Author: Chavushian

Xinhua, China
April 26 2009

Turkish PM says Obama’s comments on 1915 incidents "unacceptable"

2009-04-26 18:43:37

ANKARA, April 26 (Xinhua) — Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan on Sunday saw U.S. President Barack Obama’s remarks regarding
the incidents of 1915 as "unacceptable".

"We see the previous day’s remarks on the incidents of 1915 as an
unacceptable interpretation of history that does not reflect the
realities," Erdogan said during a meeting of his Justice and
Development (AK) Party in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

"Such a sensitive issue of expertise, which should in fact be left
to historians, is continuously being used as a tool for politics and a
matter of misuse by lobbies every year, and this prevents
normalization of relations between people and countries," he said.

"I would like to express my deep sorrow over efforts of many
politicians to try to win votes over misuse of 1915 incidents, and
history is an esteemed branch of science that cannot be made a tool
for internal politics," he said.

Erdogan expressed Turkey’s wish to leave history to historians,
saying if countries that had no connection with the issue gave up
dealing with the issue, this would lead to normalization of relations,
illumination of history and laying the groundwork for peace.

The Turkish prime minister said it was not a remark satisfying
Turkey, but it was a statement which kept promises made at election
grounds.

Armenians claim that more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed
in a systematic genocide in the hands of the Ottomans during World War
I before modern Turkey was born in 1923.

But Turkey insists the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos
and governmental breakdown as the 600-year-old empire collapsed in the
years before 1923.

During his visit to Turkey on April 6, U.S. President Barack Obama
said he was encouraged by the dialogues between Turkey and Armenia
aimed at improving ties, promising Washington will be as constructive
as possible on the improvement of their ties.

He said as Turkey and Armenia are having serious negotiations that
could bear fruit quickly, "I will be as encouraging as possible,"
adding the world should also encourage them.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of
Azerbaijan during its conflict with Armenia over the Upper Karabakh
region.

Editor: Wang Guanqun

UNION OF ARMENIANS IN RUSSIA: ARMENIAN CAUSE CAN BE SOLVED FINALLY IF ONLY TURKEY REPENTS OF CRIME IT COMMITTED

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 23, 2009
YEREVAN

On the occasion of the Commemoration Day of the 1915 Armenian
Genocide victims the Union of Armenians in Russia spread a statement,
which read:

"Proceeding from the Panturkism ideology the Turkish authorities
replacing each other from 1895 carried out systematic extermination
of Armenian population in Ottoman Empire wishing to annihilate
the Christian people, which living in its historic territory in
Western Armenia persistently resisted all attempts of turkization
and was perceived by Turkey’s rulers as an undesirable element being
a barrier in the way of Turkey’s invading into Russia’s boundaries
for the purpose of tearing away certain regions from it.

The massacre and slaughter of Armenians became especially large
as World War I started. Blaming Armenians for sympathizing with
Russia waging war with it, the Turkish authorities on April 24
1915 arrested and then barbarically killed more than 800 most
distinguished representatives of the nation: parliament deputies,
writers, scientists, big entrepreneurs. Beheading the people, the
Turks launched a mass massacre and banishment of Armenians from
their historic homeland. They did not have mercy on either women or
old men and children. More than 1.5 million people became victims
of the Genocide lasting up to 1923. The rest saving themselves from
inevitable death received the unenviable fate of refugees spreading
all over the world. A whole country with its towns and villages became
deserted, and the Armenian people was deprived of the main part of
its homeland, which with its territory is larger than the current
Republic of Armenia almost ten-fold.

Turkish rulers boastfully stated that they finally solved the Armenian
Cause, and Hitler is known to cite their actions as an example calling
for annihilating the Jews and other peoples. However, in spite of huge
losses the Armenian people is not broken, and in all these years the
Armenian Cause is as before on the agenda. In modern conditions it
can be solved finally if only Turkey repents of the crime it committed
and strains all efforts to liquidate its consequences.

