Author: Ophelia Vardapetian

President Serzh Sargsyan today sent a letter of condolence to President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on an accident with a cruise ship which sank into the Yangtze River in China’s Hubei province. The accident left multiple people dead.

“On behalf of the Armenian people and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest sympathy to you and the friendly people of China.

Sharing your grief, I wish steadfastness and strength of spirit to the victims’ families and the Chinese people.

I am confident that the PRC government will try its best to save as much people as possible” reads the RA president’s condolence letter.

Armenia will take part in the leading book and author event for the North American publishing industry, Book Expo America (BEA), for the first time, reports.

BEA combines the largest selection of English language titles and is the largest gathering of booksellers, librarians, retailers, and book industry professionals in North America. This year BEA has more than 2,000 exhibits, 500 authors, and over 60 conference sessions.

BEA’s conference program will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, with the show floor opening at 1 p.m. and closing at 5:30 p.m. In addition to Wednesday afternoon, the exhibit floor will be open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, May 28, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29.

BEA 2015 welcomes China as the global market forum Guest of Honor. Global Market Forum is part of the BEA Content & Digital Conference and is open to all BEA. Its delegation will include more than 100 of the most important Chinese publishing houses and groups attendees. China will hold a series of panels at which participants will discuss the Chinese publishing market and explore ways publishers can work with Chinese companies.

The Armenian Pavilion in BEA will showcase the Armenian culture and heritage through books and writings, which form part of a long standing tradition and culture.

Books published recently in Armenia and abroad will be represented in the Armenian pavilion. Publishers and booksellers from Armenia will participate in the pavilion. A great importance will be given to the books on the Armenian Genocide published all over the world.

The opening of the Armenian Pavilion in BEA will be on the 27th of May at 3:00 p.m.

During the opening there will be presentations of books and readings by Matthew Karanian, Scout Tufankjian, Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, Dana Walroth, Nancy Kricorian, Marian Mesrobian MacCurdy and Sona Van.

Ambassador of Armenia to the U.S., Tigran Sargsyan, will attend the book exhibition as well.

The participation in BookExpo America is supported by the State Commission on Coordination of the events for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu briefly crossed into Syria on Sunday to visit the tomb of a revered Ottoman figure, Euronews reports.

He then vowed Turkey’s flag would fly there forever. The Syrian government condemned what it described as Davutoglu’s “infiltration” without its permission

The tomb of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, had originally been situated further inside Syria but was relocated to within a few hundred metres of the border in February in a Turkish military operation.

— where the remains of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the first Ottoman Sultan, are held in a tomb — to evacuate the tomb and some 40 guards, who had come under siege by Islamic State fighters.

Following evacuations, the contents of the tomb were moved to the village of Esme, closer to Turkey but still in Syrian territory under Kurdish control and, in addition, a major site along a route on which Ottoman forces led Armenians in death marches during the Armenian Genocide.

ELECTED OFFICIALS CALL FOR END TO TURKEY’S GAG RULE DURING GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION EVENT

By Asbarez
Apr 26th, 2010

State Assembly Majority Leader Charles Calderon, CA Congressman Adam
Schiff, and LA Mayor Antonio Villeragosa. Photo by Nora Yacoubian.

MONTEBELLO, CA-Thousands of Armenian Americans throughout Southern
California gathered at the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument in
Montebello on April 24th to commemorate the 95th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. The commemoration was organized by the Armenian
Genocide United Commemorative Committee and attended by dozens of
elected officials, clergy, and community leaders.

Delivering remarks during the commemoration were Congressman Adam
Schiff (D-21), State Assembly Majority Leader Charles Calderon (D-58),
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and LA City Councilmember
Paul Krekorian. Representatives from the offices of Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Senator Barbara Boxer were also in attendance.

Congressman Schiff (D-21), as the author of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution – H. Res. 252 – in Congress, called for an end to Turkey’s
gag rule. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Councilmember
Paul Krekorian also addressed the crowd – calling on Turkey to end
its 95 years of shameful denial of the Armenian Genocide.

