Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Le Figaro, France
Vendredi 23 Avril 2010

Erevan g�Á�le les accords de r�Á�conciliation avec Ankara

par Marchand, Laure

Le pr�Á�sident arm�Á�nien, Serge Sarkissian, a annonc�Á� hier la suspension
de la ratification des accords visant ��normaliser les relations entre
les deux pays. ��deux jours de l’anniversaire du g�Á�nocide arm�Á�nien de
1915, Erevan entend ainsi protester contre la d�Á�cision d’Ankara de
conditionner l’approbation des protocoles par le Parlement turc ��des
progr�Á�s dans le conflit du Haut-Karabakh, une province azerba�Á�djanaise
�&#xFF FD;majorit�Á� arm�Á�nienne. Qualifi�Á�s d’�� historiques ��, ��leur signature
en octobre, ces textes pr�Á�voient la r�Á�ouverture de la fronti�Á�re
turco-arm�&# xC1;�nienne dans un �� d�Á�lai raisonnable ��.

GEVORG DANIELYAN: GENOCIDE IS THE ISSUE OF ENTIRE MANKIND

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 24, 2010 – 12:42 AMT 07:42 GMT

The Armenian Genocide is the issue of entire mankind, including the
Turkish nation, RA Minister of Justice Gevorg Danielyan said.

"The countries avoiding recognition of the Armenian Genocide should
know that they increase the danger of repetition of similar crimes in
future," he told reporters on April 24. "The history has shown that the
Armenian Genocide was not the only crime against humanity," he said.

2010-04-23A TORCH-LIGHT PROCESSION TO BE ORGANIZED TODAY IN STEPANAKERT DEDICATED TO 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 23, 2010
STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: A torch-light procession will be
organized today in Stepanakert dedicated to the 95th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. It will be conducted within the frameworks
of the programs of the commission set up by the Nagorno Karabakh
government for coordination of April 24 events.

Chairman of the commission, NKR Education and Science Minister Vladik
Khachatryan said that today, in the evening on the occasion of the
95th anniversary of the genocide, a march with torches, candles and
posters dedicated to the symbol of the day will be organized with
participation of about 3 500 young people.

According to V. Khachatryan, the march will start from the court of
St Hakob Church of Stepanakert, from where the young people will walk
along the central streets of the town up to the memorial complex of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Before that, the young people will take part in the liturgy in St
Hakob Church dedicated to the memory of 1, 5 million innocent victims
of the Armenian Genocide.

ORPHANAGE AFTER MARY IZMIRLYAN RECONSTRUCTED

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 21, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: RA labor and social affairs ministry’s
orphanage, named after Mary Izmirlyan, has been reconstructed in
assistance with the embassy of Japan to Armenia. Fencing, furnishing
works, the construction of education centers were represented at
today’s event in the presence of RA Labor and Social Affairs deputy
Minister Philaret Berikyan, Japan embassy officials and others.

Director of the orphanage Hasmik Lazarian informed Armenpress
that over 69 wardrobes were provided to the orphanage during the
reconstruction works. She said fencing works were necessary for the
orphanage as well, because 50% of the children of the orphanage are
mentally and physically disabled, so ‘ensuring their security is of
primary importance’. She added that rooms for hairdressing and sewing
with all the necessary goods in it were constructed. ‘The purpose
is to give the children an opportunity to be professionally-oriented
and earn their daily money in the future,’ Hasmik Lazarian said.

The reconstruction works were implemented with 3 months. The program
for reconstruction of the orphanage was presented to the embassy of
Japan to Armenia by ‘The Future is Yours’ NGO.

ARREST MADE IN MURDERS OF 3 MEMBERS OF ARMENIAN FAMILY

KTLA
April 22 2010
CA

A family friend told KTLA that the he believes family is being targeted
because of a love triangle.

HOLLYWOOD — A man has been arrested in connection with the slaying
of three members of a Hollywood family.

The suspect, Alberd Tersargyan man was initially detained on an
unrelated charge, but police now say they have evidence linking him
to the murder of Karine Hakobyan in 2010.

