Armenia to get 2m euros from regional project in 2005

Arminfo
26 Apr 05

YEREVAN

The main issue discussed at the TRACECA [Transport Corridor
Europe-Caucasus-Asia] conference in Baku was the issue of switching
the programme to self-financing by 2007. The Armenian side has given
its written consent to this, the chairman of the Transport and
Communications Ministry’s foreign relations department, Gagik
Arutyunyan, told journalists today.

In 2005, Armenia will receive 2m euros from the programme’s 9m-euro
budget. The funds will be channelled into the monitoring of the 300 km
Yerevan-Ayrum railway. Grigoryan expressed his hope that the
reconstruction of the railway in the Ayrum-Sadakhlo (12 km) section
will be included in the TRACECA budget of 2006, Arutyunyan said.

[Passage omitted: Armenia did not participate in the TRACECA
conference because it was not invited]

Turkish foreign minister returns from “fruitful” EU meeting

Anatolia news agency
26 Apr 05

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul who attended Turkey-EU
Association Council meeting in Luxembourg returned to Turkey on
Tuesday [26 April].

Gul told reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport that his meetings in
Luxembourg were very fruitful.

Gul said: “We revised mutual responsibilities during Association
Council meeting and expressed our expectations. We also exchanged
views on the ways of solving problems.”

“Prior to Association Council meeting, I met EU officials and we
discussed Cyprus and Iraq issues as well as various foreign political
issues. I expressed my views about them during the council meeting as
well,” said Gul.

“Turkey has recorded great progress in terms of fulfilling the
political criteria. Reform process will be pursued in a determined
manner. Besides new laws and arrangements, we also attach importance
to implementation of these laws,” he added.

Gul noted: “During the meeting, I conveyed Turkey’s expectations about
many issues particularly the Cyprus issue. We discussed financial
matters and problems regarding Customs Union. Issues about Customs
Union will be taken up during meetings in technical level.”

Gul said: “Understanding between Turkey and the EU on the Adjustment
Protocol was once again confirmed in the meeting.”

Upon a question, Gul said: “The process about the protocol within the
EU is expected to be completed by June. EU should firstly finish
domestic procedures and then invite Turkey. We fulfilled our
responsibilities on a large scale and if the EU does the same, the
protocol process will continue in a healthy way.”

Upon another question, Gul confirmed that Armenian President [Robert]
Kocharyan replied to the letter of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan. Gul added that the reply of Kocharyan will be examined
carefully and a statement will be released later.

Frankfurter Rundschau
25. April 2005

Gedenken an Völkermord ;
1915 Genozid an Armeniern

von RHAMACHER

Frankfurt a. M./Eriwan · 24. April · big/dpa · Die hessische
Landesregierung hat die Haltung der Türkei zum Völkermord an den
Armeniern vor 90 Jahren kritisiert. Bei der Gedenkfeier für die Opfer
des Genozids in der Frankfurter Paulskirche sagte Regierungspräsident
Gerold Dieke am Sonntag, die Türkei müsse “aus eigenem Antrieb”
geschichtsverfälschenden Darstellungen entgegen treten und die eigene
Historie aufarbeiten. “Es wäre bedauerlich, wenn das Angebot der
Türkei, eine gemischte Historikerkommission einzusetzen, vor allem
eine Geste im Hinblick auf EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen wäre”, sagte
Dieke. Er vertrat bei der Gedenkfeier den hessischen
Ministerpräsidenten Roland Koch (CDU).

Der Völkermord unter osmanischer Herrschaft werde “von den Urhebern
und ihren Nachfolgern mit beträchtlichem Aufwand verleugnet”, so
Dieke. Auch die Deutschen hätten gute Gründe, “Verstrickung oder gar
Komplizenschaft” aufzuarbeiten. Das Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes
belege die Beteiligung an der Planung und Ausführung von
Deportationen durch deutsches Militär “zumindest in Einzelfällen”,
sagte der Regierungspräsident.

Beschämung über die Verstrickung

Der Ratsvorsitzende der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD),
Wolfgang Huber, bat das armenische Volk für die deutsche Beteiligung
an dem Massenmord um Verzeihung. “Ich sehe mit Beschämung die
Verstrickung unseres Volkes”, sagte Huber am Samstag bei einem
ökumenischen Gottesdienst im Berliner Dom anlässlich des 90.
Jahrestages des Massenmords. An die Regierung richtete er die Bitte,
“sich zur deutschen Mitschuld zu bekennen, den Anteil an den
Ereignissen aufzuarbeiten und im eigenen politischen Handeln daraus
Konsequenzen zu ziehen”.

