Author: Harutyunian Christine

Today, Azerbaijan
March 5 2010

Expert: Process of recognition of so-called "Armenian genocide" not to
go on in United States

05 March 2010 [17:33] – Today.Az

The House of Representatives and U.S. Senate are not likely to
support the resolution on the so-called "Armenian genocide" recognized
by the International Relations Committee, U.S. expert on South
Caucasus and Turkey Mark N. Katz said.

"But will the resolution then be passed by the House of
Representatives as a whole? But will the Senate also pass the
resolution? In my view, this is highly unlikely–if only because it
is very difficult for the Senate to pass anything that is
controversial," Politics Professor at the Public and International
Affairs Department at George Mason University Mark Katz said.

U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday adopted 23 votes
to 22 a resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide".

Armenia claims that the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against
Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915.

Making greater efforts to promote the issue internationally, Armenians
have achieved its recognition by parliaments of some countries.

How this affects US-Turkish relations depends on how Turkey reacts, Katz said.

"If both the House and the Senate pass the resolution, US-Turkish
relations are highly likely to be negatively affected. But this, I
believe, is highly unlikely," he added.

However, Turkey may react negatively to approval of the resolution by
just the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he said. "I would hope not,
but if it does, this will actually increase the chances that the full
House and perhaps even the Senate will also approve the measure," Katz
added.

Prior to discussions, the U.S. President Barack Obama advised Congress
not to adopt resolution on genocide, CNN Turk reported.

Meanwhile the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a telephone
conversation with the chairman of the committee on foreign affairs of
the U.S. Congress said that the adoption of resolution jeopardizes the
Armenian-Turkish protocols.

The U.S-Turkish relations have reached a higher level, and the U.S.
should not risk the progress made in resolving the Armenian-Turkish
relations, considering the matter, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said March 4.

/Trend News/

URL:

US TO VOTE ON ARMENIAN ‘GENOCIDE’

Al-Jazeera
March 4 2010
Qatar

Turkey says that the Armenian death toll has been inflated [EPA]

A US congressional panel is to vote on a resolution declaring the
killing of Armenians by Turkish forces during the First World War
as genocide.

The measure being put before the Foreign Affairs Committee is not
binding but approval could send the bill to the full House for
consideration.

Turkey sought to put pressure on Washington ahead of Thursday’s vote,
saying that its adoption would damage strategic ties between the
two countries.

The committee approved a similar measure in 2007, but it was not
brought to the House floor for a vote following intensive pressure
by George Bush, the former US president.

Turkish pressure

Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, said on Thursday that
the resolution could damage ties between the two Nato allies.

Davutoglu said: "If it passes, then the [Barack] Obama [the US
president] administration should try to prevent it from being voted
by Congress."

Abdullah Gul, the country’s president, was reported to have phoned
Obama late on Wednesday to discuss the matter.

Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper said Gul had urged the US leader to use
his influence to block the resolution.

Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, has said she will wait to see the
result of the committee vote before deciding whether to bring it to
the House floor.

Diplomatic relations

Armenian-US groups have for decades sought congressional affirmation
of the killings as genocide.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of the First World War, an event widely
viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.

Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll
has been inflated and that many of those killed were victims of civil
war and unrest.

After decades of hostility, Turkey and Armenia signed a deal in
October to establish diplomatic relations and open their border.

But the process has hit the rocks, with Ankara accusing Yerevan of
trying to tweak the terms of the deal and Armenia charging that Turkey
is not committed on ratifying the accord.

"We have taken very important steps for comprehensive normalisation
in the Caucasus. It is necessary to avoid risking these efforts,"
Davutoglu said.

The minister did not say what Turkey would do if the bill was adopted,
but a Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said "all
options are on the table", including once again recalling Turkey’s
ambassador to the US.

10/03/201034152722170379.html

TURKEY DEMANDS A CLEAR STANCE FROM THE US ON THE TURKISH-ARMENIAN NORMALIZATION PROCESS

armradio.am
05.03.2010 14:13

Turkey’s Foreign Minister on Friday demanded a clear stance from the
United States on the Turkish-Armenian normalization process after a
congressional panel approved the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

"We don’t want to go through this crisis every spring," Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in a press conference Friday.