He is also being investigated in the murder’s of her husband and
daughter 2 years earlier.

Tersargyan was arrested at his home Wednesday night and a weapon was
found, Police Capt. Kevin McClure

In December 2008, a gunman burst into a Hollywood apartment and shot
Khachik Safaryan, 38, and his 8-year-old daughter, Lucine.

They were found shot to death by Safaryan’s 15-year-old daughter when
she returned home from school on December 11, 2008 to their apartment
in 1200 block of Tamarind Avenue.

Safaryan’s 12-year-old daughter discovered the bodies later that day.

Eighteen months later, Safaryan’s wife, Karine Hakobyan, 38, was
found slumped in her car with a gunshot wound to the back of the head,
blocks away from the first crime scene.

The vehicle was parked in a fenced, gated area in the 5800 block of
Lexington Avenue, according to police.

Once again, the couple’s daughter discovered the body.

Homicide detectives have always believed that Hakobyan’s murder was
related to the killing of her husband and their daughter.

Shortly after those killings, Hakobyan and her surviving daughter
moved in with her in-laws in the Lexington Avenue apartment complex.

A family friend, who did not want to be identified for fear of his
life, spoke exclusively to KTLA, and said the family is being gunned
down because of a love triangle.

He spoke of an alleged affair between Safaryan, who was a supermarket
clerk in Hollywood, and his former girlfriend in Armenia, who was a
married woman.

That alleged mistress is now a multi-millionaire who lives in Los
Angeles, according to the family friend.

That friend also provided exclusively to KTLA a year-old letter
written but never sent to President Obama by the surviving daughter.

One excerpt reads: "December 11, 2008 was an ordinary day for a lot of
people. Unfortunately, this day was tragic. My father and Lucine were
brutally murdered in our apartment. Our family is falling apart now."

She ends her letter to the president by saying, "I am hoping that you,
Mr. president, will find time to put pressure on the above institutions
to solve the hideous murders of my beloved sister and father."

Police say they are investigating a possible link between the murders.

"We’re working on a theory that was developed in the previous
homicides," said police Detective Dan Myers.

Hakobyan and Safaryan married in Armenia and moved to the U.S. in 2003.

Safaryan worked as a butcher in Hollywood, and his wife worked as a
patient-care service aide at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Police have said they have no evidence the victims were involved in
criminal activities in Armenia or the U.S.

ACCORD TURCO-ARMENIEN : EREVAN GELE LE PROCESSUS, ANKARA INFLEXIBLE
Stephane

armenews
23 avril 2010
ARMENIE

La coalition au pouvoir en Armenie a gele jeudi la ratification
d’accords historiques avec la Turquie, accusee de vouloir imposer
des conditions prealables a leur reconciliation après un siècle
d’hostilite, tandis qu’Ankara a reagi en campant sur sa position.

Cette decision reduit a neant le mince espoir qu’il restait de voir
avancer rapidement le rapprochement armeno-turc après des mois de
blocage, selon des analystes.

Les trois partis formant la majorite au Parlement armenien ont indique
que "la partie turque refusait de ratifier les protocoles sans poser
des conditions prealables et dans un delai raisonnable".

En consequence, "nous pensons qu’il est necessaire de stopper ce
processus", ont-ils precise dans un communique, soulignant que cette
question serait retiree de l’ordre du jour de l’Assemblee armenienne
"jusqu’a ce que la Turquie soit prete a poursuivre le processus sans
conditions prealables".

Ces partis reprochent a la Turquie de vouloir lier les efforts de
reconciliation au conflit entre l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan voisin sur
le Nagorny-Karabakh, territoire azerbaïdjanais peuple majoritairement
d’Armeniens.

Le president armenien, Serge Sarkissian, a confirme le gel de l’accord
avec la Turquie, dans une adresse a la nation dans la soiree.

La recente declaration du Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
selon laquelle la partie turque "continue de lier le processus
de ratification des protocoles turco-armeniens" au conflit au
Nagorny-Karabakh est "inacceptable", selon le communique des trois
partis (republicain, Armenie prospère et Pays de la loi).

