Author: Basmajian Ani

ISTANBUL’S ARMENIAN COMMUNITY WISHES TO SEE SEBOUH CHOULDJIAN AS CO-PATRIARCH

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.03.2010 20:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s policy managed to create an atmosphere
of fear among Istanbul’s Armenian community, which later extended to
clergy, according to expert Ruben Melkonyan .

Istanbul’s Armenian community faces serious legal status-related
problems, the expert told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Dwelling on oncoming election of co-patriarch at the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople, Melkonyan noted that Istanbul’s
Armenian community wishes to see Bishop Sebouh Chouldjian as
co-patriarch.

"Sebouh Chouldjian’s election campaign was brilliant. The Bishop
advanced new and brave ideas, which were in synch with Armenian
community’s position; namely, modernisation of Armenian schools and
cessation of outmarriages" Ruben Melkonyan stated, characterizing
Sebouh Chouldjian as the spiritual leader community needs.

The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople also known as Armenian
Patriarch of Istanbul is today head of The Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople, one of the smallest Patriarchates of the Oriental
Orthodox Church but has exerted a very significant political role
and today still exercises a spiritual authority, which earns him
considerable respect among Oriental Orthodox churches.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople recognizes the primacy
of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in the
spiritual and administrative headquarters of the Armenian Church, the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia,
in matters that pertain to the worldwide Armenian Church. In local
matters, the Patriarchal See is autonomous.

AZERBAIJAN IS GOING TOWARDS A WAR

347.html
13:13:57 – 30/03/2010

On March 30, reporters asked the former defense minister of Karabakh
Samvel Babayan whether he thinks the possibility for a war is big
and he gave a positive answer.

He says everything is going towards a war. According to Samvel Babayan,
we are condemned to win in this war. We have no alternative.

In answer to the question whether Armenia is preparing for a war, the
former NKR defense minister said Armenia is preparing for it every day.

In response to the question what holds Azerbaijan back- Armenia’s
power, the negative attitude of the superpowers or Azerbaijan is just
waiting for a term, Samvel Babayan said that first of all it is the
document which it used to refuse and which is refused by the Armenian
side now. The second factor, according to him, is the regional one.

And the third factor is that Azerbaijan is not confident.

Babayan says he already saw a war and would not like it to repeat,
but we need to be ready for it, we need to have a powerful country
to prevent it. By the way, Samvel Babayan thinks that is case of an
Armenian-Azerbaijani war, no superpower will support Armenia even
the CSTO members.

TWO ARMENIANS INJURED IN THE MOSCOW BLAST

Aysor
March 30 2010
Armenia

The general number of those who have been moved to hospitals as a
result of the terrorist act that took place yesterday in Moscow is
73 of which 2 are Armenians.

Pavel Kozlov from the emergencies ministry said that in around 15
hospitals of the capital city 73 people get treatment at present.

Around 83 people have been transported to hospitals after the blasts
of which 10 left the hospital and 2 died.

Thus the number of death makes 38 people.

According to the list which can be found on the official site of
the emergency ministry of Russia there are 2 Armenians who have been
transported to the hospitals as a result of the blast, 18 years old
Hasmik Martirosyan and 55 years old Anna Porkashyan.

An explosion blasted Moscow’s subway system on March 29 at 7:56. The
first blast came at the Lubyanka station in central Moscow and the
second explosion happened at Park Kultury station. It was realized
by suicide bombers. The case is being studied.

U.S SEES NO ALTERNATIVE TO NEGOTIATION PROCESS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Trend
March 30 2010
Azerbaijan

The United States do not see any alternative to the negotiation
process in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, which must lead to a
peaceful resolution of the conflict," Donald Lu, Charge d’affaires
of the U.S. Embassy said.

He confirmed the U.S. commitment to the peaceful resolution of
conflict.

"Peace negotiations require political will from both sides. But
Azerbaijani people must be sure that the United States led by its
leaders – President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton are committed
to resolve this conflict," he told media at the American Center of
the Azerbaijani Languages University today.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s resolutions
on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied
territories.

CALIFORNIA,MARIHUANA, MELANCHOLY

12:18:12 – 25/03/2010
hos17289.html

Royterz reports that in November, in U.S. State of California, is
going to be vote for marihuana legalization. Hence, people above 21
years are proposed to be entitled to keep 28 gr. of marihuana.
Marihuana cultivation will also be allowed of course if it is voted.
If the referendum has a positive outcome, the State of California will
be the first U.S. State where the use of marihuana will be allowed.

In California, about one million or more Armenians are living the
greater part of which are Armenian citizens. Armenians, perhaps will
vote in support of the referendum. Of course, it does not suit the
image of an Armenian, but so, they will be able to forget the lack of
their homeland with the help of marihuana smoke. Perhaps, there is no
Armenian in California who does not miss and dream about Armenia every
day, who does not shout three times a day `my Armenia’ and who does
not decide twice a year to return to the motherland.

