Author: Nanijanian Alex

AGAINST BLOODY CRIMES OF SUMGAIT

Panorama.am
11:33 27/02/2010

Politics

Actions of protest will be demonstrated near the building of
Azerbaijan’s Embassy to Greece initiated by the ARF Youth Organization
of Greece.

"Since 1988 Armenians all over the world mourn the bloody crimes
committed against peaceful Sumgait people on 28 February by
Azerbaijan’s authorities. Armenians of Kirovabad, Ghazakh, Khanlar,
Dashqesan, Baku and other cities had become victims of those
brutalities," ARF message says.

Armenia School Foundation, Inc.
3628 San Fernando Road, #1
Glendale, CA 91204

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Annette Kiureghian
[email protected]

The Armenia School Foundation (ASF USA) Celebrates Its 2009 Achievements
And Honors Two Board Members For Six Years of Dedicated Service.

Glendale, California, February 1, 2010- The Armenia School Foundation (ASF
USA), a non profit organization dedicated to refurnishing schools in
Armenia and Karabagh, hosted an intimate cocktail reception on January
24th, at Ararat Center in Glendale.

At the commencement of the reception, Armen Abrahamian, chairman of the
board, announced the completion of six more school projects, in 2009.
A generous donation by Mr. & Mrs. Onnik and Mariette Muradian sponsored
the delivery of new furniture to Mergastan and Baghramyan village schools
in Armavir. A group of ASF supporters sponsored the delivery of new sets
to schools in the villages of Vanand and Aygeshad in Armavir, and villages
of Katnaghbyur and Tsilqar in Aragatsotn regions. A total of 411 brand new
student two-chair/ desk sets and 58 teacher desk/chair sets were delivered
to all six schools.

`Similar to many other nonprofit organizations, ASF was also impacted by
the global economic crisis but we still were able to complete six school
projects in 2009. Thanks to our supporters, we have provided over 9000
sets of new school furniture to about 200 schools in Armenia and Artsakh.’
said Armen Abrahamian, chairman of the board.

During the reception two distinguished board members Ms. Anahid Sarian,
vice president, and Mrs. Janet Mirzayan, treasurer, were honored for their
valuable contributions, long term commitment and volunteer work for ASF,
since its inception in May of 2003.

`Both ladies have been pioneers in their work and have achieved a lot for
ASF and the Armenian community for a number of years’ stated Mr.
Abrahamian. `We dedicate this evening to both to celebrate their
achievements and honor their work.’
Ara Carapetian, a former board member, in his congratulatory letter to
both honorees wrote; `Anahid and Janet are the best examples of Armenian
women who know the future of the Armenian nation is with its young
generation. They gave so much of their time and energy to facilitate
creation of a new generation of better educated young Armenian.’

Present at the reception were close friends and family members for both
honorees, as well as past donors and members of several organizations such
as Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter, Armenian Relief Society, Iranahye
Organization, and Glendale- Ghapan Sistercity Association.

The Armenia School Foundation (ASF USA) is a nonprofit and non-sectarian,
501 3 organization, founded in May 2003. ASF USA strives to provide new
furniture for underprivileged schools in remote regions of Armenia and
Karabagh to enhance the learning environment.

For more information about the Armenia School Foundation, please visit

Contact [email protected]
Website

ARMENIAN FOOTBALL TEAM COMPOSITION TO PLAY AGAINST BELARUS ANNOUNCED

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.02.2010 17:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Head coach of Armenian Football Team Vardan Minasyan
announced team composition to play in a friendly against Belarus.

Antalya Ataturk Stadium will host Armenia-Belarus friendly match on
March 3.