Après l’annonce du gel, M. Erdogan a indique jeudi qu’il restait
attache a un rapprochement avec l’Armenie, mais a repete que le succès
de ce processus dependait des progrès sur le Nagorny-Karabakh.

"Nous avons exprime a plusieurs reprises notre engagement au regard
de la lettre et de l’esprit des protocoles (de reconciliation)
et l’objectif de les mettre en pratique", a declare M. Erdogan a
la presse.

Il a rappele qu’Ankara tenait a "une paix globale dans la region"
avant de demander la ratification des accords turco-armeniens, une
reference au conflit armeno-azerbaïdjanais.

La Turquie et l’Armenie, divisees sur la question des massacres
d’Armeniens sous l’empire ottoman (1915-1917), ont signe en
octobre dernier deux protocoles historiques prevoyant des relations
diplomatiques et la reouverture de leur frontière commune.

Mais depuis, la ratification de ces documents traîne en longueur en
raison des differends sur les massacres d’Armeniens – consideres par
Erevan comme un genocide, un terme que rejette resolument Ankara –
et du contentieux sur le Nagorny-Karabakh.

M. Sarkissian l’a repete a M. Erdogan le 12 avril a Washington,
soulignant que l’Armenie n’accepterait pas que le processus de
normalisation depende de "conditions prealables", une allusion au
Nagorny-Karabakh.

De son côte, la Turquie reproche a l’Armenie de remettre sur la
table la question des massacres d’Armeniens par les Ottomans-turcs,
pendant la Première guerre mondiale.

La decision armenienne annoncee jeudi constitue un "grand pas en
arrière dans le processus (de normalisation) et je ne suis pas
sûr qu’il puisse etre poursuivi sous sa forme actuelle", a estime
l’analyste politique Gevorg Pogossian, installe a Erevan.

Elle intervient deux jours avant qu’Erevan ne celèbre le 95e
anniversaire des massacres sous l’empire ottoman, durant la Première
guerre mondiale.

La reconciliation entre les deux pays est vivement encouragee par
Washington et l’Union europeenne. Elle favoriserait le developpement
economique de l’Armenie et serait un atout diplomatique pour la
candidature d’Ankara a l’UE.

ARMENIA’S ECONOMY HAS STEPPED A STAGE OF RESTORATION, PM SAYS

Panorama.am
14:48 22/04/2010

"We can put it that with 5.5 percent GDP growth in the first quarter
of 2010, our economy has stepped a stage of restoration," Armenian
PM Tigran Sargsyan said referring to the information spread by the
Armenian National Statistical Service.

He noted 10 percent growth was observed in the sphere of industry,
about 10 percent – in the production of energy power, 3.2 percent –
in the agriculture. Despite 5.5 percent GDP growth, though, the sphere
of construction has suffered decline, PM said.

"On the one hand, it evidences about diversification of the economic
system and the decrease of dependability on the growth of construction
volumes, on the other hand, this means no private investments are
being directed to the sphere of construction yet. In 2008, 75 percent
of the construction activities was financed by private sector. Today,
however, no private investments are being made on newly constructed
objects," Tigran Sargsyan said.

Referring to the 60 percent growth of exporting scales, PM said that
the export is mainly conditioned by the increase of the volumes of
the mining industry export and the improvement of the world economic
indices.

I DO NOT TRUST TURKISH LEADERSHIP – AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL SCIENTIST
Tofig Abbasov

news.az
April 21 2010
Azerbaijan

What can you say about the statement of Iranian FM Manuchokhr Mottaki
that Azerbaijan has already given a positive response to Iran’s
mediation in the Karabakh conflict?

Since the beginning of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Iran has begun to offer their services as a mediator to
resolve the problem. The then Iranian leaders believed that they are
able to reconcile Azerbaijan and Armenia. In May 1992, when acting
president of Azerbaijan Yaqub Mamedov and Armenian President Levon
Ter-Petrossian had to sign a ceasefire agreement in Tehran, there came
news about the capture of Shusha by Armenians. After these events,
the signed document turned into a sort of a stillborn child, and a new
round of military confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia started.

