Author: Frangulian Shushan

PRESIDENT GUL SAYS TURKEY-ARMENIA ACCORD WOULD BENEFIT AZERBAIJAN

Hurriyet
April 30 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – A possible accord to normalize ties between Ankara and
Yerevan would benefit Azerbaijan, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said
late Wednesday.

The Turkish president told a joint press conference with his Czech
counterpart Vaclav Klaus in Prague that the reconciliation efforts
are not against Azerbaijan.

The initiatives were also for the benefit of Turkey and Azerbaijan
as well as for the establishment of stability in the entire Caucasus
region, Gul said.

Baku is disturbed by Turkey’s and Armenia’s recent efforts toward
reconciliation, which could lead to reopening their joint border.

Turkey closed the border in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan,
which is in conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan has urged Turkey, its close ally, to link reconciliation
efforts with Armenia to the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the
disputed region.

Turkey and Armenia, under Switzerland’s mediation, agreed last week
on a framework for normalizing relations.

NABUCCO PROJECT Gul also said he discussed energy issue with Klaus,
adding that Turkey attached importance to the energy issue and was
determined about the Nabucco project.

The Turkish president said he hopes that a memorandum of understanding
would be signed between governments soon.

He said the main resources of the Nabucco project were the Caucasus,
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, adding that they were working to determine
whether those resources were sufficient.

Klaus was quoted by state-run Anatolian Agency as telling the
conference that his country supported Turkey’s EU membership process.

The Czech president said he showed his political will for Turkey’s
participation in the integration process with the EU.

IFEX – News from the international freedom of expression community
________________________________________ _________________________

ALERT – ARMENIA

1 May 2009

Online editor severely beaten, hospitalised

SOURCE: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), New York

(CPJ/IFEX) – New York, April 30, 2009 – The Committee to Protect
Journalists calls on Armenian authorities to apprehend three assailants who
attacked Argishti Kivirian, editor of the independent news Web site Armenia
Today. The unidentified men beat Kivirian early this morning, leaving him
hospitalized in serious condition, Zhanna Alexanian, president of the
Yerevan-based organization Journalists for Human Rights, told CPJ.

"We condemn this brutal attack on Argishti Kivirian and call on Yerevan
police to swiftly apprehend and punish his assailants," CPJ Europe and
Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "Independent
journalists in Armenia, including those working online, have been subjected
to increased physical violence in the past year. Armenian authorities
should reverse this trend by investigating and prosecuting to the fullest
all responsible for today’s attempt on Kivirian’s life."

Local press reports and CPJ sources said Kivirian was returning home from
his newsroom at around 5 a.m., when three men attacked him in the entrance
to his Yerevan apartment building. The men appeared to have been waiting
for him, said Alexanian, who spoke to Kivirian’s wife, the prominent lawyer
Luciné Saakian, shortly after the attack. Wielding rubber clubs, the
assailants hit Kivirian in the head and elsewhere on his body. Kivirian
struggled with one attacker who brandished a gun, causing the firearm to
discharge, Saakian told Alexanian. The shots roused Saakian and neighbors,
causing the assailants to flee, local press reports said.

Kivirian was taken to a Yerevan hospital where he was being treated for a
concussion and multiple bruises, the Armenian press reported.

Armenia Today is an independent Web site that publishes political, social,
and economic news, along with analyses of current events. In a statement
published after the attack, Kivirian’s colleagues said they were convinced
the attack was connected to his work and vowed that the site would continue
operating as usual. Colleagues did not connect the attack to a specific
piece. Kivirian has not yet spoken publicly.

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to
safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit

For further information, contact Nina Ognianova (x106) or Muzaffar
Suleymanov (x101) at CPJ, 330 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10001, U.S.A.,
tel: +1 212 465 1004, fax: +1 212 465 9568, e-mail: [email protected],
[email protected] , [email protected], Internet:

The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of CPJ.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit CPJ.
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ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
April 30, 2009

ATP Environmental Education Program Receives Energy Globe Award in Prague

WATERTOWN, MA–Armenia Tree Project (ATP) was selected as a National Winner
of the Energy Globe Award for Sustainability during a public ceremony on
April 13, 2009 in Prague. The winning program, "Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree:
Advancing the Next Generation of Armenia’s Environmental Stewards," is based
on ATP’s environmental education curriculum. An international jury chose 76
national winners for environmental and energy efficiency projects from 111
countries.

