Author: Tashjian Arbi

POLITICIANS SHOULD NOT SPECULATE WITH HISTORICAL ISSUES
Akper Hasanov

news.az
May 4 2010
Azerbaijan

Sergey Taran News.Az interviews Ukrainian political scientist Sergey
Taran.

The Kiev city Rada asks the Supreme Rada of Ukraine "to consider
possible recognition of mass murder of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
in 1915-1992 as genocide". Do you consider that the Supreme Rada of
Ukraine can recognize fictional "Armenian genocide"?

It’s a little bit difficult to give an exact forecast on this issue.

It is only possible to indicate the factors that can influence
the adoption of a final decision. This is a destiny of the issue
of Ukrainians genocide in 1933. Here, there are no analogies with
the 1915 events in the Ottoman empire but there is Russia’s position
which considers that there was no genocide of Ukrainians but there was
holodomor that touched upon a number of other nations of former USSR.

On the whole, I think the deputies of the Kiev city Rada that ask the
Supreme Rada of Ukraine to consider the 1915 events in the Ottoman
empire mostly even do not know what happened in the Ottoman empire
95 years ago. I say this because there are grounds to suppose that
the decision in Supreme Rada will be taken considering political
conjuncture, rather than the historical reality.

On the whole, is Armenia right to ignore numerous proposals of the
Turkish side to open all existing archives and empower the assessment
of events of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire to historians, rather than
politicians?

The new world history has already witnessed the fact of recognition
of the genocide of the Jewish people that promoted the creation of
Israel as a state. This precedent has become an example for a number
of people including Armenians. On the whole, it is incorrect to say
that the issue of any event must be clarified only by politicians. It
is also wrong to attribute this issue only to historians. There must be
a serious discussion to start with the opinion of historians regarding
it. In addition, it is terrible and undesirable when politicians start
to speculate with historical issues. The agenda of the political day
must be filled with other issues, mostly economic ones.

You have earlier mentioned the importance of the current political
conjuncture in Ukraine. What can you say about it?

The position of incumbent President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich is
irrational. As the president of Ukraine, he must take into account
the opinions, wishes and sentiments of the whole country, not just
its part which voted for him during the recent elections. This policy
will not influence Yanukovich’s presidency on the first stages but
in the future it will affect it by all means. Let’s recall that
previous Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko lost the recent
elections because his policy was supported only by the western part
of the country’s population. Therefore, it is possible to say that
Yanukovich repeats Yushchenko’s mistake staking only on the eastern
part of Ukraine. At the same time, it is also necessary to admit that
following Russia’s direction in foreign policy, Ukraine does not lose
ties with Europe. In particular, Yanukovich has rejected Ukraine’s
membership in the customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan,
continuing to orient on Russia’s position regarding the unsettled
territorial conflicts in the former USSR.

Considering the aforementioned, which will be Ukraine’s policy on
Azerbaijan under Yanukovich?

I think Viktor Yanukovich will continue the line of cordial, friendly,
mutually profitable relations that was supported by the previous
presidents of our country. Azerbaijan has always been a loyal,
reliable and sincere ally of Ukraine. Probably, for some period of
time Ukraine’s foreign policy will be pro-Russian, but it possible
to state that in the nearest future our country will hold the same
policy on the Caucasus that it has conducted in the past 20 years.

SERZH SARGSYAN AND HU JINTAO MEET

ArmInfo
2010-05-03 15:33:00

ArmInfo. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and President of the
People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao have discussed issues related to
China’s participation in the construction of the Armenia-Iran railroad,
Armenian presidential press service told ArmInfo today.

The two presidents’ meeting was held within the frames of S.
Sargsyan’s visit to China where he left to participate in the opening
of the Shanghai Expo-2010. The parties emphasized that operation of
the Armenian-Chinese Shanxi-Nairit joint venture in Shanxi province of
China proves that bilateral relations were developing dynamically. The
two presidents noted with satisfaction that multiple joint projects
in energy, chemical industry, agriculture, science and technology,
defense, culture and education spheres are being implemented with
great success.

President Sargsyan said that the enhancement of the relations
with China is a priority of the Armenian foreign policy and noted
that bilateral relations have already shown excellent dynamics of
development. The President of Armenia stressed that the high-level
political dialogue, active cooperation in social, political, economic,
cultural, and educational areas, reciprocal support in multilateral
formats increase mutual understanding and trust between Armenia
and China.

