Author: nina hovnanian

Armenian parliament’s legal affairs committee approved amnesty proposal

news.am
May 21, 2011 | 23:04

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s parliament committee on state and legal affairs
approved President Serzh Sargsayn’s proposal on declaring an amnesty,
Eduard Sharmazanov, spokesperson for the Republican Party, told
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He also noted that the Armenian parliament will consider the proposal
during forthcoming four-day session. Sharmazanov did not rule out that
March 1 convicts may also be released under an amnesty, as president’s
initiative is aimed at creation of atmosphere of tolerance in a year
when Armenia marks 20th anniversary of its independence.

`This initiative should be considered on the background of moves aimed
at establishing political dialogue with the opposition,’ he said.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has appealed to the parliament
offering to declare an amnesty on the occasion of 20th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence.

Amnesty to ease political tension in Armenia – MP

news.am
May 21, 2011 | 20:09

YEREVAN. – Armenian President’s proposal on declaring an amnesty
should be considered in the context of previously voiced intention to
ease political climate in the country, MP from Prosperous Armenia
party Naira Zohrabyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to her, the March 1 convicts will also be released. The MP
stressed amnesty will finally defuse domestic political tension and
will improve country’s image in the world.

Zohrabyan noted that the previous amnesty positively affected
situation in the country and was appraised by the world community.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has appealed to the parliament
offering to declare an amnesty on the occasion of 20th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence.

UN WFP, Moscow’s Armenian community to implement humanitarian programs

May 21, 2011 – 16:48 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

On May 19, Armenian Ambassador to Russia Oleg Yesayan met with UN
World Food Programme’s (WFP) Regional Director for Middle East Daly
Belgasmi.

At the meeting, the Ambassador thanked the program organisers for
providing school food to children from vulnerable families.

Mr. Belgasmi, in turn, stressed his respect for the Armenian nation,
which intensified after his meeting with Charles Aznavour in Geneva.

The parties reached an agreement on implementation of humanitarian
programs involving Moscow’s Armenian community, Armenian Foreign
ministry press service reported.

Nino Burdzhanadze demands Sahakashvili resignation

May 21, 2011 – 16:42 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Several members of Georgia’s opposition headed by People’s Assembly
movement are going to push for President Mikheil Saakashvili’s early
resignation, the Georgia Online said on May 21.

The radical opposition members have taken to streets in Tbilisi, they
are going to satge rallies near official buildings and urge the
president to step down in three days.

Earlier in the day, Saakashvili arrived with an official visit in Hungary.

Parliamentary ex-speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, who is also a member of
the leadership of the People’s Assembly of Georgia, said that the
opposition movement “is ready to bring to a conclusion its peaceful
fight and peaceful actions for Saakashvili’s early resignation, which
will allow to hold democratic elections.”

“Democratic elections are impossible during Saakashvili’s presidency,”
she said in an interview with the Tbilisi-based newspaper
Asaval-Dasavali.

Free Georgia opposition party headed by Kaha Kukava has already joined
the protest campaign, RIA Novosti reported.

Irakli Okruashvili says he will return to Georgia to oust Saakashvili

May 22, 2011 – 15:57 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Former Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, who fled the
country to avoid criminal prosecution, promised to return to Georgia
to take part in the May 25 opposition rally. `May 25 will mark the
last day of the current authorities,’ said Okruashvili.

In its turn, the Georgian Interior Ministry has promised to arrest
Okruashvili, when he returns to the motherland. `We are waiting for
him,’ said interior ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili.

In 2008, Okruashvili was convicted in absentia for extortion and
sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment. Soon afterwards he was granted
political asylum in France. Okruashvili has numerously promised to
return to Georgia, Lenta.ru reported.

Rallies organized by supporters of the Georgian opposition started on
May 21, demanding resignation of Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili. The opposition promises to continue holding actions until
May 25.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan: it is harder to win Ukrainian championship than
that of Armenia

May 22, 2011 – 16:30 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Midfielder of FC Shakhtar Donetsk Henrikh Mkhitaryan believes that it
is harder to win the Ukrainian championship than that of Armenia.

`Before this moment, I had already won the Armenian championship. It
was much more difficult to become the champion of Ukraine, so I am
very happy. Both the Armenian and Ukrainian leagues are difficult. It
is not easy to compare these two tournaments, but I would say that you
have to exert huger efforts to win the Ukrainian championship,’ the
official website of FC Shakhtar quoted Mkhitaryan as saying.

Remember We are Here

SUZAN SIMONYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:39:49 – 21/05/2011

The parents of soldiers killed at peace are a walking punishment for
the high-ranking officials walking in and out of the government
building. Every Thursday, aged early, with photos of the smiling faces
of their young sons, they stand near the luxury cars of the ministers
and their contented drivers, and this neighborhood makes their misery
even more striking.

During the hours spent there the parents have noticed that each
official has a way of protection from them. The best wanted man here
is the prosecutor general.

`He used to walk beside us quickly, now we cannot find out how he
manages to get into the building,’ says Anahit Lazarian, the mother
of Arayik Avetisyan killed in Vaik Region.

During the years spent in front of the government building the
prosecutor general has never approached the mothers.

