PanARMENIAN.Net
Baku Says Information on Azerbaijan’s Intention to Resume Hostilities
Groundless
22.04.2006 00:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The militaristic statements to return the seized
land by force have become very frequent recently. Is it a coincidence?
For all appearance it’s not. In the opinion of representatives of
international structures and specifically the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs, the year of 2006 can become the most suitable for a
peaceful settlement. There is an expression `Lie repeated many times
becomes the truth at last’. Perhaps hurhaber.com Turkish website tried
to make the expression true,’ Zerkalo Baku-based newspaper writes.
According to acting head of the Azerbaijani press office Ilgar
Verdiyev, this information does not correspond to reality and peaceful
talks are going on. As for Azerbaijani MFA’s position, head of the
department of information policy Tahir Taghizade remarked he does not
think it’s necessary to comment on the nonsense spread by the Turkish
website. `Azerbaijan abides by the peaceful settlement,’ Taghizade
said.
For his part, independent political scientist Eldar Namazov remarked
that the information is either an obvious stupidity or serious
provocation. According to the political scientist a paradox situation
occurs, presently hostilities can be profitable for Armenia, but it’s
Azerbaijan, who makes military statements. He also noted that the
U.S. is not interested in the resumption of hostilities, since in this
case the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline will be receded into the
background.
In the words of political scientist Rasim Musabekov, the website is
not at all known and the information furnished by it doesn’t need any
comments.
To remind, Media-forum Azeri online newspaper with a reference to
hurhaber.com that allegedly received the information from a diplomatic
source, said that within 1 or 2 day Azerbaijan will start war for
Karabakh.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Stepan Stepanyan: Armenia Should Urge Turkey to Return Territories
22.04.2006 00:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia should raise the issue of returning of
historical Armenian territories by Turkey, head of the department of
history of the Armenian issue and Armenian Genocide of the Institute
of History at the National Academy of Sciences Stepan Stepanyan
considers. In his words, to date 18 states have recognized the
Armenian Genocide and this offers the reason to urge Turkey to return
the territories. Stepanyan considers that the Armenian diplomats and
Diaspora should play a significant role in the issue.
`We should not wait until all the states of the world recognize the
Armenian Genocide. The diplomatic work should be targeted at the
returning of historical Armenian territories. Turkey will never
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Its barbarian attitude to the issue
has not changed so far. On the contrary, when Armenia speaks of the
opening of the Armenian-Turkish border or Karabakh conflict settlement
Turkey tries to oblige Armenia to abandon the campaign on the Armenian
Genocide recognition,’ he said, reported Novosti-Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
Monument to Armenian Genocide Victims in Lyon Guarded Around Clock
22.04.2006 00:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The monument to the Armenian Genocide victims that
was desecrated in Lyons assumed its former appearance. The vandalism
aroused the indignation not only of the Armenian but also of the
French official circles and the authorities decreed to protect the
monument. Guard groups and four policemen watch the monument around
the clock. Besides, the city authorities placed video cameras thanks
to which the situation around the monument is always kept under
control.
As it was reported earlier, French Minister of interior Nicholas
Sarkozy condemned the desecration of the monument and said the
criminals should be found and punished.
Official unveiling of the ceremony will take place April 24. The
French President is expected to attend the event, reported Hurriyet
Turkish newspaper.

AZG Armenian Daily #074, 22/04/2006
Armenian Genocide
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER DECLARES APRIL 23-27 A WEEK OF REMEMBRANCE OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared April 23-27
a week of remembrance of Armenian genocide victims, Lisa Galustian,
governor’s Los Angeles office deputy head, told RFE/RL. Underscoring
that California has the second largest Armenian population after
Armenia he stated that the descendants of Genocide survivors play an
important role in such spheres as state economy, culture, education
and governance. Mr. Schwarzenegger made an appeal to recognize the
Genocide. “The path to a more hopeful future lies through recognizing
the past. With this hope I stand beside our friends from the Armenian
community and urge the freedom loving Americans and other nations of
the world to recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
The Genocide remembrance week has aroused the indignation of Turkish
and Azerbaijani communities of America, and they are going to hold
protests during the week.
By Karine Danielian

AZG Armenian Daily #074, 22/04/2006

Karabakh issue
SERGE SARGSIAN BELIEVES AZERBAIJAN WANTS TO GRAB THE MOST IT CAN
“I have the impression that Azerbaijan wants to grab the most can,
making new suggestions that are not acceptable for us. If each of us
tries to grab as much as we can, we will hardly ever come to
agreement,” RA defense minister Serge Sargsian said at the end of the
military exercises in Nagorno Karabakh.
As for the participation of the Nagorno Karabakh republic in the
negotiations, Mr. Sargsian said that he doesn’t think big changes will
take place in near future. “Certainly, it is very desirable that NKR
participates in the negotiations as well but our wishes do not always
come true, ” he said. As for Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to
USA, Mr. Sargsian said it is quite normal, besides it is important
for any country to meet with U.S. President. “I am sure that
U.S. president called for Aliyev to settle the conflict through
peaceful negotiations,” he underscored.
By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily #074, 22/04/2006

