Author: Mamian George

Pan Armenian News

ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN: TURKEY SHOULD RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND IT SHOULD
NOT IMPEDE DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

15.04.2005 03:29

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian authorities have many times spoken out for
normalization of relations with Turkey and other neighbors, Armenian
National Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasarian stated during a press
conference in Saint Petersburg, RA NA press service reported. `We are for
normal partner relationships. As for the Armenian Genocide of 1915, all the
discussions are completed and in my opinion there is no need for additional
consideration’, he noted. According to Artur Baghdasarian all should condemn
this crime against humanity. Parliaments of many states have already
condemned the Genocide and `we consider that Turkey must acknowledge the
fact of Genocide what should not impede the development of the
Armenian-Turkish relations.’ Artur Baghdasarian reminded that to date
Armenia experiences the blockade imposed by Turkey and added that a country
aspired for Eurointegration should not apply double standards. `We should
gradually achieve normal partner relations. I have already had a
conversation with the Turkish parliament Speaker. We speak out for joint
discussion of the issues of our concern for arriving at mutually admissible
decisions’, the RA NA Speaker said. To remind, Artur Baghdasarian is in
Saint Petersburg to take part in the sitting of the Council of the CIS
Interparliamentary Assembly.

A1plus

| 15:32:39 | 14-04-2005 | Politics |

CONCESSIONS EQUAL TO TREASON

Today several women organized a press conference on behalf of the widows,
mothers and sisters of the fighters who died in the Kharabakh war. They are
displeased and concerned with recently voiced declarations concerning
«return» of liberated territories.

Gohar Karapetyan was angry with the recent statement of Defense Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan about «possible concessions for certain guarantees». «What
guarentess do they want to get from the Turks, and what will be given in
return?» ask the women. They declare that they speak on behalf of those 400
000 refugees, «real owners» of the territories. «It’s at least treason not
to take into account the sufferings, the heroic fight of Karabakh
population, and the blood they shed», say the women.

They reminded Robert Kocharyan of his pre-election programmes saying
Armenians are owners of these territories. Women do not understand «how can
Serzh Sarkisyan and Robert Kocharyan who had had certain participation in
the fight, make such declarations». The widows of the fighters noted that
if, God forbid, the war is resumed, they will be on the front line.

A1plus

| 16:40:37 | 12-04-2005 | Politics |

WHO NEEDS FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

`It does not matter whether `A1+’ is good or bad. It is important that it
provided variety of information. As Voltaire used to say, `I may disagree
with what you say but I will defend your right to say it’, Doctor of
Philosophy of the Yerevan State University Levon Abrahamyan stated at
today’s civil forum entitled `The Turning Point’.

10 days ago he attended the action in support of freedom of speech organized
at the monument to Komitas. Being upset to see the little number of
supporters of freedom of speech he anyway noted, `The number is not
important for the truth. It is important that people still struggle. One of
the topics of the discussion was the opening of `A1+’ TV Co. Many opinions
were heard in support of the company.

However most of the forum participants hold the opinion that a sole action
cannot be fruitful and e consistent work is needed.

Levon Abrahamyan is convinced that `A1+’ will open sooner or later.

AZG Armenian Daily #065, 13/04/2005

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SOURCES ALLOCATED FOR SCHOOLS FROM RA SATE BUDGET

Already in 2003, by the decree of RA finance and economy minister, the
non-profit organizations should have submitted the indices of their annual
financial development, i.e. all real and probable expenses, for
ratification.

Kamo Areyan, deputy Yerevan mayor, said during the April 11 press conference
that since this year this principle will be applied for the compulsory
schools of Yerevan city. At present, the profits and the expenses of
educational programs of 2005 are being calculated. The sources ($8,6
million) allocated from RA state budget are being delivered.

Compared with other years, the headmasters of the schools are directly
engaged in the process of allocating sources. They submit their indicators
and get financed according to the expenses made per student. But there are
30-40 schools in the capital that have large buildings and few students.
When calculating their finances, they try to take into account also the
expenses for the preservation of the school buildings.

