Author: Tumanian Talar

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
April 3 2010

ErdoÄ?an to visit US, envoy to return after `genocide’ row

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an announced on Friday he would
attend an international nuclear summit hosted by President Barack
Obama in Washington on April 12-13 and would also return the country’s
ambassador to the United States, around a month after he was recalled
to protest a US congressional committee labeling the World War I
killings of Anatolian Armenians as genocide.

Following the adoption of a nonbinding resolution by the US House
Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 4 recognizing the World War
I-era killings of Ottoman Armenians as genocide, Turkey recalled its
ambassador in Washington, Namık Tan, to Ankara for consultations,
while ErdoÄ?an put his visit to the United States later this month,
during which he is to attend the nuclear energy summit in the US
capital at the invitation of US President Obama, on hold.

`We have made our assessment with our colleagues,’ ErdoÄ?an said in
response to questions from reporters on Friday, adding that he decided
to respond ini the affirmative to the invitation, which he received
around five to six months ago. `Before attending the summit — as I
said yesterday [Thursday] — we will send our ambassador to the US
within the next week,’ he added.

When asked whether it was possible to say the recent crisis in
bilateral relations between Ankara and Washington has come to an end,
ErdoÄ?an did not say whether tensions had decreased but stressed the
importance of the April 12-13 summit.

Ambassador Tan is to return to Washington soon.

Recalling a telephone conversation between US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu on
Sunday, which was initiated by the US side, ErdoÄ?an added that `there
are some positive developments on this issue. I hope these positive
developments continue during the month of April as well.’

The prime minister’s emphasis on the month of April was an explicit
reference to Ankara’s expectations concerning the wording of Obama’s
traditional April 24 message. Last year, Obama avoided using the
g-word in his message, although he had pledged to recognize the
Armenian diaspora’s genocide claims in his election campaign.

April 24 is the day Armenians claim marks the anniversary of the
beginning of a systematic genocide campaign against Anatolian
Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire.

`The US side has received the necessary message,’ Turkish diplomatic
sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Today’s Zaman on
Friday when asked about the reason behind ErdoÄ?an’s decisions on both
the nuclear summit and Tan’s return.

According to Ankara, Clinton’s conversation with DavutoÄ?lu — during
which the former reiterated that the Obama administration stands
opposed to the resolution on the Armenian genocide and is also against
a full House vote on the measure — has proven that the US
administration got Ankara’s message. `The continuation of actions
signaling a protest would be harmful for us after this moment. What
mattered was giving the message,’ the same diplomatic sources said.

Meanwhile, Deniz Baykal, the leader of main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP), suggested on Friday that ErdoÄ?an’s decision to
attend the summit was `a step back.’

03 April 2010, Saturday
TODAY’S ZAMAN ANKARA

HOUSE OF LORDS TURNS DOWN PROPOSALS ON ESTABLISHING COMMEMORATION DAY OR USING WORD "GENOCIDE"

Noyan Tapan
Apr 2, 2010

LONDON, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The British
government remembers the sorrowful events of the beginning of the
century but cannot undertake any measure to hinder normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations. Baroness Glenis Kinok representing the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK in the House of Lords declared
in the Monday evening in the Great Britain House of Lords. Discussions
on the Armenian Genocide took place late in the March 29 evening in
the British parliament’s House of Lords on the initiative of Baroness
Caroline Cox. At the beginning of the discussion lasting nearly an
hour Baroness Cox presented the main facts of the Armenian Genocide,
response of international figures of the time to the events and the
documents of the very Great Britain on the Armenian slaughters of
the beginning of the century. She called the government for joining
the civilized nations which have recognized the Genocide.

Some more members of the House of Lords also gave supporting speeches.

Lord Avebury, for instance, with Armenian historian Ara Sarafian
for many years have been trying to start discussions with Turkish
parliamentarians and supports spreading the collection of documents
called Blue Book in Turkey. In his speech he spoke about limitations
of freedom of expression and raising the issue of Genocide in Turkey.

Lords being against use of the word "genocide" and Britain’s
intervention in Armenian-Turkish issues gave responses.

At the end of the dispute the representative of Great Britain’s
Foreign Ministry answered questions and presented government’s
position. Baroness Kinok assured that the government feels pity for
"100 thousands of Armenians who died of hunger and epidemics at
the beginning of the World War" but turned down the proposals on
establishing a commemoration day or using the word "genocide".

