Author: Nalbandian Albert

ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN JAVAHK-BATUMI ROAD CONSTRUCTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.01.2010 20:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Javahk-Batumi road construction was discussed at the
sitting of Armenia- Georgia intergovernmental committee for economic
issues, the committee chairman Vladimir Badalyan said.

As he told a news conference, Javahk -Batumi road construction is a
part of South -North highway program.

According to him, program implementation is in progress; Armenia’s
participation in program was discussed. "Georgia has to show more
active participation, as the road mainly passes through Georgia’s
territory. Armenian side will also participate in the project. In
this connection, an intergovernmental workgroup in charge of the
issue was set up," Vladimir Badalyan stated.

L.A. NOW
Southern California — this just in

5 Armenian officers sue Glendale Police Department, alleging racial
discrimination
January 25, 2010 | 7:25 pm

Five current and former Armenian officers have filed a joint lawsuit
against the Glendale Police Department, alleging years of
discrimination, derogatory comments and harassment because of their
race.

Officers John Balian and Robert Parseghian; Sgts. Vahak Mardikian and
Tigran Topadzhikyan; and former Officer Benny Simonzad filed the
lawsuit in U.S. District Court last week, alleging myriad incidents of
on-the-job discrimination and harassment.
Today, City Atty. Scott Howard rebuffed the claims made in the
lawsuit, but said officials were still reviewing the case in its
entirety. The Glendale News Press has the full story.
— Jill-Marie Jones
More in: Crime & Courts, San Gabriel Valley

AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA AGREE ON "PREAMBLE" TO NAGORNY KARABAKH DEAL

People’s Daily Online
Source: Xinhua
09:35, January 26, 2010

Armenia and Azerbaijan have reached consensus on the "preamble"
to an agreement on Nagorny Karabakh and will prepare new proposals,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.

He made the remarks after a meeting among Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev, Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan and Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev on the peace process on Nagorny Karabakh, a breakaway
Azerbaijani region with a large Armenian population.

"There is a general understanding on the preamble of the document,"
Lavrov told reporters after the trilateral talks which were held in
Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi.

The preamble revised and updated the OSCE Madrid principles, he added.

The Madrid principles, adopted in 2007, envisage a stage-by-stage
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

Though parts of the agreement remain to be synchronized, "the (two)
sides will prepare their concrete proposals, their concrete wording,
which will be worked into the text," Lavrov was quoted as saying by
the RIA Novosti news agency.

Russia, together with France and the United States, is a member of the
OSCE Minsk Group, which is mediating efforts to resolve the Nagorny
Karabakh dispute.

Nagorny Karabakh declared independence from Azerbaijan in the early
1990s and has been a source of conflict ever since.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/

Armenian Ministries present activity reports for 2009

Weekly economic review (Jan. 18-23).
23.01.2010 GMT+04:00

Armenian Government started Wednesday discussions over Ministries’
2009 reports. In his opening speech, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
said that all ministries had been recommended to prepare reports
concerning their 2009 activities, focusing a major accent on their
omissions and problems impeding reform implementation process.
`Secondly, it is necessary to determine the priority tasks for 2010,’
Head of the Government said, adding that the reports submitted will
help determine the positive results towards resolving key problems.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Speeches were subsequently delivered by Minister of
Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, Minister of Economy Nerses
Yeritsyan and Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan.

The reports will be posted on ministries’ websites.

Tax and other revenues in Armenia’s state budget made AMD 674.4
billion in 2009, which is 16.4% less compared to the previous year, RA
Ministry of Finance says in its 2009 report.

According to the document submitted Wednesday by RA Finance Minister
Tigran Davtyan, tax revenues and duties comprised AMD 522.4 which is
15.9% less in comparison with 2008. In the meantime, tax/GDP ratio
made 16.6%, having decreased by 0.4% compared to the previous year.

Due to the financial-economic crisis, the 2009 budgetary deficit in
GDP sector made 7.4%.

