Author: Chilingarian Babken

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER: NAGORNY KARABAKH REPUBLIC CAN NEVER BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN; ARMENIA MAY GO ON CONCESSIONS IN ALL OTHER ISSUES

ArmInfo
2010-04-13 18:38:00

ArmInfo. Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Hovik
Abrahamyan met with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman at Baabda,
the parliamentary press-service told ArmInfo.

The two parties discussed the Armenian-Lebanese relations
and territorial problems. Hovik Abrahamyan touched upon the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols and called inadmissible Turkey’s attempts to
link ratification of the Protocols with the Karabakh conflict. For his
part, President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman highlighted the importance
of Armenia-Lebanon cooperation at international structures for the
peace in the Middle East and for settlement of the Armenian cause.

Hovik Abrahamyan emphasized that the status of the NKR is the most
important issue in settlement of the Karabakh conflict. "Nagorny
Karabakh Republic can never be part of Azerbaijan; Armenia may go on
concessions in all other issues," the speaker said.

OBAMA URGES ARMENIA, TURKEY TO ADVANCE NORMALIZATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 13, 2010

U.S. President Barack Obama urged Armenia and Turkey to "make every
effort" to advance the normalization of relations, the White House
said in a statement.

Obama made the remarks in a meeting with Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington,
DC.

"The President commended President Sargsyan for his courageous
efforts to achieve normalization of relations between Armenia and
Turkey and encouraged him to fulfill the promise of normalization
for the benefit of the Armenian people," the White House said.

‘PRISON BREAK’ ATTEMPT STOPPED

ArmInfo
2010-04-13 11:43:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian Police press-service reported that convicts
Andranik Movsisyan (Armenian Criminal Code Article 177 part 2),
Karen Manukyan (Article 112 part 1) and Karlen Hayrapetyan (Article
177 part 2 points 2 and 3) attempted to escape from the Nubarashen
Psychiatric Clinic. The convicts broke the wall into pieces. The
guard stopped the attempt. Investigation is underway.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I HONORS TWO WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS,
THE ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY AND THE ARMENIAN RELIEF CROSS IN LEBANON,
WITH THE INSIGNIA OF ST. MESROB MASHDOTZ OF THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA

On Friday 9 April 2010, at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut, two Women’s
Organizations celebrated their anniversaries under the auspices of His
Holiness Aram I.

Representatives of the Armenian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church and the
Evangelical Church, as well as government officials, members of Parliament,
leaders of Armenian and Lebanese Political Parties, representatives of civil
society organizations, past and present sponsors, members and volunteers of
the two organization, and men and women of the community came to celebrate
the Centennial of the Armenian Relief Society (HOM), an NGO with the UN
Social and Economic Commission, and the 80th Anniversary of the Armenian
Relief Cross – Lebanon (LOKH).

The programme included speeches and cultural presentations.

After the welcoming speeches, Ms. Seta Khedeshian presented the chronology
of the activities of the Armenian Relief Society and showed how their
activities have intertwined with important moments of the nation’s history.
Speaking of recent decades, she mentioned their work in post-earthquake
reconstruction in Armenia and during the struggles of independence of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, with the demise of the Soviet Union.

The last speaker, Ms. Vicky Marashlian, spoke in English and presented the
goals of the Armenian Relief Society. As an NGO, the Society responds both
to international humanitarian needs and those of Armenian communities in
Armenia and the Diaspora.

H.G. Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, the Armenian Orthodox Prelate of Lebanon,
representing His Holiness Aram I, concluded the evening. The Bishop said
that His Holiness highly valued the work of the committed women of HOM and
LOKH, and hoped that these anniversaries would be an occasion for everybody
to recognize the important role of women in sustaining the Nation. He then
presented the Organizations with the Insignia of St. Mesrob Mashdotz of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia.

##
View photo here:
tos/Photos473.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

HULIQ.com, SC
April 9 2010

Musicians for Peace Festival to Be Held in Armenia

The popular Armenian pop artist Forsh, announced the second
international `Musician’s for Peace’ festival will be held this August
in Armenia near the temple of Garni. The festival will feature
musicians from around the globe including Russia, Great Britain,
Georgia, the U.S. and Iran.