Every year Armenians in the whole world mark April 24 as the
Commemoration Day of Armenian Genocide victims and express protest
against Turkey’s unwillingness to recognize the crime it committed. We
are not alone in our struggle. Every year new and new countries with
official documents of state level condemn the committed and recognize
it as an act of genocide. Their number has already reached 20, and
Russia was one of the first ones. The State Duma Statement adopted
in 1995 read that annihilation of the brotherly Armenian people in
its historic homeland was committed in order to create conditions
for destroying Russia.

The Armenian people seeks to establish constructive relations with
the Turkish people, but the Turkish state should officially recognize
the evident and restore historic justice for these relations to
become possible.

There is no pardon without repentance, there is no good neighborly
relations without confidence."

Yonkers Tribune
April 23, 2009

New York Governor David A. Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg Issue
Proclamations Acknowledging Armenian Genocide

ArmenianGenocide_pbs New York, NY — New York Governor David
A. Paterson issued a Proclamation for the Empire State to join in with
the entire community to commemorate the 94th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide (1915-1923), the first genocide of the 20th Century.
Governor Bloomberg also issued a proclamation acknowledging the
Armenian Genocide. In the City of New York proclamation, Mayor
Bloomberg states, The first victims of the Genocide were the
religious, political and intellectual leaders of the Constantinoples
community who were arrested and murdered on April 24, 1915.

In the New York State proclamation, the Governor states, Whereas, a
deliberate effort to destroy people on a massive scale, the Armenian
Genocide led academics to use the term genocide and it is believed
that, had the Armenian Genocide been stopped through diplomatic or
interventionist means, the resulting precedent for peace could have
prevented the Holocaust that befell the Jewish
people.

ydocs/proclamations/proc_Armenian_Remembrance_2009 .html

The public is welcome to participate in the 94th Anniversary
Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide to be held in Times Square
(43rd & Broadway) on Sunday, April 26 from 2-4 PM. Armenian-Americans
and their supporters will gather to pay tribute to the 1.5 million
Armenians who were annihilated by the Young Turk Government of the
Ottoman Empire. The Commemoration will also celebrate the survival
spirit of the Armenian people, their rich heritage and their
contributions. Mary A. Papazian, PhD, Provost and Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs at Lehman College, C.U.N.Y, and New
Jersey Attorney R. Armen McOmber will preside over the ceremonies.

Commemoration participants will include Armenian Genocide survivors
and their families, elected officials and humanitarian, cultural,
religious, educational, and community leaders. Speakers will include
Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY): U.S. Senator Robert Menendez
(D-NJ): Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-MY); Congressman Thaddeus
McCotter (R-MI); Eugenie Mukeshimana, a Rwanda Genocide Survivorshe
serves as a Board Member for Voices of Rwanda, and Attorney Mark
J. Garagos, who helped lead groundbreaking Federal Class Action
Lawsuits against New York Life and other insurance companies for
insurance polices issued to Armenians living in Turkey prior to the
Armenian Genocide.

The 94th Commemoration is organized by the Mid-Atlantic chapters of
Knights and Daughters of Vartan , a
U.S. fraternal organization of Armenian-Americans, and co-sponsored by
Armenian General Benevolent Union , Armenian National
Committee of America , Armenian Assembly of America
, Armenian Democratic Liberal Party and Social
Democratic Hunchagian Party.

_tribune/2009/04/new-york-governor-david-a-paterso n-and-mayor-michael-bloomberg-issue-proclamations- acknowledging-armenian-genocide.html

THINK TANK REPORT ON ARMENIA: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

Asbarez
/2009_1
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Several pro-establishment Washington think tanks, such as the Center
for Strategic and International Studies, Jewish Institute for National
Security Affairs, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings
Institution, Heritage Foundation, Council on Foreign Relations,
and American Enterprise Institute, have recently published special
reports that seek to influence U.S. policymakers in favor of Turkey.

