Author: Tvankchian Parkev

WASHINGTON APPLAUDS YEREVAN’S DECISION TO SUSPEND PROTOCOLS

Tert.am
23.04.10

US Assistant Secretary of State Phil Gordon said Washington
applauds Armenian President Serge Sargsyan’s decision to suspend the
ratification of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols in the parliament.

"President Sargsyan’s announcement makes clear that Armenia has not
ended the process but has suspended it until the Turkish side is ready
to move forward. We applaud President Sargsyan’s decision to continue
to work towards a vision of peace, stability, and reconciliation,"
Gordon said in a written statement.

"We continue to urge both sides to keep the door open to pursuing
efforts at reconciliation and normalization," said Gordon, adding
that The United States urges both sides to continue to work toward
reconciliation.

AZNAVOUR ASSISTED GENOCIDE VICTIMS’ MEMORIAL WEBSITE CREATION

news.am
April 21 2010
Armenia

An independent journalist Jean Ekiyan offers to list the names of
Armenian Genocide victims in Armenian Memorial

"For the Armenian Genocide 95th anniversary I offer Armenians worldwide
to write the names of Genocide martyrs in inhomage.com. This is
the moral duty of those, who remember them and can record the family
members who suffered in the terrible crime against humanity, branded as
"Genocide" by Raphael Lemkin.

According to him, each name recorded in the virtual memorial will be
a cry from the heart (source of justice). The action is held under
the aegis of Charles Aznavour.

THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND RUSSIA TO BE CONTINUED

Aysor
April 21 2010
Armenia

On April 20 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan who was in Moscow on
a brief official visit had a meeting with the President of Russian
Federation Dmitri Medvedev. This is the third meeting being held
between Armenia and Russia during this year.

Greeting his Armenian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev said: "Within the
frameworks of our regular meetings with Armenia we meet today to
discuss the current situation, bilateral relations, regional and
international issues.

The fact that we are doing that with an enviable frequency and
regularity is very important, as in that way we keep the existing
trust and mutual understanding between the two countries."

The President Sargsyan expressed his gratitude for the invitation and
has mentioned that, "After our last meeting our Foreign Ministries
and other institutions as well as the intergovernmental commission
continue working actively."

On the meeting with the RF President Serzh Sargsyan discussed some
scheduled issues concerning the bilateral relations, regional security,
normalization process of the Armenian – Turkish relations and the
NKR conflict settlement.

S. Sargsyan has congratulated the RF President on opening a big
scientific-innovative center in Yerevan.

Serzh Sargsyan also informed that Armenian government is working
actively together with the Russian Embassy in Armenia on resuming
the memorial for the Russian Officers killed during the Armenian –
Turkish war.

President Sargsyan has expressed his gratitude to the President of
Russia for the 500mln loan given to Armenia one year ago. He has
stressed that its positive results are visible today.

The heads of Russia and Armenia have discussed the schedule of
bilateral relations; they have exchanged thoughts about some
international and regional issues.

The Presidents of Armenia and Russia have arranged to continue the
dialogue in all levels. It includes also the upcoming visit of the
Russian President to Armenia, informs the official site of the RA
President.

US EMBASSY CLARIFIES STATEMENT OF STATE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE ON KARABAKH

news.az
April 20 2010
Azerbaijan

Terry Davidson Spokesman of the US embassy in Azerbaijan Terry Davidson
has commented on the recent statement of the representative of the
US Department of State.

The statement fixed Karabakh as a party in the Minsk process.

Asked to explain the statement of the representative of the US
Department of State that fixes Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh as
parties in the Minsk Process and whether it means that the United
States has changed its attitude to the OSCE Minsk Group, the chief
of the department for public relations of the US embassy said:

‘No, certainly, it doesn’t. The United States supports the effort
of the OSCE Minsk Group as a mediator in the peace settlement of
the Karabakh conflict. Being one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group, we are working with the sides-Armenia and Azerbaijan to find
the long-term solution to the conflict.

