Author: Maghakian Mike

Arthur Abraham: ‘was not looking at Dirrell’ feet, I was looking at
his eyes. I didn’ see if he was down

28.03.2010 16:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit a duel between the
Armenian boxer Arthur Abraham (Germany) and Andre Dirrell (USA) ended
in the second round of Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament. In
the seventh round Dirrell managed to make several blows, one of them
resulted in Abraham’ opened cut over his right eye. Realizing that he
is losing on points, Abraham sent Dirrell down in the tenth round, but
the judge considered knockdown an accidental fall. Dirrell slipped
when he was hit by a glancing blow to the chin in the corner. Abraham
hit him across the chin with a right hand and Dirrell couldn’t
continue. Referee Andy Cole disqualified Abraham for causing forbidden
blow and a victory in battle went to Dirrell. After the battle,
American boxer went to the hospital for medical examination.

`was not looking at his feet, I was looking at his eyes, ‘Abraham said
through an interpreter. `didn’ see if he was down.’If you are a
professional boxer, you look for every opportunity to knock out your
opponent. You do not wait for him to recover. But I wish Andre Dirrell
well and hope he is OK.’

But despite the defeat, Abraham leads the Super Six tournament with 3
points, thanks to knockout over Taylor (USA).

3 BILLION DID NOT SERVE THE COUNTRY

15:59:51 – 25/03/2010
hos17294.html

March 25, the former Armenian Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan dwelt on
the interview of the Armenian former president Robert Kocharyan where
the latter, speaking about the economic situation of the country, said
during his tenure it was better and the capital construction was
growing and the external debt of the country in comparison with the
GDP was cut reaching 13 percent from 46.

Hrant Bagratyan said, criticizing Robert Kocharyan, you unwittingly
become a supporter of Serge Sargsyan. He stressed that he criticizes
the economic policies of both, and is not interested in the
disagreements between them.

Bagratyan, commenting on the statement of Kocharyan on the reduction
of external debt, said that in those days, the dollar depreciated
sharply – from 580 to 300 drams per U.S. dollar. `It’s a lie, and the
trouble is that even the one, who says it, does not understand that
this is a lie’, notes Bagratyan.

With respect to capital construction during the presidency of
Kocharyan, as to its volumes it was not very different from the `dark
and cold years’, when they were building social housing, but during
Kocharyan it just became more elite. `I blame those people, and the
government and financial institutions: how can they afford to carry
out an elite building in central Yerevan costing 3 billion dollars in
the absence of demand’, wonders Hrant Bagratyan. According to him,
they bought the land under those houses on 1000-1500 dollars per
square meters and built 12-story buildings, a square meter of which
cost only 300-400 dollars, they sold the house several times more
expensive than the cost and receive 800% of profit. Moreover,
Kocharyan in such cases does not speak as a president but as a
developer.

`He has problems with implementation. He said that the government must
stimulate demand for housing’, said Bagratyan. He noted that the costs
of building were covered after the implementation of 15% of
apartments. `3 billion did not serve the needs of the state’, said
Hrant Bagratyan.

Protest At Turkish Consulate Exposes Ankara’s Inhumanity to Children
By Contributor on Mar 25th, 2010

Human Rights Activists Demand Release of Falsely Accused Minor
ish-consulate-exposes-ankaras-inhumanity-to-childr en/

RAZMIG SARKISSIAN

LOS ANGELES – A coalition of Armenian and Kurdish organizations
gathered in front of the Turkish Consulate Wednesday afternoon to
demand the release of 15 year old Berivan, a young Kurdish girl
sentenced to 8 years in prison on trumped-up charges of terrorism in
Turkey.

Organized by the United Human Rights Council (UHRC), the protest
brought together several Armenian and Kurdish youth organizations,
including the Armenian Youth Federation, the ARF Shant Student
Association, American Kurdish Information Network, and the Kurdish
American Youth Organization.

Berivan was detained last October at a pro-Kurdish rally in Turkey for
allegedly shouting slogans and throwing stones. Berivan pleaded
not-guilty, contending that she was just watching the rally on the way
to her aunt’s house.