In 2009, all state government bodies’ funding requests were fully met.

Armenia’s foreign debt will reach 36 per cent of GDP in 2009, against
13.2 per cent in 2008. According to the annual report of the Armenia’s
finance ministry, presented by the minister of finance Tigran Davtyan
, more than a half of the foreign debt is formed from loans granted
for a 35-40 year-period with 7 to 10 years grace period. The weighted
average annual interest rate of confessional loans reached 0.8 per
cent.

The national debt will amount to AMD 140.6 billion or 4.5 per cent
relative to GDP at the end of 2009.

In 2009, government bonds were in circulation 1,391 days on average,
compared to 1,535 days in the previous year.

Armenian Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan left for Moscow to
participate in second conference of Eurasian Economic Community Anti
Crisis Council, ministerial press service reported.

Financial credits’ provision order will be confirmed at the
conference, investment programs’ funding as well as other current
issues discussed.

The Government of Armenia approved an agreement between Germany and
Armenia on financial cooperation during the meeting on January 21.
According to Deputy Finance Minister of Armenia, the chief treasurer
Atom Janjughazyan , this agreement provides the financial help from
the Federal Republic of Germany amounting to 100 million euros. 20
million euros will be directed to mortgage lending program, 22 million
euros – to continue the program of Vorotan Cascade’s Hydro Power
Plant, 18 million euros – to finance programs in the field of
renewable energy, 40 million euro – to the development of community
infrastructure, as well as ecological programs.

Armenia should intensively develop small and medium businesses,
according to Sergey Kapinos, Head of OSCE Office in Yerevan.

`We have proposed the Armenian government to make SME development the
mainstream of its economic policy,’ he told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. `SME can promote the country’s economic development in 2010
and the OSCE Office in Yerevan is willing to contribute to the
process.’

In the framework of the World Future Energy Summit RA Deputy Prime
Minister, Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan met
the Minister of Nature Protection Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahadi.

Cooperation possibilities of both countries were discussed during the
meeting. The officials tuched upon the possibility of agricultural
products’ export.

RA Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan spoke about investment
opportunities in the field of agricultural production in Armenia.

Armen Gevorgyan invited Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad to visit Armenia.

Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Territorial Administration Armen
Gevorgyan is visiting the United Arab Emirates, press service of RA
ministry territorial administration reported. RA Deputy Minister of
Energy and Natural Resources Areg Galstyan, RA Ambassador to the UAE
Vahagn Melikyan represent Armenia at the summit.

During the visit RA Vice Prime Minister met the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of UAE, Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Armen Gevorgyan
appreciated the dialogue between Armenia and the UAE, particularly in
various spheres of economy. In this regard, he informed that the
Armenian side has already formed an interdepartmental committee to
increase the efficiency of cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting officials discussed possibilities of economic
cooperation in energy, agriculture, tourism, information technology,
banking, and other spheres. Vice Prime Minister stressed the
importance of developing cooperation in the field of renewable energy
and expressed hope that within International Agency for Renewable
Energy (IRENA), it receives a new development and a new quality. In
this regard, the necessity of cooperation with UAE in the field of
atomic energy was particularly stressed.

In turn, Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan added that the UAE seeks
to raise relations with Armenia to a new level. He also stressed the
importance of cooperation in nuclear energy, noting that IRENA can be
a good platform to build these relationship.

The Armenian delegation headed by the Vice Prime Minister of Armenia
will take part in the congress " World Future Energy Summit" to be
held in Abu Dhabi from 18 to 21 January 2010.

Armenia is participating in International Green Week exhibition for
the food, agricultural, and horticultural industries, which kicked off
on January 15 in Berlin, RA Foreign Ministry press office reported.

It’s been the third time Armenia takes part in the exhibition,
supported by Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development. Production of Ararat Yerevan Brandy Company, Wines and
Liquors’ factory, Yerevan Champagne Factory, Sis, MAP, Multiagro and
Tamara companies was presented at the exhibition.

