ARMENIA HAS 3,249,5M PERMANENT RESIDENTS
Tert.am
26.04.10
Armenia has a population of 3,249,500, according to a survey by the
National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia that includes
data up to January 1, 2010.
Population in rural communities is 1.168.500, while 2,081,000 are
living in cities and towns.
At the same time the population in the Armenian capital Yerevan
is 1,116,600.
Armenian Americans to rally at Turkish Consulate, LA
April 24, 2010 – 15:45 AMT 10:45 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
Thousands across California will gather at the Turkish Consulate in
Los Angeles on Saturday, April 24, at 4pm to demonstrate for an end to
Turkey’s 95 year campaign of genocide denial and the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide by the United States.
Organized by the Armenian Youth Federation, this year’s protest will
come on the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and will
converge with global expectations on both the U.S. House of
Representatives and President Barack Obama to finally hold Turkey
accountable for its crimes against the Armenian people.
Armenian Americans will protest against Turkey’s effort to impose a
gag-rule on the United States and show once again the resolve of the
Armenian people in their struggle for justice, recognition and
reparations.
Armenian President to attend May 9 celebrations in Moscow
2010-04-24 11:53:00
ArmInfo. May 9 is a bright and happy day, the day of Great Victory and
Peace. We in Armenia have always celebrated this day and we will
always remember and be proud that our nation has also contributed to
the victory over Fascism, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in
an interview to RIA Novosti.
"The 19 Armenian heroes of the USSR and 27 companions of the Order of
Glory have been an example of self-sacrifice for many generations of
Armenians. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians fought for this victory
as guerrillas, privates, generals, admirals and marshals," Sargsyan
said.
He said that he is going to attend this year’s Victory Day
celebrations in Moscow and is grateful to President Medvedev for his
invitation.
"We must not forget that we won this victory together. Marshal
Bagramyan was at the head of the combined regiment of the 1st Baltic
Front during the Victory Parade at Red Square June 24 1945. Just like
him I am from Nagorno-Karabakh and it will be a great honor for me to
be at Red Square during the celebrations of the 65th anniversary of
the Great Victory. This is one of the most glorious pages of our
common history and we must keep the memory of a victory won through
enormous endeavor in the most bloody war ever," Sargsyan said.
Politico
April 24 2010
Obama on Armenian Remembrance Day: "One of worst atrocities in 20th century"
by Laura Rozen 11:44 AM
Calling it one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century, President
Barack Obama observed the 95th anniversary of Armenian Remembrance Day
in remarks Saturday, but avoided calling the Ottoman era killing of
1.5 million Armenians genocide.
However, Obama did refer to "Meds Yeghern" or "Great Catastrophe,"
which is the Armenian term for what befell their nation in 1915, the
same way "Shoah" is used by some Jewish people to refer to the
Holocaust, one scholar noted.
"On this solemn day of remembrance, we pause to recall that
ninety-five years ago one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century
began," Obama said in a statement. "In that dark moment of history,
1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their death in the
final days of the Ottoman Empire."
`I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and
my view of that history has not changed,’ he said. " It is in all of
our interest to see the achievement a full, frank and just
acknowledgment of the facts."
"The Meds Yeghern is a devastating chapter in the history of the
Armenian people, and we must keep its memory alive in honor of those
who were murdered and so that we do not repeat the grave mistakes of
the past," Obama said.
Obama’s use of Meds Yeghern "is an elegant dodge to avoid using the
‘g-word’ — but the substance of what he states about what happened
gives no comfort to those who cling to the Turkish official version,"
says Harvard University’s Andras Riedlmayer. "1.5 million Armenians
were rounded up and massacred or marched to their death. Despite the
passive construction, that assumes intentionality."
Nevertheless, such nuance was not appreciated by the Armenian American
lobby group, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), which
rapped Obama for "disgraceful capitulation to Turkey’s threats" and of
"offering euphemisms and evasive terminology to characterize this
crime against humanity," in a press release Saturday.
Obama met earlier this month in Washington with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, as well as with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, who also met together separately.
