Author: Ekmekjian Janet

1994 RWANDAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS COMMEMORATED

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.04.2009 12:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The remains of thousands of victims of the Rwandan
genocide are to be reburied in Uganda, it has been announced – 15
years after the killings began.

Some 800,000 people were killed during the genocide, with many of
the bodies thrown into Rwandan rivers. Nearly 11,000 of them were
eventually recovered from Lake Victoria in Uganda and buried by
villagers.

Rwanda’s ambassador to Uganda said they will now receive proper
burials in three permanent mass graves. "We have decided to accord a
decent burial to those genocide victims," Ignatius Kamali said. "We
want the exercise done within 100 days from today."

The Rwandan embassy in Uganda said the exhumation and reburials will
start after Easter.

The embassy’s first secretary John Ngarambe said the Rwandan community
would go to Golo, the likely main re-burial site, to mark the official
commemoration of the genocide on Tuesday.

Ugandan officials said that they welcomed the plan.

The genocide began on the evening of 6 April 1994, after a plane
carrying Rwandan Hutu President Habyarimana was shot down. Hutu
militias began a campaign of orchestrated killing.

Some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered in
100 days, BBC reported.

OBAMA URGES TURKEY AND ARMENIA TO NORMALISE TIES

Reuters
1/idUKTRE5355FQ20090406
April 6 2009
UK

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama urged the foreign
ministers of Turkey and Armenia during a meeting on Monday to
complete talks aimed at restoring ties between the two neighbours,
a U.S. official said.

Ankara and Yerevan are engaged in high-level negotiations to end
nearly a century of hostility, including the reopening of the border —
a move which could help shore up stability in the volatile Caucasus.

"On the margins of tonight’s Alliance of Civilisations dinner, the
president met the foreign ministers of Turkey, Armenia and Switzerland
to commend their efforts towards Turkish-Armenian normalisation
and to urge them to complete an agreement with dispatch," a senior
U.S. official told reporters in Istanbul.

The official was referring to a U.N.-backed conference in Istanbul
organised to discuss ways of building bridges between the Muslim
world and the West, which Obama attended on Monday as part of his
visit to Turkey.

Obama told reporters earlier in Ankara that he stood by his views
on mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915, which he has
termed genocide, but said he expected a breakthrough in talks between
Turkey and Armenia.

A breakthrough between Turkey and Armenia could help shore up
stability in the volatile Caucasus, criss-crossed by oil and gas
pipelines which make it of strategic importance to Russia, Europe
and the United States.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with
Azerbaijan, which was fighting Armenian-backed separatists over the
breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Obama has praised Turkey for its role in helping to work towards
a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which he said "has
continued for far too long."

Turkey accepts that many Christian Armenians were killed by Ottoman
Turks during World War One but strongly denies that up to 1.5 million
died as a result of genocide. (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; writing
by Ibon Villelabeitia; Editing by Jon Boyle)

YURI PATRIKEYEV WINS GOLD FOR ARMENIAN TEAM

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2009 11:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Graeco-Roman wrestling team won two gold
medals at European Championship held in Lithuania from March 31 to
April 5.

The medalists are Yuri Patrikeyev and Arsen Julfalakyan.

In total, Armenian wrestlers leave the Championship with 2 gold,
1 silver and 2 bronze medals.

Moj News Agency, Iran
April 4, 2009 Saturday

Iran, Armenia on the Way of Expanding Ties

Iranian Roads and Transportation Minister Hamid Behbahani has arrived
in Armenia to discuss economic ties with his Armenian counterparts.

"Iranian and Armenian officials tend to compile a 70-article
cooperation document," Bahbahani said at a meeting with Armenian
Energy Minister Armen Movsessian. Behbahani also visited his Armenian
counterpart Gurgen Sarkisian to discuss making link between the two
countries railways. Sarkisian announced that making link between the
railways of Iran and Armenia "is a matter of importance" for his
country adding that such a plan could be regarded as a "strategic
regional project." A working group is expected to take about 18 months
to determine the best route and do a feasibility study and
constructing the line would take three to four years, Iranian Roads
and Transportation Minister Hamed Behbahani said. Armenia, a
landlocked country, has no rail line that crosses its border. Rail
lines to Azerbaijan and Turkey have been closed for years, and the
rail link with Russia was cut by the Russian-Georgian conflict since
it crosses Georgia. Behbahani said the line would be about 300 miles
long, with most of that distance in Armenia. Sarkisian described the
rail line as "a continuation of the Silk Road," the historic trade
route that connected China with the Middle East. 2009/04/04

OSCE FRENCH CO-CHAIR TO PAY VISIT TO YEREVAN

12:01 04/04/2009
Source: Panorama.am

The OSCE Minsk Group French co-chairman Bernard Fassier is currently
in Yerevan, Tigran Balayan of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia told
Panorama.am. According to the source currently the French co-chair and
the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan are having a
meeting. The Foreign Ministry announces that a meeting with the mass
media representatives is not planned. According to some sources, the
French co-chair will have a meeting with the President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan, also.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO ATTEND THE "ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS" FORUM IN ISTANBUL

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 3 2009

April 6-7 the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, will
visit Istanbul to participate in the 2nd "Alliance of Civilizations"
forum under the auspices of the UN.

The aim of the "Alliance of Civilizations" forum is to develop the
intercultural understanding and cooperation. The first forum took
place in Madrid in January 2008.

The forum in Istanbul will feature senior officials from 30 countries
– Presidents, Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers, reported Public
radio.

