Author: Frangulian Shushan

5 PERSONS REPORTED DEAD; 20 CANNOT BE TAKEN OUT OF FIRE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.05.2009 20:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Firefighters are currently trying to extinguish
fire in Nairit plant. As reported by Nikolay Grigoryan, Deputy Head
of RA Emergency Ministry’s Rescue Service, the explosion occurred in
12th production sector. At the moment of explosion, 4 person were
inside; 2 of them are reported dead. The causes will be estimated
after expert examination.

Today, about 18:40 p.m. local time, two explosions occurred in
Nairit Plant CJCS, specialized in production of synthetic rubber. The
explosions were followed by fire. 15 minutes later, 9 fire brigades
arrived in the scene of action.

According to unofficial data, 5 persons are reported dead, and 20
may be taken out of fire.

Territories surrounding the plant are closed, and no transport movement
is allowed.

RA NA PRESIDENT HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN RECEIVES SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL

National Assembly of RA
May 13 2009
Armenia

President of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan received
Secretary General of the European Movement International Mr. Henrik
Kroner.

During the talk the head of the parliament presented the activities of
the legislators of Armenia aimed at the integration into the European
family at the interlocutor’s request. He emphasized that the European
Union Eastern Partnership initiative, which was launched recently,
opens new horizons for the cooperation with the European Union,
and Armenia will certainly make use of all opportunities.

Secretary General Mr. Henrik Kroner in his turn presented the history,
problems and objectives of the European Movement International to
Mr. H. Abrahamyan. Afterwards the interlocutors touched upon the
activities of the movement in Armenia.

President of the Executive Committee of European Movement Armenia
Mr. Viktor Yengibaryan also attended the meeting.

MARIE L. YOVANOVITCH: US REMAINS COMMITTED TO ITS LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH ARMENIA

armradio.am
12.05.2009 16:53

In response to news reports carried recently by several media outlets
regarding assistance from the United States for Armenia, US Ambassador
to Armenia Marie L. Yovanovitch reminded that since international
assistance to Armenia began over twenty years ago with the relief
effort following the 1988 earthquake, the U.S.

government has provided almost two billion dollars of humanitarian
aid and development assistance for Armenia’s economic, social
and governance sectors. "The Obama Administration’s request for
Armenia for FY 2010 ($30 million) is 25 percent above the last Bush
Administration budget request ($24 million was requested for FY 2009;
Congress doubled this request to $48 million). The actual level of
assistance for Armenia for FY 2010 has not yet been determined by
the U.S. Congress," the Ambassador said.

With respect to funding for Nagorno-Karabakh, Ambassador Yovanovitch
said "there has never been a budget request sent to Congress because
there is no mechanism for doing so in the budget process. Rather,
the humanitarian assistance provided to Nagorno-Karabakh is worked
out afterwards, during the budget negotiation between Congress and
the Administration."

"Regarding military assistance, the Administration’s FMF request
for Armenia in FY 2010 is the same level as20Armenia received in FY
2009. There has been no decrease. The specific increase for Azerbaijan
is linked to U.S. priorities in peacekeeping and maritime security,
particularly regarding proliferation and drug trafficking on the
Caspian Sea. The respective levels requested for Armenia and Azerbaijan
are carefully considered and calibrated to ensure that they do not
adversely affect the military balance in the region or undermine
efforts for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict;
they do, however, provide appropriate assistance to each country that
will enhance their interoperability and military professionalism,"
the Ambassador stated.

According to Marie L. Yovanovitch, the United States remains committed
to its longstanding partnership with Armenia and the Armenian people.

"Helping the people of Armenia has been, and continues to be, a high
priority," she concluded.

ARMENIANS CAPTURE SERGEANT OF AZERBAIJANI ARMY

APA
May 12 2009
Azerbaijan

Fuzuli. Teymur Zahidoglu – APA. Sergeant of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
was captured by Armenians. APA’s Karabakh bureau reports that the
Armenians captured sergeant Anar Hajiyev in Fuzuli on May 10.

It is not known in what conditions it happened. Anar Hajiyev was
reportedly drafted from Goranboy region.

Armenia has already issued a statement on the fact. Servicemen of
Azerbaijani Army, sergeant Anar Khanbaba Hajiyev voluntarily crossed
the line of contact at 9.45 on May 10.

A CONFERENCE ENTITLED ‘THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION AND CURRENT CHALLENGES’ HELD IN HOUSE OF LORDS IN GREAT BRITAIN

ArmInfo
2009-05-11 17:35:00

ArmInfo. On May 8, a conference entitled "The Armenian Genocide:
International Recognition and Current Challenges" was held in the
House of Lords in Great Britain. The conference was organized by the
British-Armenian All Party Parliamentary Group and Armenian Embassy.

