Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

ARMENIAN HOCKEY TEAM BEATS NORTH KOREANS

Tert.am
16.04.10

Armenian ice hockey team registered on Thursday a narrow victory over
North Korea to the delight of numerous fans at a Yerevan arena in Karen
Demirchyan Sport and Concert Complex hosting the 2010 International
Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Division III World Championship.

The match that was taking place in Group B saw a rather tense struggle
with many of Armenian players forbidden by the Federation to partake
in it for yet unknown reasons.

The Armenian team was ceding to Koreans at a 1:3 score in the first
stage, but in the second one the Armenians had already taken the
upper hand hitting five goals and keeping their domination over the
Koreans also in the third stage. The last one saw both teams putting
every possible effort to win the match. The Koreans even succeeded
in setting the score at equal – 6:6 – but Armenians hit a last-minute
goal and won the match at 6:7 score.

RA government planning public hearings on Moscow cinema open-air hall
AMT 07:27 GMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Save Cinema Moscow Open-Air Hall group on Facebook
social network placed RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan’s letter
dated January 25 to head of RA government administration David
Sargsyan, calling to preserve the open-air hall as a cultural monument
and to restore its primary appearance.
However, a month later, on February 25, the government of Armenia
decided to remove the hall from the list of architectural monuments
protected by the state and gave consent to the proposal of the Moscow
Cinema LLC on alienation of the territory in favor of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, granting the ownership right to build a new church
similar to that of Poghos-Petros which was destroyed during the Soviet
era.
Over 25 thousand people signed a letter to President Serzh Sargsyan
calling on him to repeal the governmental decision.
After the letter’s publication Prime Minister’s Adviser Aram Ananyan
informed that the government is planning public hearings on the issue
of pulling down Moscow cinema open-air hall.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT FOR INCREASED PRESSURE ON ARMENIA

news.am
April 14 2010
Armenia

In the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process Azerbaijan remains committed
to its position based on international law, Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev stated at the Government’s sitting on April 14.

According to him, "Armenia’s delaying the negotiations is
unacceptable." The Azeri leader pointed out the importance of
Azerbaijan’s stating its position on the revised Madrid Principles.

He urged the states involved in the negotiation to increase pressure
on Armenia.

RA WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION PLANNING 2011 EUROPEAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 14, 2010 – 14:04 AMT 09:04 GMT

President of the Weightlifting Federation of Armenia Samvel
Khachatryan, team coach Ashot Mkhitaryan, European champions Tigran
Martirosyan (w.c. 77kg) and Gevorg Poghosyan (w.c. 85 kg) as well
as silver winner Ara Khachatryan (w.c. 85 kg) met with reporters on
April 14.

The Federation President thanked the sportsmen for winning 19 medals
at the European Weightlifting Championships, coaches for good training
and Armenian people for support.

The Weightlifting Federation of Armenia plans holding the European
Youth Weightlifting Championships (under 23) in Yerevan in 2011.

The Armenian Weightlifting Cup Tournament will be held in July, 2010.

"The sportsmen to participate in the World Championships will be
selected after conduction of the Armenian Cup," Khachatryan said.

TURKISH PM HOPES OBAMA WILL NOT USE THE TERM GENOCIDE ON APRIL 24

armradio.am
13.04.2010 18:38

U.S. President Barack Obama will meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoðan today on the sidelines of his nuclear security summit
in Washington, the White House said.

The meeting, which was not previously announced, will occur just over
a week after Turkey decided to return its ambassador to Washington
after a row over moves in Congress to recognize the World War I
massacres of Armenians as genocide.

Turkey recalled Ambassador Namýk Tan on March 4 immediately after
the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee adopted
a resolution recognizing 1915-17 massacres of Armenians under the
Ottoman Empire as genocide.

Prior to the meeting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told
CNN he was confident that the U.S. president would not use the term
genocide to describe the incidents of 1915.

"That would be my expectation, because to this day, no American leader
has uttered that word, and I believe that President Obama will not,"
he said.