Armenian team structure:

Goalkeepers:
Roman Berezovsky -Khimki (Russia)
Gevorg Kasparov – Kaveh (Iran)
Stepan Ghazaryan -Banants

Fullbacks:
Sargis Hovsepyan -Pyunik
Hrayr Mkoyan -Mika
Robert Arzumanyan -Randers (Denmark)
Alexander Tadevosyan -Mika
Aghvan Lazarian -Mika
Eduard Kirakosyan -Banants
Artur Voskanyan -Banants

Halfbacks:
Ararat Arakelyan – Banants
Artur Edigaryan – Pyunik
Karlen Lazarian -Pyunik
Levon Pachajyan – Sanat Naft (Iran)
Artak Alexanyan -Ural (Russia)

Forwards:
Samvel Melkonyan – Banants
Markos Pizzelli -Pyunik
Eghya Yavruyan – Maccabi (Israel)
Arsen Balabekyan -Banants
Edgar Manucharyan – Apeldoorn (Holland)

TURKISH FM AND ARMENIAN LEADER MEET IN KIEV

Hurriyet
Feb 25 2010
Turkey

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Armenian President Serge
Sarkisian met in Kiev on Thursday.

The Turkish foreign minister told reporters after the meeting that he
had had the opportunity to talk to the Armenian president about the
Turkish-Armenian relationship normalization process, and developments
in the Caucasus.

"We reviewed the Turkish -Armenian normalization relationship in
its entirity with open hearts today including our anxieties and
the obstacles we face," Davutoglu said. "We spoke about Armenian-
Azerbaijan relations and the activities of the Minsk Group as related
to the Karabakh issue," he said.

"I also had the opportunity to tell Mr. Sarkisian about Turkey’s
vision for the region," he said.

Davutoglu said this was the first meeting between him and Sarkisian
after a controversial decision from the Armenian Constitutional Court
slowed down progress made after the two countries signed protocols
to restore diplomatic ties.

The Armenian parliament Thursday made it easy for Yerevan to scrap
the protocols signed with Turkey by passing amendments that will
allow President Serge Sarkisian to suspend ratification and withdraw
from previously signed international agreements. The amendments were
passed by a vote of 70 to 4. The move comes amid growing frustration in
Armenia over the Turkish Parliament’s failure to ratify the protocols
signed in October.

The signing of the deals was hailed internationally as a key step in
overcoming decades of enmity stemming from World War I-era killings
of Armenians under the late days of the Ottoman Empire.

Ratification by both countries’ parliaments stalled as the two sides
traded accusations of attempts to modify the deal.

Ankara has accused Yerevan of trying to set new conditions after
Armenia’s Constitutional Court said the protocols could not contradict
Yerevan’s official position that the Armenian killings constituted
"genocide" – a label Turkey fiercely rejects.

Armenia, for its part, is furious over Ankara’s insistence that
normalizing Turkish-Armenian ties depends on progress in resolving
the conflict between Armenia and Turkish ally Azerbaijan over the
disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with
Azerbaijan after ethnic Armenian forces wrested Nagorno-Karabakh from
Baku’s control in a war that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.

The conflict remains unresolved despite years of international
mediation

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT RATIFIES LAW ON NULLIFYING INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

Asbarez
ratifies-law-on-nullifying-international-treaties/
Feb 24th, 2010

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-The National Assembly approved Tuesday a government
bill that will make it easier for Armenia to annul its normalization
agreements with Turkey if Ankara continues to delay their ratification.

The relevant amendments to an Armenian law on international treaties
envisage the suspension or termination of agreements signed by Yerevan
before their entry into force.

President Serzh Sarkisian announced his intention to enact such
amendments in December in response to Turkish leaders’ continuing
statements making the ratification of the Turkish-Armenian "protocols"
conditional on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh. He made clear
that Yerevan will walk away from the deal if Ankara fails to implement
it within a "reasonable" time frame.

The parliament overwhelmingly passed the amendments in the first
reading, with only one of its factions, the opposition Zharangutyun
party, voting against them. Zharangutyun lawmakers, who have been
strongly opposed to the protocols, said Armenian law and international
conventions signed by Yerevan already allow for the abrogation of
international treaties.

Deputies from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the other
opposition party represented in the parliament, also criticized the
amendments but chose to vote for them. "It contains necessary but
insufficient formulations," one of them, Artsvik Minasian, said before
the vote. He said not only the president of the republic but also the
parliament must be empowered to invalidate international agreements.

Armen Rustamian, another ARF lawmaker who chairs the parliament
committee on foreign affairs, said the National Assembly should also
be given the right to ratify them with "reservations."