Mapping Matenadaran: AMAP installs information panels at hall of manuscripts

Arts and Culture | 30.04.10 | 12:25

22811/armenian_monuments_awareness_protect_matenad aran
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter

For visitors and locals: AMAP provides information ports for more
tourism landmarks in Armenia

Tatev in Focus of Attention: Ninth century monastery latest tourism
site highlighted by AMAP

Learning by Touch: Project makes visitor information accessible for
visually impaired

Access to Culture: Noravank monastery/canyon latest site to improve
visitor experience

Multi-language information signboards have been installed at an
ancient manuscripts depositary in Yerevan as part of a broader effort
by a nongovernmental organization that has been, for more than two
years, working to promote better awareness about cultural, historical
and natural landmarks across Armenia.
Enlarge Photo
Director of Matenadaran Hrachya Tamrazyan thanked AMAP for the project.

Enlarge Photo
The project’s main sponsor VivaCell-MTS’s General Manager Ralph
Yirikyan spoke during the presentation at Matenadaran.

Enlarge Photo
US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch, one of AMAP’s supporters,
taking a tour to Matenadaran’s restoration laboratory of ancient
manuscripts.

Enlarge Photo

Enlarge Photo
Matenadaran’s lobby.

Enlarge Photo
Entering Matenadaran

The Mesrop Mashtots Manuscripts Scientific-Research Institute, better
known as Matenadaran Museum, is the latest beneficiary of the ongoing
effort by the Armenian Monuments Awareness Project (AMAP) that
installs information signboards in five languages (with additional
languages available on laminated handouts) at historical sites of
Armenia to make them better known and more attractive to both locals
and visitors, thus contributing to the development of tourism in the
country.

`We, at Matenadaran, welcome the entry of this organization, which has
implemented large-scale projects throughout Armenia that concern the
advocacy of and awareness about Armenian culture. We attach importance
to our cooperation with this organization,’ said Matenadaran Director
Hrachya Tamrazyan at a presentation Thursday afternoon.

Tamrazyan said the colorful panels should also help promote awareness
about Matenadaran outside its premises.

`This show should start with the road that leads to Matenadaran,
Mashtots Avenue. And billboards presenting our culture should be added
to the numerous [commercial] ones that already exist [along the
boulevard]. I think these are projects that we will implement jointly
with our friends,’ he said.

AMAP operates with sponsorship of VivaCell-MTS, the Honorary Consul of
Italy in Gyumri, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway and the
USAID through its Competitive Armenian Private Sector program (CAPS).

Ralph Yirikian, general manager of Armenia’s leading mobile phone
operator VivaCell-MTS, described Matenadaran as a treasure that needs
to be cherished.

`We all know well what valuable things we have here and to what great
lengths our ancestors would go to hand them down to us, braving
difficulties and long roads. I think we have the responsibility today
to preserve, add to these values and hand them down to the generations
to come,’ said Yirikian.

United States Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch, who was also
present at the event, said, evaluating USAID/CAPS contribution to the
project: `Matenadaran is not only the heritage of Armenia culture, but
also that of the world culture. AMAP has managed to make this place
more accessible for people.’

Matenadaran in Yerevan has the richest collection of manuscripts,
which number about 17,500. The collection covers nearly all spheres of
Armenian ancient and medieval science and culture and also includes
foreign manuscripts. Fifth-century saint Mesrop Mashtots, the creator
of the Armenian Alphabet, was the founder of the collection of
Armenian books and manuscripts of the Holy Etchmiadzin Catholicosate,
the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

In 1920, the Holy Etchmiadzin Matenadaran became state property and in
1939 it was relocated to Yerevan.

International Council on Monuments and Sites ICOMOS/Armenia Chairman
Gagik Gyurjyan also welcomed the implementation of the project at
Matenadaran. He said: `The project started with ancient sites,
involved medieval complexes, urban locations and now it has reached
one of the major monuments, Matenadaran.’

According to him, the installation of signboards is of no less
importance than restoration work.

`These panels raise our awareness about our heritage. And knowing
means realizing the need to preserve and pass [these values] to the
generations to come. I hope our sponsors will continue their work and
like all civilized countries we will have such information installed
near all monuments,’ said Gyurjyan. `Armenia should become a tourist
country, we should have more active participation in this project and
make our country more recognizable.’

Information signboards at Matenadaran were AMAP’s first presentation
this year. During the two years of the project implementation AMAP has
installed more than 320 information signboards in the premises of 49
monuments in 60 areas of Armenia. A total of 142 information
signboards are expected to be placed in the premises of 26 monuments
this year. Also, 20 information signboards with the Braille alphabet
will be installed for visually impaired visitors. The project will
also be installing audio tours at select sites.