Erdogan said the time when the killings took place was a period of
war and revolts, and pointed out that the Turkish people also suffered
terrible losses during the 1914-18 conflict.

"No nation, no people has the right to impose the way it remembers
history to another nation or people – and Turkey does not try to do
that," he added.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

April 11, 2010
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

LEADING ARMENIAN AMERICAN GROUPS URGE PRESIDENT SARGSYAN TO PRESS
FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION DURING HIS U.S. VISIT

— Sargsyan Scheduled to Lay a Wreath at President Woodrow Wilson’s
Tomb; Meet with Armenian Genocide Survivors Prior to Meetings with
President Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan

WASHINGTON, DC – On the eve of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s
visit to Washington, DC for the Nuclear Summit, leading Armenian
civic, religious and social service organizations have called on
the Armenian leader to urge President Barack Obama to honor his
pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide and reject Turkish
government efforts to use the Turkey-Armenia Protocols to delay
international affirmation of this crime against humanity, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The April 9th letter cited the Armenian American community’s
ongoing efforts to secure U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, including the recent House Foreign Affairs Committee
favorable consideration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H.Res.252). This measure passed the panel with a vote of 23-22,
despite strong opposition from the Turkish Government and a last
minute attack from the Obama Administration. The letter noted
broad-based community outrage over the use of the Turkey-Armenia
Protocols by opponents of this legislation serving on the
Committee, and, more broadly, by those seeking to block U.S.
support for a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian
Genocide.

The letter goes on to urge President Sargsyan to stand by his own
words against the misuse of a so-called "historical commission" to
call into question the Armenian Genocide, and also to directly call
upon President Obama and other international leaders to recognize
the Armenian Genocide. The signatories pressed the Armenian
President to announce that the Turkey-Armenia Protocol discussions
cannot continue "given Turkey’s unconstructive and antagonistic
posture" throughout the process.

The translated text of the letter is provided below. The official
Armenian text can be viewed on Asbarez.com at:

Sargsyan will join with Armenian Genocide survivors and Armenian

Americans at the tomb of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, sending a
powerful message about both America’s legacy of support for the
Armenian Cause, as well as the enduring commitment of all Armenians
to a truthful and just resolution of Turkey’s still unpunished
crime against the Armenian nation.

A wreath-laying ceremony, scheduled for Monday, April 12th at
11:00am, will include blessings by Armenian American clergy
including: His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern U.S.; His Eminence Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of Eastern U.S., and His Eminence Bishop Manuel Batakian,
Third Exarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of America.

The ceremony will be followed by the presentation of a letter from
Genocide survivors to the President and remarks by the President.

During his trip to Washington, DC, President Sargsyan is scheduled
to meet with both President Barack Obama and also with Turkish
Prime Minister Erdogan. The visit, on the eve of the April 24th
international commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, presents the
U.S. President with an opportunity to honor his pledge to properly
recognize this crime, and the Turkish Prime Minister a chance to
announce that his country is lifting its illegal blockade of
Armenia and abandoning its campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide.
Discussions between the three leaders will also focus on the
Turkey-Armenia Protocols, widely seen as a process initiated by
Turkey to extend U.S. silence on the Armenian Genocide from one
April 24th to the next.

#####

Translated Text of Armenian American Community Letter to President
Serzh Sargsyan

April 9, 2010

The Honorable Serzh Sargsyan
President of the Republic Of Armenia
Yerevan Armenia

Dear Mr. President:

As one of the Armenian Diaspora’s largest and most organized
communities, Armenian-Americans for decades have been carrying the
torch of Armenian Genocide recognition and the restoration of our
historical rights.

As you well know, one of the latest successes of this long struggle
was the passage of the Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252) in the US
House Foreign Affairs Committee. This was not an easy victory.
Many Members of Congress used the excuse of not jeopardizing the
Armeno-Turkish reconciliation process to escape from supporting
this resolution.

