Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

NEW RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

Yerkir
18.03.2009 12:29

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Legislation calling on the U.S. President to
properly recognize the Armenian Genocide was introduced today in the
U.S. House of Representatives, two weeks before President Obama’s
April 5th trip to Turkey and roughly a month before the White House’s
annual April 24th commemoration of this crime against humanity,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The measure, H.Res.252, is spearheaded by lead sponsors, Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R- IL), and cosponsored
by over 70 House colleagues. The resolution is identical to the
one introduced in both the House and Senate in the 110th Congress,
which was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, over
intense pressure from the Turkish Government and Bush Administration,
and publicly endorsed by then-candidate for President Barack Obama,
his Vice President Joe Biden, and current Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton.

"Armenians in the U.S. and around the world thank Adam Schiff, George
Radanovich, Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk for leading Congressional
efforts toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

"The election of Barack Obama, who has spoken repeatedly, forcefully,
and with great clarity about the need for American recognition of
the Armenian Genocide, marked a truly welcome break from the flawed
policies of the past on this score. We look, in the coming days
and weeks, for the President to honor his pledge, to fully support
this legislation, and to raise the discourse in Washington, DC on the
Armenian Genocide from level of Turkey’s threats and denials up to the
level of the core moral and humanitarian values of the America people."

In the days leading up to the introduction of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone and Kirk
sent a letter to President Obama urging him to end the complicity
of past Administrations in Turkey’s genocide denial by properly
characterizing the Armenian Genocide. That sentiment was reiterated
by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, in a March
7th letter sent to President Obama.

The resolution comes six-weeks prior to April 24th, the worldwide
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. U.S. Presidents have marked the
annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923 by the Ottoman
Turkish government every year since 1994, though have refrained from
the proper characterization of this crime under threats and pressure
from the Turkish government.

"There is going to be heavy focus on encouraging President Obama to
make a strong statement of recognition on April 24, because it will
be important in setting the tone of the discussions on the Armenian
Genocide Resolution in Congress," Rep. Schiff told The Armenian Weekly
Editor Khatchig Mouradian earlier today.

"The Turkish lobby will be spending millions like they did in past
years. They will also argue that the recognition of the genocide will
cut off reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, and that this is
not the right time. The truth is, after 94 years, if this is not the
right time, I don’t know when that right time can be."

Rep. Radanovich concurred, noting, "President Obama made a clear
promise to the Armenian community during his campaign and to do
anything short of properly recognizing the Armenian genocide as such
would be a direct slap in the face to Armenians around the world."

In a statement issued earlier today, he went on to note that "The
Armenian constituents in my district have been staunch advocates of
the truth and to them I promise not to give up this fight."

As Members of Congress prepared to introduce the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, thousands of Armenian American activists contacted their
legislators through phone, mail and the ANCA WebFax system urging
them to become early cosponsors of the legislation.

The Armenian Genocide legislation is expected to the referred to the
House Foreign Affairs Committee.

ARTICLES 225 AND 300 AMENDED

A1+
07:08 pm | March 18, 2009

Politics

The Armenian Parliament today passed the draft amendments to Articles
225 and 300 of the Criminal Code with 98 votes for, 6 against and
no abstentions.

Although Armenia has carried out the PACE recommendations, no political
prisoner has been released in the country. Mainly, the high-profile
"case of seven" aroused the need for amendments.

The amendments were voted down by the Heritage Party and NA ex Speaker
Tigran Torosyan.

"I doubt whether the PACE will be pleased with the
amendments. Actually, the document is not significant. Once the
authorities decide that the political prisoners should be freed,
they will dismiss the cases and acquit them. Otherwise, they may file
new charges," says the Leader of the parliamentary Heritage faction
Armen Martirosyan.

"I have voted for the amendments as I think they can somehow influence
on the case of seven and mitigate the indictments," says freelance
MP Victor Dalakyan who vehemently criticized Articles 225 and 300.

I have always criticized the removal of defendants from the
courtroom. Yes, I do agree that the execution of the law depends on
the authorities’ willfulness. Yet, I believe that the amendments will
have their positive impact on the case of seven," adds Victor Dalakyan.

BELARUS-ARMENIAN INTERACTION IN CSTO TO BE DISCUSSED IN MINSK

Interfax
March 16 2009
Russia

Cooperation between Belarus and Armenia in tackling international
regional security issues and in dealing with present-day threats is
to be discussed during Armenian National Security Council Secretary
Artur Bagdasarian’s visit to Minsk, the Belarusian Security Council
informed Interfax on Monday.

"Talks with Belarusian Security Council State Secretary Yury Zhadobin
on March 17 will center on the two countries’ cooperation in dealing
with present-day challenges and threats to security, with international
terrorism, organized trans-border crime, drug trafficking, illicit
migration and trafficking in humans," the Belarusian Security
Council said.

