Author: Toneyan Mark

PanARMENIAN.Net

A new book about the Armenian heritage destruction organized by Azerbaijan
26.04.2009 00:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the European Armenian Federation’s invitation,
Professor Rouben Galichian came to introduce his new book `The
Invention of History’ to representatives of the European Commission,
European Armenian Federation for Justice & Democracy reports.

The book gives a progress report on the cartographic modifications and
the heritage destruction organized by Azerbaijan in order to deny any
anteriority of the Armenian presence in the current territories of
Azerbaijan. Professor Galichian is an expert in cartography and has
carried out investigations on the destructions or `transformations’ of
the Armenian heritage by Azerbaijan.

The Most famous of these operations is the one which put an end in
2004 to the centuries-old existence of the site of Julfa where,
following the example of the Talibans, the Azeri government destroyed
more than 4000 khachkars (cross-stones) typical of Armenian religious
art.

The members of the Commission explained that they are aware of these
problems and also shared their concern. Thus, the meetings turned
around the quarrelsome rhetoric diffused permanently by Baku as well
as the hate based educational programme aimed towards the Azeri youth.

The participants also evoked the question of establishing measures of
confidence building in this hostile context, the possible resumption
of the hostilities by Azerbaijan and the limits imposed by Baku on
European officials’ freedom of movement in the area.

`We are glad to note a certain knowledge from members of the European
Commission about these heritage and historical misappropriations’
declared Hilda Tchoboian, the president of the European Armenian
Federation. `The Commission seems to understand that Armenia accepts
with difficulty the quarrelsome attitude of its neighbor Azerbaijan
which wishes war and which encourages its population with hatred’ she
continued.

`But Azerbaijan needs Europe more than the opposite. The Union could
thus be more assertive with Baku taking into consideration the
principles that the EU set up through the European Neighbourhood
Policy and the Eastern Partnership’ continued Hilda Tchoboian.

`While agreeing not to go into Artsakh because that upsets Baku, the
Union ratifies a line of demarcation imposed by Azerbaijan in
contradiction with the principles which she intends to defend’
concluded the President of the European Armenian Federation.

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:

27 April, 2009

Hayastan All Armenian Fund builds water-supply system in Dzoramut village

Yerevan, April 27, 2009 – The Hayastan All Armenian Fund began construction
of a new water network in Dzoramut, a border village in Armenia’s northern
Region of Lori. The project is financed by the fund’s French affiliate.

Dzoramut has a population of 310, many of whom are resettled refugees. As in
most communities in the area, animal husbandry and agriculture are the main
occupations of the village. Dzoramut Mayor Ararat Pnjoyan said that while
the village has experienced continued growth in recent years, its crumbling
water system has increasingly fallen short of providing residents with an
adequate supply of water.

The new network will not only meet the present water demand for Dzoramut’s
120 households, but accommodate future growth as well.

Commenting on the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund project, Ara Vardanyan, the
fund’s acting executive director, said, "Providing Dzoramut with a reliable
and adequate supply of water is of vital importance, in terms of easing the
residents’ daily struggles and thereby helping secure the community’s future
development."

# # #

Hayastan All Armenian Fund

Artur Baghdasaryan: Processes of establishment of diplomatic relations
with Turkey and international recognition of Armenian Genocide to go on
in parallel

2009-04-25 18:42:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian National Security Council (NSC) welcomes the
current process on normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and
positively assesses all the steps taken by Armenia in this direction,
NSC Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan told journalists. He pointed out that
during the sitting President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian presented the current process and recent developments in
Armenian-Turkish relations. "Our stance has been published for several
times and remains quite clear ` to establish diplomatic relations and
open the borders without any preconditions",- he stressed. He added
that Armenia thanks all those countries, which have recognized the
Armenian Genocide. "We’ll continue the process of international
recognition of the Genocide, and these two processes ` establishment of
diplomatic relations with Turkey and international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide will go on in parallel",- Baghdasaryan said.

SEMEN BAGDASAROV: TURKEY TO REPENT FOR THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanArmenian News
April 22 2009
Armenia

During the Yerevan-Moscow TV space bridge entitled "Armenia-Turkey:
Progress in bilateral relations or geopolitical games of world
powers?", RF MP Semen Bagdasarov said that Armenia and the Armenian
Diaspora should persist in their efforts towards achieving
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey has
to acknowledge fact of the Armenian Genocide committed in the
Ottoman Empire," the Russian MP said. Semen Bagdasarov ruled out the
possibility of establishing a Genocide study commission. "Turkey must
repent for the Armenian Genocide, as Germany did in case of Holocaust,"
Semen Bagdasarov stressed.

