Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

ARTUR BAGHDASARYAN: RECALL OF TWO MINISTERS REPRESENTING ORINATS YERKIR PARTY WAS A NECESSITY

ArmInfo
2010-03-16 11:09:00

ArmInfo. The two ministers representing Orinats Yerkir Party were
recalled from the Government of Armenia since it was necessary for
their activity inside the party, Artur Baghdasaryan, Kleader of
Orinats Yerkir Party, said in a press conference on Tuesday.

"Our party is undergoing serious internal reforms. We discussed this
during the recent congress of the party. In this respect, we believe
that activation of the reforms requires involvement of such experienced
and serious political figures as Mher Shahgeldyan and Gurgen Sargsyan
who are engaged in the economic programs of the party," Baghdasaryan
said. He believes that recall of ministers from the executive body is
practiced in many civilized countries and there is no need to raise
such a big mess around that.

To recall, the Political Council of the Orinats Yerkir Party adopted
decision on March 14 to withdraw Gurgen Sargsyan and Mher Shahgeldyan
from ministerial posts for the intra-party work. The newly- appointed
ministers A.Yeritsyan and M. Vardanyan has joined the Orinats Yerkir
Party recently.

TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS URGE TO DEPORT ARMENIANS

Aysor
March 16 2010
Armenia

The Committee on Foreign Affairs of Turkish Parliament held Monday
a panel discussion to learn reports on processed of approval of
Resolutions on the 1915 Genocide. Country’s Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu and recalled Ambassadors (from Sweden and the United States)
delivered their reports on the recent passages of Resolutions at
Sweden’s Parliament and the U.S. Committee on Foreign Affairs.

During debates and discussions, the Turkish parliamentarians called the
government to respond to these approvals through more hard-and-fast
actions, 1NewsAz Agency reports, citing Sabah paper. In particular,
Turkish PMs demanded to close the U.S. access to the Incirlik Air
Base and deport all Armenians, who are illegally living in Turkey.

"Turkey has made available for Armenians to live in Turkey illegally
as it takes into account the heavy economical situation in Armenia,"
said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

"Moreover, if we deport Armenians from Turkey, then all the western
media will start a campaign against Turkey, covering this as if Turkey
would have deported Armenians. This would put us into a complicated
situation," he said.

Referring to Armenia-Turkey documents, Davutoglu said Ankara isn’t
going to call them off the Parliament.

"All in good time," he said.

"We shouldn’t make decisions, which can harm our interests. However,
we will campaign hard over upholding national interests of Turkey;
and let everyone know it.

"Turkey is not the country to speak to in a language of pressure. We
will make use of the signed Armenia-Turkey protocols," said Ahmet
Davutoglu.

It’s worth mentioning that Turkey has been campaigning vigorously
against the Resolution. It traditionally denies facts of Genocide.

Resolution, branding massacres, deportations, executions, starvations
and other means that resulted in more than 1,5 million deaths among
Armenians in Turkey, was adopted on March 4 by the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the United States House of Representative (by a
vote of 23 to 22), and by Sweden’s Parliament on March 11 (by a vote
of 131 to 130).

The 1915 Genocide is recognized by Uruguay (recognized and condemned
earliest, 1965), Russia, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium,
Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus,
Lebanon, Canada, Chile, Argentina, and 42 States of America; Vatican,
the European Parliament, and the World Council of Churches.

CHINA AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT

armradio.am
16.03.2010 17:33

The newly appointed Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic
of China to Armenia, Tian Changchun presented his credentials to
President Serzh Sargsyan.

Congratulating the Ambassador on assuming office, President Sargsyan
said Armenia is interested in deepening relations with China in
different spheres. According to the President, thanks to the serious
steps taken in the economic field, China has become the second partner
country for Armenia with the level of commodity turnover.

Serzh Sargsyan attached importance to the expansion of cooperation
in the humanitarian field and the steps taken in that direction.