And now, years later, I am inclined to believe that the capture
of Shusha has largely occurred because superpowers, and, primarily,
Russia, decided to derail Iran’s peacemaking initiative. Then, and now,
too many people believe that the fall of Shusha was Tehran’s gift
to Armenia. But which smart peacekeeper would take such an absurd
step? I can not judge …

What has dictated the current Iranian initiative on the resolution
of the Karabakh conflict?

The "Black PR" against Iran, used by some states, has put this
country into a very difficult situation. Because, in my opinion,
Tehran’s initiative to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is
dictated by a desire to demonstrate its love for peace and prove at
least at the regional level that it does not want any conflicts with
neighboring states. On the other hand, Iran also wants to demonstrate
their ability of become a regional leadership. But we should admit
that Iran’s desires are a lot more than real opportunities to
achieve their goals, especially since it comes at a time when few
if not one country in the region and the world have a monopoly on
peacekeeping. These states will not allow either Iran or Turkey to
accomplish the peacekeeping initiative.

Is it possible to expect a kind of a geopolitical triangle
Baku-Tehran-Ankara to change the situation in our region against the
position of the peacekeeping monopolists whose efforts on the Karabakh
conflict settlement are ineffective?

I do not think so. If we are talking about the creation
of a geopolitical triangle, it may rather look like this:
Baku-Tehran-Moscow. The matter is that Turkey conducts a regional
policy that does not meet the expectations of Azerbaijan. And Iran
also does not fully rely on calculations of Ankara. Under these
circumstances, our country has to reorient its foreign policy towards
Iran and Russia. Moreover, Iran has originally recommended Azerbaijan
and Armenia to distance from the OSCE Minsk Group, since this structure
will never create the conditions for resolving the conflict between
our two countries under mutually acceptable terms. Time and results of
the European peacekeeping show that Iran is partly right in this issue.

You consider that Turkey currently conducts regional policy that does
not meet Azerbaijan’s expectations. But what to do with the statement
of spokesman for Azerbaijan’s FM Elkhan Polukhov that Azerbaijan
welcomes Turkey’s position supporting Azerbaijan in the resolution
of the Karabakh conflict?

No country in the world, including Turkey itself, was able to convince
Azerbaijan that after the opening of Turkish-Armenian border, official
Yerevan will take a constructive position in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Armenia needs the opening of borders with Turkey for at
least partial settlement of its economic problems and unlocking their
downtrodden state. But there is no guarantee that, having achieved
the task, Armenia will release 5, and then 2 other occupied regions
of Azerbaijan around Nagorno-Karabakh. I absolutely do not trust the
statements of the leadership of Turkey, which claims that without the
liberation of Armenian-occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the opening
of Turkish-Armenian border is impossible. The primary stage of the
process of normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations was considered in
isolation from the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It
was only after Azerbaijan’s spot diplomacy, which was a big surprise
for Turkey, that Ankara had to change its original position and link
normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations to the settlement of
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. And then, why are Armenians shying away
from the Madrid principles, and intermediaries, together with Turkey,
turn a blind eye on this? This is because the first point envisions
the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the Azerbaijani territories.

Now, influential powers are playing a smeary game behind Azerbaijan’s
back. Such actions will not lead to an atmosphere of trust between
the countries that are still referred to as fraternal.

LES COMMENTAIRES SUR LES RENCONTRES DE WASHINGTON ET SUR L’AVENIR DES RELATIONS ARMENO-TURQUES CONTINUENT A DOMINER L’ACTUALITE ARMENIENNE
Stephane

armenews
21 avril 2010
ARMENIE

Les commentaires sur les rencontres de Washington et sur l’avenir des
relations armeno-turques continuent a dominer l’actualite armenienne.