"That is why we introduced the normalization of the relationship
with Armenia. We thought that this would begin to settle things,
and we really did not expect this kind of backlash."

"It made Turkey uncomfortable that the U.S. administration did not
show its strength in this regard," Davutoglu said. "We’re expecting
them to increase their efforts hereafter."

"We will not be pressured by these decisions," he added

"It is not for other parliaments to judge our history. Turkey is
capable of dealing with these issues alone. It is a matter of national
honor," he said.

Davutoglu said Turkey’s aim was to improve relations with Armenia,
and normalize the relationships between Turks and Armenians. He asked
for support to create a stable Caucasus region and a long-term vision
for peace.

"I know Obama has a vision of peace," he said. "We also expect Obama
not to perpetuate or exaggerate this crisis in April," the Hurriyet
Daily News reported.

"The question to America is simple: ‘Do you or do you not support the
peace process between Turkey and Armenia?’" Davutoglu asked. "Because
if you don’t then come out and say so we can align our policy
accordingly."

AZERBAIJAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER TO MEET THE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS IN PARIS

armradio.am
04.03.2010 17:29

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov intends to inquire
about Armenia’s proposals concerning the provisions of the Madrid
Principles that have not yet been agreed upon.

"After thoroughly examining the document, the Azerbaijani side stated
it accepts it, with some reservations. We would like to inquire about
the Armenia side’s stand on the revised document. With this end in
view, I will meet the OSCE MG Co-Chairs on March 5," Mammadyarov
stated in his interview with APA.

According to him, the OSCE MG Co-Chairs’ latest proposals provide for
the reopening of all communication lines as part of the settlement
process. "So the settlement of the conflict will result in not only
the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border, but also all the borders
and communication lines, as well as in renovation of infrastructures,
economic integration and prosperity in the entire region."

MULBERRY – ON THE PAYROLL OF ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENT MACHINERY

ArmInfo
2010-03-02 13:49:00

ArmInfo. "Keep track of your letter" – such a heading appeared
at the sites of several Armenian ministries. It allows not only
to send letters or complaints but also follow the course of their
consideration. The correspondence with citizens is coordinated by
Mulberry electronic data management system (EDMS) which has already
been functioning in 25 of 44 ministries of Armenia.

Besides communication with citizens, the system also allows the
state structures to contact with each other in a simplified way. The
importance of this circumstance was emphasized by Armenia’s Prime
Minister Tigran Sarkisyan at today’s presentation of the system.

"Transfer of the state structures’ correspondence into an electron
format will make the state administration more efficient and
productive. The new system will change the work of the state machinery
and make it more transparent for those contacting it. Everyone will
be able to keep track of his letter, application or complaint, which
will be gathered in a common database", T. Sarkisyan said.

As Head of Armenia’s government machinery David Sarkisyan said, the
correspondence, circulating in the system, will have legal force due
to the attached authorized electron signature. "The Law On Electron
Document and Electron Digital Signature has been acting in Armenia
since 2005, however, for lack of the relevant institutes, there was
not such a practice in Armenia. Electron Signature Certification
Center is currently functioning in the country. This allowed the
big taxpayers, even in 2009, to deliver declarations in electronic
format", D. Sarkisyan said. One may keep track of his letter via a
12-digit code which will be provided upon sending of the letter to
one or another ministry. The management of the state structures will
be able to keep track of timeliness of satisfaction of requests, as
well as get acquainted with the opinions and conclusions the letter
will be overgrown with as it is moved through the instances.

According to D. Sarkisyan, the system is currently operating in 25
of 44 government executive bodies, and it is scheduled to install
the system in the rest ones till late 2011. The expenses for the
programme installation and management, including retraining of about
4,000 state civil servants and acquisition of a software license
made up about $700,000 over 4 years. The programme was upported by
the World Bank and EU.