The United States does not recognize the so-called Nagorno Karabakh
Republic and does not take anyone’s side in the conflict’.

ICELAND VOLCANO STRANDS HUNDREDS OF ARMENIANS IN EUROPE

Asbarez
Apr 20th, 2010

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Hundreds of Armenian nationals remain stranded at
airports across Europe because of the huge cloud of volcanic ash
hanging over the continent, Armenia’s civil aviation authority said
on Tuesday.

According to the Armenian government’s Civil Aviation Department,
a total of 17 flights from Yerevan to several major European cities
have been cancelled since an incessant stream of ash from an Icelandic
volcano forced the closure of much of European airspace on April 15.

The Czech national airline CSA carried out on Monday the first flight
to Armenia since the unprecedented disruption. Aram Marutian, the
deputy head of the Civil Aviation Department, told RFE/RL’s Armenian
service that 140 mostly Armenian passengers arrived in Yerevan on
board a CSA plane from Prague.

Marutian said another carrier, Austrian Airlines, will also likely
resume its regular flight service between Vienna and Yerevan later on
Tuesday. "We are working with the airline to make sure that they use
a bigger aircraft so that we can increase the number of passengers
and return everyone to Armenia as soon as possible," he said.

In Marutian’s words, a total of some 750 Armenians are still unable to
return home, while more than a 1,100 others have had to delay trips
to Europe and the United States because of the crisis. About one
third of them have handed back their air tickets to travel, he added.

The official also said that the volcanic eruption has not disrupted
flight services with Russia and other former Soviet republics which
account for most of air travel to and from Armenia.

Millions of people have been stranded across the globe since Europe
began shutting down airspace six days ago. A gradual reopening of
airports in northern and central Europe, which began on Monday, was
called into question by new spurts of ash from the Eyjafjallajokull
volcano reported on Tuesday. Authorities in Iceland said the volcanic
activity there is still "considerable," leading some countries,
including Britain and Norway, to scrap plans to end their lockdown.

SARGSYAN-ERDOGAN SECOND MEETING EXPECTED LATE MAY OR EARLY JUNE IN MOSCOW: R. GIRAGOSIAN

Panorama.am
21/04/2010

Richard Giragosian, the director of the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies (ACNIS) analyzed the past and upcoming events
in the sidelines of Armenia-Turkey reconciliation and forecasted that
Sargsyan-Erdogan second meeting will be held shortly, in late May or
early June.

"Sargsyan-Erdogan meeting in Washington was the first step, not
the last one. We can expect Sargsyan-Erdogan second meeting in late
May or early June in Moscow," R. Giragosian told a press conference
today and explained the possible meeting could emerge due to Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev’s upcoming visit to Turkey in May.

He is convinced that Russia continues to play active role in
Armenia-Turkey process. "The interesting thing is, however, that both
Russia and the US agree that the Nagorno-Karabakh can no longer be
a precondition and is not linked with the diplomacy," the analyst said.

WD Newsletter
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, Ca 91504
Tel: 818-558-7474
Fax: 818-558-6333
Web:

On April 20, 2010, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors had
organized a special program dedicated to the 95th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. At 9:00 AM, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan
Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church in
North America delivered his message at the start of the session.

The Primate was introduced by Supervisor Mike D. Antonovich, who
represents the 5th District of Los Angeles County. The Primate was
joined by His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, Vicar General Very
Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian, Diocesan Council members Mr. Armen
Hampar, Mr. Bob Barsam and Mrs. Lily Ring Balian, Ladies Society
Central Council Chair Mrs. Araxie Boyamian, Diocesan Youth Director
Rev. Fr. Avedis Abovian, Western Diocese Executive Director Mr. Harout
Markarian.

We kindly present to you the Primate’s message in its entirety.

Dear Supervisors,

The action taken by the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors to recognize
the Armenian Genocide and honor the memory of the victims of the first
Genocide of the 20th century is a noble and just initiative.

