Author: Jidarian Alex

RA President congratulated Armenian people on Victory Day

May 8, 2010 – 13:20 AMT 08:20 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan issued a congratulatory address on
Victory Day.

`The victorious conclusion of the Great Patriotic War on May 9, 1945,
was a historical event, which acted as a spur for our people to
continue developing economy and culture through peaceful and creative
work. Our people did not to spare themselves to win. We suffered heavy
losses, we had heroes and commanders, whose feat will serve as example
of patriotism and military art and will encourage future generations.

As fate has willed, on the same day of 1992, the Armenian history
recorded a new victory. The liberation of Shushi glorified our brave
warriors. It was a response to those who unleashed ethnic cleansings
against our nation.

Today, we bow to the memory of those, who gave their lives to forge
May victories. I congratulate all of us on this great holiday, We are
proud of our victories and will improve them through creative work,’
the President said.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO EGYPT MEETS WITH EGYPT’S SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF ANTIQUITIES

ARMENPRESS
MAY 7,2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS: On May 6, Armenian Ambassador to Egypt
Armen Melkonyan met with Egypt’s Secretary General of the Supreme
Council of Antiquities, world famous specialist of Egyptian studies
Zahi Hawass. Ambassador Melkonyan presented to Zahi Hawass the
achievements of the Armenian-Egyptian cooperation in the spheres of
science, education and culture.

Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry press service told Armenpress
that in his turn Zahi Hawass highly appraised the participation of
the Geology, Archeology and Ethnography Institutes of the Armenian
National Academy of Sciences in the excavations of the temple of
Amenhotep III since 2007.

He simultaneously addressed a speech of appraisal to Armenian
specialist of Egyptian studies and architect Nairi Hambikyan for the
outstanding contribution to the archeological researches carried out
in Egypt.

An agreement has been gained over the joint study of the prospects
of the further progress of the Armenian-Egyptian cooperation.

VIVACELL TO PRESENT HTC ANDROID-POWERED SMARTPHONES IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 5, 2010 – 17:11 AMT 12:11 GMT

On May 17, global manufacturer of powerful handsets, HTC Corp. will
officially introduce Android-powered smartphones in Armenian market.

Earlier, VivaCell-MTS, a subsidiary of Mobile TeleSystems OJSC,
has announced the closing of an agreement with HTC to introduce HTC
smartphones, featuring the innovative Android platform. The gadgets
will be soon on sale in VivaCell-MTS service centers across Armenia,
the Company’s press office reported.

On May 4, Orange Armenia launched the sales of HTC Tattoo~Y smartphones
in Yerevan.

ERDOGAN DUE TO LEAVE FOR BAKU: ARMENIA ON TOP AGENDA OF DISCUSSIONS

Panorama.am
05/05/2010

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to leave for Baku following the
parliamentary discussions of constitutional draft package, Turkish
NTV reports. According to the source, Erdogan has decided to travel
to Baku after his visit to Greece May 15.

Erdogan is expected to discuss the Washington meeting with the Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan in Baku, as well as issues related to the
suspension of the ratification of protocols and the situation in
the Caucasus.

NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING ARMENIA INCREASED BY 9.4% UP TO 92.955 PEOPLE IN THE FIRST QUARTER IN ARMENIA

/ARKA/
May 4, 2010
YEREVAN

Number of tourists visiting Armenia was increased by 9.4% in the
first quarter compared with the indicator of the same period of 2009,
informs Armenian National Statistic Service.

Total number of tourists was 92ã~@~@955 people versus 84 995 in the
same period of 2009.

Number of tourists outside Armenia was increased by 7.1% up to
90ã~@~@950 people.

ISRAELI POLITICAL FIGURE: IF AZERBAIJAN GETS ATTACKED, ISRAEL WILL PROVIDE ITS HELP

Today
7.html
May 4 2010
Azerbaijan

Israeli political figure, Rabi Avraam Shmulevic commented on the
issues concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan.

In particular, he said that the current "frozen" phase of the conflict
is good for everyone, except for Azerbaijan. According to him, both
the West, and Russia took the neutral position, which leads to these
lands kept within Armenia.

"The possibility of military solving the conflict is rather small
right now. However, it exists", Shmulevic said.

