TURKS IN EUROPE CONDEMN THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Lragir.am
24 April 06
On April 24 a man was distributing fliers on the hill where the
memorial to the victims of the genocide. He was obviously avoiding
contact with people. The flier was published by the Confederation of
Workers from Turkey in Europe.
“We condemn the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and share the sufferings
of the Armenian people,” runs the title of the flier.
“This genocide exterminated not only people, but also their
civilizations, history and the treasures of a rich culture, the
imperialist rulers and the Nazi Turkish republic that serves them
will approach this issue from the perspective of their economic,
social and historical interests. The rulers of Turkey are displaying
the same approach to the problem of Kurds and the Armenian genocide.
In other words, they deny” and finally “the Turkish Republic should
recognize the Armenian genocide and apologize to the Armenians,
spread all over the world,” runs the flier.

RA PRIME MINISTER ISSUES AN ADDRESS ON THE OCCASSION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
ArmRadio.am
24.04.2006 14:50
On the occasion of the day of commemoration of Genocide victims an
address was issued also by RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan. The
address says in particular, “Every year on April 24 all Armenians in
motherland and the Diaspora bow before the memory of the numerous
Genocide victims. In 1915 this crime against the civilized world
was not prevented; moreover, it was not recognized and condemned,
thus serving as a basis for reoccurrence of new genocides. Today,
in the third millennium, Armenia considers the demonstration of
international political will directed at prevention of genocides a
primary issue and welcomes the aspiration of a number of countries
to jointly resist similar challenges to mankind. We welcome the fact
that annually the geography of countries recognizing and condemning
the Armenian Genocide expands, since the civil world realizes that it
is only through condemnation of this crime and realistic assessment
of historic facts that reoccurrence of similar crimes in future can
be prevented. Today the Genocide denial, distortion of facts does
not promote the stability and establishment of friendly relations in
the region.
Moreover, the atmosphere of non-punishment makes the execution of
similar crimes in the future possible.
Last years Armenians of the world marked the 90th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, stressing once again that they are united
in their will to condemn the greatest tragedy of our history and to
join the efforts of the progressive mankind to promote the dialogue of
civilizations and to reinforce the international security system. This
year, when we are celebrating 15 years of our independence, it is more
than obvious that the efforts of the international community are not
enough to prevent the crime against a whole nation; it is necessary
also to unite the whole potential of the nation to strengthen
the Armenian state and to create a society loyal to democratic
values. During the past 15 years our efforts were directed at this
aim, and year by year the achievements in this direction become more
considerable.”

POWERFUL ARMY GUARANTEES SECURITY
Lragir.am
24 April 06
On April 24 the government officials of NKR visited the memorial of
Stepanakert. NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan stated that evil must
be punished not to reoccur. Speaker Ashot Ghulyan stated that not
only the government of Armenia but also the leadership of Karabakh
is entitled to pursue the international recognition of the genocide.
“We have expectations too, and I think the connections of the
parliament, the parliamentary relations must be used for the
international recognition of the genocide. The wall of silence has been
demolished, and I think in the upcoming years it will become deeper
and finally there will be a general recognition of the genocide,”
said the speaker of the National Assembly of NKR.
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan says this day must be an axis of
solidarity and responsibility. “Turkey must realize that after
recognizing the genocide it can establish friendly relations with
neighbors and be internationally accepted as a democratic state,”
stated the minister. He also emphasized that if we had a strong army
in the early 20th century, we could have prevented the crime.
“With respect to this the army is the main guarantee of security of
Armenia,” said the minister.

DENIAL OF A GENOCIDE IS TEMPORARY
Lragir.am
24 April 06
Turkey’s denial of the genocide is temporary, said Arthur Aghabekyan,
Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia, April 24, informed the news
agency ARKA. He announced that the genocide must be recognized
eventually. Arthur Aghabekyan said Armenia is conducting a correct
policy on the international recognition of the genocide.
“Our policy is correct from the perspective of educating generations,
and conveying to the international community that Armenia is going
to be consistent in pursuing condemnation of the crime of the 20th
century,” said Arthur Aghabekyan.

