QUOTE OF THE DAY
Polish News Bulletin
Apr 22, 2005
If Turkey does not recognise the massacre of the Armenians in 1915
as genocide, then Armenia has the right to demand that the EU reject
Turkey’s accession bid.
Former President Lech Walesa, at a conference held in the Armenian
capital of Yerevan.
World Bank allocates 6m dollars to Armenia’s social security sphere
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
21 Apr 05
[Presenter] The board of directors of the World Bank has approved a
credit programme which envisages the allocation of about 6m dollars
for improving the social security sphere in Armenia.
[Correspondent over video of presentation ceremony] The World Bank
[WB] programme on allocating a credit of 5.71m dollars to Armenia
is aimed at developing and improving the social security and pension
systems and modernizing the information system. The director of the
WB office in Yerevan, Roger Robinson, noted that the social sphere
in Armenia is the most efficient in the CIS.
Armenian Minister of Social Welfare Agvan Vardanyan said it
is important that the World Bank, which has great experience in
assisting this field in many countries, is the main partner of the
credit programme. This is the first time in the history of independent
Armenia that a credit has been allocated to the social sphere.
[Armenian Minister of Social Welfare Agvan Vardanyan] If up till now
we have had various international programmes, grants and aid, this
is the first credit programme, and responsibility for the efficient
distribution of a credit is much greater.
[Correspondent] The credit programme allocated to the social security
sphere is expected to be completed by 30 June 2007.
Lianna Karapetyan, Akop Sarkisyan, “Aylur”.
Russian Duma statement condemns 1915 Armenian genocide
Interfax news agency
22 Apr 05
Moscow, 22 April: The State Duma on Friday [22 April] adopted a
statement condemning genocide against Armenians in 1915.
“State Duma deputies completely condemn the act of genocide and think
that its 90th anniversary should be marked by the entire international
community,” says the statement that was unanimously adopted by 310
deputies.
The parliamentarians stressed that “this was one of the most cruel
and tragic events in the history of the 20th century”.
Armenian president discusses Karabakh problem with French officials
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
22 Apr 05
[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan is in France on a
visit. The Armenian president met French Senate Chairman Christian
Poncelet yesterday.
Robert Kocharyan told journalists about the aim of the Armenian
delegation’s visit. The Armenian president pointed out that the
discussion of the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict will
be the main subject of discussion during his meetings with the French
leadership. France is a mediator of the OSCE Minsk Group and we attach
great importance to the discussion of the conflict settlement with
the French leadership, the Armenian president said.
[Correspondent Lilit Setrakyan from Paris by telephone] Robert
Kocharyan met the French co-chairman of the Minsk Group, Bernard
Fassier, this morning. They discussed the current stage of the Karabakh
conflict settlement. Robert Kocharyan held some interesting meetings
yesterday evening.
The Armenian president met the president of the Credit Agricole Bank,
Rene Carron. The sides discussed the implementation of agreements
reached with the Armenian president in Yerevan a year ago. Rene
Carron informed Robert Kocharyan about Credit Agricole’s intention
to take part in Haygukbank [Armenian Agriculture Bank] and noted that
cooperation with the Armenian bank will yield positive results.
Robert Kocharyan met French Industry Minister Patrick Devedjian
and the president of Alcatel yesterday. They discussed issues of
Armenian-French relations and Armenian-French economic ties.
Robert Kocharyan familiarized them with the Armenian investment
environment. They also discussed the sphere of tourism.
After their meeting at the Elysee Palace tonight, Robert Kocharyan
and French President Jacques Chirac will visit and lay a wreath
on the Komitas monument commemorating the victims of the [1915]
Armenian genocide.
SCHWARZENEGGER RECOGNIZES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
A1plus
| 14:23:50 | 22-04-2005 | Social |
Governor of the State of California Arnold Schwazenegger has maden
an announcement about the Armenian Genocide which we fully quote
here. «Ninety years ago today, the Ottoman Turkish government waged
a war of terror on Armenian culture through the brutal deportation,
imprisonment and decimation of men, women and children of Armenian
descent.
By 1923, the Ottoman Empire had dissolved, but its monstrous attempt
at ethnic cleansing left more than 1.5 million Armenians massacred
and 500,000 survivors forcibly exiled from their ancestral homeland.
Today, the Republic of Armenia remains as the world’s reminder of the
Armenian Genocide and of the indestructible spirit of a people. It
is a nation founded on the principles of freedom and democracy
that we as Americans prize above all else. Our state’s flourishing
Armenian-American population – the largest outside of Armenia – has
left its indelible stamp on our state’s history, industry and culture.
Each year, the Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide brings an
opportunity for all people to scrutinize the cause and consequence of
this grim massacre. To carve out a secure future free from intolerance
and persecution, we must examine the past and heed history’s lessons
of forewarning – for the sake of future generations who inherit our
civilization.
In 1969, then-Governor Ronald Reagan said, “Today, I humbly bow in
memory of the Armenian martyrs, who died in the name of freedom.” On
the 90th anniversary of this great human tragedy, Californians continue
to join with freedom-loving people around the world to honor the
Armenian people as they continue to show the world the true meaning
of hope, renewal and perseverance.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of
California, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2005, as a “Day of Remembrance
of the Armenian Genocide.”»
