Author: nina hovnanian

AREAS SURROUNDING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM INSTITUTE TO BE ENLARGED 2.5 TIMES BY 2015

YEREVAN, April 23. /ARKA/. The areas surrounding the Armenian Genocide
museum institute will be enlarged 2.5 times by 2015, when the 100th
anniversary of the genocide will be marked, Hayk Demoyan, director
of the museum, said at a news conference today.

Items on display will be equipped with advanced museum technologies.

Demoyan said that this needs long and heavy work, which will make it
possible to present facts of the Armenian genocide in a new light.

The bulk of construction is planned to be completed, and after that
interior repair will be made.

Armenian genocide was the first genocide committed in XX century.

Turkey rejects the accusation of massacres and the killing of one
and a half million Armenians during World War I.

The fact of the Armenian genocide is recognized by many countries,
particularly by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, most of the U.S.

states, as well as by the parliaments of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina,
Belgium, Wales, National Council of Switzerland, Common House of
Canada, the Seym of Poland and lower house of Italian parliament. -0-

FRESNO COUNTY RECOGNIZES KARABAKH INDEPENDENCE

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

County Supervisor Andreas Borgeas spearheaded the effort

FRESNO-Fresno County became the first County in California to
officially recognize the independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
(Artsakh). On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution
sponsored by Supervisor Andreas Borgeas that officially recognizes
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic – a region historically and ethnically
Armenian situated between Armenia and Azerbaijan – and also calls
upon the California Legislature to grant official recognition.

The Permanent Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the
United States, Robert Avetisyan, commented that “[w]e are grateful for
[this] initiative, and hope that the adoption of this Resolution will
set a deeper cooperation towards stability, as well as democratic
and economic prosperity in our region.” The Consul General of the
Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles, Grigor Hovhannisian, commented
that “[e]very step toward the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic is a step toward peace and friendly relations in the South
Caucasus. I whole-heartedly welcome recognition efforts by community
and elected officials, as a continuation of friendly relations and
solidarity between the people of the Republic of Artsakh, the Republic
of Armenia and Fresno, California.”

County Supervisor Andreas Borgeas said, “I am thrilled to stand
beside our Armenian friends – here, in Armenia and Artsakh – and hope
Sacramento will also officially recognize the independence of NKR.

While Fresno County is the first County in California to pass such
a resolution, my goal is for this initiative to help inspire more
recognition efforts throughout the state, country and eventually
Washington, D.C.”

“[T]his resolution by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors is timely,
appropriate and significant,” commented William Bairamian, Executive
Director of the Armenian National Committee – Western Region. State
legislatures in Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have already
passed similar resolutions.

The Armenian Consul General Grigor Hovhannisian was joined at a
press conference with representatives from the Armenian community to
recognize the 98th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide as well as
to celebrate the importance of recognizing the independence of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

LOW AWARENESS IS THE KEY OBSTACLE TO INFLOW OF POLISH INVESTMENTS IN ARMENIAN ECONOMY

ARMINFO
Tuesday, April 23, 18:20

Low awareness is the key obstacle to the inflow of Polish investments
in the Armenian economy, Polish Deputy Economy Minister, Polish
Co-Chair of the Armenian-Polish Intergovernmental Commission Tomasz
Tomczykiewicz said during a a briefing after the Commission’s 3rd
meeting in Yerevan on Tuesday.

He explained that Polish investors are not aware that Armenia is a
country where they can safely invest.

Tomczykiewicz said that Armenia and Poland are considering signing
an agreement on mutual protection of investments.

He said that Poland welcomes Armenia’s negotiations for signing an
association agreement with the European Union as it will help to
stimulate trade and to attract investments.

The National Statistical Service of Armenia reports that in 2012 the
Armenian-Polish trade made up $42.4mln (16.3% more than in 2011),
wherein the Armenian exports to Poland dropped by 35.3% to $599,300
(35.3% less than in 2011), while the Polish imports into Armenia grew
by 17.7% to $41.8mln. Armenia exports to Poland rubber, drinks, salt,
cement, stones, aluminum. Poland imports into Armenia soap, wood,
electric equipment, paper, sugar, cocoa, glass, medicines.

DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF RUSSIA DISCUSSED NK ISSUE WITH OSCE MINSK GROUP CO- CHAIRS

21:06, 23 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia
Grigory Karasin held a consultation with Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Jacques Faure
of France, Ian Kelly of the United States of America and the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej
Kasprzyk in Moscow.

As reports Armenpress, referring to official web site of Russian
Foreign Ministry, current issues on the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict had been discussed.

Latest visit of Co-Chairs to the region was in the end of March,
during which they had meetings with Armenian, NKR and Azerbaijani
high rank leadership.

PAP WILL BE LIQUIDATED

Member of Parliament Vartan Oskanian’s Facebook post that his party,
the PAP, must declare itself opposition caused a fuss. The businessmen
of the PAP were dissatisfied, while others were trying to “blur”
Oskanian’s statement. Earlier Oskanian also made sharp statements
which were presented as some political techniques, PAP’s maneuvers.

This time, however, everything is beyond the genre and it is evidence
to certain developments inside and outside the PAP.

Oskanian’s membership to the PAP was linked to Robert Kocharyan’s
intention to return to politics and take the PAP. In the framework of
this tactics the Armenian National Congress was also put on the PAP’s
orbit. The PAP’s political goals were set by Oskanian, and ANC and
different commentators sang to him. Gagik Tsarukyan’s role was limited
to that of “back-up” and sponsor whose one foot was in the PAP, other
foot was in the government’s political plans, notably in the coalition.

However, Kocharyan’s political plans failed at both parliamentary
elections of 2007 and 2012, and he admitted Serzh Sargsyan’s victory.

During this period a money laundering case was brought against
Oskanian. Besides, the attempt on Hairikyan’s life gave the government
a powerful lever against the PAP.

Accordingly, the PAP is facing problems. Apparently, Kocharyan does
not trust Tsarukyan who flies to Dubai at important stages, leaving
Oskanian alone. Besides, Tsarukyan’s “presentations” in Moscow
and Brussels were made fun, mocking also justifications of the new
political line of the PAP. It could not be otherwise because there
were two different styles, behavior and goals inside the same party.

There was an impression that the so-called political wing of the PAP
regularly exposes Tsarukyan before a choice.

Hence, Oskanian’s statement is a watershed and situation that will
put the PAP before an inevitable choice of either being opposition
or merging with the government. In addition, in both cases the PAP
will stop being the same as it is now – amorphous, ugly and obscure.

Oskanian has fixed this fact and offers to become political
opposition. The opposite is to merge with the government.

The PAP cannot continue with its current face. It has completed its
“mission” and is heavy burden for the government and the political
system in general. PAP and the Congress are an instrument which is
used to destroy not only the political field but also civil movements
and civil claims.

The problem is who will take the PAP, Sargsyan or Kocharyan. In both
cases this party will be liquidated. One is sorry for Oskanian who
has been let down for several times and will be let down again.

Haik Aramyan 19:30 23/04/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ARONIAN PLAYED A DRAW GAME WITH ANAND

19:58, 23 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: Number one grandmaster of Armenia,
member of Armenian national men’ s team Levon Aronian played a draw
game with Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand in 3th tour of Alyokhin
memorial tournament. As reports Armenpress, the game ended on 41st
step. In a result of the game Aronian has 1,5 points and Anand- 1.

Other games of the tour haven’t finished yet. The tournament is
a unique one as it takes place in the northern capital of Russia,
and Paris. First five tours of the tournament are held in Paris,
and the rest in St. Petersburg.

Tournament has launched on April 21 and will be concluded on May 1.

OBAMA HAS NOT CHANGED HIS APPROACHES OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – ARF-D REP

17:16 ~U 23.04.13

Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnkatsutyun (ARF-D) MP Vahan
Hovannisian is not interested whether US President Barack Obama will
utter the term ‘Armenian genocide’ or not.

Speaking to Tert.am, he said the US President has already expressed
his viewpoint and has not changed his approaches after re-election.