"Voting against them means being against the use of this necessary
tool by Armenia," Rustamian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. "We need
to have such a tool."

The amendments were included on the parliament agenda just days
after Sarkisian formally sent the two Turkish-Armenian protocols
to the parliament for ratification. Leaders of the parliament’s
pro-presidential majority have repeatedly stated that the protocols
will not be put to a vote before their ratification by the Turkish
parliament.

AGHVAN HOVSEPIAN: IF NIKOL PASHINIAN IS NOT GRANTED AMNESTY, PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE WILL APPEAL THIS DECISION

Noyan Tapan
Feb 24, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Everybody understands that the
general amnesty applies to the unserved term of the punishment imposed
on the editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak daily Nikol Pashinian, and
it will be indicated in the final court decision which has not come
into force yet. Prosecutor General of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepian made
this statement during the February 24 briefing with reporters. He
explained that there is still no final court decision on Nikol
Pashinian’s case which has been examined by two courts – the Court
of Appeal and the Cassation Court, while amnesty can be granted only
in case of meting out a punishment. "Amnesty is a law and everybody
must obey it," A. Hovsepian said, adding that if Pashinian is not
granted amnesty, the prosecutor’s office will appeal this decision.

With respect to the issue that the murders of 10 people during the
mass disorder in Yerevan on 1 March 2008 were not disclosed, A.

Hovsepian said that the investigation body has done considerable
work, but the case has not been disclosed: the public failed to give
efficient assistance for the case disclosure, while foreign partners,
to whom Armenian law enforcement bodies had applied in anticipation
of help, considered it impossible to reveal those guilty through
expert examinations.

ABKHAZIANS ARE DRIVING ARMENIANS OUT OF ABKHAZIA

Experts’ club
_Expertclub/lang__en/tabid__2546/default.aspx
Feb 24 2010
Georgia

Armenians are being evicted from Abkhazia, – informs Armenian newspaper
Hraparak, noting that in recent years pressure has increased on local
Armenians on the territory of Abkhazia, where Armenians constitute 30%
of the population of the region.

Abkhazians, supported by Russia, demand from Armenia to recognize
their independence – said "Hraparak" – otherwise they would not allow
Armenians to live on this territory. According to the newspaper,
official Yerevan has already been informed about the situation, but
has taken no action. It does not even want to send a delegation to
Sukhumi, fearing a negative reaction in Tbilisi.

KARABAKH MARKS NATIONAL REVIVAL DAY

Asbarez
nal-revival-day/
Feb 22nd, 2010

STEPANAKERT –Armenians Saturday marked the 22nd anniversary of
the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh liberation movement, when the
parliament of the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast voted to
reunify with Armenia after nearly seven decades of Soviet Azeri rule.

The monumental day, which sparked the Karabakh liberation struggle,
is officially marked in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as National
Revival Day.

Karabakh President Bako Sahakian commemorated the day with a speech
in the Nagorno-Karabakh National Assembly. We present his speech in
its entirety below.

Dear attendees,

I am glad to welcome all of you and congratulate all our compatriots
on Artsakh Revival Day. Each of you carries the very symbol of this
day and has made a personal contribution to the realization of the
ideas of the national liberation movement. Many of our friends laid
down their lives to ensure the victory of these ideas. Eternal glory
and honor to them.

20 February of 1988 became the starting point of our national revival.

We stood to defend our natural right for free and independent life
on our native land, for mastering our own destiny independently and
in correspondence with international norms and principles.

Azerbaijan reacted to our peaceful and just demand with cruel and
bloody war, which caused heavy human sacrifices and devastations.

The heroic people of Artsakh together with the world-wide Armenian
Diaspora managed to withstand all the ordeals and chose the path of
building a democratic state. For us this way has been irreversible
and final.

We are very much confident that every problem the contemporary
world faces can be solved exclusively in civilized manner, around
the negotiation table, through direct dialogue. In contrast, the
authorities of Azerbaijan continue to wage a militaristic policy of
keeping their own people in a permanent state of war. These threats
are vain and inappropriate. We have a regular and efficient army
that is ready to give a fitting rebuff to any encroachment upon the
security of our state and people.