Last month, Turkey withdrew its ambasador to Washington after the
House Foreign Affairs Committee narrowly passed a non-binding
resolution calling the 1915 episode "genocide." Turkish Ambassador
Namik Tan returned to Washington earlier this month.
The U.S. is currently seeking to get a new United Nations Security
Council resolution on Iran passed. Turkey is currently a member of the
Security Council, but has said it opposes economic sanctions on Iran
and has offered itself as a diplomatic mediator with Tehran.
0410/Obama_on_Armenian_Remembrance_Day_One_of_wors t_atrocities_in_20th_century.html?showall
HNCHAK SDP: TURKEY SHOWED ITS REAL NATURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 23, 2010 – 19:30 AMT 14:30 GMT
Hnchak Social-Democratic Party disseminated a statement on the 95th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, urging to double the efforts of
Armenians for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
"We were concerned over the process of the Armenian-Turksih
normalization, during which we repeatedly stated about threats of this
process. Finally, the Armenian authorities stated about impossibility
of the normalization process continuation. Hailing this step, the
party believes that the Turkish authorities showed their real nature
in their recent statements," the statement reads.
According to the party’s statement, it is necessary to present the
well-know truth to the world community and finally withdraw from the
negotiations process with Turkey to avoid further risks.
TURKEY IS "READY TO TAKE STEPS GIVEN THERE ARE RELEVANT CIRCUMSTANCES:" DAVUTOGLU RESPONDS TO SARGSYAN
Tert.am
23.04.10
Ankara is hopeful that the Armenia-Turkey normalization will
resume from the point it stopped, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu, quoted by local Turkish daily Hurriyet, said in response
to Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan’s April 22 decision to suspend
the ratification of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols.
"It is a unilateral decision made by Armenia. As stated by Prime
Minister [Recep] Tayyip Erdogan, it is their business and it is up
to them to decide [what to do]. Naturally, we cannot intervene in
their domestic affairs. But it is quite important [they put] the
accent on continuing the process. We hope that Armenia and Turkey
would see relevant political atmosphere as soon as possible, and
the process continue from the point it stopped," said Davutoglu,
adding that the continuation of the process is beneficial not only
for Armenia and Turkey but for all other regional powers, as well as
for the international community in the face of US, France and Russia.
Davutoglu also said Turkey remained committed to the letter and soul of
the Protocols signed between Ankara and Yerevan, recalling that those
documents are still in the Turkish parliament and that the Turkish
side is "ready to take steps given there are relevant circumstances."
Further Hurriyet informs that Davutoglu met with US Secretary of
State Hilary Clinton in the framework of an informal NATO summit in
Tallinn, Estonia, and discussed Sargsyan’s recent decision to suspend
the ratification of the protocols.
The two diplomats highlighted the importance of continuing the
Armenia-Turkey normalization process.
GENOCIDE MUSEUM DIRECTOR ON A MISSION TO UNITE ALL FOR 100TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2015
Daphne Abeel
Special to the Mirror-Spectator
Apr 21, 2010 in Armenian Genocide
WATERTOWN, Mass. – Dr. Hayk Demoyan, director of the Genocide Museum
Institute in Yerevan, is a little jet-lagged – and no wonder. He was
on a recent 10-day visit to the United States, specifically the Boston
area; before that, he had traveled to both Slovenia and Cyprus.
In an interview at the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) in
early April, Demoyan explained the motivation for his recent travels.
"I went to Cyprus to celebrate Armenian Days there and to Slovenia
where I spoke to the Armenian community in Ljubljana. I am here to
develop some collaborative and exchange relationships and also to
plan for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide," he said.
He added, "It is essential that the entire Armenian community be
united when the time comes to mark the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide in 2015. That is my current mission."
Demoyan, who is in his 30s, was appointed director of the Genocide
Institute in 2006. He was born in Gumri, but moved to Yerevan in
1993 to attend Yerevan State University, earning first a degree in
anthropology and then a doctorate in modern Turkish studies.
The institute, which was founded in 1995, comprises a 2,000-meter
space devoted to exhibitions of photographs and documents of what
happened from 1915 to 1922. The material covers more than the Armenian
experience. Many countries and organizations are represented, including
the US, Russia and the Red Cross.