Last year’s `Musican’s for Peace’ festival took place in Lake Sevan,
the largest lake in Armenia, and, incidentally, one of the largest
high-altitude lakes in the world. This year’s location, Garni is a
popular tourist destination that is not far from the Armenian capital
of Yerevan.

Garni, located in the Kotayk Province of Armenia is known for the
Garni Temple, which was built in the 1st century AD as a Roman worship
site by the Armenian King Tiridates. The Temple was destroyed by an
earthquake in 1679, however, reconstruction during the 1970s, has
restored the historical monument to its former glory.

Visitors attending the `Musician’s for Peace’ festival can also check
out one of Garni’s many ancient churches in the scenic village.
Nearby, there is a large gorge, aptly named the Garni Gorge, which has
a reserve of stunning basalt columns referred to as the `Symphony of
Stones’.

Forsh, whose real name is Vahan Gevorkian, first gained popularity in
Armenia in the 1980s and has since gone forth to establish himself as
a bona fide singer, songwriter, and author. The artist notes that
although, last year’s concert was rock-heavy, this year will feature a
wider variety of music.

Written by Lani Shadduck
HULIQ.com

Protest action against human rights violation in Javakhk takes place in Lion

April 8, 2010 – 19:13 AMT 14:13 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

On April 3, a protest action against human rights violation in Javakhk
took place in front of France 3 TV Company building in Lion (France).
The action protest was initiated by Group on Human Rights Protection
in Georgia, reads the Group’s statement received by PanARMENIAN.Net
today.

`Participants of the action, who are concerned over the situation in
Javakhk, held Georgian flags and banners, as well as a cage with roses
symbolizing the violated freedom and failure of the `revolution of
roses’ implemented by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Participants of the action also condemned the discrimination and
political persecution of Armenians in Javakhk,’ the statement reads.

According to the statement, the next protest action will be held in
front of TLM TV Company building in Lion on May 15.

INTERVIEW WITH DIDIER BILLION, EXPERT ON TURKISH AFFAIRS

EuroNews
April 8 2010
France

Euronews: "Didier Billion, you are a researcher at the Institute of
International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) in Paris, specialising
in the Middle East and particularly Turkey.

"This is the first time that a Turkish prime minister has made an
official visit to France since EU accession talks began. Can this
visit help the accession process move forward or will Nicolas Sarkozy
stick to his current position?"

Didier Billion: "I really think that unfortunately Nicolas Sarkozy
will not budge from his position on this issue, just like all the
other issues. On many occasions he has expressed his opposition to
Turkish integration into the EU, and we understand well enough that
for him it’s a question of domestic politics. And I don’t see how,
today, the Turkish prime minister’s visit to Paris can convince him
that his position is wrong."

Euronews: "But do you think they will have touched on this subject
during their talks?"

Didier Billion: "Of course. I think that since arriving in Paris last
night, the Turkish prime minister has been saying that Nicolas Sarkozy
is welcome to come to Turkey to see first hand how Turkish society has
developed. It’s a thinly veiled criticism of Sarkozy for not having
taken the time to go to Turkey on an official visit. And that is a
quite obvious nudge on the part of the Turkish prime minister. So
if this meeting is useful in that sense, then that would be a very
good thing."

Euronews: "Turkish EU membership, toughening the stance on Iran,
Armenia…There seems to be only disagreement between the two
countries.

Are there issues on which they agree?"

Didier Billion: "On Armenia, let’s make clear that Nicolas Sarkozy
warmly congratulated the Armenians and the Turks when they signed
the protocol agreement together last October. Unfortunately, these
protocol agreements on better ties between the two countries have
not been ratified, either by the Armenian or Turkish parliaments. So
there, we’re falling behind schedule unfortunately. But there is at
least an official sharing of views.

"On the other issues, the plan for a Mediterranean Union- if you’ll
forgive me the expression- is failing to take off. Since what happened
in Gaza it has struggled to get going and become a reality.

