Author: Tambiyan Samvel

PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

25 March, 2010

Revitalization of Shushi under way

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund begins restoration of two thoroughfares

Yerevan, March 25, 2010 – With its recently initiated reconstruction of the
Garegin Nzhdeh and Alec Manoogian streets, Shushi’s two main thoroughfares,
the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has begun to restore the city’s economic and
social infrastructures. The street-revitalization project is being realized
through contributions made by the Russian-Armenian community during Telethon
2009.

Following the construction of sewage, water-delivery, and drainage systems,
the streets and sidewalks (about 950 meters) will be paved and furbish, and
light posts will be installed throughout. The project will be completed with
the installation of 1.5-meter-wide lawns separating the streets from the
sidewalks.

"Prior to the launch of this project, the people of Shushi no longer
believed that things would turn to the better in their city," said Grigori
Avanesyan, director of the Shushi Administration’s Urban Development and
Architecture Department.

"These streets in particular had long fallen into disrepair," Avanesyan
continued. "There is a great deal of bustle in this part of town. Residents
frequently use the telephone station and the bank or visit the cultural
center, whereas up till now the streets remained in a terrible state."

The Alec Manoogian Street is also home to the fire station and the
much-visited, 1847-built Hovhannes Mkrtich Church, better known as the Green
Church because of the color of its dome.

"This year our main goal is to implement a number of projects aimed at
helping Shushi stand on its feet," said Ara Vardanyan, executive director of
the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. "I hope that our revitalization efforts will
go a long way in strengthening Shushi residents’ bond with their city, and
will not be limited to the Fund’s initiatives only."

# # #
Hayastan All Armenian Fund

TURKISH AMBASSADOR WON’T RETURN TO U.S. JUST YET

Washington Post
article/2010/03/23/AR2010032304197.html
March 24 2010

Envoy recalled over ‘genocide’ vote stays put

Turkey will not send its ambassador back to Washington until the Obama
administration and Congress make it clear that they will not judge
Turkish history, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Tuesday.

The country recalled its envoy, Namik Tan, last month after the
House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution labeling Turkey’s
killings of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915 as genocide.

"We cannot accept the judgment of members of the foreign relations
committee, who do not know anything about the history," Davutoglu
said in an interview in Ankara.

Davutoglu set two conditions for Tan’s return: The administration
and Congress must show they will refrain from deciding what he called
"our history," and the countries "should agree to develop our strategic
alliance," he said.

As a Muslim NATO member and a close U.S. ally, Turkey is crucial to
efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and develop Iraq. President Obama
visited the country almost a year ago and has broken a campaign
pledge to refer to the 1915 killings as "genocide" so as not to
impede reconciliation talks between Armenia and Turkey, which have
since stalled.

Turkish officials are waiting to see how Obama will phrase a statement
April 24, the anniversary of the start of the massacre.

— Janine Zacharia

UK HOUSE OF LORDS TO DEBATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Yerkir
24.03.2010 13:47

Yerevan (Yerkir) – In preparation for next Monday’s debate on the
Armenian Genocide in the British House of Lords, leaflets are being
circulated among all parliamentarians, criticizing Justice Minister
Jack Straw and encouraging Lords to participate in the debate.

"The chance of this becoming law is zero," Straw said. "I can
assure everyone on this issue." "Even If it is approved, an Armenian
Genocide Remembrance Day will not be established in the country. The
English government and the opposition do not support this draft,"
he said.

"UK Justice Minister Jack Straw appeases Turkish Prime Minister who
proposes to deport 100,000 Armenians from Turkey. The response of
Justice Minister Jack Straw on March 16 defies belief in its naivety
and cynicism. He suppressed any comment on the threats of deportations
that would befit a cabinet minister of Western democracy with any
claim to ethical standards. He then resumed the outcome of the House
of Commons bill by assuring Turkey’s prime minister that the UK
Parliament would not pass a resolution commemorating the Ottoman-era
killings of Armenians as Genocide," says the leaflet of the Armenia
Solidarity organization.

"What Straw failed to mention is that a majority of Labor MPs support
the motion, as well as a majority of all MPs who are eligible to
express their opinions freely. This is known from signatures to
previous Early Day Motions recognizing the Genocide. Sources close to
the government say that the Cabinet is much divided on the issue. Even
the Foreign & Commonwealth Office describe the behavior of the Turkish
government as "neuralgic", yet a British minister can only comfort
a government with such a frame of mind. The contrast between the US
and Swedish fortitude and the Man of Straw’s pliability could not
be starker.

The Justice Minister apparently is prepared to ignore the recent legal
opinion of Geoffrey Robertson QC as well as the collective view of the
International Association of Genocide Scholars and the pronouncement
of the presidents of the International Network of Genocide Scholars.