RATE OF MURDER GROWS THE MOTIVE IS LIFE
Lragir.am
24 April 06
The Attorney General of Armenia told news reporters April 24 that
in the first quarter of 2006 the rate of murder and attempts rose
highly. However, the Attorney General also stated that it is not true
that these have a political motive.
“In fact, in the first quarter the rate of murder and attempts grew,
but I disagree that these have a political context. The investigation
reveals that these have everyday motives, and statistics suggests that
these cases are not centered in a region or a community. It should be
noted that in December 2005 the rate of murder and attempts dropped
considerably,” said Aghvan Hovsepyan.
He says the statistics of murders is not stable. As to the attempt
against Member of Parliament Sasun Mikaelyan, the Office of Attorney
General attends to it. The Attorney General announced that they take
action to reveal the motives, or the real picture of this attempt.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TIGRAN TOROSYAN: NOBODY DENIES CASES OF FRAUD
Lragir.am
24 April 06
The deputy speaker of the National Assembly declined to comment on
the statements of the speaker, concerning the election 2003 and the
unacceptability of conducting similar elections in 2007 and 2008.
Arthur Baghdasaryan’s statement, made in an interview with a German
authoritative newspaper, has already received serious responses
in Armenia, even from President Robert Kocharyan, who said he was
astonished by the words of the speaker.
Tigran Torosyan declined to comment on the statements of the president
and the speaker of the National Assembly. On April 24 he told news
reporters that it would be better to wait for Arthur Baghdasaryan’s
comments after he returns. But unlike the president of the Republic,
the words of the speaker did not surprise Tigran Torosyan. “Frankly
speaking, nothing astonishes me any more,” said the Republican deputy
speaker after thinking for a while. “I think the approach that the
elections in 2007 and 2008 must comply with all the standards, it is
an idea, it is an approach, which I believe, is shared by most people
both inside and outside the political arena in Armenia. I believe that
the head of state emphasizes this. Hence, the problem is not that we
should aspire or we should not aspire to, etc. Certainly, we need to
try to achieve general compliance of the elections in 2007 and 2008,”
says Tigran Torosyan.
After these words it appeared extremely important to find out if
compliance implies the election in 2003. In other words, we tried
to enquire from the deputy speaker of the National Assembly that the
elections in 2007 and 2008 will be similar to the election of 2003.
“Of course not. Because everyone said the election in 2003 did not
fully comply with the international standards. This is also the
assessment of the international observers. Certainly, I believe, no
one denies that there was fraud, unfortunately,” says Tigran Torosyan.

SUSPECT DETAINED IN MURDER OF ARMENIAN STUDENT IN MOSCOW
RIA Novosti
24 Apr 06
Moscow, 24 April: A Moscow school student has been detained on
suspicion of murdering an Armenian student at the Pushkinskaya
underground station.
“A student of a Moscow school, born in 1989, has been detained in
connection with the murder of an Armenian last Saturday [22 April]”,
a press service official of the Moscow prosecutor’s office, has told
RIA Novosti news agency.
The suspect has admitted to the crime, he said.

