Author: Tamamian Anna

OBAMA: U.S. TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE IN TURKEY-ARMENIA TALKS

Xinhua General News Service
April 6, 2009 Monday 2:55 PM EST
China

U.S. President Barack Obama, who is currently on a state visit to
Turkey, said on Monday he was encouraged by the dialogues between
Turkey and Armenia aimed at improving ties, promising Washington will
be as constructive as possible on the improvement of their ties.

At a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul
after hour-long talks, Obama avoided a clear-cut answer to an American
journalist’s question that whether he has changed his position of
calling the killing of Armenians during the World War I as "genocide"
as stated in his election campaign in 2008.

"I’m not to focus on my view now, but on the views of the Turkish
people and Armenian people," Obama answered.

He said as Turkey and Armenia are having "serious negotiations" that
could bear fruit quickly, "I will be as encouraging as possible,"
adding the world should also encourage them.

Armenians claim that more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed
in a systematic genocide in the hands of the Ottomans during World
War I, before modern Turkey was born in 1923. But Turkey insists the
Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and governmental breakdown
as the 600-year-old empire collapsed in the years before 1923.

After Obama’s remarks, Gul said the Armenians were mainly killed in
internal clashes, adding the issue is not a political issue, but a
historical one.

He said Turkey has suggested to set up a joint historians commission
to resolve the issue, which also welcomes the participation of a
third country, such as the United States. "We are ready to face the
realities, the facts," said Gul.

He noted that Turkey’s goal is to normalize relations with Armenia,
and has initiated some dialogues for this purpose.

FIRST ARMENIAN CHURCH TO HOST BLOOD DRIVE APRIL 18

Belmont Citizen-Herald
April 6 2009
MA

Belmont, Mass. – The First Armenian Church of Belmont will sponsor a
blood drive for Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Saturday, April 18, in Nahigian Hall, 380 Concord Ave. in Belmont.

All blood types are needed. Volunteers must bring a photo ID, be well
hydrated (drink extra water), be in good health, weigh at least 110
pounds, and be at least 17 years of age.

This blood drive will support the diverse transfusion needs of patients
at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

For information or appointments, call Ara at 617-974-8343. For
eligibility questions, call the BWH Blood Donor Center at 617-732-6620.

SURB GRIGOR LUSAVORICH CHURCH CONSECRATED IN AKHALTSIKHE

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2009 12:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Surb Grigor Lusavorich Church was consecrated
by head of the AAC Georgian Diocese, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan in
Akhaltsikhe after 2 months of reconstruction works.

Some thousand people attended the sacred ceremony.

In his speech, Bishop Mirzakhanyan thanked Manuk Zeynalyan, the
spiritual leader of Akhaltsikhe, and the Armenian population of the
town for their contribution to reconstruction of the Church.

For his part, hieromonk Bagrat Salbiyan voiced hope that the second
Armenian Church in Akhaltsikhe – Surb Nshan Church – will also be
reconstructed and returned to its owner, the AAC Georgian Diocese.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Gay & Lesbian Association of NY (AGLA NY)
181 N 11th St, #305
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Contact: Veken Gueyikian
Tel: 718-302-9800
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

AGLA NY Hosts "Brutality of Homophobia in Armenia" Presentation in New York

On January 16, 2009, the Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association of New
York (AGLA NY) invited psychologist and human rights advocate Lala
Aslikyan to speak about the stark realities of homophobia in the
Republic of Armenia. A member of the Huys (Hope) NGO in Armenia,
Aslikyan interviewed dozens of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual &
transgendered) individuals in Armenia with the goal of presenting her
findings to AGLA members, guests and the general public.

The event at New York’s LGBT Center in New York’s Greenwich Village
was attended by almost 20 people, including a representative of the
International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA) and a New York-area
psychiatrist from Physicians for Human Rights who works with
individuals seeking asylum for homophobic discrimination.

Aslikyan painted a grim picture of the lives of LGBT individuals in
Armenia. Though she did mention that today, and more than ever, there
is room for optimism as there are three non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) in Armenia that are working in the field of LGBT rights: We For
Civil Equality (), Pink Armenia (), and
the Helsinki Association ().  She also mentioned that there
is now an online social network that is a nexus for LGBT activity in
Armenia and has been able to register 1,200 members.

She was dismayed to report that while there are probably tens of
thousands of LGBT Armenians in Armenia, there are only 10 who openly
advocate for LGBT rights, including reporting incidents to the local
police and filing petitions of civil rights violations in Armenian
courts. The problems of LGBT Armenians are compounded by the fact that
many human rights advocates in Armenia refuse to deal with LGBT
issues.

According to Aslikyan, there is no legislation in Armenia to protect
LGBT people from workplace discrimination and college students are
routinely harassed by their professors and others in universities
across the country.

SIGNS OF HOMOPHOBIA IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Aslikyan focused her presentation on the main spheres of Armenian life
that are greatly impacted by homophobia, including the family,
community, education, employment, social life, medical care, police,
and the military. Since most or all anti-LGBT crimes go unreported due
to fear and harassment, most of Aslikyan’s presentation was based on
anecdotal evidence culled from personal interviews.

