Author: Khondkarian Raffi

AMERICAN PROFESSOR THOMAS GOLTZ: "THE PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON SEEM TO WANT TO STICK THEIR FINGERS IN EVERYTHING, ALWAYS"

APA
April 26 2010
Azerbaijan

Washington. Isabel Levine – APA. "This is the second time as president
that Obama has avoided using the word "genocide" in connection
with the annual Armenian commemoration of April 24, 1915, and he
is already coming in for criticism by both Armenians and Turks;
the former because he did not use the word and from the latter for
referring to April 24 at all.

This is an annual game and underlines the differences between what
candidates for the presidency say before and after election", Thomas
Goltz, American journalist and adjunct professor of Political Science
at Montana State University told APA’s Washington correspondent. "As
for the impact of this on the so-called reconciliation process between
Armenia and Turkey is hard to tell, but my sense is what Obama says
or doesn’t say on April 24 is a tiny part of that process at best,
and even less on the Nagorno-Karabakh process", said Thomas Goltz.

Regarding the Turkey-Armenia rapprochement supported by US, the Montana
professor said: "I think on the issue whether the US should stand aside
and let the Turks and Armenians figure out things between themselves,
my personal attitude is just that. But I suspect that my opinion on
that matter is not shared by the people in government in Washington,
who seem to want to stick their fingers in everything, always".

Goltz said he was fully aware of the dip in US-Azerbaijani ties. "I
am worried by the dip in US-Azerbaijani ties that culminated with
Azerbaijan’s public criticism of US policy towards Azerbaijan in
general and Mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh in particular, which seems
titled toward coddling the Armenians. My views on that issue are well
known and usually described as ‘pro-Azerbaijan.’ Sadly, I am not a
policy-maker in Washington DC but a mere adjunct professor in the
mountains of Montana", he said.

ANKARA DEEPLY REGRETS OVER OBAMA’S SPEECH

news.am
April 26 2010
Armenia

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced U.S. President’s
speech on 95th commemoration of Armenian Genocide was "not quite
right."

"In his speech, Obama described 1915 events as a great tragedy, one
of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. Turkey opposes judging
the history on political motives," Davutoglu said adding that judging
those years is historians’ affair and such historic events should be
judged by the countries, having direct relevance to the issue. Turkish
FM stressed the inadmissibility of such decisions on historical issues
by the executive branch and the Parliament. "We deeply regret over
Obama’s statement, reflecting an inconsistent political decision and
the standpoint of one party only," Davutoglu stated.

As reported previously, Obama avoided the word "genocide" in his
April 24 regular speech on Armenian Remembrance Day. Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) responded to U.S. President Barack Obama’s
April 24 speech for Armenian Remebrance Day.

"In yet another disgraceful capitulation to Turkey’s threats,
President Obama today once again failed to properly recognize the
Armenian Genocide, offering euphemisms and evasive terminology to
characterize this crime against humanity," reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

U.S. states that recognized Armenian Genocide: Alaska, Nebraska,
Arizona, Nevada, Arkansas, New Hampshire, California, New Jersey,
Colorado, New Mexico, Connecticut, New York, Delaware, North Carolina,
Florida, North Dakota, Georgia, Ohio, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Idaho,
Oregon, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Rhode Island, Kentucky,
South Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee, Maine, Texas, Maryland, Utah,
Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan, Virginia, Minnesota, Washington,
Missouri, Wisconsin, Montana.

news.am, Armenia
April 24 2010

Cypriot political parties demand Armenian Genocide recognition

17:15 / 04/24/2010Political parties of the Republic of Cyprus
expressed their solidarity to the Armenians in the struggle for the
Armenian Genocide recognition internationally, committed under Ottoman
Empire in 1915-1923.

`Non-recognition of the Genocide by Turkey will jeopardize the whole
mankind,’ statement by Communist Party of Cyprus reads.

Democratic Mobilization Party (DISI) announced that they grieve with
Armenian nation on Genocide victims and back all the steps towards the
international recognition of the Genocide.

`International community should recognize Genocide as a crime against
humanity. Turkey should be punished for the Genocide, perpetrated
against Armenian people,’ the party stated in a statement.

Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK) and Movement of Ecologists and
Environmental also made statements denouncing the Genocide.

L.A.

