Author: Varosian Antranik

REP. SCHIFF URGES PRESIDENT OBAMA TO PROPERLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

armradio.am
23.04.2010 11:44

In a forcefully worded letter, Armenian Genocide Resolution lead
sponsor, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), urged President Barack
Obama to stand by his record as a U.S. Senator and his pledges as a
Presidential candidate to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We join with Armenian Americans from across the country in thanking
Congressman Schiff for his leadership in calling upon President Obama
to keep his pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

"As we approach April 24th, in the wake of the collapse of the
Protocols process, it’s clear that President Obama faces a stark
choice: He can honor his commitments and his conscience by properly
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, or he can remain an accomplice to
the Turkish government’s campaign to deny this crime against humanity,"
added Hamparian.

Noting that President Obama did not properly recognize the Armenian
Genocide in his 2009 April 24th statement because of "possible
reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey," Rep. Schiff pointed out
that "this misapprehended the nature of reconciliation, which can
never find a sound basis in the denial of genocide, or silence when
confronted by denial." He went on to argue that "Linking the process of
the protocols to the Armenian Genocide resolution actually encourages
Turkey to not ratify them, since the Turks know that prolonging the
process serves to provide opponents of the resolution with a continuing
excuse to delay recognition of the Armenian Genocide."

Earlier this week, 14 Senators issued a similar call, spearheaded
by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), urging President Obama to properly
characterize the Armenian Genocide in his annual statement. At the
Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Observance on April 21st, over 20
Members of the U.S. House discussed the importance of full and formal
U.S. affirmation of this crime.

The full text of Rep. Schiff’s letter is provided below.

"Dear Mr. President:

As the primary sponsor of H.Res.252, the Armenian Genocide resolution,
I urge you to properly characterize the murder of 1.5 million men,
women and children as "genocide" in your statement marking the April
24 anniversary of the start of the genocide.

Ninety-five years ago this month, in the spring of 1915, the government
of the Ottoman Empire launched a campaign against its Armenian
population. Wholesale massacres, forced marches through blistering
deserts, rapes, and looting were visited upon the Armenians of Eastern
Anatolia. By the time that the killings ended in 1923, one and a half
millions Armenians were dead and the world’s oldest Christian nation
had been shattered – with its survivors scattered around the world.

As a Senator, and during the 2009 presidential campaign, you
repeatedly spoke of the massacres of Armenians at the hands of the
Ottoman Government as genocide. This was in line with the overwhelming
majority of historians, including some notable Turkish historians,
and the genocide has also been recognized by many local and state
governments here in the United States and by many governments around
the world.

Last April you did not use the term "genocide" to describe the
events of 1915 to 1923. At the time, some argued that the possible
reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey was a reason to hold off on
recognition. This misapprehended the nature of reconciliation, which
can never find a sound basis in the denial of genocide, or silence
when confronted by denial. Now, despite the signing of the Protocols,
the Turkish government has given every indication that it will not
ratify or implement the agreement and has sought to make resolution
of the Nagorno Karabakh issue a precondition for any action by the
Turkish parliament.

I have repeatedly warned that Turkey would attempt to use the
protocols process as a means to prevent the Administration from
using the word "genocide" and to try to forestall consideration of a
genocide resolution in Congress. That must not be allowed to come to
pass. Linking the process of the protocols to the Armenian Genocide
resolution actually encourages Turkey to not ratify them, since the
Turks know that prolonging the process serves to provide opponents
of the resolution with a continuing excuse to delay recognition of
the Armenian Genocide.

Mr. President, you have always been a leader on the important issue
of human rights. I urge you to stand with the ever-dwindling number
of survivors, as well as the descendants of others, who survived
the Armenian Genocide and continue to suffer the "double killing"
of denial, by referring to it as genocide."

TURQUIE-ARMENIE : ERDOGAN MAINTIENT SES CONDITIONS POUR UN RAPPROCHEMENT
Stephane

armenews
23 avril 2010
TURQUIE

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a declare jeudi qu’il
restait attache a un rapprochement avec l’Armenie, mais a repete que
le succès de ce processus dependait des progrès entre l’Armenie et
l’Azerbaïdjan dans le conflit du Nagorny-Karabakh.

M. Erdogan a fait cette declaration peu après l’annonce, par les trois
partis formant la majorite au Parlement armenien, qu’ils allaient
"stopper le processus" de reconciliation turco-armenienne, puisque
la Turquie continue a "poser des conditions prealables".

"Nous avons exprime a plusieurs reprises notre engagement au regard
de la lettre et de l’esprit des protocoles (de reconciliation) et
l’objectif de les mettre en pratique", a dit M. Erdogan a la presse.

"Nous avons aussi explique a plusieurs reprises… comment le processus
de ratification (des protocoles) peut avancer et comment nous pouvons
atteindre l’objectif d’une paix globale dans la region.