During his remarks, State Assembly Majority Leader Charles Calderon
(D-58) announced the passage of ACR 148 in the California State
Legislature. The passage of ACR 148, which calls on the Department
of Transportation to erect information signs on Highway 60 in Los
Angeles County directing motorists to the Armenian Genocide Martyrs
Monument, was an especially significant announcement on April 24th,
as it highlights the Monument as a beacon of awareness for crimes
against humanity. The Montebello Armenian Genocide Martyr’s Monument,
the first to be built honoring the victims of the Armenian Genocide
on public land, has served as the gathering ground for thousands of
Armenians in the Los Angeles area to commemorate the Armenian Genocide.

APA, Azerbaijan
March 26 2010

Kazakhstan may host meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents

[ 26 Mar 2010 14:51 ]

Baku ` APA. `As one of the steps taken towards the solution to Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, Kazakhstan is ready to host Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev and Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan’s meeting in Astana
this year’, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Secretary of
State and Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev at the meeting of the CIS
Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow, APA reports quoting Armenia
today.

According to him, they will give every support to OSCE Minsk Group
within the framework of solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the
basis of Madrid principles.
Saudabayev noted that he had acquainted himself with the real
situation in the conflict zone and current positions of the parties
during his visit to the South Caucasus on February 15-17: `We will
make every possible endeavor for sustainable development of positive
tendencies in the settlement of the protracted conflicts’.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES, OPPOSITION UNANIMOUS ON AZERBAIJAN’S HARD LINE

news.am
March 22 2010
Armenia

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s statement in response to RA
President Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal to sign a peace treaty between
Armenia and Azerbaijan is one more proof that Azerbaijan has not
changed its style, Galust Sahakyan, Chairman of the Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) parliamentary faction, told NEWS.am.

"Azerbaijan is not ready for a constructive dialogue over
Nagorno-Karabakh, and its Foreign Office’s statement is striking
evidence thereof," Sahakyan said. As to whether Baku’s response can
be viewed as a signal of resumption of hostilities, he pointed out
that such a threat is always existing, especially amid intensified
domestic political processes in the conflicting countries. "I would
like to remind you that elections are to be held in Nagorno-Karabakh
this year," Sahakyan said.

Commenting on the Azerbaijani President’s statement ruling
out Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence, Sahakyan pointed out that
Nagorno-Karabakh has never been part of independent Azerbaijan,
and the principle of territorial integrity is irrelevant in this case.

"The principle of territorial integrity must not be superior to that
of self-determination. If the world had adhered to the principle of
territorial integrity, no more than 15 states would be on the map now.

Therefore, in most case priority was given to peoples’ right to
self-determination," Sahakyan said.

Stepan Safaryan, Chairman of the Heritage parliamentary faction,
stressed that the statements made by the Azerbaijani President and
Foreign Office is evidence of that country’s hard and uncompromising
line in the negotiations. "Baku’s statements show that Azerbaijan
is not ready for any concessions in the negotiations. Therefore,
the Armenian side must assume a similar position – we must not make
unilateral concessions," he said.

The Azerbaijani President recently stated that "any status of
Nagorno-Karabakh outside Azerbaijan is out of the question." "It will
not happen – neither tomorrow, nor in 100 years, never. We cannot
accept it, and it is our position of principle. Nagorno-Karabakh
will never be granted independence. Azerbaijan will never recognize
Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence — nor will the rest of the world,"
the Azeri leader said.

The same day, Elhan Poluhov, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign
Office, responded to RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal during
his interview with EuroNews. Poluhov stated that Baku is ready,
but "only after the cause of the threat has been removed, that is,
an end to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Before calling
on the opposite side not to use force, let the Armenian President
answer the question about which side was the first to use force."

CHANGE OF OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR NOT TO PROTRACT KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

news.az
March 2 2010
Azerbaijan

Vladimir Dorokhin Change of OSCE Minsk Group co-chair will not protract
Karabakh conflict settlement, Russian ambassador in Azerbaijan Vladimir
Dorokhin has said.

"First of all, the replacement will take part in the Minsk Group
because Merzlyakov has received a new appointment. I think he will
continue the activity in several months. I cannot say who exactly will
replace him. As for the opinion that this may protract the conflict
settlement, we hope this will not happen, because every diplomat
voices the position of the state he represents", Dorokhin said.