IRAN WILL PROVIDE KARABAKH WITH FARMING MACHINES

Lragir.am
29/04/10

According to Iran’s official news agency Irna and Mehr, Minister of
Agriculture Armo Tsaturyan of Nagorno-Karabakh declared in the Iranian
city of Arak that they have signed an agreement with Iran to supply
20 combine harvesters, 10 of which have already been received. The
purchase price amounts to 1 million.

It is reported that Tsaturyan added that the Karabakh’s agricultural
infrastructures have almost been destroyed during the war, and they
decided to fill the park with the latest technology.

It is interesting that the Iranian information agency noted that the
Minister of the Armenian province of Karabakh, inviting the governor
of the central province of Iran to Karabakh, said that in Armenia,
Iranians are treated with respect, and the economic cooperation
agreements signed between Iran and Armenia guarantee the basis for
mutual cooperation.

KARABAKH WILL SEE A NEW WAR IF ARMENIA SUSPENDS ITS PARTICIPATION IN NK SETTLEMENT: SURENYANTS

Tert.am
17:34 ~U 29.04.10

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict will see new developments, should
Armenia suspend the rapprochement with Turkey, member of the political
council of the Republic Party of Suren Surenyants said at a press
conference today.

"Things have unfolded in a way that by suspending the Armenia-Turkey
normalization, I am afraid, Armenian authorities may face the
imperative of solving the Karabakh issue earlier. If Armenia decides
to suspend its participation also in the Karabakh settlement process,
it may pose such a destructive threat as the resumption of the war,"
said Surenyants.

Surenyants considered nonsense explanations by the Armenian authorities
as if they suspended the normalization with Turkey in an attempt to
ease the pressure over the Karabakh conflict.

"Despite whether or not there is an Armenian-Normalization, the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has existed, does exist and will exist in
the future. I will say more, Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s approaches
will come closer after Armenia’s suspension with Turkey, and the NK
settlement process will become more active," concluded Surenyants.

AYF ORGANIZED ITS 2ND ANNUAL CYCLE AGAINST DENIAL

Noyan Tapan
Apr 29, 2010

ENCINO, APRIL 29, NOYAN TAPAN-ARMENIANS TODAY. On 25 April more than
400 community members of Encino, California took part in a bike-a-thon
to commemorate the Armenian Genocide during the Cycle Against Denial.

The event was organized by the Armenian Youth Federation San Fernando
Valley "Sardarabad" chapter.

According to Cycle Against Denial began and ended at
the Holy Martyrs’ Armenian Church. The participants ranged in ages
5 to 73.

AYF Valley "Sardarabad" Chapter member Aline Karakozian explained
that this event is important for uniting the community.

ARMENIAN CATHOLIC PATRIARCH HOPES FOR INTERNAL RENEWAL FROM MIDDLE EAST SYNOD

Catholic News Agency
nian_catholic_patriarch_hopes_for_internal_renewal _from_middle_east_synod/
April 29 2010

(CNA/EWTN News).- Speaking with CNA after the celebration of Mass
in the presence of the Shroud in the Cathedral of Turin on Monday,
the Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church reflected on the value
of the linen to the faith and expressed his hope for internal renewal
from the upcoming Synod of Middle Eastern bishops.

After having taken part in meetings in Rome to prepare for October’s
Special Synod for the Middle East, Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX went on
pilgrimage to Turin with 12 others. While at the Cathedral in Turin,
the patriarch took a moment to speak with CNA.

Although he did not deliver a homily during the Mass, he told CNA
afterward that the Shroud represents a "very eloquent testimony on
the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."

"If one has faith, just a little faith," said the head of Armenian
Catholics, "he already believes it all, even though the Church still
hasn’t pronounced on it yet."

It is his hope, the patriarch said, "that the image of the Holy
Shroud might always fortify and help us in the difficult moments of
our lives to never lose the orientation that Jesus Christ has given
us, which is to love our enemies, an impossible thing humanly but
possible with the grace of the Holy Spirit."

Speaking about the preparations for the Synod of Middle Eastern
Bishops, set to take place next October in Rome, the patriarch
revealed that the third round of preparatory meetings was held from
April 23-24 at the Holy See.

Explaining the scope of the synod in his own words, he said that it
has "three windows": an "internal renewal" of the communion between
the Catholic Churches, improving communion with non-Catholic Churches
such as the Orthodox and Protestant Churches and providing "another
opening" to the non-Christian world, particularly to the Islamic and
Jewish faiths.

