Author: Karagyozian Lena

news.az, Azerbaijan
March 13 2010

Turkish diaspora accuses Sweden of double standards
Sat 13 March 2010 | 05:23 GMT Text size:

Head of the Turkish Diaspora of Sweden has commented on the adoption
of the resolution on the so-called "Armenian genocide" in the Swedish
parliament.

"I regret the decision which might cast shadow on the relations
between Turkey and Sweden", head of the Turkish diaspora of Sweden
Hasan Delek said.

He noted that "it is difficult to fight with a Christian issue in the
Christian country. This is how most Christian countries including
Sweden perceive the Armenian issue".

"When we explain them that there was a war that time and not only
Armenians but also Turks and Azerbaijanis and other people died, they
do not want to understand these explanations and always put the
Armenian issues on the first plan", he said.

"If Sweden is such a just country, why does it not want to listen to
the Khojaly residents-the live witnesses of the Armenian crimes? This
is a political decision and the obvious demonstration of double
standards, therefore we condemn this decision of the Swedish
parliament", he said.

Delek also thanked the Azerbaijani diaspora that has always supported
the Turkish community and resisted this injustice.

1 news.az

Earthtimes.org
March 13 2010

Spain hopes to accelerate Turkey’s EU talks, minister says

Posted : Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:10:25 GMT
By : dpa

Saariselka, Finland – Spain intends to accelerate Turkey’s talks on
joining the European Union by opening negotiations on four more legal
areas by the end of June, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel
Moratinos said Saturday. Spain currently holds the EU’s rotating
presidency and is tasked with leading accession talks until July 1.
Recent presidencies have only managed to open talks on one or, at
most, two legal areas in their six-month terms.

"The Spanish presidency has put into its agenda a strong commitment
towards Turkish accession to the EU," and hopes to open talks on four
more issues, Moratinos said.

Countries which want to join the EU have to bring their laws into line
with EU rules in 35 so-called negotiating "chapters."

Turkey has so far opened talks on 14 chapters, with another eight
frozen in its row with Cyprus.

Moratinos said that Spain hoped to open talks on education,
competitiveness, food safety and the all-important energy chapter, a
key portfolio because the EU sees Turkey as the best transit provider
of energy supplies from the Middle East.

Moratinos was speaking at informal talks with a handful of European
counterparts, including Turkey’s Ahmet Davutoglu, in the Arctic
Finnish ski resort of Saariselka.

The talks were partially overshadowed by a Swedish parliamentary
decision on Thursday to label the killing of Armenians in Ottoman
Turkey in 1915 as genocide.

Moratinos said that the question of the killings was a bilateral issue
between Turkey and Armenia.

Turkey has been negotiating to join the EU since 2005, but its
accession is opposed by key states including Germany and France.

news.am, Armenia
March 13 2010

We cannot accept decisions on historical events by Parliaments: Davutoglu

12:59 / 03/13/2010Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met his
Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt within the framework of the unofficial
meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Finland. The officials spoke of the
approval of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by Swedish Parliament.

After the meeting Davutoglu answered journalists’ questions, Turkish
Vatan newspaper reports. `In our opinion such decision is incorrect.
We cannot accept such decisions on historical events by Parliaments.
We did not expect such a decision from the akin Parliament. I conveyed
our expectations of Sweden to Mr. Bildt,’ he noted.

Asked about the measures Turkey might take in case of Armenian
Genocide recognition by other European Parliaments, Turkish FM
replied: `Turkey will take a tougher line. The decisions both by U.S.
and Sweden are unserious. Obviously, some diplomatic circles wish to
take revenge on Turkey. Mr. Bildt also shared this viewpoint.’

L.A.

TURKEY CANCELS PM ERDOGAN’S VISIT TO SWEDEN, RECALLS AMBASSADOR

Trend
March 12 2010
Azerbaijan

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s scheduled visit to
Sweden was cancelled following approval of the resolution on Armenian
allegations in Swedish Parliament, Anadolu Agency reported.

Prime Ministry Press Center issued a "government statement" and said
Erdogan was to attend Turkey-Sweden Summit on March 17, 2010.

The Center also said Turkish Ambassador to Stockholm Zergun Koruturk
was recalled to Ankara for consultations.

The government statement said, "Turkish government expresses regret and
strongly condemns approval of a resolution in the Swedish Parliament
which alleged that some peoples were committed to "genocide" during
the last period of the Ottoman Empire."

"Turkish government rejects this decision lacking basis. It is
obvious that the decision was made taking into consideration some
political interests for the elections that would take place in Sweden
in September 2010," the statement said.

The statement noted, "the resolution does not correspond to the
close friendship of our two nations," Erdogan said in a statement on
his website.

"Indeed it is Turkey making a call to face with the history honestly.

Those refraining from facing with history are actually afraid of
discussing their claims reciprocally and revealing the facts working
with scientific methods. Those who live with this fear exploit the
foreign parliamentarians who are after small political interests,
and exploited by them. Inclusion of the allegations regarding the last
period of the Ottoman Empire to the agenda of the Swedish Parliament
is a consequence of such an exploitation," it said.

