Author: Jilavian Emma

Russia Today
April 24 2010

Armenians commemorate genocide victims

Published 24 April, 2010, 15:27

Armenians are commemorating the 95th anniversary of the mass killings
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, which claimed the lives of about 1.5
million people.

Special services are being held around the world, along with cultural
events, although the main ceremony is happening at the memorial in the
Armenian capital.

Despite repeated calls to accept its role in the events, Turkey
continues to reject describing the slaughter as `genocide’ ` although
this is what more than 20 other countries officially call it,
including France, Germany, Russia and the UK.

US Congress also voted for it last month, sparking harsh criticism
from Turkey. The Obama Administration urged the committee not to pass
the resolution so as not to disrupt the fragile reconciliation process
between Turkey and Armenia.

a-genocide-massacre-turkey.html

Reuters, UK
April 24 2010

Obama calls 1915 Armenia massacre an atrocity

(Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Saturday marked the World War
One-era massacre of Armenians by Turkish forces, calling it one of the
worst atrocities of the 20th century, but avoiding any mention of
"genocide."

Turkey objects to the killings being labeled "genocide" and Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Obama’s remarks took into
consideration "the sensitivities" of his country. But a U.S.-based
Armenian group said it was disappointed in Obama.

"On this solemn day of remembrance, we pause to recall that 95 years
ago one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century began. In that
dark moment of history, 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or
marched to their death in the final days of the Ottoman Empire," Obama
said in a statement issued by the White House.

His remarks came as Armenia marked the 95th anniversary of the World
War One killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, and against a backdrop
of failed peace with Turkey and fresh saber rattling with enemy
Azerbaijan.

A deal between Turkey and Armenia to establish diplomatic ties and
reopen their border collapsed on Thursday when Armenia suspended
ratification over Turkish demands that it first make peace with
Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Obama used the term genocide as a presidential candidate, but not
since becoming president in January 2009.

He said the 1915 massacre must not be repeated, but carefully avoided
getting entangled in the debate over whether Turkey was responsible
for genocide against the Armenians.

HOUSE RESOLUTION

Turkey was infuriated in March when a House of Representatives
committee voted on a nonbinding "genocide" resolution over the
killings. The full House has not voted on the measure and it is not
clear whether it could pass.

U.S. Secretary Hillary Clinton has said the Obama administration
opposes the House measure.

Obama said that he is "encouraged by the dialogue among Turks and
Armenians, and within Turkey itself, regarding this painful history."

The House panel vote had appeared to jeopardize progress by Armenia
and Turkey to normalize relations, one key to stability in the south
Caucasus, a region crisscrossed by oil and gas pipelines to Europe.

Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Washington and has said he will not
return until Ankara gets assurances about the fate of the resolution,
which the Obama administration opposed.

The U.S. aerospace and defense industry — including Lockheed Martin
Corp, Boeing Co, Raytheon Co, United Technologies Corp and Northrop
Grumman Corp — opposed the measure and warned in March that it could
jeopardize U.S. exports to Turkey, rupture U.S.-Turkish relations and
put American jobs at risk.

In a statement carried by state news agency Anatolian, Turkish Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan said, "President Obama made a speech taking
into consideration the sensitivities of Turkey. … The speech by
Obama shows the sensitivity of the current U.S. administration about
this issue."

But Turkey’s Foreign Ministry in a separate statement said, "We are
sorry to see such a statement, which has a one-sided political view,
and which contains mistakes. The biggest enemy of historical facts is
the revision of memory. No country should impose on others its views
of history."

The Armenian National Committee of America expressed disappointment
that Obama did not call the event a genocide.

"Sadly, for the U.S. and worldwide efforts to end the cycle of
genocide, he made the wrong choice, allowing Turkey to tighten its
gag-rule on American genocide policy," ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian
said in a statement.

Obama said he has "consistently" stated his own view of what occurred
in 1915. "And my view of that history has not changed," he said. He
added that it is in everyone’s interest to reach "a full, frank and
just acknowledgment of the facts."

(Additional reporting by Steve Holland, editing by Stacey Joyce)

DX20100424

McClatchy Washington Bureau
April 23, 2010 Friday

As Armenian date approaches, so does dispute over `genocide’

By Michael Doyle, McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON _ Armenian genocide commemorations continue to attract
political, diplomatic and fraternal grief upon the arrival of another
April 24 anniversary date.