"In 2009 October Turkey and Armenia signed protocols coordinating
the process of normalization of relations and opening the border. It
was not an easy step, and Great Britain’s government will not make
any statement that can endanger the process," Kinok declared adding:
"The declaration on the Genocide was adopted in 1948, and the notion
of genocide is defined in corresponding courts on the basis of this
declaration. The Armenian massacres were committed long before the
adoption of the declaration, therefore no court is empowered to class
these events a genocide today, and our government does not consider
right to use that word."

According to Radio Liberty, the Foreign Ministry representative
mentioned that Britain encourages Turkey to establish good relations
with its neighbors, including Armenia, as it is one of the demands
of joining the European Union. She also promised on behalf of the
British parliamentarians to send a letter to her Turkish colleagues
to invite them to a dispute and dialogue on the Blue Book.

Baroness Cox who is the Chairwoman of the House of Lords Armenian
parliamentary group promises that she will continue raising the
Armenian cause in the future and activizing discussions on the issue.

TURKISH ISLAMIC UNION CONGRATULATED CHRISTIANS ON EASTER

news.am
April 2 2010
Armenia

Sadi Arslan, the President of DITIB, Turkish Islamic Union for
Religious Affairs, addressed Christians and congratulated them on
the Easter.

According to Turkish Zaman, in his address, Arslan underlined the
significance of religious tolerance, reminding the addressees that
the foundation engaged in mosque construction will repair an Armenian
church.

Any religious community has natural right to have a place for praying,
regardless of whether it is a church or mosque, Sadi Arslan said.

GILLAN & IOMMI TEAM UP TO RAISE FUNDS FOR ARMENIA

Express
April 2 2010
UK

Former BLACK SABBATH bandmates IAN GILLAN and TONY IOMMI are teaming
up to record a new charity track for struggling Armenians.

The rock legends were recently honoured by Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan for their efforts to raise cash and awareness about
the nation’s problems and they decided it was time to record new
material together.

Iommi tells Metal Hammer magazine, "We raised some money 20 years
ago and we wanted to do it again, to be able to buy stuff.

"We went over (to Armenia) a few months ago because they gave us an
Order Of Honour from the President… They showed us what the money
had bought. They showed us this old music school; it was freezing and
the kids had no instruments, so we bought them some new instruments –
drums and guitars – and we want to build a new school for the kids.

"We’re going to do a few songs and, hopefully, we can raise the money
to afford to buy them a new school.

"We’ve talked about doing a couple of shows out there, but it’s about
working round what we are both doing."

166782/Gillan-Iommi-team-up-to-raise-funds-for-Arm enia

TURKEY’S PM ACCEPTS WASHINGTON’S INVITATION

Tert.am
16:30, 02.04.10

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that he
will go to the United States to attend the Nuclear Security Summit
from April 12-13, according to CNN Turk.

"I’m going to Washington. There’s much to discuss," said Turkey’s PM,
adding that Turkish Ambassador to the US Namik Tan will also return
to his duties on Monday.

CIS FINANCE MINISTERS MEET IN MOSCOW

armradio.am
01.04.2010 17:29

Today the Minister of Finance of Armenia, Tigran Davtyan, participated
in the 4th sitting of the Permanent Conference of CIS Finance Ministers
in Moscow.

The participants of the sitting presented the macro-economic situation
in their countries, discussed the joint measures taken to overcome
the consequences of the financial-economic crisis.

Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin urged his colleagues from the
Commonwealth of Independent States on to step up mutual financial
support.

He reminded that in 2009, the CIS states experienced "an unprecedented
slump in the Gross Domestic Product, which plummeted 7.5 percent on
the average. Prior to the crisis, the GDP was growing 5.5 percent a
year, on the average. Our countries’ exports plunged 46 percent and
imports – 43.5 percent."

The same day the Armenian Finance Minister participated in the 8th
sitting of the Eurasian Economic Community.

