Author: Nahapetian Samvel

Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
June 3, 2008
Contact: Ani Garabedian

ANCA Confronts Turkish Gag Rule on Armenian Genocide Recognition;

Launches Nationwide Campaign at LA Press Conference

"It’s time to end the gag rule on the Armenian Genocide and send an
Ambassador to Armenia who can speak truth to power" – ANCA Board
Member Raffi Hamparian

Los Angeles, CA – Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and
Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) leaders launched a multi-facetted
nationwide campaign today urging that the next U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia speak truthfully about the Armenian Genocide. Announced at an
ANCA Western Region organized press conference in Los Angeles, CA,
held at Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School, the effort is part of
the "End Turkey’s Gag Rule" campaign, calling attention to Turkey’s
multi-million dollar worldwide Genocide denial drive.

With hundreds of Pilibos students gathered behind the podium, Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) Board Member Raffi Hamparian and
Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Central Executive Representative Vache
Thomassian addressed the media regarding the campaign and stated that
Armenia has had no U.S. Ambassador for over a year because President
Bush refuses to send a diplomat there who will tell the truth about
the Armenian Genocide.

"America’s foreign policy on the Armenian Genocide has been hijacked
by a foreign government, remarked Hamparian. "Turkish citizens don’t
get to vote in America, don’t pay taxes in America, but they have been
able to place a gag rule on our State Department. It’s time to end the
gag rule on the Armenian Genocide and send an Ambassador to Armenia
who can speak truth to power," he added.

The last U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, was fired by
President Bush in 2006 for speaking truthfully about the murder of 1.5
million Armenians in the first genocide of the 20th century.

"The AYF has been at the forefront of leading our youth in the
struggle for genocide recognition and we continue to mobilize along
with ANCA in this campaign," said Thomassian. "Having an Ambassador
to Armenia who properly understands our history is vital to improving
and developing American-Armenian relations," he added.

For decades, the Turkish Government has hired an army of lobbyists in
Washington, D.C. and used threats and intimidation to block
legislation that calls upon all Americans to apply the lessons of the
Armenian Genocide to help prevent future crimes against humanity.

"The gag rule that the Turkish government has imposed on the United
States must be lifted," stated ANCA-WR Executive Director Andrew
Kzirian. "Human rights activists and citizens of good conscience
across the country are eager to hear from Ambassador Yovanovitch
during the hearing to confirm her nomination – it is clear that many
members of the Senate panel have serious concerns regarding the
Administration’s continuous reluctance to characterize the Armenian
Genocide accurately," he added.

On March 28, 2008, Pres. Bush nominated Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch to
serve as America’s next Ambassador to Armenia. The Senate Foreign
Relations Committee is expected to consider her nomination shortly.

The ANCA has launched an online action campaign urging Members of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee to question Amb. Yovanovitch on
issues including the Armenian Genocide as well as Turkey and
Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockades of Armenia and the U.S. role in finding
a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that respects
the right to self-determination of the people of Karabagh. To learn
more about and participate in the online campaign, visit:
d=11427491&type=TA

The online effort is combined with a postcard campaign to key Senate
Foreign Relations Committee members, urging them to take action.

Pres. Bush’s previous nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Richard
Hoagland, was subject to two legislative holds by Sen. Bob Menendez
(D-NJ) and was ultimately withdrawn by the Administration, following
the nominee’s statements denying the Armenian Genocide. The ANCA lead
the Armenian American community campaign opposing Hoagland’s
nomination, stating that a genocide denier could not be a credible and
effective U.S. spokesperson in Armenia.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization.
Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and
supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations
around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the
Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

###

12-MONTH INFLATION MAKES 9.9% IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 2, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The consumer price index made 109.9%
in Armenia in May 2008 on May 2007, including the index of food
commodity prices (including alcoholic drinks and cigarattes) – 110.9%,
of nonfood commodity prices – 104.9%, of service tariffs – 110.4%. The
same indices in January-May 2008 as compared with January-May 2007
made 108.9%, 111.3%, 104.6% and 106.4% respectively.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the consumer price
index made 107.4% in May 2008 on December 2007, including that of
food commodity prices (including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes) –
108.1%, of nonfood commodity prices – 102.9% and of service tariffs –
108.4%. The average monthly growth in consumer prices made 1.4% in
January-May 2008, exceeding by 0.6% the respective index of last year.

1.3% inflation was registered in the country’s consumer market in May
on April 2008, with the growth of food commodity prices (including
prices of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes) making 1%. of nonfood
commodity prices – 1.3% and of service tariffs – 2%.

Ex-vice-speaker of Armenian parliament offers to hold extraordinary
parliamentary election in autumn of the current year and the
presidential ones in spring of 2009

2008-05-30 16:48:00

ArmInfo. Armenia is in the conditions of the interrupted revolution,
ex-vice-speaker of the National Assembly Karapet Rubinyan said over the
debates in National press-club

He also added that the events in Armenia after the "shameful"
presidential election was an attempt to make a "velvet revolution". He
said that if the authorities are concerned about fair investigation, in
that case the relevant bodies should take into consideration evidences
of all the victims as a result of mass disorders. ‘The opposition did
not make mistakes, it was trying to move forward the pan-national
movement’, – he said. Rubinyan also added that the authorities should
fulfill demands of the opposition, otherwise they cannot integrate in
Europe. He also said that "we should arrange about holding of
extraordinary parliamentary election in autumn of the current year and
the presidential ones in spring of 2009".