By Karine Danielian

Armenian leader against disunity with Karabakh

Arminfo
11 Apr 05

YEREVAN

“We will all win if we really consider Karabakh to be an integral part
of Armenia,” Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today told a meeting
with students and teachers of Yerevan State University’s economics
department in reply to questions about Armenian citizens’ negative
attitude towards the Karabakh Armenians and especially towards
officials of Karabakh origin, and about the Karabakh Armenians’ bad
attitude towards servicemen from Armenia.

Answering the first part of the question, Kocharyan said he had the
impression that the problem was getting softer.

“As for the attitude of the Karabakh Armenians towards servicemen from
Armenia, there is no such problem in Karabakh at all,” the president
said. He added that even some anecdotes have emerged on this issue
recently, which shows that the problem is getting softer.

“As regards our officials of Karabakh origin, [Defence Minister] Serzh
Sarkisyan is half Karabakh and half Zangezur Armenian. Apart from the
president, Karabakh Armenians are not particularly represented in
government structures,” he said.

Kocharyan said one should not forget about the existence of the
Karabakh problem, adding that he considered himself to be an Armenian
citizen to the same extent.

“I have never separated myself from Armenia. And I was the author of
the 1 April 1989 decision on unification [with Armenia],” Kocharyan
said.

As for the issue of attitudes to people from “other territories”, this
issue exists in other countries as well, he said.

EXHIBITION ARMENIA EXPO TO BE HELD IN KRASNODAR IN MAY

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The exhibition Armenia Expo scheduled
for April 27-30 in the Russian city of Krasnodar will be held on May
5-7. According to the deputy director of the Armenian Development
Agency Mushegh Sargsian, the exhibition postponement was due to the
fact of holding another exhibition of Armenian goods and services,
Armenia Today. Expo 2005, in Tbilisi on April 21-23. M. Sargsian told
NT correspondent that the production of all the branches of the
Armenian economy will be displayed at the exhibition. The main aim of
the exhibition is assisting Armenian businessmen with establishing new
business links and signing agreements. 140 companies have been invited
to participate in the exhibition organized at the initiative of the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Armenia, the Armenian Development
Agency and the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia.

DURING FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 2005, FRONTIER GUARDS OF FRONTIER
DEPARTMENT OF RUSSIAN FEDERAL SERVICE DETAINED 50 VIOLATORS OF RA
STATE BORDER

YEREVAN, APRIL 8. ARMINFO. During the first three months of 2005,
the frontier guards of the Frontier Department of the Russian Federal
Service detained 50 violators of the state border of the Republic
of Armenia, Head of the Frontier Department of the russian Federal
Security Service in Armenia Lieutenant General Sergey Bondarev
informs ARMINFO.

He says that 49 violators trying to enter Armenia with forged
documents and then to leave to remote countries were detained at
the international airport “Zvartnots.” A Kurd “seeking better life
in Armenia” was detained by Gyumri frontier division and then was
transferred to the Turkish party by the Armenian National Security
Service after necessary investigation measures, the russian general
says.

Pan Armenian News

FOOTBALL TEAM OF ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN CIS SECOND
INTERNATIONAL MINI FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

08.04.2005 03:34

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The football team of Armenian journalists with
the patronage of the Armenian President will depart for Odessa to
take part in the CIS Second International Mini Football Tournament
dedicated to the 60-th anniversary of the victory in the Great
Patriotic War, IA Regnum reports. The competitions were initiated
by the Association of the Sports Journalists of the Odessa region
and the Regional Union of Veterans of Afghanistan War. The matches
will be played in the best sports complexes on Odessa. Besides the
Armenian team, teams from Odessa, Brest, Volgograd, Kiev and Saint
Petersburg will take place in the competitions. The winners will be
awarded with cups and diplomas. The main goal of the competition is
to strengthen friendship between nations, respect to the immortal
feat of the homeland defenders. To note, in 2001 the team of Armenian
journalists became the bronze medallist in Moldova; in 2002 in Yerevan
it became the CIS champion.