Throughout the protest, demonstrators read excerpts from letters
Berivan has written to friends and family, detailing her countless
beatings from officers, coerced confession of guilt, and other
hardships she facesin jail. Fact sheets, bearing her picture and
story, were passed out to pedestrians while poster boards with slogans
such as, `Turkey: Stop Jailing Kids,’ were held for rush hour
commuters on the crowded Wilshire Boulevard to see.

A Turkish flag and a sign reading, `Arrest the Oppressors, Free the
Victims’ hung inside a makeshift eight-by-eight prison cage
constructed by the protesters. The cage, placed on the sidewalk for
passers-by to see, represented the plight of Berivan and the more than
2,600 minors trapped in Turkish prisons.

`They should be home, just like my kids,’ said Parwaz Qaradaghi, a
Kurdish mother who brought along her 6 year old daughter Savia and 4
year old son Ara to show support for the imprisoned youth in Turkey,
which she said should be `enjoying their youth, not sitting in jail.’

`Berivan is just a kid,’ continued Qaradaghi. `a little kid, worried
and stuck between the four walls of a jail cell. She needs to be with
her family.’

Azad Moradian, Executive Board member of the Kurdish National
Congress, condemned Turkey’s brutal practices and said that if it ever
wants to be part of the international community, `it needs to start
respecting its minorities.’ Moradian saw the demonstration as a call
for the freedom of speech and expression for Turkey’s minorities. `How
else do they expect to join the European Union?,’ he asked, alluding
to the need for Turkey to remove its restrictions on free speech.

Ralph Fertig, a long time human rights activist and professor at USC,
was also present at the event, which he saw as an `opportunity to
speak out against Turkish oppression, which began with the Armenian
genocide and continues today with the genocide against the Kurdish
people.’

Fertig, who was the demonstration’s keynote speaker, explained that he
has been a proponent of Kurdish rights in Turkey ever since he was
President of the Humanitarian Law Project (HLP) when he was asked by
Kurds to investigate their claims of oppression from Turkish Armed
Forces. He traveled to Kurdistan and developed a report detailing the
abuses he witnessed and clarified that the Kurdish protests were a
legitimate liberation movement, thus subject to protection under
international law. He presented his findings to the United Nations
Human Rights Commissions, but was met with opposition in the United
States. Fertig was charged under the US Patriot Act for supporting a
terrorist organization. He is currently appealing to the Supreme Court
to end the curtailment to his freedom of speech. His appeal was heard
this past February and he is now awaiting the court’s ruling.

`This is the beginning of a movement that will grow and grow,’ said
Fertig as he spoke at the closing ceremony about the similarities
between the American Civil Rights Movement and the Armenian and
Kurdish liberation movements. `Movements like this grow because they
have a logic, a reason, and a purpose – because they serve justice.’

Echoing these sentiments, Chairperson of the UHRC, Sanan Shirininan
stated, `This is just one example of Turkish inhumanity, just one out
of the countless others who suffer in silence at the hands of Turkish
ultra-nationalism.’

`We will keep demanding Berivan’s freedom, we will keep fighting for
the freedom of the 2,600 other children who are in prison throughout
that country and we will keep demanding justice for all minorities who
are denied their basic human rights within Turkey,’ she exclaimed.

The protest ended with the releasing of doves, which Shirinian said,
represented freedom for Berivan and all the other minors currently
detained in Turkish prisons today.

The United Human Rights Council (UHRC) is a committee of the Armenian
Youth Federation. By means of action on a grassroots level the UHRC
works toward exposing and correcting human rights violations of
governments worldwide, and aims to foster dialogue and collaboration
between peoples who share this common vision.

More photos and videos from the protest can be found on the AYF’s
Haytoug Blog, HERE.

Iranian New Year affects Armenian dram rate

26.03.2010 18:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Sharp fluctuations in the national currency of
Armenia are mainly conditioned by the influx of dollars into the
country, in particular, the influx of tourists from Iran who came to
celebrate Novruz (New Year) in Armenia, Andranik Tevanyan, head of
Political Economy Research Center told PanARMENIAN.Net.

According to him, unlike the rest of the world, the dollar rate in
Armenia is an internal process controlled by the state. At this point,
in his opinion, the dram rate is closer to the fixed rate.