THE REPUBLICAN PROMPTS GOOD WILL TO ARF
Lragir.am
24 April 06
The Republican Party of Armenia has not been informed officially about
the initiative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation to ensure a
fair parliamentary election in 2007. “First of all, we have not been
told anything. I want to remind that there had been similar initiatives
before the previous elections. However, besides being based on a paper,
such initiatives should have other approaches, agreements, and most
importantly, good will,” said Deputy Speaker Tigran Torosyan April 24.
Nevertheless, Tigran Torosyan announced that fair elections in 2007
and 2008 depend on the standpoints of the political forces.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS MARK 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF MASS KILLINGS IN OTTOMAN EMPIRE
AP Worldstream
Apr 24, 2006
Hundreds of thousands of Armenians on Monday streamed to a hilltop
memorial in the capital, Yerevan, to mark the 91st anniversary of
mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
Armenia accuses Turkey of the massacre of up to 1.5 million Armenians
between 1915 and 1919, when Armenia was under the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey rejects the claim and says Armenians were killed in civil
unrest during the collapse of the empire.
Crowds of Armenians as well as expatriates living abroad laid flowers
and wreaths at the vast Genocide Victims Memorial overlooking Yerevan.
“Today we are paying tribute to the victims of the genocide of
Armenians,” President Robert Kocharian said in an address to the
nation. “The Ottoman Empire and its successor state bear full
responsibly for this crime.”
The killings began before April 24, but memorial services are held
on this date because it is the anniversary of the day in 1915 when
Turkish authorities executed a large group of Armenian intellectuals
and political leaders, accusing them of helping the invading Russian
army during World War I.
The commemoration events started late Sunday when several hundred
members of youth groups staged a burning of Turkey’s national flag
and then marched through the city with torches and banners reading
“The blood of 2 million Armenians is on Turkey’s conscience” and
“Genocide is the shame of humanity, and first of all of Turkey.”
Armen Tumanyan, a computer programmer in Yerevan, took his 4-year-old
son, Karen, to participate in the commemoration ceremony. “He doesn’t
understand yet what is happening, but I am sure he will come here with
his own children _ he will never forget his visit to the Memorial.”
The former Soviet nation of Armenia has pushed for the United States
and other nations to declare the killings a genocide. Many countries,
including Russia and France, have officially recognized the event as
genocide, along with some U.S. states.

DEFENCE MINISTER INFORMS PUTIN OF FORTHCOMING CIS AIR-DEFENCE EXERCISE
ITAR-TASS news agency
24 Apr 06
Moscow, 24 April: CIS member states will hold a major air-defence
exercise on Tuesday [25 April], Russian Deputy Prime Minister and
Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov has told the Russian president.
Ivanov said that “63 aircraft, including helicopters, most of them
belonging to Russia” will be involved in the exercise. “Russian
aircraft will land at airfields in Belarus and Kazakhstan, and their
aircraft will land at our airfields,” the minister said.
The CIS unified air-defence system will hold a one-day command-post
exercise on 25 April, involving control bodies and duty units. Lt-Gen
Aytech Bizhev, deputy commander of the Russian air force, told
ITAR-TASS that air force, anti-aircraft and air-defence units of
the armed forces of eight CIS member states – Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine –
will be involved in the exercise.
“More than 10 tasks of various kinds aimed at reinforcing the air
borders of the CIS will be practised during the exercise,” he said.
“These will include preventing instances of airspace violation and
hijacking of an aircraft, and preventing terrorists from seizing an
aircraft”. According to Bizhev, “three A-50 aircraft will be involved
in the command-post exercise, the crews of four MiG-31 aircraft
will carry out an air manoeuvre flying from Kazakhstan to Russian
territory and from Russian territory back to Kazakhstan, and Su-24 and
Su-27 aircraft will perform an air manoeuvre flying from Belarusian
territory to Russia and in the opposite direction”. “Duty units and
assets designed to hit supersonic targets in the stratosphere will
be employed for the first time,” the general said.
According to Bizhev, “Russian air bases in Armenia, and at Kant
[Kyrgyzstan] and Dushanbe [Tajikistan] will be used, and over 80
frontline, fighter and army aviation aircraft, including helicopters,
will be involved in the exercise”. “Long-range aviation aircraft, as
well as all subunits of radio-radar troops and missile air-defence
troops, which are part of the CIS unified air-defence system, will
also be involved.”
Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhaylov will lead
the exercise from the central command post of the Russian air force.