He also pointed out that foreign oil companies in Azerbaijan will
be against the war, since the damaged stabilility of the region
contradicts their own interests. Touching upon the question,
whether Israel will provide help to Azerbaijan in case of war,
Israeli politician said the following:

"As we know, at the present time, the relations between Azerbaijan
and Israel are quite warm, and both countries pay special attention
to this relationship. Azerbaijan is seen as a stable country in the
region. And, also, relations between Azerbaijan and Jerusalem are
much more close than relations between Jerusalem and Yerevan. And
Israel will not go on developing other relations, if they could harm
Azerbaijani-Israeli relations. So, in case if Azerbaijan gets attacked,
Israel without a doubt will provide its help".

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF .25 MILLION CONDUCTED AT NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA OJSC ON MAY 4

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 4, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of .25
million at the weighted average exchange rate of 385.09 drams per
dollar were conducted at NASDAQ OMX Armenia OJSC on May 4. According
to the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia, the closing
price was 385.25 drams.

EILIAN WILLIAMS EST INTERVENU A LA CONFERENCE D’ANKARA DES 24 ET 25 AVRIL
Stephane

armenews
4 mai 2010
TURQUIE

La presence d’Eilian Williams a cette conference, annulee plusieurs
fois pour des motifs variables puis finalement maintenue, doit etre
saluee comme un acte courageux. Malgre un accès rendu difficile a
cause des poussières volcaniques venues d’Islande qui encombrant
l’espace aerien, il n’y est pas alle par quatre chemins.

Son discours (a commencer par le titre) va très loin dans les
causes du Genocide et a dû en surprendre plus d’un. Sur l’entree
de la Turquie dans l’Union Europeenne, sur la reconnaissance du
Genocide dans le monde et en Turquie, sur la question fondamentale
des reparations, et surtout sur le sort chretiens islamises dans
la Turquie aujourd’hui, Eilian Williams pose les vrais problèmes
et envisage des solutions. Ces solutions surprennent quelque peu,
mais avouons qu’il est très difficile d’en voir. En tous cas, il n’y
a aucun doute sur la sincerite de son affection et l’etendue de son
devouement pour l’Armenie.

Gilbert Beguian

Discours a la Conference d’Ankara des 24 et 25 avril 2010,
par Eilian Williams de Solidarite avec les Victimes de Tous les
Genocides, representant egalement le Centre Gallois pour les Affaires
Internationales.

"Une autre voie pour l’Anatolie : le retablissement des Armeniens et
Assyriens musulmans"

Je suis venu ici aujourd’hui sachant que du sang celte coule dans
les veines de beaucoup d’Anatoliens, par l’intermediaire des Galates.

C’est sans aucun doute la diversite culturelle de l’Anatolie qui
a toujours ete sa fierte. J’apporte avec moi la vision des petites
nations d’Europe qui sont conscientes que l’intention genocidaire
caracterisait toutes les puissances coloniales, qu’elles soient
britannique, russe ou ottomane. Des resolutions reconnaissant
le Genocide ont ete votees par les parlements du Pays Basque, de
Catalogne et du Pays de Galles. Il y a une majorite d’elus d’Ecosse,
d’Irlande du Nord et du Pays de Galles au parlement du Royaume Uni
qui reconnaissent le Genocide. La Turquie ne peut pas l’ignorer dans
la mesure où ces nations n’ont aucun interet politique a s’opposer
a elle ; elles n’ont que des longues traditions ethiques democratiques.

La question des reparations pour le Genocide a une base solide dans le
droit naturel, et la question des relations futures entre l’Armenie
et la Turquie dans son ensemble ne peut etre separee de celle des
reparations. N’oublions pas la responsabilite des grandes puissances,
specialement celle de la Grande Bretagne, dans la legitimation du
trace des frontières actuelles de la Turquie en prime du genocide
reussi sur ses populations armeniennes et assyriennes. L’entree de
la Turquie dans l’Union Europeenne implique sans aucun doute que
l’Union Europeenne assume une grande part de la responsabilite de la
Turquie vis a vis des reparations. C’est une perspective qui s’ouvre,
detournant une partie des avantages de l’admission dans l’UE en
faveur de la "grande idee" de la restitution de l’Armenie "turque"
(et de celle de l’Armenie "kurde").

