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Turkish President suggests "silent diplomacy" in relations with Armenia

April 24, 2010 – 15:54 AMT 10:54 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said there is a need for "silent
diplomacy" in relations with Armenia for some time.

Answering a question on Turkish-Armenian relations, President Gul said
that Turkey’s policy toward Armenia is very clear.

`Turkey wishes to facilitate stability in the Caucasus. The status quo
benefits no one. We have to change it and establish peace and
cooperation in the region. There may be a need for silent diplomacy
and this is what has taken place for a long time,’ Anatolian News
Agency quoted Gul as saying.

On April 22, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on
suspension of ratification of Armenia-Turkey Protocols.

news.am, Armenia
April 24 2010

RA Parliament Speaker addresses message

16:12 / 04/24/2010Speaker of the RA Parliament Hovik Abrahamyan
addressed a message on the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
which particularly reads: `The greater part of a creative people was
destroyed, deported and bereft of its Homeland, their only guilt being
Armenians. That was a crime not only against the Armenian people, but
also against all humanity.’

The Armenian Genocide is not to be discussed `though some would like
to play this card.’ No document can call the fact of the Armenian
Genocide in the Ottoman Empire into question. No process must be
viewed as refusal to get the Genocide recognized. Steps forward must
not be made at the expense of historical facts, says the message.

`No one can nor has any right to forget the non-healing wound, the
Genocide, as restoring historical justice is interwoven with the
feelings of our souls. At the same time, it must give us strength to
find a future that would not impede Armenia’s progress, enhance our
role in international and regional processes,’ says the message.

T.P.

Interfax, Russia
APril 23 2010

Intl recognition of genocide of Armenians will continue despite
objections from Turkey – president of Armenia

YEREVAN April 23

Armenia continues its fight for the international recognition of the
genocide of Armenians in the early 20th century, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan said.

"Now that we have approached the 95th anniversary of the genocide of
Armenians we are calling on everyone to remember that the memory of
the innocent victims of the program to destroy 1.5 million people just
for being Armenian, which was carried out at a state level, and
continues to lead to claims for recognition and condemnation,"
Sargsyan said in his address to the people of Armenia on Thursday.

"The international struggle for the recognition of genocide continues,
and although some circles in Turkey want to use our honesty to hurt us
to avoid the reality of April 24, they should know that April 24 is a
day symbolizing the genocide of Armenians, but it in no way restricts
the schedule of its international recognition," Sargsyan said.

"We thank the countries, organizations, and individuals who are
supporting us in our condemnation and prevention of crimes against
humanity. We express our appreciation to those representatives of the
Turkish intelligentsia who are fighting for the restoration of
historical truth and share our pain," Sargsyan said.

Earlier on Thursday, Sargsyan said in his address to the people of
Armenia that Armenia is withdrawing from the process of settling
relations with Turkey at this stage and is halting the ratification of
Armenian-Turkish protocols.

By Benito Baeza
Story Published: Apr 24, 2010 at 9:10 PM CDT

Today marks the 1915 Armenian Genocide and was recognized by the community.

This afternoon at city park a group gathered to pray and remembrance of
those lost in the genocide. Local Orthodox Priest Hiermonk Mark held a brief
service.

During the winter a tree and plaque was planted which gives people a place
to go.

Organizer Liyah Babayan said, "For a lot of the families they don’t have a
place to go to a cemetery here, they don’t have a place to go to put a
flower down for their loved ones, and remember their loved ones so this is
somewhat of a closure for them."

Mayor Don Hall attended the memorial. The Armenian Genocide happened around
the time of World War One. The crimes are believed to have killed millions
of people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Link:
Video link: =YHI&t=a

ISRAELI ARMENIANS HELD PROTEST NEAR TURKISH EMBASSY

news.am
April 23 2010
Armenia

A group of Israeli Armenian community members organized a rally
denouncing Armenian Genocide near Turkish Embassy in Tel-Aviv.

The demonstrators condemned Turkey’s denial policy, carrying banners
and Armenian flags.

During World War I the government of Ottoman Empire organized barbaric
extermination of about 1.5 Armenians, turning Western Anatolia into a
desert. April 24, 1915 Armenian intellectuals of Turkey were arrested
in Constantinople. April 24 is a Remembrance Day of Genocide victims
and is commemorated in many countries each year.

Armenian Genocide is recognized and condemned by a number of countries
and international organizations. It is officially recognized
by Uruguay, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Switzerland, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia,
Argentina, Canada, the Vatican, Lebanon, Chile, Sweden and others.

Forty-two out of 50 states of U.S. officially recognized Genocide
and proclaimed April 24 – Genocide Remembrance Day.

AZERBAIJANI FM: RESOLVING OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT POSSIBLE ONLY WITHIN AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

Today
April 23 2010
Azerbaijan

Preservation of the status quo, which resulted from occupation of the
Azerbaijani territories by Armenia is unacceptable and resolving of the
conflict is possible based on norms and principles of international law
and only within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said today at the meeting with
Emilia Muller, minister for Federal and European Affairs of the State
of Bavaria, Germany.

Muller, expressing her satisfaction with the stay in our country said
Germany is interested in developing relations with our country and
that there are opportunities for that. Muller said that a number of
the Bavarian companies have implemented successful projects in our
country, and her country is interested in deepening of cooperation
with Azerbaijan in economic, educational, construction, engineering
and other fields in the future. Then the German guest inquired about
the processes in the region.