Adam Schiff: Turkish PM’s comments add new measure of cruelty towards
Genocide survivors and their families

26.03.2010 11:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US Congressman Adam Schiff issued a statement on
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Ergogan’s threat to expel
Armenians from Turkey.

`Prime Minister Erdogan’s outrageous threat to expel Armenians from
Turkey as punishment for the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s recent
markup of my Armenian Genocide commemoration resolution is the latest
example of a longstanding policy of using Armenians as `human shields’
in Ankara’s campaign of genocide denial,’ Rep. Schiff said.

`Ninety-five years after Ottoman troops force marched hundreds of
thousands of Armenians through the desert and to their deaths,
Erdogan’s comments add a new measure of cruelty towards the survivors
and their families,’ he added.

news.am, Armenia
March 26 2010

Yerevan to switch off illumination for Earth Hour

17:23 / 03/26/2010March 27, all symbolic buildings, as well as avenues
and streets of Yerevan will go dark from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m, Karen
Manvelyan ` head of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Armenian office said at
the press conference Friday. Thus, Armenia will join global Earth Hour
2010 campaign organized by WWF to help prevent global warming.

`The action aims at uniting society, business circles, governments and
communities for an hour to struggle against climate change and
consumption of natural resources,’ Manvelyan noted.

WWF Armenian branch, RA Nature Protection Ministry, Yerevan City Hall,
HSBC Bank Armenia, Congress Hotel, `Spyur’ information center and
other organizations will join the initiative.

Earth Hour campaign was first launched in Sydney (Australia) in 2007.
About 1 billion people from over 4.000 cities participated in the
global action in 2009.

A.G.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenians of Colorado
P.O. Box 13854
Denver, Colorado 80201
Contact: Kim Christianian
Tel: 303-588-5524
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Attorney Mark Geragos to Speak on the Armenian Genocide in Littleton

Celebrated Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos will discuss the
aftermath of the WWI Armenian Genocide in his `Reparations: Beyond
Recognition’ speech at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, 2010, at the
Waring Theatre of Arapahoe Community College (main campus) at 5900
S. Santa Fe Drive in Littleton, Colorado. The lecture is organized by
Armenians of Colorado Inc. with support from Sigma Phi chapter of Phi
Theta Kappa International Honor Society, Colorado Coalition for
Genocide Awareness & Action, and Facing History And Ourselves. Free
admission. A Q&A will follow the talk as will a coffee
reception. Parking will be free in Arapahoe Community College parking
lots.

Mark Geragos is a civil and criminal defense attorney whose precedent
setting courtroom accomplishments have distinguished him as one of the
nation’s leading lawyers. Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Geragos received
his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in 1982. Practicing law since
1983, Mr. Geragos is managing partner at the Law Offices of Geragos
and Geragos where he handles criminal defense and civil
litigation. Mr. Geragos occasionally appears as both guest and legal
commentator on the Today show, Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, On
the Record, and has appeared numerous times on CNN’s Larry King Live,
including its twentieth anniversary show.

Mr. Geragos is active in the Armenian community where he has delivered
victories in winning Armenian genocide recognition through insurance
litigation. He was one of the lead lawyers in a pair of groundbreaking
federal class action lawsuits against New York Life Insurance and AXA
for insurance policies issued in the early twentieth century during
the time of the Armenian Genocide. These two cases settled for over
$37.5 million in 2004 and 2005.
Mr. Geragos’ lecture will be part of the Armenian Genocide awareness
and remembrance events in Colorado that will include a commemoration
program on Saturday, April 24 at 2:00 p.m. at the State Capitol’s
Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque located in the NE quadrant of the
State Capitol grounds, Colfax and Grant.

The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the Ottoman Turks during and
after WWI. It resulted in the near complete extermination of modern
Turkey’s indigenous Armenian population, and in the annihilation of
Armenian cultural artifacts dating back thousands of years. The
Turkish government to this day denies that the Armenian Genocide ever
happened despite scholars’, historians’, and most western governments’
published reports and archives affirming the facts of the
genocide. The term `genocide’ was coined in 1944 (by Raphael Lemkin)
to describe, in part, what happened to Armenians during World War I.

Armenians of Colorado, Inc. (AOC) was established in June 1982. It is
a 501(c) (3) non-profit, cultural organization charged with a purpose
to create a cohesive Armenian community and to further the
understanding of Armenian history, culture, and heritage. AOC actively
supports issues and concerns of the Armenian-American community here
in Colorado as well as those identified within the Armenian Diaspora
throughout the world. For more information about Armenians of Colorado
go to

ERDOGAN ALLOWED HIMSELF A DISGRACEFUL STATEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.03.2010 19:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Erdogan allowed himself an unacceptable statement,
according to former Turkish diplomat, foreign policy expert Yalim
Eralp.