To take part in the conference, Israel Charny, a well-known historian
specializing on the study of genocide, and well-known publicist Harut
Sasunyan were invited to the conference, however, I.Charny failed to
come and his speech was read off.

The participants presented documentary materials about the genocide,
stressed the inadmissibility of its denial and significance of its
international recognition. In particular, Sasunyan touched upon the
issue of recognizing the Armenian Genocide by the USA, which was
actually done as early as 1975 and 1984 by the H.Rep. Resolutions,
as well as by ex-president Ronald Reagan.

Armenian Ambassador to Great Britain Vahe Gabrielyan thanked the
participants and members of the British Parliament for the activity
aimed at recognizing the Armenian Genocide and stressed the necessity
of its recognition by Great Britain. The ambassador also touched upon
the current process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

NA CHAIRMAN SAYS WE AVERTED GENOCIDE WANDERING OVER ARTSAKH

14:12 09/05/2009
Source: Panorama.am

`This is a holiday symbolizing the victories of the Armenian nation to
fight for living and creating. The sore and wound of Genocide the
Armenian people witnessed was not yet healed when our people partook
in the Great Patriotic War conscious of fighting against the evil. The
Armenian soldiers overcome the bustle of the Second World War and had
their unique investment in the collapse of fascism system. And the
crown of those victories has become the liberation of Shoushi and
Artsakh,’ the Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia Hovik
Abrahamyan said in his address to the Victory and Peace Day.

It is said in the message that the genocide wandering over the Artsakh
Armenians has been averted and the rich cultural heritage of Artsakh
well protected.

On the occasion of Victory and Peace Day the Prime Minister of Armenia
Tigran Sargsyan and the Patriarch of All Armenians Karekin II sent
addresses also.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH JOSE MANUEL BARROSO AND JAVIER SOLANA

ARMENPRESS
May 8, 2009

PRAGUE, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan met
today in the morning with the President of the European Commission
Jose Manuel Barroso and EU High Representative for the Common Foreign
and Security Policy Javier Solana.

"Our meeting with the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was very
constructive and interesting," J. Solana told the reporters after the
meeting. Among the discussed issues was the cooperation within the
frameworks of Eastern Partnership. "We also discussed those issues
which exist in your region and the solution of which is important
not only for Armenia but for the security and stability of the whole
region," he noted.

Referring to the question whether the conflicts existing in the
region will impede the implementation of the programs within Eastern
Partnership, J. Solana said that one of the main objectives of the
initiative is bringing peoples closer to each other for discussing
common issues. "All the existing difficulties must be discussed and
the opportunities of their solutions are big which is important for
Eastern Partnership as well which also needs to form trust," he noted.

Referring to Armenian-Turkish relations, Solana said that the process
of dialogue continues and the European establishments have great hope
that they will proceed according to the achieved arrangement.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan assessed bilateral meetings
of the Armenian President constructive and essential. According to
him, they were effective both from the point of view of development
of bilateral relations and in respect of discussion of different
regional and international issues.

Referring to the meeting of the Armenian and Turkish presidents,
Edward Nalbandyan said that it passed in a quite working atmosphere
during which the two presidents agreed to respect those arrangements
which have been previously reached – to normalize relations without
preconditions and within sensible time. In this respect the presidents
assigned the two foreign ministers to continue contacts on further
steps.

Edward Nalbandyan rejected information about the meeting of
the Armenian, Azerbaijani, Turkish and Russian presidents. "This
information does not correspond to reality, there is no such an issue
in the agenda," Armenian foreign minister assured.

As to the Prague Summit, during which the Eastern Partnership was
launched, Edward Nalbandyan said that it is just the beginning which
will give the partner countries an opportunity to establish closer
ties, deepen and develop relations, become closer with the EU. The
foreign minister said that cooperation with each state will be formed
based on how the partner country will be ready, will have wish and
undertake steps towards boosting and deepening the relations. It is
expected that once in two years meetings will be held on the level
of presidents, once in a year on the level of foreign ministers.

Speaking about basic principles of the Karabakh conflict regulation,
Edward Nalbandyan clarified that the principles are the ones included
in the Madrid document. According to him, the meeting of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents yesterday was useful in respect that
the sides got acquainted which each other’s approaches closer and
an opportunity has been created to make the positions of parties
closer over separate issues. The foreign minister said that the
meetings will continue, the co-chairs will be visiting the region,
in case of necessity the foreign ministers will meet to prepare the
next meeting of the presidents which is expected to take place in
June in Saint Petersburg.