CONVERGENCE IMPLIES WILLINGNESS OF ALL PARTIES, GENERAL MANAGER OF PERSPECTIVES XXI FESTIVAL SAID

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.04.2010 17:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Performance of Azerbaijani composer in Armenia
would be an affront to national dignity of the Armenian people,
since no organization in Azerbaijan agreed to organize the same
concert in Baku. Aquatuor and pre-art groups agreed to submit the
program without the work of Azerbaijani composer, since convergence
implies willingness of all parties, general manager of Perspectives
XXI festival Sona Hovhannisyan told to Pan.ARMENIAN.NET.

The Convergence project is held in frames of Perspectives XXI
International Music Festival on April 2. The project organizes concerts
of contemporary classical music from 10 countries: Armenia, Serbia,
Croatia, Kosovo, Latvia, Macedonia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Turkey and
Azerbaijan performed by Aquatuor and pre-art Swiss groups.

In Yerevan the concert will be held at the House of Chamber Music
after Komitas.

YURI MERZLYAKOV CASTS LIGHT ON WRONG QUOTING

Aysor
March 30 2010
Armenia

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov of the Russian Federation
denied statements that he had said of Armenian side and its agreement
on the Madrid Document, followed by partial rejection later.

In particular, Radio Liberty quoted Yuri Merzlyakov as saying "Armenia
agreed before with proposals by OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, delivered
in the Madrid Document, but now says that is partially waving away."

Referring to this, Merzlyakov said: "One should quote what was said,
but not the interpretations." He added: "There is even a transcript
of my saying, where word for word is quoted my saying."

When asked about another quoting, as if he had said of the sides’
agreement on Madrid Documents, except document’s four points,
Merzlyakov said: "This is not true; I haven’t voiced these words."

"These were not any additions to the Madrid Document; these were
proposals on basic principles, which were delivered to the sides,
but were still not accepted; this is a working process," he said,
when asked about "new Madrid Document."

When asked whether any proposal is to be delivered at the
Sargsyan-Aliev meeting in Astana, Merzlyakov said that journalists
should apply to the side, that initiated the meeting; that is, the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev,
not the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Today, Azerbaijan
March 28 2010

Armenian Defense Minister: Armenia to return Azerbaijani prisoner &
two soldier bodies to Azerbaijan

28 March 2010 [17:11] – Today.Az

Armenia will return Azerbaijani prisoner & two soldier bodies to
Azerbaijan, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian said during a
meeting with the U.S. co-chair of the MG OSCE Robert Bradtke.

On behalf of the press service of the Armenian Defense Ministry,
Ohanian informed the U.S. side about this decision of president S.
Sargsyan, as an act of confidence building on the troop contact lines.

According to Ohanian, the transportation of Azerbaijani prisoner, and
two bodies of Azerbaijani soldiers will be carried out through the
International Committee of the Red Cross, as part of the humanitarian
initiatives of the Armenian side.

Defense Minister Ohanian also expressed his hope that that OSCE Minsk
Group will help both sides to find an acceptable solution. He also
thanked R. Bradtke for his active work as the co-chair of the MG OSCE.

Issues of regional security were also discussed at the meeting.

/Trend News/
URL:

Wayne Bridge scores with Kim
By NICK PARKER

Sun/UK
26/03/10

ol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2908074/Wayne-Bridge-t o-go-on-date-with-Kim-Kardashian.html#ixzz0jJTSQy3 n

THIS is soccer star WAYNE BRIDGE’s hot new date – former Playboy
centrefold KIM KARDASHIAN.
Bridge, 29, bumped into the busty telly babe in a Miami club’s VIP
area after fleeing the furore over ex-love VANESSA PERRONCEL’s fling
with his former team-mate JOHN TERRY.

The pair have been swapping texts ever since and plan to meet when Kim
– daughter of a millionaire lawyer – flies to London next week.

Break … Wayne Bridge and pals in the US
Splash NewsA pal of the Manchester City ace said last night: "They met
while Wayne was cheering himself up on a lads’ night out and got on
like a house on fire.

"They exchanged texts, have been in touch ever since and will be
hooking up when Kim comes to the UK.

"It’s early days but she’s certainly put a smile back on Wayne’s face
as she’s great fun and absolutely gorgeous. He’s looking forward to
catching up when she’s in town."

Read more: re/2908074/Wayne-Bridge-to-go-on-date-with-Kim-Kar dashian.html#ixzz0jJTSQy3n