Author: Varosian Antranik

ANOTHER TWO CANDIDATES FOR DEPUTACY REGISTERED BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM WITHDRAW THEIR CANDIDATURES ON APRIL 26

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Hamlet Hovsepian, member of Union of
Freedom Fight Veterans Party, registered as a candidate for deputacy
by majoritarian system at Yerevan electoral district N 5 and Gegham
Gasparian, member of Orinats Yerkir Party, Vice-Chairman of RA NA
Control Chamber, registered at electoral district N 23, Gegharkunik
region, withdrew their candidatures on April 26. Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed about it by CEC Secretary Hamlet Abrahamian.

So, in total, 128 candidates continue electoral campaign in 41
electoral districts, 7 out of which under conditions of lack of
competitors in their electoral districts. None of 1314 candidates of
24 parties and one bloc registered by proportional lists had officially
withdrawn their candidatures as of April 26.

To recap, the deadline for withdrawing candidatures by candidates
for deputacy is May 2.

ARMENIAN-CHINESE RELATIONS ARE STABLE AND DYNAMICALLY DEVELOPING, AMBASSADOR OF CHINA SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Zuo Xueliang, Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of People’s Republic of China to Armenia,
completing his diplomatic mission in Armenia had a meeting with
RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian on April 26, during which the
Ambassador expressed gratitude to RA government and Prime Minister
for their constant attention and assistance provided in the years of
his tenure. The Ambassador characterized Armenian-Chinese relations
as stable and dynamically developing, at that, in his words, RA
government’s purposeful work in this direction had a great importance.

S. Sargsian on behalf of the government expressed gratitude to
the Ambassador for his considerable contribution in the issue of
development of Armenian-Chinese relations in the five years of
Ambassador’s tenure. The Prime Minister expressed Armenian side’s
readiness to continue and to deepen cooperation between the two
states. He emphasized that in the past years both countries exerted
considerable efforts for creating serious preconditions aimed at
development of friendship and partnership between Armenia and China.

As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA government Information and
Public Relations Department, during the meeting the interlocutors
expressed satisfaction with the work of 5th sitting of Armenian-Chinese
Intergovernmental Commission held lately, during which the results of
the work done were summed up and abilities of extension of economic
and humanitarian cooperation were discussed.

RA NA SPEAKER SENDS TELEGRAM OF CONDOLENCE TO CHAIRMEN OF RF STATE DUMA AND FEDERAL COUNCIL OF FEDERAL ASSEMBLY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosian sent
a telegram of condolence to Chairman of RF State Duma Boris Gryzlov
and Chairman of Federal Council of RF Federal Assembly Sergei Mironov
on the occasion of the death of first RF President Boris Yeltsin. The
telegram provided to Noyan Tapan from RA NA Public Relations Department
read:

"I perceived with grief the news about the death of first RF President
Boris Yeltsin. Boris Yeltsin had a great contribution in the issue of
development and strengthening of contacts between Armenia and Russia,
as well as for establishment of democracy in Russia. I present my
condolences to you, to the Russian people, to relatives and friends
of Boris Yeltsin."

ARF BUREAU MEETS WITH US DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER

Yerkir
25.04.2007 17:02

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Howard Dean, the National Democratic Commmittee
chairman, recevied a delegation of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Buereau at the Democratic headquarters in Washington on
April 24, ARF press service reported.

The ARF Bureau delegation comprised ARF Bureau members Vahan
Hovhannisian, Karo Armenian and Vigen Hovsepian.

During the meeting that lasted over an hour, issues related
to cooperation between the Democratic party and the ARF were
discussed. The Artsakh conflict settlement, the Armenian-Turkish
relations and the Armenian Genocide as well as the parliamenatary
election in Armenia were also discussed.

The parties agreed to continue inter-party relations and implement
a number of joint projects.

THIRD MILITARY CONVOY LEAVES RUSSIAN BASE IN GEORGIA

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 25 2007

TBILISI, April 25 (RIA Novosti) – The third military convoy left a
Russian military base in Georgia Wednesday as part of a deal on the
withdrawal of Russian military bases from the South Caucasus country,
signed in 2006.

The military convoy, consisting of 10 trucks carrying 35 tons of cargo,
left the Akhalkalaki base in the south of the country heading for
Gyumri in neighboring Armenia, where Russia retains Military Base 102.

