BUSH AGAIN AVOIDS WORD “GENOCIDE”
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 20:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In spite of the urge of over 200 Congressmen, US
President George W. Bush again avoided the word “genocide” in his
annual speech on April 24, reports the Armenian National Committee of
America. In his statement Bush specifically said, “Today, we remember
one of the horrible tragedies of the 20th century – the mass killings
and forced exile of as many as 1.5 million Armenians in the final days
of the Ottoman Empire in 1915. This was a tragedy for all humanity and
one that we and the world must never forget. We mourn this terrible
chapter of history and recognize that it remains a source of pain
for people in Armenia and for all those who believe in freedom,
tolerance, and the dignity and value of every human life. It is a
credit to the human spirit and generations of Armenians who live
in Armenia, America, and around the globe that they have overcome
this suffering and proudly preserved their centuries-old culture,
traditions, and religion. We praise the individuals in Armenia and
Turkey who have sought to examine the historical events of this
time with honesty and sensitivity. The analysis by the International
Center for Transitional Justice, while not the final word, has made a
significant contribution toward deepening our understanding of these
events. We encourage dialogues, including through joint commissions,
that strive for a shared understanding of these tragic events and
move Armenia and Turkey towards normalized relations. Today, we look
with hope to a bright future for Armenia.
Armenia’s Millennium Challenge Compact reflects our confidence and the
importance we place in Armenia making progress on democratic reform
and advancement of free markets. We seek to help Armenia bolster its
security and deepen its inclusion in the Euro-Atlantic family. We
remain committed to securing a peaceful and lasting settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and hope the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan will take bold steps to achieve this goal. On this solemn
day of remembrance, Laura and I express our deepest condolences to
the Armenian people. Our nations stand together, determined to create
a future of peace, prosperity, and freedom for the citizens of our
countries and the world.”

TURKISH EMBASSY IN BAKU REGISTERED NO INCIDENTS RELATING TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 20:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Embassy in Baku registered no incidents
relating to the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, stated Embassy
Spokesperson Bulent Ugur. “Due to the anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide the Turkish MFA has instructed all its diplomatic missions
to take special security measures,” he remarked.
In his words, “reports from Ankara said incendiary mixtures might be
thrown on the Turkish Embassy in Baku. Responding to reports of this
kind is part of routine work. However, as expected, no incidents were
registered,” B. Ugur said. When speaking at Asia University on April
24 Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali also confirmed there
was “a threat against the Embassy by phone,” Trend reports.

MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OFFICIALLY OPENED IN LYON
ArmRadio.am
25.04.2006 15:20
Last evening a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian
genocide was officially opened in Lyon France. Some days ago the
monument was profaned by Turks.
Political circles of France attached great importance to the opening
of the memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. During the
ceremony, a speech was delivered by the President of France Jacques
Chirac. Head of the Armenian European Federation Hilda Tchoboyan told
“Radiolur” that impressive speeches were delivered, the address of
the Mayor of Lyon was most remarkable.
Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France
Eduard Nalbandyan expressed his appreciation to French authorities
for raising monuments dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in Lyon and
Marseilles. Hilda Tchoboyan attached importance to the contribution
of France forcing Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
The Socialist Party of France declared that on May 18 it intends
to subject a draft law on arresting Armenian Genocide deniers
to the consideration of the Supreme Council of the French
Parliament. Yesterday the issue was again addressed in Lyon.
By the way, Turkey is going to submit a complaint to UNESCO against
France for raising monuments dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. The
reason was the opening of memorials dedicated to the Armenian Genocide
in Paris and Lyon.
Turkey is concerned with the fact that both monuments have been raised
in territories included in the list of world cultural heritage of
the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.”
Head of the European Armenian Federation considers that there is no
reason for concern here. She informed that 100 policemen are guarding
the monument to protect it from Turkish vandalism.
From: Baghdasarian

