Author: Vanyan Gary

DARWIN NOW EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

ArmInfo
2010-03-09 20:41:00

ArmInfo. On March 10 an exhibition "Darwin Now" dedicated to the 200th
anniversary of Charles Darwin and 150th of his work "The Origin of
Species by Means of Natural Selection" will be held in Yerevan.

The British Council press-service told ArmInfo that the exhibition will
allow taking a new view of the impact of Darwin’s evolution theory on
development of biology and other spheres of science. The exhibition
has already been presented in over 25 countries. Alongside with the
exhibition, with the support of "Association of Young Women" various
events will be organized at 10 schools of Yerevan. The events will
include games and puzzles and increase the schoolchildren’s interest
in biology and natural sciences.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
March 5 2010

Turkish president criticizes US vote on Armenian resolution

Istanbul, 5 March: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said about approval
of the resolution on Armenian allegations by the US House of
Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, "no one can force Turkey
to accept anything with threats and pressure."

President Gul told reporters, "this decision does not have any value
in the eyes of the Turkish people. How do politicians in such a big
country like the USA use their votes? We are face to face with
politicians who can cast their votes against an allied country in
order to get a few votes from the diaspora in their region. If you ask
them, they cannot talk about the issue for three minutes. When did it
happen, where did it take place, how did it happen? The most worrying
aspect of this is that these are the politicians of a country which
shapes the world policy. No one can force Turkey to accept anything
with threats and pressure. This decision is nothing but an attempt to
hamper Turkey’s initiates to ensure peace and stability in the region
and to create a zone of cooperation in the Caucasus."

The US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs approved
the resolution on Armenian allegations on Thursday. The committee
approved the resolution on incidents of 1915 with 23 votes against 22.

APA, Azerbaijan
March 6 2010

Deniz Baykal: The Turkish government must withdraw the protocol signed
with Armenia from the parliament

[ 06 Mar 2010 17:36 ]

Baku ` APA. Chairman of Republican People’s Party (CHP) of Turkey
Deniz Baykal demands the withdrawal of the protocols signed with
Armenia from the Turkish parliament, APA reports quoting Turkish
media.

Commenting on the passage of the so-called Armenian genocide
resolution by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs CHP chairman said
in response to that injustice the protocols must be withdrawn from the
agenda.

Deniz Baykal said by signing the protocol with Armenia the Turkish
authorities hoped that they would be able to soften the position of
the US concerning the so-called Armenian genocide.
`The hopes have not come true. The protocols are not effective in
terms of eliminating the `genocide discussions between Turkey and US,
establishing friendly relations between Turkey and Armenia, regulating
relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,’ he said.

At the meeting of his party in Malatya Baykal mentioned that 20
percent of the Azerbaijani territories had been occupied by Armenia
and Turkey’s signing of the protocols with Armenia was not right.
`In 1993 after the occupation Turkey closed its borders with Armenia.
The borders remained closed for 16 years. In 2009 super powers said to
the Turkish government `Open the borders with Armenia’. As a result of
the pressures, Turkish government was obliged to sign the protocols
with Armenia in Switzerland. At that time we demanded the government
not to sign the protocols. They ignored us. But the recent
developments in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs have shown that
the US is not satisfied with the protocols envisaging opening of the
borders with Armenia on condition that the occupied Azerbaijani
territories are released. Now the Turkish government is thinking what
to do. The government must immediately withdraw the protocols from the
parliament,’ he said.

APA, Azerbaijan
March 5 2010

Spokesman for Turkish parliament’s Commission on Foreign Affairs: If
the protocols are brought to the agenda I will vote against them `
EXCLUSIVE

[ 05 Mar 2010 18:39 ]

Ankara. Mayis Alizadeh ` APA. `Our relations with Azerbaijan have been
and will remain strong. We are one nation. The recent efforts for the
normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations demonstrated Turkey’s good
will to establish peace in the Caucasus. Turkey and Azerbaijan have
done their best for normalize the situation in the region. And what
has Armenia done? Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision on the
protocols revealed everything. The decision of the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs also shows that Armenians’ position has not changed,’
spokesman for Turkish parliament’s Commission on Foreign Affairs,
member of Justice and Development Party (AKP) Metin Yilmaz told APA’s
Turkey bureau. He mentioned that tens of thousands of Armenians were
illegally working in Turkey.
`If we want peace in the region, Armenians should withdraw from the
occupied territories. I do not think the protocols will be brought to
the agenda of the parliament. If they are brought, I will vote against
the protocols. Our position has always been so. If the Congress wants
to pass a decision on the `genocide’ claims, let it do it. We will
also redeterminate our direction. Turkey has large potential. We will
attach importance to the extension of the relations with the
Turkic-speaking countries,’ he said.

