Author: Toganian Liana

UNITED STATES WELCOMES HOSTS ARMENIAN LEADER’S DECISION TO HALT RATIFICATION OF AGREEMENTS WITH TURKEY

Azerbaijan Business Center
April 23 2010

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. "Football" diplomacy between Armenia and Turkey
has collapsed: Armenia has halted officially ratification of the
agreements on normalization of relationships with Turkey, and found
support on the occasion from the process initiator – United States.

Philip Gordon, assistant secretary for the Bureau of European
& Eurasian Affairs, has claimed: "We take into account Armenian
president’s statement that Armenia halts discussion of Armenian-Turkish
protocols in the parliament. The president’s statement shows clearly
that Armenia does not stop the process and ceases it temporarily until
the Turkish party is ready for advancement. We welcome President Serzh
Sargsyan’s decision top continue work in direction to peace, stability
and reconciliation. We consider that the process of settlement of
relationships will bring great favor to Turkey and Armenia and the
Caucasus region. We keep on appealing both parties to leaver doors
open for reconciliation and settlement of ties," Mr. Gordon said.

In his turn, President Sargsyan signed an order to suspend the
procedure of ratification of the protocols "On establishing of
diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey" and "On development
of links between Armenia and Turkey (signed on 10 October 2009) and
stated that Armenia has not withdrawn fully from the process under
pressure of the US, European Union and Russia. He justified his order
with national interests and Turkey’s non-readiness for settlement.

Turkish prime minister Recep Erdogan claimed of readiness to continue
ratification on the conditions of which Armenia is aware.

WORLD COMMUNITY COMMEMORATES 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmInfo
2010-04-24 11:01:00

ArmInfo. The world community is commemorating the 95th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide, one of the most horrible crimes in human
history, massacre resulting in annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923.

Commemoration events are taking place in the United States, Canada,
Russia, Italy, Switzerland, Argentina, France, Ukraine, Lebanon,
China and many other countries.

On Apr 24 95 years ago the Young Turk rulers ordered to gather
all Armenian intellectuals of Istanbul and to deport them. Many of
those people were killed on that very day. Apr 24 1915 the Turks
started arresting the Armenian intellectual, religious, economic and
political elite. As a result, they annihilated a whole generation
of outstanding Armenians. The Istanbul arrests were a signal for
massacres all over Turkey. The goal of the Young Turks was to behead
the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire and to leave them no
chance to protect themselves from total annihilation.

"I am confident that the whole history of the human race contains no
such horrible episode as this. The great massacres and persecutions of
the past seem almost insignificant when compared with the sufferings
of the Armenian race in 1915," then US Ambassador to the Ottoman
Empire Henry Morgenthau wrote in his memoirs.

The blow the Armenian nation received from the Young Turks in the
spring-summer 1915 was really devastating. Hundreds of thousands of
Armenians lost their homeland and were scattered all over the world.

The Armenian Genocide is the first genocide of the 20th century. It
has been recognized and condemned by many countries and influential
international organizations.

MARIE YOVANOVITCH: WE REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN 1915

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 24, 2010 – 12:58 AMT 07:58 GMT

April 24 is the day when all Americans support the Armenian people,
the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia said.

"We remember what happened in 1915 and express our solidarity with the
Armenian people worldwide," Marie Yovanovitch told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter in Tsitsernakaberd.

Asked whether U.S. President Barack Obama will use the term Genocide
in his address to the Armenian community, Amb. Yovanovitch said,
"President Obama should himself decide whether to pronounce the word
Genocide or not."

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE NOT FULLY OVERCOME
Liana Yeghiazaryan

"Radiolur"
23.04.2010 15:20

"The large-scale national disaster like the Armenian Genocide could not
but affect the psychology of Armenians," psychologist David Jamalyan
considers. "The loss of motherland and the annihilation of a large
part of the Armenian nation caused serious psychological effects,
which have not been overcome until today, David Jamalyan told a press
conference today.

Can Armenians accept Turks as neighbors after all that happened?

"Turks have not changed. We should establish ties with them without
forgetting who we have to do with," the psychologist said.

"In order to overcome the serious psychological trauma caused by
the Armenian Genocide Armenians should first feel that other nations
sympathize with them and recognize the Genocide.

Secondly, we need achievements that will strengthen the self-esteem
of the nation," David Jamalyan added.

According to him, Armenians have had serious achievements –
establishment of statehood and victory in the Artsakh war. However,
the wound is still open and it will be healed only when we do not
have to prove to anyone that a horrible disaster has happened.

The psychologist noted also that "Armenia has come out of the first
stage of normalization of relations with Turkey without losses and
has gained new experience that could be useful in the future."

ARTHUR JAVADYAN ON THE SESSION OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL BANK COUNCIL

Aysor
April 22 2010
Armenia

Today the chairman of the RA Central Bank Arthur Javadyan left for
Moscow to participate in the usual session of the intergovernmental
bank council, informs the public relations department of the RA
Central Bank.

On the session will be discussed the issues on the election of the
chairman of the council of the Intergovernmental Bank, the activities
carried out in 2009, annual financial report, etc.

On the meeting will also be discussed issues concerning the mission
of the bank, its ideology of development, broadening of the investment
tools, and other issues.