Hayots Achkhar donne la parole au directeur du Centre armenien des
recherches strategiques Richard Giragossian, d’après lequel les
rencontres washingtoniennes n’ont pas eu comme objectif principal de
sauver les protocoles qui sont d’ores et deja " morts ", puisque le
PM Erdogan a directement laisse entendre qu’Ankara ne pourrait pas
les ratifier faute de moment " propice ", mais visaient a trouver des
moyens pour faire sortir le processus de l’impasse. Il estime très
curieux le fait que l’Azerbaïdjan, pays voisin de l’Iran, n’a pas ete
invite au sommet sur la securite nucleaire dont la principale cible
etait l’Iran. Les Americains n’ont pas voulu inviter l’Azerbaïdjan
pour que celui-ci ne cherche pas a empecher le dialogue Ankara-Erevan
selon lui. L’expert considère comme une " victoire strategique de
l’Armenie ", le fait que les relations entre Bakou et Ankara se sont
deteriorees a cause du rapprochement armeno-turc. Les rencontres
de Washington ont ete, d’après M. Giragossian, une dernière chance
pour la Turquie de sauver le processus., mais " l’examen " pour la
Turquie n’est pas encore acheve. A Washington, l’on aurait fait
comprendre a la Turquie qu’elle menait un jeu dangereux et qu’en
cas de maintien de sa position, elle pourrait se retrouver dans une
situation delicate, puisque la question des relations armeno-turques
est l’une des rares questions où les Etats-Unis, l’Europe et la Russie
exercent un langage identique.

Les quotidiens rapportent les propos du PM turc Erdogan qui, en
rentrant de Washington, a declare aux journalistes que " le règlement
du conflit [du HK] pourrait s’accelerer si les Armeniens se retiraient
de deux regions ". Hayots Achkhar rappelle qu’avant Washington,
Erdogan insistait sur la restitution de cinq regions. " Demain il
peut reclamer une seule region ", ironise le quotidien estimant que
" l’orgueilleux Erdogan s’est transforme en mendiant ".

Le Vice-President du parti Republicain, Galoust Sahakian, n’a pas
exclu, lors d’une conference de presse, que la frontière armeno-turque
soit ouverte sans que les protocoles soient ratifies. La Turquie peut
faire ce geste sous la pression internationale. La declaration du PM
Erdogan sur la restitution de deux regions en est revelatrice, mais
pour l’Armenie la question prioritaire est celle du statut du HK. /
Azg, RFE/RL, Aravot

Azg, Hayots Achkhar et Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun rendent compte
des resultats des sondages menes par l’Association sociologique
armenienne en fevrier et en mars, qui ont constate une baisse de
l’interet de la societe armenienne face au processus de rapprochement
armeno-turc. 87% des personnes interrogees en fevrier et 83%
des personnes interrogees en mars ont rejete toute perspective
de concessions dans le règlement du conflit du HK en faveur de la
normalisation des relations armeno-turques. 52% des sondes en fevrier
et 54% en mars ont positivement evalue la politique du President
Sarkissian dans les relations armeno-turques. 64% des personnes
interrogees en fevrier et 60,5% en mars ont estime que l’Armenie joue
un rôle important dans la region.

AFTER DESTRUCTION?

A1Plus.am
20/04/10

Despite the government’s decision on demolishing the open-air hall of
"Moscow" cinema, RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan says there
must be public discourse.

"People have to sit together and either one side has to convince
the other or the opposite and they have to come to terms. There are
different approaches, viewpoints and we respect that," the Minister
of Culture told "A1+".

Are you for or against the demolition of the open-air hall? In
response, Poghosyan said: "You know, we have discussed our opinion for
a long time because my opinion is the government’s opinion. Removing
the building from the list of historical monuments doesn’t mean that
it will be demolished and something else will be built in its place."

Hasmik Poghosyan still believes that all views must be expressed in a
format, "within the framework of our interests of citizens of Yerevan
and the Armenian nation".

By the government’s decision, the area near the open-air hall of the
cinema has been alienated to the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin with
the purpose of building a new church in the place of the St.

Poghos-Petros Church which was destroyed by the Soviet authorities.