Author: Nalchajian Markos

NORMALIZATION OF TIES WITH TURKEY MUST BE BASED SOLELY ON PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL RIGHTS

PanArmenian News
April 22 2009
Armenia

"Normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties should not be determined by
third parties’ interests," "Armenian-Turkish relations: Development
Perspectives" conference participants said. In the document adopted
after the conference, the participants express concern that Armenia
may find itself unprepared for the challenges that might be imposed on
it during negotiations. The speedy developments require concretization
of positions on all issues and elaboration of relevant countermeasures
neutralizing possible threats.

According conference participants, normalization of ties with Turkey
should stipulate for equal rights principles and no-preconditions
policy, such preconditions might pose a threat to physical and moral
security of the Armenians and insult their national dignity and
historical memory.

The conference activists find that the process of establishing
intergovernmental relations requires adherence to 5 principles,
including absence of preconditions (questioning the fact of the
Armenian Genocide), Armenia’s unilateral obligations, interests for
third parties and prospects for Karabakh settlement process.

WHY THE MELKONIAN MUST REOPEN
Eleni Theocharous

Cyprus Mail
&cat_id=1
April 23 2009

ON APRIL 24 we remember the victims of the Turkish Genocide against
the Armenian population of Asia Minor. We honour the Armenian nation
and its suffering through resolutions and emotional speeches. In my
opinion, there is a much better way to act: let’s reopen the Melkonian
school. We owe it to the surviving, active Armenian community here,
we owe it to ourselves because the Armenian community is a part of us.

Despite our participation in pan-European campaigns to respect
multiculturalism (after all, 2008 was the Year of Multiculturalism)
and despite the declarations by governments to mark the multicultural
character of our homeland, a living part of our culture and the history
of our country has been allowed to wither and eventually to close –
the historic Melkonian school.

This school played a vital role in the past 80 years towards the
support and development of the Armenian language, culture and history,
as well as for the preservation of this nation’s identity. It was the
only institute of its kind in the whole of Europe that provided an
education to Armenian students, with this education based on their
heritage and the language of learning being in Armenian.

The Melkonian Educational Institute was established by the great
visionary Garabed Melkonian as an orphanage in 1926 to provide shelter
and protection to hundreds of survivors of the genocide. The building
that housed the school until its closure – that currently houses the
Aglandjia Gymnasium – is protected by the Republic of Cyprus as a
part of our national heritage.

The forest that surrounds it was planted by orphans, the first
inhabitants of the orphanage, to remind us all of the genocide. Each
tree represents one of the many Armenian communities scattered
across the world. It is therefore a holy place and a historic one
that symbolises the hope that other genocides are not perpetrated in
this world.

Thousands of Armenians from all over the world have studied at the
Melkonian when it eventually became a school and many loved Cyprus,
carrying with them the drama and the history of this island, the
culture and its suffering, to the rest of the world.

Many have excelled and distinguished themselves, becoming the leaders
of the Armenian communities in every country, while also contributing
in various fields towards the development of the Armenian culture,
education, language and national identity. Thousands of graduates
have left their mark in world history by distinguishing themselves in
literature, the arts and sciences and in the field of business. At
the same time, they became ambassadors of Cyprus supporting the
just cause of the people of Cyprus vying for a fair solution to the
Cyprus problem.

Included among the many who passed through the Melkonian are Bedelian,
Abcarian, Vahan Tekeyan and so many other eminent scientists, artists,
musicians, teachers, writers, historians and athletes who have lived
and still live among us.

Many of the students who were at the Melkonian when it suddenly
closed have found themselves in a dire situation, not knowing what
to do. Furthermore, the closure of the Melkonian has also endangered
the Nareg elementary school because its graduating pupils who do not
have a secondary Armenian school to continue to are now making other
choices as regards their primary education.

All these constitute a real threat to the Armenian language,
culture and civilisation. They are leading Armenians to assimilation,
instead of incorporating them with their unique characteristics within
Cypriot society as has happened for almost a century. Incorporation,
instead of assimilation, is a fundamental principle of the European
Union which is implemented in the case of migrants. Even more so,
this should be the case for living communities of a member state.

It is, therefore, necessary to save the Melkonian. To help it
reopen. Our devotion to the meaning of multiculturalism should be
deep and sincere and addressed with actions towards every community
of Cyprus. The civilisation and creativity of the Armenians of Cyprus
is a benefit to us all, it is not a detriment. Nor is this something
to display in museums in a few years. Equally so, the land of the
historic Melkonian school is not even for sale, neither for commercial
exploitation or even for prime development of luxury hotels.

n Dr Eleni Theocharous is an MP for the DISY party and a candidate
for the European Parliamentary elections. As an active member of the
Doctors of Cyprus, she has travelled on many occasions to Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh and operated on hundreds of children

GEORGIAN MFA: GRIGOL VASHADZE DID NOT COMMENT ON TURKISH -ARMENIAN RELATIONS

PanArmenian
April 21 2009
Armenia

Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official
denial. "Georgian FM Grigol Vashadze did not comment on Turkish
-Armenian relations," Georgia’s MFA Political Department Director
Zurab Katchkatchishvili stated.