Unlike the prosecutor general, the minister of defense Seyran Ohanyan
is more polite and bold. He does not avoid face to face meetings. Two
weeks ago he told the group of parents, `I could leave the building
through other holes, couldn’t I?’

This boldness is appreciated. `It’s good that he at last talks to us,’
says the mother of Valery Muradyan, reportedly a suicide, who comes to
the government every Thursday from Armavir.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has met with the parents for several
times and asked them politely how he can help them. But they never
meet him in front of the government. They think the prime minister
comes to work by helicopter. The parents know that the prime minister
cannot interfere with the affairs of courts but he is the third person
in the country and, and Aghvan Hovsepyan comes to his office, so he
could go to the courts with his lawyers where the cases of the killed
soldiers are heard and see what is happening there.

The father of Tigran Ohanjanyan who was reportedly killed by electric
current says he tried to talk to Hranush Hakobyan but she would not
even look at them.

The minister of health Artem Kushkyan whom they wanted to ask to
attend to his doctors who write controversial conclusions on criminal
cases has started to enter the government from the other side.

The only person who came up to the parents was the chief of police
Alik Sargsyan, as a result they had a meeting with the head of the
staff of the police. And once the minister of energy promised to talk
to the expert who had led the examination connected with electricity.
And he did.

`We come here for them to see, to remember that we are there, and we
will not leave them alone,’ say the mothers of boys who have become
pictures.

EU hails Obama’s call to respect pre-1967 Israeli-Palestinian borders

19:02 – 20.05.11

The European Union said on Friday it ‘warmly welcomes’ US President
Barack Obama’s call for a peace deal based on the border prior to the
1967 Middle East war.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton ‘warmly welcomes President
Obama’s confirmation that the borders of Israel and Palestine should
be based on the 1967 lines with the mutually agreed swaps, with
secured and recognised borders on both sides,’ AFP reported, citing a
spokesman for Ashton said.

In a keynote policy speech the previous day, Obama included a clear
call for Israel and the Palestinians to use the lines that existed
before 1967 as the basis for talks to achieve a negotiated solution to
the conflict.

The common goal of both the EU and the United States remained ‘a just
and lasting solution’ with Israel and a viable Palestinian state
‘living side by side in peace and security,’ said Maja Kocijancic.

The EU hoped to see swift progress in peace efforts, she added.

Obama relaunched direct talks between the two sides in September 2010,
the first in nearly two years, but they ground to a halt over the
issue of Israeli settlement construction.

Tert.am

International structures welcome the dialogue between the authorities
and the opposition
16.05.2011 16:45

Siranush Muradyan
`Radiolur’

`The dialogue between the authorities and the opposition is acceptable
not only to our country. It has been welcomed by different
international organizations,” representative of the Republican faction
of the National Assembly Gagik Melikyan told a press conference today.

Accoridng to him, the dialogue can upset only those political forces,
which are going to face difficulties at the forthcoming parliamentary
elections.

Speaking about the crisis that followed March 2008, Gagik Melikyan
said we managed to overcome the situation thanks to the efforts of
President Serzh Sargsyan.

ARMENIAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM OF AMERICA
65 Main Street | Watertown, MA 02472 | (617) 926-2562

ARMENIAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM OF AMERICA (ALMA)
presents

GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION CONCERT
and
GENOCIDE EXHIBIT OPENING

EVENT DETAILS
Sunday
May 22, 2011
2:00 pm

ALMA’s Contemporary Art Gallery, 3rd floor
Free and open to the public

On Sunday, May 22, 2011 ALMA will present a special concert
memorializing the Armenian Genocide and featuring performances by
several accomplished musicians. The concert will follow the official
opening of the new Genocide exhibition on ALMA’s mezzanine at 2:00
PM. Guests are welcome to enjoy refreshments, which will be served
after the concert.

The new exhibit “The Armenian Genocide: Hayots Tseghaspanutiun” is a
stunning visual narrative of the events of the 1915-1923 Genocide, and
the continuing aftermath and denial by the Turkish government over
generations. The exhibit’s texts and overall design were created by an
ALMA committee: Haig Der Manuelian (Chairman), Dr. Barbara Merguerian,
Gina Hablanian, Gary Lind-Sinanian, and Arakel Almasian, assisted by a
number of outside consultants. The striking wall graphics were
designed by Ed Malouf of Content Design Collaborative. The visitor
will find a chronological narrative of the tragic events leading up to
World War 1, the years of Genocide (1915-1923), and the continued
denial to the present.

The official opening of the exhibit will be marked by a ribbon-cutting
ceremony, performed by the first Armenian Ambassador to the United
States (1993-1999), Rouben Shougarian.

Shougarian was the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia
(1999-2005) and Ambassador to Italy, Spain and Portugal (2005-2008).
He currently teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at
Tufts University in Massachusetts. Shougarian’s book “West of Eden,
East of the Chessboard: Four Philosophical Looks Upon the Unknown” was
presented at ALMA last year.

The exhibit’s design committee will be in attendance at the opening
and welcomes questions and comments from the public.

Admittance is free to all events of the day and visitors are welcome.