Karabakh diary
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH DEFENSE ARMY BY SURPRISE
NKR Defense Minister Assures
Military drills organized by the Army of Defense of Nagorno Karabakh
on April 12-20 proved a higher level compared to that of previous
years. The exercises of all military unites – from infantry troops to
military aviation – were supervised by NKR President Arkady Ghukasian,
Armenian and Artsakhi defense ministers, head of Armenian armed forces
headquarters Mikael Harutyunian and senior military officials. Serge
Sargsian assessed the drills as normal adding that the experts
imminent report will highlight the progress in the army. Mikael
Harutyunian stated, on his part, that these large-scale drills, that
are staged for already 5-6 years, secure higher level of performance
emphasizing army’s preparation.
Distinguished unites, commanders and servicemen were presented with
gifts and diplomas.
At the meeting with journalists before the final stage of drills, NKR
defense minister Seyran Ohanian said the Army of Defense not only
readily overcame all tasks but also proved to be able to defend the
motherland without the help of a third power. “There is still no need
of the third power – a peacekeeping contingent. The Army of Defense is
the best power for peace.” The minister stated that the most important
thing is to feel confident in the face of Azerbaijan’s threats. And
they do feel confident. “It’s impossible to catch the Army of Defense
by surprise.”
As to the borderline incidents, the minister assured that the
situation is calm. “Exchange of fire and sniper shots are a usual
thing on the borders, and even privates take them quietly.” Seyran
Ohanian added that the process of mutual concessions is not properly
introduced to the public and it indeed needs to be introduced. Asked
whether he believes in a settlement this year, the minister said:
“We’ll do everything to reach the finish but the settlement depends on
the process of negotiations.”
By Gohar Gevorgian in Stepanakert

AZG Armenian Daily #074, 22/04/2006

Music
JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH IN ARMENIA
“Jazz Appreciation Month” will launch in Armenia on April 26. This
will be the fifth international jazz festival held in Yerevan. The
U.S. Embassy to Armenia informed that within the framework of the
festival they will hold not only concerts but also film sessions on
the history of jazz, a dancing performance staged on jazz music,
“Colors of Jazz” the exhibition of young artists. It is expected that
both Armenian and American musicians will hold concerts at the
festival.
By Nana Petrosian

Armenpress
ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN ASSOCIATION TO MEET IN BATUMI IN MAY
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: Vladimir Badalian,
an Armenian parliament member and a cochairman of
Armenian-Georgian and Armenian-Ajarian Associations,
told Armenpress an Armenian-Georgian-Ajarian business
forum will be held in Ajaria’s capital Batumi in late
May, to be followed by the meeting of the
Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on
cooperation in Tbilisi.
Badalian said the Associations have been active for
two years already and have managed to remain balanced
organizations despite some tension in bilateral
relationships. Badalian said the major goal of the
Armenian-Ajarian Association is to expand the network
of resorts on the Black Sea coast of Georgia’s
autonomous region of Ajaria that could be available to
Armenia’s middle class. He said last year some 12,000
Armenians spent their summer vacations in Ajaria. He
said if the government of Georgia repairs roads
leading to the region this number may double.
Now it takes 16 hours for mini-buses to travel from
Yerevan to Batumi, but a massive repair of roads
launched by the government of Georgia in Javakheti is
expected to cut the trip to a 6 hour journey.

Armenpress
50 ARMENIAN STUDENTS JOIN BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRY
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: Some 50 young
Armenians, all members of Nikol Aghbalian student
union, closely affiliated with the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF), have joined today the
Armenian Bone Marrow Registry (ABMDR), established to
respond to those families in crisis, whose members are
suffering from life-threatening blood diseases and who
need a bone marrow transplant from another Armenian.
The action was dedicated to the 91-st anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide and is being held under the
motto ‘Our blood is life for others.” Because of
unique genetic make up of Armenians, it is nearly
impossible to find suitable matches among the existing
international registries and hence a great number of
Armenian children and adults have lost their lives due
to the lack of compatible donors. To address this
imbalance, a volunteer donor registry for bone marrow
transplant has been established in Armenia to help to
overcome this difficulty.
The Armenian Bone Marrow Registry has now 11,000
registered donors. It is a member of the World Marrow
Donor Association, sharing its database information
with other registries around the world and cooperates
with several international medical centers, including
the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust in England, St
Jude Hospital in Memphis and Glendale Memorial
Hospital in Los Angeles.

Armenpress
YEAR OF ARMENIA IN RUSSIA RECEIVES WARM WELCOME
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: Vigen Sarkisian, an
aide to president Robert Kocharian, told a news
conference today that the audience in Russia is giving
a warm welcome to an extensive range of events held
there as part of the Year of Armenia in Russia.
He said the initiative to hold the Year of Armenia
in Russia should not be confused with what is known as
days of culture, because the Year of Armenia in Russia
is a broader idea encompassing also educational,
scientific programs to be added soon by athletic
events. He said the symphonic orchestra of the Russian
republic of Bashkortostan held a concert with invited
Armenian violinist Martin Yavryan and a singer Vahagn
Makvetsian. Moscow’s Pushkin Museum hosted an
exhibition of treasures from Etchmiadzin, the Russian
Center for International, Cultural and Scientific Ties
is hosting an Armenpress photo exhibition titled
‘Armenia: 15 Years of Independence.’ The exhibition
displays 110 photos shot by Armenia’s leading
photographers.
Saint Petersburg hosted an exhibition of paintings
of local artists of Armenian descent. The museum in
southern Russian Astrakhan is hosting an exhibition
titled ‘Famous Armenians of Astrakhan.’ As part of the
Year a n extensive Armenian delegation, headed by
territorial minister Hovik Abrahamian was in the
southern Russian province of Rostov on April 17-19.
Vigen Sarkisian said exchange visits of students
from sister schools in Yerevan and Moscow are expected
soon and in summer businessmen of both countries will
meet for a business forum in Moscow. Deputy foreign
affairs minister Gegham Gharibjanian said the Year of
Armenia in Russia is a good moral impetus for
thousands of Russian Armenians. ” We felt it during
all our meetings. They are sure that the Republic of
Armenia stands ready to support and defend their
interests,” he said.
Vigen Sarkisian said also the First Russian TV
Channel with the biggest audience will screen on April
24 Armenian-Canadian Atom Egoyan’s’ Ararat’, a film
about the genocide.