Author: Nadirian Emma

IN ALLEGATION OF MPS OF ORINATS YERKIR, POSTS OF NEW GOVERNMENT NOT DISTRIBUTED AS YET

Noyan Tapan
April 11, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, ARMENIANS TODAY. The document on the coalition
agreement is based on the necessity of reforms and the Orinats Yerkir
(Country of Law) party attaches importance to the introduction of
the new government program to be formed. This statement was made by
Mher Shahgeldian, a member of the given faction, in the parliament
on April 11.

According to him, the program of the government will be the combination
of the pre-electoral programs of the presidential candidates, as well
as those of the political forces, which have made the coalition. From
this point of view, Mher Shahgeldian considered the appointment of
Tigran Sargsian, the former Chairman of the Central Bank, a person,
who does not belong to any party, on the post of the Prime Minister
as expedient.

The MP mentioned that particularly from the programs of the Orinats
Yerkir the issue connected with the elimination of cottages in Gyumri
and the restoration of the earthquake zone will be included in the
program of the government. The bill already discussed and endorsed
in the government also has to do with the programs of the party. The
above-mentioned bill concerns the defence of the appartment right in
realization zones. Mher Shahgeldian mentioned that as a result of
the adoption of that bill, the owners of appartments of the Kond,
Kozern districts and Byuzand streets not having certificates will
receive them.

According to Mher Shahgeldian, the issue of the distribution of
posts between the parties has not been discussed as yet and will
be clarified by the end of the current week. He neither refuted nor
affirmed the rumours on giving the party the posts of the Ministers
of Transport and Communication.

Faction member Hovhannes Margarian in his turn refuted the information
on his appointment on the post of the regional governor of Shirak.

Mher Shahgeldian stated that after Arthur Baghdasarian , the Head
of the Orinats Yerkir faction, is appointed Secretary of the RA
Security Council, the faction will be led by Heghine Bisharian and
Khachik Haroutiunian from Vanadzor, a member of the administration
of Orinats Yerkir, will become a new MP, according to the party list.

FILMS OF APO TOROSYAN TO BE SCREENED DURING EVENTS DEDICATED TO ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
April 11, 2008

BOSTON, APRIL 11, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Apo Torosian is
going to screen his documentary films "Voices," "Witnesses" and
"Discovering My Father’s Village" at several events dedicated to
the 93-rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Those events will
take place on April 17 at the Peabody City Hall, on April 18 at the
Massachusetts State House in Boston, on April 30 at The Holocaust
Center Boston North and on May 22 at the Watertown Public Library.

GAZPROM OFFERS POST TO ARMENIAN EX-PRESIDENT – REPORT

Forbes
April 11 2008
NY

YEREVAN (Thomson Financial) – Armenia’s ex-president Robert Kocharian,
who left office this week, has been offered a post as vice-president of
Russian gas giant Gazprom, the Aravot daily newspaper reported Friday.

The offer by Gazprom, which controls strategic Armenian pipelines,
‘has not yet received a response and is still hanging in the air,’
the newspaper wrote, citing a report from the PanArmenian Network
news service quoting Russian sources.

Kocharian was replaced on Wednesday at the end of two five-year terms
by his prime minister, Serzh Sarkisian, after controversial polls
marred by violence and vote-rigging allegations.

Speculation has mounted about Kocharian’s plans after the 53-year-old
told reporters in December he had no plans to be ‘Armenia’s youngest
pensioner.’

Ex-Soviet Armenia and Russia maintained strong ties during Kocharian’s
tenure.

With the Armenian government, Gazprom jointly owns ArmRosGazprom, which
controls natural gas pipelines feeding Russian gas to Armenia and owns
the Armenian section of a pipeline feeding Iranian gas to the country.

In January, Gazprom’s banking arm, Gazprombank, bought 80 percent of
Areximbank, one of Armenia’s largest retail banks.

TURKEY SEEKS TO BLOCK KNESSET DEBATE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent

Ha’aretz
en/spages/974037.html
April 11 2008
Israel

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the
Turkish parliament, Hasan Murat Mercan, has asked the Prime Minister’s
Bureau to cancel a scheduled discussion in the Knesset on the Armenian
genocide.

Mercan was in Israel this week at the head of a Turkish parliamentary
delegation for talks with their Israeli counterparts.

Talks included discussions on Iran, the Palestinians and Syria, but
the main issue the Turkish delegation raised was an upcoming Knesset
debate on the Armenian genocide.