ArmRosGazprom CJSC presented company’s investment program for
2010-2012 to Public Service Regulation Committee.
According to program presented, total expenditures over the years
2010-2012 will comprise AMD 31,81 billion, with AMD 7,65 billion
allocated to transportation system and AMD 24,16 billion to gas
distribution system.

Program discussion is currently in progress, ArmRosGazprom press
service reported.

As of January 1, 2010, the number of gas consumers in Armenia reached
596353, ArmRosGazprom press office said. Thus, over the year 2009,
total number of gas consumers grew by 22398.

In all, 243137 signalling devices and cutoff valves were installed by
ArmRosGazprom in accordance with the governmental decree.

The refinancing rate was set at 5.5% during the January 21 board
meeting of the Central Bank of Armenia.

With 2% inflation growth registered in December 2009, the annual
inflation rate made 6.5%, exceeding the upper limit by 1.0%.

The CBA supposes that high inflation rate will be preserved, resulting
in stiff monetary management, the bank’s press service reported.

The Central Bank of Armenia set a 13 per cent annual estimated
interest rate, the CBA press office reported. This decision was
adopted by the Central Bank on January 21, 2010.

In 2008, the Central Bank’s set interest rate at 12 per cent per annum.

The loan portfolio of Ameriabank as of December 31, 2009, went beyond
AMD 52 bln having experienced a 68% increase over the level recorded
at the beginning of the year, the bank said in a press release.

The loan portfolio growth is not the only indicator of the efficient
lending spree. Committed to its client-focused policy to disclose the
clients’ needs and find tailored solutions, the Bank developed regular
activities targeted at the correct assessment of the potential
borrowers’ capacities and establishment of comprehensive cooperation
relationship with the existing borrowers. Thanks to these efforts the
Bank came up with a loan portfolio of high quality as of December 31,
2009 without any loss loans and NPL comprising 0.17 % only of the
total loan portfolio.

According to the results of the reporting year 89 % of the Bank’s loan
portfolio growth was sustained by the corporate lending. Loans to
corporates recorded 75 % increase during the year totalling AMD 44 bln
or 84 % of the total loan portfolio.

Although it adopted a corporate and investment profile of its
activity, Ameriabank also focuses on the lending to individuals,
namely, staff of its corporate clients, offering a wide range of loan
products which triggered 35 % increase in loans to individuals during
the year.

In 2009, Unistream international money transfer system ensured $551
million turnover, which makes more than half of transfer volumes in
Armenia, Unibank’s press service reported.

Transfers in the above-mentioned period exceeded $712,4 thousand.

According to Unistream Service and Control Department head Natalia
Ter-Gevorgyan, the system has been widely popular in Armenia since its
inception.

`Demand for the service is conditioned by low tariffs (starting from
11%) and high speed money transfers. The transferred sums are
available to recipients within 10-15 minutes upon delivery,’ she said.

The service also enables clients to make payments for imported
products and utilities, as well as redeem credits.

Using the service, Unibank clients can also formulate U-stream
overdrafts at discounted costs.

The bank also prepared New Year souvenirs for the clients who made
transfers via Unistream no less than 20 times in 2009.

Despite the difficulties of the crisis and negative market trends,
Unibank ensured growth of all indicators, in particular, the bank
expanded the quality credit portfolio and increased its customers
base, press office of the bank reported.

The assets of Unibank increased by 58% and by the end of December
surpassed AMD 108.6 billion. The capital of the Bank for the period
totaled AMD 11.6 billion, with the 22,8 per cent growth compared with
the beginning of the year. Credit investments of the bank increased by
43%t amounting to AMD 66.7 billion.

During 2009 Unibank’s commitments increased by 63,6 per cent and
reached AMD 97 billion.

The deposits exceeded AMD 85.6 billion drams. The amount of deposits
from legal entities has substantially increased up to 341%, reaching
AMD 37.3 billion. The volume of term deposits from individuals
amounted to AMD 45.4 billion, while the bank’s profit reached AMD 153
million.