"I really didn’t want to take this position at first," said Demoyan.
"I was only 31 when I was appointed and I had no experience, and
there are many important people coming to the institute from other
countries. It is the focus of a lot of interest and I wasn’t sure I
would be up to the task. At least a quarter of a million people visit
the institute each year and that is exclusive of the many thousands
who come on the day of commemoration of the Genocide."
This was Demoyan’s third trip to the US. In 2008, he visited the
Armenian Assembly of America’s offices in Washington to begin
discussions of a relationship between the institute in Yerevan and
the planned Genocide Museum in Washington. At that time, he attended
a ceremony in New York where he co-signed an agreement of cooperation
between the Armenian Genocide Museum of America and the Near East
Foundation. Washington’s Genocide Museum, to be housed in the former
Washington Bank Building, has been a work in progress for several
years and is slated to open sometime this year.
While in the Boston area, Demoyan visited the Holocaust Memorial and
the memorial to the Irish Potato Famine, both in downtown Boston. He
addressed the St. James Men’s Club in Watertown and on April 6, gave
a talk at the National Association of Armenian Studies and Research
(NAASR) on his new book, Sports and Athletics in the Ottoman Empire,
which features the history of sports and physical training among the
Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. The rise of athletic clubs,
the organization of Pan-Armenian Olympic Games and the establishment
of Boy Scouts are among the topics Demoyan covered in this fascinating
run-through of Armenia’s longstanding sports history. On April 9,
Demoyan attended Clark University’s conference titled "The Armenian
Genocide 95 Years Later."
He returned to Yerevan on April 14 to prepare for the Genocide
commemoration to be held on April 24 and to be present on April 23,
when the Genocide Institute will open a new exhibit featuring the
front-page coverage of the Genocide. The items include illustrated
articles from papers around the world, complete with shocking graphics
that bear testimony to the events of the time. Especially notable are
English, Russian, French and American publications on issues pertaining
to the Hamidian massacres, the Adana atrocities of 1909 and of course,
the Genocide of 1915-1922.
"This media exhibit might come to ALMA," he said, "because we are
forming a new relationship with them, which will include exchanges."
Demoyan shook off any suggestion that the Genocide Museum is affected
by possible political turmoil in Armenia. "The state budget supports
us and recently the president issued an order to double the salaries
of employees at the museum," he said. "Also recently, I submitted a
five-year plan and had a meeting with the prime minister and there
is agreement that there will be more funds available for events and
activities at the museum."
He added, "My most important agenda, wherever I go, is to speak about
how to commemorate the centennial of the Genocide. We must develop
a common Armenia agenda – we must show that we are united in our
commitment to honor this very significant occasion."
14 POLITICAL FORCES DEMAND WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIA’S SIGNATURE FROM ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS
news.am
April 22 2010
Armenia
Representatives of fourteen political forces of Armenia and of public
organizations, protesting against the Armenian-Turkish protocols,
held a meeting in Yerevan to exchange views on the Armenian-Turkish
process and present their plans to struggle against the protocols.
The meeting approved a statement, saying: "The Armenian-Turkish
protocols, which are in Ankara’s interests, became an obstacle to the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide." According to the
statement, the process resulted in greater international pressure on
Yerevan in the context of relations with Ankara and Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process. "The Armenian-Turkish process enhanced Ankara’s
international reputation and enabled Baku to make more frequent
bellicose statements." The authors of the statement stress that the
main aim of their struggle is to get official Yerevan to withdraw
its signature from the Armenian-Turkish protocols or ratify the
documents without any preconditions. Specifically, in ratifying the
documents the Armenian side must stress that the provisions exclusively
apply to the two nations, and can by no means apply to a third one,
particularly Nagorno-Karabakh.
The authors of the statement insist that official Yerevan clearly
stated that the approval of the protocols can by no means make the
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey a subject for discussions. The
Armenian side must also show that the Armenian-Turkish border must
be established under a special international treaty. The protocols
must contain a provision granting Armenia the right to withdraw from
the process if Turkey refuses to honor the reservations. The authors
of the statement also demand that the RA Parliament adopt a law that
would provide criminal punishment for denying the Armenian Genocide.