ATP’s backyard nursery micro-enterprise program received an Energy Globe
Award last year at the European Parliament in Brussels. The backyard nursery
program is mitigating poverty-driven deforestation by creating
micro-enterprise tree nurseries in the Getik River Valley of northern
Armenia, which are owned by hundreds of families who have doubled their
annual income by participating in this ATP program.

"The ‘Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree’ teacher’s manual is based on a
combination of experiential learning, practical experience, theory, and
research. Delivery methods include open-air classes, internet-based
learning, and interactive lessons that raise environmental awareness and
foster respect for and understanding of sustainable resource use," stated
ATP Executive Director Jeff Masarjian.

"The curriculum introduces teachers to the conceptual framework of
environmental education through modules that encourage students to link art
and science, build analytical skills through observation, and understand the
links between environmental conservation and Armenia’s cultural heritage,"
added Masarjian.

The Energy Globe Awards were held at the opening of the meeting of the
European Environment Ministers, which was convened by the Czech Republic as
head of the European Union Presidency. "We are happy about this recognition
through the European Policy," said founder Wolfgang Neumann of Austria in a
press release from the Energy Globe Foundation. "We find it really important
that the world sees how many really good projects and ideas there already
are."

The gala event was attended by top European environmental leaders, including
EU Commissioner for the Environment Stavros Dimas, European Council
President Mirek Topolanek, and Environment Council of Ministers President
Martin Bursik. "Projects from 111 countries were submitted. The spectrum is
big: from innovative wind power for ocean-going ships to solar energy system
for hospitals in the troubled area of Myanmar to the first
computer-recycling project of South America," noted the Energy Globe press
release.

"ATP is honored to again be selected as the National Winner from Armenia of
the prestigious Energy Globe Awards. This award acknowledges not only the
tremendous efforts taken by ATP in the field of environmental education, but
it is really a testament to the unwavering support of our donors, whose
investment in our programs allows us to address the critical environmental
challenges facing Armenia. We dedicate this award to all of our supporters,"
stated Masarjian after the award was accepted by the ATP leadership.

ATP’s award-winning "Plant an Idea, Plant a Tree" curriculum is available in
Armenian and English at the following link:

Since 1994, Armenia Tree Project has planted and restored more than
3,000,000 trees and created hundreds of jobs for impoverished Armenians in
tree-regeneration programs. The organization’s three tiered initiatives are
tree planting, community development to reduce poverty and promote
self-sufficiency, and environmental education to protect Armenia’s precious
natural resources. For additional information, visit the web site

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

ATP_Energy_Globe_Award.jpg

Armenia Tree Project was selected as a National Winner of the Energy Globe
Award for Sustainability for its environmental education program

ATP_Environmental_Education.jpg

Armenia Tree Project’s award-winning environmental education program is
designed for students between the ages of 6-18 and is being integrated into
the secondary school system in Armenia

PAMBOUKIAN TALKS ABOUT ARF ARCHIVES
Khatchig Mouradian

oukian-talks-about-arf-archives/
April 29, 2009

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On April 7, the Hairenik Association
organized a discussion with historian and former Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Bureau member Dr. Yervart Pamboukian from Lebanon. The
event, held at the Homenetmen "Papken Suny" center in Watertown, was
attended by scholars, intellectuals, and representatives from Armenian
organizations and associations from the Greater Boston area and beyond.

Pamboukian has edited and published five volumes in Armenian on the
ARF archives, and was in Watertown in March and April to conduct
research for his sixth and seventh volumes.

Tatul Sonentz-Papazian, the former editor of the Armenian Review and
former director of the ARF and First Republic of Armenia archives,
currently directs the publications department of the Armenian Relief
Society (ARS). Sonentz-Papazian introduced the speaker, saying that
for decades Pamboukian has served his nation as a teacher, historian,
and party activist.

Pamboukian began his talk by saying that as a historian, he feels a
great sense of satisfaction when he delves into the ARF archives,
because they make "you relive everything that had to do with our
national struggle."

Pamboukian said the ARF archives are immense and that records have been
kept from the founding days of the party. Although not as organized as
they could have been in the late 1800’s, the archives were gradually
enriched and organized over the decades. "Most of the material found
in the archives comes from Tsarist Russia and the Ottoman Empire," he
said, explaining that it includes thousands upon thousands of letters
and reports, sometimes written in secret codes or by invisible ink.

Before World War I, the archives were kept in Geneva and then
Paris. After the war, they were moved to Boston, where they are still
kept "in perfect condition," he said.