Victoriya Araratyan

AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL EXPERT: ARMENIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT DECISION IS A POLITICAL BOMB OF ARMENIAN JUSTICE

Today
9875.html
Jan 21 2010
Azerbaijan

"Such interpretation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols is an indication
of lawlessness in Yerevan," Azerbaijani political expert Fikrat
Sadigov said commenting on Armenian Constitutional Court’s endorsing
the Armenia-Turkey protocols with preconditions.

"Now it is clear why the Armenian-Turkish Constitutional Court
approved the Turkey-Armenia protocols so early. The protocols were
added preconditions that contradict letter and spirit of the Zurich
protocols and actually puts more emphasis on opening of borders with
Armenia, while neglecting importance of Yerevan’s performance of its
commitments," the political expert said.

"Such interpretation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols that was not
agreed upon while signing the protocols indicates to lawlessness in
Yerevan and makes Armenia questionable international negotiator. Thus,
Yerevan questions establishment of relations with Turkey which it needs
given the complex internal socio-economic and political situation in
the country," the expert added.

"This will certainly affect the negotiations between Yerevan and
Ankara. This fact may mark beginning of an end to the Armenian-Turkish
normalization, because Armenia is trying to deceive the country with
which it previously had reached an agreement. Strange enough, Yerevan,
which opposes any preconditions to the Zurich protocols from Ankara,
has itself resorted to such a move. It should be noted that Turkey
itself has made amendments to the protocols legally," the expert said.

"In fact, the Armenia Constitutional Court decision was a political
bomb of the Armenian justice and identifies Armenia as a country not
ready for relationship on world and regional scale," the expert noted.

MOTTAKI: CAUCUSES STABILITY NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED BY REGIONAL APPROACHES

ISNA – Iranian Students News Agency
Jan 21 2010
Iran

TEHRAN (ISNA)-Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said
Caucuses stability and security need to be strengthened through
regional approaches.

In a meeting with former Armenian President Robert Kocharian in
Tehran on Wednesday evening, Mottaki said Iran and Armenia are
historically tied.

He also said the current economic downturn is the result of faulty
economy ruling the world adding, "the crisis demonstrated that
approaches which have oriented from hypotheses after the World War
II can not be answerable and the world needs to adopt new economic
polices and diminish the role of the US currency in trade exchanges."

Kocharian on his part said, "we will do our best for expansion of
relations with Iran."

He also said the presence of foreign forces in Caucuses region is
damaging to stability and security of neighbors of Caucuses.

He added regional approaches are fitting for stability and growth.

TURKEY SHIFTING TOWARD RADICAL ISLAM, SAYS ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL

Hurriyet
m/n.php?n=israeli-military-chief-says-turkey-shift ing-toward-radical-islam-2010-01-20
Jan 20 2010
Turkey

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak (R) held talks with Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Sunday in the wake of a serious
diplomatic row between the two countries. AFP photos

Turkey’s recent diplomatic moves are indicative of its shift away
from the West and toward radical Islam, Israel’s chief intelligence
official said, local media reported.

In his address to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee,
Israeli military intelligence Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin linked the change
in direction with the one-time allies’ deteriorating relationship.

Without specifically mentioning the recent diplomatic spat involving
Turkey’s ambassador to Israel and the Israeli deputy foreign minister,
Yadlin said: "Beyond the specific tension, one must understand that
the distance between the two countries is more significant and is
related to strategic topics and shared interests."

The intelligence chief’s statements come days after Israeli Defense
Minister Ehud Barak visited Turkey to help calm tensions that arose
when Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon seated Turkish Ambassador
Oguz Celikkol on a sofa lower than his own chair. Celikkol’s subsequent
public dressing-down sparked a sharp diplomatic row between the
two countries.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday he has not seen the
statements reported in the Israeli press. "I haven’t seen the report,
and I don’t find it likely," Burak Ozugergin told the Hurriyet Daily
News & Economic Review. "We often see such reports in the Israeli press
about statements aimed at spoiling Turkish-Israeli relations. If there
is such a development, I see their intelligence is not very strong,"
he said.

