Author: Navasardian Karapet

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
April 28, 2006 Friday 09:50 AM EST

Suspected killer of Armenian released on recognizance

City prosecutors on Friday released on recognizance an 11th-form
schoolboy, who was detained over the murder of Armenian national
Vagan Abramyants at the Pushkinskaya subway station.

“Although the schoolboy has been released on recognizance,
investigators still consider him a suspect,” lawyer Simon Tsaturyan
told Itar-Tass…

In his opinion, it was a hate-based murder.

“The investigators now have to ascertain the degree of his
involvement in the murder of Vagan Abramyants, and whether he knew
the persons who attacked him,” Tsaturyan said.

On April 22, a group of 12 young men, who knew each other, gathered
at the Pushkinskaya subway station. They were waiting for a friend.
At that time, six or seven youngsters got off the train headed for
Vykhino, and a fistfight broke out

Vagan Abramyants, a student of the Moscow University of Management,
was stabbed in the chest and died on the spot.

ARMENIAN MP SAYS CO-EXISTENCE WITH AZERIS IN KARABAKH IMPOSSIBLE

Ayots Ashkar, Yerevan
26 Apr 06

Excerpt from report by Vaan Vardanyan in the Armenian newspaper Ayots
Ashkar on 26 April headlined ” We may become good neighbours but each
of us should live at our own territories ”

On 21 April the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] parliament conducted
hearings on prospects of resolving the Karabakh conflict. Armenian
MP and leader of the union of political scientists Mayak Ovanesyan
has commented on the hearings.

[Ayots Ashkar correspondent] Mr Ovanesyan, what are your impressions
of the NKR parliamentary hearings?

[Mayak Ovanesyan] Such hearings have been organized by the NKR
parliament for the first time. Even though the OSCE Minsk Group is
mainly dealing with the Karabakh talks, it is no secret that certain
processes are simultaneously going on. That is the Dortmund conference,
the International Crisis Group and others are expressing opinions
which are not in favour of us at all. Despite the fact that Armenia
takes part in the talks, we [Armenia and Karabakh] should take a
single position.

[Passage omitted: Asked about new options of settling the conflict,
Ovanesyan said that co-existence of two nations practising different
religions was impossible and that it would lead to new killings]

We may become good neighbours, but each of us should live at our
own territories. The settlement model, which the media have been
speaking about so far, is unacceptable. The point is not that we are
better than Azerbaijanis or Jews are better than Arabs. We are simply
different and our co-existence is impossible.

Those who say that the Karabakh conflict will be resolved, the
Armenians will return to Baku and the Azerbaijanis to Shushi [Susa],
and they will all live in peace are absolutely wrong, although they
have good intentions. This will lead to a new war.

Many of my counterparts in Karabakh supported me. They also think that
the separation of the two nations which took place in past years should
be formalized and each of them should live on their own territories. We
may become good neighbours in the future. I think that Armenia should
suggest and support this idea at the talks. The Armenians of Karabakh
have determined themselves on the territories that belong to them
and the international community should respect this self-determination.

[Correspondent] How do Karabakh’s political forces imagine the limits
on possible compromises?

[Ovanesyan] They very much care about ensuring security of the
NKR in a global sense, rather than status for certain liberated
territories. Learning from bitter experience, they watch the problem
more closely and think that, whatever option for a settlement is
proposed, the NKR’s security should be protected no less well than
it is today. This is their pivotal claim.

EXACERBATION OF IRAN-USA RELATIONS CAN INFLUENCE THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

Stepanakert, April 26. ArmInfo. Exacerbation of Iran-USA relations
can affect the situation in South Caucasus region and influence
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said in an interview to ArmInfo
correspondent David Babayan, political scientist from Karabakh.

According to Mr. Babayan, the Azeris are especially in the Iran-USA
relations. Azerbaijan is standing for political resolution of the
of the controversies on one hand and on the other Azerbaijan is
afraid of Iran’s military attack in case war starts and Azerbaijan
becomes the ally of the USA. The political scientist added that in
some sense Azeri authorities are interested in the exacerbation of
the situation in Iran, aiming to unite the so-called ‘Southern’ and
‘Northern’ Azerbaijan with the help of America. Taking an active part
in the campaign against Iran on the USA’s side, Azerbaijan longs to
obtain the sympathies of the West and settle the Karabakh conflict
to its own benefit.