“If he has not changed, he understands that he should describe the
Armenian genocide with the word ‘genocide’ but he does not do it with
clear reasons, from their viewpoint clear. We do not understand it but
their political environment, their conditions make some limitations
but he has stated that he has not changed his approach, thus I am not
interested whether he will say it today or tomorrow,” Hovannisian said.

In his annual speech last year Barack Obama used the term ‘Meds
Yeghern.’ According to some opinions, Obama will utter the word
genocide at the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. Vahan
Hovannisian described it as ‘Armenian disease’.

“You want the Genocide recognition or fight for compensation be
reached by the hands of the others. It must be done by Armenians.

Armenians must fight to be able to eliminate the consequences of the
genocide and prevent the further dangers. But we are waiting whether
he will say or not. We must fight and in this case everyone will say
it without hesitating,” he said.

Asked about the proposal of the US President to cut the financial aid
to Armenia for the 2014 fiscal year, Hovannisian said it is a result
of crisis and the USA cuts a number of budget expenses.

“To avoid politicization of the issue, we are fighting to make this
cut be as small as possible. But we see that they are being made in
a number of areas,” he said.

Asked whether he does not agree the cut with the interior political
situation in Armenia, Hovannisian said “if it was agreed with it they
would not have given anything.”

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMENIAN EX-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TO PETITION TO EUROPEAN COURT

April 23, 2013 | 13:36

YEREVAN. – The Armenian Court of Appeal returned the appeal that was
submitted to it in connection with the arrest of ex-presidential
contender, non-party affiliate, and epic poetry specialist Vardan
Sedrakyan. “Now, we are preparing the petition to the European Court
of Human Rights,” the Sirunyan Law Office told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, capital city Yerevan’s
Kentron and Nork-Marash General Jurisdiction Court on March 5
sentenced Vardan Sedrakyan to two months in prison. The National
Security Service had filed a petition to have Sedrakyan incarcerated.

The former presidential candidate is charged with giving the directive
for the failed assassination attempt against fellow ex-presidential
contender, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman,
Paruyr Hayrikyan.

Sedrakyan’s attorney, Aleksandr Sirunyan, appealed the ruling on
Sedrakyan’s detention and also petitioned to the investigator to
present the grounds for the charge. But the appeal on Sedrakyan’s
detention was turned down on March 18. As a result, they petitioned
to the Court of Appeal.

Separately, the National Security Service laid new charges against
Vardan Sedrakyan on April 16.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

KNESSET MARKS THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

13:52 23.04.2013

The Knesset will hold a ceremony to mark the memory of the Turkish
genocide of Armenians, almost 100 years ago, on Tuesday, the Israel
National News informs.

MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud) said before the ceremony that he believes that
“as human beings and as Jews, we must not ignore the catastrophe of
another nation for any reason, including diplomatic considerations,
important as they may be.”

“We will mark the annual memorial day for the massacre of the
Armenian people regardless of the relations with today’s Turkey,
which is an ally.”

Turkey is highly displeased with the Knesset’s decision to mark
the day, as relations between the countries continue to be tense,
despite a recent rapprochement brokered by U.S. President Barack Obama.

GENOCIDE SCHOLAR ISRAEL CHARNY DONATES HIS LIBRARY TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM-INSTITUTE

18:48 23/04/2013 ” POLITICS

The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI) will continue to present
the true history not only through the permanent exhibition but also in
exhibition halls of large world capitals, AGMI Director Hayk Demoyan
told a news conference on Tuesday. Demoyan stressed the importance
of the exhibitions held in the hall of the Catholic Church of Beirut
and in Copenhagen Royal Library last year.

“These exhibitions triggered a response from the Turkish embassy,
which led to a harsh response by the Danish public. About 250 critical
articles were published in Denmark. The key thesis was that Turkey
has no right to voice an opinion denying the Armenian Genocide in
Denmark,” Demoyan said.

Demoyan said that AGMI is planning to sign a number of agreements
including with the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.

“We pretend to become a big research center that will carry out
researches not only on the Armenian Genocide but also on genocide
studies in general,” he said.

The AGMI Director added that famous genocide scholar, editor-in-chief
of the Encyclopedia of Genocide Israel W. Charny has donated his
personal library to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

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