Radio New Zealand
April 25 2010

US President Barack Obama has marked the 95th anniversary of the
massacre of Armenians by Turkish forces in World War I, calling it one
of the worst atrocities of the 20th century.

In a statement issued by the White House, Mr Obama said 1.5 million
Armenians were massacred or marched to their death in the final days
of the Ottoman Empire.

The president said the 1915 massacre must not be repeated, but did not
refer to a debate over whether Turkey was responsible.

Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Washington in March after a House of
Representatives committee voted on a nonbinding "genocide" resolution
over the killings.

A deal between Turkey and Armenia to establish diplomatic ties and
reopen their border collapsed last week.

04/25/1247feb220a8

NowLebanon.com, Lebanon
April 24 2010

Tashnaq lashes out at Turks on Armenian genocide commemoration
April 23, 2010

On the 95th commemoration of the 1915 massacres of Armenians, the
Tashnaq party issued a statement that the commission to defend the
Armenian cause in Lebanon holds Turkey responsible for the killing of
1.5 million of its people.

Ankara vehemently rejects the genocide label.

The statement added that the commission will continue working toward
its goal and rejects compromising the interests of the Armenian
people.

-NOW Lebanon

Fresno Bee, CA
April 24 2010

Fresno commemorates Armenian genocide
500 turn out at City Hall for memorial.

Posted at 06:33 PM on Saturday, Apr. 24, 2010
By George Hostetter / The Fresno Bee Buzz up!

An estimated 500 people gathered at Fresno City Hall on Saturday
morning to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

A handful of speakers honored the memory of Armenians murdered in the
genocide, praised the strength of those who survived and promised that
the worldwide Armenian community will never rest until the Turkish
government formally acknowledges its responsibility for the deaths of
1.5 million civilians from 1915-1923.

April 24 is considered the start of the Ottoman Empire’s assault on
Armenian leaders. The Turkish government describes the deaths as a
consequence of wartime.

Fresno City Council Member Andreas Borgeas, who said he married into
an Armenian family, was the master of ceremonies. He told the
audience, "Today we are gathered to pay homage to those that gave the
ultimate sacrifice and celebrate those that were able to survive —
and to those of us that are members of the diaspora, to make certain
that we educate the next generation."

Keynote speaker Raffi Hamparian, an activist with the Armenian
National Committee Western Region, said there are few living
survivors. "I urge you never to forget," Hamparian said.

Democratic Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno said he told a top Turkish
official several years ago that "modern day Turkey ought to recognize
the wrong, right the wrong and move on."

Costa also emphasized that the Armenian genocide is well documented.

The event was hosted by the Armenian National Committee Central
California and the Fresno Armenian American Community.

Hygo Ohannessian, chair of the Armenian National Committee of Central
California, said Saturday’s walk from the Fresno County Hall of
Records to City Hall was a symbolic re-enactment of the genocide’s
death marches.

"We want to make sure that the world does not forget, and that Turkey
cannot deny what they did to our people," Ohannessian said.

Knar Kahkejian, 21, of Fresno said Saturday’s event was solemn but also joyous.

"We’re very proud to be Armenian," Kahkejian said. "We’ve had some bad
times, but we’re still around, and we’ve kept our culture. That’s the
most important thing."

Aram Atikian, 63, of Fresno said the large turnout and heartfelt
response will inspire the local Armenian community.

"It’s a very significant day," Atikian said. "We’ll get together
again. We’ve recharged our batteries to go another year."

909534/fresno-commemorates-armenian-genocide.html

ARMENIA MOURNING FOR THE VICTIMS OF 1915 GENOCIDE

Tert.am
24.04.10

April 24 may sound a usual calendar day for any other nation but
not for Armenians. It bears special symbolism – one of irretrievable
losses and unforgettable anguish that still has its living witnesses
to tell their tragic stories in person.

Scores of Armenians – men and women, children and grown-ups,
blue-collared and high-ranking officials – are now heading for
Tsitsernakaberd at this morning hour of the day and despite the
drizzling rain.

Erected on a hilltop in the outskirts of Yerevan, it stands as
a reminder of as many as almost 2 millions of Christian Armenians
massacred and death-marched in the desert of Deir el-Zor in the break
up of the Muslim Ottoman Empire in 1915.

