Author: Tvankchian Parkev

PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748 Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Beirut Lebanon
Tel: 01-353010/1/2
Web:

Minister of the Diaspora, Mrs. Hranoush Hagopian Visits Haigazian University

Meeting with Armenian Students

Beirut, 30/03/2010- On Friday, March 26, 2010, Minister of Diaspora of
the Republic of Armenia, Mrs. Hranoush Hagopian visited Haigazian
University, and had an informative and cordial meeting with the Armenian
students. She was accompanied by H.E. Mr. Ashod Kocharian, Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Lebanon,
in addition to a delegation from the Embassy.

During the hour long meeting, Minister Hagopian expressed her pride
towards Haigazian University as being the only Armenian higher education
institution in the Diaspora.

She then discussed major challenges facing Armenia and the Diaspora,
such as globalization, drug addiction, climate change, terrorism, human
rights and poverty. The solutions which she suggested were to invest
thoroughly in human capital and information technology. "We should
succeed in creating a module that combines education, information
technology and language, in order to overcome those challenges",
Hagopian noted.

Hagopian also underlined the necessity of encouraging the diasporan
youth to get integrated in the communities in which they live, getting
involved in politics and the public sector, however, without losing
their Armenian culture and heritage. On a parallel note, she also
invited them to often visit their mother land Armenia, and try to invest
in its economy.

Finally, Minister Hagopian shared with the audience the strategy of the
Ministry of the Diaspora in tightening the bonds between Armenia and the
Diaspora. In this respect, Hagopian presented 3 perspectives to succeed
in this endeavor. First, the two entities should get acquainted to each
other, develop a mutual trust, and promote a cooperative culture.
Second, to establish bilateral relations, build upon mutual respect and
freedom of governance. Last but not least, the two entities should be of
one voice towards the main national issues and threats, such as the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, strengthening the Diaspora, the
Armenian Church, and empowering Armenia.

At the end, and after a question and answer session, Minister Hagopian
presented University President, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian a set of
valuable books, all published by the Ministry.

Mar 21, 2010
Airport Worker Accused Of "Skimming" Credit Cards

ORLANDO (CBS4) –

An Orlando International Airport parking garage worker is accused of using a
credit card-scanning device to skim money from customers.

On Friday police moved in an arrested 43-year-old Susanna Harutyunya. She
now faces three counts of fraud.

The thefts were discovered in December when a CitiBank investigator found
that 17 separate acts of fraud all had the airport’s parking garage
tollbooths in common.

Haruntyunya reportedly told investigators she swiped the credit cards and
then gave the information to her boyfriend, indentified as Artavazd
Grigoryan.

CitiBank has reimbursed nearly $3,000 to the victims’ accounts.

LIMIT OF CHOICE

11:41:29 – 25/03/2010
ahos17287.html

The expressions of some disagreements between Serge Sargsyan and
Robert Kocharyan, which the public has been witnessing recently,
aroused the question whether this disagreement is true or whether it
is a game they are playing for some purpose. Which is the aim of the
disagreement in both cases?

Can there be any disagreement between Sargsyan and Kocharyan? This
idea fits into the conscience of the public with difficulty, moreover,
the opposition has always tried to persuade the society that Kocharyan
and Sargsyan act jointly pursuing the same goal – to keep the power
and their wealth.

Of course, this observation contains some truth and objectivity, but
when it is rendered an unequivocal affirmation, it becomes clear that
the latter does not consider the greater part of objective realities.
The point is about the power and its `consequences’ as well as
geopolitical realities, which are very expressively present in the
events taking place in the Southern Caucasus. All this creates quite a
different situation to the past decade, when Robert Kocharyan and
Serge Sargsyan ruled with a harmonic interest.

Home political events in 2008, post-electoral developments,
reformations taken place in the imagination of the public, the change
of status quo in both governmental and oppositional fields brought
about completely new home demands. Absolutely new demands are coming
from the external world too, where serious changes of thinking and
positions happened. The world economic crisis adds to all this. All
this changes the conditions under which the Armenian government is to
work. In addition, the power, which was being formed in
Kocharyan-Sargsyan format with ideas about the future decade, did not
even imagine such changes could ever happen.

The point is that the new environment imposes demands only to the
formal government, in other words, Serge Sargsyan. Consequently, he
has to deal with the environment or with Robert Kocharyan. Even if
Kocharyan is very strong, Serge Sargsyan will not come out to be so
naïve to doubt the fact that the environment is stronger. The problem
is that in order to find common language with one of them, you need to
contradict the other. This is the peculiarity that the new environment
brought for the Armenian government.

