Author: Chmshkian Vicken

SERZH SARGSYAN: ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT BY USE OF FORCE WILL BE FATAL FOR AZERBAIJAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 24, 2010 – 13:27 AMT 08:27 GMT

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said the danger of war will persist
unless a peace agreement is signed between the sides in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

However, he noted that resumption of hostilities is unlikely in
Karabakh in the near future.

"The matter is that some officials in Baku have sunk in Armenophobic
and warlike demagogy," he said in an interview with RIA Novosti. "Any
attempt to resolve the Karabakh conflict by use of force will be
fatal for Azerbaijan. Such scenario may destabilize the region but
not settle the conflict."

"In short, I think hostilities are unlikely in the near future. But
our armed forces stand ready for war," President Sargsyan said.

ARMENIA SUSPENDS RATIFICATION PROCESS, RETAINS HER SIGNATURE UNDER THE PROTOCOLS

Armradio.am
23.04.2010 10:27

President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan addressed the
people Thursday to inform about the decision on the process of
normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey

Fellow Armenians; A year has passed since the Armenian-Turkish-Swiss
joint statement on steps to normalize the relations between Armenia and
Turkey. During this period, the two Protocols aimed at normalization
of the relations have been publicized, discussed in the public domain,
and signed. The documents have for quite a lengthy time now been in the
parliaments of Armenia and Turkey, awaiting ratification. Armenia has
all along demonstrated her commitment to the process of normalization
of relations, to the point of including the Protocols in the agenda
of the National Assembly. We have made clear to the whole world that
our position is nothing but firmly constructive. We have stated that,
if Turkey ratified the Protocols, as agreed, without preconditions
and in a reasonable timeframe, failure by the Armenian Parliament to
ratify them would be precluded.

Now, the time has come to gauge the notion of a "reasonable timeframe"
and whether a conduct is "without preconditions." These criteria were
set forth by not only Armenia, but also all the mediators involved
in the process, all of our international partners.

For a whole year, Turkey’s senior officials have not spared public
statements in the language of preconditions. For a whole year, Turkey
has done everything to protract time and fail the process. Hence,
our conclusion and position are straightforward:

1. Turkey is not ready to continue the process that was started and
to move forward without preconditions in line with the letter of
the Protocols.

2. The reasonable timeframes have, in our opinion, elapsed. The
Turkish practice of passing the 24th of April at any cost is simply
unacceptable.

3. We consider unacceptable the pointless efforts of making the
dialogue between Armenia and Turkey an end in itself; from this moment
on, we consider the current phase of normalization exhausted.

My Fellow Armenians;

During this period, I have discussed and continue discussing the future
of the process launched with Turkey with Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of
France, Barack Obama of the United States, Dmitri Medvedev of Russia,
as well as our colleagues in a number of European organizations. We
are grateful to them for supporting our initiative, encouraging the
process, and exerting efforts to secure progress. The matter of the
fact is that our partners have urged us to continue the process,
rather than to discontinue it.

Out of respect for them, their efforts, and their sincere aspirations,
we have decided after consulting our Coalition partners and the
National Security Council not to exit the process for the time being,
but rather, to suspend the procedure of ratifying the Protocols. We
believe this to be in the best interests of our nation.

Armenia shall retain her signature under the Protocols, because we
desire to maintain the existing momentum for normalizing relations,
because we desire peace. Our political objective of normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey remains valid, and we shall
consider moving forward when we are convinced that there is a proper
environment in Turkey and there is leadership in Ankara ready to
reengage in the normalization process.

While announcing to the world the end of the current phase of the
process, which was launched with the September 2008 match between the
national football teams of Armenia and Turkey, I express gratitude to
President Abdullah Gul of Turkey for political correctness displayed
throughout this period and the positive relationship that developed
between us.

Fellow Compatriots; In two days, we will commemorate the 95th
anniversary of the first genocide of the 20th century, the remembrance
day of the Armenian Genocide. Our struggle for the international
recognition of the Genocide continues. If some circles in Turkey
attempt to use our candor to our detriment, to manipulate the process
to avoid the reality of the 24th of April, they should know all too
well that the 24th of April is the day that symbolizes the Armenian
Genocide, but in no way shall it mark the time boundary of its
international recognition.

We express our gratitude to all the states, organizations, and
individuals that support us in deploring and preventing crimes against
humanity. We are also grateful to all those Turkish intellectuals
that struggle for the restoration of historical justice and share our
grief. On this eve of the 95th anniversary, we call upon everyone to
remember that the memory of one and a half million innocent victims
exterminated under a state-orchestrated program merely for being
Armenian continues to pose before mankind the demand for recognition
and condemnation.