Our correspondent in Tsitsernakaberd says there are already flowers
around the eternally-flamed memorial since early morning: it has become
a tradition for the young wing members of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation to march with torches to this memorial complex in the
evening of April 23, put flowers there and wait for the dawn.

He also says that the flow of people moving to the memorial is getting
thicker and thicker as more people join in.

Armenians gather in Tsitsernakaberd on this symbolic day of mourning
and sorrow from the capital Yerevan and all the marzes (provinces)
to pay tribute of their fellow Armenians massacred and deported from
their homeland only for being Armenians.

This year the Armenians are commemorating the 95th anniversary of the
Genocide – the greatest man-made atrocity in the early 20th century.

Several governments across the world have so far recognized the
Armenian Genocide while Turkey has avoided doing it. Consecutive
Turkish governments have for decades pursued denialist policies saying
that those massacred were the victims of a wider conflict.

US Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted a resolution
(H.Rep.#252) on March 4 this year that called on President Barack Obama
to call those massacres as genocide. Days later a similar document
was adopted by the Swedish parliament and another one is set to be
brought on parliamentary vote in the Israeli Knesset on April 28.

In an attempt to keep his campaign pledge and at the same time not
to insult Ankara US President Barack Obama used a carefully-chosen
but an improper term – Mets Yeghern (Great Calamity) – in his April 24
commemoration speech last year, in fact breaking his election pledge to
"recognize the Armenian Genocide."

Whether he will do it this time, is anybody’s guess given the recent
developments on Armenia-Turkey normalization process: the ratification
of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols was suspended with an April 22 decision
by Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan.

Citing Turkey’s attempts to link the normalization to the progress
in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement as the main reason for Yerevan’s
decision Sargsyan said in a televised address Armenia did not withdraw
its signature from the Protocols but rather suspended the ratification
and would wait until Turkey ratifies them.

Ankara has already responded to Yerevan’s move with Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying
that it is up to Armenia to decide what to do with the ratification
process and that Turkey would ratify the Protocols "unless there are
relevant circumstances" for it.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

"OUR PEOPLE SHOULD SPEAK UP CLEARLY FOR THEIR JUST CAUSE AGAINST TURKISH
DENIAL", SAID ARAM I

The 24th of April this year was the 95th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. Armenians in Lebanon made a pilgrimage to Antelias and demanded
that Turkey recognize the genocide.

The pilgrimage began on Friday 23 April in the morning, with the gathering
in Antelias of all Armenian students in Lebanon. In the Memorial Chapel, the
students lit candles in memory of the Martyrs. Then through different
activities they paid tribute to the rich Armenian intellectual resources and
cultural heritage, which, in 1915, the Ottoman Turks attempted to destroy
when they removed the Armenians from their ancestral land.

In the same evening youth organizations met in Antelias. Through vespers,
candle-lighting vigils and cultural activities, they renewed their
commitment to the memory of the martyrs and the Armenian cause.

On Saturday, 24 April, in the morning, His Holiness Aram I presided over the
liturgy for the one-and-a-half million Martyrs and preached the sermon.
Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, Prelate of Lebanon, celebrated liturgy in front
of the Memorial Chapel. At the end of the liturgy, the Ambassador of Armenia
to Lebanon, representatives of all Armenian organizations, officials and the
people laid wreaths and flowers in front of the Chapel.

The pilgrimage ended with a march organized by the Committee for the
Commemoration of the 95th Anniversary of the genocide from Antelias to Bourj
Hammoud. Thousands of marchers walked silently on the highway, which had
been closed to traffic, waving Lebanese and Armenian flags and carrying
banners demanding accountability from Turkey and the international
community.

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos474.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: THE CURRENT PHASE OF THE ARMENIAN-TURKISH NORMALIZATION PROCESS IS EXHAUSTED

ArmInfo
2010-04-22 20:03:00

ArmInfo. We consider the current phase of the Armenian-Turkish
normalization process exhausted, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
said during his Televised Address on the Process of Normalization of
Relations between Armenia and Turkey.

The President said: "Fellow Armenians;

A year has passed since the Armenian-Turkish-Swiss joint statement on
steps to normalize the relations between Armenia and Turkey. During
this period, the two Protocols aimed at normalization of the relations
have been publicized, discussed in the public domain, and signed. The
documents have for quite a lengthy time now been in the parliaments
of Armenia and Turkey, awaiting ratification. Armenia has all
along demonstrated her commitment to the process of normalization
of relations, to the point of including the Protocols in the agenda
of the National Assembly. We have made clear to the whole world that
our position is nothing but firmly constructive. We have stated that,
if Turkey ratified the Protocols, as agreed, without preconditions
and in a reasonable timeframe, failure by the Armenian Parliament to
ratify them would be precluded.