Given Armenia’s current presidency of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO), the talks will also touch upon "further
integration processes in the CSTO, ways to deepen military-political
cooperation and to strengthen the potential of countering modern
threats and challenges, and military and military technical
cooperation," the Security Council said.

TIGRAN KARAPETIAN: NOT JOINING ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ON THRESHOLD OF ELECTIONS IS BETRAYAL BY ZHARANGUTIUN

Noyan Tapan

M arch 17, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia’s authorities and opposition
do not differ from each other in anything: their goal is the same,
to have power at any price. Tigran Karapetian, the Chairman of the
People’s Party, stated at the March 17 press conference. According to
him, the political force headed by him has declared its decision to
run for the Yerevan councillor members’ May 31 elections long ago,
but neither the opposition nor the pro-governmental media recorded
that fact.

Touching upon the preelection roll of the Armenian National Congress
(ANC), T. Karapetian said that on the whole he positively estimates
the presence of the name of first President Levon Ter-Petrosian in the
first place. However, as the PP Chairman added, in case of winning
the elections the first President will not agree to work as a Mayor
and will cede his place to Stepan Demirchian, who is in the second
place. "And Demirchian is the person, who collapsed, degradated the
Ardarutiun (Justice) bloc, and his former team-mates are currently
in the power links," T. Karapetian said.

As to Zharangutiun (Heritage) party’s decision to run for the
councillor members’ elections individually, according to the PP
Chairman, in this case not joining ANC is just a betrayal. According
to T. Karapetian’s estimation, by not joining ANC Zharangutiun proves
its not being a real opposition. The speaker also mentioned that
among Mayor’s candidates known so far he likes Bargavach Hayastan
party representative, RA Minister of Health Haroutiun Kushkian,
"as he is a state figure, a businessman, and an intellectual."

THE "DOCUMENT" ON SALE OF A LARGE BATCH OF RUSSIAN WEAPONS TO ARMENIA IS FALSIFIED

WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 16, 2009 Monday
Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accomplished a two-day visit to
Baku. He discussed bilateral relations, resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and preparation for the third Caspian summit to be held in
the capital of Azerbaijan with his Azerbaijani colleagues.

Journalists were very interested in the issue of the Gabala radar
station.

Lavrov announced, "Russia is interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan
in the use of the Gabala radar station. Naturally, we will implement
this interest through agreements with the Azerbaijani colleagues." The
period of rent of the Gabala radar station by Russia expires in
2012. Literally on the eve of Lavrov’s visit, Azerbaijani mass media
reported that the Pentagon reportedly grew interested in use of the
Gabala radar station. However, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mamedyarov hurried to assure the Russian guest and the journalists,
"The transfer of the Gabala radar station to some other country is
not on the agenda."

Afterwards it was the turn of Lavrov to sooth down the Azerbaijani. He
said that a "document" which claimed that Russia allegedly supplied
a big batch of weapons to Armenia published by the local press was
fabricated.

Interfax, Russia
March 13 2009

Armenia considers sending peacekeepers to Afghanistan – diplomat

YEREVAN March 13

Armenia is considering sending peacekeepers to Afghanistan, head of
the Armenian Foreign Ministry section for NATO issues Arman Israelian
announced on Friday.

"The Foreign Ministry is discussing the issue and a positive decision
is likely to be made," he said at a South Caucasian youth forum
dedicated to the 60th anniversary of NATO.

Armenian peacekeepers are currently stationed in Kosovo. Previously
Armenia was involved in the peacekeeping mission in Iraq.

Gishi Pursues Former Fame

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department

March 10, 2009

The village Gishi having passed a stable development during the Soviet
years today is one of the prospering communities of the Republic as
well, and the major part of its own problems settles itself. During the
last year, restoration works were implemented in the village, this was
mentioned about by Gevorg Balayan, the community head, in his account
on the works implemented in the village in 2008. During the accounting
meeting, which was participated by the NKR Prime Minister Ara
Haroutyunyan, the tasks for this year were also discussed.

During the hard years of war and post-war period the village roads and
units of vital importance were disregarded, the villager only thought
of cultivation of the privatized lands and satisfaction of the family
needs. Today, when the works have been regulated to some extent by
state support and develop in natural way, inhabitants of Gishi settle
down to restoring and preserving their property. There is a medical
post, a ceremony house, a community administration building and an
operating club in the village. This year a new school and a nursery
school for 127 children under school age will be built by the state
programme.