Notre determination reste inchangee", a-t-il ajoute.

La reference a une "paix globale dans la region" signifie pour les
responsables turcs que la normalisation avec Erevan ne peut se faire
sans des progrès sur le conflit du Nagorny-Karabakh entre l’Armenie
et l’Azerbaïdjan, pays allie de la Turquie.

Les deux protocoles de normalisation qui doivent etre approuves par
les deux parlements turc et armenien prevoient d’etablir des relations
diplomatiques et de rouvrir la frontière commune.

La Turquie a ferme sa frontière avec l’Armenie en 1993, en
solidarite avec l’Azerbaïdjan après que des separatistes d’origine
armenienne, appuyes par Erevan, eurent pris le contrôle de la region
azerbaïdjanaise du Nagorny-Karabakh, dans un conflit qui a fait
environ 30.000 morts.

L’Armenie refuse de lier le dossier du Nagorny-Karabakh a celui d’une
normalisation avec la Turquie.

Turquie et Armenie tentent, par ce processus de reconciliation, de
tirer un trait sur près d’un siècle d’animosite, du fait des massacres
d’Armeniens par les Ottomans (1915-17), massacres qu’Erevan qualifie de
"genocide", terme rejete par Ankara.

‘PRESSURE ON ARMENIA DEPENDS ON AZERBAIJAN’S FIRM POSITION’

news.az
April 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Rasim Musabeyov Political scientist Rasim Musabeyov believes that
the pressure on Armenia depends on Azerbaijan’s stiff position.

"Foreign countries start reacting when Azerbaijan demonstrates stiff
position and the matter is not just the launch of war.

We should not forget, that unlike Armenians, we have something
to offer the United States, Russia and France from the strategic,
economic or energy point of view.

Azerbaijan may view these issues quite stiffly but everyone understands
that at worst our country has a right to return the lands by way of
war’, he said.

PAKRADOUNIAN: ARMENIAN INTERESTS ARE ABOVE ALL

iLoubnan.info
cs/actualite/id/45003
APril 21 2010
Lebanon

BEIRUT- Tashnaq Party leader MP Hagop Pakradounian told Al-Mustaqbal
newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday that the interests
of the Armenians are above all other considerations during the May
municipal elections.

Pakradounian added that his party will run with its allies, the Free
Patriotic Movement and MP Michel al-Murr, in the Metn electoral round.

"Would Murr and Aoun fail to reach consensus on a united list of
candidates in some areas in the Metn, then the Tashnaq will support
the party it believes is more worthy," the MP told the daily.

CYPRUS DISPUTE MIGHT SET BACK TURKEY’S PLANS

news.am
April 20 2010
Armenia

"Sunday’s presidential elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus will possibly set back island’s reunification talks," British
Guardian writes. However, amid election victory of Turkish nationalist
Dervis Eroglu, "combative" Turkish Premier Erdogan is resolute that
talks will continue.

The daily says that majority of experts agree that Cyprus issue is a
prerequisite for Turkey’s joining EU and thereafter it will be very
difficult for the country to continue EU accession negotiations, as
"eighteen of the 35 negotiating ‘chapters’ are currently frozen due
to Cyprus dispute."

The source recalls that such countries as France and Germany are
determined to discuss only privileged partnership for Turkey.

"If they do not admit us, as some people say, they are the ones to
lose, not us. As then they will declare themselves Christian club
members. We wish to see EU not as Christian club, but a center of
civilization," Premier said, speaking at the University of Sarajevo.

Definitely, this statement did not increase the number of supporters
for Turkey’s joining European Union.

The Guardian says that Erdogan’s stance on some issues, namely "row"
with U.S. over recognition of Armenian Genocide, opposing sanctions
against Iran and criticism of Israel might impede Turkey’s joining EU.

UNLIKE TURKS, ARMENIANS LEAST LIVE UP TO RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL VALUES

news.am
April 20 2010
Armenia

"Researches show, that the more people live up to religious and
spiritual value system, the more it is proud of its country," said ARF
Dashnaktsutyun leader Vahan Hovhannisyan at the international "Cultural
Genocide" conference held in Yerevan. He cited the example of Irish,
Turkish and Polish people holding religious and spiritual values,
whereas Armenians, Greeks and Russians – as least preserving them.

Hovhannisyan noted that usually Armenian Diaspora keep up traditions
more than those living in the country. This encompasses Armenians,
French, Greeks and other nations. "This is why Turks seek to cut
links between Armenia and Diaspora and sow discord within Diaspora
structures," he emphasized.

According to him, there are three approaches to Genocide: Turkish —
that fully denies Genocide, European-American, saying that Genocide
was perpetrated by another country and under other rulers, as well
as Armenian – Genocide occurred and the more – reaches out to our days.