The latest such biased report, titled "Turkey and Armenia: Opening
Minds, Opening Borders," was issued on April 14 by the International
Crisis Group (ICG). Serving on the ICG’s Board of Trustees are Morton
Abramovitz, former U.S. ambassador to Turkey; Richard Armitage,
former U.S. deputy secretary of state and member of the Honorary
Council of Advisors of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce;
Zbigniew Brzezinski, former U.S. national security advisor to the
president and member of the Honorary Council of Advisors of the
U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce; Guler Sabanci, chairperson of
Sabanci Holding, Turkey; and Stephen Solarz, former U.S. Congressman
and lobbyist for Turkey. Listed among the ICG’s senior advisors are
Ersin Arioglu, a member of the Turkish Parliament, and Shimon Peres,
the president of Israel. Not surprisingly, the Foreign Ministry of
Turkey is a major donor to the ICG. Not a single Armenian serves on
ICG’s Board or on any of its advisory bodies.

The group’s 40-page report makes outrageous suggestions that are
extremely detrimental to Armenia’s interests. Here is what the ICG
recommends that the Armenian government do:

–Establish bilateral commissions with Turkey, which would include a
historical commission on the Armenian Genocide; –Prepare the public
opinion for reconciliation with Turkey;

–"Avoid statements or international actions relating to genocide
recognition that could inflame Turkish public opinion against the
current [reconciliation] process";

–"Start withdrawals from Armenian-occupied territories in Azerbaijan;
and pursue peace with Azerbaijan in full consciousness that only in
this way can normalizations with Turkey be consolidated";

–"Make clear that Armenia has no territorial claim on Turkey by
explicitly recognizing its territorial integrity within the borders
laid out in the 1921 Treaty of Kars";

–"Encourage universities and institutes to pursue more research on
matters relating to the events of 1915, preferably with the engagement
of Turkish and third-party scholars; modernize history books and
remove all prejudice from them; and organize the cataloguing of known
Armenian archives pertaining to the events in and around 1915 wherever
they may be located."

The executive summary of the report starts its first line by trying
to perpetuate the false impression that "Turkey and Armenia are close
to settling [their] dispute." Everyone, except the "experts" who
drafted this report, knows full well that the negotiations between
Armenia and Turkey have collapsed and that the problem between the
two countries is not a "dispute," but committing genocide!

The executive summary makes the surprising statement that the views
of Armenians and Turks on the genocide are "converging," supposedly
"showing that the deep traumas can be healed." Continuing to present
fantasy as reality, the undisclosed authors of the report state:
"The advance in bilateral relations demonstrates that a desire for
reconciliation can overcome old enmities and closed borders. Given
the heritage and culture shared by Armenians and Turks, there is
every reason to hope that normalization of relations between the two
countries can be achieved and sustained."

One of the most outrageous comments made in the report is the one
claiming that "hardline" diaspora representatives "have softened" their
stance, dropping their "demands that Turkey surrender territory in its
north east, where Armenians were a substantial minority before 1915."

The report welcomes President Barack Obama’s "prudent middle course,"
despite the fact that he "repeatedly promised on the campaign
trail to formally recognize" the Armenian Genocide. Leaving no
stone unturned in favoring Turkey, the ICG also suggests that the
U.S. House of Representatives abandon the pending resolution on the
Armenian Genocide.

Finally, the ICP urges that the United States, Russia, and the European
Union "avoid legislation, statements, and actions that might inflame
public opinion on either side and so could upset the momentum towards
Turkey-Armenia normalization and reconciliation."

This report is full of faulty analysis and one -sided judgments. The
sinister role played by think tanks such as the ICG should be exposed
to the public at large and their reports discredited.

The document published by ICG reads more like the terms of
capitulation imposed by a conquering army over a demolished nation
than a professional report drafted by impartial wise men. Clearly,
those who paid for it dictated its content!

STATEMENT OF THE "MIACUM" NATIONAL INITIATIVE

LRAGIR.AM
16:32:00 – 23/04/2009

The "Miacum" (Unity) national initiative issued a statement which
runs that the Armenian government continues its betraying policy
which will result in accepting the Armenian and Turkish border set
by the notorious agreement of Kars, this time under the veil of the
normalization of the Armenian and Turkish relations.

The report of the International Crisis Group and the Turkish media
with the statements of the Armenian "high ranking" officials proves
this too. The Miacum recalls the report of the ICG in 2007 on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue which soon became the official proposals
of Madrid.

