Author: Chaltikian Arsine

FOX11AZ.com
April 24 2010

Turkey angered by Obama statement
Associated Press

Posted on April 24, 2010 at 2:00 PM

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) ‘ Turkey’s foreign ministry is unhappy with a
statement today from President Barack Obama.

In the statement, Obama avoided using the word "genocide" to describe
the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. That massacre began
95 years ago today.

But he angered Turkey by adding that his own views on that event
haven’t changed since he campaigned for the White House. At that time,
he referred to the killings as "genocide" — and he promised to label
them as such if he became president. Today’s statement, however,
marked the second time he has failed to do so.

Even so, Turkey’s foreign ministry said the Obama’s statement
"reflects an incorrect and one-sided political perception."

The foreign ministry says no country has the right to "judge the
history of Turkish-Armenian relations with political motives."

States News Service
April 24, 2010 Saturday

ROYCE CALLS FOR RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

WASHINGTON

The following information was released by the office of California
Rep. Ed Royce:

Today, Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) expressed his disappointment that
President Obama failed to recognize the 1915 massacre of Armenians as
genocide.

"As a Senator, Barrack Obama had a strong record on the Armenian
Genocide. As President, however, he’s fallen flat once again. I’m
disappointed that the President has missed yet another opportunity to
set the record straight," said Royce.

Royce also took the occasion to call on the House of Representatives
to take up H.Res.252, a resolution that would put Congress on record
as recognizing the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide.

"It is far past time for the United States Congress to officially
recognize the Armenian Genocide. The U.S. has long been a global
leader in promoting human rights around the world. On the issue of the
Armenian Genocide, however, we lag behind. The French, Swiss, Swedish,
Germans, and even the Russian governments recognize the Armenian
Genocide properly. As a global leader in human rights, it is
imperative for the U.S. to stand on principle and recognize the
annihilation of the Armenians and move the bill," said Royce.

As a State Senator, with the help of Governor George Deukmejian, Royce
authored the first resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide, which
passed the California Legislature. In Congress, Royce, along with
George Radanovich and Jim Rogan, was able to pass the first Armenian
Genocide resolution through the Foreign Affairs Committee.

But, regardless of these successes, the impact of the Government of
Turkey’s protests has had the same effect. Each year the genocide
resolution has passed through the Foreign Affairs Committee, Turkish
pressure has prevented it from coming to the House floor for a vote.

Rep. Royce is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He is
an active member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.

ABDULLAH GUL: WE MAY NEED SILENT DIPLOMACY WITH ARMENIA

Panorama.am
24/04/2010

Turkey’s Abdullah Gul attended an event in Mejlis and talked
to reporters commenting on Armenia’s disposition to suspend the
ratification of Armenian-Turkish protocols.

Turkey’s President stated that their disposition over Armenian issue
is very clear. According to Gul, Ankara’s foreign policy target related
to Caucasus is a single one – "Guarantee of stability in Caucasus."

Abdullah Gul said present status-quo couldn’t be beneficial for
either side.

"Frankly speaking today’s status-quo isn’t beneficial for either
side in Caucasus. This status-quo should be changed, since peace and
cooperation should rule in the region. It’s needed all the sides to be
attentive and careful and it may be time for silent diplomacy arrived,"
Turkey’s Gul said.

To a reporter question if the normalization process is aborted,
Gul answered short – no, Anka news agency reported.

April 23, 2010
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER DIVINE LITURGY AT
THE CRESCENTA VALLEY PARISH

On Sunday, April 25th, 2010, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, will preside over Divine Liturgy at the Crescenta Valley parish and
deliver the sermon.
By the ordinance of the Prelate, Divine Liturgy will also be
celebrated at the Corona, Riverside County parish, on April 25th. The
celebrant is Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian.