Embassy Magazine, Canada
May 14 2008

Trying to Turn the Tide on Genocide Declaration

By Michelle Collins

As Turkey’s new ambassador to Canada, Rafet Akgunay wants to make
clear to Canadian officials that declaring the Armenian casualties of
the First World War a genocide in 2004 remains a significant problem.

Mr. Akgunay says he has mentioned the issue in meetings with officials
at Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
since being sworn in on April 22.

He is particularly affected whenever he meets Turkish-Canadians.

"They are very hurt by this problem," he says. "They keep on informing
us how hurt they are, through day-to-day contacts with the embassy and
consular offices.

"My understanding is they are trying to do their best, that the
leadership here in Canada will hear their voices as well."

Just a few weeks after Mr. Akgunay arrived in Ottawa on April 1, an
annual protest over the Turkish government’s refusal to take
responsibility for the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians was held on
Parliament Hill.

Reports say about 1,000 Armenian-Canadians marched through the city’s
downtown core to the Turkish Embassy, holding up traffic along
Wellington and Rideau Streets.

"This is a very important problem between our two countries,"
Mr. Akgunay says. "Blaming another country and using words like
‘genocide,’ which has a legal meaning in international relations, is
not right,"

He adds that although the motion to recognize the Armenian genocide
passed while the Liberals were in power, Prime Minister Stephen Harper
made a statement in April 2006 reiterating that position.

"I hope to see an approach by the Canadian government that will be
much more balanced and reflect the realities of today," he says.

Mr. Akgunay disagrees with the position taken by Parliament on this
particular issue, though he says he came to his new posting in Ottawa
with very good feelings about Canada.

"Now I see why many peoples want to come to immigrate to Canada," he
says. "The reception that we have got since we came here has been
superb."

Mr. Akgunay says the two NATO countries have much in common, including
a shared interest in Afghanistan, where Turkey has troops in the Kabul
area.

But the ambassador says the two nations are missing some important
agreements in their bilateral relations, "especially in the economic
field."

Mr. Akgunay says bilateral trade between Canada and Turkey stood at
$1.3 billion (US) last year, a very low figure that he hopes to
improve.

"This figure is just peanuts," he says. "Turkey’s geographical
location and political relations in the region will give Canadian
companies an opportunity to reach beyond Turkey. Now we are in a
customs union with the European Union, therefore it has become
attractive for many companies of the world."

With one of the most developed automotive industries in Europe, he
says, both Canada and Turkey will benefit from better
relations. Having attended a Turkish-Canadian Business Council meeting
last month, he says, he’s seen firsthand that there is a growing
desire from businesspeople on both sides to work together.

To contribute to this goal, Mr. Akgunay hopes to establish direct air
links between Canada and Turkey, which he says are very important for
business, including facilitating the exchange of goods and for
tourism.

Last year, Turkey welcomed more than 20 million tourists, and, of
those, about 100,000 Canadians stepped onto Turkish soil. However,
Mr. Akgunay says the majority of these come off cruise ships, which
means there is room to expand Canadian tourism to the country.

Turkey has been working hard to refine its image and fulfil the
requirements set out for membership in the European Union. Mr. Akgunay
says the remaining hurdles to membership are largely bureaucratic and
legislative "technical issues," some of which are currently being
addressed.

For example, he says, last week, Turkish President Abdullah Gül signed
a new law on social security in the face of opposition from some
unions, closing up some of the loopholes that weakened Turkey’s
article on freedom of speech.

"Things are moving," Mr. Akgunay says. "We were hoping to move faster,
but there are some things to figure out because of some opposition of
some EU members…. The talks have slowed down, but the work has not
slowed down and we will be ready for negotiations on the chapters in a
very short time."

Mr. Akgunay’s diplomatic career started in 1977 after completing a
degree at Tufts University and a PhD at the Middle East Technical
University in Ankara, Turkey.

Mr. Akgunay has served in Cyprus, Israel, the Turkish mission to NATO,
Washington, and in Beijing.

Mr. Akgunay’s wife Zeynep Akgunay is a professor in Turkey and will
join her husband later this summer, at the end of the school
year. Their younger of two sons will come to Canada in two years to
earn a master’s after completing undergraduate studies in economics in
Ankara. Their eldest son works in Turkey.

[email protected]

ymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path =/2008/may/14/dipcircles/

ADMINISTRATIVE COURT RETURNS POLICE CLAIM ON DEPORTATION OF ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 28, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. In accordance with the order envisaged
by the Code of Administrative Procedure, the RA Administrative Court
made a decision to return the police claim on deportation of Zhirayr
Sefilian from Armenia, NT correspondent was informed by spokeswoman
for the RA Cassation Court Alina Yengoyan. The Administrative Court
explained its decision by the fact that the claim has some flaws.