"Not only do these archives contain party-related issues, but also
a wealth of information about the recent history of the Armenians,
statistical and demographic data, etc.," said Pamboukian. "I can say
that no Armenian archives of any Armenian organization are as rich
as the ARF archives. In fact, we sometimes have more material about
other Armenian organizations than those organizations themselves."

Talking about the digitization process of the ARF archives, which began
recently, Pamboukian announced that the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
had provided $50,000 for that purpose. A question-and-answer session
and a reception followed.

UNKNOWN OPENS FIRE ON STUDENTS IN BAKU

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2009 11:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today an armed man opened fire on Azeri students of
the Azerbaijan Oil Academy. The gunman was reported to commit suicide.

According to preliminary investigation, 8-10 people were killed,
the Baku Prosecutor Office said.

The building is cordoned by police. Interior Minister Ramil Usubov
also arrived at the site, Trend News reported.

YEREVAN ZOO GETS READY FOR THE OPENING OF THE SEASON

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 29, 2009
YEREVAN

The Yerevan zoo gets ready for the opening of the season. This year
it will too open on May 1.

Director of the zoo park Sahak Abovian told Armenpress that
at present renovation is being conducted in the zoo to meet the
visitors on a proper level. According to him, this year’s works of
main reconstruction of the park will probably kick off in the second
half of the year.

There are 2 200 animals of 210 types in the Yerevan zoo. The number
of visitors to the zoo exceeds 150 000 each year.

TENDENCIES OF PROCESS ACCELERATION OUTLINED IN NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROCESS

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 28, 2009
YEREVAN

Tendencies of process acceleration are outlined in the Nagorno Karabakh
settlement process. OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs stated at the April 27
press conference. They expressed the hope that the meeting of RA and
Azeri Presidents to be held on May 7 in Prague will be constructive.

MG French Co-chair Bernard Fassier drew attention to much activation of
Co-chairs’ visits to the region and three meetings between Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the past months. "There are reasonable
hopes for progress, and these hopes prompt us that Prague meeting
will be constructive. Everything depends on the two Presidents’ will,"
B. Fassier stated.

American Co-chair Matthew Bryza also expressed an analogous point
of view.

At the same time he refuted the assertion that U.S. State Secretary
Hillary Clinton made a statement about the possibility of that
problem’s solution within a month. "My leader stated that the conflict
may be solved within several months," he said.

According to MG Russian Co-chair Yuri Merzliakov, there are
all conditions for ensuring advance in the process of conflict
settlement. As to the possibility of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement in the nearest time, Y. Merzliakov noted that time
predictions is the most difficult thing. In his words, everything
will depend on the decision the sides, in particular, Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, will make on the fundamental or basic
principles of settlement. The Russian diplomat said that after
coordination of these principles by the sides work will be done to
work out a peaceful agreement.

"Madrid principles" remain on the table, the Presidents continue
discussing them, discussion of many of these points is planned during
Prague meeting," B. Fassier stated. In his words, if necessary, a new
meeting between Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev will be organized in
early June in Saint Petersburg. He also expressed conviction that both
Presidents intend to prepare the public opinion in their countries
for the purpose of forming an atmosphere of good neighborly relations.

M. Bryza said that both Presidents proceed from the fact that an
agreement on Nagorno Karabakh settlement should be balanced and
based on principles of self-determination, territorial integrity and
exclusion of use of force.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE

April 27, 2009
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT IN
APRIL 24TH COMMEMORATIVE STATEMENT

Vice-President Biden phones Assembly Chairman

Washington, DC – On April 24, 2009, Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly) Chairman Hirair Hovnanian, sent a letter to President Barack
Obama expressing profound disappointment that the President had omitted
the word Genocide in his commemorative statement on the occasion of the
94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

That same afternoon, Vice-President Joseph Biden, Jr. telephoned
Chairman Hovnanian and they exchanged views on the history and status of
Armenian-American community efforts to obtain affirmation by the U.S.
government of the Armenian Genocide.

In his letter to President Obama, Mr. Hovnanian reminded the President
of his repeated promises to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Hovnanian
wrote, "Your use of Mets Yehern [Great Catastrophe] was an inadequate
substitute for Armenian Genocide," adding, "It was a regrettable retreat
from the expressed promises you made as a candidate…and in so doing,
may have taken a step backwards in genocide prevention around the
world."

The letter also pledged that the Assembly and the Armenian-American
community will pursue the prompt passage of House Resolution 252, and
requested that the President support the resolution which reaffirms the
United States record on the Armenian Genocide.