FIGHT OF LOBBIES

12:56:24 – 05/03/2010
ahos17060.html

ARF Member of Parliament, head of the NA Commission on Foreign
Relations, Armen Rustamyan says there was a war of lobbies in the U.S.
House Committee on Foreign Relations. Many Congressmen mentioned in
their speeches that Turkey played a great role in helping the U.S. in
Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the adoption would harm the Armenian
and Turkish normalization process. This is the result of the work done
by the Turkish lobby.

As to the tactics of the Armenian lobby, Rustamyan said we need to
change it. According to him, the whole nation is to be engaged in this
issue to convince the Congressmen to vote for the resolution in the
Congress. The RA MFA is also to be engaged in this issue. In this
context, Edward Nalbandyan’s interview to CNN, minutes before the
voting, was very important because we managed to precede Turkey, says
Rustamyan and adds that we have neither oil nor gas but we are true on
which our lobby is based.

NSC Secretary: families of perished Artsakh war soldiers will be in
the center of attention

06.03.2010 13:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Saturday, March 6, the chairman of `Armenian Eagles’
social patriotic organization, Khachik Asryan awarded RA National
Security Council (NSC) Secretary, Artur Baghdasaryan with `Motherly
gratitude’ commemorative medal.

During the ceremony, Khachik Asryan especially noted significant
contribution of NSC Secretary in formation and development of Armenian
Army, protection of borders and patriotic education of the youth.

Artur Baghdasaryan, in turn, expressed his readiness to make further
improvements in military and patriotic education, also taking major
steps towards assisting the families of perished soldiers.

In conclusion, NSC Secretary stressed that the families of perished
Artsakh war soldiers will be in the center his attention, RA NSC press
service reported.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE BILL?

12:05:35 – 05/03/2010
ahos17056.html

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives
adopted Resolution 252 on the recognition of the Armenian genocide.
This fact arouses much excitement in Armenia and within the Diaspora.
The decision was taken under such conditions when the Armenian and
Turkish reconciliation process almost reached a deadlock. The Armenian
party accused Turkey of protracting the ratification of the protocols
about which the Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandyan stated
hours before the Congressional panel discussion. In turn, Turks
determine their policy by the progress in the Karabakh issue
settlement.

What is going to happen after the endorsement by the U.S. House
Foreign Relations Committee of the resolution? The Turkish leaders
already stated, both before and after the vote, that any adoption of
any document will jeopardize the Armenian and Turkish normalization
process. Earlier, Turkey, under the pressure of Azerbaijan,
conditioned the normalization by progress in the Karabakh dispute.
Currently, a new problem occurs for Turkey: the discussion of the
genocide bill in the full Congress session. In turn, the U.S.
administration has repeatedly tried to convince the Turkish government
not to link the Armenian-Turkish process to the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue. Will the adoption of the resolution by the U.S. House Foreign
Relations Committee and the perspective of its discussion in the U.S.
Congress make Turkey renounce the Karabakh precondition? Does this
decision not aim to free Turkey from the Azerbaijani repression
blaming the latter of posing Ankara to serious issues?

On the other hand, the process of the vote was very interesting. There
was a moment when the votes against the resolution reached a critical
point and were doubly more than those for. One more vote against and
the bill would not have passed. In the end, the votes for came out to
be more by one. An only Congressman was left, who, in the end, did not
vote and the resolution was adopted. The impression was that during
the whole process of voting, the Turkish and U.S. governments were in
active negotiations and as a result, they did not agree on some
issues. Recall before the vote, rumors spread that the U.S.
administration extorts pressure on the Congressmen. The `direction’ of
the pressure remained unknown.

However, the resolution has been adopted and it rather creates than
solves problems for Armenia. How the U.S. and Turkey will act in the
new situation. Will the U.S. not demand some `compensation’ from
Armenia in exchange of the adoption of the resolution? The situation
is worsening considering the fact that Turkey announces about `other
versions and directions’ in its foreign policy resorting even to
direct threats.