To recap, the RA police made a decision to start the process of
deporting Lebanese citizen Zhirayr Sefilian from Armenia and filed on
May 23 a claim to the Administrative Court with the request to take
a decision on deportation. The coordinator of the civil initiative
"In Defence of Liberated Territories", azatamartik Zhirayr Sefilian
was sentenced to imprisonment for keeping illegal arms. His prison
term expires on June 7.

NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY YEREVAN INHABITANTS TO MAYOR’S OFFICE IN JANUARY-APRIL, 2008 EXCEEDS INDEX OF PREVIOUS YEARS THREE-FOLD

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 26, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The "one window" automated system
of acceptance and studying of citizens’ applications and the ELPAS
automated system of electronic document circulation work efficiently at
present. As Grigor Melkumian, the Head of Yerevan Mayor’s Office Staff,
said at the May 26 press conference, the introduction and efficient
operation of "one window" resulted in considerable activization
of document circulation, quality and efficiency of discussion of
citizens’ applications.

According to him, after systems’ introduction the number of
applications introduced by citizens to the Mayor’s Office in 2007
grew compared with the previous years and made 57.6 thousand. The
head of the staff said that nearly 57% applications regard problems
of communal sphere, 17% property, 14% urban development, 5% legal
problems. More than 80% answers to all applications, according to
G. Melkumian, is positive. It was also mentioned that the number
of application-complaints submitted for the second time reduced
three-fold.

G. Melkumian also said that the number of applications submitted in
January-April, 2008 made 28102, which exceeds the index of the same
period of the previous two years three-fold.

MEETING OF LEADERS OF GOVERNMENTAL AND OPPOSITION CAMPS WILL NOT TAKE PLACE

arminfo
2008-05-21 10:01:00

ArmInfo. The meeting of the leaders of the governmental and opposition
parties initiated by the leader of the Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian
will not take place.

The member of the Board of heritage, MP Vardan Khachatryan said in
an interview to ArmInfo that the meeting was to take place at the
Armenian Center for National and International Studies but all the
leaders had indirectly refused to take part in it. "Their key argument
is that the invitation should not have been sent in the form of an open
letter. But I would like to point out that our initiative reflects the
public order and can bring the sides closer to one another. Should
any one of them agree to meet we are ready to create all necessary
conditions for such a meeting," Khachatryan said.

Asked why all the leaders refused to take part in the meeting,
Khachatryan said: "Perhaps, our approach was different from the
positions of the other forces. I hope that the challenges our country
is facing now will urge the other political players to change their
stance."

To remind, on May 19 the leader of Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian
appeared with an open letter urging the leader of the Republican
Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia
party Gagik Tsarukyan, the member of the Supreme Body of ARFD Armen
Rustamyan, the leader of the Orinats Yerkir party Artur Bagdassaryan
and the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossyan to meet on
May 20 evening in order to search for ways out of the present internal
political crisis.

LEVEL OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH STATE BUDGET’S OWN REVENUES INCREASED

DeFacto Agency
May 19 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 19.05.08. DE FACTO. In the first quarter of 2008 the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic state budget’s own revenues made over 4
milliard 51, 7 million drams, which is 22, 1 % more than the level
of the same period last year.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the NKR Ministry of
Finance, the principal part of the revenues had been ensured by tax
incomes, which had increased by 4, 2 % as compared with the analogous
period of the last year.

For current January-March the state budget’s expenses made 7 milliards
942, 6 million drams increasing by 22, 9 % as compared with the same
period last year. To note, 82, 1 % of the means were directed for
financing the current expenses, 17, 9% -the capital ones.

Non-tax incomes of the NKR state budget increased by 10, 5% as compared
with the first quarter of the last year and made 207, 2 million drams.

ISNA, Iran
Iranian Students News Agency
May 17 2008

Iran and Armenia to boost economic ties

ISNA – Tehran

TEHRAN, May 17 (ISNA)-Armenian defense minister Seyran Ohanian and
Iran’s ambassador to the country Ali Saqaiyan underlined continuing
economic and political cooperation deeply rooted in bilateral friendly
ties.

The two states are determined to lift trade exchanges reaching 200
million dollars to 500 million dollars.

Building Iran-Armenia gas pipeline providing the country with Iran’s
gas as well as establishing two power lines to deliver Iran’s
electricity are the two most important bilateral projects, Novosti
news agency reported.

The Iranian ambassador also delivered Iran’s defense minister Mustafa
Mohammad Najjar’s message to his Armenian counterpart inviting him to
visit Iran.

The two sides also called for carrying out previously-signed accords
as highlighting the necessity to resolve Karabakh dispute.

WILLIAM SAROYAN CONTEST SUMMED UP

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

LOS ANGELES, MAY 14, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The Union of
Armenian Dramatic Art has published the names of the William Saroyan
dramatic art contest’s three prize-winners. They are Lily Tomasian’s
creation "Nadia," Christen Lazarian’s "Meat and Tenderness," and
Matthew Yaldezian’s "The Live and the Dead." The bids of performances
have been accepted from the United States, United Kingdom, and
Armenia. Non-abridged plays in English and on Armenian subject were
to be presented for participation.