Additionally, Hovnanian cautioned that actions resulting from the
framework recently announced by Armenia and Turkey must be "distinct and
separate from the issue of the Armenian Genocide." He further requested
a meeting with President Obama to discuss problems and concerns of the
Armenian-American community regarding relations with Armenia.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###
NR#2009-042

Editor’s Note:

Full text of the letter to President Obama
2009/AAAlettertoPresidentObama.pdf

PanArmenian News, Armenia
April 24 2009

Ruben Safrastyan: Obama excelled his predecessors

25.04.2009 14:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. President Barack Obama excelled his
predecessors in his annual April 24 statement and this fact is
welcome, an Armenian professor said.

`Obama employed the term Genocide, which is used by Armenians and has
no legal power, while Genocide is the term used in international
law. Nevertheless, I think progress has been fixed and adoption of the
Armenian Genocide resolution will not be opposed by the White House
any longer,’ Ruben Safrastyan, director of the NAS RA Institute of
Oriental Studies, told PanARMENIAN.Net.

At that, he thinks that the joint statement issued by the Armenian and
Turkish Foreign Ministries was not the key reason for Obama’s not
saying `genocide’.

`Turkey is an important ally for U.S. in case with Afghanistan and
Iraq. The Armenian-Turkish relations have nothing to do with it,’
prof. Safrastyan said.

One step closer to cremation law
By Anna Hassapi

Cyprus Mail
25 April 2009

THE COUNCIL of Ministers has decided to include a provision allowing
Cypriot citizens to be cremated on the island, in a proposed bill
rights currently being prepared by Law Commissioner Leda Koursoumba.

In February, the Interior Ministry’s permanent secretary, Lazaros
Savvides, told the Cyprus Mail that the bill to allow cremation in
Cyprus should be ready for approval by the Council of Ministers in the
first half of this year.

Cypriots were previously prohibited from opting for cremation, while a
2006 Council of Ministers Decision allowed foreign nationals who die on
the island to be cremated ` even though legislation existed on the
establishment of crematoria.

`We have decided to amend the decision and a draft law is being
prepared at present, to give this right to all citizens without
exception, whether they are European, third country or Cypriot
nationals,’ Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis told the state
broadcaster yesterday.

The amendment was deemed necessary to redress the inequality in the
current law that allows foreign nationals residing in Cyprus to be
cremated, but forbids Cypriots from doing so.

`In 2006, a Council of Ministers Decision provided for the creation of
a committee to prepare the legislation on cremating the dead.

`The decision, however, excluded Cypriots from th is right, which was
considered to constitute discrimination,’ Sylikiotis explained.

The legislation will also address practical matters such as the
location and management of crematoria.

`At the same time we are preparing an amendment on how crematoria will
be operated ` either by the state, public or private organisations so
that the cremation and embalmment are carried out in ways that do not
affect the environment or public health.

`Such measures have already been in place for years in other European
countries. In Greece it has been in force since 2008 following a
Presidential Order,’ he said.

Greece was actually a late starter in allowing cremation compared to
other European countries. In France, a 1789 order declared cremation
legal, while an actual law on cremation was passed in 1887. In the UK
cremation has been legal since 1884, in Spain since 1945 and in Germany
since 1934.

Cyprus Church won’t perform funerals for cremated

IN CYPRUS, the Orthodox Church does not recognise cremation as a
religiously acceptable practice, although it agrees that the state has
the right to allow it.

The Interior Ministry had requested the opinion of Archbishop
Chrysostomos II in 2007. In his reply, the archbishop explained that
while the Church recognises the right of its members to choose between
a burial according to church rules or cremation, those who opt for
cremation lose the right to a church funeral service.

The main religious argument against cremation is that the body should
not be destroyed so that it can be resurrected when the day of
resurrection arrives. The Anglican Church, however, disagrees on this
point based on the argument that when people die they receive a new,
spiritual body.

`I would say cremation is an acceptable option, because although the
body is a magnificent gift from God, when we die we receive
resurrection and a new body ` therefore we do not need the old one,’
explained Reverend Michael Crawford, of the Anglican church of South
East Cyprus, which is based in Paralimni.

Reverend Crawford presented the theological grounds for this belief
from an extract of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: `42 So also
is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is
raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonour, it is raised
in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown
a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural
body, there is also a spiritual body.’

Indicative of the controversial status of cremation, however, is the
fact that church officials in other Cyprus-based churches were unable
to provide an opinion on cremation.

Specifically, the Mail contacted the Armenian Prelacy of Cyprus, and
the Latin Catholic Church in Nicosia and Limassol. Priests and fathers
from these churches, however, were unable to supply the church stance,
answering that they did not know the official position.