The participants in the meeting state they will continue their
struggle against the Armenian-Turkish protocols within the Armenian
law and Constitution.
NEWS.am reminds readers that 250,000 Armenians citizens have been
involved in a signature-gathering campaign against the Armenian-Turkish
protocols. A year ago a road map was published, which later served
as a basis for the Armenian-Turkish protocols.
MIA FARROW TO SPEAK ABOUT DARFUR AT CAMBRIDGE CHURCH
Cambridge Chronicle
April 22 2010
Canada
Cambridge — Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston presents,
through The Dr. Michael and Joyce Kolligian Distinguished Speaker
Series, humanitarian activist Mia Farrow on Thursday, April 29 at 7
p.m., in the Charles and Nevart Talanian Cultural Hall at 145 Brattle
St. (corner of Brattle and Sparks streets), Cambridge. Farrow’s
program, "With Knowledge Comes Responsibility: The Darfur Crisis,"
will raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur, Chad and the Central
African Republic.
Artistic and critical success, as well as fame, came to Farrow at an
early age. Following her young life in 1940s Hollywood as the daughter
of Hollywood royalty, she gained national attention in television and
starred in over 40 movies. As successful as her professional life was,
her personal life was marked with many struggles, leading her to begin
a journey toward a significant life. Mia Farrow has devoted her life
to humanitarian efforts and the care of a truly remarkable family.
Farrow has been a high profile advocate for children’s rights, working
to raise funds and awareness for children in conflict affected regions,
predominantly Africa. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
The Dr. Michael and Joyce Kolligian Distinguished Speaker Series was
established in 2000, by Mrs. Joyce Kolligian of Belmont and her family,
in loving memory of her.
husband, Dr. Michael Kolligian, with the purpose of providing
high-quality educational and cultural programs to enhance knowledge
and provide enjoyment to the members of the Holy Trinity Armenian
Church, as well as to the community at large. A pillar of Holy Trinity
Armenian Church, Dr. Kolligian was loved and respected as a devoted
leader. Dr. Kolligian practiced dentistry in Medford for 30 years. In
1971, he joined Distributor Corporation of New England, serving as
treasurer and later as president.
The previous programs of the Dr. Michael and Joyce Kolligian
Distinguished Speaker Series featured Dr. Bob Arnot, "On the Front Line
of Terror," in October 2004, and Immaculée Ilibagiza, survivor and
author of Left to Tell, Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust,
in April 2007.
The Rev. Vasken A. Kouzouian, pastor of the Holy Trinity Armenian
Church, invites the Greater Boston area community to join him on April
29, as Ms. Farrow connects to the humanity in all of us, reminding us
of our moral responsibility to assure that "never again" are not just
words. In this absolutely unforgettable and challenging program, Ms.
Farrow addresses what compels her to continue this work despite grave
personal risk.
A reception and book-signing of her memoir, What Falls Away, will
follow the program that is open to the public and a gift to the
community. For further information, please contact the Holy Trinity
Armenian Church office, 617 354-0632, email [email protected] or visit
the parish website at
RUSSIAN MG CO-CHAIR TO VISIT ARMENIA
news.am
April 21 2010
Armenia
April 22, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs will discuss Karabakh peace
process in Moscow, newly appointed Russian envoy Igor Popov told the
journalists in Baku. According to him, thereafter it will be possible
to speak about results of the recent talks held between the sides.
Russian and U.S. Co-Chairs — Igor Popov and Robert Bradtke held
negotiations with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku. Former Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov
introduced Igor Popov to Azerbaijani side.
In his turn, Igor Popov stated that he will try to maintain continuity
and justify the confidence. "With the change of the co-chair Russia’s
position on resolving the conflict will not change, because the
president determines Russia’s position but not the co-chair," Trend
News quotes Igor Popov. Newly appointed Co-Chair also informed that
he intends to visit Armenia in the near future.