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"The Armenian issue is very sensitive for Turkey," the visitors told
Yoram Turbowicz and Shalom Turgeman, two of Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert’s most senior aides, adding that, "We would prefer if this
discussion would not take place at this time in the Israeli parliament
because it may harm the relations between the two countries."

Turbowicz offered Israel’s official response, that the issue needed
to be resolved between Turkey and Armenia in a professional manner,
through the involvement of historians.

"Israel certainly recognizes the strategic importance of its relations
with Turkey, but there are subjects and parliamentary initiatives
that are not related to the government," Turbowicz said.

"As a government, we have no interest in undermining our ties with
Turkey."

"I am convinced that Israel recognizes the negative implications this
may have on ties between the two countries," Mercan said.

TURKEY WARNS ISRAEL AGAINST ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DISCUSSION

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.04.2008 17:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Official Ankara opposes discussions of the Armenian
Genocide in Israeli parliament, as it can harm the Turkey-Israel
relations.

"The issue is very delicate for the Turkish public. We wouldn’t like
discussions in the Israeli parliament," said Murat Mercan, Chairman
of Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish parliament.

On 26 March, the Knesset decided to bring the Armenian Genocide issue
into discussion in one of parliamentary committees. Zeev Elkin of
Kadima offered to debate in the committee on education and culture
while Joseph Shagal insisted on discussions in committee on external
affairs and defense.

"The position of Israeli political establishment satisfies Ankara to
a sufficient degree," said Mercan.

"We met with Israeli President, speaker of Knesset, Premier and foreign
minister. In all these meetings our delegation showed understanding
toward the position of the Israeli government on this issue. We thank
the Israeli government for their clear and reasonable approach to
this problem."

"Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already proposed
the Armenian government to set up international committee to study
the events of the early 20th century. We simply explained some Israeli
politicians that there is no need to write a history based on political
bias which can harm strategic partnership between Israel and Turkey,"
he said, Trend Azeri news agency reports.

RA GOVERNMENT RESIGNS

armradio.am
09.04.2008 17:05

Guided by Article 55.4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia
and taking into consideration that RA President assumed office on April
9, 2008, President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on resignation of
the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

Members of RA Government were instructed to continue carrying out
their responsibilities before the new Government is formed.

BRYZA WISHES SERZH SARGSYAN TO FIND THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE WISHES OF EVERY PERSON AND FREEDOM

armradio.am
09.04.2008 18:07

US Assistant Secretary of State, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Matthew
Bryza wished "power and sight" to Serzh Sargsyan "to find the balance
between the wishes of every person and freedom."

Matthew Bryza told reporters that in his speech Serzh Sargsyan spoke
about balance in the field of freedom, and "we back that freedom."

According to him, "the Armenian nation is wise, and such a wise nation
is able to find that balance.

Matthew Bryza declared that the US is ready to cooperate and support
the new President, all politicians and public figures.

The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State noted that he heard in
Serzh Sargsyan’s speech what he wished to hear. "In the given stage
it is important how the new President will behave," Bryza said.

MASSACHUSETTS MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CUTS TIES WITH NPFH PROGRAM OVER STANCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.04.2008 20:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Expressing strong disapproval over the
Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) unwillingness to unequivocally recognize
the Armenian Genocide, the Massachusetts Municipal Association
(MMA) severed ties with the "No Place for Hate" (NPFH) program, a
community-based program offered by the human rights group, reported
the Armenian Assembly of America.

In a statement issued today, the MMA Board of Directors expressed
disappointment with the ADL’s refusal to "clarify and strengthen"
its earlier statements concerning the Armenian Genocide at the ADL’s
National Commission meeting in November 2007.

"The Board believes that unequivocal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is both a matter of basic justice to its victims, as well
as essential to efforts to prevent future genocide," stated the MMA,
a nonprofit, nonpartisan association that provides advocacy, training,
publications, research and other services to Massachusetts cities
and towns.

"The MMA feels strongly that it is imperative to speak with absolute
clarity on the genocide and that due to the NPFH program’s association
with the National ADL, the Association will no longer be a sponsor
of the program," the organization explained.

"The Massachusetts Municipal Association has made a just and rightful
decision," said Massachusetts State Representative Rachel Kaprielian
(D-Watertown), a member of the Assembly’s Board of Trustees who has
been working on this issue. "As Armenians across the globe continue
to fight for official recognition of the Genocide of 1915 committed
at the hands of the Ottoman Empire – this is another step on the long
path toward worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide."