The next convoy is scheduled for May 4.

The Akhalkalaki base located in a region populated largely by ethnic
Armenians is to be completely evacuated before the end of the year,
while the base in the Black Sea port of Batumi is to close by the
end of 2008.

Russia completed the withdrawal of its military garrison from the
Georgian capital, Tbilisi, handing over control of its headquarters
to Georgia’s Defense Ministry, last December.

Thirteen of the garrison’s 387 personnel will remain in Georgia
overseeing the withdrawal of Russia’s two Soviet-era bases.

Georgia’s Western-leaning leadership, which is seeking to join NATO, is
uneasy about Russia’s continued military presence, and has repeatedly
urged Moscow to close its Soviet-era bases.

All in all, Russia has agreed to dispatch five truck convoys and ten
trains to withdraw the remaining equipment from the Akhalkalaki base
by the yearend.

TURKEY ‘WARNED’ CANADA, US AGAINST USING TERM ‘GENOCIDE’

Assyrian International News Agency

April 26 2007

Turkey warned Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week not
to issue an April 24 declaration where the incidents of 1915 are
defined as genocide. The Canadian Parliament recognized the Armenian
Genocide and Harper became one of the few heads of state to use the
word "genocide" in his written statement during 2006.

Wary of these genocide claims spreading to other countries including
the United States, Turkey is trying hard to block efforts by the
Armenian Diaspora in almost every country in the world.

Canadian Prime Minister Harper was warned through diplomatic channels
last week that "repeating these claims annually will not help in
normalizing Turkey-Armenia relations and will harm Turkish-Canadian
bilateral relations as well." "We hope that the Canadian PM will not
repeat this year what he did last year," a high-level Foreign Ministry
official said, the Turkish Daily News reports.

Ankara made the same diplomatic attempt with the United States before
April 24 where President George W. Bush also issues a declaration.

Turkish officials said Ankara is not expecting Bush to use the word
genocide. U.S. presidents prefer to define the incidents in 1915 as
a massacre.

Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper made a statement in connection
with the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. "Today we recall
the horrible losses of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire, particularly
the terrible tragedy of the Armenian nation. Last year I reminded,
the both chambers of Canadian Parliament adopted a resolution that
recognizes the first genocide of the 20th century. This day makes us
remember why we should do everything possible to guarantee rule of
human rights and democratic freedoms in our times. Today Canadians
with Armenian and Turkish descent live side by side and share values
of tolerance. We hope Armenia and Turkey will guide themselves with
those values in order to develop their relations. Together with you
we recall the past and share your hopes for building the future based
on peace and mutual respect," said Steven Harper in his statement.

George W. Bush failed to define the events of 1915 as genocide in
his annual April 24 statement.

TURKS AND AZERBAIJANIS PROTEST AGAINST ARMENIANS IN WASHINGTON

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 25 2007

A group of Armenians living in Washington hold a protest action
outside Turkey’s embassy in the US on the anniversary of so-called
Armenian genocide, APA’s US bureau reports.

Accusing Turkey of committing genocide against Armenians, the
protesters raised Armenian and Greek flags.

Turks and Azerbaijanis living in Washington protested against
Armenians’ actions. They marched towards the Embassy holding posters
"Don’t bring up your children with hatred!", "It is up to historians
to investigate history!" shouting slogans "Long live Turkey!",
"Long live Azerbaijan!", "End Armenian lies!"

The sanctioned action was held within the allotted time.

ARMENIANS MARCH ON TURKISH CONSULATE PROTESTS PEACEFUL; NO ARRESTS MADE

abc7.com, CA
April 25 2007

LOS ANGELES, Apr. 24, 2007 – (CNS) – Thousands of people denouncing
the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians beginning in 1915 marched in
Hollywood and rallied at the Turkish Consulate Tuesday, blocking some
streets but remaining generally peaceful, officials said.

One group of protesters marched through Hollywood along Sunset
Boulevard between Western and Normandie avenues around noon, and
another group gathered at the Turkish Consulate at 6300 Wilshire
Blvd. in the Miracle Mile area about 4 p.m.

Both protests were peaceful and no arrests were made, said Officer
Karen Smith of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Police estimated the crowds at about 1,500, but organizers said the
numbers were closer to 7,000 people.

Both rallies lasted about two hours.