Sharp fluctuations are not expected, Andranik Tevanyan said.

On March 17 at the foreign exchange market the rate of Armenian dram
to U.S. dollar exceeded the "psychological" mark and reached 400.10
dram/dollar, after which the rate of drama gradually devalued. In
recent days the situation on the foreign exchange market started to
stabilize, and today the rate is 394.62 dram/dollar.

According to the representative of RA Ministry of Economy Mekhak
Apresyan , the tourism sector recorded significant growth. "Only
within March 15-17 thousands of Iranian citizens arrived in Armenia,
at least three times more than during the same period of 2009," he
said.

ARMENIA DENIES CLINTON REMARKS ON ‘HISTORICAL COMMISSION’

/24/armenia-denies-clinton-remarks-on-%e2%80%98his torical-commission%e2%80%99/
Wed, Mar 24 2010

YEREVAN-On Tues,. March 23, the Armenian Foreign Ministry countered
earlier statements by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the
process to create a "historical commission"-as envisioned by the
Armenia-Turkey protocols-had already begun.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan said that the creation of
a historical commission cannot happen without first the ratification
of the protocols by the parliaments of Turkey and Armenia.

During an interview in Moscow and in response to a question on
whether President Barack Obama had abandoned his campaign promise
to recognize the Armenian Genocide, Clinton said, "I don’t think
anyone has forgotten, but what has happened that is of great import
is the work going on between Turkey and Armenia. In fact, I was
in Zurich last fall with the foreign ministers of Turkey, Armenia,
Russia, France, other countries, to witness the signing of a set of
protocols to normalize relationships between Armenia and Turkey. And
in those protocols, there was an agreement between the two countries
to establish a historical commission that would look at all of the
issues that are part of the past."

"And I think that’s the right way to go, I think, to have the two
countries and the two peoples focusing on this themselves. I have
said many times we cannot change the past we inherit. All we can do
is try to have a better future," she added.

When asked whether the commission exists, Clinton said, "They’re
working to create it," and reaffirmed the creation upon further
inquiry.

"Not until the protocols are ratified will steps envisioning the
normalization of relations and the opening of the Armenia-Turkey
border be taken," Balayan told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Armenia service.

He added that the Armenian Genocide issue was not a matter up for
discussion.

"As has been said on numerous occasions by the country’s president
and foreign minister, the veracity of the genocide is not a topic of
discussion. Armenia hasn’t discussed, nor will discuss, the veracity
of the genocide," he added.

ARMENIAN ASKS FOR $50-$70 MILLION FROM WORLD BANK TO FINANCE NEW MUNICIPAL WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT

ARKA
March 25, 2010

YEREVAN, March 25. /ARKA/. The Armenian government has asked for a
$50-$70 million loan from World Bank to finance a new water supply
project, a World Bank regional infrastructures projects coordinator,
Ahmed Eiweida, told a news conference today in Yerevan.

He said the request has been conveyed to World Bank that always
responds to government’s priorities.

He said also the World Bank will continue to assist the Armenian
government to mitigate the consequences of the global crisis, stabilize
macroeconomic indices and raise the .quality of services delivered
to the population.

The World Bank-supported Municipal Water and Wastewater Project is
ending in 2011. It embraces 300 communities. The total budget of the
project is $43 million.

Since 1992 World Bank has provided Armenia with loans worth $1.318
billion to finance 70 projects. Fifty-two have been accomplished and
another 17 are in the process. –

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER

Noyan Tapan
March 25, 2010

NICOSIA, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN-ARMENIANS TODAY. With the initiative
of the Armenian MP Vartkes Mahdessian, the University of Cyprus
will begin Armenian language courses since September 2010. The
Centre of Scientific Training, Evaluation and Development (KEPEAA)
in collaboration with the Language Centre of the University of Cyprus
invites teachers of Armenian as a foreign language, who possess an
MA in Armenian, to submit their Curriculum Vitae to be considered
for possible employment in the University of Cyprus.

