Author: Navasardian Karapet

ARMENIA READY TO INTENSIFY COOPERATION WITH CHINA

Arka News Agency, Armenia
April 27 2007

YEREVAN, April 27. /ARKA/. Armenia is ready to continue and intensify
cooperation with China, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan reported at
the meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Armenia Tzo Syuelyan, held in
connection with completion of his diplomatic mission.

"Over the last years Armenia and China have made big efforts to build
a foundation for development of friendly and partner relations,"
the press service reported referring to Sargsyan’s statement.

In his turn, Tzo Syuelyan expressed gratitude to the government and
the prime minister for constant care and assistance throughout the
years of his mission in the country.

He said that the development of the Armenian-Chinese is stable and
dynamic.

"The purposeful work of the Armenian government played a significant
role in it," Mr. Syuelyan reported.

At the meeting they expressed satisfaction with the results of the
fifth sitting of the Armenian-Chinese intergovernmental commission.

Results of the work done and issues of expanding economic and
humanitarian cooperation were discussed at the sitting.

On behalf of the Armenian government the prime minister appreciated
the ambassador for his contribution to the development of the
Armenian-Chinese relations during five years of his diplomatic mission,
and wished him success in his further activity.

TURKISH JEWS ASKS US HOUSE TO POSTPONE ARMENIAN BILL

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007

( Cihan ) – Four main Jewish associations in the United States conveyed
a letter from Turkish Jews Congregation to key congressmen at the US
House of Representatives.

The letter was written as a request for the postponing of the so-called
Armenian Genocide bill at the congress.

B’nai Brith, Anti Defamation League, American Jews Committee (AJC)
and Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) also
included a letter with the signatures of their chairmen.

The letter stated that the chairmen’s friends and co-workers at the
Turkish Jews Association requested that they presented the letter to
the congressmen and added that they were sure the congressmen would
understand the perspective.

130 CANDIDATES FOR DEPUTACY CONTINUE STRUGGLE BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM FOR RA NA ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Three of candidates registered
by majoritarian system for the May 12 parliamentary elections
have officially refused of the further electoral struggle. RA MP,
non-partisan Aghasi Arshakian registered at electoral district N 6,
non-partisan Vilhelm Poghosian registered at electoral district N 10,
non-partisan Vahagn Petrosian registered at electoral district N 15
submitted applications on withdrawing their candidatures.

To recap, registration of two candidatures nominated at electoral
district N 19, RA MP, RPA member Hakob Hakobian and non-partisan
Susanna Haroutiunian was invalidated by the April 10 decision of
Armavir first instance court.

So, as of April 25, 130 candidates continue electoral struggle by
majoritarian system at 41 electoral districts.

As Ara Haroutiunian, Head of Control Service attached to CEC,
reported at the April 25 press conference, 72 of candidates continuing
electoral struggle have made payments to preelectoral funds. In total,
the transferred sum amounted to 72 mln drams, the expenditures 34
mln drams (nearly 94.4 thousand USD).

US AMBASSADOR ANNE DERSE: NAGORNO KARABAKH IS A PART OF AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 25 2007

"I know how delicate question is Nagorno Karabakh for Azerbaijani
government and every Azerbaijani. I understand uneasiness of people
about different interpretation of the Nagorno Karabakh issue and
its status.

I restate that the United States has not changed its position on
Nagorno Karabakh and its status," US ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne
Derse told journalists, APA reports.

The Ambassador said the US recognizes Azerbaijan’s independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity. "We never denied that Nagorno
Karabakh is a part of Azerbaijan. Nagorno Karabakh is not recognized
and will not be recognized. We accept it as the part of Azerbaijan.

We are making strong efforts within the Minsk Group to reach peaceful
solution of the conflict. We will further carry out our important
mission as a friend and partner of Azerbaijan," the US Ambassador
underlined.

ARMENIAN AMERICANS WILL NEVER FORGET GENOCIDE

CBS2 Chicago, IL
April 25 2007

(CBS) NEW YORK Somber commemorations were held on Tuesday to mark
the beginning of a dark time in history. It’s been more than 90 years
since the organized extermination of Armenians began at the hands of
Turkish nationalists.

It’s something Armenian Americans are refusing to let the world forget.

They hold the rally every year, and every year there are fewer and
fewer actual survivors from the first genocide of the 20th century.

Armenians were driven from land in what is now modern day Turkey. A
million and a half victims vanished in the horror of forced relocation
marches and ethnic cleansings.

"They took them in a group, took them in the desert," said 96-year-old
genocide survivor Annie Karakian said. "If they fell they were shot,
they exterminated them."

Added fellow survivor Ononk Eminean, 94: "They took the gun and shot
my mother right in the chest. My mother was 22 years old."

A handful of the survivors live at the Armenian Home in Queens,
growing old and living with the memory of what happened "on the other
side." It’s a reality the modern Turkish government is trying to deny.

"They’re liars! How could they say something like that?" said
98-year-old Adrian Bagcujian.