EIGHT CIS STATES HOLD BIGGEST-EVER AIR DEFENCE EXERCISE
Channel One TV, Moscow
25 Apr 06
[Presenter] The CIS countries are holding major air defence exercises
on defending the air borders of the commonwealth. Channel One
correspondent Anton Stepanenko is following the manoeuvres from the
Russian air force’s central command post and is live on air. Anton,
give us the details.
[Correspondent] The command and headquarters exercise has been
under way for two hours now, and I should repeat that this is the
biggest exercise of recent years working on pooling the air defence
effort, resources and forces of CIS countries. There are eight states
taking part in all [Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine] and, as of 1200 hours [0900 gmt]
there are up to 60 aircraft in the air in the entire CIS air space –
some of these are playing the role of invader and the other half are
to intercept them. Three Russian military bases are also involved,
in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
[Boris Cheltsov, chief of main headquarters and first deputy
commander-in-chief of the Russian air force] The main objective of
every training exercise is to polish the skills of the command bodies
in practice to deal with violations of the state border, with aircraft
which need to be seen off, and to assist those who find themselves
overtaken by events. The most important thing is close cooperation
in performing these tasks, with a single management structure and
information-intelligence system.
[Correspondent] This is the scenario for the exercise: the
military-political situation has become strained on the western and
southern borders of the CIS and attempts are being made to violate
the commonwealth’s air borders to carry out reconnaissance flights.
CIS air defence forces are currently seeking to prevent these
incursions. I should add that for the first time the air defence
forces will be working with targets in the stratosphere.
[The one-day exercise includes “air defence force action in the event
of terrorists hijacking an aircraft”, Russian Military News Agency
Interfax-AVN reported (0420 gmt). Col-Gen Cheltsov told reporters
NATO intelligence aircraft had been observed monitoring the exercise;
ITAR-TASS news agency (0756 gmt) quoted him saying “At 1000 [0700 gmt]
on the north-western borders of Belarus and Russia we noted Swedish
and Finnish air defence activity. Initially two NATO aircraft were
operating in this area, this then increased to five. This is standard
practice in the military.”]

CYPRUS ARMENIANS MARK GENOCIDE ANNIVERSARY
Cyprus Mail
25 April 06
THE ARMENIAN community in Cyprus yesterday marked the 91st anniversary
of the 1915 genocide in which one and a half million of their people
were killed by Ottoman forces.
In commemoration of the genocide, a special church service was held at
the Armenian church in Nicosia attended by Greek Cypriot politicians.
House President Demetris Christofias who addressed the congregation
said the genocide of the Armenian people was a crime recognised by
almost all countries but denied by Turkey.
“It is time Turkey recognised this historical reality,” said
Christofias.
He called on the EU to pressure Turkey to acknowledge the massacre
of the Armenian people, and also the invasion of Cyprus.
The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the ‘Young Turk’ government
of the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916. Over a million Armenians were
killed, out of a total of two and a half million Armenians living
under the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey still claims that Armenians were only removed from the eastern
“war zone”.
In addition to yesterday’s church service, the Armenian community also
organised a photographic exhibition at Nicosia’s Eleftheria Square on
Sunday and a procession along Armenias Avenue followed by a memorial
service at 8.30pm at the Armenian Genocide monument in the evening.