PRELATE DELIVERS THE INVOCATION AT THE L.A. CITY COUNCIL GENOCIDE
COMMEMORATION RECEPTION

On Friday, April 23rd, the 95th anniversary of the Genocide was
commemorated at L.A. City Hall, hosted by Los Angeles City Council President
Eric Garcetti and City Councilmember Paul Krekorian.
The commemoration began with a reception in the Tom Bradley Room of
City Hall. H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, delivered the
invocation. Remarks were delivered by Council President Eric Garcetti,
Councilmembers Paul Krekorian, Tom LaBonge, and Paul Koretz, City Controller
Wendy Greuel, Consul General of Armenia Grigor Hovhannisyan, an ANC
representative, and Genocide survivor and renowned director J. Michael
Hagopian.
A presentation in Chambers followed, with remarks delivered by
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and council President Eric Garcetti and member
Paul Krekorian. J. Michael Hagopian was honored during the presentation,
Very Rev. Fathers Muron Aznikian and Barthev Gulumian, and
Archpriest Fr. Vicken Vassilian accompanied the Prelate. Executive Council
member Mr. Vahrij Pilavjian was also in attendance.

DIVINE LITURGY AT THE PRELACY CHAPEL

On Saturday, May 1st, Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at the
Prelacy "St. Dertad and St. Ashkhen" Chapel. The service begins at 6:00
p.m.
The celebrant is Rev. Fr. Avedis Torossian. The Prelacy youth choir
will conduct the singing of the Liturgy.

95TH ANNIVERSARY GENOCIDE COMMEMORATIONS CONTINUE

As we reported in last week’s newsletter, on Friday, April 23rd,
Divine Liturgy will be celebrated and requiem will be offered on the 95th
anniversary of the Genocide. The service will take place at the North
Hollywood parish located at 13050 Vanowen St.
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, will celebrate
Divine Liturgy, and memorial messages will be delivered by Very Rev. Fr.
Andon Saroyan, Rector of the Armenian Catholic Church, and Rev. Joe
Matossian, Minister of the Evangelical Union of N. America.
On Saturday, April 24th, the service will air on Horizon Television
and ICFN Channel 282.
The Armenian Genocide commemoration organized by the City of
Glendale will take place on the evening of Friday, April 23rd, at Alex
Theatre. Pastor of St. Mary’s Church Rev. Fr. Vazken Atmajian will
represent the Prelate.
The annual Armenian Genocide Vigil organized by the Armenian
Students Association of CSUN took place on the evening of Thursday, April
22nd. Pastor of Holy Martyrs Church Rev. Fr. Razmig Khatchadourian
represented the Prelate and delivered the invocation as well as the prayer
for the candlelight vigil.

PRELATE WELCOMES BIBLE STUDY GROUP FROM
SAHAG MESROB ARMENIAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

On Tuesday, April 20th, 2010, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, welcomed a group of parents from Sahag Mesrob Armenian Christian
School, who are also members of the Bible study held at the school. The
delegation was headed by the school’s kindergarten director Mrs. Rita
Tavitian. Very Rev. Fathers Muron Aznikian and Barthev Gulumian also
participated in the meeting.
The guests informed the Prelate that they meet every Tuesday morning
for spiritual meditation and Bible study.
The Prelate commended the group for the love and devotion they
demonstrate towards our faith and to preserving the religious heritage of
our forefathers. He encouraged them to continue their mission, stressing
that it is Armenian mothers and grandmothers who establish the foundations
of an Armenian family, directing our new generation to a life in accordance
with our national and religious values.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of mementos.
The ladies were then given a tour of the building and participated
in a prayer service at the "St. Dertad and St. Ashkhen" Chapel prior to
their departure.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PEACE PROCESS STOPPED

United Press International UPI
April 22 2010

YEREVAN, Armenia, April 22 (UPI) — Armenia decided to halt
ratification of a key treaty aimed at normalizing relations with
Turkey.

Armenia’s ruling coalition said in a statement it halted ratification
of the landmark accord signed last October after decades of conflict
because of Turkey’s refusal to ratify without preconditions.

"Considering the Turkish side’s refusal to fulfill the requirement
to ratify the accord without preconditions in a reasonable time,
making the continuation of the ratification process in the national
parliament pointless, we consider it necessary to suspend this
process," BBC News quoted from the statement.

Armenia lashed out at Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
for linking the normalization accords to a resolution over
Nagorno-Karabakh, an area of dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATED IN CANADA

Panorama.am
23/04/2010

Armenian Genocide has been commemorated in Canada’s Parliament.

