Author: Ekmekjian Janet

RUSSIAN CHURCH TO CONTINUE KARABAKH PEACE EFFORTS – PATRIARCH

RIA Novosti
March 18, 2010
Etchmiadzin

The Russian Orthodox Church will continue its efforts to peacefully
settle the Nagorny Karabakh problem, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and
All Russia said Thursday.

Nagorny Karabakh, an ethnically Armenian region in Azerbaijan, has had
de facto independence since a brutal war between the South Caucasus
neighbors in the early 1990s, and the two remain bitter foes despite
ongoing peace efforts.

"Churches carry their peacekeeping message to where our brothers and
sisters suffer, to where there is danger of bloodshed," Kirill told
journalists in the residence of the head of the Armenian Apostolic
Church in the city of Etchmiadzin.

"The church should not link its peacekeeping message to any political
or pragmatic aims," he said while winding up his three-day visit
to Armenia.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in the region since the war in
early 1990s, which claimed more than 30,000 lives on both sides.

Karabakh has since remained under Armenian control. Baku has fiercely
opposed any decision on Karabakh that could be interpreted as giving
the region independence from Azerbaijan.

The Russian patriarch urged the soonest possible resolution of
Armenia’s problems with Azerbaijan and Turkey, adding that "keeping
the fire of hatred is a path to nowhere."

Patriarch Kirill on Wednesday paid tribute to the victims of the
Armenian genocide, laying flowers at a memorial in Yerevan.

Turkey has always refused to recognize the killings of an estimated
1.5 million Armenians in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire in
1915 as an act of genocide. A number of countries have recognized
the killings in Armenia as the first genocide of the 20th century.

ARMENIA’S BYURAKAN ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY TO RECEIVE NEW INSTRUMENTS

Tert.am
14:33 ~U 18.03.10

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, in the Armenian marz (province)
of Aragatzotn, is planning to import very important astrological
equipment from Europe within a year which will enable Armenian
astronomers and astrophysicists to conduct high-level observations,
said Byurakan’s Director Hayk Harutyunyan at a press conference today,
adding that 5-6 of the world’s largest observatories had laid claim
to those instruments; however, according to a preliminary agreement,
the instruments will be brought to Armenia instead.

"It will enable us to solve several observatory issues, which for us
is a dream," he explained.

Harutyunyan also said the Armenian government should make efforts
so that the equipment is brought in good and working condition. In
his words, thanks to those instruments, European astronomers have
discovered many extrasolar planets.

VLADIMIR AKOPIAN TO PLAY AGAINST NEPOMNIACHTCHI IN EUROPEAN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Tert.am
11:59 ~U 17.03.10

The 11th European Individual Chess Championship 2010 is taking place
from March 5-19 in Rijeka, Croatia.

Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi is still the leading player with 8 points
after his match against Denis Khismatullin which ended with a draw,
according to the tournament’s official website.

Coming up behind Nepomniachtchi in the tournament are eight other
players with 7.5 points each. Among them is also Armenian Grand Master
Vladimir Akopian.

Akopian is set to play against Nepomniachtchi in the 11th and final
round today. He will play black and will probably become Europe’s
champion if he wins the game.

CAMPAIGN AGAINST SUPPORT TO "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE" LAUNCHED

news.az
March 17 2010
Azerbaijan

The World Azerbaijanis Association has launched a campaign of sending
letters against support of the mythical "Armenian genocide".

Association chairman Adalyat Guliyev said the letters prepared
under slogan "No to H.Res 252!!!" are sent to different structures,
according to the news release of the State Committee for Diaspora.

The letters condemn the resolution adopted by the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the House of Representatives of the US Congress on March
4 which recognized the mythical "Armenian genocide", adoption of this
resolution in the committee, as well as the official recognition of the
so-called "Armenian genocide" by the Swedish parliament on March 11.

The letter prepared to inform the world community about the real
face of Armenians who attract the world attention by their unjust
and fictional claims are addressed to US President Barack Obama,
vice president Joseph Biden, State Secretary Hillary Clinton, UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, US ambassador in Belgium, international
organizations, as well as every congressman and senator who accept
and support the concept of "Armenian genocide".

The copies of letters will be sent to Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Turkish President Abdullah
Gul, Turkish FM Ahmed Davutoglu, Turkish ambassador in Belgium Nazif
Ersavchu.

On the whole, the letters will be sent to more than 200 organizations.

HRANUSH HAKOBYAN AND ARA ABRAHAMYAN TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT

Aysor
March 17 2010
Armenia

On March 18 at 12.10 at the Ministry of Diaspora will be signed an
agreement of cooperation between of the Armenian Diaspora Ministry
and the Union of the Russian Armenians.