The Armenian and Diasporian lobbying organization had of course better
not overvalue the significance of the adoption of the genocide bill
which makes the situation in the region even more complicated. In
general, the U.S. is not the country which takes political decisions
under lobbying pressure. Hence, the Armenian lobbying organizations
had better change the logic and direction of their activities
directing their whole resource to making Armenia a competitive
country. A country able to defend its interests. Otherwise, adoption
of any resolution becomes senseless because the ominous question
occurs: it has been adopted, what about after?

`After’ is such a republic of Armenia which will be able to be the
master of its own fate, its own people and aspirations of the nation.
Are we able to do that?

Trend, Azerbaijan
March 5 2010

Opposition leader: Turkish prime minister should cancel his official
visit to U.S.

05.03.2010 20:12
After recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide" by the U.S.
House of Representatives committee on foreign affairs, the leader of
the Turkish opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli
called upon the Prime Minister Rejep Tayyip Erdogan to cancel his
official visit to the United States, scheduled for Apr.12, Turkish
information portal CNN Turk reported.

The opposition leader demanded the Turkish authorities to cancel the
protocols signed between Ankara and Yerevan.

U.S. House of Representatives committee on foreign affairs adopted the
resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide." Resolution
was adopted with 23 pros and 22 cons of congressmen.

Armenia claims that the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against
Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Making greater efforts to
promote the issue internationally, Armenians have achieved its
recognition by parliaments of some countries.

GRIM HISTORY OF ARMENIANS IN TURKEY THAT LED TO ACCUSATIONS OF GENOCIDE
Mark Tran

guardian.co.uk
ld/2010/mar/05/history-armenia-turkey-genocide
Fri day 5 March 2010 12.11 GMT

Repression of 2.5 million people in Ottoman empire dates back to
autonomy movement in late 19th century

Ottoman soldiers posing in front of hanged Armenians in 1915. A US
congressional committee yesterday voted to label the Ottoman empire’s
actions as genocide. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Armenia believes Turkey committed genocide in the deaths of at least
1 million Armenians when they were deported from Turkish Armenia in
1915, and welcomes the non-binding resolution passed by the US house
foreign affairs committee.

Repression of the 2.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman empire dates
back to 1894-96 under Sultan Abdulhamid, when Armenians in the eastern
provinces, encouraged by Russia, began agitating for autonomy.

Abdulhamid cracked down on separatist sentiment by encouraging
nationalistic feelings against Armenians among neighbouring Kurdish
tribesmen.

A combination of Kurdish persecution and a rise in taxes led to an
Armenian uprising that was brutally suppressed by Turkish troops
and Kurdish tribesmen in 1894. Thousands of Armenians were killed
and their villages burned. Two years later, another revolt broke
out when Armenian rebels seized the Ottoman bank in Istanbul. More
than 50,000 Armenians were killed by mobs apparently co-ordinated by
government troops.

Those death tolls were dwarfed by the killings during the first world
war, when Armenians from the Caucasus formed volunteer battalions
to help the Russian army against the Turks. Early in 1915, these
battalions organised the recruiting of Turkish Armenians from behind
Turkish lines.

The Young Turk government reacted by ordering the deportation of the
Armenian population to Syria and Palestine. About 1 million died from
starvation or were killed by Arab or Kurdish tribes along the route.

Many survivors fled to Russian Armenia where, in 1918, an independent
Armenian republic was established. Armenia won independence when the
Soviet Union fractured in 1991.

Turkey accepts that atrocities took place but argues that there was
no systematic attempt to destroy the Christian Armenians. It puts the
number of deaths during 1915 at around 300,000 and says many innocent
Muslim Turks also died in the turmoil of war.

The legal definition of genocide is found in the 1948 UN convention
on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.

Article two of this convention defines genocide as "any of the
following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part,
a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: killing
members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members
of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life
calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in
part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
[and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."

Henri Barkey, a Turkey scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace in Washington DC, said that "the overwhelming
historical evidence demonstrates that what took place in 1915 was
genocide". He nevertheless opposes the US ruling as a needless
political manoeuvre.

Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Russia and Uruguay are among
more than 20 countries which have formally recognised genocide against
the Armenians. The European parliament and the UN sub-commission on
prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities have also
done so.

WATER PRICE WILL ALSO INCREASE

os17049.html
16:34:36 – 04/03/2010

Yerevan Water Company presented an application to raise the water price
to the Public Services Regulatory Commission. The price is proposed
to increase from the current 181 to 206, 98 dram per a cubic meter.

Head of Yerevan Water Company Gagik Margaryan said today that in
accordance with its agreement stipulated with the government, the
company has to present an application for the revision of water price
every year.