"As a former member of this board, a former municipal official
and current State Representative, I am deeply heartened by today’s
unanimous decision," Kaprielian continued.

"The MMA did the right thing by disassociating with the ADL’s
"No Place for Hate" program because ultimately its credibility was
compromised by the ADL’s refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide,"
said Assembly State Chair for Massachusetts Herman Purutyan, who has
also been working on this issue. "I hope that the ADL will reconsider
its position in light of today’s events and recognize the Armenian
Genocide."

Following repeated calls by members of the Armenian, Jewish and other
communities in Massachusetts and elsewhere, the ADL one of the oldest
and most influential Jewish organizations in the US, issued a statement
in August 2007 in which they categorized the events of 1915-1918 as
"tantamount to genocide."

The Assembly welcomed the declaration as a step forward, but urged the
ADL to unequivocally recognize the crimes and support congressional
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide resolutions, H. Res. 106 and
S. Res. 106, pending in the House and Senate respectively.

PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARYAN’S ADDRESS

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
April 09, 2008

Dear compatriots,

Today for the last time I appeal to you as the President of the
Republic of Armenia and of course I have a great desire to report
about the way we passed.

But I’m not going to list the achievements of the last ten years. The
country’s modernization process is evident; the life of the citizens
has significantly improved. There are few countries in the world,
which can be compared with Armenia with the pace of development.

Meanwhile it is evident that there is still much to be done. The
quality of life leaves much to be desired, but I’m not going to speak
about the future problems. It is the work of the future President
and the government.

The past ten years were like an instant for me. The work of
the country’s President is hard and responsible. But it is also
interesting, creative, and requires permanent self-perfection.

I’m thankful to Armenian people for their trust, due to which I
shouldered the responsibility for our country for the last ten years.

I’m thankful to all those with whom I have worked and implemented
various projects during those years. I’m thankful to each citizen
who has contributed to the country’s development, I’m thankful to
the Diaspora for supporting my initiatives.

I apologize to all those whose life didn’t improve during those years,
whose expectations were not justified and dreams, not realized.

When someone quits his post he asks himself, "Was it not possible to
do more?" Maybe it was, but I did my best. I didn’t spare myself and
I kept all my promises I gave to the voters.

I believe in the future of Armenia and the powerful potential of
our people.

I believe in the abilities of the new President, to govern
productively. To maintain the progress our people need optimism,
efforts, trust, and tolerance.

We always repeat that our country is not rich in natural resources
and our human resource is our greatest wealth.

Dear compatriots, you are our human resource. With your everyday hard
work you helped our country develop and will continue to do so. With
your diligence and skillfulness you developed our economy. Due to
you Armenia will gain lots of achievements during the coming years. I
believe that stable, secure and welfare Armenia is not far, because
I believe in you.

VARDAN OSKANIAN INTENDS TO PROMOTE ACTIVITY IN CIVIL SPHERE IN FUTURE

Noyan Tapan
April 9, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian people should defend its
success to be able to build its next steps on the basis of them. RA
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian expressed such an opinion in his April
9 interview to journalists. "If we do not recognize our achievements,
we will not be able to ensure their permanence," the Minister said.

Touching upon the prospects of Nagorno Karabakh settlement, V. Oskanian
said that Armenia’s further participation in the negotiations process
depends on some conditions. According to him, if Azerbaijan "wishes
to change the accentuations, Armenia should also take the respective
steps." And if Azerbaijan remains loyal to the principles stated in
the current document, according to the Foreign Minister, that way is
right and should be continued.

According to V. Oskanian, it will be right that a Foreign Minister
elected by the President be by his side, with whom he will be able
to work well.

Though V. Oskanian is not tired having worked as Foreign Minister for
10 years, he considers that the change will be right. "I have also
said to the President and will say to the new Minister that I am in
Yerevan, there is a possibility of only one call and if necessary,
I am ready to assist for the future leadership to be able to work
efficiently," the Foreign Minister said.

In response to the question about his future plans V. Oskanian
said that in the initial period he would like to be engaged in not
political, but civil matters. The Foreign Minister imagines his
further activity in the foreign political sphere through creation of
a respective center, which will organize discussions. V. Oskanian’s
personal plans, according to him, are still at the stage of
crystallization, and he will declare his concrete steps later.