Fellow Compatriots; We are stronger today than ever before and stand
straight as always.

Henceforth, our efforts for a better Armenia, a better region,
a better world, and a more solid unity of Armenians worldwide will
only multiply. Rest assured that results will be visible all along.

God bless us!

RUSSIA’S MFA CONSIDERS TURKEY AND IRAN’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

armradio.am
23.04.2010 14:09

Russia’s Foreign Ministry considers Azerbaijan’s proposal to involve
Turkey in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict as an OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chair country, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman,
Andrei Nesterenko said, according to the Ministry website.

"A certain number of proposals have been recently made. We are
studying them. We need to contact with all those involved in the
negotiation process, and ascertain their attitude to these issues to
make appropriate assessments," Nesterenko said.

He said that Russia is actively involved in the contacts on the
issues of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. "Later after our contacts
with our colleagues we will be able to give detailed explanations,"
Nesterenko said.

SAYING ‘YEGHERN’, IN FACT, BARACK OBAMA RECOGNIZED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Panorama.am
20/04/2010

Armenian "Solidarity" Movement and Party addressed a thank-you letter
to US President Barack Obama last year after the President used the
term "Yeghern" in his April 24 address, the "Solidarity" chairman
Sargis Avetisyan told reporters today. The party has addressed another
letter to the US President this year, calling on him to make a brave
step and pronounce the term "Genocide" and recognize the Great Yegern
of the Armenians to restore the historical truth and justice.

"Saying Holocaust the world understands the Genocide of Jews, while
Yeghern should be the term to be used for the Armenian Genocide," S.

Avetisyan said. According to the leader, the Turkish "National
Movement" Party has raised the issue saying by pronouncing the term
"Yeghern", in fact, Barack Obama has recognized the Armenian Genocide.

PRESS RELEASE
Mashdots College
411 E. Acacia Avenue
Glendale, CA 91205
Contact: Sofi Boyle
Tel. (818) 548-9345
Fax: (818) 548-9342
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: mashdotscollege.org

"A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORIC ARMENIA" on April 25 in
Glendale

On Sunday, April 25, 4:00-6:00 P.M., Neighborhood Legal Services of
Los Angeles County (NLS-LA), USC Institute of Armenian Studies, and
Mashdots College will jointly host an exhibit of photographs by Dr,
Garbis Der-Yeghiayan in commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. The event will take place at the NLS-LA center,
1104 East Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale, California.

The exhibit will display several historic Armenian cities and villages
in Cilicia, Cappadocia and Western Armenia offering the guests an
unprecedented opportunity to better understand and appreciate the
centuries-old heritage of the Armenian people, and to observe
firsthand the unparalleled accomplishments of our martyred ancestors
and the immense sacrifices endured by the survivors of the Armenian
Genocide.

The event is open to the public. For reservations, RSVP at (818)
291-1765.

SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN: AZERBAIJAN NOT READY FOR MUTUAL CONCESSIONS

armradio.am
16.04.2010 14:18

Azerbaijan is not ready for mutual concessions, Armenian Deputy
Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said in an interview with
"Interfax" agency.

Commenting on Azerbaijani President’s statement that the Karabakh
settlement has entered a decisive stage, Kocharyan said: "Baku proceeds
from the illusions that its perverted approaches are perceived as a
decisive stage of negotiations. In order to enter a decisive stage, the
parties need to demonstrate willingness to make mutual concessions."

The Deputy Foreign Minister reminded that the negotiations proceed
on the basis of one document – the Madrid Principles accepted by
Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2007. If Azerbaijan wants progress, it
should negotiate on arguable questions instead of distorting the
essence of the document or reject it," Shavarsh Kocharyan said.

According to the Deputy Foreign Minister, an agreement will be reached
when Azerbaijan stops leading the process to a deadlock. He noted that
"Armenia and Azerbaijan are UN members and should act in accordance
with the statute of that organization, which demand that disputes are
solved in a peaceful way without use of force and without threats of
use of force."

‘TURKEY READY FOR DIALOGUE WITH DIASPORA’

Today’s Zaman
April 16 2010
Turkey

Ankara’s ongoing efforts to normalize its relations with Yerevan are
not limited to a state-to-state framework, Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu has said, adding that Turkey wants a reconciliation process
that also involves the Armenian diaspora living in Europe and the
United States.

Davutoglu said Turks and Armenians "in Paris and Boston" should
sit together and attempt to reconcile their memories of the tragic
events that took place in 1915, which Armenians consider a systematic
extermination campaign but which Turks insist were merely terrible
deaths resulting from the collapse of an empire, The Boston Globe
reported on Wednesday.