In Armenien gedachten am Sonntag mehr als eine Million Menschen – ein
Drittel der Bevölkerung – des Massenmords und der Vertreibung. In der
Hauptstadt Eriwan legten die Trauernden Blumen an der Gedenkstätte
Zizernakaberd (Schwalbennest) nieder, die den 1,5 Millionen Opfern
gewidmet ist. Präsident Robert Kotscharjan verlangte eine strikte
Verurteilung des Massakers durch die internationale Gemeinschaft. Die
Türkei bestreitet den planmäßigen Mord bis heute. Die
UN-Menschenrechtskommission hat die Gräueltaten als Genozid gewertet.
Mindestens 15 Staaten, darunter Frankreich, schlossen sich diesem
Urteil an.

A1plus

| 19:15:24 | 26-04-2005 | Official |

BORDERS OUTLINED

The outline of the borders of over 100 communities of the Aragatsotn, Lori,
Shirak, Syunik, Gegharkunik, Ararat and Kotayk regions of Armenia will be
submitted to the consideration of the RA Government for approval.

Today the outline was presented to the governmental commission on
administrative borders of communities and regions. The sitting was presided
by Minister of territorial administration and coordination of
infrastructures Hovik Abrahamyan.

Agence France Presse
24 avril 2005 dimanche

Génocide arménien: messe à Notre-Dame et rassemblement à Paris

PARIS 24 avr 2005

Une messe de Requiem pour le 90e anniversaire du génocide des
Arméniens sera célébrée dimanche après-midi à la cathédrale
Notre-Dame de Paris suivi d’un rassemblement devant le monument
arménien place du Canada, a-t-on appris dimanche auprès de
porte-paroles arméniens.

La messe de Requiem à Notre-Dame sera célébrée à 15h00 par l’église
catholique arménienne, a annoncé Mourad Papazian, porte-parole du
“Chnak”, un parti arménien de France.

Ensuite à 16h30, un rassemblement devant le statue du Père Komitas
place du Canada, en présence de nombreuses personnalités du monde
politique aura lieu, suivi d’une manifestation jusqu’à l’annexe de
l’ambassade de Turquie aux Champs-Elysées.

Inauguré en avril 2003, le monument du génocide arménien rend hommage
au musicien arménien Komitas, mort en 1935 à Paris, ainsi qu’aux
victimes du génocide et aux combattants arméniens morts pour la
France.

“Nous nous rassemblerons comme chaque année devant le monument
arménien et nous irons devant l’annexe de l’ambassade de Turquie.
D’ordinaire nous allons devant le siège de l’ambassade mais ce trajet
a été modifié en raison des autres commémorations de la déportation
au Trocadéro”, a expliqué Armen Papazian, un autre porte-parole
Arménien.

Plusieurs représentants politiques participeront à cette célébration
devant le monument Komitas, notamment François Hollande, premier
secrétaire du Parti socialiste et le député UMP de Paris Pierre
Lellouche.

Jacques Chirac et son homologue arménien Robert Kotcharian s’étaient
rendus vendredi devant cette statue où ils avaient déposé une gerbe.

Par ailleurs, en Ile-de-France, plusieurs rassemblements avec dépôts
de gerbe ont eu lieu dans la matinée, notamment à
Issy-les-Moulineaux, Arnouville-lès-Gonesse et à Alfortville, où
réside une importante communauté arménienne.

A1plus

| 19:06:49 | 26-04-2005 | Politics |

OMBUDSMAN’S FIRST REPORT

The number of those who seek for justice from the Armenian Human Rights
defender has increased with 13%. The Ombudsman has already prepared her
first report covering the recent 10 months of activities. The cases of human
rights violations are frequent mostly in Yerevan, Shirak and Gegharkunik
regions. The citizens usually complain of the police, local self-government
bodies, departments of social welfare and courts. Larisa Alaverdyan noted
that the report cannot cover the whole situation with the human rights
available in the republic. Thus, when all the reports on freedom of speech
by international structures contain information on depriving «A1+» TV
Company of air, there is not a single word about «A1+» in the Ombudsman’s
report. Larisa Alaverdyan explains this by the fact that the reforming of
the National TV and Radio Committee in her opinion is more important from
the aspect of freedom of speech.

During 10 months of activities Larisa Alaverdyan has discovered some
interesting facts. For example, the number of invalids in Armenia is
gradually decreasing. Is it possible in Armenia after the earthquake and
war? According to the Ombudsman, it is due to the changes that occurred in
the system of issuing degrees of invalidity. Thus the decrease of the number
is purely mechanical.