The statement said the duty of the parliaments and politicians are not
to make judgements on history but to construct the future by drawing
lessons from the past, "those who think that historical facts and
views of Turkey for its own past will change with the decisions that
were made on the basis of political interests of foreign parliaments,
are in a serious delusion."

Swedish Parliament on Thursday approved a resolution on Armenian
allegations regarding 1915 incidents.

The resolution including recognition of Armenian allegations was
approved with 131 votes against 130.

Turkey strongly rejects the "genocide" allegations and regards the
events as civil strife in wartime which claimed lives of many Turks
and Armenians.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols on October 10, 2009 to
normalize relations between the two countries. The protocols envisage
the two countries to establish diplomatic ties and open the border
that has been close since 1993. Turkey and Armenia also agreed to take
steps to operate a sub-commission on impartial scientific examination
of the historical records and archive to define existing problems
and formulate recommendations, in which Armenian, Turkish as well
as Swiss and other international experts would take part. However,
on January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Armenia declared a
decision of constitutional conformity on the protocols. Turkey thought
the fifth article of Armenian Constitutional Court’s verdict regarding
the protocols was against the target and basis of the protocols.

THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT ARMENIA

Aysor
March 12 2010
Armenia

The visit of the Russian authorities is expected to visit Armenia
after the US House of Foreign Affairs Committee affirmed the N 252
resolution on the Armenian Genocide, said the Constitutional Right
Union’s leader Hayk Babukhanyan answereing the question whether the
RF President or the Prime Minister will visit Yerevan.

"It’s clear that Armenia just as Russia is under the attention of
other states. And it’s clear why the Armenian FM had left for Moscow,
to prepare the visit of the Armenian President’s visit to France", – he
said stressing the fact of the strong ties between Armenia and Russia.

H. Babukhanyan thinks that the visit can take place in the culminating
situation for the Armenian – Turkish and the Armenian – Azerbaijani
relations. As the CRU leader stated the most tensed month will be
especially April.

"I suppose that by that time visits of high ranked officials and
diplomatic talks with our main and the most important ally should be
expected", – he concluded.

AZERBAIJAN TRYING TO CREATE ITS HISTORY FROM SCRATCH

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.03.2010 17:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The official website of the Kremlin published the
scientific work of Russian historians, investigating the historiography
of the CIS countries. According to the scientific paper, except
Belarus and Armenia, all other CIS countries, particularly Azerbaijan,
falsified their history, Ashot Melkonyan Director of the Institute
of History of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences told a press
conference in Yerevan.

This book ironically tells that the Azerbaijanis ascribe the Armenian
history to themselves and allege they are indigenous to the region,
and allege that the Armenians are "comers". "It’s ridiculous, since
before the 1930’s there was not simply a nation, Azerbaijanis at
all, and the word of Azerbaijan is taken from the geographical name
Atrpatakan. Prior to those days, Azerbaijanis were called Caucasian
Tatars," he said.

WORLD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN HOW ROBERT KOCHARIAN WAS CHEATING ARMENIANS: STEPAN SAFARYAN

Tert.am
17:11 ~U 11.03.10

The second president of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, intends to return
to politics, but his aspirations will not be fulfilled, said Heritage
Party faction leader Stepan Safaryan at a press conference today,
referring to Kocharian’s unexpected visit to France recently and his
meeting with former French president Jacques Chirac.

"No matter to what extent it is hidden or denied the fact that he is
attempting to return to politics, it’s all the same, it’s not true. He
does have such an intention. But I’m pretty sure, it won’t work out
for him," said Safaryan.

Upon Tert.am’s request, he continued: "Because, in that process, he
will have neither serious outside nor internal support in the process.

The world has not forgotten how he walked around, made promises,
and did nothing for 10 years. The world remembers how he handed over
the leadership," said Safaryan.

According to Safaryan, these are not his own words but those of a
well-known person whose name he declined to mention, adding that
Kocharian has big issues with the Armenian public, and that he would
have to spend huge efforts to reconcile them.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 5-11, 2010

HIGHLIGHTS:

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AND RESOLUTION ON GENOCIDE OF
1915

TERM OF PUNISHMENT OF "HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK" CHIEF EDITOR REDUCED

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AND RESOLUTION ON GENOCIDE OF
1915

On March 9, another "Press Club" show went on the air of "Yerkir Media" TV
company. The cycle is produced under Yerevan Press Club project, supported
by the Open Society Institute. The guests of the program host, YPC President
Boris Navasardian were Hakob Avetikian, Chief Editor of "Azg" daily, and
Aram Abrahamian, Chief Editor of "Aravot" daily. The discussion centered on
the influence of Armenian-Turkish relations on the internal political
situation in Armenia, namely in frames of the voting of resolution on
Genocide of 1915 by the Committee on Foreign Affairs of US House of
Representatives.

The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on March 16, at
21.15.