La negation du Genocide de 1915 par la Turquie est en contradicition
avec une autre de ses postures : l’inexistence (ou disparition) de
l’Armenie Turque. La restitution de l’Armenie turque peut meme aider
la Turquie confrontee a l’accusation d’avoir execute un genocide total.

Je vois cela comme une autre voie pour la Turquie, si elle peut eviter
un transfert important de territoires. Nous ne parlons pas seulement
de la restitution de l’heritage culturel armenien et syriaque de
l’Armenie de l’Ouest, mais aussi du retablissement d’un peuple dans
sa propre identite. Les deux millions d’Armeniens et de Syriaques
disparus d’Anatolie en 1915 peuvent etre retrouves aujourd’hui si la
Turquie cree les conditions pour que les ‘crypto’- Armeniens et les
‘crypto’-Assyriens retournent a leur vraie identite. Pour commencer,
il faut qu’il leur soit permis de declarer l’identite qu’ils veulent
pour un futur recensement : Armenien musulman, ou Armenien turquifie,
ou Armenien kurdifie (ou Assyrien kurdifie) par exemple. L’usage de
la langue armenienne doit etre rendu possible dans des grandes zones
de Van, Bitlis, Erzeroum, Sivas etc..De plus, un certain nombre
d’eglises armeniennes et syriaques doivent etre restaurees. Nous
n’observons aucun progrès rapide dans la restauration de l’eglise
Tashoron a Malatya (1) . La restauration et la reouverture de cette
eglise en memoire de Hrant devrait encourager le retour de beaucoup
a leur vraie identite. De meme, l’usage de la langue syriaque doit
etre enseigne et etre officiellement reconnu. Je n’oublierai jamais
la facon dont le gentillesse et l’amour d’Armeniens musulmans a mon
egard ont change ma vie lors de mon premier voyage en Turquie. Depuis
la mort de Hrant, j’ai serre la main de Turcs sympathiques pour la
première fois et je crois que mon "sang empoisonne" a leur egard
(ce sont les mots de Hrant) a ete lave.

En parallèle avec cela, le retablissement des Armeniens kurdes et
des Assyriens kurdes qui devrait etre plus facile en theorie, devrait
amener a une Armenie kurde plus forte et plus vivante. Les mouvements
kurdes, bien qu’evoluant favorablement sur la reconnaissance diu
Genocide, semblent etre silencieux sur cette question.

Il faut realiser que ce retour et ce retablissement constituent
un processus douloureux pour beaucoup, et le refus d’Armeniens et
Syriaques chretiens d’adopter, comme ils le devraient, leurs frères
Armeniens et Syriaques musulmans, ne le rend pas plus aise. Ces
gens doivent etre accueillis et aimes de nouveau. Selon moi, ne pas
faire plus pour l’emancipation de ces gens est une faute de l’Eglise
Armenienne. Je parle comme quelqu’un qui ressent un profond besoin
d’aider au retablissement de l’Armenie. J’ai demandea etre accueilli
dans l’Eglise armenienne en 1978, mais j’ai dû patienter 26 ans avant
d’y etre accepte en 2004. Si nous essayons de les aider aujourd’hui,
peut-etre leurs enfants retournerons-t-ils un jour ?

Pour les Turcs "purs" et les autres qui sont un quart ou un huitième
armeniens, que doivent-ils faire ? Le cri de ‘Ermeni Hepimiz’
ne valait-il que pour les funerailles de Hrant ? Ou peut-etre
devrions-nous le prendre a la lettre ? Nous pouvons tous rechercher
une part d’identite armenienne, soit en apprenant la langue soit en
admirant la beaute du christianisme, la religion du pardon. Il y a une
belle expression en armenien ‘tsavtanem’ (que je t’enlève ta peine),
mais on ne peut l’employer qu’etant un proche de la personne a qui
l’adresser. Faisant les pas qui precèdent, peut-etre les Armeniens
accepteront-ils qu’on leur dise un jour ‘tsavetanem’.

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS "THE HALO TRUST" MANAGER

armradio.am
04.05.2010 18:40

On 4 May President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
received Roly Clark, "The HALO Trust" British non-governmental
organization’s humanitarian mineclearance program manager in Nagorno
Karabakh, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR
President reported.