Commenting on recent statement by Turkish Prime Minister on the
possibility of deporting illegal Armenian migrants, the expert said: "I
don’t believe the Prime Minister actually thinks along the same lines
as his statement went; still, the statement was a disgraceful one."

As the former Ambassador told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, Turkish
Prime Minister was angered with the passage of Genocide resolutions
in US House Foreign Affairs Committee and Swedish parliament; "yet,
a statesman must know how to keep emotions at bay," Yalim Eralp said.

Just weeks after the Swedish Parliament and the U.S. House Foreign
Affairs Committee adopted legislation recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan told BBC reporters, that
"There are 170,000 Armenians in my country, of which 70,000 are my
citizens. We’re turning a blind eye to the other 100,000. However,
tomorrow, if it becomes necessary, I would say to those 100,000,
go back to your country. Why? Because they’re not my citizens; I’m
not obliged to keep them in my country."

UK ARMENIANS MOBILIZE FOR MARCH 29 DEBATE IN HOUSE OF LORDS

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.03.2010 12:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In preparation for next Monday’s debate on the
Armenian Genocide in the British House of Lords, leaflets are being
circulated among all parliamentarians, criticizing Justice Minister
Jack Straw and encouraging Lords to participate in the debate.

"The chance of this becoming law is zero," Straw said. "I can assure
everyone on this issue." "Even If it is approved, an Armenian Genocide
Remembrance Day will not be established in the country. The English
government and the opposition do not support this draft," he said.

"UK Justice Minister Jack Straw appeases Turkish Prime Minister
who proposes to deport 100,000 Armenians from Turkey. The response
of Justice Minister Jack Straw on March 16 defies belief in its
naivety and cynicism. He suppressed any comment on the threats of
deportations that would befit a cabinet minister of Western democracy
with any claim to ethical standards. He then resumed the outcome of
the House of Commons bill by assuring Turkey’s prime minister that
the UK Parliament would not pass a resolution commemorating the
Ottoman-era killings of Armenians as Genocide," says the leaflet
Armenia Solidarity organization provided to PanARMENIAN.Net.

"What Straw failed to mention is that a majority of Labor MPs support
the motion, as well as a majority of all MPs who are eligible to
express their opinions freely. This is known from signatures to
previous Early Day Motions recognizing the Genocide. Sources close to
the government say that the Cabinet is much divided on the issue. Even
the Foreign & Commonwealth Office describe the behavior of the Turkish
government as "neuralgic", yet a British minister can only comfort
a government with such a frame of mind. The contrast between the US
and Swedish fortitude and the Man of Straw’s pliability could not
be starker.

The Justice Minister apparently is prepared to ignore the recent legal
opinion of Geoffrey Robertson QC as well as the collective view of the
International Association of Genocide Scholars and the pronouncement
of the presidents of the International Network of Genocide Scholars.

We appeal to MPs and Peers to put pressure on the Prime Minister to
clearly repudiate the disreputable statement of the Justice Minister
and to reprimand him for Armenian Holocaust Denial. We know of course
that this was not simply a faux-pas, as Mr. Straw’s is influenced by
the Turkish embassy in the UK and a strong pro-Turkish Israeli lobby
in Parliament

Another of Straw’s outrageous comments was "Our biggest mistake after
the First World War was to dismember the Ottoman Empire" ignoring
the death and destruction of entire ethnic groups in the Empire at
that time.

Anyone of any decency, let alone a government minister, should better
understand the consequences of genocide denial. Not confronting the
truth ensures that the old problems fester and make the resolution
of current relationship issues between Turkey and Armenia even more
difficult. Relationships between countries and peoples cannot be
built on lies. Trying to change history by denial inevitably means
that the lessons being promoted for example through Holocaust Memorial
Day cannot prevent future atrocities.

Finally but not less important Mr. Straw dishonors the memories of
the civilian victims of 1915,

The possible date of an election, May 6, will play into Jack Straw’s
hands as the bill may not complete its parliamentary course. This
could mean that his deplorable behavior stands as the official stance
of this country, and that clearly is unacceptable. Parliament should
assert itself unequivocally to reverse this gift to Turkish propaganda
that is already being deployed. In so doing, Parliament should have
due regard to the original British Government position in 1915 on the
genocide, a "Crime against Humanity and Civilization, and "Holocaust"
in the words of David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill, Their first
opportunity for Parliament to remove the stain of Genocide Denial
will be a positive response in the Genocide debate in the House of
Lords on March 29," it says.