MEETING OF ISTC BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN IN JUNE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. A meeting of the Board of Directors
of the International Scientific and Technical Center (ISTC) will
take place in Yerevan in June, during which 14 grant programs to be
submitted by various scientific research institutions of Armenia
will be discussed. Director of the ISTC Armenian Regional Branch
Hamlet Navasardian told NT correspondent about it. According to him,
4 Armenian programs were approved at the last meeting of the ISTC
Board of Directors held in Moscow on March 30. Thus, the number
of Armenian programs financed by the center reached 123, with the
total amount of financing making 25.5 mln dollars. The ISTC is
financing 2,318 grant programs of the total amount of 712 mln USD,
which were submitted by scientific institutions of Russia, Belarus,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan and Tadzhikistan. H. Navasardian
said that Armenia is in third place after Russia and Kazakhstan by
the amount of financing. 14% of the funds for Armenian programs has
been allocated to biology and sciences on life, 18% – to physics, 15%
– for synthesis of new substances and 13% – to chemistry. To recap,
the ITSC was established in 1992 by the European Union, Russia, the
US and Japan with the aim of using the potentail of CIS countries’
scientists, who were previously engaged in development of arms,
for peaceful purposes. Later South Korea, Canada and Norway joined
the ITSC.

ARMENIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS EXPECTS TO RECEIVE 20 MLN EURO CREDIT FROM EBRD

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenia International Airports
Company – manager of Zvartnots Airport applied to the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with a request to be
allocated a 20 mln euro credit. NT correspondent was informed at the
airport’s press service that the new credit will be used to speed
up the construction of the new terminal. To recap, it is planned to
complete the terminal’s construction, which started two years ago,
in 2007. The ground floor of the building – the arrival and departure
hall will be put into operation this year.

ARMENIA, SEYCHELLES ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Arminfo
26 Apr 06

Yerevan, 26 April: The Armenian and Seychellois permanent
representatives in the UN, Armen Martirosyan and Jeremie Bonnelame,
singed a protocol on 19 April on establishing diplomatic relations
between the two republics.

By signing the protocol, Armenia and Seychelles pledge to stimulate
the strengthening of neighbourly relations between the two people,
the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Arminfo.

SWEDISH ARMENIAN COMMUNITY HOLDS IN UPPSALA CENTRAL EVENT DEDICATED TO 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 25 2006

UPPSALA, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On the initiative
of the Armenian Unions Uniting Centre and the Armenian Cultural Union
of Uppsala and of the church councils, cooperating with “Hayastan”
(Armenia) All-Armenian Fund, Armenian unions and organizations, the
central event dedicated to memory of the Armenian Genocide victims was
held in Sweden this year on April 22 in Uppsala. Hundreds of sons of
Armenians and representatives of other nations paid tribute of their
respect to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. People came
by buses from far cities to participate in the memory-evening. Vachik
Karapetian, the Chairman of the Uppsala Church Council opened the
program. After standing in one minute honour of silence, Armenian and
Swedish participants of the event, representatives of political, public
organizations listened to Klas-Joran Karlson, the History Department
Professor of “Lyund” University, author of the books “From Ararat to
Nagorno Karabakh” and “History of Genocides” who touching upon in his
lecture the Armenian people’s history of the last century, under the
light of international political events, explained the phenomenon of
the genocide as well as the process of the international recognition of
the genocide, mentioning the necessity and importance of liquidating
consequences of the genocide. Ulla Hoffman, a member of the Swedish
Parliament, a representative of the Left Party who has visited
Armenia many times and contacted and became to know the Armenian
people closer, stressed in her speech the necessity of Sweden’s and
other European countries’ assisting Armenia at any price. Strictly
condemning Turkey’s denying policy, she emphasized that it would not
be possible to speak about development of Armenian-Turkish real ties
and their reconciliation, without Turkey’s recognition of the Genocide
and revewing its history. Then Helena Linder, a representative of the
Greens’ Party, a member of the Uppsala City Council and a candidate
for the Riksdag deputy made a speech. According to her, the Swedish
society must know about the Armenian Genocide as much as it knows
about the Holocaust. Michael Oskarson, a Rikstag deputy from the
Christian-Democratic party, paying tribute of his respect to the memory
of millions of martyrs, emphasized that Turkey has still a long way
to pass for making a part of the European family. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the Armenians Unions Uniting Center of Sweden, the Uppsala
Armenian Cultural Union’s “Gayane” dancing group headed by Armine
Zakinian, soloist Arpine Zakinian, to the piano accompaniment of Lilit
Sukiasian, duduk player Haik Hakobian, reciters Nune Haroutiunian,
Ani Galstian and others participated in the artistic part of the
event. The event finished with the hymn of the Republic of Armenia.

Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown MA 02472
617-926-1890
[email protected]

Press Release
April 24, 2006

ANCEM Thanks Watertown Police Department for Investigating
the Damage Upon Armenian Genocide Billboard

Watertown, MA – In a letter to Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau, the
Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts (ANCEM) thanked the
Watertown police department for investigating the damage caused to an
Armenian Genocide billboard on Arsenal Street in Watertown.

Upon learning of the damage caused to one of the Armenian Genocide
billboards, the ANCEM notified the police department and asked them look
into the damage.

The police department, led by Chief Deveau, investigated the damage, which
received media coverage from the local TV news.

The damage came right at the time when Armenians worldwide, including those
in the Watertown area, were commemorating the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Government.

The ANCEM encouraged the authorities to investigate the damage so as to
ensure that the acts were not the result of prejudice which can grow and
lead to the kind of horrific intolerance of which history has seen all too
much.

The police department concluded that the damage was most likely caused by
weathering which was a comfort to the Armenian American community and all
Watertown residents.

`We thank the Watertown police department for its attention to this serious
matter, stated Sharistan Melkonian of the ANCEM. `We remain concerned with
any possibility of intolerance in any form and greatly appreciate the
seriousness with which the police department engaged in its investigation. ‘

Peace of Art sponsors the Armenian Genocide billboards each April.

The Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts is a grassroots
public affairs organization serving to inform, educate, and act on a wide
range of issues concerning Armenian Americans throughout the state of
Massachusetts.

####

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LASTED FOR 30 YEARS, AUTHOR SAYS

Armenpress
Apr 24 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS: Victims and survivors of the Armenian
Genocide were honored Saturday in Nicosia, Cyprus. Local Armenians led
by their church leaders demanded that Turkey recognize the genocide
its predecessor had committed. A liturgy was also served at the local
Armenian church.

Armenians in Washington, USA began a 91-hour rally on April 22 in
front of Turkish embassy demanding that USA and Turkey acknowledge
the genocide. On April 22 some 100 New York-based Turks and Azeris
held an anti-Armenian rally on Times Square claiming that there was no
Armenian genocide. Armenians in Holland marked the 91-st anniversary
of the genocide by a rally in front of the Turkish embassy in the
Hague and marching then to the parliament building. A letter urging
the Dutch parliament to pass a genocide recognizing resolution was
handed to parliament officials.

A conference on the genocide was organized by Armenians in Cairo,
Egypt. Also a tree-planting event was to take place in Slovakia as a
way to honor the victims of the Armenian genocide.-0- The residents
of Stepanakert, the capital city of the Nagorno-Karabakh republic,
honored today morning the memory of the victims of the Armenian
genocide. Its leadership, led by president Arkady Ghukasian and the
head of the Karabakh diocese of the Armenian Church, laid wreaths to
the Genocide Memorial and a church service was conducted. Speaking to
journalists, Arkady Ghukasian expressed hope that more nations will
recognize officially the first genocide of the last century in 2006.

Nagorno-Karabakh parliament chairman Ashot Ghulian said ‘the wall
of silence over the genocide has collapsed and more countries will
recognize it.” He said authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh are eager to
contribute to the efforts for its international acknowledgment. An
author and publicist Zory Balayan told reporters today the Armenian
genocide did not last from 1915 to 1923, but began earlier, in 1893
and lasted for almost 30 years. He said it was not only genocide but
forcing an entire nation our of his homeland in which it lived for
thousands of years.

Ozgal Jan, a representative of the European Turkish Workers party,
said today in Yerevan, he was bending his head before the 1.5 million
victims of the genocide. He added nations should do everything
possible not to allow it repeat again. Ozgal Jan has come to Armenia
to specially pay homage to the genocide victims. He had to flee his
native Turkey to Germany for his political views. He said not only
Armenians, but thousands of Assyrians and Greeks had been slaughtered
together with Armenians.

He said his party works to help Armenians and Turks in Europe establish
contacts. His party contacts regularly with many European Armenian
organizations.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS COMMEMORATION SOIREE HELD IN SWEDEN

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 00:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the initiative of the coordination center of the
Armenian unions of Sweden a soiree in commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide victims was held in the town of Upsala, Sweden on April
22. Hundreds of Armenians and representatives of other nationalities
took part in the event. The soiree attendees revered the memory of
the Armenian Genocide victims with the minute of silence. Professor
Carlson of the Lund University presented the Armenian Genocide issue
in the light of international political event and touched upon the
stages of its international recognition.