Author: Nanijanian Alex

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
April 3, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA WELCOMES DELAY IN GORDON CONFIRMATION VOTE

— Senate Vote on State Department Nominee Will
Now Take Place after President’s Trip to Turkey

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today noted that the U.S. Senate’s delay in confirming the Obama
Administration’s nomination of Phil Gordon to a senior State
Department posting will allow Senators time to meaningfully
consider both the timing and wisdom of approving an individual
whose record is so markedly at odds with the President’s commitment
to bringing about official U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.

The Senate, which approved a slate of other senior Presidential
appointments earlier today, went into a two-week recess this
afternoon without acting on his nomination to serve as Assistant
Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs. Although the
cause for this delay remains unclear, it is likely the result of a
"hold" placed on his confirmation by a member of the Senate.

"We see this delay as a meaningful opportunity for Senators to
weigh the merits of approving a nominee with a record of arguing
against both Executive Branch and Congressional recognition of the
Armenian Genocide – a position at direct odds with the strong moral
stand taken by the President that the U.S. should clearly and fully
condemn this crime against humanity," said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. "We look forward, during Genocide
Prevention Month this April, to President Obama honoring his pledge
to recognize the Armenian Genocide."

During his March 31st confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee , and in his extensive writings, Mr. Gordon
frequently argued against U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. His responses and record placed him directly at odds
with the views of the President, who has consistently argued for
U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, strongly supported full
Congressional commemoration of this crime, and repeatedly pledged,
if elected, to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Gordon’s stand on
this human rights issue and also his views on the Turkish
occupation of Cyprus, which are seen by the Greek American
community as deeply troubling, were the subject of questioning,
both verbal and written, during and after his hearing.

ARMENIA HAS REGISTERED THE LOWEST RATE AMONG CONFINED SMOKERS

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2009 18:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 2007 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and
Other Drugs Report was presented at RIA Novosti news conference on
Mar. 26.

The main purpose of ESPAD is to collect comparable data on substance
use among 15-16 year old European Students in order to monitor trends
within and between countries. The Survey is conducted every 4 years
and on this occasion 35 countries, including Russia participated.

ESPAD survey showed that 65,6% of Russian respondents had smoked at
least once in their lives and 29% are permanent smokers, as compared
with Europe results of 21,5%.

Only Austria (35%), Czechia (34%) and Latvia (32%) have outstripped
Russia. Armenia has registered the lowest rate among confined smokers
(4%)

With regard to alcohol, in 2007 Russian survey 23%, reported having
consumed alcohol at least 40 times in their lives, compared with
Europe data of 27,1%. Austria (52%) and Dania (49%) have registered
the highest adherence to smoking. Island (9%), Norway (11%) and Sweden
(14%) registered the lowest rates of alcohol use, whereas students
tended to drink beer more often.

48,7% of European students reported having consumed alcohol during the
previous month. Russian and Cyprus students showed highest preference
for alcohol (52%).

TO MAKE USE OF FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
March 25, 2009

The NKR Government has planned to call outgoing sessions in the
regional centres of the Republic during the forthcoming weeks. Today,
the first meeting of this kind has taken place in Askeran. Executives
of the region and community heads participated in the session together
with Government members.

In his opening speech, the Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan attached
importance to such a meeting observing it as a fine opportunity of
direct cooperation between the Executive, regional administrative
bodies and the activists.

At the session Vahram Baghdasaryan, head of Askeran regional
administration, rendered an account on the activity of the structure
for 2008. Detailed information, concerning the socio-economic and
demographicstate, legal issues, cultural, educational and other
problems of vital importance recorded in the region last year,
were provided. In 2008, heavier crop was gathered in the region than
last year. There is an obvious tendency of carrying out agricultural
works; however, there are still many privatized lands, which are not
cultivated yet. Rural inhabitants are not sufficiently informed about
the implemented state agricultural programmes.

Only 19 from 42 communities have collected the private incomes
anticipated for the year. The problem of paying off of overdue credits
remains an urgent one, the debtors of the region must still repay
about AMD 120mln to the state. According to the reporter, the sphere
of cattle-breeding is not secure; the irrigation system needs to be
fully operated.

Touching upon the works implemented in the previous year, Prime
Minister A.Haroutyunyan noted that the results of the overall activity
on a regional scale are still far from the desired level. "Askeran
has quite favourable conditions for an efficient economic activity in
comparison with other regions, and the inhabitants should make maximal
use of this circumstance",- the Prime Minister underlined. He called
the community heads to focus their attention mainly on the agricultural
activity of the inhabitants, to support them achieving serious results
through using their abilities and taking advantage of the broad
state support. Under present financial and economic hard conditions
it is especially important for the villagers to take advantage of the
provided opportunities to the maximum and to solve the major part of
the existing problems by themselves,- A.Haroutyunyan stated.

At the meeting the participants directed their questions to Government
members and got clarifications.

