Armenian Dashnak MP says Kyrgyz events not revolution

Mediamax news agency
25 Mar 05

Yerevan, 25 March: The events in Kyrgyzstan noticeably differ from
what happened in Georgia and Ukraine, representatives of political
forces in the Armenian parliament believe.

United Labour Party leader Gurgen Arsenyan today was cautious about
describing the events in Bishkek as “democratic”. He pointed out
that only after the formation of a new government in Kyrgyzstan,
will it be possible to judge about the true situation there.

The head of the Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary faction, Levon Lazarian,
said that the events in Kyrgyzstan “have flared out of control and
can hardly be called revolution”.

The secretary of the opposition Justice faction, Viktor Dallakyan,
urged the Armenian opposition and authorities “to draw appropriate
conclusions” and recalled that in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan
the authorities refused to use force against the opposition.

‘Change of power illegitimate, but ties not hit’

The Times of India, India
March 26 2005

AFP

YEREVAN, ARMENIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday described
the chaotic change of power in Kyrgyzstan as ‘illegitimate’, but
said emerging new leaders there were respected in Moscow and voiced
confidence the two countries would retain traditionally close ties.

“It is regrettable that in a post-Soviet country the conflict was
resolved in an illegitimate way and was accompanied by pogroms and
human victims,” Putin told a press meet in Yerevan where he met his
Armenian counterpart, Robert Kocharian.

But in his first public comments on Kyrgyzstan, the Russian leader said
the dramatic turn of events in the Central Asian state in recent days
had not come as a total surprise and laid the blame for the turmoil
at least in part on the ousted veteran leader, Askar Akayev.

“It was the result of the weakness of power and of accumulated
social-economic problems,” he said.

PRESS RELEASE

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF CANADA
3401 Olivar-Asselin
Montréal, Québec
H4J 1L5

Tél. (514) 334-1299 Fax (514) 334-6853

March 25, 2005

Contacts: Shant Karabajak 514-334-1299

Roupen Kouyoumdjian 514-336-7095

Aris Babikian 416-497-8972

For immediate release:

Cultural Genocide event deemed great success by the Armenian National
Committee of Canada

Montr̩al РThe Armenian National Committee of Canada, the largest
and most influential grass roots Canadian-Armenian political
interest group, has organized a series of events in memory of the
90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The events are
aimed at the general public and are intended to show the material
and cultural damage caused by the uprooting and destruction of the
Armenians from their homeland of four thousand year.

The first of these events was scheduled for Wednesday, the 23rd of
March at the National Press Club in Ottawa, an exhibit and reception
depicting the tragic and continuous state sponsored destruction
of Armenian architectural treasures in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey of
today). At the same time, it was an opportunity for the A.N.C.C. to
thank all the members of the House of Commons and Senators for making
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Canada possible.

Professor Samvel Karapetyan’s research found a wide audience of
Ministers, Members of Parliament, Senators and foreign dignitaries,
among which were the Honourable Stephen Harper, Leader of the
Official Opposition, Mr. Stockwell Day, Foreign Affairs critic of
the Conservative Party of Canada, M. Gilles Duceppe, Leader of the
Bloc Quebecois, Honourable Sen. Raymond Setlakwe, Mr. Lui Temelkovski,
President of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship group, as well
as 80 Membres of Parliament and Senators, 20 Embassies presented by
their Ambassadors or representatives. Also notable was Mme Madeleine
Dalphond-Guiral, the Member of Parliament whose efforts lead to the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Canadian House of Commons
in April 2004.

Dr. Girair Basmadjian, President of the Armenian National Committee
of Canada said during the event that “it is very sad that traces of
thousands of years of Armenian civilization are being systematically
wiped out from its cradle”. He latter asked “what can be worse than
the uprooting of an entire nation from its homeland? The annihilation
of its traces from that homeland.”

Present at the event was Prof. Vahakn Dadrian, one of the
world’s foremost experts on the Armenian Genocide, who thanked the
parliamentarians for their commitment to truth and historical justice,
despite undue pressures.