It is imperative that the Armenian people — of Diaspora and
Homeland — along with the government, present a common front when
facing such destructive obstacles in our path of international
Armenian Genocide recognition, which will only serve to restore our
rights.

On April 12-13, 2010, you will be present at the Nuclear Security
Summit to be held in Washington, DC.

We therefore call on you, Honorable President, to bolster the hard
work of Armenian-Americans by using this opportunity to publicly
appreciate the passage of House Res. 252, and the Congressmen who
voted for its passage; you will thereby send a message to the whole
world by emphasizing the importance of internationalization of
Armenian Genocide recognition, based on the following principles:

1 – The intergovernmental commission designed to promote
"historical reconciliation" cannot question the historical fact of
the Armenian Genocide. Quoting from your remarks in the April 4,
2010 issue of Der Spiegel: "The creation of such a commission will
undermine the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide. That is
unacceptable for us. The creation of such a commission would only
have a meaning if Turkey confessed to its crime. At that point,
scientists could analyze the reasons for this horror."

2 – The dialogue between Armenia and Turkey and the signed
protocols cannot be used as an excuse to derail the Armenian
Genocide recognition process. Quoting from your remarks in Der Zor
on March 24, 2010: "We do not accept the usage of Armeno-Turkish
rapprochement as an excuse to escape from the recognition of the
Genocide."

3 – Call on the US President and the international community
to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. As you have said,
"America, Europe, Germany, and all other governments that are
involved in the Armeno-Turkish reconciliation process should
announce their position publicly. If all these governments had
recognized the Genocide, Turks would not make such pronouncements."

4 – And finally, we hope and expect — considering the
hardening and threatening posture of Turkey — that while in
Washington, you will announce that the process between Armenia and
Turkey that has begun with these signed protocols cannot continue
because of Turkey’s unconstructive and antagonistic posture.

We are certain that our plea will be echoed. We believe that, as
Armenia’s President, following Der Zor and Yerevan, you will
continue to call for justice in memory of the Armenian martyrs, in
Washington also.

Armenian-Americans, with our aim of strengthening our nation, will
continue our efforts to preserve our homeland’s national security
and future prosperity. It is our expectation that the President of
Armenia and the Armenian government stand with the Diaspora by
utilizing your government’s powers in the effort toward the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the just resolution our
cause.

We look forward to your strong presentation in Washington, DC.

Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
Apostolic Exarchate for Armenian Catholics
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian National Committee of America
Armenian National Committee of America Western Region
Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Eastern U.S. Central Committee
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Western U.S. Central Committee
Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization – Western United States
Armenian Rights Council of America
Armenian Council of America
Armenian Relief Society – Eastern U.S. Regional Executive
Armenian Relief Society – Western U.S. Regional Executive
HASG – Armenian American Diasporan Organization
Armenian Genocide Commemorative United Body – Los Angeles.

Yerevan to host National Gallery VI International Music Festival

April 10, 2010 – 11:53 AMT 06:53 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Yerevan will host National Gallery VI International Music Festival
from April 21 to June 2.

`Musicians from Armenia, Russia, Sweden and Slovenia will be
participating,’ Festival founder Mariam Shahinyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

The Festival will open with a concert of Youth State Orchestra of
Armenia and honored artist of Armenia, pianist Svetlana Navasardyan.
Duo Claripiano from Sweden will perform Sen-Sans and Shubert’s works
on April 29.

Swedish violin player Hugo Tiziati and Armenian pianist Hayk Melikyan
will present modern classical music, including Tigran Mansuryan’s
works, on May 5. Armenian State Chamber Choir (conductor Robert
Mlkeyan) will perform on May 14.

Dominatus vox orchestra under the guidance of Natalie Galstyan will
give a concert on May 10.

The concerts will finish with performance of Russian pianist Yevgeny
Mikhailov on May 26.