Judging by Serge Sargsyan’s behavior so far, he is trying to offend
neither the environment nor Robert Kocharyan, although feeling of not
having resources to confront neither the one nor the other side. On
the other hand, it is obvious that this cannot last forever, because
it does not rule out that common ground can be found between the
environment and Robert Kocharyan, the more so, in anticipation of the
electoral period in Armenia.

Meanwhile, new realities and requirements may well be a platform for a
new game of Kocharyan and Sargsyan. Maybe, Serge Sargsyan has made the
choice in favor of Kocharyan, but decided to show it in the form of
imitation of differences. So it is not excluded that Robert Kocharyan
and Serge Sargsyan intend thereby to increase the immunity system in
communication with the environment and to create safeguards under
which, if Serge Sargsyan feels unable to resist external and internal
pressure can be put across orderly change of power and gain of time.

But the version of the game, perhaps, is the most unlikely one, since
it is unclear where the players take a resource of public trust, which
enables them to influence the demands of the international community
and the dictation of the environment.

HAKOB BADALYAN

IRELAND TO STAY OUT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Panorama.am
19:12 24/03/2010

Region

"Beyond everything, the Irish know — more than all other people who
live on this planet — what it means to have our memories of history
shattered. People may voice different views regarding incidents which
took place in history. Therefore, as a country which knows this,
Ireland is one of the main countries which know to stay out of these
kinds of debates," Regnum news agency quoted the Irish President
Mary McAleese as saying at a joint press conference with her Turkish
counterpart, referring to whether Ireland may recognize the Armenian
Genocide. Note that McAleese arrived in Turkey Monday on a five-day
official visit.

According to the source, the President of Ireland hailed the
Armenian-Tirkish normalization initiative.

M. McAleese also said Ireland supports Turkey’s EU membership.

OTTOMAN DREAMING: THE TURKS HAVE NEW AMBITIONS FOR TRADE AND INFLUENCE IN AFRICA

Economist
March 25 2010

MBOMBO IBRAHIM MOUBARAK, an Islamic cleric who runs Cameroon’s Islamic
humanitarian-assistance programme, has a dream. "Turkey must reclaim
its mantle as leader of the Islamic world," he said on March 17th,
as Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish president to visit Cameroon
and Congo. Mr Moubarak believes that Turkey’s brand of moderate
Islam, which embraces Western-style democracy and the free market,
offers a model for Africa’s Muslims. He sees nothing sinister about
the mosques, madrassas and schools built, restored or run by Sunni
Turks across the continent.

Mr Gul’s African expedition was more about finding new markets than
new converts, which helps to explain the presence of some 140 Turkish
businessmen in his entourage. The economic crisis has hit Turkey’s
trade with the rest of Europe. So the "Anatolian tigers"–small-and
medium-sized entrepreneurs from Turkey’s conservative heartland–are
eyeing opportunities in Africa. And Africans are responding with
enthusiasm. In Yaoundé your correspondent was approached in the loo
of a five-star hotel by a Cameroonian lady saying "I want to sell
timber to Turkey."

The Turks in turn want to sell Africans a range of finished goods,
from washing powder to jeans. Turkish contractors are angling to
build airports, housing and dams. Turkish Airlines now has regular
flights to Addis Ababa, Dakar, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi. Mehmet
Buyukeksi, president of Turkey’s exporters’ association, says that
Turkish exports to Africa have leapt from $1.5 billion in 2001 to over
$10 billion in 2009. "We believe in the future of Africa," he declares.

Turkey cannot hope to match up to the likes of China or India. Yet
Mr Gul believes it has a competitive edge. "We have come here with a
clean slate, with a humanist approach," he says. In fact Egypt, Libya,
Algeria and Sudan were all once part of the Ottoman empire. But farther
south Turkey is on virgin turf. Locals often have bitter memories of
rapacious Western colonialists and Arab slave traders.

This is another reason why Turkish Islam has such appeal–and can be
so good for business.

Ebubekir Keskin, a 37-year-old Turkish businessman who settled in
Douala, Cameroon, three years ago, swaps Turkish-made pasta for
local timber. He says his business model is based on alliances with
local Muslims. "Being Muslim helps big time, soon we will overtake
the Italians," he boasts. His ambitions are bolstered by members of
Turkey’s largest Islamic fraternity, led by a moderate Muslim cleric,
Fetullah Gulen, who lives in America. Gulenists now run 60 schools in
30 African countries. Staffed by locals and Turks alike, the schools
are patronised by the offspring of elites lured by Western standards
of education (if not mandatory Turkish-language classes).