After the session representatives of the Executive were present at
the opening of newly constructed building of Askeran Municipality and
got familiarized with the working conditions. Then, Prime Minister
A.Haroutyunyan visited one of main building sites of Askeran. Here
a building for 520 pupils is being constructed. The head of the
Government discussed the process of construction works and the
opportunities of modernizing the building with the project owners.

The next working meeting of the Prime Minister again took place in
the hall of Askeran regional administration. This time he informed
the community heads about the hypothecary crediting initiated for
villages. A.Haroutyunyan reminded that the crediting programme is not
a social one, so that solvent and honest villagers can make use of it.

Clarifications on hypothecary crediting were presented to the
participants of the meeting by the Executive Director of Artsakh
Investment Fund K.Yesayan.

The Vice-Premier S.Tevosyan was present at the conference.

HILLARY CLINTON: U.S. WILLING TO FACILITATE KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.03.2009 21:05 GMT+04:00

RA FM Edward Nalbandyan met MG OSCE Co-Chair, US Secretary of State
Assistant Matthew Bryza . Matthew Bryza passed the message of US
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton to RA Foreign Minister. The
message detailed issues of US-Armenian relations, normalization of
Turkish-Amrnian ties. Hillary Clinton expressed her readiness to
promote peaceful settlement of NKR conflict.

The parties also focused on NKR conflict settlement negotiation
process, RA MFA Press Service reported.

FEW WOMEN CANDIDATES NOMINATED IN ELDERS’ ELECTIONS

Panorama.am
15:39 24/03/2009

The number of women candidates in the electoral lists of six parties
and one alliance to the forthcoming elders’ elections is very
few. "Woman has skills to have success in politics like man does
– intellect, wisdom, but one thing man lacks – beauty and charm,"
Republican Deputy Armen Ashotyan expressed his opinion about woman’s
opportunities to be a successful politician.

There are two women candidates in the electoral list of the Republican
Party – Astghik Gevorgyan, the President of Journalists’ Union of
Armenia and Anna Asatryan, Doctor of art sciences.

"There are many women in the Republican party who present different
aspects. We hope that we’ll have the majority number of voices
in the elders’ elections to have a chance to increase the role of
women in different aspects," Republican Deputy Hermine Naghdalyan
told Panorama.am.

The other parties have also nominated few women candidates in their
electoral lists, for example, Mari Titizyan is the only woman candidate
in the ARF list, Heghine Bisharyan is nominated in "Countries of Law",
there are two women candidates in "Prosperous Armenia" electoral
list, etc.

Remind: The forthcoming Elders’ elections are scheduled on 31 May.

ARMENIAN RADIO ON THE WAY

Hurriyet
March 23 2009
Turkey

ANKARA – Radio stations in Armenian and Kurdish languages on the
state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, network
will start broadcasting within two or three months, the Anatolia news
agency reported over the weekend.

In addition to radio stations, TRT will also launch television
broadcasts in different languages. TRT first aims to start its Arabic
broadcast with Middle East countries as the target audience. TRT
is also working on a Persian TV station, which is expected to start
broadcasting next year.

In cooperation with local TV channels, TRT will broadcast news in
English over TRT Anadolu. The broadcast of the news channel will be
launched next year. Tarım TV (Agriculture TV), which will mostly
broadcast programs about agriculture and stockbreeding, is also among
TRT’s projects.

TRT’s new TV station, TRT Avaz, started to broadcast in 27 countries
in the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia late Saturday. "TRT Avaz
will enable our communication in the region," said President Abdullah
Gul, who attended the premiere. TRT Avaz aims to increase Turkey’s
recognition and efficiency in the region and cooperation in the Turkish
world. During the premiere, Turkish pop star Tarkan and artists from
Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan gave concerts.

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT CONCERNED OVER AZERBAIJANI REFERENDUM

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2009 14:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani officials say voters have overwhelmingly
approved constitutional amendments scrapping presidential term limits,
in a vote the opposition boycotted.

Azerbaijan’s Central Elections Commission reported a 71 percent turnout
for Wednesday’s ballot. It said about 92 percent of those voting
approved an end to term limits. Critics say this will effectively clear
the way for President Ilham Aliyev to extend his rule indefinitely.

A Council of Europe delegation praised the conduct of the vote,
but urged further political reforms.

Opposition Musavat party leader Isa Gambar said party observers
monitored "thousands of violations."

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Amanda Harper expressed
U.S. concern over the speed with which the referendum was put forward
and restrictions on media and assembly which limited public debate. She
also noted reports of interference by police and officials during
the campaign and on the day of the vote.

The spokeswoman said the United Sates continues to call on the
Azerbaijan’s government to fully respect fundamental freedoms,
including those of expression, association and assembly. She also urged
Azerbaijani authorities to fully investigate reports of interference
in the referendum process

The president’s critics have accused the United States and Europe
of ignoring recent political and media restrictions imposed by the
Aliyev government, for fear of losing access to the country’s vast
energy reserves, VOA reports.

President Aliyev won a second five-year term in October. He came
to power in 2003 after succeeding his father, Heydar Aliyev, who
dominated the country in various posts for more than 30 years.