Unlike the false assurances, the Armenian government is going to make
an outrageous agreement with Turkey, accepting two of its preconditions
-admittance of Turkey’s present borders and setting up of a commission
on genocide topic.

The Miacum demands from the Armenian government to stop immediately the
negotiations on the establishment of relations with Turkey, to inform
the Armenians about the compromises made during the negotiations,
not to dare to compromise anything from what we got as a result of
the Artsakh battle.

The Miacum also calls the whole Armenian nation, both in Armenia
and abroad, to express their complaints and rejection against this
irresponsible and betraying attitude of the Armenian government.

FIRST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT TAKES URI TOUR
Jeff Sullivan

URI The Good 5 Cent Cigar
366/news/2009/04/22/News/First.Candidate.For.Presi dent.Takes.Uri.Tour-3720573.shtml
April 22 2009

04/22/09 – Sona Andrews is one of the three candidates for the
soon-to-be-vacant office of president at the University of Rhode
Island. Andrews, the first of the candidates to visit URI, is currently
serving as the provost and vice president of academic affairs at
Boise State University in Idaho.

"My experience here along with that of other institutions has given
me a real good sense of how a public institution can really create
a great learning environment for students," she said.

Andrew’s has traveled all over the world during her academic career,
but if chosen to be president of URI, it will be more of a homecoming
than a move.

Andrews was born in Providence, and when she was 6 years old, her
family moved to Millis, Mass., a small town located near the border
of Rhode Island. Eventually, her parents decided to move back to the
smallest state.

"My parents moved back to Jamestown, R.I., about 25 years ago, so
when I go home, I go to Jamestown," Andrews said.

Andrews went to Nichan Palanjian Armenia College Beirut, Lebanon,
for her first year of college in 1971 to 1972, and then went to
Worcester State College in Massachusetts to earn her bachelor’s degree
in geography. She then completed her master’s and Ph.D in geography
in 1981.

"I always had an interest in cartography," Andrews said. "My seventh
grade geography teacher Mr. Harty was the one who made me realize
that there was such a profession as cartography. It was that time in
seventh grade that I decided I wanted to be a mapmaker and pursue a
degree in geography."

Andrews said if she is elected, she will focus more on
interdisciplinary programming and modernization of curriculums.

"I haven’t really had a chance to talk to a lot people on campus, but
clearly I think there are lots of opportunities for interdisciplinary
programs," she said. "One of the things I heard when I was on campus
for my interview last week made it clear that the president can do
a good job of removing some of the barriers that get in the way of
interdisciplinary studies. The world is changing all the time and
our academic programs need to change with it."

She added that if chosen as president, she would attempt to merge
and eliminate programs to make the curriculum more relevant to the
modern world.

"I think that’s the continual evolution of what goes on at an academic
institution," Andrews said.

Andrews said her Rhode Island background gives her a local perspective
on URI and how the state functions.

"I think I have a tremendous amount of energy, which I think is
something that is needed at the university at this time," she said. "I
have a real good understanding of how to link action with planning
in budget decisions."

Andrews said she is aware of the dry campus policy at URI, and that
while she is open to changes, she said she does not feel she is
informed enough on the issue.

"This is one of those situations that I don’t have a good understanding
of all of the viewpoints of all the constituents," she said. "I think
every situation needs to be re-examined. This is a different day and
time than maybe 10 years ago. I wouldn’t be opposed to opening up
that conversation, but I don’t have an opinion on whether URI should
be a wet or dry campus."

KARABAKH MEDIATORS RENEW SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY FOR FRESH ALIYEV, SARKISIAN SUMMIT

Asbarez
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
4/21/2009_1

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–International mediators negotiating for a
resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict arrived in Yerevan on
Tuesday and will tour the region throughout the week in the hopes of
securing a meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
next month in Prague.

The US, Russian and French diplomats co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group
spoke will be in Yerevan until Wednesday then head for Baku on April
23-24. The three co-chairs will complete their tour with a visit
to Stepanakert on April 25-26, OSCE Spokesperson Martin Nesiriki
told Armenpress.