The closing ceremony will be held on June 2.

news.am, Armenia
April 10 2010

Turkish MP indignant over Aghet-Ein Völkermord

16:08 / 04/10/2010Canan Arıtman, one of the notorious members of the
Turkish Parliament, demanded that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu provide written explanations for the demonstration of the
90-minute-long documentary Aghet-Ein Völkermord (Tragedy of Genocide)
shown by the ARD TV channel.

Aritman raised the following questions:

1.Why was not the German Ambassador to Turkey summoned to the Turkish
Foreign Office on the occasion?
2.Why weren’t the German authorities informed that the film might
cause damage to the German-Turkish relations?
3.Why at his meeting with the German Chancellor last week the Turkish
Premier did not voice his concern over the documentary and did not
demand that the demonstration be prohibited?
4.Why did the Turkish Foreign Minister take a passive position on the
Armenian Genocide resolutions approved by different Parliaments, as
well as on the demonstration of films there?
5.Is the Turkish State’s silence in response to statements on the
Armenian Genocide its political concept?

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 9 2010

Yerevan deadlocked after Baku’s accepting peace outline

09-04-2010 05:30:49

Azerbaijan’s accepting the updated version of the Madrid principles,
an outline for settling the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict proposed
by international mediators, has caused Armenia’s deadlock. Yerevan,
which signed the document at the Athens ministerial in late 2009, has
drastically altered its position, analysts say.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said during a visit to Estonia on
Wednesday that by rejecting the renewed Madrid principles, submitted
by the mediating OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Armenia is seeking to
maintain the status quo in the conflict settlement, is unwilling to
pull its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, and is
trying to delay the peace process.
The Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United States, Russia and
France initially proposed the peace outline in the Spanish capital in
November 2007. In Athens in November 2009, the updated version of the
Madrid Document was submitted to the sides, and it is presently under
discussion. Baku supports the updated Madrid Document with some
exceptions, which cover the wording of the conflict settlement
principles and the translation of terms.
Armenia’s maneuvering in dealing with the Madrid principles and its
opposing stance, along with complicating the stalled peace talks,
provides grounds for Azerbaijan to pursue other options for resolving
the long-lasting dispute, and Aliyev’s speaking about the Garabagh
problem in Estonia substantiates this conclusion.
Some Azerbaijani analysts suggest that if no progress is achieved in
the negotiating process by May, tension will rise in the region,
translating at least into more beligerent rhetoric and more frequent
ceasefire violations on the contact line of the Azerbaijani and
Armenian troops.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus republics flared up in the
late 1980s due to Armenia’s territorial claims. Armenia has been
occupying over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory since the early
1990s. The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but years of peace
talks have brought few tangible results, and sporadic clashes on the
frontline continue.*

, Turkey
April 9 2010

US invites Armenia to "nuclear" summit, not Azerbaijan

A senior Turkish diplomat arrived in the Azerbaijani capital to relay
a special letter of Erdogan to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Friday, 09 April 2010 14:51

A senior Turkish diplomat arrived in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku
on Friday to relay a special letter of Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Feridun Sinirlioglu, the undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Turkey, met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

Sinirlioglu is expected to meet President Ilham Aliyev later on Friday.

The diplomat earlier visited Armenia.

Diplomatic sources said Sinirlioglu would brief Azerbaijani executives
on his meetings in Armenia, and learn about their views before a
nuclear security summit Erdogan would participate in Washington, D.C.
on April 12 and 13.

The same sources said Azerbaijan was not invited to that summit
because only the countries that had nuclear programs were invited.

They said Ankara felt uneasy over Washington’s inviting Armenia, but
not inviting Azerbaijan to the summit, and this uneasiness had been
expressed to the U.S. administration.

Sinirlioglu earlier this week visited the Armenian capital of Yerevan,
as Erdogan’s special envoy, to meet Armenian President Serzh Sargsian
and Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols on October 10, 2009 to resume
diplomatic relations and open their border crossing.

After years of no diplomatic contacts, Turkish President Abdullah Gul
travelled to Yerevan to watch a soccer game between Turkish and
Armenian national teams in September 2008.

The Armenian president came to Turkey to watch the return game in 2009.

AA