One day Turkey would like political clout in Africa as well. Its
decision to declare 2005 "the year of Africa" was linked to its
ambitions for a seat on the UN Security Council. It duly got one,
with all but one African country voting in its favour. It has opened
or plans 12 new embassies in Africa. Young African diplomats are
being trained in Ankara. Scholarships to Turkish universities were
doled out during Mr Gul’s latest trip.

Turkey’s desire to join the European Union can sometimes complicate
its African ambitions. Faced with EU howls, it had to withdraw a
recent invitation to Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, who has been
indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur.

Widespread abuses in other African countries that Turkey is wooing
could yet cause further headaches.

Mr Gul is undaunted. "There are many people like us here, the Lebanese
for example," he notes. He might have added Armenians and Greeks too.

But many of these are descendants of Christians who were killed
or deported as the Ottoman empire collapsed, and went on to be big
traders in provincial African towns. Unlike their fellow Africans,
their feelings for Turkey may not be warm.

aystory.cfm?story_id=15772860

SWEDISH MP: I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH TURKISH PREMIER’S REACTION TO ADOPTION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION BY SWEDISH PARLIAMENT

ArmInfo
2010-03-24 18:20:00

ArmInfo. I was very disappointed with the Turkish Premier’s reaction
to the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution by the Swedish
Parliament, Peter Weiderud, member of Swedish Rikstag (Parliament),
representative of Christian Democratic Party (part of Social Democratic
Party), said when asked to comment on Erdogan’s statement on possible
deportation of 100,000 Armenians illegally living in Turkey.

This statement has proved that the Armenian Genocide is a very
sensitive and emotional issue for Turkey. Weiderud hopes that it was
an emotional rather than serious statement.

Erdogan’s words have received a very serious international response.

To remind, the Turkish Premier said: "Ankara has so far tolerated
the presence of 70,000 Armenians working illegally in Turkey. So
what will I do tomorrow? If necessary, I will tell them ‘come on,
back to your country’… I’m not obliged to keep them in my country."

This remark has received much criticism from not only the Armenian
authorities but also some Turkey officials and people from all over
the world.

ISTANBUL ARMENIANS BEG ERDOGAN’S PARDON?

news.am

March 25 2010
Armenia

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Holy Saviour (Surp Prgic)
Armenian Hospital Foundation, one of Istanbul Armenian community
leading members Bedros Sirinoglu made a statement on TRT channel air.

Before the March 26 meeting with Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Sirinoglu stated that Erdogan is always attentive to Armenian community
needs. He recalled that all seven times his requests for audience
with Erdogan were complied.

Sirinoglu also clarified the number of Armenians voiced by Erdogan
(100.000): "We had to tell Premier that there are 70.000 Armenians –
citizens of Turkey and 30.000 Armenian citizens in the country, however
the incorrect number was told him and he trusting us voiced that
number, for which I beg his pardon. Meanwhile, I express gratitude to
Turkish premier for his confidence and know that his words in London
were not coming from heart."

NEWS.am recalls that December 5, 2004 Turkish premier attended the
opening ceremony of Bedros Sirinoglu’s museum in Holy Saviour (Surp
Prgic) Armenian Hospital and gave a speech, saying that anywhere in
Turkey the expression "there is one good master-Armenian" is heard.

US AWARE OF PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL MIGRATION IN TURKEY

news.az, Azerbaijan
March 25 2010

News.Az interviews Azer Allahverdiyev, president of the Azerbaijani
non-governmental organization, the Eurasian Civil Initiatives Platform.

What can you say about Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s comment in
an interview to the BBC about the possible deportation of 100,000
illegal migrants from Armenia if Armenia does not shake off the
‘control of the Armenian diaspora’?

Protecting the interests of one’s own citizens, especially in a
period of world financial and economic crisis, has become a pressing
problem for all developed countries. In other words, every state has
the right to fight illegal migration, which is what the Turkish prime
minister was referring to when he mentioned the presence of 100,000
illegal migrants in Turkey from a country that does not recognize the
territorial integrity of a fraternal state. This reaction was to be
expected from the Turkish leadership to the continuation of the policy
of the US Armenian diaspora whose main goal is the recognition of the
fictional ‘Armenian genocide’ in the United States and elsewhere. The
latest stage in the process was the recognition of the ‘Armenian
genocide’ in the US congressional committee on 4 March and Swedish
parliament on 11 March. There is nothing wrong in the PM’s statement.