On Capitol Hill, an Armenian genocide resolution lacks the votes
needed for House or Senate passage. In downtown Washington, bitter
lawsuits ensnare plans for an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial.
In the White House and on Embassy Row, the phrase "Armenian genocide"
still confounds international relations.

"We always hear ‘it’s not the right time’ to recognize genocide," said
Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., a member of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee. "There’s always something that will come up."

On Saturday, President Barack Obama is expected to issue the White
House’s annual statement commemorating the tragic events of 1915-1923.
The statement is typically pegged to April 24, considered the start of
the Ottoman Empire’s assault on Armenian leaders.

While campaigning, Obama endorsed use of the word "genocide." Last
April, however, emulating other presidents, Obama studiously avoided
the term in his 389-word statement.

"We expect that the president will honor his prior commitment and
unequivocally affirm the Armenian genocide (this year)," said Bryan
Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of America.

Obama, though, confronts the same pressures as he did last year.
Turkey considers the phrase "Armenian genocide" a gross insult, and
the key NATO ally that borders both Iraq and Iran knows how to make
its displeasure clear.

The Turkish ambassador to the U.S. only returned to Washington several
weeks ago, after he had been recalled to Ankara following a March 5
vote by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. By a 23-22 margin, the
committee approved the latest version of an Armenian genocide
resolution.

"If we look at what the president has done in the past … all the
weathervanes point to a statement that refrains from use of the term
(genocide)," said Bruce Fein, general counsel for the Turkish American
Legal Defense Fund.

Turkish Embassy officials declined to comment. Fein, though, insisted
it "is still a matter of serious debate" as to whether the Ottoman
Empire’s actions met the legal definition of genocide. Genocide means
the intentional targeting for destruction of a racial, ethnic,
religious or national group; it does not cover political groups."

The stalled congressional genocide resolution is backed by
representatives from California’s San Joaquin Valley and other regions
with sizable Armenian-American populations. With 140 co-sponsors,
however, it lacks the 218 votes needed to pass the House of
Representatives.

The Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial is hung up on a different
kind of fight.

The facility, first proposed in 1996, has already been plotted out, by
the same firm that designed Washington’s popular Spy Museum. Planners
originally wanted the 35,000-square-foot museum open by 2011.

For several years, though, the genocide museum’s board has been
entangled in a legal dispute with onetime museum benefactor Gerard L.
Cafesjian and the Cafesjian Family Foundation.

Museum board members say Cafesjian tried to delay the project and
profit from it personally. Cafesjian says he was shut out of key
planning decisions. A federal judge sums up the dispute as "very
bitter and very unfortunate."

Attorneys are wading through some 8,000 pages of documents provided by
Cafesjian and reviewing depositions that, transcripts show, have
periodically turned brittle.

"I am just getting sick and tired of answering these questions,"
Hirair Hovnanian, the chairman of the Armenian Assembly’s board, said
in a deposition last year, acknowledging his hopes that an unnamed
"multibillionaire" would fund the museum.

Museum planners anticipate needing $60 million to build and operate
the facility.

"Once the litigation ends, the rest of the museum project will move
forward quickly," said Van Krikorian, a board member of both the
museum and the Armenian Assembly.

Some related work still proceeds.

On Wednesday, one block from the proposed museum site, the 93-year-old
grandson of Henry Morgenthau, who was U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman
Empire, formally donated part of his grandfather’s library to the
research-oriented Armenian National Institute.

Morgenthau’s reporting from the Ottoman Empire provided direct
evidence of the Armenians’ fate, and he’s often cited by Armenian
genocide resolution supporters.

"I like to call myself an honorary Armenian," Henry Morgenthau III
said when asked why he donated the family books, "and this seemed like
the most appropriate place."

BOOKMAKERS SAY EVA RIVAS IS 4TH IN EUROVISION

Tert.am
24.04.10

Bookmakers have named the Eurovision 2010 Song Contest potential
favorites with the German participant Lena Mayer Landrut heading the
list, reports Glomu.ru website.

Landrut, to become 19 only after the contest, is the youngest among
all participants with her song Satellite.

Among the first three favorites are also the representatives of Israel
and Azerbaijan.