The co-chairs will round off their tour by returning to Yerevan for
another round of meetings on April 26-27.

This latest round of shuttle diplomacy between comes a month after
the three co-chairs visited the region, where they met separately
with the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh.

NATIONAL ARCHIVE DIRECTOR SAYS GENOCIDE MATERIALS UNPOPULAR

Panorama.am
13:45 21/04/2009

Twenty thousand unit original documents are kept in the National
Archive of Armenia. Thousands of letters to the patriarch, Russian
military records about the massacre, records of "Mshak" paper about
the refugees, facts about the committee formed by Hovhannes Toumanian,
etc are well protected in the archive. One part of those materials
has been published and those publications are available for anybody
wishing. The national archive joint with some organizations and
institutes organizes various events dedicated to the 94th anniversary
of Armenian Genocide. An exhibition will be launched in the building of
the National Archive commemorating the victims of Adana massacre and
the 100 anniversary of Adana Genocide. Amatuni Virabyan, the director
of the national archive told the reporters that they cooperate with
American and European archives to get new facts and new materials. The
director said that unfortunately people get interested in those
materials when the event is marked widely. He said that when 90th
anniversary of Armenian Genocide was marked many got interested in
those archive materials.

ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE AND THE 21ST CENTURY
Gita Elibekyan

"Radiolur"
21.04.2009 14:07

The "Armenian Architecture and the 21st Century" conference, featuring
about 150 architects from Armenia and Diaspora, kicked off in Yerevan
today. The objective of the conference is to unite the Armenian
architects of the world, ensure exchange of experience between the
specialists from Armenia and Diaspora.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan delivered an opening speech at
the conference. The Prime Minister stated, in part: "Taking into
consideration the contemporary geopolitical developments and the
opportunities provided by international law, I have no doubt that the
conference will deeply analyze the problems existing in the sphere
and find rational ways of their solution.

The Armenian Constitution states that within the framework of the
principles and norms of international law Armenia contributes to the
reinforcement of ties with the Diaspora, the preservation of Armenian
historical and cultural values in foreign countries.

"Dear architects, with your flight of thought, with your activity you
participate in the creation of those values. Therefore you should
participate in their preservation. We need to work out a strategy
to determine the activities of the State of Armenia, the Armenian
Diaspora communities and various structures in order to be able to
jointly register, ratify, maintain and protect the histori cal-cultural
legacy the Armenian people has created over millennia."

"GLEND HILLS" TO CONSTRUCT DWELLINGS FOR SURVIVORS OF 1988 EARTHQUAKE

PanArmenian News
April 20 2009
Armenia

Within the frameworks of the government program aimed at solving the
housing problems of the survivors of 1988 earthquake, "Glend Hills"
company received state guarantees of AMD 2 billion.

Under State Purchase Agreement, the sums will be allocated to
construction of dwelling houses in Lori and Shirak regions, "Glend
Hills" Public Relations Department told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter,
noting at the same time that the construction work will be carried
in compliance with the company’s high standards.

"The construction is already in process (in Lori region, the foundation
of the housing stock have been laid) and will be completed within
short time-limits. "Glend Hills" company has submitted reasonable
time-limits and terms to the Government and has, as a result, received
state guarantees for the implementation of construction projects,"
the company reported.

Founded in 2004, "Glandel Hills" CJSC is a construction company
implementing various construction projects in Armenia as a reliable
partner guaranteeing long-term cooperation.

The company’s objective is to attract investments in the real estate
sector, ensuring the security of the investors’ sums. The principal
trend of its activities are site construction and development and
sale of private constructions. The company will also focus on the
quality of buildings and their environmental impact.

Winner in the two bids announced previously, the company will build
2836 dwelling and commercial facilities as well as 2047 houses in
Shirak and Lori regions.

In particular, "Glendale Hills" CJSC is to build 536 536 dwelling and
commercial facilities in Spitak, as well as 2047 houses (including
182 apartments and houses in Shirak, 354 apartments and 1821 houses
in Lori). The apartments will be handed over to their owners beginning
2011.

The company’s investments in the project comprise 86 billions Drams.