The newly appointed Ambassador conveyed to President Sargsyan the
greetings of the President of the People’s Republic of China Hu
Jintao. The Ambassador said his country’s government attaches great
importance to the development of cooperation with Armenia. According
to him, the Armenian-Chinese political and economic cooperation and
the humanitarian ties have been consistently developing ever since
the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The Armenian President and the Chinese Ambassador discussed the
development of economic cooperation between the two countries.

President Sargsyan said Armenia will participate in the Shanghai
World Expo 2010 to present the achievements of our country.

The parties highly appreciated the effective cooperation between
Armenia and China within international organizations and the balanced
and unbiased position on each other’s issues.

TUSIAD CALLS OFF US VISIT, SAYS IT WOULD BE ‘UNFRUITFUL’

Today’s Zaman
March 15 2010
Turkey

The Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) has
called off a trip to the US scheduled for March 16-17, arguing that
it would be tainted by current tension between Ankara and Washington.

A US congressional committee voted on March 4 to label the killings
of Anatolian Armenians during World War I as genocide, straining
relations between Turkey and the US. Following this, Foreign Trade
Minister Zafer Caglayan announced he had postponed a planned trip to
the US that was to take place later that week.

The association said on Saturday that their visit to the US had been
"delayed indefinitely." TUSIAD Washington representative Abdullah
Akyuz said in a written statement that they had decided to call off
the trip since "the possibility of yielding a favorable result from
the visit is now weaker than it used to be."

"As is known, TUSIAD places great importance on maintaining healthy
relations between Turkey and the US. We think the current tension
between the two countries should no longer continue and are committed
to contributing to efforts to reinstate a healthy atmosphere for
dialogue," the statement read. The association said TUSIAD maintains
the hope that the delayed trip will take place once relations return
to normal.

RA PRESIDENTS APPOINTS NEW MINISTERS

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2010 21:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On March 15 RA President Serzh Sargsyan signed
a decree relieving Mher Shahgeldyan of the post of RA Minister for
Emergency Situations. By another decree RA President Serzh Sargsyan
Gurgen Sargsyan was relieved of the post of RA Minister of Transport
and Communications.

Manuk Vardanyan, formerly Head of the Real Estate Cadastre, has
been appointed to the post of the RA Minister of Transport and
Communications. Armen Yeritsyan, formerly first vice-chief of the RA
Police Department, has been appointed to the post of RA Minister for
Emergency Situations.

RIVER FLOODS HOUSES IN SYUNIK

Tert.am
16:25 ~U 15.03.10

On March 12 and 13, a tributary, or stream, from the Vorotan River
in Armenia’s Syunik marz (province) overflowed, flooding the nearby
areas. About 20 houses and cattlesheds have come under water in
Brnakot village, according to the Armenian Rescue Service.

People and cattle in the affected area were rescued and evacuated
by the rescue team, who with the help of the villagers, excavated
and cleaned the riverbed, and the water tided back without causing
serious damage.

As a result of torrential rains on March 13, a small river passing
through Kajaran village, Syunik marz, also overflowed, tearing down
4 small bridges. High winds damaged the roofs of several houses,
the Kajaran village community building among them.

The village community has created an ad hoc committee to investigate
the scope of the damage.

Yerevan Report, Armenia
March 12 2010

Armenia to Export Tons of Apricots, Grapes to Russia

Mar 12th, 2010 | Category: Business

YEREVAN (Novosti-Armenia), March 12’The Armavir region of Armenia
plans to export 20,000 tons of apricots and grapes to Russia in 2010,
the Governor of Armavir Ashot Ghahramanyan said on Thursday during his
interview with Novosti-Armenia.

`Our goal this year is to export 10,000 tons of apricots and the same
amount of table grapes,’ he said.

The governor also noted that negotiations are currently being held
with the Sverdlovsk region of Russia as well as with Moscow’s largest
trading organization called `The 7th Continent.’

Translated from Russian by Yerevan Report

Davutoglu Meets with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt in Lapland

11:41 – 13.03.10

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with his Swedish
counterpart, Carl Bildt, at an informal gathering in Lapland, Finland,
yesterday, reports News.az.

