‘ARMENIANS KILLED 523 THOUSAND TURKS IN 1910-1922’

AZG Armenian Daily #070, 20/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

Turks Panicking

The State Archive of Turkey published last week “the list of more than
523 thousand Turks that were killed in Turkey by Armenians between
1910-1922”. Besides the Turkish printed media, American influential
The New York Times also posted this information in its April 17 issue.

Turk journalist Sebnum Arsun wrote: “Turkey fears that the 90th
anniversary of violence that the Armenians and their supporters are
planning to mark on April 24 will spur anti-Turkish sentiments”.

This is not the first time that the Turks hold forth with forgery,
and a Turkish historian, Yusuf Halacoglu, had earlier conducted a
“study”. The fraud missed the target and Ankara forgot it.

TURKS PSYCHOLOGICALLY READY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Armenpress

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS: Gevork Poghosian, director of the
Philosophy and Psychology Institute, an affiliation of the National
Academy of Sciences, told yesterday that the Turkish society has
matured psychologically to recognize the Armenian genocide, and has
more advanced views than the government officials.

He presented findings of a poll conducted jointly with Turkish
counterparts involving 1000 Armenian and 1,219 Turkish citizens
respectively from 21 towns in Armenia and 34 in Turkey.

The poll was conducted to reveal the level of mutual awareness. Twenty
percent of Turk respondents said the genocide issue was the main
obstacle to normalization of relations between the two neighboring
nations. This finding, according to Gevork Poghosian is evidence that
Turks accept the fact of the genocide realizing that Turkey will have
to acknowledge this crime sooner or later.

The poll also revealed that Armenians know more of Turkey and Turks
than the latter about Armenia. It revealed that Turks believe Armenia
is a bigger country bordering the Black or the Caspian Sea and has
an 8 million population.

Poghosian said the results of the poll were covered by Turkish TV
channels, meaning that the authorities have started discussions on
the Armenian genocide with population in an effort to prepare the
public opinion for its acknowledgment.

ARMENIAN HISTORIANS ENTER NEW STAGE OF ANNIHILATING GENOCIDE CONSEQUENCES
By Tatoul Hakobian

AZG Armenian Daily #070, 20/04/2005
Armenian Genocide

“Great Genocide. Truth and Condemnation” scientific conference
completed in a round table yesterday. Professor Nikolay Hovhanissian,
chairman of the Round Table, head of the Institute for Oriental Studies
at RA National Academy of Sciences, said that more attention should
be paid to the consequences of the Ammonia Genocide, i.e. moral,
territorial and financial as today’s Turkey will not recognize its
crime committed in 1915.

Hovhannisian stated that a large-scale movement denying the Jewish
Holocaust exists in the world and we should organize a front of the
nations that survived in the genocide.

Professor Alexander Manasian stated in his speech that by saying a
“genocide” we mean the massacres of the Turkish Armenians, while “in
1918, Turkey carried out another genocide out of its borders, in Baku,
the so-called “white genocide” that continued till the 90s.” Manasian
emphasized that “the idea of the Azerbaijani Armenians doesn’t exist in
our political conscience.” He added that the Genocide of the Armenians
continued till 80-90-ies, meaning the massacres in Baku and Sumgait.

Youri Aleksanian, a biologist, expressed concern that after the Turkish
Mskhets return to Javakhk “the Armenian state will be surrounded
by the Turkish circle.” He suggested to send an open letter to the
Turkish intelligentsia, the Turkish people and the state, requesting
“why they take the burden of a genocide on their shoulders.” “Why
the Turks took the burden of the Young Turks?” Aleksanian asked and
emphasized that “we should be neighbors with the Turks.” Aleksanian
made another observation asking: “Could we ask them to give us an
outlet to the Black Sea?”

Stepan Stepanian, political expert, said that we should enter a new
stage of annihilating the consequences of the genocide. He said that
even if Turkey recognizes and condemns the genocide we will have no
positive results and reminded that as a result of the massacres the
Armenians lost the greater part of their motherland.