-30-

–Boundary_(ID_WG7rf5/ymc5YlqDJAboZAg)–

ArmenPress
March 25 2005

THERE IS SERIOUS POTENTIAL FOR ENHANCING RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN RELATIONS

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: Talking to journalists after
face-to-face talks with the visiting Russian president Vladimir Putin
Armenian President Robert Kocharian noted that at present the sides
are trying to develop the humanitarian component of the
Armenian-Russian cooperation.
“The organization of Russian year in Armenia is a serious action
for which we have prepared. We decided to organize the program in a
way that Armenian citizens have a full idea of today’s Russia,” said
the Armenian President.
Kocharian informed that during the meeting with Putin they
discussed issues on energy cooperation. The sides also discussed
issues on boosting Russian business’ investment activity in Armenia.
“The Armenian side hails this and we will create necessary conditions
for effective work,” said Robert Kocharian.
Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that “The
negotiations over bilateral relations, international and regional
issues were very useful”.
“Armenian-Russian relations are developing stably in all the
spheres of cooperation – political, economic, humanitarian,” said the
Russian President, noting that the opening of Russian year in Armenia
witnesses the development of relations.
The two Presidents also referred to the issues on the events
dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the victory in Great Patriotic
War, discussed the current situation in Kyrgyzstan and prospects for
the economic development between the CIS countries.
Russian President will also meet with Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II.
Vladimir Putin also said that both Armenia and Russia are keen to
have stability in the South Caucasus, to build such a climate of
trust and relationships that would help to develop dynamically the
economy and the social sector.
Putin said they discussed also the Karabagh conflict. “We and all
our partners will be promoting the regulation of this problem,” he
said and expressed hope that Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents
would have another round of talks to this end.

PUTIN: RUSSIA WILL PROMOTE SOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT IN EVERY WAY

PanArmenian News
March 25 2005

25.03.2005 07:44

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia will promote the solution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict in every way possible, Russian President Vladimir
Putin stated at a joint press conference with the Armenian leader in
Yerevan today. «We pin our hopes on the meeting of the Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan,» he stated. Our countries are interested in
stabilization of the situation in the Caucasus, thus in the forming of
an atmosphere of confidence and such relations, which would dynamically
develop the social and economic sphere,» stated Vladimir Putin.

–Boundary_(ID_OM0NNl3WIsqM1x7rsmNVrA)–

PanArmenian News
March 25 2005

RUSSIA WELCOMES RESTORATION OF ARMENIAN-AZERI DIALOGUE AT VARIOUS
LEVELS, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY REPRESENTATIVE SAID

25.03.2005 07:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia is ready to actively promote settlement of
the Karabakh problem both in bilateral aspect and as an OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chair, Russian Foreign Ministry official representative
Alexandre Yakovenko told Novosti Russian news agency. In his words,
«Russia welcomes the restoration of the Armenian-Azeri dialogue
at various levels, first of all between the Presidents of the two
countries, supposing it will bring the stands of the parties over
the key settlement issues closer and finally – to the working out of
a formula of a mutually acceptable solution of the conflict.»

–Boundary_(ID_WYyUvxyDTzUO/vWmMscNQw)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
March 25 2005

DEMONSTRATION ON 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD
NEAR TURKISH EMBASSY IN WARSAW APRIL 22

25.03.2005 06:31

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A demonstration on the 90-th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey will be held near the Turkish
embassy in Warsaw April 22, archimandrite of Krakov Monastery Tadeush
Isahakian-Zalezsky told PanARMENIAN Network correspondent. In his
words, a lecture devoted to the role of Armenians in the political
and other spheres of the Polish state, will be organized in Warsaw on
31 March. A meeting of the clergy of Poland and Armenia will be held
in Warsaw on 10 April. In the archimandrite’s words, the events will
continue on 13 and 14 April in Lyublino, and on 17 April at Krakov
St. Mikolaj church, in whose yard a liturgy to the Genocide victims
will be served near an Armenian Khachkar (cross-stone), erected in
spite of the efforts of Turkish diplomats to prevent it. Then pupils
of the Armenian Musical School will perform a concert program for the
guests, organized by Tadeush Isahakian-Zalezsky himself. The events
will finish at the Blessed Virgin church in Olava, where a
commemoration mass will be offered May 22.