RA NA SPEAKER’S OFFICIAL VISIT TO POLAND STARTS

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 21, 2009
WARSAW

In the evening of April 20 RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik
Abrahamian arrived in Warsaw on an official visit.

On April 21 Hovik Abrahamian visited the parliament of Poland, was
present at the Senate sitting, then had a working meeting with Senate
marshal Bogdan Borusevich. During the talk he expressed Armenia’s
gratitude to the authorities of Poland for putting forward the
European Union Eastern Partnership initiative. The interlocutors
also touched upon issues of Armenia’s and South Caucasian region’s
security and stability.

The same day H. Abrahamian met with marshal of Polish Seijm
Borislav Komarovski. He positively estimated the current level of
Armenian-Polish relations. Mentioning that the political dialogue
has been raised to a high level the RA NA Speaker proposed promoting
cooperation between the two countries’ parliaments. In that context
he considered as practical and efficient bilateral contacts within
the framework of international and European structures.

According to the report of the RA NA Public Relations Department, H.
Abrahamian’s meeting with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk is
also scheduled for April 21.

NA SPEAKER HOVIK ABRAHAMIAN TO PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO POLAND

ArmenPress
April 20 2009
Armenia

April 21 the official visit of the parliamentary delegation headed
by the speaker of the Armenian Parliament Hovik Abrahamian to Poland
kicks off.

Public relations department of the Armenian Parliament told Armenpress
that the delegation headed by the speaker consists of the head of
the NA staff Gegham Gharibjanian, head of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation faction Vahan Hovhannissian, head of the NA permanent
commission of Territorial administration and local self governance
Hovhannes Margarian, head of the NA permanent commission of Protection
of human rights and public issues Mkhitar Mnatsakanian, MPs Alexan
Petrosian, Vardan Khachatrian as well as other officials.

In Warsaw meetings are intended with the Speaker of Polish Senate
Bogdan Borusevich and Speaker of the Seym Bronislav Komavorski. In
Warsaw the delegation headed by the NA Speaker will also put flowers
on the monument to the Unknown Soldier.

In Krakow the NA delegation will meet with Malopolski voevoda Yerzhi
Miller, will visit Auschwitz – the Birkenau concentration camp-memorial
complex.

On April 23 the official delegation headed by NA Speaker Hovik
Abrahamian will return to Yerevan.

MATTHEW BRYZA ARRIVED IN YEREVAN

Panorama.am
18:36 17/04/2009

The OSCE Minsk Group American co-chair Matthew Bryza arrived in
Armenia and had a meeting with the Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan,
Tigran Balayan, the head of public relations department of the Foreign
Ministry told Panorama.am. According to the source official press
release about the co-chair’s and minister’s meeting is expected soon.

ADANA MASSACRE 1909 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO LAUNCH IN YEREVAN

PanArmenian
April 17 2009
Armenia

The Armenian Genocide Museum organizes an international conference
on April 20-21, 2009 dedicated to the centennial anniversary of the
Armenian massacres in Adana district of the Ottoman Empire.

Historians from Armenia, Italy, Hungary, Austria, France, USA
and Sweden specialized on these issues will make speeches at the
conference.

The speakers will have the opportunity to present their papers and
share their knowledge about the massacre in Adana district and in
the city of Adana itself in spring 1909 in the main reverting on the
motives of massacres as well as international responses, Armenian
Genocide Museum reported.

DEPUTY OF THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT: OPENING OF THE TURKEY-ARMENIA BORDER TO LEAD TO THE WAR BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA

Azerbaijan Business Center
April 16 2009

The one-day forum entitled "Turkey and Azerbaijan: Common Interests
and Problems" organized to discuss opening of the Turkey-Armenia
border ended in Baku.

Shukru Alekdag, Turkish Parliament Deputy from oppositional Republican
People’s Party (CHP), said the statement saying that opening of the
Turkey-Armenia border would bring peace into the region is false;
on the contrary, that will intensify the fight between Azerbaijan
and Armenia right up to resumption of the war between them.