"One of the first signs of homophobia is widespread beatings…if
somebody beats a homosexual, that it means [to many people] that he is
a kind of hero. It is supported in the society," she said. "The same
is about thefts. If someone takes a mobile from [a LGBT person], then
it’s great, the society is supporting that…if someone is stealing
from a gay [individual] then it is good they are doing that."  She
spoke about the personal humiliation that was a prevalent occurrence
for many LGBT individuals in Armenia. One interviewee admitted to
Aslikyan that every day when he left his house his neighbors pelted
him with stones.

Aslikyan spoke of the extreme lack of privacy within medical care and
that if someone was diagnosed with HIV or any other disease, everyone
in the neighborhood or city would soon find out and bring shame to
their family. The problem is reportedly more acute outside Yerevan.
She told the story of one documented case in Gyumri where an HIV+ man
was forced to flee with his family since his diagnosis became common
knowledge in the community.

Aslikyan described the police forces of Armenia as bastions of
homophobia. She stated that police frequently victimize LGBT Armenians
and beatings, extortion and rape are common crimes that police
officers commit against gay men in particular.

She described paid male prostitution as a common occurrence in
Armenian jails and claimed that the warden and other jail officials
financially benefit from the practice that enslaves both gay and
straight inmates into forced prostitution. Recently, the Red Cross
attempted to distribute condoms to Armenia’s jails to reduce the
spread of HIV, but their efforts were thwarted since, Alikyan
explains, the warden "couldn’t admit that there was any type of
relationship between men in the prison."

In the military, hazing is common for soldiers, but the macho culture
of the army doesn’t allow for gay or effeminate heterosexual soldiers
to serve. Gay men are often discharged from the army and are routinely
classified as 6B, which labels them as schizophrenic or someone with a
mental illness. This classification victimizes gay people, since it
does not allow them to get visas, a driver’s license or occupy
governmental positions. Alikyan mentions that no one outside Yerevan
dares be classified as 6B, since it would causes severe familial
humiliation and might be a reason for a family to flee the country.

Alikyan’s report was the first time that most LGBT Armenian Americans
in New York were learning about the extent of homophobia in Armenia.
"We were all shocked to hear these horrible stories about our fellow
Armenians being beaten, raped or killed for simply being who they are.
I know if most diasporan Armenians heard the extent of intolerance
towards gays and lesbians in Armenia there would be major outrage. We
expect more from Armenia and as a nation that has suffered from
discrimination and genocide, Armenians should be more aware of the
rights of minorities and the importance of human rights protections,"
AGLA President Veken Gueyikian said after the presentation.

Aslikyan informed AGLA members and guests that, according to her
interviews, lesbians are more tolerated in Armenia than gay men but
that she didn’t personally know any transgendered individuals to
explain their role in society.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Adrian Coman, Project Director for ILGA, attended the event and
commented on the event, "I learned with interest about the state of
human rights and LGBT people in Armenia, as presented by Lala
Aslikyan, particularly the specific issue of human rights violations
in the military."

He also commented that there were some signs that Armenia is more open
to LGBT issues, "On the positive side, I was happy to see Armenia
among the 66 countries that signed the first ever statement condemning
human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender
identity, delivered by Argentina at the General Assembly of the United
Nations (New York, December 18, 2008). Armenia’s signature confirms
that there is political will of the current government to acknowledge
these human rights issues. However, the Armenian government need to
implement this will in legislation and policies that combat
discrimination on these grounds, and LGBT and human rights NGOs at
national and international level need to join efforts towards this
end."

Offering his perspective on the issue, Coman pointed to the way other
countries are grappling with LGBT issue: "A decade ago, my home
country Romania was the last in Europe to maintain criminal provisions
against homosexuality. Concerted efforts of NGOs and supportive
governments and international organizations, such as the Council of
Europe and the European Union, led to the repeal of the sodomy law,
adoption of anti-discrimination provisions, and a decrease in the
degree of homophobia. It shows that change is possible in a relatively
short time."

Galvanized by the eye-opening presentation, AGLA has already begun
discussions of ways to help LGBT individuals in Armenia.

For an edited video of the January 16 presentation at the LGBT Center,
please visit the AGLA NY website at

AGLA New York is a 501c3 organization that serves the LGBT Armenian
American community of the Greater New York region. For more
information, get involved or make a donation that will help combat
homophobia and educate people issues that impact the lives of LGBT
Armenians, please visit

RUSSIAN CAPITAL IN ARMENIA

The Messenger
April 2 2009
Georgia

Today 113 companies in Armenia function with Russian capital. During
the last eight years Russia has invested USD 1.079 billion in Armenia.

The Co-Chairman of the Armenia-Russia Inter-Parliamentary Commission,
MP Aram Saparian, says that in 2009 economic activity between the two
countries might decrease due to the world economic crisis. However
from the end of 2010 the situation will change and hopefully Russia
will then make new large scale investments.

By 2010 the construction of the new nuclear power station should
start as well as Iran-Armenia railway construction. There are serious
discussions as well on the possibility of exploiting uranium reserves
in Armenia.

IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION DRAFT PROJECT TO BE APPROVED TODAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2009 12:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian delegation led by Minister of Roads and
Transportation Hamid Behbahani arrived in Armenia Friday to sign the
draft memorandum of understanding on construction of Iran-Armenia
railway, Susanna Tonoyan, a spokesperson of the RA Ministry of
Transport and Communications, told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Talks focused to issues of mutual interest and Iran’s participation
in North-South highway construction.

YERVAND ZAKHARAYN APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE REAL ESTATE CADASTRE

armradio.am
03.04.2009 12:43

On April 2nd President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on releasing
Manuk Vardanyan from the post of Chairman of the State Committee of
the Real Estate Cadastre and appointing him Adviser to the president
of the Republic of Armenia.

The same day the President signed a decree on releasing Yervand
Zakharyan from the post of Adviser to RA President and appointing
him to the post of Chairman of the State Committee of the Real Estate
Cadastre adjunct to the Government of the republic of Armenia.

According to another residential decree, Yuri Vardanyan was appointed
Adviser to the President of the Republic of Armenia.

DIASPORAN ARMENIAN SINGER VANNO TADEO TO HAVE CONCERTS DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 94TH ANNIVERSARY IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Apr 2, 2009

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Diasporan Armenian opera singer Vanno
Tadeo, Vahram Tadevosian will have concerts in Armenia in May dedicated
to the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As V. Tadeo said at
the March 31 press conference, pieces by both Armenian and foreign
composers will be performed in the concert. Among the Armenian
composers, the singer, in particular, will perform pieces by Komitas
and Makar Yekmalian.

It was also mentioned that V. Tadeo will also have concerts in
Vanadzor, Meghri, Goris, and Artsakh.

According to singer’s producer Samvel Sargsian, V. Tadevosian is one
of the unique singers, who present Armenian music purely in the world.

Speaking about the current problems of opera art, S. Sargsian said
that we have a period of classical art decline in the world, especially
in Armenia.

However, in his words, it is time that people fill the emptiness of
their souls with serious classical music.

DON’T SAY GENOCIDE: CSIS

Hurriyet
April 1 2009
Turkey

WASHINGTON – A major think tank calls on President Obama not to
recognize the killings of Armenians as ‘genocide.’ ‘If Obama uses
the word genocide, the Turkish response will be harsh and trigger a
bitter breach in relations,’ the CSIS says.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a major
and bipartisan think tank in the United States capital, Monday called
on President Barack Obama not to recognize World War I-era killings
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as "genocide."

Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser for former President
Jimmy Carter, and Brent Scowcroft, national security adviser for former
Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush, jointly introduced the
CSIS report at a meeting.

Encourage and support rapprochement

"If President Obama takes no action to prevent congressional enactment
of the (Armenian) resolution (pending in the House of Representatives),
endorses the measure, or uses the word genocide himself, the Turkish
response will be harsh and trigger a bitter breach in relations,"
the CSIS said.

It said the United States, "rather than seek to legislate history,"
should encourage and support rapprochement that Turkey and Armenia
are trying to accomplish.

At the end of a European tour, Obama will visit Turkey April 5-7.

In a related development, four leading Democratic lawmakers sent
a letter to President Abdullah Gul and Armenian President Serge
Sarkisian, voicing their support for a Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.

"It is critical that the United States and international community
support Armenia and Turkey during their ongoing efforts to normalize
relations and create positive dynamics in the Caucasus region,"
Congressman Robert Wexler said on behalf of the four men.

Four leading lawmakers

"It is in the interest of the United States and both Armenia and
Turkey that differences between Yerevan and Ankara are overcome and
that a solid foundation is laid to enhance cooperation and diplomatic
relations between these two nations," he said.

The letter was signed by Wexler, chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe
in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs; Ike Skelton, Chairman of
the House Armed Services Committee; John Murtha, Chairman of the
Subcommittee on Defense in the House Committee on Appropriations;
and Alcee L. Hastings, Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe (the U.S. Helsinki Commission).

Comments on domestic front

On domestic policy, the CSIS said the end of the ruling Justice and
Development Party, or AKP’s, domination was not imminent, although
opposition parties would benefit from the AKP’s gradual loss of
support. The AKP won Sunday’s nationwide local elections, but its
popular support dropped compared to previous polls.

"The AKP is likely to refrain from (earlier plans) of a major revision
of the Constitution," the CSIS said.

Asked to comment on "the pressure on the media by the government"
and a near-$500 million penalty imposed on Dogan Holding media group,
Bulent Aliriza, director of Turkey Project at CSIS and writer of the
domestic politics section in the report, said he was concerned over
the "unfortunate" developments.

"I hope the government would ease its position on the media," he said.

AIVAR POHLAK APOLOGIZED TO FFA PRESIDENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.04.2009 10:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Estonian Football Association (EJL) president Aivar
Pohlak made apology to his Armenian counterpart Ruben Hayrapetyan
for indecent behavior.

"Our team did not threaten Mr. Pohlak, who used abusive language in
the wrangle," said Armen Minasyan, executive director of Football
Federation of Armenia. "Pohlak is known for his inadequate conduct,"
he added.