"On Syria, we know that both Turkey and France have played an important
role in getting Syria back into the international fold. But there
unfortunately, it’s more a case of competition between Turkey and
France rather than a case of working together to improve ties with
Syria. So, in effect, it is difficult to find an issue on which
Turkey and France can move forward on an equal footing and in such
a way that they complement each other."

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY MAKES ROUNDS IN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 8, 2010 – 17:53 AMT 12:53 GMT

As Turkish and Armenian leaders prepare to meet with U.S. President
Barack Obama in Washington, Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary
Feridun Sinirlioglu is making the rounds in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent Sinirlioglu as a special
envoy to Baku on Friday to convey a letter to Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev. The Turkish diplomat previously held high-level talks
in Yerevan on Wednesday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu confirmed that Turkey would
continue its efforts to secure peace and stability for the Southern
Caucasus in the light of the normalization protocols signed between
Turkey and Armenia in October.

"We need to overcome the existing difficulties together in accordance
with this vision," Davutoglu said Friday during a press conference with
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, Hurriyet reported.

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER OFFERS ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO MEET

APA
April 7 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to meet in Washington, says Armenian
President’s press service, APA reports quoting Novosti-Armenia.

Erdogan’s Special Envoy, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun
Sinirlioglu conveyed the proposal to Sargsyan.

"The Special Envoy conveyed written appeal of Turkish Prime Minister
and oral appeal of Turkish President and Foreign Minister to Armenian
President."

Sargsyan said Armenia expected from Turkey practical steps to ensure
serious improvements in the process of the normalization of relations
without preconditions.

PRESS RELEASE
United Armenian Fund
1101 North Pacific Avenue, Suite 301
Glendale, CA 91202
Tel: (818) 241-8900

Grand Opening of New School Building in Stepanakert

Stepanakert – Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan, Prime Minister Arayik
Harutyunyan, as well as Ministers of Education and Science, and Urban
Planning, joined local officials, Senior Vice President Harut Sassounian of
The Lincy Foundation, and Save the Children representatives on March 31 to
mark the grand opening of a new school building in Stepanakert.

The new building, constructed through major support from the Los
Angeles-based The Lincy Foundation and with additional funding from the
Artsakh government, will accommodate 350 students and will eliminate the
need for school to be held in two shifts due to overcrowded conditions at
the existing school building. The new space also will house a preschool
program for 60 children, age five to six.

"We truly appreciate the contribution by The Lincy Foundation and the
Nagorno-Karabakh government for the construction of this school," said Irina
Saghoyan, Armenia Country Office Director for Save the Children. "Holding
classes in two shifts certainly takes its toll on children and teachers. The
new school building will ease educational constraints and help improve the
learning environment for everyone."

School #1, a two-story building constructed in the early 1960s, is the
oldest and largest school in Stepanakert. The current enrollment of over
1,000 students in grades 7 to 9 is almost twice the number of the building’s
capacity. To accommodate the overflow, children had to attend school in two
shifts – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – compromising the
quality of their education. The building has no indoor plumbing. Children
were required to use an outdoor toilet that was especially difficult to
access during the harsh winter months.

The new four-story building includes 18 junior high school classrooms, two
pre-school classrooms, a teacher’s room, eight restrooms, a sports hall, an
underground shelter and a basement-level retail store. Two two-ton water
tanks were placed under the roof of the building and a schedule drawn up to
ensure a steady supply of water to new indoor plumbing. The school was built
to meet regional state school building and safety standards, including
earthquake resistant construction and an underground shelter. Work on the
building began in March 2008.

PHOTO CAPTIONS FOR OPENING OF NEW SCHOOL BUILDING IN STEPANAKERT,
NAGORNO-KARABAKH

All Photos/Credit: Narine Bezirganyan for Save the Children

Photo 1170:

Harut Sassounian, Senior Vice President of The Lincy Foundation delivers
remarks at the grand opening of a new school building in Stepanakert on
March 31. Bako Sahakyan, President of Artsakh, is standing on the left.

Photo 1179:

Bako Sahakyan, President of Artsakh and Harut Sassounian, Senior Vice
President of The Lincy Foundation cut the red ribbon to mark the official
opening of a new school building in Stepanakert on March 31.

Photo 862:

The new school building in Stepanakert officially opened on March 31.