AAA DOESN’T LOSE HOPE OBAMA WILL RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2009 15:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US President’s visit to Ankara is a perfect
opportunity for US leader to stress his position on Armenian Genocide
recognition, Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) Regional Director
in RA and NKR, Arpi Vardanyan told a news conference. "At his visit
Obama intends to discuss US-Turkish relations. There’s a chance he’ll
remind the Turkish government about his position on the Armenian
Genocide. We’re confident that despite the pressure of Ankara and
pro-Turkish forces, US president will keep his word and acknowledge
the Genocide," Arpi Vardanyan noted.

According to her, Turkey will stop at nothing to prevent recognition
of the Armenian Genocide.

Resolution on the Armenian Genocide, submitted to US Congress,
already has the support of 88 congressmen. "The resolution has to
be considered by Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, and we hope that the
issue will be solved during this year," Arpi Vardanyan noted, adding
that Genocide recognition is one of the main tasks of AAA.

AMERIABANK TO PAY ANNUAL BONUSES TO ITS CLIENTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2009 10:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In discussing outcomes of 2008 activities, Ameriabank
Board of Director decided on payment of annual bonuses to its clients.

The global economic crisis forced may entrepreneurs to reduce staff
and salaries, but Ameriabank did not draw back from its personnel
policy, the bank’s press office said.

Each employee’s contribution to bank activities will be assessed by
"360o" system envisaging raise for any position.

Ameriabank believes motivation of employees to be the guarantee of
the bank’s stability.

RAILWAY REDUCES TARIFFS

LRAGIR.AM
14:02:09 – 01/04/2009

In result of the works carried out with the Georgian railway company
the South Caucasus railway company changes its tariffs from April 1. At
the Karmir Blur-Poti- Karmir Blur railway communication the price for
the transportation of a 20ft container will be 0, 48 Switzerland Frank
(30 cent) both for Armenia and for Georgia.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
March 30, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA "FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW" CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHTS OBAMA PLEDGE TO
STOP DARFUR GENOCIDE; RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

— Visit

WASHINGTON, DC – On the eve of the April 1st arrival of Genocide
Prevention Month, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today launched a nationwide online and print campaign urging
concrete action to end the Darfur genocide and full U.S.
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Echoing Martin Luther King’s famous remarks at the Lincoln Memorial
in August, 1963, the "Fierce Urgency of NOW" campaign urges anti-
genocide activists across the U.S. to visit to
learn more about the worsening humanitarian situation in Darfur and
how this atrocity fits into the cycle of genocide that started with
the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. The website provide simple
ways for citizens to call on President Obama to show "unstinting
resolve" in the effort to stop the Darfur Genocide, by
participating in Save Darfur "add your voice" effort
(). Activists can also call on the Obama
Administration and Congress to recognize the Armenian Genocide,
putting to an end to U.S. complicity in Turkey’s international
campaign of genocide denial.

On Monday, March 30, 2009, full page ads were placed in The
Politico and Roll Call newspapers, primarily targeting
Administration and Congressional decision makers in Washington, DC,
with a powerful graphic bringing together child survivors of the
Armenian Genocide and Darfur Genocide into a stark visualization of
the ongoing cycle of genocide. The photos are juxtaposed with
President Obama’s January, 2008, campaign pledge to the American
people stating:

"Genocide, sadly, persists to this day, and threatens our common
security and common humanity. Tragically, we are witnessing in
Sudan many of the same brutal tactics – displacement, starvation,
and mass slaughter – that were used by the Ottoman authorities
against defenseless Armenians back in 1915. I have visited
Darfurian refugee camps, pushed for the deployment of a robust
multinational force for Darfur, and urged divestment from companies
doing business in Sudan. America deserves a leader who speaks
truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to
all genocides. I intend to be that President."

To read the complete "Obama file" on Armenian Genocide recognition,
visit:
s/Obama_Armenian_Genocide.pdf

Companion internet ads will be running on the key political news
websites , , and –
which will coincide with President Obama’s upcoming two-day trip to
Turkey on April 6th and 7th.

This past weekend, over 100,000 postcards were distributed to
communities and campuses across the U.S. urging activists to visit
and take action. These will be
accompanied by a nationwide mailing program to activate the growing
anti-genocide constituency across the United States.

The ANCA’s campaign coincides with efforts to have the White House
designate April as Genocide Prevention month, an initiative
spearheaded by the Genocide Prevention Project
(). With successive genocides –
from the Armenian Genocide and Holocaust to the genocides in
Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda – commemorated in the month of April,
GPP has worked with a nationwide coalition of organizations,
including Save Darfur, the Genocide Intervention Network, Enough
Project and many others, in spotlighting a month-long campaign of
activities commemorating past genocides and urging action to stop
the killing in Darfur. Anti-Genocide activities are listed on a
special website – .

The official kick-off for Genocide Prevention Month will take place
on Tuesday, March 31st, at 7:00pm at the 6th & I Historic Synagogue,
600 I Street NW, in Washington, DC. After a 20-minute preview of
the documentary, "The Last Survivor", former CNN anchor Andrea
Koppel will moderate a discussion among a group of survivors, anti-
genocide advocates, policy experts, and the filmmakers.

Among Genocide Prevention Month activities is the "End the Cycle of
Genocide" Advocacy Days, organized by the ANCA and Genocide
Intervention Network – bringing activists to Capitol Hill from April 22nd
through 24th to urge recognition of the Armenian Genocide and concrete
action on the Darfur Genocide. The effort coincides with the April 24th
worldwide commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. To participate
in ANCA / GI-Net Advocacy Days, register at

Individuals can help expand the "Fierce Urgency of NOW" campaign by
asking friends, family and coworkers to visit
and take action. The effort can be publicized through a number of
online sharing tools reaching the vast array of social networking
sites including Facebook and LinkedIn, among others. To promote
the campaign on college campuses or local communities, contact Garo
Manjikian at [email protected].