We appeal to MPs and Peers to put pressure on the Prime Minister to
clearly repudiate the disreputable statement of the Justice Minister
and to reprimand him for Armenian Holocaust Denial. We know of course
that this was not simply a faux-pas, as Mr. Straw’s is influenced
by the Turkish embassy in the UK and a strong pro-Turkish Israeli
lobby in Parliament

Another of Straw’s outrageous comments was "Our biggest mistake
after the First World War was to dismember the Ottoman Empire"
ignoring the death and destruction of entire ethnic groups in the
Empire at that time.

Anyone of any decency, let alone a government minister, should better
understand the consequences of genocide denial. Not confronting the
truth ensures that the old problems fester and make the resolution
of current relationship issues between Turkey and Armenia even more
difficult. Relationships between countries and peoples cannot be
built on lies. Trying to change history by denial inevitably means
that the lessons being promoted for example through Holocaust Memorial
Day cannot prevent future atrocities.

Finally but not less important Mr. Straw dishonors the memories of
the civilian victims of 1915,

The possible date of an election, May 6, will play into Jack Straw’s
hands as the bill may not complete its parliamentary course. This could
mean that his deplorable behavior stands as the official stance of this
country, and that clearly is unacceptable. Parliament should assert
itself unequivocally to reverse this gift to Turkish propaganda that is
already being deployed. In so doing, Parliament should have due regard
to the original British Government position in 1915 on the genocide,
a "Crime against Humanity and Civilization, and "Holocaust" in
the words of David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill, Their first
opportunity for Parliament to remove the stain of Genocide Denial
will be a positive response in the Genocide debate in the House of
Lords on March 29," it says.

ARMENIA CALLS ON AZERBAIJAN TO SIGN NON-AGGRESSION PACT

World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
March 22, 2010

Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan during an interview with Euronews
television channel on 21 March urged neighbouring Azerbaijan to sign
a non- aggression pact to facilitate talks over the long-lasting
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The broadcast offer comes
only a few days after Sargsyan indicated that he was ready to accept
the Madrid Principles drawn up in 2007 by the tripartite Minsk Group
(United States, Russia and France) of the Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). If endorsed, the deal will provide
the Armenian-populated enclave in Azerbaijan a temporary status and
will implement a string of confidence-building measures. Azerbaijani
president Ilham Aliyev has admitted that the talks were on their last
legs, but he added that the final deal must include the full return
of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan, a demand that contradicts the
Madrid Principles. Meanwhile, Sargsyan has reiterated his government’s
commitment to support Nagorno-Karabakh’s right to self-determination,
adding that the region was awarded to Azerbaijan by Stalin in 1923,
meaning that the current border arrangements lack any credibility.

Significance:Sargsyan’s proposal is a constructive offer that
will help to put the difficult 17-year-long negotiations on a more
co-operative track. In recent years Azerbaijan, bolstered by its
windfall profits from Caspian Sea oil and gas exports, has been
investing heavily into its army, which currently has a budget five
times larger than Armenia’s. Rather than trying to solve the conflict
that claimed about 30,000 lives over 1988-1994 through peace talks,
the Azerbaijani government has made no secret of its plans to launch
a new war and force the breakaway region in the country’s west to come
back under its control (seeArmenia – Azerbaijan: 23 November 2009:).

Azerbaijan’s ultimatum that it will use force if its conditions are
not fully met continues to cause international criticism.

International mediators are likely to back the Armenian proposal to
force Azerbaijan to rule out the use of violence as an option for the
resolution of this protracted conflict and embrace more peaceful means.

ARTSVIK MINASYAN: THE INITIATORY POLICY HAS FAILED
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
22.03.2010 16:50

Unlike the previous years, the existence of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols creates new obstacles for putting the Armenian Genocide
Resolution (H. Res. 252) on the agenda of the plenary session of the
Congress, member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Artsvik Minasyan told a
press conference today.

Although the MP says the bill will hardly be put on the agenda of
the plenary session, he adds that "everything depends on how the US
policy in the region, especially Turkey, will change."

Artsvik Minasyan said "Armenia’s initiatory policy has completely
failed, and it has caused harm to both Armenia’s international image
and the opportunities of inner unity."

According to Artsvik Minasyan, the famous statement by the Turkish
Prime Minister evidences that that country’s attitude towards Armenia
has not changed. This was a surprise for the mediators, as well, and
the MP considers that one of the main tasks of the Armenian diplomacy
is to draw the attention of the mediator countries to the fact that
Turkey’s attitude towards ethnic Armenians has not changed.

"We have to withdraw from the process as soon as possible. Turkey
and its authorities have provided us with this opportunity," Artsvik
Minasyan says, adding that the protocols counter the national interests
of Armenia.

"These protocols and this process have already caused a lot of damage.

The unity of world-spread Armenians is endangered today," the MP said.

ROBERT HOVHANNISYAN SURPASSES A GM NORM BY 1,5 POINTS

Aysor
March 22 2010
Armenia

19-year-old Armenia’s chess player Robert Hovhannisyan has recorded
a GM norm at the European Individual men&women’s chess championship,
held in Croatia’s Rijeka, a spokesperson for Armenia’s Chess Federation
said.