Members of Canadian Parliament, foreign diplomats to Canada and
representatives of Canadian Armenian organizations have attended the
event, Armenian MFA PR department reported.

Representatives from Conservative, Liberal, New Democratic parties,
as well as official representatives of "Quebec block", Canadian
Minister of Science and technology have released speech.

Arman Hakobyan, the acting chief of Armenian affairs to Canada has
made a concluding speech, thanking Canadian authorities for officially
recognizing Armenian Genocide and for their constructive disposition
towards Armenian-Turkish ties.

QUEST FOR CONSENSUS IN POLLS PERSISTS IN CHOUF, METN
Elias Sakr and Maher Zeineddine

Daily Star
on_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=114074#axzz0 lr3V769N
April 22 2010
Lebanon

Tashnag believed to be mediating between FPM, Phalange

BEIRUT/ CHOUF: Efforts continued in the Chouf and Metn regions
Wednesday to reach consensus among political parties and families
over members of municipal councils to be elected on May 2.

In the Metn region, the Armenian Tashnag party is believed to be
mediating negotiations between the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM),
MP Michel Murr and the Phalange Party, media reports said on Tuesday.

Similarly, in the Chouf, Progressive Socialist Party MP Walid Jumblatt
was seeking to avoid an electoral battle as he succeeded so far in
Baaklin, Barouq and Jahlieh towns.

Baaklin’s incumbent Mayor Noha Ghossaini is expected to retain her
post after candidate Salim Abu Ismail agreed to withdraw his candidacy
while Elie Nakhle is expected to run for the post of mayor in Barouk.

As for Jahlieh town, Jumblatt agreed with Tawhid Movement head Wi’am
Wahhab to split the twelve municipal council seats equally between
both parties with current Mayor Amin Abu Diab to retain his post.

When it comes to the coastal Chouf region, the Nehmeh and Damour
towns seem to be heading toward an electoral battle with political
and family considerations governing the alliances.

As for the Metn town of Jal al-Dib city, serving Mayor Edouard Zard
Abou Jaoude reached an agreement with families and political parties
to form a municipal council away from politics with developmental
ambitions, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported Wednesday.

The southern coastal city of Sidon also found a way Tuesday to avoid a
political battle with the nomination of businessman Mohammad al-Saudi
as a consensus candidate as he pursues efforts to convince concerned
parties to agree on the identity of the 21 council members.

Saudi was suggested by Future Movement MP Bahia Hariri and former
Premier Fouad Siniora as a consensus candidate which former MP Osama
Saad, current Sidon Mayor Abdel-Rahman al-Bizri and other factions
including Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya approved.

Concerning Beirut, media reports said Hizbullah would support its
ally, FPM leader Michel Aoun whether the latter decides to engage in
an electoral battle or reach a consensus with the Future Movement.

The CNA quoted opposition sources as saying that they would reject any
agreement that grants them less than seven seats in the municipality
council since the FPM sought true partnership in decision making.

Last week, Aoun anticipated in an electoral battle in Beirut dismissing
recent media reports regarding a potential agreement with the Future
Movement.

"We will lose the elections but that is fine," Aoun told reporters
at his residence in Rabieh following his bloc’s meeting last Tuesday.

On Wednesday, March 14 Beirut MP Michel Pharaon held talks with FPM
official and Energy and Water Resources Minister Jebran Bassil during
which Pharaon made a proposal to Bassil that the latter rejected,
the CNA reported.

With the deadline to submit candidacies set for Wednesday at midnight,
over 2,000 candidates running for 852 municipal seats and another
150 running for mukhtar have already submitted their candidacy.

Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud told As-Safir newspaper in remarks
published Tuesday that his ministry prepared a comprehensive plan
ahead of the elections to enforce security measures guaranteeing the
voters’ safety.

Starting Friday, the 1790 hotline setup by the Interior ministry
would be running to receive complaints throughout the duration of
the electoral process, Baroud said.

The minister added that 6,600 security officers and a similar number
of army soldiers would be spread out in Mount Lebanon to enforce
security measures. Another 7,700 employees would be ready to cover
3,300 electoral posts in Mount Lebanon.