The Ombudsman is concerned over the fact that after a minor rise of pensions
many families were excluded from Paros system. To note, over 90% of those,
who turn to Larisa Alaverdyan for, help are people belonging to not
sufficiently provided sectors of population.

Rights of property are also frequently violated in Armenia. Presently a suit
brought against Minister of Transport and Communications accused of
violating the right of property is being considered in the Ombudsman’s
Office.

A1plus

| 18:33:21 | 26-04-2005 | Politics |

BULGARIAN CITES CONDEMNED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The city councils of Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna have adopted a resolution
condemning the Armenian Genocide and held a minute of silence to commemorate
the victims.

According to a report of the press center of the State Commission on the
organization of events dedicated to the Armenian Genocide 90-th anniversary,
a concert dedicated to the date will take place in the `Sofia’ concert hall
of the Bulgarian capital city.

The event will be sponsored by Bulgarian Vice President, General Angel
Marin.

El Mundo
Lunes 25 Abril 2005

Los armenios recuerdan el genocidio de hace 90 anos.

ANA MKRTSCHAN. Efe / EL MUNDO

Armenia recuerda el genocidio de hace 90 anos

EREVAN.- Centenares de miles de armenios acudieron ayer al monte de
Tsitsernakaberd para recordar al millon y medio de compatriotas que
hace 90 anos cayeron victimas del genocidio de 1915 y pedir la
condena universal del primer holocausto del siglo XX. Las autoridades
llamaron a todos los armenios a rendir su homenaje ascendiendo al
Tsitsernakaberd millon y medio de personas, numero igual al de las
victimas de la matanza de 1915, cuyo reconocimiento reclaman los
armenios desde el fin de la I Guerra Mundial.

Quince Estados, incluido el Vaticano, reconocieron el genocidio de
1915 contra el pueblo armenio, asi como varias comisiones de la ONU,
la Asamblea Parlamentaria del Consejo de Europa (PACE), el Parlamento
Europeo y 32 de los 50 estados de Estados Unidos.

El presidente armenio destaco que “los armenios no sienten odio” y
que “Armenia declara su disposicion a desarrollar relaciones normales
con Turquia”. Turquia reconocio en 1991 la independencia de Armenia,
pero hasta el dia de hoy entre los dos paises vecinos no existen
relaciones diplomaticas.

Incertidumbre

La negativa de Ankara de reconocer el genocidio de hace 90 anos
“provoca incertidumbre no solo en Armenia, sino tambien en la
comunidad internacional”, subrayo el presidente armenio. Los tragicos
sucesos de hace 90 anos fueron, segun Kocharian, un “crimen que no
tuvo analogia en la historia del pueblo armenio y de la Humanidad, y
que ni siquiera tuvo nombre”.

“Sufrimos millones de victimas, perdidas incalculables en nuestro
legado cultural, espiritual y material”, dijo Kocharian, quien
aseguro que “las graves consecuencias del genocidio se dejan sentir
hasta el dia de hoy en la vida del pueblo de Armenia y de toda la
diaspora”. Tambien el presidente del Congreso Armenio Mundial, Ara
Abramian, pidio ayer “una valoracion sensata” del reconocimiento de
la responsabilidad de Turquia en el genocidio.

“El genocidio de los armenios sigue siendo un problema de la politica
y la legalidad internacionales”, recalco Abramian en un mensaje en
ocasion del aniversario. Hoy en dia, dijo, se trata de “la
responsabilidad politica del Estado turco por el crimen cometido de
acuerdo al derecho internacional”.

A1plus

| 21:18:14 | 26-04-2005 | Official |

ROBERT KOCHARYAN REPLIED TO TURKISH PRIME MINISTER’S LETTER

Today Robert Kocharyan has answered the letter of Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who proposed to form a joint Armenian-Turkish
commission for studying the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

The letter says in part, « We have proposed and we again propose
establishment of normal relations between our countries without
preconditions. Just within that context an intergovernmental commission may
be formed to discuss any issue or issues available between our countries
aiming at solving them and coming to mutual understanding.»

A1plus

| 20:22:16 | 26-04-2005 | Official |

RA AMBASSADOR TO INDIA

Today Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to India Ashot
Kocharyan handed his credentials to Indian President Abdul Kalami.

After the ceremony the RA Ambassador conveyed Robert Kocharyan’s warm
greetings to the Indian President.

To remind, before the appointment Ambassador to India Ashot Kocharyan was
Armenian President’s Press Secretary.