According to report by spokesperson for Chess Federation, Robert
Hovhannisyan surpassed a GM norm by 1,5 points.

FAMOUS SINGER OF LYRIC SONGS VALENTINA TOLKUNOVA DEAD

/lang/en
2010-03-23

MOSCOW, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS: Famous singer, People’s Artist of the
Russian Federation Valentina Tolkunova died at the Botkin hospital
in Moscow on Monday morning. She was 63, the singer’s family told
Itar-Tass. Tolkunova had long been ill and the family expected the
inevitable end.

Valentina Tolkunova was born in the city of Armavir on July 12, 1946.

The family moved to Moscow when she was barely one year old. In
childhood, Tolkunova sang in a children’s choir, conducted by
Soviet famous composer Isaak Dunayevsky. Tolkunova graduated from
the Gnesinsky College of Music with a diploma of a choir conductor,
and later from the Moscow Institute of Culture.

In 1966 composer and jazzman Yuri Saulsky created a pop group "VIA-
66" and invited Valentina Tolkunova to join. She sang in the group
for five years.

The singer’s first night as a soloist was in 1972 when she sang at
a concert devoted to famous poet, author of verses to many popular
songs Lev Oshanin. Since 1973 Tolkunova was on staff of the Soviet-era
Mosconcert company. Since 1987 she was an artistic director of the
Moscow theatre of musical drama and song she organized. She proved to
be a talented singer of old romances and music compositions presented
in the ethnic and urban folk style. In 1986 Tolkunova made her debut
as an opera singer and starred in a fantasy film. The singer released
12 records and CDs.

President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have
expressed their condolences in connection with the singer’s death.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that "her death is a tragic loss
and grief to all of us. Valentina Vasilyevna will always live in our
memories as a highly spiritual, enchanting person, a wonderful singer
loved by the audiences. Her life in music and her songs were always
imbued with a positive emotional connotation and kindness, and people
will never forget them," Putin said in a telegram of condolences
addressed to the singer’s family, the government press service said.

EURONEST meeting postponed

21.03.2010 18:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly established in
the framework of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative has postponed
its first meeting scheduled for March 23-24 in Brussels, since the
European Parliament and Minsk failed to agree on the composition of
the Belarusian delegation.

`The Armenian delegation received a notification on postponement of
the meeting,’ MP Naira Zohrabyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

`The meeting was delayed for a month or two. Anyway, the Armenian
delegation is formed and we commend the RA National Assembly Speaker’s
decision to appoint ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group chairman as
head of the delegation,’ she said.

news.am, Armenia
March 19 2010

ARFD calls on Armenians to leave Turkey immediately

14:32 / 03/19/2010ARF Dashnaktsutyun faction leader Vahan Hovhannisyan
called on Armenians of Turkey to leave the country immediately,
considering Erdogan’s recent statement an alarm to nationalists to
take concrete actions.

`It is welcoming, when RA Foreign Minister tries to respond to
Erdogan’s words, but I think he’d better reply to statements by the
U.S. Secretary and UK Foreign Secretary who attempt to hamper Genocide
recognition internationally in every possibly way, seeking to
discredit the fact of Genocide,’ he underlined. ARFD leader also
criticized Edward Nalbandian for drawing parallels between the recent
developments in Armenia-Turkey relations with last century’s events.
`Presently, Turkish Premier threatens to deport Armenians illegally
working in the country, but in the beginning of 20th century the
situation was dramatically different. Armenians owned that territory,
they lived in their motherland, while Turks had migrated there and
lived a poor, vagabond life,’ Hovhannisyan noted.

The other day, Turkish Premier Erdogan threatened to deport 100.000
Armenians illegally working and living in Turkey.

A.G.

Interfax, Russia
March 18 2010

Baku distorting situation in negotiations on Karabakh – Armenian FM

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has accused Azerbaijan of
distorting the essence of the negotiating process on settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"Azerbaijan is distorting even what it accepts – the essence of the
negotiating process and the discussions," Nalbandian said at a press
conference in Yerevan on Thursday.

"We can only welcome that Azerbaijan accepts the Madrid Principles of
settling the conflict. Although they are claiming that they accept the
principles with some exceptions, we think there are more exceptions
there than what the Azeris actually accept," he said.

The Madrid Principles remain on the table in the negotiations on
settling the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, he said.

"We have repeatedly received and are receiving working proposals from
the Minsk Group co-chairs within the framework of the Madrid
Principles.

We discuss these and the previous proposals. Saying that one of the
parties accepts these principles and the other does not is only a
screen that Azerbaijan has used from time to time, especially lately,"
Nalbandian said.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs proposed the Madrid Principles to
Armenia and Azerbaijan in November 2007. At the end of 2009 and in
early 2010, Yerevan and Baku were offered updated Madrid Principles.