AMERICAN PROFESSOR REVEALS THE KEY POINTS IN AZERBAIJANI-ARMENIAN NEGOTIATIONS AND POSSIBLE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Today
cs/66235.html
April 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Professor of Political Science of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University Shale
Horowitz expressed his opinion on a number of issues, including the
long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Speaking of the MG OSCE’s part in resolving the Karabakh conflict,
Horowitz says the group "is not going to impose a solution on Armenia
and Azerbaijan. The core issue of sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh
remains unresolved". As for the U.S. involvement in the conflict
resolution, professor sees "very limited influence" that the U.S have
on the core issue of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Answering the question on the possible future cooperation between
all the countries of the South Caucasus region, professor Horowitz
believes, that without the Karabakh conflict resolution "such
partnership between Azerbaijan and Armenia" will not develop.

"The issue of Karabakh must be resolved before such a partnership
between Armenia and Azerbaijan can develop. The same is true for
Abkhazia and South Ossetia for relations between Russia and Georgia. I
am not optimistic in either case." he said.

Horowitz also admitted, that the Americans little very much about
the problems Azerbaijan faces concerning its relations with Armenia.

"Americans, along with other democratic publics, are very uninformed
about conflicts that do not concern them directly. Most do not even
know that there has been a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Among
those that are somewhat informed, there is little knowledge about
the specifics of the war and the postwar situation. This will be
extremely difficult to change" professor said.

TEMPORARY BYPASS ROAD BEING CONSTRUCTED TO REPLACE DESTROYED SECTION OF INTERSTATE MOTORWAY YEREVAN -SEVAN -IJEVAN – GEORGIAN BORDER

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 20, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN. A temporary bypass road is being
constructed to replace a destroyed section of the interstate motorway
Yerevan – Sevan – Ijevan – Georgian border. The indicated section
was destroyed by a landslide. The construction work is being done
by Amarasshin company with the use of European technologies and will
be completed in two weeks. NT correspondent was informed by Susanna
Tonoyan, spokeswoman for the RA minister of transport and communication
that the design for a new main road has been completed, with 4 versions
being proposed. After selection of one of them, the construction of
the main road will start and be implemented within a year.

It was also mentioned that a section located at 34 km of the
motorway Yerevan – Vanadzor – Alaverdi – Georgian border has been
made impassable as a result of spring floods of the Debed River.

Reconstruction work of that section will also be done after the
flood ends.

In addition to the indicated road sections, another four have been
badly damaged: two sections of the Goris motorway and Gyumri-Amasia
and Martuni-Vardenis sections.

TURKEY INSISTS ON KARABAKH LINKAGE FOR ARMENIA TIES

270.html
Apr 19, 2010

Turkey — Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of
parliament from his ruling AK Party in Ankara,

Turkey has again reiterated its long-standing linkage between the
ratification of its fence-mending agreements with Armenia and a
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Azerbaijan.

"We shut the [Turkish-Armenian] border because of the occupation of
Azeri soil," Turkish Prime Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying
by the Anatolia news agency on Sunday in a report cited by Agence
France Presse.

"The occupation should end so that Turkey can easily open its [border]
gates. But if the occupation continues, we will not take such a step,"
he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday dismissed some
Armenian pro-government politicians’ suggestions that Ankara might
open the frontier without ratifying the Turkish-Armenian protocols.

"It is out of question for Turkey to open its border gate without
the ratification of the protocols," he said, according to Anatolia.

Davutoglu was speaking at a news conference in Ankara ahead of his
visit to Azerbaijan, Turkey’s closest regional ally strongly opposed
to the unconditional normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations.

The remarks by Erdogan are a further indication that he and Armenian
President Serzh Sarkisian failed to make further progress in the
normalization process at their talks held in Washington last week. The
lack of such progress made a unilateral Armenian pullout from the
agreements more likely.

Still, Davutoglu insisted that the dramatic Turkish-Armenian
rapprochement, which began two years ago, is not over. "We are positive
on the process and we have full confidence that in the end it will
lead us to a point," he said.