Last week, APA Azeri news agency circulated the statement by Georgian
FM Grigol Vashadze that "Turkish -Armenian border will not be opened".
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PanArmenian , Armenia
April 21 2009

Georgian MFA: Grigol Vashadze did not comment on Turkish â??Armenian relations

21.04.2009 17:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official denial. â??Georgian FM Grigol Vashadze did not comment on Turkish â??Armenian relations,â?? Georgiaâ??s MFA Political Department Director Zurab Katchkatchishvili stated.

Last week, APA Azeri news agency circulated the statement by Georgian FM Grigol Vashadze that â??Turkish â??Armenian border will not be openedâ??.

PENN MIDDLE EAST CENTER HOSTS TALK ON DECIPHERING TURKISH DENIAL: MODERNITY, VIOLENCE AND 1915 CONTEXTUALIZED

States News Service
April 20, 2009 Monday

The following information was released by the University of
Pennsylvania:

WHO: Fatma Muge Gocek, associate professor of sociology, University of

Michigan

WHAT: Talk about Turkey and Armenians

WHERE: 208 Williams Hall, 255 S. 36th St.

WHEN: Thursday April 23, 6 p.m.

Dr. Gocek has worked extensively in the fields of comparative
historical sociology, social change and social theory. The talk will
address similar topics to those in her forthcoming book, Deciphering
Denial: Turkish State and the Armenian Ethnic Cleansing of 1915.

ANC APPEALED TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

A1+
April 21, 2009

The Armenian National Congress has appealed to the Constitutional Court
in protest to the interpretation of the "Electoral Code" by the Central
Electoral Commission according to which any citizen of Yerevan who
is registered and is not even a citizen may participate in elections.

On March 10, 2009, the Central Electoral Commission clarified that
"during the local self-government elections, according to the 2nd
article of the Electoral Code, RA citizens who have reached 18 years
of age have the right to vote, as well as those who have one-year
registration in the district and any other person aged 18 years old
without RA citizenship."

"It turns out that anyone who has acquired registration 60 seconds
before the vote and does not even have citizenship may participate
in the elections. This is one way by which they will try to secure
the figures they want," told "A1+" ANC reprsentative Artak Zeylanyan.

"We have appealed to the Administrative Court and the court
apparently made a reference to the legal action, which contradicts
the Constitution and the electoral right," said Artak Zeylanyan who
added that the ANC is relying on the Constitutional Court.

The ANC is currently debating the constitutionality of the electoral
code.

Let us remind that the verdict reached by the Administrative Court is
final and the issue concerning the electoral right is not subject to
debate in the European Court of Human Rights because issues relating
to local self-government are not defended by the European Convention.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED A DELEGATION FROM THE WORLD BANK GROUP-MEMBER INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION, LED BY THE FIAS BUSINESS SUPPORTREFORM UNIT’S SENIOR ECONOMIST STEFKA SLAVOVA.

The Government of the Republic of Armenia

Monda y, 20 April 2009

Ms Slavova reminded that the delegation is in Armenia at the request
of the Armenian government to get acquainted with the current
status and future development of the Reform for Doing Business
in Armenia program. The delegation was said to have already met
with corresponding officials from the local ministries of economy,
finance, urban development and other government agencies to discuss
questions bearing on reform of tax and customs administration,
business environment, construction licenses etc.

Then Tigran Sargsyan and Stefka Slavova spoke about the outstanding
problems and discussed the proposals and recommendations formulated
by the delegation. Ms Slavova stressed the need for strengthening
the organizational framework of the program with a focus on reform
transparency.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan thanked the delegation for sustained and
effective efforts in support of Armenian reforms and assured that the
delegation’s recommendations will be used in future action. Stefka
Slavova stated the delegation’s readiness to work with as much
dedication and expressed hope that program performance will improve
considerably prior to the arrival of a new delegation from the
Corporation late this May.

AMERIABANK FORECASTS NEGATIVE GDP GROWTH IN ARMENIA

/ARKA/
April 20, 2009
YEREVAN

Ameriabank (Armenia) forecasts negative GDP growth in Armenia for
this year.

"The GDP will range from negative 5% to positive 3% in Armenia this
year," Ameriabank Director General Artak Anesyan told reporters.

If inflation is curbed in future as well, it may range within 8%
by the end of this year.

According to a specified monetary policy program of the Central Bank
of Armenia (CBA) for the 1st quarter of this year, a decrease of 3%
in GDP is expected in Armenia this year. An inflation rate of 5.9%
is forecast in Armenia for the end of this year.

The RA Statistical Service reports that an inflation rate of 2%
was registered in Armenia this January-March as compared with
the corresponding period last year. An inflation rate of 0.7% was
registered this January-March against last December.