MOSCOW ARMENIANS COMMEMORATE SUMGAIT MASSACRE VICTIMS

1/moscow
03:24 pm | March 01, 2010 |

On February 27, wreaths were laid in the courtyard of the Holy
Resurrection Armenian Church to commemorate the 1992 pogrom against
Armenians in Sumgait.

Present at the ceremony were members of the Armenian Union of Russia,
representatives from various Armenian social and civic organizations
and hundreds of local Armenians.

Armenian Ambasador Oleg Yesayan made an addressing speech which was
follwed by a liturgy in memory of the victims.Officiating at the
requiem liturgy was Bishop Yezras Nersissyan, Primate of the Armenian
Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan.

Upon the initiative of the Armenian Embassy and Union of Armenians
of Russia, a roundtable was held entitled "Sumgayit Massacres in
Azerbaijan: Facts vs. Lie, Past and Present: Genuine Picture of
Khojali Events."

ARTOC group HEAD IN YEREVAN

s17017.html
17:07:45 – 02/03/2010

On March 1, the president of the ARTOC group transnational investment
company Shaphik Gabre, the vice-president Pier Foris and the chief
assistant of the president Lovri Greg arrived in Armenia on a
three-day visit.

On March 2, a meeting between the Armenian Minister of Economy Nerses
Yeritsyan and the president of the ARTOC group took place. In the
course of the meeting, Nerses Yeritsyan presented the long-term and
short-term projects of investment and infrastructure in Armenia as
well as discussed possible directions for the further cooperation.

According to Shaphik Gabre, the company is interested in investments
in Armenia. This is his first visit to Armenia other visits are also
already planned. The Ministry of Economy reports.

ARMENIAN AND SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTERS MET

009.html
13:12:42 – 02/03/2010

On March 2, the Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandyan met with
the delegation of the European Union headed by the Spanish foreign
minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

The Armenian Minister emphasized that relations between Armenia and
the EU are at a critical juncture. The EU is a reliable political and
economic partner for Armenia. He underlined the importance of started
last year, the program "Eastern Partnership". Among the priorities
of Armenia’s dialogue with the EU, the Minister noted the deepening
of political contacts, the signing of agreements on free trade,
visa facilitation and start of negotiations for an associate signing.

Miguel Angel Moratinos said that by the visit to Armenia, the EU
delegation demonstrates the importance the EU attaches to relations
with the South Caucasus. The two sides expressed satisfaction with
the good cooperation between the EU and Armenia in several ways.

Ministers also discussed the Armenian-Spanish relations, it was stated
that during last year, the decision was taken to open an embassy of
Armenia in Madrid. The parties also discussed regional issues. FM
of Spain presiding EU said that the EU continues to support the
ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols without preconditions
and in a reasonable time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
reports.

INTERNET CONNECTION IS FULLY RESTORED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.03.2010 21:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Internet connection in Armenia was fully restored.

On Mach 1, starting from around 5 pm, Armenia was partially deprived
of the Internet. Earlier, Michael Balayan, Press Secretary of FiberNet
Communications Company told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, that damage
of the optic-fiber cable delivering internet to Armenia happened
in Georgia.

FiberNet Communications Company is the second largest Internet provider
in Armenia, having 45% of Internet wholesale market.

VLADIMIR GRIGORYAN: I WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN SKIING

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.03.2010 20:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ National Wheelchair Sports Federation of Armenia
held Alpine skiing championship among physically challenged skiers
on March 3 in Tsakhkadzor. 13 skiers took part in the giant slalom
(distance 1200 m) in the championships.

Vladimir Grigoryan and Gevorg Shahverdyan became winners among
participants with visual impairments, and with limited mobility
respectively.

As Vladimir Grigoryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, "I did not
expect to become a winner since all my opponents were strong. I think
I will continue to be engaged in skiing, " Grigoryan said.

A nine-year-old Robert Hovhannisyan was the youngest participant of
the championship. He came the second among the skiers with limited
mobility.