Now, the time has come to gauge the notion of a "reasonable timeframe"
and whether a conduct is "without preconditions." These criteria were
set forth by not only Armenia, but also all the mediators involved
in the process, all of our international partners. For a whole year,
Turkey’s senior officials have not spared public statements in the
language of preconditions. For a whole year, Turkey has done everything
to protract time and fail the process. Hence, our conclusion and
position are straightforward:

1. Turkey is not ready to continue the process that was started and
to move forward without preconditions in line with the letter of
the Protocols.

2. The reasonable timeframes have, in our opinion, elapsed. The
Turkish practice of passing the 24th of April at any cost is simply
unacceptable.

3. We consider unacceptable the pointless efforts of making the
dialogue between Armenia and Turkey an end in itself; from this moment
on, we consider the current phase of normalization exhausted. My
Fellow Armenians;

During this period, I have discussed and continue discussing the future
of the process launched with Turkey with Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of
France, Barack Obama of the United States, Dmitri Medvedev of Russia,
as well as our colleagues in a number of European organizations. We
are grateful to them for supporting our initiative, encouraging the
process, and exerting efforts to secure progress. The matter of the
fact is that our partners have urged us to continue the process,
rather than to discontinue it.

Out of respect for them, their efforts, and their sincere aspirations,
we have decided after consulting our Coalition partners and the
National Security Council not to exit the process for the time being,
but rather, to suspend the procedure of ratifying the Protocols. We
believe this to be in the best interests of our nation.

Armenia shall retain her signature under the Protocols, because we
desire to maintain the existing momentum for normalizing relations,
because we desire peace. Our political objective of normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey remains valid, and we shall
consider moving forward when we are convinced that there is a proper
environment in Turkey and there is leadership in Ankara ready to
reengage in the normalization process. While announcing to the world
the end of the current phase of the process, which was launched
with the September 2008 match between the national football teams
of Armenia and Turkey, I express gratitude to President Abdullah Gul
of Turkey for political correctness displayed throughout this period
and the positive relationship that developed between us.

Fellow Compatriots;

In two days, we will commemorate the 95th anniversary of the first
genocide of the 20th century, the remembrance day of the Armenian
Genocide. Our struggle for the international recognition of the
Genocide continues. If some circles in Turkey attempt to use our candor
to our detriment, to manipulate the process to avoid the reality of
the 24th of April, they should know all too well that the 24th of
April is the day that symbolizes the Armenian Genocide, but in no
way shall it mark the time boundary of its international recognition.

We express our gratitude to all the states, organizations, and
individuals that support us in deploring and preventing crimes against
humanity. We are also grateful to all those Turkish intellectuals
that struggle for the restoration of historical justice and share our
grief. On this eve of the 95th anniversary, we call upon everyone to
remember that the memory of one and a half million innocent victims
exterminated under a state-orchestrated program merely for being
Armenian continues to pose before mankind the demand for recognition
and condemnation.

Fellow Compatriots;

We are stronger today than ever before and stand straight as always.

Henceforth, our efforts for a better Armenia, a better region,
a better world, and a more solid unity of Armenians worldwide will
only multiply. Rest assured that results will be visible all along.

God bless us!"

POLITICAL FORCES DEMAND FROM RA PRESIDENT THAT HE TERMINATE ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 22, 2010 – 18:54 AMT 13:54 GMT

A meeting of 14 political parties opposing to the Armenian-Turkish
Protocols was held in Yerevan on April 22. The meeting participants
adopted a joint statement, presenting their stance on the
Armenian-Turkish rapprochement.

The statement specifically reads that the meeting participants demand
from the RA President that he terminate the process of ratification
of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols and withdraw signature under the
Protocols. "We demand from the Armenian parliament that it adopt a
draft law defining a criminal liability for the Armenian Genocide
denial." If their demands are not met, the political forces opposing
to the Protocols are ready to struggle against the threats to Armenia’s
national interests by all means within the RA laws.