Let’s admit that it would be illogical to turn a blind eye to the
presence of such a great number of Armenians who send the money earned
to their relatives in Armenia, make territorial claims on Turkey and
demand the recognition of the mythical ‘Armenian genocide’.

The US government itself deports a great many illegal migrants. Isn’t
this proof that Turkey is right to tackle illegal migration?

You are right, the United States deports a great number of illegal
migrants. The world understands these actions by the USA. This shows
that the problem is urgent for all countries.

Do you mean that the United States should support Turkey on this?

At least, the US government understands the problem of illegal migrants
raised by the Turkish prime minister and it will not yield to the
attempts of the Armenian lobby and Armenian diaspora in the United
States to profit from the issue. To block any attempts to profit from
the migration issue, the Turkish leadership should primarily explain
that illegal migration will be tackled in phases and refer to the
illegal migrants from all countries that currently reside in Turkey.

Where can these illegal migrants go if they are deported?

Primarily, to the countries where the Armenian diaspora is quite
strong. For example, to Syria or France. In addition, a small part
of the Armenian citizens deported from Turkey may return to Armenia
from where they can go on to Russia or any other CIS states.

Akper Hasanov News.Az

TURKISH LOBBY PRESSES OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO PUSH AGAINST ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

ArmInfo
2010-03-24 18:17:00

ArmInfo. Two parliamentary delegations in Washington, one led by
Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Murat Mercan and another led by
Turkish- US Interparliamentary Friendship Group head Suat Kiniklioglu,
yesterday started to urge the Obama administration to make a stronger
push against passage by the US House Foreign Relations Committee of
a resolution that would recognize the incidents of 1915 as genocide,
warning that its passage would undermine the ongoing rapprochement
efforts between Turkey and Armenia, thus endangering stability in
the Caucasus.

Dunya news agency reports that, at a press conference at Turkey’s
Washington Embassy, Mercan said putting the proposed resolution to
a full House vote would benefit neither Turkey nor the US but only
undermine efforts to ensure peace and stability in the Caucasus.

The delegations will try to make US officials and congressmen aware of
the extreme harm that passage of the resolution would do to regional
peace and stability, Mercan said.

SEASONALITY AS VIEWED BY RA MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

news.am
March 25 2010
Armenia

The RA National Statistical Service recently published the results
of livestock inventory in the Armenian households and commercial
enterprises as of January 1, 2010.

To tell the truth, the inventory results hardly inspire any hope for
a bright future of the Armenian livestock sector. The cattle head
showed a decrease except for swine. Specifically, the cattle head
showed a 2.4% as compared with January 1, 2009 – a 3.2% decrease in
the number of cows, 8.6% decrease in the number of sheep and 8.9%
decrease in the number of goats.

Some experts accounts for this decrease by a poor level of the
Armenian veterinary service. Evidence thereof is the recent outburst
of cattle plague, which caused a loss of swine. Two years ago, about
15,000 swine were slaughtered. According to the latest information,
the plague killed 44 swine in the Tavush region, and 302 had to be
slaughtered for the disease to be stopped.

The livestock population is also affected by the recent active export
of cattle to Iran. Specifically, the exports of live animals and
animal produce totaled U.S. $0.4 this January – an increase of 82.2%
as compared with last January. This figure may well reach several
million dollars by the end of this year.

As regards the export of sheep to Iran (the product is in great demand
in the country), RA Minister of Agriculture Gerasim Alaversyan made
an interesting comment. According to him, it does not constitute any
threat to the sheep head in Armenia – their number may even double in
a year! At a rough estimate, with such a high reproduction rate, the
head sheep would reach several million in Armenia within a few years.

Unfortunately, however, for some "unknown" reasons, it did not happen.

On the contrary, the head of sheep decreased down to 511,000.

As regards the rise in beef prices, Mr. Alaverdyan explained it by
seasonality. Let us, however, compare the prices this January-February
with those in the corresponding period last year. The beef price
showed a rise of 15.5%, and the mutton price by as much as 68.5%. To
compare, the index of poultry price is 103.7% — a rise of 3.7%. So
the Minister’s "seasonality factor" has failed…