PRAVDA, Russia
March 25 2005

Russia’s Putin reaffirms ties with Armenia, reportedly seeking to
open new military bases in ally nation

14:37 2005-03-25

Visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s close
ties with key regional ally Armenia in talks Friday with his Armenian
counterpart, Robert Kocharian.

Putin said he hoped his two-day visit to Yerevan would lay the
groundwork for further strengthening the two nations’ relations.

“We have a good basis for economic cooperation and the development
of relations in the political sphere,” the Russian leader said in
televised remarks.

“The ties between our two countries and peoples have long been very
stable,” Putin said.

Armenia, an impoverished, landlocked Caucasus state, is one of Moscow’s
closest allies on its southern flank, and Russian maintains a military
base there.

The alliance with Armenia _ one of the six countries in an ex-Soviet
military pact led by Moscow _ has taken on added importance since
neighboring Georgia began leaning toward the West after the 2003
“Rose Revolution” brought liberal reformers to power.

In an article headlined “Putin tries to hang onto last ally,” the
Russian daily Kommersant reported that the Russian leader was seeking
agreement to open new military bases in Armenia because of the forced
withdrawal of Russian bases in Georgia.

Putin’s visit came a day after massive opposition protests in the
Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan, where protesters ousted long-serving
ruler Askar Akayev in the third popular revolution in an ex-Soviet
republic within the last year and a half.

ArmenPress
March 25 2005

KMARA ACTIVISTS NOT WELCOME IN JAVAKHK

AKHALKALAKI, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: The governor of
Armenian-populated region of Javakhk in southern Georgia, Georgy
Khachidze, moved swiftly to calm down local residents saying that
members of the Georgian youth organization Kmara, the driving force
behind the 2003 “revolution of roses,” will not be allowed to enter
the region.
He said there is no reason for Kmara activists to come to the
region. He added that he did not believe press reports alleging this.
“As the governor of the region I am prepared to pledge that no member
of Kmara will set foot on this land,” he was quoted by A-Info news
agency as saying. The agency, however, did not say why Kmara
activists wished to arrive in the region, whose population is against
the pullout of a Russian military base, stationed there.
The agency reported that the first news about the arrival of Kmara
activists began spreading on March 13 raising local Armenians’
concerns. Local youth organizations warned they would do everything
to impede their entrance into the region.

ArmenPress
March 25 2005

RUSSIAN AND ARMENIAN FIRST LADIES OPEN RUSSIAN BOOK CENTER, VISIT
NATIONAL CHILDREN ART CENTER

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: Russian and Armenian First Ladies,
Lyudmila Putina and Bella Kocharian, inaugurated today the Armenian
Center of Russian Book at the Association of Cultural Ties with
Foreign Countries and later visited the National Children Art Center.
Lyudmila Putina is in Armenia together with her husband, Vladimir
Putin, who arrived yesterday evening to officially open the Year of
Russia in Armenia.
The Center contains a library, a video library and a reading hall.
The new establishment is expected to promote traditional friendly
Russian-Armenian relations in the humanitarian and spiritual spheres.

The Center will host presentations of new Russian editions,
meetings of writers, scholars and Russian language and literature
experts, anniversary celebrations of prominent Russian and Armenian
culture figures. It will also sell Russian books and periodicals.
According to the Association’s chairman, Armenian ambassador to
Russia Armen Smbatyan, the Center’s library has 3,000 Russian books,
encyclopedias, reference editions, dictionaries, fiction and
children’s books. They were purchased and sent to Yerevan by Hovhanes
Ohanian, the chairman of the Russian Federation Council committee for
economic policy, entrepreneurship and property.
The director of the National Children Art Center, Henrik Igitian,
told the First Ladies that apart from the works of Armenian children
the Center hosts also works of some 150,000 children from around 110
countries.
“I liked the works displayed here very much, they are very
impressive and touching,” Lyudmila Putina said, adding that she saw
great optimism in the works of Armenian children.
Henrik Igitian presented Mrs. Putina an illustrative edition of
Armenian national epos, David Of Sassoun and a book of his called
Armenian Art in the 20-th Century.