Cold shoulder from EU

"In the past, Turkey had ambitions of becoming closer to the West,
beyond its acceptance into NATO," daily Jerusalem Post quoted Yadlin
as saying. He said Turkey wanted to be part of the European market,
and it thought that relations with Israel would help them advance in
the American market.

"But then they received a cold shoulder from the Europeans and did
not achieve what they wanted. In light of that, they changed their
policies and are currently drawing away from secularism and going in
a more radical direction. There are still joint strategic interests
shared by Turkey and Israel, but it is not the same strategic proximity
that they once shared," he added.

Yadlin also highlighted Ankara’s growing relationship with Damascus
as a sign that Turkey and Israel were moving further apart. Turkey
recently lifted mutual visa requirements with Syria and signed a
series of cooperation agreements.

"In the past Turkey acknowledged joint interests that strengthened the
relationship. For example in the 1990s the Turks regarded Syria as an
enemy. There was a joint enemy. However, over the years Turkey and
Syria resolved their differences and Turkey doesn’t need Israel’s
closeness anymore," he said, according to a report by Yedioth
Ahronoth’s Web site.

Yadlin went on to address Iran’s nuclear program as well, saying that
Tehran is continuing work on it and the international community is
preparing to impose sanctions against Tehran. "As long as Iran is
not under heavy pressure, it doesn’t feel the need to renounce this
crucial issue," Yadlin said, reported Haaretz.

He said Palestinians are also trying to persuade the international
community to force Israel to return to peace negotiations, but on
their terms, which include a compete halt to settlement construction
including in East Jerusalem.

DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTERS OF BULGARIA AND ARMENIA, MARIN RAYKOV AND KARINE KAZINYAN, HELD BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria mfa.bg
Jan 19 2010
Bulgaria

On 18 January 2010, political consultations were held in Sofia between
the Foreign Ministries of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic
of Armenia. On the Bulgarian part, the consultations were held by
Marin Raykov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and departmental
representatives of the Foreign Ministry. The Armenian delegation was
led by Karine Kazinyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia.

The political consultations highlighted issues of bilateral relations,
including development of political dialogue, establishment of the
contractual and legal framework, trade and economic cooperation, as
well as cooperation in the field of culture and education. In view of
Bulgaria’s membership in the European Union and Armenia’s involvement
in the European Neighbourhood Policy, the discussions also focused
on the opportunities to expand and particularize the cooperation
between the two countries within the European Neighbourhood Policy
and its regional dimension, the Black Sea synergy, as well as the
cooperation within the European Commission’s new initiative, the
Eastern Partnership.

In the course of the plenary talks, the two delegations addressed
the partnership of the two countries in international organisations
and the development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the
Black Sea region in light of Bulgaria’s Chairmanship-in-Office of the
Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. Topical issues
of multilateral nature were also discussed.

JUSTICE IN TURKEY ASKED OVER HRANT DINK DEATH

http://www.worldbulle tin.net/news_detail.php?id=52878
Jan 19 2010
Turkey

Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was commemorated in Istanbul
on the third anniversary of his demise.

Tuesday, 19 January 2010 16:58 Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink
was commemorated in Istanbul on the third anniversary of his demise.

Dink, the editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly
Agos, was shot dead outside the newspaper’s office in Istanbul’s
Sisli neighborhood on January 19, 2007.

During the commemoration ceremony, people chanted slogans asking for
justice and opened a banner referring to Dink’s remarks, "our sole
path should be defending co-existence, this path is the requirement
of both wisdom and conscience".

Participants lit candles and left carnations around the banner,
and sang Turkish and Armenian folk songs.

Dink’s wife, daughters and son also participated in the commemoration
ceremony.