Other historians also held speeches during the round table. Generally,
it was hard to understand what our historians wanted to say. There
was no coordinated approach during the discussions.

Today begins “Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenge, Genocide and
Human Rights” international scientific conference dedicated to 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. World known historians, human
rights protectors, statesmen and political figures will make speeches
at this conference.

SAD-EYED OLD PEOPLE

AZG Armenian Daily #070, 20/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

Photo Action

The historical-documentary materials as well as hundreds of researches
have been ratified long ago. They speak of the true events of 1915. But
the most important are the memories and the pain the survivors of
the Genocide bear in their hearts. There are 600 Armenian survivors
of the Genocide that are living by our side, at present. Their names
are in the lists of the Genocide Museum in Yerevan.

This year Herbert Baghdasarian, head of Photolur agency, initiated a
photo action that carried out the photographers of the agency with
the assistance of Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Committee for
90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. They prepared three large
posters (7m by 3m) entitled “These Eyes Saw the Genocide.” The posters
bear the photos of 90 Genocide survivors from different regions of
Armenia but mainly from Yerevan. The oldest among the survivors is
Harutyun Gharibian who is 108.

The posters will be set up in Yerevan.

Meliq Baghdasarian, Mkhitar Khachatrian, Herbert Baghdasarian and
Hayk Badalian, the photographers, are the grandsons of the Genocide
survivors from Van and Sassoon.

This photo action is a unique glance on the most tragic period of
our history.

The majority of these people is living in extremely bad
conditions. Most of them live alone, socially insecure. When seeing the
photographers, most of the asked whether they have brought pensions
from them. It’s already been several months that these people that
are over 90 are deprived of their deserved pensions only because they
have no social cards.

By Melania Badalian

‘WE ACHIEVED PROGRESS IN MANY ISSUES’

AZG Armenian Daily #070, 20/04/2005

Karabakh issue

Elmar Mamediarov, Azeri foreign minister, stated that “progress has
been achieved in many issues” of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
process. Mediamax informed that Mamediarov said this in the interview
to BBC after the April 15 meeting with Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign
minister, and the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs. “We have once more
confirmed the Prague process and defined the main directions of the
further work. Principally, progress has been fixed in many issues. But
still there are many issues left that we should continue working
on them. That’s why, we decided to meet once again in Frankfurt on
April 27,” Mamediarov said. In response to the question what are the
acceptable for Baku conditions that would help to mark progress in the
settlement Mamediarov said: “First of all, we demand the liberation of
the seven regions, restoration of communication and normal life for
the people, as well as improvement of demographic situation in the
region. Thus, in case of securing the relevant guarantees, we will
be able to get closer to the long-awaited peace, that the people of
Azerbaijan and I am sure the people of Armenia dreamed about for many
years. That is a very sensitive process but we should take decisions,”
he said. “There is a certain limit for mutual concessions, when we
speak of the concessions concerning the liberation of the occupied
territories. We are the side that lost, our lands are occupied, our
people are exiled from their dwelling places and in this context,
our position is certainly a definite one, the people should return
to their homes,” Mamediarov said.

AZG Armenian Daily #070, 20/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

SWEDISH ARMENIANS PLEDGE NEVER TO FORGET THE MISSIONARY ALMA JOHANSSON

RED CARNATION FOR OUR LOVING ALMA

Stockholm – 17/04/2005

It is a beautiful spring day, the sky is blue and the birds are
singing… spring is finally here in Stockholm.

Anna Mahdessian is on her way to the cemetery of…. Which is in the
centre of the city… For the Armenian community of Sweden this is an
annual pilgrimage. You see parents with their children, young people,
old people, heading towards Alma Johansson’s grave.

“Who is Alma Johansson”, asks Daron, the little boy holding her mom’s
hand, somehow terrified to be in a cemetery. “This is the first time
he is in a cemetery. Death is abstraction for him.

Anna calms him down and whispers a few comforting words in his ear.