"Based on the experience and heritage of centuries long cooperation
of Armenia and Russia, taking into consideration the agreement of
Cooperation and friendship and mutual help signed in 1998 on November
5 the heads of the institutions, according to the agreement, pay a
special attention at organizing special events directed at solution of
the preservation problem of the Armenians in the Russian Federation",
– the release issued by the RA Diaspora Ministry read.

NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF CHINA HANDS OVER HIS CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT

Noyan Tapan
March 16, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Serzh Sargsyan
receiving newly appointed Ambassador of China to Armenia Tian
Changchun on March 16 on the occasion of the ceremony of handing
over Ambassador’s credentials said that Armenia is interested in
expansion of cooperation with China in various spheres. In his words,
thanks to serious measures undertaken in the economic sphere lately,
China is Armenia’s second economic partner today. S. Sargsyan also
attached importance to expansion of cooperation in the humanitarian
sphere and to measures undertaken in that direction.

The newly appointed Ambassador conveyed Chinese President Hu
Jintao’s greetings to S. Sargsyan and emphasized Chinese people’s
deep respect for Armenia and the Armenian people. T. Changchun said
that the government of China attaches much importance to development
of cooperation with Armenia. In his words, since establishment of
diplomatic relations Armenian-Chinese political, economic cooperation,
humanitarian contacts have been developing consistently, and the
results are already visible today.

According to RA President’s Press Office, issues regarding development
of trade and economic partnership between the two countries, joint
programs were discussed at the conversation. It was mentioned that
one of the biggest programs, construction of a chloropren rubber
manufacturing joint venture comes to an end, and venture’s operation
will be a serious stimulus for development of economic contacts. The
sides highly assessed Armenia’s and China’s efficient cooperation
at international structures, unbiassed and balanced positions to one
another’s problems.

Hurriyet, Turkey
March 12 2010

Recognition of Armenian ‘genocide’ puts chill in Sweden-Turkey relations

Friday, March 12, 2010
ANKARA ‘ Hürriyet Daily News

Friendly ties between Turkey and Sweden turned into chilly diplomatic
relations after the Swedish parliament recognized the Armenian
`genocide’ with a 131-130 vote on Thursday.

"Regrettably, the decision of the Riksdag will not make a positive
contribution to the ongoing process of normalization between Turkey
and Armenia, in particular the establishment of a commission to
investigate the events in 1915,’ Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
admitted in a written statement on Friday.

In spite of the government’s advice, the parliament voted to recognize
`the genocide of Armenians and other ethic groups during the fall of
the Ottoman Empire.’

`The vote delivered a major blow to excellent ties,’ said Turkish
Ambassador to Stockholm Zergun Korutürk who was immediately recalled
to Ankara for consultations.

"The resolution claims as if whole Christian communities were
massacred by the Ottoman Empire. So it is obviously baseless,"
Korutürk told reporters at Ankara’s EsenboÄ?a Airport on Friday.

It will not be easy to repair the damage, she said and urged the
Swedish government to solve the problem. "Being sorry is not enough.
If they are aware of how serious the problem is, then they need to
look for new ways to find a solution."

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an cancelled his visit to Stockholm.
"Our people and our government reject this decision based upon major
errors and without foundation," said a statement from his office.

Swedish Ambassador to Ankara Christer Asp said his government believed
that `history should be left to historians’ on Friday after he was
summoned to the foreign ministry in protest.

Bildt said, `Historical events should not be judged at the political
level, but should be left to the parties concerned to discuss on the
basis of current research."

The vote went against the report of the parliamentary committee on
foreign affairs and the Riksdag was not unanimous as is evident from
the fact that the outcome was based on a majority of a single vote,
Bildt said.

President Abdullah Gül speaking to reporters in Isparta province said,
`We know very well how such decisions are taken.’

Noting that Swedish decision makers are not historians, `I think they
don’t have the knowledge about what happened. Actually, they are
easily provoked and flouted history. Don’t exaggerate an issue that
has no credit with us,’ Gül said.

Egemen BaÄ?ıÅ?, Turkey’s chief negotiator for EU Affairs, expressed his
disappointment. `Unfortunately, Sweden has been influenced by an
unrealistic historical thesis. It is wrong that parliaments attempt to
write history or distort the historical realities,’ he said.

`It is quite an irresponsible act for the next generations. History
cannot be written with `yes’ or `no’ votes. Politicians should focus
on the future rather than the past,’ BaÄ?ıÅ? said.

The vote came a week after the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs
approved a similar resolution. Mehmet Kaplan, a Turkish-origin Swedish
parliamentarian, asserted that his colleagues were inspired by the
recent U.S. vote. `They also wanted to invest in minority votes for
upcoming general elections,’ Kaplan said.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed during
World War I as the Ottoman Empire fell apart. Turkey, however, rejects
the genocide label and asserts that Turks were also killed by
Armenians amid civil strife during wartime and that the Armenian death
toll is inflated

Agence France Presse
March 12, 2010 Friday 4:15 PM GMT

Turkey warns Sweden of damage to ties over ‘genocode’ vote

Ankara, March 12 2010

Turkey warned Sweden Friday of "serious" damage to ties after the
Swedish parliament recognized the massacres of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks as genocide, only days after a similar vote by a US
Congressional panel.