DESTRUCTION OF OLD YEREVAN GOES ON

AZG Armenian Daily #063, 09/04/2005

Home

The buildings 9 and 11 in Byuzand Street are included in the list of
the historical-cultural monuments. These days, the deconstruction works
are at full swing in there. By the order of the owner of the building,
the workers are ruining the old-fashioned balconies of the building
from the yard’s side. Daily Azg informed Artiom Grigorian, head of RA
Agency for Historical-Cultural Monuments’ Preservation, about this. He
promised to let know a relevant department of the Yerevan Municipality.

The dwellers of the yard that found themselves in dust and rubbish
were extremely irritated and angry at the ignoring attitude
displayed to them. The workers were transferring the logs of the
ruined balconies in front of our eyes. A representative of Glendale
Hills ltd. introduced himself as the owner and rather cynically said:
“Many people just like you came, watched and went away but they didn’t
managed anything. If you come the day after tomorrow you will find this
building totally ruined. Nothing will be left here, we are going to
destroy everything.” I told him to show the permission to destroy,
he answered that it isn’t with him. The ignorant “boss” who was
destroying a historical-cultural monument and was fancying himself
“an owner” had no idea of the building’s value.

“Many films have been shot here. Famous Armenian and foreign directors
and actors worked here. “Sweet Mother,” “Serob’s Tree” and “My Dear
Yerevan” as well as many other films were shot here. I can’t remember
all of them,” Mrs. Emma, a dweller of one of the apartments of 9
Byuzand Str said.

By Ruzan Poghosian

PRESS RELEASE
MARCH FOR HUMANITY
104 N. Belmont St. Suite 206
Glendale, CA 91206
Contact: Serouj Aprahamian, Vicken Sosikian
Tel: 818.507.1933
Fax: 818.240.3442
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Walkers Complete More Than a Quarter of The 215 Mile March For Humanity

Merced, Calif., April 6, 2005 – California marchers, walking in
solidarity with the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide
on its 90th anniversary, passed the 80-mile point and arrived in
Merced Wednesday.

The determined group of 14 Armenian youth from Pasadena, Walnut,
San Fernando Valley and Fresno sleep in church halls and eat from a
lunch truck accompanying them on their 19 day trek. As a way to focus
on why they are marching, every morning a marcher tells the story of
a family member who survived the Genocide.

The selfless youth plan on walking to Sacramento, where they will
join a large rally at the Capitol Building, organized to thank
the California state legislature and those of 35 other states for
officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

An interesting addition to the group of marchers, ranging in age from
18 to 27, is the participation of Sanan Shirinian and Zabel Ekemekjian.

Shirinian is a 16 year junior at a private Armenian high school in
Los Angeles. She worked tirelessly to take 20 days off school not so
she can take a vacation but to do her part for her cause.

“My great grandparents were survivors of an attempt to kill all
Armenians,” said Shirinian. “I decided to walk so I can let the world
know about the wrongs the Turks did against my ancestors and to bring
justice to an unpunished crime.”

Ekmekjian, whose father survived the Genocide, is a 63-year-old
grandmother from Moraga, Calif. who felt that she must use her own
body to raise awareness about the crimes committed against her father
and his family.

“Our family was split apart because of the Genocide,” said
Ekmekjian. “I have never met my aunts and my cousins, I know they
exist and that they live in Iraq, but I don’t know who they are
because they lost contact with my father after escaping the massacres.”

Defying sore muscles, blistered feet, and aching legs, the marchers
will continue to walk an additional 150 miles, rain or shine, until
they arrive at their destination on April 21.

The Genocide began in 1915 and lasted for more than six years, claiming
the lives of more than 1.5 million men, women and children. While many
nations recognize and condemn the crime committed against the Armenian
people, the Turkish government has denied it for the past 90 years.

# # #

For more information about the March For Humanity, the marchers,
their shelter, and pictures, please visit