3 ARMENIANS BREAK THROUGH TO 1/8 FINALS OF EUROPEAN JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 22, 2010 – 14:48 AMT 09:48 GMT

3 Armenians sportsmen broke through to 1/8 finals of European Judo
Championships 2010 going on in Vienna, Austria. Hovhannes Davtyan (w.c
60kg), Armen Nazaryan (w.c 66kg) and Artem Baghdasaryan (w.c 73kg)
won their first fights.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

AGBU Toronto Hosts Packed Premier of "The River Ran Red"

On April 7, 2010, AGBU Toronto was proud to present the Toronto premiere
of "The River Ran Red" for an audience of more than 200 people. The film
is the final segment in documentarian Dr. J. Michael Hagopian’s trilogy,
"The Witnesses," based on interviews with nearly 400 survivors of the
Armenian Genocide of 1915.

"The River Ran Red" features an epic search for survivors of the
Genocide who were deported along the Euphrates River to the Syrian
Desert and Der Zor.

After a silent prayer in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide
on its 95th anniversary, Dr. Hagopian went on to discuss his film. He
holds a doctorate in international relations from Harvard University and
an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley. As
an academic and a filmmaker, he has made it his life’s work to document
what happened during the Genocide through films such as "Voices From the
Lake" and "The Forgotten Genocide"–the first two segments of the
aforementioned trilogy.

AGBU Toronto was honored to showcase a work giving voice to those whose
accounts would otherwise be lost in time, so that information about the
collective Armenian past is transmitted to future generations.

DVDs of the documentary can be purchased through the Web site,

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural, and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.

For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit

AHMET DAVUTOGLU HAD A MEETING WITH AZERBAIJAN’S ALIYEV

Panorama.am
10:58 20/04/2010

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu who is due paying working visit to Baku
had a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev. The officials had a
closed-door, Milligazete news web site reported.

It’s also reported that Turkish FM had a meeting with his Azerbaijani
counterpart Elmar Mammediarov. Davutoglu stated earlier that ties
with Armenia and ratification of Armenian-Turkish protocols should
be discussed during his meetings with Azerbaijani authorities. It’s
supposed that Davutolu and Mammediarov will make comments.

GERMAN KFW BANK TO GIVE 20 MILLION-EURO LOAN TO ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 19, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Chairman of the Central Bank
of Armenia (CBA) Arthur Javadian and Vice President of KfW Bank
(Germany), Chief of the Europe, Private and Financial Development
Divison Eva Witt signed on April 19 an agreement on the provision of a
20 million-euro tranche for the second stage of the Armenian-German
Fund’s program Development of a Sustainable Market For Housing
Finance in Armenia. The 20 million-euro loan is given for 10 years,
with a 3-year grace period. It is planned to use this loan in the
next 3 years.

The financial institutions, which are partners of the indicated
program, will provide loans to Armenian residents – natural persons
for a minimum period of 10 years, at interest rates of 12-16% for the
purchase of apartments or houses or the repairs of apartments. The
commercial banks iuncluded in the program also receive co-financing
from the German-Armenian Fund.

A. Javadian attached importance to the provision of an additional
loan, reminding that as long ago as 2005 the German Federal Ministry
for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Armenian government
signed an agreement on the implementation of the Development of a
Sustainable Market for Housing Finance in Armenia program. Loans of
12 million euros and grants of 1.5 million euros were provided under
the agreement in 2006-2007.

The CBA chairman said that 9 banks and 2 credit institutions have
been included in the program. Most loans were given to residents
of Armenian regions, their maximum amount made 12 million drams. A.
Javadian did not rule out that as a result of negotiations, it would
be possible soon to increase the maximum amount of provided loans.

According to him, mortgage loans are in demand in Armenia: the total
amount of mortgage loans given by commercial banks is about 83 billion
drams, and it is envisaged increasing it to 110-120 billion drams in
the near future.

TURKEY HAS TO MAKE SPECIAL EFFORTS TO CONVINCE THE DIASPORAN ORGANISATIONS TO BELIEVE ITS SINCERITY

ArmInfo
2010-04-19 16:06:00

ArmInfo. "So far, I see no signs that are needed to create an
atmosphere conducive to dialogue with Diaspora", – Chairwoman of the
European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy Hilda Tchoboian
said in her interview with ArmInfo.

"To judge, we have to look for signs of a change of attitude from the
Turkish government. So far, I see no signs that are needed to create
an atmosphere conducive to dialogue with Diaspora. They even don’t
have that favourable atmosphere to discuss with their own people,
because channels of a genuine dialogue are legally blocked in Turkey",-
said Tchoboian.

Asked whether Diaspora is ready to dialogue, she replied: "In the
genocide issue, the Diaspora is the injured party. Consequently, Turkey
has to make special efforts to convince the Diasporan organisations
to believe its sincerity mainly because until now we only experienced
attempts by Turkish leaders to mask their real intention to bury the
issue of genocide by a process of biased dialogue".

To recall, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has recently
expressed willingness to establish contacts with representatives
of Armenian Diaspora. "We want to establish relations with not only
Armenia, but also the Armenian Diaspora. Over the recent time we have
made sure that Armenia is one thing, and Diaspora is another thing.

Therefore, to improve our relations with Armenian people we should
also work with Diaspora. It is wrong to consider all Armenians
at one level",- he said. Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Justice
and Development Party Suat Kiniklioglu also expressed an idea of
establishing contacts with the leaders of American Armenians.