The minister’s remarks came as he was delivering a speech and
responding to questions from reporters at the Washington office of
the Council on Foreign Relations on Wednesday.

"We are ready to listen to our Armenian friends concerning our
history," Davutoglu was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency.

He said no one should unilaterally impose his/her own memory on the
other side, recalling that 2 million Turks were forced to migrate
from the Balkans and the Caucasus to Anatolia as those territories
became independent from the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the
last century.

Turkey rejects Armenian claims of genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire and says Turks and Armenians were both killed as
Armenians revolted against the Ottoman Empire in collaboration with
the Russian army with the aim of establishing an Armenian state in
eastern Anatolia.

Davutoglu’s remarks in Washington echoed his concept of "just memory."

In the past, he has said that procedures envisioned by protocols signed
in October between Armenia and Turkey for establishing diplomatic
ties and reopening their border will eventually help achieve "a just
memory" concerning the tragedy in Anatolia during World War I.

One of the two protocols signed by Ankara and Yerevan in October
says the two countries have agreed to "implement a dialogue on the
historical dimension with the aim of restoring mutual confidence
between the two nations, including an impartial scientific examination
of historical records and archives to define existing problems and
formulate recommendations."

"1915 is the year of the so-called genocide for them," Davutoglu was
quoted as saying by The Boston Globe. "For us, we say ‘pain.’ We are
ready to discuss. The same year, we had Gallipoli," he said.

The 1915 Battle of Gallipoli was won by the defending Ottoman army
against a joint British and French campaign and laid the groundwork
for the Turkish War of Independence and the foundation of the Turkish
Republic eight years later under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Davutoglu said one of his grandfathers died at Gallipoli, underscoring
the emotion that many Turks feel about that campaign, The Boston
Globe reported.

Also Wednesday, Davutoglu held a meeting in Washington with Turkey’s
ambassadors to Washington and Ottawa and consul-generals in Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles and Toronto. Davutoglu ordered the diplomats
to engage in dialogue with the Armenian diaspora and strengthen
this dialogue, the agency said. It is not possible to finalize the
normalization of bilateral relations with Armenia without having
the Armenian diaspora involved in this process, diplomatic sources,
speaking on condition of anonymity, told Anatolia. The same sources
highlighted that Turkey would prioritize contact with Armenian groups
who are open to dialogue, indicating that dialogue with hard-line
groups was not a priority for Turkey, at least at the moment.

TELEPHONE CABLE GRABBED FROM RUSSIAN FRONTIER STATION IN ARMENIA

news.am
April 16 2010
Armenia

Two men of 22 and 29 years old were detained in Armenia suspected
of stealing 200m telephone cable from the territory of one of Border
Guard Service of RF Federal Security Service (FSB) post in Armenia.

According to RA Police, investigative actions were initiated together
with Russian frontier guards.

The grabbed cable linking the frontier station with watchpost was
seized.

RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN: MEETING IN WASHINGTON REPRESENTED THE ‘LAST CHANCE’ FOR TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 15, 2010 – 15:54 AMT 10:54 GMT

Mr. Richard Giragosian Director of the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies (ACNIS) stated that following the recent meeting
in Washington between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, there are renewed expectations
of hope that the process of Turkish-Armenian "normalization" is back
on track.

"The meeting represented the ‘last chance’ for Turkey to meet
expectations, new obstacles are coming, including the April 24th
anniversary of the Armenian genocide, which affirms that the real test
for this latest round of Turkish-Armenian diplomacy is only beginning,"
he told reporters in Yerevan on April 15.

Washington will use the dialogue between the two countries to achieve
its goals in Karabakh process, according to Mr. Giragosian.

SARGSYAN MEETS WITH U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, ADAM SCHIFF

Yerkir
14.04.2010 12:23
Yerevan

Yerevan (Yerkir) – On the sidelines of the Washington summit, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton on Tuesday.

As reported by the Armenian president’s press office, the parties
discussed prospects of the Armenian-Turkish relations. Clinton
reportedly reaffirmed U.S. President Barack Obama’s position
urging Armenia and Turkey to continue the normalization process
without preconditions. Sargsyan and Clinton also discussed bilateral
Armenian-American relations, as well as issues related to the process
of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem being conducted within
the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

On the same day, President Sargsyan met with U.S. Congressman Adam
Schiff. In the course of the conversation, Sargsyan thanked the
congressman for his efforts aimed at the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide in U.S. Congress, as well as for his support to Armenia
and Karabakh.