On the 17th of April, in response to the initiative of the April 24
– 90th anniversary committee, Anna and many other Armenians paid a
tribute the Swedish missionary Alma Johansson.

This was an extraordinary woman, who back in 1915, did her outmost to
help Armenians during the massacres, by awakening the public opinion
on the matter. It was thanks to her efforts that Hjalmar Brantning,
the first Swedish Social Democratic prime minister, then the finance
minister, argued for the Armenian cause, and described the massacres
as genocide, by using the Swedish word for that “folkmord”, long
before R. Lemkin did.

“We shall always remember her, we are always going to be there to
show our gratitude. This is a sacred place for us, Swedish Armenians,
explains the chairman of the committee representing Stockholm’s
Armenian Relief Society (HOM) Mr. Hagop Khatcherian, arranging the
flowers by the grave.

“I have some carnations, which is for eternal love,” Says Anna with
a smile and then sinks her gaze to the candle burning in her hands.

The Armenian priest, Father Norayr together with the people prayed
for her soul and everybody came to the grave with their ointments.

Haig Hagopian played “Sourp Sourp” on duduk.

Mr. Hagop Khatcherian; Armenian Relief Society of Stockholm, Sweden
(HOM); E-mail: [email protected]; Tel: +46707461495

Armenpress

ARMENIA OFFERS TURKMENISTAN TO COOPERATE IN OIL AND GAS

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS: In a message to his Turkmen counterpart
Saparmurad Niyazov Armenian president Robert Kocharian proposed a bilateral
cooperation in crude oil and natural gas sector, which Kocharian said should
become a priority in Armenian-Turkmen cooperation.
The message was conveyed to Turkmen president on Monday by Armenian
ambassador to Turkmenistan Aram Grigorian.
“Armenian president has appointed Karen Karapetian, the chairman of
Hayrusgazard company as the operator for conducting talks with the Turkmen
side,” Grigorian told Itar-Tass after handing the letter to Niyazov.
He also said the economic relations between the two countries were
restricted to Armenia’s repayment of a debt accumulated in early 90-s for
supplies of Turkmen gas to Armenia. The overall $13 million debt was repaid
fully in 2002 by shipment of Armenian commodities.

US EMBASSY MOVES TO NEW PREMISES FROM APRIL 29 TO MAY 1

Armenpress

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS: The U.S. Embassy in Armenia said today
it will move from its current building on Baghramian Avenue to its
new premises at the corner of Admiral Isakov Avenue and American
Avenue from April 29 through May 1. The embassy will be closed to
the public on April 29.

The public is advised of the following information:

The new general Embassy telephone number is: 46-47-00. The new Fax
number is 46-47-42. Those numbers will go into effect on April 29.

The new address is: American Embassy 1 American Avenue, 375082
Yerevan, Armenia

Embassy Work hours will continue to be 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday
through Friday.

The public entrance to the new Embassy compound is on the East Side
of the compound at the bottom of the newly named American Avenue
(off of Admiral Isakov Avenue and the Old Etchmiadzin Hwy. Most
of the parking lot at the Embassy is restricted to employees, but
there is limited visitor parking for consular patrons and official
visitors. Several Minibus (“marshrutka”) routes on Admiral Isakov
Avenue stop at the American Avenue intersection, including: 13, 15,
90, 94, 100, 113 and 114.

A service entrance at the West end of the compound is intended for
employee use only. Members of the public will not be allowed to enter
through that facility.

Information on other services for the public follows:

The Consular Section will close at the end of the day on Wednesday,
April 27, and reopen on Tuesday, May 3. With the reopening, the
Consular Section will resume its regular public hours:

– Visa interviews are conducted every weekday from 09:00 to 12:00.

– Visa appointment tickets may be obtained Monday through Thursday
at 13:00 at the Embassy consular entrance.

– U.S. Citizen Services hours are from 14:00 to 17:00 on weekdays.