According to ReadaBet.com website Armenia and Denmark are among the
first five favorites.

The Armenian singer Eva Rivas is forecast to be the forth one while
the Swedish representative is the last among the top ten.

Eurovision 2010 Song Contest will take place on May 29 in Oslo, Norway.

AMERIABANK DEVELOPING SPECIAL PRODUCTS FOR FOREIGN CLIENTS OF CASCADE BANK

ArmInfo
23.04.2010

ArmInfo. Ameriabank is developing special products for foreign clients
of Cascade Bank. As Ameriabank Development Director Tigran Jrbashyan
said responding to ArmInfo’s question, the clientele of Cascade Bank,
with the USA as part of it, is one of the advantages of the bank with
which Ameriabank is carrying out the unification procedure.

"We intend to take active part in markets of the USA and the West in
general, in view of which we shall implement new products during the
next 1-2 months. We have already held meetings with big clients and
discussed cooperation terms", he emphasized. Along with it, Jrbashyan
said Ameriabank is going to extend its branch network and develop
card business.

To note, Ameriabank currently has four branches: in Yerevan,
Stepanakert, Kajaran and Dilijan. As of January 1, 2010, Cascade Bank
had two branches (in Yerevan).

To recall, on March 31, 2010, shareholders of Ameriabank and Cascade
Bank signed an agreement on merger of these two structures, after
which the transaction was approved by Armenian Central Bank on April
7. The bank merger will be over till November 2010, and the united
bank will function in the market under Ameriabank brand by adoption
of the Parties.

LETTER TO EUROPEAN VOICE

ed/is-turkish-history-european-too-/67755.aspx
Apr il 22 2010

Is Turkish history European too?

The least the EU could do is to insist that Turkey treat Armenia as
it would a normal neighbour.

The issue of international recognition of the Armenian genocide in
its current form is about a decade old. Yet the EU, and particularly
the European Commission, has gone out of its way to evade the issue,
probably hoping it would go away. It has not and will not. As you
noted in your special report on Turkey ("An agreement, but little
progress", 15-21 April), Turkey reacted strongly to one resolution on
the genocide in the Swedish parliament and to another by a committee
in the US Congress. And every year, on 24 April, the genocide will
be commemorated.

Europe now has a responsibility to address the issue.

The least the EU could do is to insist that Turkey treat Armenia as it
would a normal neighbour. The Union must begin to act on its mandate:
under the Copenhagen criteria, candidate countries should establish
normal relations with all neighbours. However, successive accession
partnerships with Turkey have contained no reference to Turkey’s
17-year blockade of Armenia. And although Europe spends about â~B¬600
million a year promoting development in Turkey, and funds a plethora
of cross-border projects, not one euro has gone on projects to promote
relations between Turkey and Armenia. This is policy, not oversight,
and it must be changed.

But that is not all. The genocide happened long ago and the dead
cannot be brought back to life. But the denial of the genocide is of
very contemporary relevance.

By the end of the 19th century, the Armenians were one of the
most successful groups in the Ottoman Empire and did much for its
prosperity, culture and intellectual life. Some Turks are rediscovering
this today. In 1915, a rich and vibrant civilisation was destroyed
in Turkey and its remnants scattered across five continents.

Few Armenians remain in Turkey itself.

In 1915, in response to US ambassador Henry Morgenthau’s protests at
the extermination of the Armenians, Talaat Pasha, Turkey’s interior
minister, responded that "hatred between the two races [sic] is now
so intense that we must finish them off, or fear their revenge".

Subsequently, denial of the crime and denial of Turkey’s Armenian
past became policy. Over the past 95 years, policy has morphed into
an attitude, and official lies into an official truth.

Anti-Armenian policies have been hard-wired into policymaking,
which is why it is so hard for the rather less prejudiced government
formed by the Justice and Development (AK) party to change course
today. This is the background that helps explain the threat, made
several weeks ago by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdog?an, to expel
Armenian immigrants in Turkey and which explains the expropriation
of Armenian-owned buildings under the law on religious foundations.

Turkey’s policy should disturb EU citizens and Turks, not least
because it is so disproportionate. In 2010, confronted with foreign
parliaments’ resolutions on the genocide, Turkey refuses dialogue,
threatens to expel Armenian immigrants, takes the Republic of
Armenia hostage and threatens to suspend economic relations with
Western allies.