These days, the Turks insist it wasn’t genocide but collateral war
damage and the U.S. government, anxious to curry favor with a regional
ally, complies with that view despite extensive documentation to
the contrary.

The U.S. ambassador to Armenia was even fired recently for even using
the g-word.

"I came to a point where it became an ethical issue to support our
policy which did not recognize the facts or to break with it," said
John Marshall Evans, former Ambassador to Armenia.

The aging survivors appreciate the gesture.

"The Turks don’t want to talk about it," Karakian said. "I know
they’re lying."

Sometimes it is too easy, too convenient to forget. Adolf Hitler knew
that. During World War II he said, "Who, after all, remembers the
annihilation of the Armenians?" The people here seem to be saying,
"We remember, even after all this time."

Democrats in Congress now vow to fight the appointment of Ambassador
Evans’ replacement — and point to the president’s annual message
on Armenian Remembrance Day that talks about "forced exile," and
"mass killings" but avoids the word genocide.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 23 2007

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS MAKE JOINT STATEMENT

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs has made a joint statement on the meeting
of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian,
and Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, in Belgrade on April 18 under the
aegis of the three Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Ambassador
Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Ambassador Bernard Fassier (France), and
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza (USA) – and in the
presence of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman in Office,
Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, APA reports.

"The Co-Chairs facilitated a constructive and forward-looking
discussion between the foreign ministers, who continued to embrace
the Basic Principles proposed by the mediators as the foundation for
the negotiations. The foreign ministers and the mediators have driven
the process very close to a point at which Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will have to assess
these principles.

The Co-Chairs plan to visit the region in late May in order to explore
with each president the idea of an additional summit between them
that could mark an endpoint for negotiations on basic principles and
a starting point for a process to develop a comprehensive settlement
agreement, based on those principles, that will pave the way for
enduring peace and stability in the region.

As always, the co-chairs continue to stress the important role that
the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan must play to prepare their
societies for peace. They urge both sides to engage actively in
confidence-building measures that will help build trust between them,"
the statement concludes.

Azerbaijanis to hold anti-Armenia rallies in New York and Washington

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 21 2007

[ 21 Apr 2007 12:21 ]

More than 5 thousand US Azerbaijanis are to hold anti-Armenian rallies
in the Times Square, the centre of New York, Azerbaijani Representation
to UN told APA.

Another mass rally of Azerbaijanis is planned to hold outside the
White House in Washington on April 22. The participants will shout
slogans "End lying!" in protest against the recognition of so called
‘Armenian genocide’.

Azeri protesters will remind of Armenian massacres committed against
Azerbaijanis in different periods and expose Armenian propaganda
aimed at the diverting public opinion from atrocities organized by
Armenian invaders in Azerbaijan. /APA/

AZERI, ARMENIAN FMS AGREE TO SUSPEND KARABAKH TALKS TILL MID-MAY

Turan news agency
19 Apr 07

Baku, 19 April: The main principles of the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement
were discussed during the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers’
meeting in Belgrade yesterday. The talks were held as part of the
Prague process. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs made proposals on two
of eight elements of the settlement "to bring the sides’ positions
closer", the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry press secretary, Xazar
Ibrahim, has told Turan.

He also said that the co-chairmen would visit the region after the
Armenian parliamentary election [on 12 May].

Ibrahim added that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs attended the talks
between Elmar Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanyan. The talks lasted about
five hours.

[Ayna reported on 19 April that the ministers agreed to suspend
the talks until after the Armenian parliamentary election. After
the election, Mammadyarov and Oskanyan will have another meeting to
define the venue and date of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents’
meeting.]

HHK SAYS CONFRONTATION BETWEEN HHK AND BHK HEALTHY

Panorama.am
15:13 20/04/2007

Speaking about confrontations between the Armenian Republican Party
(HHK) and Prosperous Armenia (BHK), Samvel Nikoyan, member of HHK
board, said "healthy competitions is underway between the two parties."

"Yes, there are cases when HHK members become upset that HHK supports
not his/her but another HHK member.

In such cases, they leave HHK and become a member of BHK," he said
also saying such cases are not many.

Nikoyan prayed god that the confrontation between the two parties
does not get out of control. "It will be devastating for the country,"
he said.

TURKISH POLICE PROBE BIBLE KILLINGS AMID SHOCK

L’express.mu, Mauritius
April 20 2007

Turkish police have detained ten people in connection with the killing
of three people, including a German, at a Bible publishing house in
the mainly Muslim country, authorities said yesterday.

The three were found on Wednesday with their throats slit at the
Zirve publishing house in Malatya, a city in the southeast of the
country. Voicing shock across the country at the latest attack on
Turkey’s small Christian minority, a headline in the Milliyet daily
said: "The nightmare continues."

It linked the new attack with the murders of Turkish-Armenian editor
Hrant Dink in January and an Italian priest last year.

Malatya Governor Halil Ibrahim Dasoz told reporters the number of
people in custody had risen to 10 and that all were from the same
age group. He gave no further details.