Numerous people spoke in front of the consulate, and some tried to
deliver a letter to the staff of the Turkish consulate, calling on
the Turkish government to admit responsibility for the slaughter of
about 1.5 million people, said Ani Gharibyan of the Armenian Youth
Federation.

"No one was there to accept our letters," she said. "They created
some other holiday, something about saving the children, designed to
avoid accepting our letter. They have done this every year."

More Armenians live in the Hollywood and Glendale areas than in
Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

April 24 is a solemn day for Armenians, marking the 92nd anniversary
of the day orders were given to begin the first genocide of the 20th
Century, Gharibyan said.

"Despite overwhelming evidence, the Republic of Turkey to this day
wages a multimillion-dollar campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide,"
she said.

Some speakers during the rally said the United States and other
countries have not wanted to recognize the genocide because of Turkey’s
geopolitical importance. Many other countries, however, have urged
Turkey to admit the guilt of the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor to
the current Turkish Republic, in the genocide.

In a statement, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said "the people of
Los Angeles stand in solidarity with Armenians around the world
in remembering the 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children
barbarically killed by the Ottoman Empire."

"Almost a century of history has removed the horrors of the genocide
from our immediate collective consciousness," Villaraigosa said. "And
yet as the assassination of Turkish-American journalist Hrant Dink
reminded us in January, the pernicious threat of genocide denial
still openly thrives around the world.

"As mayor of America’s preeminent Armenian community, I urge all
Angelenos to reflect not only on the vast scale and ruthlessness of
the genocide, but on the horror of the global silence under which it
took place. Today, I urge Angelenos to simply never forget."

CYPRUS GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Financial Mirror, Cyprus
April 24 2007

The Cyprus government condemns the Armenian genocide, noting that
the modern Turkey, which aspires to join the EU, ought to recognize
the dark pages of its history and apologize for the crimes of its
sinful past.

The statement was made on Tuesday by Government Spokesman Christodoulos
Pashiardis who added that "as 92 years are being marked since the
genocide of Armenians by Turks, the Cyprus government condemns this
abhorring crime and takes part in the national mourning of the friendly
people of Armenia and especially the Armenian community in Cyprus".

He said that the "refusal of Turkey to recognize the massacre of one
and a half million Armenians constitutes "a ridicule and distortion
of history".

Pashiardis pointed out that "modern Turkey, which aspires and pursues
membership in the EU, ought to recognize the dark pages of its history
and apologise for the crimes of its sinful past".

"The genocide of the Armenian people is not a crime that can be wiped
down with the violent abuse of the historical truth by guilty Turkey",
the Spokesman added.

NYC Independent Media Center, NY
April 21 2007

Turkish Denial of Armenian Genocide (IndyKids)

The May/June 2007 IndyKids is Out!

By Lucine Kasbarian

April 24 symbolizes the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, which
destroyed 1.5 million Armenians, as well as hundreds of thousands
of Assyrians and Pontic Greeks. On that date in 1915, hundreds of
Armenian leaders were rounded up by the Turkish authorities and
murdered in what was the start of a planned, organized attempt to
eliminate native, non-Turkish populations from the Turkish Empire.

Today, Turkey denies that it committed genocide, and even rewards
authors, teachers, politicians, and governments for saying that this
was not genocide but a civil war or an attempt to put down uprisings.

Armenians worldwide observe April 24 as a day of tragedy, but also as
a day of survival. They attend religious services, cultural programs,
and political demonstrations calling for justice.

"Armenians are also working to halt the current genocide in Darfur,
Sudan, in an effort to make certain that all peoples can be free from
the terror of genocide," says Tony Vartanian, Chair of the Armenian
Genocide Commemoration Committee of N.Y.

Each year, a resolution is introduced in U.S. Congress to mark April
24 as Armenian Genocide Memorial Day. Turkey spent more than one
million dollars to try to prevent this year’s Genocide resolution
from passing. According to U.S. congressmen Frank Pallone and Joe
Knollenberg, Turkey has even threatened to close supply pipelines
that aid U.S. soldiers in Iraq if the U.S. government does not defeat
this resolution.

Turkish officials believe that admitting the Genocide occurred would
harm their nation’s public image, and require that Turkey return lands
and properties to the victims. However, Turkey’s acknowledgment of
its past crimes against humanity might be an important step in the
direction of earning the respect of the world. It would also relieve
much pain still felt by genocide survivors, their families and their
communities.