ARMENIAN MINISTER FORECASTS 8%-10% INFLATION IN ARMENIA IN 2009

ARKA
March 19, 2009

YEREVAN, March 19. /ARKA/. Armenia’s inflation is likely to reach
8%-10% due to the global economic slowdown, said RA Minister of
Finance Tigran Davtyan.

Commenting on the Central Bank’s retrieval of the floating foreign
exchange policy, the minister stressed that the "Central Bank’s has
always followed the free-floating currency policy."

According to Davtyan, CBA can simultaneously implement another foreign
currency policy to ensure financial stability, with the free-floating
currency being its long-term policy.

"The rise in import prices was due to exchange rate adjustments,"
the minister said, adding market prices had soon returned to their
former notch.

On March 3, the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) officially returned
to the floating national currency exchange rate. According to CBA
experts, the Armenian dram /U.S. dollar exchange rate is expected to
range from AMD 360 to AMD 380 per $1.

NEW ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION INTRODUCED IN U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

armradio.am
18.03.2009 10:57

Legislation calling on the U.S. President to properly recognize
the Armenian Genocide was introduced today in the U.S. House of
Representatives, two weeks before President’s Obama’s April 5th trip to
Turkey and roughly a month before the White House’s annual April 24th
commemoration of this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

The measure, H.Res.252, is spearheaded by lead sponsors, Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), and cosponsored
by over 70 House colleagues. The resolution is identical to the
one introduced in both the House and Senate in the 110th Congress,
which was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, over
intense pressure from the Turkish Government and Bush Administration,
and publicly endorsed by then-candidate for President Barack Obama,
his Vice President Joe Biden, and current Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton.

"Armenians in the U.S. and around the world thank Adam Schiff, George
Radanovich, Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk for leading Congressional
efforts toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "The election of Barack
Obama, who has spoken repeatedly, forcefully, and wit h great clarity
about the need for American recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
marked a truly welcome break from the flawed policies of the past on
this score. We look, in the coming days and weeks, for the President
to honor his pledge, to fully support this legislation, and to raise
the discourse in Washington, DC on the Armenian Genocide from level
of Turkey’s threats and denials up to the level of the core moral
and humanitarian values of the America people."

In the days leading up to the introduction of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone and Kirk
sent a letter to President Obama urging him to end the complicity
of past Administrations in Turkey’s genocide denial by properly
characterizing the Armenian Genocide. That sentiment was reiterated
by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, in a March
7th letter sent to President Obama.

The resolution comes six-weeks prior to April 24th, the worldwide
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. U.S. Presidents have marked the
annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923 by the Ottoman
Turkish government every year since 1994, though have refrained from
the proper characterization of this crime under threats and pressure
from the Turkish government.

"There is going to be heavy focus on encouraging President Obama to
make a strong statement of recognition on April 24, because it will
be im portant in setting the tone of the discussions on the Armenian
Genocide Resolution in Congress," Rep. Schiff told Armenian Weekly
Editor Khatchig Mouradian earlier today. "The Turkish lobby will
be spending millions — like they did in past years. They will also
argue that the recognition of the genocide will cut off reconciliation
between Armenia and Turkey, and that this is not the right time. The
truth is, after 94 years, if this is not the right time, I don’t know
when that right time can be."

Rep. Radanovich concurred, noting, "President Obama made a clear
promise to the Armenian community during his campaign and to do
anything short of properly recognizing the Armenian genocide as such
would be a direct slap in the face to Armenians around the world." In a
statement issued earlier today, he went on to note that "The Armenian
constituents in my district have been staunch advocates of the truth
and to them I promise not to give up this fight."

As Members of Congress prepared to introduce the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, thousands of Armenian American activists contacted their
legislators through phone, mail and the ANCA WebFax system urging
them to become early cosponsors of the legislation.

The Armenian Genocide legislation is expected to the referred to the
House Foreign Affairs Committee.

EUROVISION-2009: ARMENIA IN SEMI FINAL

Panorama.am
11:23 17/03/2009

Armenia is listed in the first semi final of "Eurovision – 2009" song
contest, which will take place in "Olimpiski" concert hall, Moscow on
12 May. The countries of the first semi final are – Montenegro, Czech
Republic, Belgium, Belarus, Sweden, Andorra, Switzerland, Turkey,
Israel, Bulgaria (chosen with a wildcard), Iceland, FYR Macedonia,
Romania, Finland, Portugal (chosen with a wildcard), Malta (chosen
with a wildcard), Bosnia & Herzegovina. The second semi-final will
take place on 14 May and the countries of the second semi-final are –
Croatia, Ireland, Latvia, Serbia, Poland, Norway, Cyprus, Slovakia,
Denmark, Slovenia, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Greece, Lithuania, Moldova,
Albania, Ukraine (chosen with a wildcard), Estonia (chosen with a
wildcard), the Netherlands (chosen with a wildcard). The countries
of "Great Four" – Spain, Germany, France and Great Britain will have
their tern in the final. Russia also takes part in the final because
this is the winner country of the previous year.