During the time of closure, American citizens with emergency needs
can still contact the Consular Section via the Embassy switchboard
at (37410) 52-16-11 on April 27 and 28 or (37410) 46-47-00 on May
2. If the emergency occurs after regular business hours, describe the
emergency and ask for the Embassy duty officer. An emergency is defined
as a life or death situation that requires immediate assistance.

The U.S. Embassy Information Resource Center (IRC – library) has
already moved its collection of books to its new space, and is closed
as of April 15. The IRC will reopen on May 11 with a new public access
schedule. New hours will be 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

AZG Armenian Daily #070, 20/04/2005

Home

‘ARMENIA READY TO RENEW RELATIONS WITH ANKARA WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS’

Serge Sargsian Stands for Turkey’s Accession to EU as ‘it is in our best
interests’

Minister of defense of Armenia, Serge Sargsian, thinks that “we have to
renew our relations with Ankara without preconditions”. “This does not mean
that Turkey should not recognize the Genocide or should not give up its
pro-Azeri stance in Karabakh issue”, he said during a press conference at
the press Club yesterday.

“I stand for Turkey’s accession to the EU. It is in our best interests”,
Sargsian said and specified that Ankara will have to carry out serious
reforms in its home and foreign policy amidst the EU membership process. “A
country that bids for EU cannot maintain blockade on Armenia”, he said
opining that Turkey will recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Sargsian did not agree that he has been begun mentioning concessions in
Karabakh issue lately. The minister said, “I have talked of solving the
issue through concessions, I see no other way”. NKR can by no means be in
Azerbaijan’s structure, cannot be an enclave and has to have overland
connection with Armenia.

The recent parliament hearings on Nagorno Karabakh were characterized by the
mass media as a step preparing the people for concessions. The Azeri, press,
on the contrary, dubbed foreign minister’s speech as belligerent. “One side
depicts me as a falcon, the other as a pigeon. I want to be neither of
them”, the minister said.

Serge Sargsian assured that tension on Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line has
“somewhat alleviated”. “I do not think there is a danger of war. The
possibility of war will vanish as much as our army will get stronger”, he
said.

The minister refuses the claim that the relations of Armenia and Russia are
those of “vassal and master”. “We are in partnership with Russia. I’ve never
felt anything insulting the self-esteem of my country in relations with the
Russian side”, he said. Concerning the Armenian-American relations, Sargsian
said that they are steadily developing and cooperation in military sphere
has been deepening for the last years as well.

Serge Sargsian thinks that it is possible to equally deepen cooperation with
the both security systems — NATO and Organization of Collective Security
Agreement. “I consider cooperation with both NATO and OCSA an inseparable
part of Armenia’s national security. I see no contradiction here. Many
members of OCSA cooperate with NATO”, he said.

The minister also answered a number of questions concerning Armenia’s home
policy. Sargsian sees no “premises that would bring to extra parliamentary
elections”. “I don’t think that the coalitional majority has exhausted
itself. If it has not deconstructed then it has not exhausted itself as
well”, the minister said.

Sargsian gave no clear answer as to his candidacy for president in next
elections. The acting president, Robert Kocharian, has already assured that
will not run for the third term.

Defense minister sees no perspective for a “colorful revolution” in Armenia
but he thinks that Mikheil Saakashvili and Viktor Yuschenko “chose a
civilized way for power shift”.

By Tatoul Hakobian

ISSUE OF AMENDMENTS TO RA CONSTITUTION TO BE DISCUSSED AT PACE ON APRIL 28

AZG Armenian Daily #070, 20/04/2005

Home

Most likely, the issue of the amendments to RA constitution will be
included on the agenda of PACE, Armen Roustamian said and added that
the discussion will begin on April 25.

He said that the Armenian side shouldn’t be concerned with the
discussion, though the Azeri side will spare no efforts to condemn
Armenia and connect the discussion with the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
issue.

But Roustamian added that we are always in a more beneficial position
compared with Azerbaijan. “We can say show a case when your opposition
member held a speech condemning the authorities at a European instance
and tell what would happen to such an opposition member if he did so,”
Roustamian said.

By Nana Petrosian