The Armenian Catholic patriarch said that he is eagerly anticipating
the release of the synod’s working document by Pope Benedict on June
5 in Cyprus. This document, he told CNA, was prepared last Friday
and Saturday during meetings between patriarchs in the Secretariat
of the Synod of Bishops.

Reflecting on the individual expectations that the Armenian Church
has for the synod, he explained that it seeks that same objectives
as the other Churches involved. "We hope for an internal renewal,
this is the most important (aspect). If there is no internal renewal,
they are only beautiful words that don’t give objective fruit for
our life, for our Church."

He also said he hopes that through the work of the Holy Spirit, other
Christian Churches would be guided to full communion with the Holy See.

The Armenian Catholic Church, centered in Beirut, Lebanon, has a
presence all over the world. In the U.S. it has eight parishes that
serve approximately 25,000 faithful.

RA FM INVITED ALI SHAMI TO YEREVAN

news.am
April 28 2010
Armenia

RA Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan met with country’s Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Ali Shami. The officials made a point of
mutual top level visits, as well as discussed prospects of political,
economic, cultural and tourist cooperation.

Regional issues and recent developments in Armenia-Turkey relations
were touched upon, RA Foreign Ministry informed NEWS.am. Shami
expressed confidence that all disputable issues will be settled through
the talks. Kocharyan conveyed RA Foreign Minister’s invitation to
visit Armenia this year.

Same day RA Ambassador met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih
Berri and conveyed him the invitation of RA NA Speaker to pay a visit
to Armenia.

PUBLIC COUNCIL SAYS STATUS OF "MOSCOW" SUMMER HALL MUST BE RESTORED

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 28
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS: The Public Council finds that the
summer hall of "Moscow" cinema must be restored in the list of the
historic-cultural values preserved by the state. This decision was made
today at the session of the Public Council. Chairman of the Council
Vazgen Manukyan said the issue was discussed in 4 sub-commissions of
the council and few suggestions have been presented.

Chairman of the Public Council’s urban development and architectural
issues sub-commission Grigor Azizyan, presenting the results of the
discussion over the issue, noted that the summer hall of the "Moscow"
cinema built in 1960s is one of the best works of the Armenian
architecture. He said that the sub-commission has unanimously made
decision to annul the decision of the government on taking it out of
the list of historic-cultural values and restore the status of the
monument of republican importance.

Chairman of the council’s religion, diaspora and international
integration affairs Ruben Safrastyan noted that this sub-commission too
discussed this issue and it was suggested to abstain from making any
decision calling to continue the talks between the Armenian Apostolic
Church and architects.

Member of the Public Council Khosrov Harutyunyan said that the
architects fact that the summer hall is one of the valuable works
of architecture and it must be preserved. He also spoke in favor of
restoring the former status of the hall.

Another member of the council Karen Bekaryan suggested that besides
restoring the status of the hall, hand it to the Armenian Apostolic
Church for using it as a cultural, spiritual center.

"We do not want to create an impression that we are against the
church, not at all. We wish to discuss the issue on destroying or
not destroying the summer hall. I have met His Holiness Catholicos
Karekin II, and I want to say that he too is concerned with the issue,"
chairman of the Public Council said.

As a result of hot discussions the Public Council put the issue
for voting – whether to restore the former status of the "Moscow"
cinema’s summer hall or abstain from making any decision, calling to
the Armenian Church and architects continue negotiations. As a result
of the voting decision has been made to restore the status.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta website, Russia
April 20 2010

Baku Has Seriously Threatened Washington

Report by Yuriy Roks

They are calling the United States’ position on the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem "unfriendly"

The disagreement between the strategic partners — the United States
and Azerbaijan — has proved to be more serious than it seemed. On
Monday, Ahmet Davutoglu, head of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, left for a visit to Baku. According to certain data, he
carried a message from US secretary of state Hillary Clinton to
president Ilkham Aliyev. So far, Baku is not softening the
anti-American rhetoric that has been heard over the past week, aroused
by the United States’ position on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

Following the series of Azerbaijani political-establishment
representatives with appeals to Washington to reconsider its role in
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ali Gasanov, the
president’s adviser and head of the public-political department of the
president’s staff, appeared on the scene.

According to him, the United States’ pro-Armenian position will be
turned around by a reconsideration of Baku’s policy with respect to
Washington. These appeals, of course, cannot be made without the
knowledge and approval of Ilkham Aliyev, head of the Azerbaijan state,
who incidentally, last week also made critical remarks addressed to
the White House.