‘OUR SHUSHI: REMEMBERING PAST, LOOKING FORWARD TO FUTURE’

Aysor
March 24 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Embassy in Washington under supervision of Hayastan
All-Armenian Foundation organized and held on March 18 an event,
mottoed "Our Shushi: Remembering the Past, Looking forward to the
Future."

Representatives of Armenian Community and organisations of the United
States, clergy, and diplomats, among them Armenia’s Ambassador to U.S.

Tatul Margarian and Vice President of the Lincy Foundation Harut
Sassounian, gathered together to participate in the event.

Ambassador TMargarian stressed in his speech the importance of
activities by Hayastan All-Armenian Foundation in both financial and
moral sense. He said that the Foundation’s activities made people
believe that Armenians are consolidated and Armenia isn’t alone.

Irina Lazarian, Executive Director of the Foundation, presented
organisation’s projects and plans, which include educational, health,
and agricultural spheres, and delivered reconstruction programs for
city of Shushi.

There was also screened a documentary, setting Shushi’s current living
conditions and needs.

STATEMENT OF FIDH PRESIDENT SOUHAYR BELHASSEN

hos17283.html
19:05:38 – 24/03/2010

Paris, March 24, 2010 – The preparation of the FIDH 37th Congress and
Forum organised by FIDH and its partner organisation CSI in Erevan,
Armenia on April 6-10 Forum 2010 continues. More than 250 participants
have already confirmed their presence and many other confirmations are
expected soon. FIDH, together with CSI, Helsinki Committee of Armenia,
the Collaboration for Democracy Centre and the Foundation against
Violation of Law published a briefing paper on the administration of
justice last Friday.

"I am very pleased that we published the briefing paper on the
administration of justice together with our colleagues from Armenian
NGOs " declared FIDH president Souhayr Belhassen today. "This paper
clearly reflects the spirit of our work. The point is to attract
the attention of the authorities to the serious problems that exist
today in the administration of justice and which significantly
hinder the Rule of Law in Armenia, as well as to draw the attention
of auhtorities to issues related to the situation of human rights in
Armenia. In this document, we issued essential recommendations and
sincerely hope that the Forum will be an occasion to move forward
and have these recommendations implemented. We thereby reiterate the
recommendations presented in this paper and in the position papers we
have published over the past years. In particular, we hope that the
Forum will be launched in an Armenia where there are no longer any
political prisoners. It is also of utmost importance that credible
and effective investigations on the cases of the ten people who were
killed in the March 2008 events is opened."

"Releasing political prisoners and conducting such investigations would
be a true sign of moving towards effective Rule of Law in Armenia.",
concluded Souhayr Belhassen.

Press contact : Gaël Grilhot : +33-1 43 55 90 19 Karine APPY : +33-1
43 55 14 12

FOR ARMENIA NOT TO RATIFY FIRST

17273.html
13:10:56 – 24/03/2010

Describing the situation of Armenia in the Armenian and Turkish
process, member of the Armenian National Congress David Shahnazaryan,
noted three realities on March 24 – it is a process in which it is
impossible to win, impossible not to lose, and impossible to leave.

David Shahnazaryan recalled the statement of Erdogan with which he
threatened to expel Armenians from Turkey. He says the whole world
media considered it an anti-democratic statement but David Shahnazaryan
has a different opinion: he thinks the statement was thoroughly
planned and calculated. According to Shahnazaryan, Turkey understood
that the Armenian government was going to ratify the protocols first
which would be a strong blow for Turkey, and Erdogan’s statement was
aimed at putting Serge Sargsyan in such a condition not to be able
to ratify the protocols. The harm gotten from this statement is less
for Turkey than it would be from the ratification of the protocols,
says David Shahnazaryan.

By the way, he once again repeated his proposal to the Armenian
power to ratify the protocols, which will be expedient in the current
situation, and to set a reasonable time for Turkey’s ratification. At
the same time, Shahnazaryan says Turkey has always protracted and
will go on protracting the process to ruin it.

David Shahnazaryan says, though the U.S. administration appeared as a
side, which does not support the inclusion of the genocide resolution
in the Congress agenda, Turkey continues it political demarche against
the U.S. because it needs assurances that the U.S. will do everything
to record progress in the NKR issue.