He noted that Russia will not change its position on the resolution
of the Karabakh conflict and therefore the ambassador is sure that
there will be no problems on this issue.

"The new co-chair will have an opportunity to familiarize with
the situation in the resolution of the conflict. This will be a
replacement in the professional form. Therefore, the replacement of
the co-chair will not affect the conflict settlement", the Russian
ambassador in Azerbaijan.

NABUCCO PROJECT GETS SECOND WIND

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.02.2010 16:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nabucco project hasn’t failed yet, according to
Ruben Mehrabyan, expert at the Armenian Center of Political and
International Studies.

"Russia has succeeded in putting obstacles to implementation of
the project but this country is no longer the regional monopolist,"
he told a news conference on Wednesday.

Although, Mr. Mehrabyan added, Russia is "historically responsible
for the Caucasus."

The Nabucco pipeline is a proposed natural gas pipeline from Turkey
to Austria diversifying the current natural gas suppliers and delivery
routes for Europe. The pipeline attempts to lessen European dependence
on Russian energy. The project is backed by several European Union
states and the United States and is seen as rival to the planned
Gazprom-led South Stream pipeline project. At the same time there
are some doubts concerning viability of supplies. The main supplier
is expected to be Azerbaijan in cooperation with Turkmenistan, Iraq
and Egypt.

Preparations for the Nabucco project started in 2002 and the
intergovernmental agreement between Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary
and Austria was signed on 13 July 2009. The project is developed
by the consortium of six companies. The pipeline is expected to be
operational by 2015 and it will carry 31 billion cubic meters of
natural gas per year.

HERITAGE OPPOSES PROTOCOLS RATIFICATION, WITH OR WITHOUT RESERVATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.02.2010 14:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Heritage party member’s exclusion from the Armenian
delegation to PACE means that fear controls parliamentarians’
activities both in Armenia and Europe, Heritage parliamentary group
member Raffi Hovannisian said.

"Such mentality is to blame for the existence of political prisoners
and unpunished extermination of Armenia’s cultural heritage," he told
a news conference on Monday, when commenting on MP Zaruhi Postanjyan’s
expulsion from the delegation.

"It’s nonsense when a person, publicly denying the Armenian
Genocide can be elected to senior post in European institution. Such
appointments send a challenge to Armenia and its politicians," he said.

As to Heritage-Dashnaktsutyun collaboration, the parliamentarian
said it has to expand, as well the entire opposition field. "I’m
not sure about Dashnaktsutyun, but Heritage will remain opposed
to ratification of Protocols, with or without reservations,"
Mr. Hovhannesyan concluded.

Founded in 2002, Heritage , a National Liberal Party, is national by
its roots, liberal in its economic principle, and an advocate of the
democratic system of governance and due process for its citizens. The
party’s objective is the development of Armenia as a democratic,
lawful, and rights-based country that anchors its domestic and foreign
policies in the nation’s sovereign interest. During the party’s Third
Congress on May 30, 2005, Raffi K. Hovannisian was elected chairman.

The other eight members of the party board were elected by secret vote.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun is an Armenian
political party founded in Tiflis (Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia)
in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian
The ARF has the largest number of members from the political parties
present in the Armenian Diaspora, having established affiliates in
more than 200 countries.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun led the effort toward the establishment of
the first Armenian Republic in 1918 and was the party in power for
the duration of its existence. Following the Sovietization of Armenia
in 1920, the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun was banned by the Communists and its
leadership exiled.

In the Diaspora, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun fought Soviet rule over
Armenia and championed the cause of Armenian rights and independence;
it played a leading role in organizing a social and cultural framework
aimed at preserving the Armenian identity.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun officially re-emerged in Armenia during the
dissolution of the USSR, in 1990.

On December 28, 1994, the activities of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun were
"temporarily suspended" by the Armenian authorities. In view of
the political nature of the anti-ARF interdictions by the Armenian
authorities, the ARF continued to operate in Armenia. On February 9,
1998, less than a week after the resignation of the then president
Ter-Petrossian, the Justice Ministry lifted the ban on the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of
Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.