This year, Armenians around the world commemorate the 95th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide which was perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks
and urge all nations to recognize the Genocide. The act of genocide
perpetrated with premeditation is a vivid crime against humanity. The
past 95 years have been years of victory for the sons and daughters of
the Armenian nation who have continued their struggle in preserving
their faith and culture. However, it is also important to pay homage
to all those nations and countries which have supported the survivors
of the Genocide and have shown their respect to the memory of the
victims.

We are no longer a nation of mourning our losses. On the contrary, we
are celebrating the Resurrection of our nation. In the words of His
Holiness Karekin I, the late Catholicos of All Armenians "Armenians
die but the Armenian spirit lives on. A nation that refuses to die
lives forever" (Karekin I – 1995, 1997). However, the current progress
of our young generation does not and cannot permit us to lessen within
our conscience the obligation to carry on the surviving spirit of the
victims of the Genocide and above all, the recognition of the
Genocide.

We are here today, with dual responsibilities as Armenian Christians
who ought to guard and cherish their God-given gifts and we are also
here as citizens of the United States of America filled with the
spirit of the founding fathers of this great nation to become
exemplary leaders of our communities.

May God bless you and protect you all.

The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, providing
spiritual guidance and leadership to the Armenian Apostolic community,
is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization comprised of more
than 50 churches in 16 western states. It was established in 1898 as
the Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire United
States and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was formed to
exclusivly serve the western United States.

3325 North Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474 Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN: ARMENIAN TURKISH PROTOCOLS NOT DEAD BUT ILL
Nelly Danielyan

"Radiolur"
16.04.2010 18:28

The Armenian Turkish protocols are not dead by ill, Director of the
"Noravank" foundation Gagik Harutyunyan told a press conference today.

He does not consider the process is deadlocked.

"I think a new stage has started, where we have certain advantage,"
he said.

Commenting on President Sargsyan’s visit to Washington and his speech
at Woodrow Wilson Memorial, Gagik Harutyunyan said "it was a good
speech meant not only for the domestic, but also for outer audience."

Asked whether Obama will utter the word genocide in his April 24th
address, Director of the "Noravank" foundation said "the current
political situation tells Obama to refrain from uttering the word
genocide, but the possibility should not be excluded."

Gagik Harutyunyan does not attach much importance to Obama’s speech,
since it will not have legal consequences.

TURKEY CAN’T SPEAK WITH ARMENIA IN LANGUAGE OF PRESSURES

Aysor
April 15 2010
Armenia

The decisions made as a result of the Armenian – Turkish talks held
in Washington proved that Turkey can’t speak with Armenia in the
language of preconditions or pressures, especially in the frameworks
of the International Recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the
normalization of the Karabakh issue, today said Gagik Melikyan,
member of the ARP party.

"They should speak with the Armenians only without preconditions,"
Melikyan said and stressed that Armenia is not ready to concede any
liberated territory until the NKR issue is solved.

He stressed also that the visit of the Armenian President was
historical and added that by visiting the tomb of the former U.S.

President Woodrow Wilson and the speech which he had in front of the
Armenian community President Sargsyan proved to the whole world that
any decision concerning the NKR issue and recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is common and the same.

TURKISH ARMENIAN COMMUNITY: 1915 EVENTS ARE NOT GENOCIDE

Trend
April 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Representatives of the Armenian community in Turkey stated that the
events of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire can not be called "genocide."

According to them, it was a civil war, which affected not only
Armenians but the Turks and other nationalities living in the Ottoman
Empire, the Turkish newspaper "Hurriyet" reported.

Armenia claims that the Ottoman Empire committed "genocide" against
Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Making greater efforts to promote
the issue internationally, Armenians have achieved its recognition
by parliaments in some countries. It is expected that in connection
with the anniversary of the so-called "Armenian genocide" in April
Armenian lobby will strengthen activity in the world’s parliaments,
especially in the U.S. Congress.