Its most dangerous outcome today is extermination and conversion of
cultural heritage. "This conference proves that we are waking up and
ready to prevent it," the politician concluded.

EU expert: One should not expect customs bodies to monitor the market
for copyright counterfeits

2010-04-15 16:53:00

ArmInfo. The private sector should display initiative in the work with
customs bodies to reveal and prevent counterfeit products in the
market, said EU expert for customs control Chris Page at today’s
conference on raising awareness of copyright protection.

He thinks that the companies themselves should inform the customs
bodies of the forgery cases. The customs bodies’ goal is to ensure
implementation of the relevant laws and not to monitor the markets.
Page said one should not ask them, for instance, whether they have
seen Rolex counterfeits. One should specify what counterfeits they
have seen, in this case it will be easier for the customs officers to
find them, he said. For their part, the customs bodies should also
exchange information with the private sector, as well as with their
colleagues from other countries. Information exchange may be very
useful in revealing the routes of forgeries from one state to another,
he added.

A RALLY IN FRONT OF GEORGIAN EMBASSY TO BE HELD

Aysor
April 19 2010
Armenia

A rally will gather representatives of 8 parties in front of the
Georgian Embassy in Yerevan to support rights of Armenians in
Javakheti, Georgia. The rally will take place tomorrow by the
initiative of the National Neo-Conservative Movement of Armenia.

"Our goal is to show the Georgian government that there are people
in Armenia, ready to support and protect rights of Armenians of
Javakheti," said Movement’s leader Edward Aparamian.

"In late May the local elections are scheduled in Georgia; the
only political power in Javakheti and Kvemo-Kartli is the Public
Organisations Council, which is independent and supports interests
of Armenians of Javakheti. The Council is not a body, established by
Georgian special services," he said.

Edward Aparamian pointed that the Georgian government has made its best
to imprison all the acting forces, and have been making their efforts
to ban Armenian youth to take part in the political life of Georgia.

The Movement will claim establishment of an Armenian Institute in
Javakheti’s administrative center of Akhaltsikhe. This issue was
raised by Armenia’s Minister of Science and Education Armen Ashotian
during his recent visit to Georgia as well.

BAKU THREATENS IRAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

Aysor
April 19 2010
Armenia

Official Baku is leading an anti-Iranian policy by putting on the
screens the American anti-Iranian movie titled "300 Spartans" where
the 1000 year old facts of history are distorted, informs the Iranian
"Tabnak.ir" site.

"Azerbaijan continues supporting the Iranian separatist groupings. The
authorities of Baku have probably forgotten that the territory where
their land is situated is the historical land of Iran," mentions the
analyst of the site.

As the analyst insists, the authorities of Iran should undertake
concrete steps to put an end to such anti-Iranian behavior of Baku.

According to the analyst in the bases of the anti-Iranian doctrine
are the following actions:

1. to give birth to conflicts between the Iranian nations who speak in
Tirkish 2. to present a demand of political federalism step by step
3. to bring forward the demand of Ethnic federalism 4. to separate
historical Azerbaijan from Iran 5. uniting with the republic of
Azerbaijan 6. unification of united Azerbaijan to Turkey 7. realization
of the main goal of Pan-Turkism, establishment of big Turan

The analyst of "Tabnak.ir" site goes on saying, "The authorities of
Azerbaijan press on the national minorities that live in their country,
Tallish, Lezgy, Kurdish. Around 1.5 million Kurdish people live in
Azerbaijan while their number officially is recorded as 50.000."

At the end the analyst mentions that the Iranian will never forget
the idea expressed by Heydar Aliev, "By saying Iran I mean South
Azerbaijan."

BAKU ASSENTED IRAN’S MEDIATION IN KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS?

news.am
April 19 2010
Armenia

Azerbaijan agreed with Iran’s mediation in Karabakh peace process,
Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki told journalists in Tehran, 1news.az
reports. "War between Armenia and Azerbaijan has not ended yet and
there are certain issues holding up conflict settlement and shadowing
peace process," Mottaki noted.

Tehran wishes its neighbors live in peace, FM emphasized. "We will do
our utmost to assist the fair solution to the conflict. We have handed
our proposals to Armenian and Azerbaijani sides. Baku accepted them,
whereas Yerevan is yet silent," Iranian FM stated. According to him,
Iran is highly concerned over the sustained conflict. "These issues
are a burden for the Caucasus. Similar conflicts negatively affect
regional projects, as well as political and economic relations between
the states," Mottaki emphasized.

At that, Yerevan has repeatedly recalled Tehran that "talks on
Karabakh peace process are held within OSCE Minsk Group." "Armenia
highly assesses Iran’s efforts, but recalls that talks on Karabakh
conflict settlement are held in the frames of OSCE Minsk Group,"
a diplomatic source who did not want to be identified told NEWS.am.