"95% of Turkish society is against opening of the Turkey-Armenia
border. Recently Turkish Government was talking about impossibility
of opening of the border with Armenia unless Nagorno-Karabakh is
released," Elekdag said. CHP was established by legendary founder of
the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

"In the near future Turkish Government will not open the borders. Even
if the Government intended to open the border with Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Turkish communities made it refuse from the idea. So, I assume
the Turkish Government will not come back to this issue in the near
future," Atilla Gaya, Chairman of the National Movement Party (MHP),
noted.

In his view, Turkey will not open the border with Armenia until it
releases Azerbaijan’s occupied lands and recognizes its territorial
integrity.

"During the forum Turkish and Azerbaijan deputies agreed the parties
will discuss the two countries’ positions at the international arena,
Turkey will keep supporting Azerbaijan’s policy regarding the occupied
lands, non-admission of opening of the Turkey-Armenia border until
the UN four resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are fulfilled,
continuing parliamentary discussions on single positions concerning
different matters." Elekdag said.

YALCINDAG CHIDES THE GOV’T ON CRISIS

Hurriyet
April 15 2009
Turkey

WASHINGTON -Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association
Chairwoman Arzuhan Dogan Yalcındag criticizes the government for
misjudging the severity of the economic crisis during a speech in
Washington. The business body is looking forward to the ‘best era’
in bilateral relations, she says

The chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s
Association, or TUSÄ°AD, on Monday criticized Turkey’s prime minister
for failing to understand the severity of the global economic crisis
and in turn delaying the necessary economic measures.

"The government seriously misjudges the severity of the economic
crisis," said Arzuhan Dogan Yalcındag, chairwoman of TUSİAD, a
top Turkish business group, with members representing many of the
largest companies. "Its reluctance to face up to realities and the
expediency of [last month’s] local elections led it to postpone any
serious effort to come up with an economic program."

She was speaking at an event at the Brookings Institution marking the
release of a new TUSÄ°AD publication on U.S.-Turkish relations. But
her remarks received larger interest than the report itself.

Yalcındag said as a result of the economic crisis, industrial
input in Turkey had fallen precipitously, with unemployment reaching
historically high levels. "Now we expect the government to sign a
three-year [loan] agreement with the International Monetary Fund," she
said. She was referring to expected talks between Turkish authorities
and IMF officials for a new stand-by arrangement, under which Turkey
is expected to receive more than $20 billion in loans.

More AKP woes "We hope that this agreement will also demand an
independent tax authority. In recent months abuse of the government’s
tax authority reached an alarming degree," Yalcındag said. Her remarks
were a veiled reference to a $500 million dollar tax levy imposed on
Dogan Media Group, or DMG, Turkey’s biggest media group.

In relation to last month’s nationwide local elections, in which
Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, won some 39
percent of the general vote but lost part of support to opposition
parties, Yalcındag said, "in domestic politics we had plenty
of evidence for the authoritarian temptation on the part of the
government."

"There was growing concern that if the AKP remained unchallenged and
increased its support, this authoritarian trend would accelerate,"
she said. "As usual the Turkish electorate succeeded in rebalancing
the politics of Turkey. We hope that all parties heed the call for the
electorate and start working on a new type of politics for the future."

Yalcındag also voiced some procedural concern over the legal Ergenekon
case, in which scores of people, including senior retired generals,
have been arrested or detained over the past year, being charged with
plotting to overthrow the government.

"We support the civilization of Turkey’s politics and the cleaning
up of security forces," she said. "Yet I must share with you an
important concern: Procedurally the case was pursued carelessly,
and fundamental rights related to due process, to privacy and to
presumption of innocence may have been violated."

Foreign policy On foreign policy, Yalcındag raised a reconciliation
process between Turkey and Armenia, and closer relations achieved
with Iraq and Iraqi Kurds.

But she lamented that no major progress had been reached over the past
year on Turkey’s bid for eventual membership to the European Union.

"Neither side is enthusiastic about revitalizing the process," she
said. "They content themselves with keeping it barely alive."

Yalcındag voiced hope that U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent visit
to Turkey could open a new era of unprecedented close relations between
the two nations. "His messages were important. His commitment to
Turkish democracy, his praise for Turkey’s secularism and his support
for Turkey’s EU vocation were greatly appreciated. As was his message
of peace to the wider Muslim world," she said. "Let us hope that with
the president’s visit and the warm reception of his messages in Turkey,
we can look forward to the best era yet in Turkish-American relations."