During the accounting year, from 765 hectares of arable land 595
hectares instead of the 268 hectares of the previous year were
cultivated. The considerable part of autumn sowing works were carried
out on the privatized lands. The support provided by the Government
facilitates the villagers’ work. Nobody quitted the village during the
years of war, today as well inhabitants of Gishi do not think of work
abroad, they develop their native land through overcoming the
difficulties. There is a large perspective here, the villagers speak
more of achievements, the village had 1385 inhabitants, in 2008, 25
children were born and 26 families were founded in Gishi. A section of
the Karmir Shouka – Martouni road being under reconstruction passes
through the village, and will contribute to the prosperity of the
community. The internal water system is liable to reconstruction. The
sore subject of the community is the irrigation system. Inhabitants of
Gishi anticipate the state support in settling the problem.
Disagreements arose in concern with the problem of providing the
regional administration centre of Martouni with drinking and irrigating
water from the water supplies of Qahriz, because the inhabitants of
Gishi were deprived of irrigating water. The problem requires a
mutually beneficial settlement. As a result of discussions carried on
round the proposals of the Prime Minister, the head of the regional
administration and the villagers a mutual agreement was reached. During
the three months of the irrigation season people of Gishi will make use
of the water, and the citizens of Martouni will be provided with water
from the artesian wells.

The questions of the inhabitants of Gishi directed to the Head of the
Government were not only of communal character: they are troubled by
the absence of a refrigerated slotter-house in the Republic, by the
opportunity of getting village machinery and by other issues. The
question concerning the villagers’ seniority raised by Rafael
Hairapetyan, teacher of the Russian language and literature, causes an
overall anxiety.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Case of Seven hearing to be held without accused?
12.03.2009 19:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The only accused present at the hearing, Grigor
Voskerchyan, was hospitalized because of ill health. The other six
accused Myasnik Malkhasyan, Sasun Mikaelyan, Hakob Hakobyan, Alexander
Arzumanyan, Suren Sirunyan, and Shant Harutyunyan were removed from
the courtroom over disrespect for the court for 10 days.

Having been postponed twice, the hearing was continued today, attended
by Grigor Voskerchyan’s attorney Stepan Harutyunyan. Like the day
before, the hearing was held with one accused Grigor Voskerchyan, who
repeatedly filed a petition against the judge. Mnatsakan Martirosyan
refused to consider it, alleging that similar petition has already
been filed before. The attorneys filed a petition for rejection of
secretary of the sitting, claiming his deviation from duties.

The judge left the courtroom for an hour’s discussion of the petition,
yet the hearing couldn’t be continue because of Grigor Voskerchyan’s
worsened health. He was examined by the doctor who asserted he had
high blood pressure. According to Voskerchyan’s attorney, the judge
has been informed about the ill health of the accused during the
hearing, yet refused to take it into consideration. The hearing will
be continued tomorrow.

Prime Minister of Armenia: Armenia does not support state protectionism

2009-03-13 19:12:00

ArmInfo. Armenia does not support state protectionism. The government
policy aims to overcome the temporary difficulties in the country that
originated for quite objective reason, Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran
Sargsyan told media Friday.

He said protectionism for a long period of time leads to negative
consequences. In future, when global economy will overcome the crisis,
it will be possible to speak of changes in Armenia’s policy. Only in
this case it will be possible to speak of minimizing government
guarantees and providing state loans. `That is why the current measures
should have temporary nature’, T. Sargsyan said. He underlined that
many states have resorted to protectionism being aware of its
harmfulness. In particular, car industry is in question, which enjoys
state support. `Such measures are taken also in Armenia and it is
difficult to call these measures protectionism. It is assistance in
overcoming temporary difficulties by combined efforts’, the premier
said.

As regards the recall of the bill on amendments to the Law on Customs
Duty by the government, the premier explained that the national dram
devaluated by 20% whereas the law provides for a 10-15% growth of the
customs duty on a series of imported commodities. This devaluation is
an impetus for development of the country’s export potential and
creates favorable conditions to stiffen the local competition. `The
developments will show if the government will return to this bill or
not’, the premier said. He underlined that the increase of the customs
duties will have temporary character and will apply to the commodities
produced in Armenia. Thus, this government measure aims to support
local producers. If the customs duty rises by 15%, local producers will
grow their capacities to 30%, the premier said.

Panorama.am
17:45 12/03/2009

ARMED FORCES OF AZERBAIJAN VIOLATES CEASEFIRE

On the night of 12 March and during the day the ceasefire has been
violated in the contact line of Azerbaijan-Nagorno Karabakh, reports
the Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh. The Azeri armed forces fired
the military units of NKR army in the directions of Qarvend, Ashagh
Saidahmedli, Karachanbeili, Ashagh Veisali, Kuropatkino, Seisulan,
Levonarch, Karmiravan and Yarmdja.

The NKR defense army took appropriate measures and the rival stopped
shooting. Nagorno Karabakh armed forces did not suffer losses.

Source: Panorama.am