During the meeting Mr. Clark introduced to the Head of the State
the process of activities carried out by the organization in Nagorno
Karabakh and their results. Issues related to further activity of "The
HALO Trust" concerning the clearance of minefields and neutralization
of unexploded ordnance on the territory of the republic were also
discussed.

Bako Sahakyan expressed satisfaction with the activities carried
out by the staff of the organization affirming at the same time the
readiness of the authorities to render assistance to the program
being carried out in Artsakh.

AZERBAIJANI ANALYST NAMED THE ONLY PEACEFUL WAY TO SETTLE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Today
67194.html
May 3 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Azerbaijani political analyst Rasim Agayev.

What are your comments on Russian Foreign Ministry official’s
statement welcoming Iran’s offer to mediate in settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

Russia wants its role in the Karabakh conflict to remain same as this
was achieved by consensus with the U.S.. Given the relations between
Tehran and Moscow, Russia takes these initiatives rather calmly. But
this is not the main point. The main issue is that position of the
parties remains intransigent largely because Russia, the United States
and especially France support Yerevan.

If Azerbaijan had not grown stronger in recent years, or if we
"stagger", I’m afraid that the attitude of mediator countries towards
us will be the same as in the first half of the 1990s, when our
diplomats were ignored and Russia with Armenia jointly organized an
information blockade against Baku.

Maybe, Iran wants to influence the course of negotiations on Karabakh.

But, another thing is whether it can do it. I think Tehran is in no
position to exert pressure on the parties to the Karabakh conflict.

In your view, what is Moscow’s attitude towards initiatives for Turkey
to become co-chair of the Minsk Group?

Given deepening relations between Ankara and Moscow lately, it is
possible that Russia will not interfere with Turkey’s entry to the OSCE
Minsk Group. But I do not think that this could help the negotiation
process in any way. The Minsk Group is subject to the OSCE, which, in
turn, is controlled by the United States. Therefore, this state, along
with Russia, will monitor the progress in the negotiation process.

What changes in the Minsk Group format can help to solve the Karabakh
conflict?

The Minsk Group has played a significant role in achieving a ceasefire
agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This organization was able
to encourage the parties to this important decision. But later all
of their initiatives met with intransigence of the parties. It must
be understood that there will be no progress while the U.S. continues
to support Yerevan.

No progress will be achieved even if the EU, China or any neutral
country joins the OSCE Minsk Group because this organization lacks
the mechanisms to make its decisions binding. All decisions will be
of a recommendatory nature. Therefore, I believe that there is a need
to hand settlement of the Karabakh conflict to the UN, as Security
Council is the only organization whose decisions are binding. Apart
from this, I do not see other possibilities of peaceful settlement
to the Karabakh conflict.

Some forces in Armenia say pressure on the country has intensified
after the Zurich protocols were signed. Do you share this opinion?

Of course, the pressure on Yerevan has increased. But I think there
is even stronger pressure on Turkey. Therefore, one should not be
deluded, but pay attention to the statement of Russian diplomat
Velichko. Once, decades ago, he wrote that Armenians are very tough
negotiators. They constantly prevaricate and dodge. Therefore, even
if they have just signed the international treaty that does not mean
that they will execute it. Armenians become amenable only when they
are defeated. The example to support this statement is 1920.

In your opinion, was Yerevan’s move to suspend negotiations with
Turkey a diplomatic move before the anniversary of the "Armenian
Genocide"? Will Yerevan’s interests in the opening of borders with
Turkey make it return to this process?

I think that the recent statement by Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian that it is early to bury the Zurich protocols is
Washington’s attempt to exert pressure on Ankara. But Turkey’s position
is quite resistant. Of course, Turkey is in a difficult situation,
which would be much easier, if not the Karabakh conflict.

This factor constrains Ankara. Otherwise, Turkey could have long
ago resumed diplomatic relations with Armenia and got its political
dividends. Now, Armenia wants Turkey to make unilateral concessions.

But this happens only in one case – when one state dealt a military
defeat on the other. As far as I know, Armenia has dealt no military
defeat to Turkey.