Police arrested the suspect a day after the murder (January 20, 2007)
and a suspected associate who was identified as Yasin Hayal.

The trial began in July 2007. Prosecutors have asked for a prison
term of 18 years up to 24 years for Dink’s assassin, and lifetime
sentences for two key suspects, Erhan Tuncel and Yasin Hayal, for
inciting to murder.

RADICAL US ARMENIANS PLAN TO BOYCOTT CLINTON MEETING

Hurriyet Daily News
Jan 18 2010
Turkey

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. AP photo

The Armenian National Committee of America, or ANCA, the largest
and most radical Armenian-American group, has said that it is not
planning to attend a meeting next month between U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton and major Armenian-American organizations to
discuss the Turkey-Armenia reconciliation process.

The ANCA, in a weekend statement, said its move is in protest of
a State Department stance to decline to invite many influential
Armenian-American groups, which oppose the normalization talks between
Ankara and Yerevan.

Invited to attend the Feb. 9 meeting with Clinton were the Armenian
Assembly of America, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), the Diocese of
the Armenian Church (Western), the Knights of Vartan, and the ANCA.

The ANCA accused the State Department of not inviting to the
meeting the Eastern U.S. and Western U.S. Prelacies of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Apostolic Exarchate for Armenian Catholics, Armenian
Evangelical Union of North America, Armenian Missionary Association of
America, Armenian Relief Society, Armenian Bar Association, Armenian
International Women’s Association, Armenian Rights Council of America,
Armenian Youth Federation, Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural & Education
Association, Homenetmen Armenian General Athletic Union, Tekeyan
Cultural Association, United Armenian Fund, and the U.S.-Armenia
Public Affairs Committee.

"I am writing to share our serious concern that your initial round of
invitations to Armenian-American organizations to meet with you this
coming Feb. 9 does not represent our traditional community leadership
nor does it reflect the widely understood Armenian-American opposition
to the Turkey-Armenia protocols," ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian said
in a letter sent to Clinton last week, according to the ANCA statement.

"As presently configured, the meeting you have proposed will not
serve the vital and worthwhile aim of healthy discourse, and would,
at this sensitive moment, in fact be counter-productive. The current
arrangement, which, by all appearances, intentionally excludes so
many of our traditional community and church leaders on the basis of
their views and values, would set an undemocratic and highly negative
precedent," Hachikian said. "We would not be able to meaningfully
participate under these narrow and exclusionary terms," he said.

Strong US support

The Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers signed a set of agreements
on Oct. 10 under which Ankara and Yerevan should set up normal
diplomatic relations and reopen their land border. U.S. President
Barack Obama’s administration strongly supports this process.

But there are signs that the reconciliation process could face an
uphill battle. The Turkey-Armenia accord needs to be ratified by the
parliaments of the two neighbors before implementation, and there
is no indication of when both nations may bring the deal to their
parliaments.

The problem that lies at the root of the problem is the unresolved
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Turkey’s
close friend and ally. Turkey first wants to see progress toward
the solution of the Karabakh conflict before opening its border with
Armenia. And the Armenians are hinting no sign of this.

Nagorno-Karabakh, a mostly Armenian-populated enclave inside Azerbaijan
and parts of Azerbaijan proper, has been under Armenian occupation
since a war in the early 1990s. As a result of this war, Turkey has
refused to set up normal diplomatic relations with Yerevan and has
kept the land border with Armenia closed since 1993.

The ANCA is staunchly opposing the Ankara-Yerevan process and seeking
to obtain formal U.S. recognition of the World War I-era killings of
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as "genocide."

The Armenian Assembly of America, the second-largest Armenian-American
group, which will attend the meeting with Clinton, says it in principle
supports the Turkey-Armenia process. But at the same time, it also
pursues U.S. genocide recognition.

Turkey has strongly warned that any formal U.S. "genocide recognition,"
either by the administration or in Congress, would lead to a major
and lasting deterioration of bilateral ties.