TERM OF PUNISHMENT OF "HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK" CHIEF EDITOR REDUCED

On March 9 RA Criminal Court of Appeal delivered a judgment on the case of
Chief Editor of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily, Nikol Pashinian, sentenced to
seven years of imprisonment. As it has been reported, on January 19 court of
general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan found
Nikol Pashinian guilty by Part 1 of Article 225 of RA Criminal Code ("Mass
Riots"), at the same time the charges for Part 1 of Article 316 ("Violence
against a Representative of Power") were dismissed (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, January 14-21, 2010).

Both parties appealed the decision of the court of general jurisdiction. The
lawyers of the head of "Haykakan Zhamanak" demanded to acquit Nikol
Pashinian of all charges, while the prosecutor claimed to return him guilty
not only for mass riots, but also for violence against a representative of
power.

The Criminal Court of Appeal revoked both of the demands and applied an
amnesty on Nikol Pashinian. (The amnesty, released on June 19, 2009 by the
decision of RA National Assembly, can expand on people announced wanted, who
had voluntarily surrendered to the law enforcement bodies by July 31, 2009.
Nikol Pashinian gave himself up on July 1, 2009.) The Court cut down the
unexpired term of imprisonment of Nikol Pashinian by half. The length of his
detention – since the day the judgment comes into force – will be determined
by the criminal executive institution, where the Chief Editor of "Haykakan
Zhamanak" will endure the punishment.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

BRAZILIAN AFFILIATE OF HAYASTAN FUND SPONSORS RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT NORK-MARASH HOSPITAL

armradio.am
10.03.2010 13:11

The Brazilian affiliate of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund continues
to support major renovations at Yerevan’s Nork-Marash Infectious
Diseases Hospital. The latest project benefiting the facility,
the sixth such initiative sponsored by the Brazilian affiliate,
will result in the reconstruction of the hospital’s Pediatric and
Adolescent Infections departments.

Currently under way, the project was announced by Brazilian-affiliate
chairman Ochin Leon Mosditchian in October 2009, during his working
visit to Yerevan with a Brazilian-Armenian delegation.

"This is not the first time when a benefactor finances several
additional projects following the realization of an initial
undertaking," said Ara Vardanyan, executive director of the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund, commenting on the Brazilian-Armenian community’s
consistent support of Nork-Marash Hospital.

"Commitment of this level ensures that issues faced by a given
beneficiary are solved in a comprehensive manner," Vardanyan added.

"The continued support of sponsors such as the Armenian-Brazilian
community is a testament to the effectiveness of the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund as well as the confidence it inspires among donors."

Since 2005, the fund has implemented a string of extensive projects at
Nork-Marash Hospital. They include the reconstruction of the Intensive
Care Unit, Intestinal Infections Department, and Infectious Diseases
Department, the installation of a new roof on one of the hospital’s two
main wings, the installation of a heating system, and the construction
of a boiler room.

"Without a doubt, these major renovations and upgrades have
significantly improved the general quality of our medical services
as well as our patients’ sense of well-being," said Dr. Ara Asoyan,
chief physician at Nork-Marash Hospital. "Today our vastly enhanced
facility enables us to provide top-notch care and makes us far better
prepared to deal with epidemics."

According to Dr. Asoyan, close to 7,200 patients (including 2,350
outpatients) have received care at the hospital’s renovated departments
during 2009.

CITY MAYOR: CONSTRUCTION OF NEW METRO STATION "ACHAPNYAK" IN YEREVAN WILL CONTINUE IN 2011

ARKA
March 10, 2010

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. Construction of new metro station
"Achapnyak" in Yerevan will continue in 2011, said Gagik Beglaryan,
Yerevan City Mayor.

Yerevan Municipality conducted negotiations with Asian Development
Bank and has already appointments for 2011.

"It is possible that in the result of negotiations in the center
of Yerevan – crossroads of Abovyan and Sayat-Nova streets second
entrance of metro station "Yeritasardakan" will be opened and in 2011
unfinished construction of metro station "Achapnyak" will continue",
said Beglaryan.

Opening of the entrance of metro station "Yeritasardakan" in the center
of Yerevan was envisaged during the construction of stations but the
works were implemented by 60%. In its result the project was refused.

Tigran Davtyan, Armenian Minister of Finance said that the mentioned
programs are of great importance for Yerevan.

"The issue of opening second entrance of metro station "Yeritasardakan"
is in the process of discussion", said the Minister.

Underground receives sufficient subsidies from state budget and the
programs should be viewed in the context of economic efficiency of
Yerevan underground.

Yerevan underground named after K. Demirchyan was opened in 1981 and
now it has 10 stations. The last metro station "Charbakh" was opened
in 1996.

The underground will receive 15 million EURO for the implementation of
modernization and reconstruction program, from which 5 million EURO
will be allocated by EBRD, 5 million EURO – European Investment Bank
and another 5 million EURO will be the grant of EC in the frames of
the program "European Neighborhood".

Another 1 million EURO for Yerevan underground will allocate EBRD by
the program of technical assistance from the resources of shareholders’
fund.