ARMENIAN WOMAN FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST POLICE OFFICE IN AZERBAIJAN

APA
May 7 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Ramil Mammadli – APA. Armenian woman filed lawsuit against the
police office of Nasimi District of Baku, APA reports.

Nora Vartanesovna Varagyan sent cassation to the Supreme Court on the
decision of Baku Appeal Court regarding the police office of Nasimi
District. The case is judged by civil board member of the Supreme
Court Asad Mirzaliyev. The proceeding of cassation appeal will take
place on May 8.

Nora Vartanesovna Varagyan withdrew her registration at address where
she lived in Nasimi District of Baku in 1991, early years of Armenian
aggression against Azerbaijan. She didn’t restore her registration
later, and in 2007 she asked the police office of Nasimi District
to give her an identification card. Her request was not accepted
because she withdrew registration. Varagyan complained to the local
court about the action of high-ranking police officer, but the Nasimi
District Court and Baku Appeal Court rejected her lawsuit.

ROAD MAP NOT AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.05.2009 16:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The "road map" is not yet an agreement between
Armenia and Turkey. As a guideline, it just declares Yerevan and
Ankara’s intention to normalize bilateral ties, RA Deputy Foreign
Minister Karine Kazinyan told today’s news conference, adding that
the document will be introduced to public only after full elaboration
and RA Government’s decision on publicizing its contents.

With regard to possibility of Armenian-Turkish border opening,
Mrs. Kazaryan stressed that Armenia can no longer remain in isolation,
while border opening requires normalization of bilateral ties.

On April 23, Armenian and Turkish Foreign Ministers reached agreement
on normalization of bilateral ties. The document was signed through
intermediary of Swiss Foreign Ministry.

THE PAST IS GONE, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN

LA Valley Star
ge/paper295/news/2009/05/06/News/The-Past.Is.Gone. But.Never.Forgotten-3736950.shtml
May 6 2009
CA

Every person that walks the halls of Valley College has a heritage,
whether it relates to a country that they recently immigrated from,
or their ancestry traced back over many years. For one portion of the
college community, however, their heritage is marred by mass murder
and Diaspora. The Armenian community gathered in Monarch Hall April
28, in remembrance and recognition of their heritage and in honor of
the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

"As survivors, it is our obligation to make sure our history is
rewritten correctly…We will not rest until the whole world knows the
truth of the Armenian history," said Armine Elikuchukyan, president
of the Armenian Student Association.

The genocide, which resulted in 1.5 million deaths, was carried out
by the Ottoman Empire. It is considered the first genocide of the
20th century, and is commemorated every year on April 24; the day on
which most of the killing took place in 1915.

Monarch Hall was starkly decorated for the event, with Armenian flags,
candles, and a flowered cross serving as the only decoration for more
than 40 attendees. Young Armenians read poetry over somber Armenian
music during the service, showing the lasting effect of the genocide
and demonstrating the hope that young Armenians have for the future.

"My people, my dear people, lovely people. Hundreds of years have
passed but your love is always in our hearts…Your fire will never
extinguish, will always burn in our hearts, and in our memories,"
said a woman in Armenian.

Another woman spoke of Mt. Ararat in Armenian, a mountain considered
the spiritual home of Armenians but now part of Turkish territory.

"You exist, you’ve always been here with pride, you exist in the world
always as a dream, we are going to die one day, are we going to die
without you Ararat? …You remain far, you remain a dream Ararat."

Dance was also used to express the gamut of emotions Armenians have
about their past, ranging from sadness about past wounds, to the joy
of starting afresh.

"The dance was about after the genocide; everything reopens, but we are
remembering our feelings about the past," said Knarik Nazilikian, who
danced ‘Kilkia,’ named after a former Armenian city. "Dancing makes
me feel better about who I am, and where my parents and ancestors
came from, even though I was born here [in the United States]."

Marine Djougarian also danced during the service, showing deep sorrow
through her movement across the stage.

[My dance] I begin happy, but then I remember the genocide, which is
very tragic to me. I’m crying, and I am sad, and I am remembering my
ancestors…I’m a dancer and I am happy that I dance, but a ceremony
like this does not make me happy."

Arthur Minasyan, vice president of the Associated Student Union,
believes that more should be done in recognition of the genocide.

"I do think the day needs to be recognized, I still talk to a lot of
people who aren’t aware of the atrocities that took place in 1915,"
said Minasyan. "Presidents in the past…they have recognized the
Armenian Genocide, but then they take office, and then [nothing]…I
hope Obama does, but the nation interest is his main concern."