–Boundary_(ID_bGosahyWAKj7sfLzpbYiVQ)–
THE WHOLE POLITICAL SPECTOR MEETS
A1plus
| 14:03:58 | 22-04-2005 | Politics |
Yesterday in the hotel Yerevan for the first time all the main
political powers of Armenia met except the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation the absence of which was purely technical and the National
Unity. From the coalition Vahan Hovhannisyan, Tigran Torosyan, Mher
Shahgeldyan were present, and Grigor Ghonjeyan from the United Labor
Party. From the opposition the «Republican Party of Armenia», «New
Times», «Union for National Self-Determination», «People’s Party
of Armenia», «National Democratic Party», «National Democratic
Union», and «Constitutional Right» were present.
The aim of the meeting was to come to an agreement about a problem
of who will control the political life of Armenia – political powers
or others?
Paruyr Hayrikyan, leader of the Union for National Self-Determination,
informed about it during today’s press conference. The initiative
belongs to Ashot Manoucharyan; and the reason is the incident during
the meeting of the “New Times” Party in Sevan two days ago. It is
already known that the police have tries to give criminal coloring
to Aram Karapetyan’s actions.
The political powers have come to an agreement that the apolitical
powers must be removed from the political field, especially criminal
powers. Almost all the speakers claimed that the political powers
must be united in this matter.
According to Paruyr Hayrikyan, Vahan Hovhannisyan has offered a
asymmetric solution mentioning that maybe it is high time the 100$
proportional electoral system were announced about. “This is the way
to prevent the entrance of the apolitical powers into the political
field”, this was the conclusion of the powers gathered in the hotel
Yerevan.
They have signed two documents, in which it is said that they condemn
the incident in Sevan and the violation towards Aram Karapetyan and
the members of his party and they demand the state structure to find
and punish those responsible immediately.
On April 28 the political powers will meet once again to see what
measures are taken.
–Boundary_(ID_M6+gZvIqT15I6xmyqsZbeg)–
AMERICAN CORNER OPENS IN YEREVAN
Armenpress
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: U.S. Ambassador John Evans officially
opened the first “American Corner” in Armenia at the Yerevan City
Isahakian Central Library April 20.
American Corners are small, American-style libraries created to help
increase mutual understanding between Armenia and the United States
by making a wealth of information about America available in different
formats. Each American Corner features a diverse collection of English
language books, reference materials about the United States, computers
with Internet and access to online databases, cd-roms, videos, and
much more.
The Embassy provided a grant to refurbish a room for the American
Corner, installed four computers, and supplied the library with
over 400 books, journals and current periodicals. American Corner
librarians, trained and supported by the U.S. Embassy, are always
on hand to assist visitors. The Embassy is committed to growing the
American Corner’s collection and keeping it up to date.
The American Corner in the Yerevan City Isahakian Central Library is
open to the general public, free of charge, Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00
and Saturdays 10:00-16:00. In addition to a being full multi-media
reference resource, the American Corner will also host regular
programming, including lectures and workshops, video series, and
other activities focused on telling the story of the United States.
The U.S. Embassy has also established an American Corner in Gyumri,
at the branch of the Armenian Center for Scientific and Technological
Information. In the coming years the Embassy plans to create a network
of American Corners throughout Armenia.
ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH DELEGATION TO ATTEND POPE INAUGURATION
Pan Armenian News
22.04.2005 03:59
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Delegation of the Armenian Apostolic Church will
depart for Vatican on April 23 to take part in the Mass for the
solemn inauguration of pontificate Benedict XVI to be celebrated at
St. Peter’s on Sunday, April 24 at 10 a.m. The delegation is composed
of Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, Archbishop Mesrop Mutafyan,
Archbishop Nerses Pozapalyan from Holy Echmiadzin and priest Trdat
Uzunyan. It is already known that German President Horst Keller and
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder with their wives will also be present
at the solemn ceremony, IA Regnum reports.
JEWISH COMMUNITY OF UKRAINE CALLED GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Pan Armenian News
21.04.2005 11:14
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Jewish community of Ukraine urged the Ukrainian
government to recognize the Armenian Genocide, chairman of the Union
of Jewish Communities stated. In his words, the relations between
Armenians and Jewish are much deeper than just relations between
nations, since both peoples survived genocide. “If the international
community had recognized the Armenian Genocide, there would have been
no Holocaust”, he noted.
SERGEY MIRONOV: MINSK GROUP EFFORTS IN VAIN
Pan Armenian News
22.04.2005 03:23
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia is interested in peace and stability in the
Caucasus, Chairman of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly
of the RFSergey Mironov stated during a briefing in Baku. In his words,
Russia’s position on the issue is fundamental. “We consider that the
decision to be taken should satisfy both parties. Russia is ready to
become a guarantor. However, life has shown that the efforts of the
Minsk Group were not efficient. It is likely that the conflicting
parties only can achieve desirable results via direct negotiations”,
Sergey Mironov said. He said he is not aware of the alleged conveyance
of Russian armament to Armenia and refrained from commenting on
the issue. When touching upon the activities of the Caucasian Four,
Mironov noted, “There have been already 5 meetings held, however they
are closed and cannot be commented on” and added that he attaches
great importance to these activities. He also expressed hope that
an agreement on the recurrent meeting of the Four will be achieved
during Azeri Parliament Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov’s visit to Moscow.