision for them," McIntosh said. "How much land could they
spare to grow trees for monetary reward, and how much land was essential for
the growing of precious food to last them through the long Armenian winter?"

Although many households initially were not prepared to take the risk, the
model has proven to be very successful. A number of other Getik River valley
villages as well as villages elsewhere in the Caucasus have adopted the
project.

Officials of Armenian Tree Project accepted the ENERGY GLOBE award during
Monday’s gala which was broadcast around the world.

For additional details on the awards, visit
ward

C 2008 Newswise. All Rights Reserved.

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