An inflation rate of 4% is budgeted in Armenia for this year.

HAYK DEMOYAN: TRUE PERPETRATORS AND ORGANIZERS OF MASSACRE IN ADANA REMAIN UNPUNISHED

ArmInfo
2009-04-20 15:05:00

True perpetrators and organizers of the Armenians massacre in
Adana still remain unpunished, Director of the Armenian Genocide
Institute-Museum Hayk Demoyan said at today’s press-conference timed
to the 100th anniversary of the Armenians massacre in the Turkish
province of Adana.

He thinks the massacre of Armenians in Adana ahs actually become a
medium link among massacres of Armenians under the regime of sultan
Abdul-Hamid and the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Moreover, the historian
emphasized that a precise programme on extermination of Armenians
existed, which remained unchanged both under the sultan regime of
Abdul-Hamid and the Kemalists.

H. Demoyan emphasized in his report that extermination of the
Armenian population in Adana in April 1909 is a documentary-confirmed
fact. ‘This is mentioned not only in the official Armenian documents
but also in a number of documents of foreign diplomatic representatives
of that time. Moreover, over 100 pictures exist depicting this crime’,
H. Demoyan said.

According to the historian, the following ideology existed at that
time in Turkey: ’20 years later after massacre, the Armenians will be
ready for a new massacre>, moreover, a national intolerance and race
discrimination reigned with respect to the Armenians. Moreover, in
his report, H. Demoyan also considered the psychological and economic
aspects of the Armenian massacre in Adana.

RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN POLICE HOLD JOINT HOSTAGE RESCUE EXERCISES

RIA Novosti news agency
17 Apr 09
Moscow

Yerevan, 17 April: In Yerevan today, special units of the Russian
Interior Ministry and the Armenian police have practised actions to
detain gunmen who have seized hostages. Russian Interior Minister
Rashid Nurgaliyev and head of the Armenian police Alik Sargsyan
oversaw the exercises.

According to the scenario, Armenia’s law-enforcement bodies
receive information about planned acts of terror in Yerevan. The
Armenian police asks the Russian Interior Ministry to help carry out
counterterrorism operations. A few days later, gunmen, according to
the scenario, force their way into the Armenian police academy and
take police cadets hostage. The gunmen demand an aircraft and vehicles.

During talks, several hostages manage to leave the academy building,
and later an operation begins to detain the terrorists and free the
police cadets in the academy building. Five gunmen were "killed",
ten others were detained and all hostages were freed.

More than 300 men of the special forces of the two countries were
involved in the exercises. Thirteen vehicles, including a combat
helicopter and a Tigr armoured police vehicle, were used.

Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev was pleased with the
exercises.

"In building a new security architecture for the member-states of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization, training personnel is
a very important aspect for us," he said.

The minister said that a real situation, which could emerge in any
country and any time, had been practised at the Armenian police
academy.

"The function of freeing hostages is the responsibility of the special
forces in all our countries, and today we had the opportunity to
practise cooperation and to exchange experience," Nurgaliyev said.

These are not the first joint counterterrorism exercises in the CIS,
and similar events will be held regularly, he said.

The head of Armenia’s police supported his Russian counterpart and
told reporters that such exercises should be held as often as possible.

"As the saying goes, it is difficult in training, but easy in battle;
such exercises give us the possibility to act quickly and to fight
crime more effectively," he said.

HE REALLY WAS "BUILDER KAREN"

A1+
07:47 pm | April 17, 2009

Society

"Ten years have passed and he would only be 77 years old today," said
Rima Demirchyan, wife of the late Karen Demirchyan, as she stood by
his tombstone today.

We did not bother Mrs. Rima with questions today at the Komitas
Pantheon taking into consideration her sorrow and health condition. She
only said that her sorrow remains even 10 years after her husband’s
death.

Karen Demirchyan’s friends, relatives, representatives of the
parliamentary and the opposition, as well as a number of citizens
who did not even know Demirchyan came to the Komitas Pantheon to pay
tribute to Karen Demirchyan on his 77th birthday.

"After the tragedy of October 27, I visit the pantheon two times a
year-on Karen Demirchyan’s birthday and day of his death. I can’t stay
at home on those days. Demirchyan’s death was a severe loss for the
people. He really could have changed a lot in this country and it is
not by chance that he was called Builder Karen," said a visitor who
preferred to stay unanimous.

"I am an average person who lived a joyous life when Karen Demirchyan
was the primary state figure of Armenia."

More and more people were visiting the pantheon today and many of
them had come to simply share the pain of the Demirchyan family.

Former president of the National Academy of Sciences and Demirchyan’s
friend Fadey Sargsyan was among the visitors as well. "Sometimes he
was so busy that we didn’t even find time to have a drink to celebrate
his birthday," told "A1+" Fadey Sargsyan.

Government officials did not visit Karen Demirchyan’s tombstone until
the latter part of the day.