So what can Europe do? First, it should not itself practise genocide
denial. Genocide recognition by Turkey may or may not be one of
the conditions for accession. But the Commission and the Council
of Ministers should no longer bind themselves to the vocabulary of
denial. Enough with "the events of 1915" and "the 1915 tragedy" and
"leaving history to the historians". Say what happened, or never
again invoke the memory and prevention of war and genocide as a
justification for European unification.

There are anodyne forms of complicity in denial. In 2007, Olli Rehn
, the then European commissioner for enlargement, agreed to host
an exhibition, ‘My Dear Brother’, featuring Armenian everyday life
in Turkey 100 years ago. It had nothing to do with the genocide,
but simply invoking the memory of Armenians in Turkey was apparently
itself a step too far: José Manuel Barroso, the Commission president,
had it cancelled for fear of Turkey’s reaction. It will take a bit
more spine than that to change Turkey.

Now that the EU has taken on the project of integrating Turkey, it
will be bound to help to halt and reverse the destruction of Armenian
civilisation on Turkish territory. Much Armenian heritage there has now
vanished: churches have been destroyed, books burnt, sites renamed and
memories erased. However, hundreds of precious and ancient buildings
remain to be rescued and restored to their rightful owners, especially
the Armenian Church. In ten years’ time, many may have collapsed.

Turkey’s ability to show contrition towards Armenians, make a clear
break with past policies and help mend some of the damage should be a
litmus test of its maturity to join EU. This is all a matter of what
Europe stands for.

PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
[email protected]

Haigazian University Book launch: "Armenians of Lebanon: From Past
Princesses and Refugees to Present-Day Community"

Boudjikanian: This book should be available in each Lebanese-Armenian
home and in each Diasporan Armenian home, if not in Armenia.

Beirut, April 20, 2010 – On April 9, 2010, a new book entitled Armenians
of Lebanon: From Past Princesses and Refugees to Present-Day Community
was launched at Haigazian University.

The book contains the proceeding of the multidisciplinary conference
"Armenians of Lebanon: Their Past and Present", held in September 2005,
on the occasion of the University’s 50th Anniversary.

The event kicked off amidst a capacity audience, including Minister of
State Jean Oghasabian, MPs Hagop Pakradouni, Farid El Khazen and Arthur
Nazarian, Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, Rev. Soghomon Kilaghbian, Board
members, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and students.

The event began with a short introduction delivered by the Master of
Ceremonies, Mr. Patrick Farajian who stressed on the importance of the
work as a research material. He concluded by highly evaluating the
mutual "gifts" that Armenians and Lebanon have given each other.

Keynote speaker and editor of the book, Dr. Aida Boudjikanian who came
specially from Montreal, Canada, warmly thanked all those who helped her
make this book become a reality. She enthusiastically shared how the
participants of the conference agreed to publish their papers presented
at the conference in a book and how she was honored to be chosen as the
editor. "Scholarly studies and books lack on almost every aspect of
Armenian existence and history," Boudjikanian said as she explained the
book’s significance, adding that it will be "useful as a tool to launch
future research and publications."

Boudjikanian then proceeded to give her audience a brief glimpse into
the content of the book and its fourteen chapters, as diverse in topics
as the languages they were written in. She asserted that contributions
were kept in their original language, whether it be English, French or
Armenian, covering topics ranging from the "Armenians’ well entrenched
self-employment in Lebanon" to the "centrality of Lebanon in the
Armenian Diaspora."

She concluded with the hope that this book will show the younger
generations "how their grandfathers and great-grandfathers were capable
of building this community after 1920 and having their own
resurrection."

Next to speak was Member of Parliament Dr. Farid El Khazen, who
celebrated the book as the fruit of Haigazian University’s 50th
anniversary conference and expressed his earnest desire that this book
be read by both Armenians and Non-Armenians.

In addition to his perspective on the book, he also expanded on the
"three broad dimensions of Armenians in Lebanon." Khazen stressed on the
transition of Armenians from refugees to integrated members of Lebanese
society, as well as the restructuring of the Armenian political sphere
in post-war Lebanon, and finally, the fact that Lebanon is the most
prolific in producing Armenian books in the context of the Diaspora
after Armenia itself.