Following the meeting, Davutoglu told reporters, "We regret that the
Swedish parliament decided to approve the [Armenian Genocide]
resolution. First of all, we think that parliaments should not
evaluate such historical events since most of parliamentarians do not
have adequate information about those events. Politicization of the
history leads to serious problems for our societies. We consider this
decision of the Swedish parliament as a big mistake. It is impossible
to accept it."

"Secondly, there were perfect relations between Turkey and Sweden.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was scheduled to pay a visit to
Sweden next week to further improve our bilateral relations which we
described as a kind of strategic partnership. Under the light of
recent developments, we had to cancel Prime Minister Erdogan’s visit.
Also, we recalled our ambassador in Stockholm for consultations. We
did not expect such a decision from the parliament of a friendly
country," he said.

Davutoglu said, "I conveyed our views to Bildt. We hope that such
decisions which provoke developments in the region would not be made
in the future. Turkey will not allow anyone else to evaluate its
history."

Tert.am

Assyrian International News Agency AINA
March 13 2010

Assyrian Genocide Recognition Creates Political Crisis in Sweden

Sweden (AINA) — The historical decision by the Swedish parliament
recognizing Seyfo as a de facto genocide on Assyrians, Greeks and
Armenians is creating a considerable political crisis in Swedish
politics. The issue has dominated the headlines in Swedish media for
several days.

The Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, in a taped interview
with Afram Barryakoub for Hujådå, the magazine of the Assyrian
federation in Sweden, said he recognized the genocide one week before
winning the national elections in Sweden in 2006. This fact is set to
create problems between Reinfeldt and his foreign minister, Carl
Bildt, one of the most pro-Turkish European foreign ministers.

Bildt has said he will not consider the decision of the parliament but
will do everything he can to avoid it becoming official Swedish
foreign policy (AINA 3-13-2010). The response to his remarks have come
from Hans Linde, the foreign policy spokesman of the Left Party, who
said his party will consider pressing charges against Carl Bildt with
the national constitution committee.

8.htm

AZERBAIJANI MP: ARMENIA SEEKS "GENOCIDE" RECOGNITION TO MAKE TERRITORIAL CLAIMS TO TURKEY
Z. Ahmadov

Today
3741.html
March 11 2010
Azerbaijan

"Armenia is seeking "genocide" recognition to make territorial claims
to Turkey," Member of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis (Parliament) Sabir
Rustamkhanli said.

"European countries began the process of recognizing "Armenian
genocide" in the Ottoman Empire a few decades ago. The situation
similar to the current one in the U.S. Congress has already taken place
earlier. But none of the presidents of the United States responded
to this despicable ploy of Armenians so far. I hope that the current
U.S. president will do the same," the MP said.

"Worthy of note is that majority of deputies, accusing Turkey of
genocide against Armenians, are not aware of the events that occurred
decades ago in the Ottoman Empire. Turkey should partly blame itself
for being blackmailed by adoption of "genocide." This is result of
a policy of compromise with the Western countries which put constant
pressure on it."

‘This is not the same Turkey founded by Ataturk and that forced all
the world forces to reckon with it. Today Turkey is largely dependent
on external forces. Therefore, it is very difficult to say whether
the U.S. Congress will accept or reject the "Armenian genocide"
bill. But this is not the main thing. The main thing is to prove the
whole world that no "Armenian genocide" took place in the Ottoman
Empire," the MP added.

"Armenian claims arose even earlier. For example, they claimed about
10,000 killed during a riot in Erzurum, which was not substantiated
during research of this issue by historians. This is the same with the
"Armenian genocide" in 1915, when the Armenians turned their weapons
against their own state and, in fact, betrayed it," the MP explained.

"In any case, modern Turkey is not obliged to answer for the events
that occurred in the Ottoman Empire. Armenia is seeking recognition of
the "Armenian genocide" in order to make territorial claims to Turkey
and demand financial compensation. Thus, Yerevan wants to extricate
itself from the Khojaly Genocide and to remove Karabakh issue from
the agenda," Rustamkhanli noted.