Dear friends,

The NKR National Assembly of all convocations has played a
great role in building an independent statehood, forming state
institutions and consolidating democratic values. Soon there will
be new regular elections of the NKR National Assembly. For our
people it is a political event of utmost importance. And we should
do everything possible for these elections as always to be carried
out in correspondence with international standards and take us a step
forward Ïn the way of building a firm and prosperous future of Artsakh.

Thank you!"

We have been through a lot and perhaps our history will prove it. In
addition, we have launched a creative and complex initiative –
the establishment of a state, revival of Karabakh and statehood of
Artsakh. Meanwhile, we had to restore government agencies, establish
Parliament, army and in parallel defend our right at war, said former
head of NKR Supreme Council, incumbent FM Georgy Petrosyan at the NKR
Parliament solemn meeting devoted to Artsakh Renaissance day and 22nd
anniversary of Karabakh movement.

"In current satiation NKR MP’s of all convocations do and will bear
responsibility for continuation of this creative process. The most
MP’s can do as the people’s representatives is discuss steps to be
taken under these circumstances and thereafter. We will take the full
responsibility towards the history. And I hope we will not back the
wrong horse once again for any reason – internal or external. I reckon
that to date all was done duly. Many critical and complex issues were
addressed, at that current challenges are less difficult than previous
ones. We have to be ready to face any trial, and self-sacrifices if
needed so that the creative life will be continued by our children
as well," Petrosyan concluded.

6 YEARS AGO AZERBAIJANI DREGS KILLED GURGEN MARGARYAN

Aysor
Feb 19 2010
Armenia

6 years ago, an Armenian officer was killed by the hands of Azeri
murderer. Every year this day comes to remind us what can the
Azerbaijani youth do. The youth who are brought up with the hatred
towards the Armenians in their hearts, whose courage, rises only when
the Armenian is asleep.

On February 19, 2004 Lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Armenia Gurgen
Margaryan who was sent to Budapest was chopped by an axe by Azeri
officer Ramil Safarov. Gurgen was unarmed. He was asleep…

And though the Court of Budapest sentenced Safarov to life
imprisonment, the Azeri, who have committed violence towards the
Armenians throughout their entire history, call him a hero and continue
defending him and fighting for his freedom.

The body of Gurgen Margaryan was buried in Yerablur. Every year this
day his relatives and friends visit Yerablur to honor the memory of
Gurgen Margaryan.

UNFPA ARMENIA OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES REPORT ON LEGAL ASSESSMENT OF RA LEGISLATION FROM GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE PERSPECTIVE

ArmInfo
2010-02-18 12:54:00

ArmInfo. Today on February 18, 2010 UNFPA/Armenia launched the Report
on the Legal Assessment of the RA Legislation from Gender-Based
Violence (GBV) perspective, conducted within the framework of UNFPA
"Combating Gender-Based Violence in the South Caucasus" project.

The purpose of the legal assessment was to review whether, how and to
what extent the national laws of Armenia comply with international
law, legal norms and standards pertaining to GBV prevention, and to
produce a package of recommendations regarding necessary amendments
and changes in the RA legislation, which will be presented to the RA
Government for further consideration.

The Report provides a detailed overview of the analysis of the major
legal documents of Armenia from gender-based violence perspective,
including: The RA Constitution, The Criminal Code, The Family Code,
The Labor Code, The Criminal Procedures Code, The legal acts on Social
Security and Health-Care.

Opening the event with welcoming speech, Ms. Dafina Gercheva, the
UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative said that
GBV is a global problem hindering sustainable development of a
country and healthy atmosphere in public. Although many countries
have relevant legislation to combat GBV and protect women, she said,
this problem must be under permanent control and the public must fight
this phenomenon. D. Gercheva highlighted that Armenia has ratified a
number of international documents and assumed commitments to fulfill
them. At the same time, gender-based violence is not considered in
the country as a separate crime. Besides, she believes that victims of
violence are deprived of the legal right to protection. Ms. Gercheva
also outlined certain passivity of the victims of violence who do
not apply to the law- enforcement.