After urging that more research needs to be done on the evolution of
Armenian institutions in Lebanon, Khazen brought his speech to a close.

This was followed by a short musical interlude, with Shushan Artinian on
the cello and Maria Palazian on the piano, beautifully performing "Oror"
by Parsegh Ganatchian.

University President, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian addressed the audience
with words of appreciation for everyone involved in the process of
creating this book, including the co-publisher, the Armenian Heritage
Press, which is part of the National Association for Armenian Studies
and Research (NAASR). In the spirit of this collaboration, Haidostian
revealed that a second book is in the making, again to be co-published
with NAASR.

Commenting on Armenians of Lebanon, Haidostian added: "This book, in
addition to its various Armenian merits, is to be considered as a
chapter in Lebanese history and culture,"

He further stated that the Haigazian Armenological Review, a
well-established academic journal, is this year moving towards
additional publications in Armenian studies and will soon celebrate its
40th anniversary by publishing its 30th volume.

He concluded with the hopeful statement that "we, in the season of
Resurrection, and on the doorsteps of the 95th anniversary of the
Genocide, are ready to embrace the future."

The program ended with a book signing and reception in the Mugar
building.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S STANCE TO CLEAR UP AFTER APRIL 24

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 21, 2010 – 15:24 AMT 10:24 GMT

Director of Caucasus Institute, political analyst Alexander Iskandaryan
said that the historical fact of the Armenian Genocide is irrefutable.

"Usually, those countries, which do not want to recognize the Armenian
Genocide or avoid it, say that Turkey is important for them, thus,
they do not consider taking this step to be correct. This is a
political motivation," Mr. Iskandaryan said during Historical Memory
and Contemporary Reality Yerevan-Moscow space bridge dedicated to
the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

According to him, political games are normal and the issue of Genocide
will also be used in them. Referring to Armenia’s possible concessions,
Mr. Iskandaryan stated that Armenia has made a compromise since 1991,
declaring its willingness to establish diplomatic relations with
Ankara without preconditions.

He voiced doubts with respect to any development of the
Armenian-Turkish process until April 24. According to him, the
sides will take some break after this date; while there will be some
developments after that. "We shall wait to see whether Washington,
Moscow or Brussels will exert pressure on Turkey for the Protocol’s
ratification, but Armenia cannot exert pressure on Ankara itself.

After April 24, it will become clear whether pressure will be exerted
on Turkey, or not. If yes, the dialogue may be resumed after April 24,"
the Director of Caucasus Institute stressed.

RUSSIAN EXPERT SAYS TURKEY IS AFRAID OF CONSEQUENCES OF GENOCIDE

Panorama.am
21/04/2010

Turkey doesn’t recognize Armenian Genocide because a psychological
problem deeply matters, Hayk Demoyan, the director of Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute told at Yerevan-Moscow TV Bridge.

He stated modern Republic of Turkey and its value system are all to
form their ideology, and the recognition of the genocide will split
their ideology, then they’ll have to rewrite their history. Demoyan
said for decades Turks studied at their schools that there hadn’t
been Armenian Genocide, and that was a war.

"Now the Turks have to rewrite their history. The recognition of
Armenian Genocide will become catalyst for the changing of Turkish
ideology and value system," said Demoyan answering why Turkey rejects
recognizing Armenian Genocide.

Russian experts say Turkey is afraid of recognizing Armenian Genocide
having as precedent Holocaust. Vladimir Zakharov, the vice director of
Caucasus Studies said that Turkey is afraid of material and financial
compensations that they may be demanded after the recognition of
Genocide. Zakharov said Turkey is afraid of the consequences of
Genocide.

NA SPEAKER TAKES PART IN THE EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 20, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan participated today in the opening of an exhibition
dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the
Artists’ Union. Head of the Union Karen Aghamyan said that 250 out
of 600 works have been selected for exhibition. Several of them the
state will acquire for the Armenian National Gallery.

NA public relations department told Armenpress that accompanied with
the Armenian culture minister and chairman of the union, the head
of the parliament walked in the halls getting acquainted with the
works of the Armenian and Diaspora art figures connected with the
1915 Ottoman Empire.

At the event present were art figures and art lovers, social,
political figures.