Azerbaijan has got tired of the unsettled nature of the Karabakh
problem. It has been surfeited with the West’s promises and assurances
of its devotion to the principle of the country’s territorial
wholeness. Baku has had its fill of the series of endless meetings,
negotiations, and the "watered-down" documents drawn up by mediators
in such a way that each of the conflicting sides interprets them in
its own way, and in the end, abstains from signing.

NG has already expressed doubts that the conflicts in the post-Soviet
space will succeed in being settled on the basis of two equal-rights
and equally applied principles, as the mediators from the OSCE Minsk
Group (MG), in particular, are trying to do in the Karabakh case:
territorial wholeness and the right of a nation to self-determination.
To exaggerate somewhat, the attempts to use both principles at the
same time are leading to making the Azerbaijani side, in the
conciliatory texts based on them, be inclined to accept the
"territorial wholeness" prescribed in them, and the Armenian side —
"the right to self-determination." The two concepts scatter, like the
shells of the same name, in different directions, dooming the next
round of negotiations to failure.

This is not the first time that Azerbaijan has expressed its
dissatisfaction with the mediative mission of the MG OSCE. It has been
the object of sharp criticism, first from Ziyafet Askerov,
vice-speaker of the parliament, then from Araz Azimov, deputy minister
of foreign affairs, and finally, Ali Gasanov — this time it was
Washington, in the opinion of experts, no longer so much because of
the stagnation of the settlement process, as because Ilkham Aliyev was
not invited to the recent international anti-nuclear conference in the
United States. In spite of the fact that all the regional leaders were
taking part in the event. The situation was not even saved by the
unprecedented intervention of Turkey, whose high-ranking
representative (according to certain data, it was Ahmet Davutoglu —
NG) tried to recommend that the host side send an urgent invitation to
Aliyev, but ran up against a stern rebuke.

"The United States is not implementing a policy with respect to
Azerbaijan, the way it does with respect to a strategic partner, and
we can therefore reconsider our policy with respect to the United
States…," Ali Gasanov stated to the Reuters Agency. "We feel that
the Americans should not think only of a way to help Armenia overcome
the economic crisis… but of the way in which Washington, a mediator
in the negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh, should contribute to the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict." Aliyev’s adviser was not
about to define more precisely of what the metamorphosis might
consist, but only hinted: "Baku is involved in a number of joint
projects with Washington, including major multinational energy
projects."

Baku is particularly irritated by the attempts made by the United
States to differentiate Yerevan’s problems with its neighbors as
Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish ones. This is expressed in
Washington’s demands that Ankara ratify the protocols on normalizing
Armenian-Turkish relations, regardless of the state of the Karabakh
problem. "The striving of the United States to reconcile Turkey and
Armenia and to consider the Nagorno-Karabakh question separately is a
mistake," Araz Azimov, now deputy head of the MID [Ministry of Foreign
Affairs], stated to Reuters.

It is possible that Baku’s criticism and demands would not have been
so categorical without Turkey’s support. Ankara, "depressed" by the
acutely painful reaction of its closest regional ally to the dialog
begun with Yerevan, given the unsolved problem of its territorial
wholeness, has in the past few days been acting with a glance over its
shoulder at Baku, rendering it every possible support in the
international arena. This is, perhaps, not Ankara’s recognition of the
blunder in the Armenian direction as much as its reaction to
Azerbaijan’s readiness for a serious independent game, solely in its
own interests, which was, in particular, expressed in the agreements
concluded with Iran and Russia on the sale of gas. Turkey also has its
eye on Azerbaijani gas, as do other possible participants in the
Nabucco gas project, which still remains on paper.

Moreover, Baku, in criticizing the United States over the Karabakh
problem, has made a show of consenting to Tehran’s help in settling
the problem. Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran’s minister of Foreign Affairs,
in an interview with the television company ANS, informed them that
the Azerbaijani side had agreed to accept the mediation services of
official Tehran, in short — by-passing the Armenian side. "We in our
country can organize a meeting of the heads of the MIDs of the three
countries and discuss the situation," Mottaki said.

A Baku analyst, commenting on the state of American-Azerbaijani
relations on condition of anonymity, expressed his certainty that the
coolness is of a temporary nature. "The authorities simply do not dare
take any specific actions against the United States. The sharp
criticism addressed to Washington is called upon more to show the
extent of the injury than to have a follow-up," the collocutor told
NG. As for Iran’s participation in the settlement of the Karabakh
problem, according to the analyst, under the conditions of the actual
inaction of the United States and other mediators, Azerbaijan has
nothing left but to accept any help that may prove to be efficient, so
Iran’s getting active in the region cannot be ruled out — seemingly,
Washington has nothing at all to do with this.

[translated from Russian]