In his turn, Mammadyarov said that the interest is mutual, and stressed
that he shares the idea of the importance of implementing specific
projects for further deepening of the relations.

AT THE SITTING OF RA NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS

National Assembly
April 23 2010
Armenia

At April 22 sitting the RA NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs
presided over by Hakob Hakobyan made a decision to cancel the debate
of 8 bills for 15, 30 and 90 days.

The RA Deputy Minister on Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan
submitted to the committee members the legislative package On Making
Amendments and Addenda to RA Law on State Allowances, On Amending
the RA Law On the Rescue Service of Armenia and On Amending the RA
Labor Code in the first reading.

The Committee made a decision to include the legislative package
with endorsement in the draft agendas of the NA session and upcoming
four-day sittings.

The Committee debated in the first reading the legislative package
submitted by RA Government in legislative initiative order On Amedning
the RA Labor Code, On Amending the RA Code on RA Administrative
Offences, On Making Amendments and Addendum to RA Law on Labor State
Inspection and On Recognizing Invalid the RA Law On Labor Payment. The
RA Deputy Minister on Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan noted
that with the proposing amendments and addenda it is envisaged to
clarify and make distinct the mechanisms of emerging, settlement of
the labor relations and comply them with the provisions stipulated
by RA Constitution, international treaties, UN conventions.

The Committee made a decision to include the debated legislative
package with endorsement in the draft agendas of the NA session and
upcoming four-day sittings, except some articles of the draft On
Making Amendments and Addenda in RA Labor Code.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITIONIST NOTIFIED OSCE PA OF PROTOCOLS’ UNACCEPTABILITY

news.am
APril 23 2010
Armenia

Today, April 23, Heritage party head Armen Martirosyan had a meeting
with OSCE PA Italian delegation head Riccardo Migliori.

Officials discussed Armenia’s foreign policy issues, recent
developments in Armenia-Turkey relations, Nagorno-Karabakh issue and
Armenia-EU cooperation expansion.

Martirosyan reaffirmed stable posture of the party in unacceptability
of Armenia-Turkey Protocols and respect to established sovereignty
and statehood of Artsakh, Heritage press service informed NEWS.am.

COUNCIL OF GERMAN-ARMENIANS STRUGGLES TO HAVE THE WORD ‘GENOCIDE’ INCLUDED IN THE BUNDESTAG RESOLUTION
Liana Yeghiazaryan

"Radiolur"
24.04.2010 15:15

A number of events are being held in many countries of the world,
including Germany, to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. As s country that has been directly or indirectly involved in
the perpetration of the Armenian Genocide, Germany adopted a special
resolution in 2005, in which it presents and condemns the atrocities
carried out in 1915. However, the resolution fails to mention one
word – genocide.

"We pursue to change the resolution and have the word "genocide"
included in the document," says Azat Ordukhanyan, President of the
Central Council of German-Armenians.

"We struggle to have the Armenian Genocide issue included in
German textbooks and make it become part of European memory,"
Azat Ordukhanyan said, adding that one of the main objectives of
the Council of German-Armenians is to have the Genocide issue put on
Bundestag agenda. "We’ll continue struggling until the word "genocide"
is included in the 2005 Resolution on the Armenian Genocide," he said.

How did Germany accept its crime against Jews, while Turkey refuses
to accept what it did against Armenians? Azat Ordukhanyan says it’s a
matter of politics. Besides, according to him, the Jews did not lose
their Motherland after the Holocaust, while Armenians lost a large
part of their people and land. "The losses are incomparable," he added.

"Without an intention to offend the Turkish people, it should be
asserted that the intellectual and political circles in Turkey are
not mature enough to overcome racism," Azat Ordukhanyan noted.

President of the Central Council of German-Armenians says it’s untimely
to speak about the positive dynamics of the Armenian-Turkish relations
until Turks accept their crime and speak about reimbursement. "I think
it’s a long process. I don’t believe the opening of the shared border
or establishment of diplomatic relations will change anything. But
it is at least a start," Azat Ordukhanyan concluded.

ANKARA ALARMED AS DAVUTOGLU PLANS MEETING CLINTON

Tert.am
23.04.10

Turkey seems alarmed after Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed
a decree suspending the ratification of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols
in the parliament. By the same token, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu is planning to hold a meeting with the US Secretary of
State Hilary Clinton.

According to local Turkish daily Sabah Davutoglu is set to meet
Clinton in the framework of a NATO informal summit in Tallinn, Estonia.

A Turkish high-ranking official, whose name is not mentioned, told
Sabah that Yerevan’s decision to suspend the ratification of the
Protocols was a tactical step ahead of April 24 – the commemoration
day of the victims of Armenian Genocide in the waning days of the
Ottoman Empire in 1915.

"It was a tactical step, a maneuver taken ahead of April 24. [US
President Barak] Obama is subjected to pressure so that to utter that
word [genocide]. But that [Armenia’s] decision will not affect Turkey’s
stance. Ankara has at the highest level said that it remains committed
to the process and wants to continue efforts towards the ratification
of those agreements," the diplomat was quoted by Sabah as saying.