The foreign ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador to convey
Ankara’s protests, while the Turkish envoy to Stockholm, recalled
immediately after Thursday’s vote, arrived home for consultations.

"It is up to the government to decide, but I think (the vote) will
have serious consequences" on bilateral relations, Ambassador Zergun
Koruturk told reporters after landing in Istanbul.

She lamented that the vote came at a time when "we had excellent ties
with Sweden and it was at the forefront of countries supporting our
European Union membership process."

Turkey expects Sweden to "take serious steps to compensate" for the
decision, a Turkish diplomat told AFP after the Swedish ambassador was
summoned to the foreign ministry.

The envoy, Christer Asp, said after the meeting that Thursday’s
decision was not binding for the government and vowed to maintain the
"strong, friendly" ties with Turkey.

Going against the government’s advice, the Swedish parliament voted by
a narrow margin to recognize the "genocide of Armenians" during the
breakup of the Ottoman Empire, further infuriating Ankara by
mentioning also other Christian communities as victims of "genocide"
in Ottoman hands.

Ankara quickly recalled its ambassador and cancelled next week’s visit
by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sweden.

The vote came a week after the US House Foreign Affairs Committee
narrowly approved a non-binding resolution branding the massacres of
Armenians a genocide, prompting Ankara to recall its ambassador.

"Those decisions… will have a negative impact on Turkish-Armenian
ties which we have been trying to normalise," Erdogan said in a
televised speech in northwestern Turkey.

Ankara "will not be deterred by and will not bow to those fait
accomplis, to those ill-willed actions and irresponsible attitudes,"
he added.

A government statement late Thursday accused Swedish lawmakers of
backing the move out of "domestic political calculations" ahead of
elections in September.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said it was a "mistake to
politicise history" and vowed that the government’s position remains
unchanged.

Sweden is among the few countries which openly support Turkey’s
troubled EU accession bid.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was expected to meet Bildt
Friday or Saturday on the sidelines of an informal European gathering
in Finland, a diplomatic source said.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed in a
systematic campaign of extermination during World War I as the Ottoman
Empire fell apart.

Turkey categorically rejects the genocide label, arguing that between
300,000 and 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks were killed
in civil strife when Armenians rose up for independence and sided with
invading Russian forces.

But much to Ankara’s ire, parliaments in several countries have
recognized the killings as genocide.

Setting up an independent body of historians to study the events is
one of the measures foreseen under a historic deal Turkey and Armenia
signed in October to establish diplomatic relations and open their
border.

But the process has already stalled, with Ankara accusing Yerevan of
trying to change the terms of the deal and Yerevan charging that
Ankara is not committed to ratifying the accord.

burs-han/su/cw

SWEDEN CALLS ON NOT TO POLITICIZE HISTORICAL EVENTS

Trend
March 12 2010
Azerbaijan

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt called on not to politicize the
historical events, commenting on recent developments in the Swedish
Parliament, CNN Turk quoted the Swedish media outlets.

The Swedish Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations approved
a resolution on the so-called "Armenian genocide" by a one-vote
margin yesterday evening. A similar decision was adopted by the
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs with
23 votes against 22 last week. According to Bildt, the recognition
of the so-called "genocide" will lead to the failure of efforts to
normalize Turkish-Armenian relations.

The minister said that Sweden supports establishment of a joint
commission that will investigate the fact of the so called "genocide".

After approving the document, Ankara recalled its ambassador from
Stockholm for consultations and canceled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s visit to Sweden, scheduled for March 17, in response to this
document. "We strongly condemn the Swedish Parliament’s decision. Our
people and Government reject the decision, devoid of foundation and
is full of mistakes," said in Turkish Government’s official statement.

The statement says that Ankara believes the Swedish Parliament’s
decision was adopted in favor of a number of internal political
interests and "doesn’t fit the relations between Turkey and Sweden,
and close ties and friendship between the two nations".

POLISH PREMIER TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA

news.am
March 11 2010
Armenia

March 12, Polish delegation headed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk
arrives on a working visit to Armenia.

Polish Premier intends to meet with RA President Serzh Sargsyan,
His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, RA NA Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan and Premier Tigran Sargsyan, RA governmental press
service informed NEWS.am.

Armenian and Polish Premiers will meet tete-a-tete followed by an
enlarged meeting and sign the document.

Donald Tusk and Tigran Sargsyan will also give a joint press
conference. Later, Polish Premier will lay a wreath on the memorial
of Genocide victims.