RUSSIA SUPPORTS ARMENIAN PEOPLE, PAVLOV STATES
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 24 2006
Yerevan, April 24. /ARKA/. Russia supports the Armenian people in
the issue of the Armenian Genocide, RF Ambassador to Armenia Nikolay
Pavlov told reporters.
According to him, Russia’s approach to the problem is clear: the
country recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide.
“Arrangements and processions in memory of the victims of 1915 have
been organized in different Russian cities, conferences were held
a few days ago and books on the Armenian Genocide were published,”
Pavlov said.
The Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century, was
organized and put into practice by the Government of Young Turks in
Western Armenia, then part of the Ottoman Empire. Over 1.5mln Armenians
were slaughtered. The Armenian Genocide has been recognized by many
countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PEOPLE EXPRESS THEIR THANKFULNESS TO BULGARIANS
Focus News, Bulgaria
April 24 2006
Varna. The Armenian people express their thankfulness to Bulgaria
by opening a monument in Varna in connection with 91st anniversary
from the genocide against the Armenians. The Mayor of the city
Kiril Yordanov, representatives of diplomatic missions of the Russian
federation and Poland in the city of Varna, members of the Municipality
Council were present at the event.
Please accept this monument as a humble sign of our gratitude to
Bulgaria and all Bulgarians who helped in a difficult for the two
nations moment, the Chairman of the Armenian Association in Varna
Takvor Vartanian stated, Radio FOCUS reports.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF TO HONOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
NBC4, CA
April 24 2006
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Flags will fly at half-staff in West
Hollywood Monday to honor Armenian victims of genocide.
An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died between 1915 and 1923 in the
waning days of Turkey’s Ottoman Empire.
Today is the 91st anniversary of what many Armenians consider the
start of the genocide, when Turkish authorities arrested 200 Armenian
community leaders.
The Turkish government says allegations of genocide have never
been proven.
Turkish Ambassador Nabi Sensoy, in response to the Public Broadcasting
Service documentary “Armenian Genocide,” said last week that
“Armenian allegations of genocide have never been historically or
legally substantiated.”
The West Hollywood City Council has passed a resolution “condemning
the human rights violations of the Turkish government,” according to
City Councilman Jeffrey Prang’s office. The resolution was introduced
by Prang and Councilwoman Abbe Land.

ARMENIA WILL NOT BID FOR NATO, EU MEMBERSHIP – PRESIDENT
MosNews, Russia
April 24 2006
Armenia is not going to join NATO and the European Union, Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan said Monday in an interview with local
newspaper Golos Armenii.
“Membership of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
and the high level of military-technical cooperation with Russia are
enough to ensure the country’s security,” Kocharyan said. Therefore,
Armenia will not join NATO. CSTO member states include Russia, Belarus,
Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Kocharyan said that the “whole legal basis of Armenian-Russian
relations in the military-technical sphere has been ratified by the
republic’s parliament.”
“Within the framework of the individual partnership program, Armenia
is actively broadening cooperation with the North Atlantic alliance as
a key European security organization,” Kocharyan said. The president
said, “at present, Armenia is preparing for closer cooperation with
the European Union within the framework of the New Neighborhood Policy,
but we do not aim to join the European Union.”

ARMENIAN PM DENOUNCES GENOCIDE MASTERMINDED BY OTTOMAN TURKEY TOP OFFICIALS AS CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 24 2006
YEREVAN, April 24. /ARKA/. The Genocide masterminded by Ottoman Turkey
top officials, in essence, is a crime against humanity, Armenian
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan said in his national address on
91st anniversary of Armenian Genocide.
Armenian Government press service told ARKA News Agency the premier
said in his address that every year on this day Armenians worldwide
remember and honor thousands of innocent victims.
Margaryan pointed out that this fact has been left unrecognized and
uncondemned long years laying favorable ground for new genocides.
The PM said Armenia considers genocide prevention by displaying
international political will a top-priority issue and welcomes many
countries joint efforts to resist such crimes.
The premier said Turkey remains adamant in denying facts and
suppressing the truth. He thinks this stance taken by Turkey not
only hampers good relations in the region and is leaving room for
new crimes in atmosphere of impunity.
“Marking 15th anniversary of declaration of Armenia’s independence
this year, we realize very clearly that international community’s
efforts are not enough to prevent such a thing in the future”,
Margaryan said. He finds it necessary to unite the whole national
capacity to strengthen Armenia state system with its democratic values.
The 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide orchestrated by Ottoman Turkey’s
leadership is the first genocide of XX century. Half a million
Armenians were slain in Western Armenia, which was a part of Turkey
then.
The fact of Armenian Genocide has been officially admitted by
Uruguay, Russia, France, Lower House of Italian Parliament, many of
the U.S.A. states, parliaments of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium,
Wales, Switzerland’s National Committee Canadian Parliament’s Community
Chamber and Polish Seim.