Author: Vasilian Manouk

Armenian-American Senate hopeful appeals for community support
by Emil Sanamyan

5-05-armenian-american-senate-hopeful-appeals-for- community-support
Published: Wednesday May 05, 2010

Washington – With one month left before the Republican Party primary
in Nevada, one of two leading contenders to become a candidate for
U.S. Senate Danny Tarkanian has issued an appeal to fellow Armenian
Americans for support.

In a communication released by his campaign on May 4, Armenian
Americans were invited "to support the campaign of Nevada’s Danny
Tarkanian, who is running to become the first ever Armenian-American
member of the United States Senate."

"We believe that the only way the U.S. Congress will recognize the
Genocide, or fight for the issues important to so many
Armenian-Americans such as aid to Armenia, and the recognition of
Nagorno-Karabagh, is to have an articulate Armenian-American voice in
the U.S. Senate," the campaign communication said, adding that "That
voice can be Danny Tarkanian."

Recent polls have shown Mr. Tarkanian closing the gap with GOP
frontrunner in the race Sue Lowden.

Polls also continue to show that both Lowden and Tarkanian are leading
the incumbent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) ahead of
general election in November. Sen. Reid has been a long-time supporter
of Armenian issues in Congress.

Meantime in Ohio, David Krikorian lost to Surya Yalamanchili in a
closely fought Democratic Party primary vote on May 3.

According to vote results reported by local media Mr. Krikorian won 38
percent of the vote compared to his opponent’s 40 percent. The
Cincinnati businessman contributed $142,000 of his own money into the
race.

Mr. Krikorian was hoping to again challenge Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Oh.),
who is known for her controversial positions on Armenian issues.

And in Indiana, Armenian Genocide denier Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.)
survived a primary election against six challengers, winning just 30
percent of the vote.

LIFE- SENTENCED ARTHUR MKRTCHYAN HAS STARTED HUNGER STRIKE

Tert.am
12:40 06.05.10

It is alreay three days since Arthur Lazarian, an inmate sentenced
to life imprisonment and who is serving his punishment for 14 years
now at the Nubarashen prison has started a hunger strike.

Lazarian has also sent a letter to Gevorg Danielyan, Justice
Minister of the Republic of Armenia, demanding a fair examination
and an unbiased sentence based exclusively on the law.

Artur Lazarian was found guilty for having killed 5 soldiers during
his temporary military service in Noyemberyan, north-east of Armenia,
in 1996 which Lazarian claims is a trumped-up charge saying it were
officers of the military police who killed those soldiers.

He also claims he was subjected to degraded treatment and was forced
to give false testimony which served as basis for the court to reach
the verdict.

CO-CHAIRS BRIEF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF KARABAKH TALKS

armradio.am
06.05.2010 13:55

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Yuri Merzlyakov of
Russia, Bernard Fassier of France, and Robert Bradtke of the United
States, released the following statement today:

"The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov, the
Russian Federation; Ambassador Bernard Fassier, France; Ambassador
Robert Bradtke, United States; incoming Russian Co-Chair Ambassador
Igor Popov) briefed the OSCE Minsk Group in Vienna May 5 on the
current status of negotiations, and thanked them for their continued
support for the Co-Chairs’ efforts. They underscored the commitment
of the parties to make progress on the elaboration of a settlement
based on the Madrid Principles as well as the elements contained in
the joint statement issued by Presidents of the Co-Chair countries
at the L’Aquila Summit of the Eight July 10, 2009.

In his last trip to Vienna as the Russian Co-Chair, Ambassador
Merzlyakov formally introduced Ambassador Popov to the Minsk Group as
the new Russian Co-Chair. The Co-Chairs expect to meet the Azerbaijani
and Armenian foreign ministers in Europe in the coming days to discuss
how to move negotiations forward."

VICTOR KRIVOPUSKOV: BATTLES FOR MOSCOW, LENINGRAD AND STALINGRAD WERE ALSO BATTLES FOR ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 5, 2010 – 16:21 AMT 11:21 GMT

Advisor of the Russian Embassy in Armenia, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo
representation in Armenia Victor Krivopuskov said that the Armenian
nation stood among firsts in the struggle against fascism, though
there were no hostilities in Armenia’s territory.

"The battles for Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad were also battles
for Armenia," he said. "Around 600,000 Armenians fought bravely in the
Great Patriotic War, but almost half of them never returned home. 104
Armenians were honored as Heroes of the Soviet Union, while fighter
pilot Nelson Stepanyan was the first representative of the South
Caucasian nations, who was named Double Hero of the Soviet Union,"
the Advisor of the Russian Embassy in Armenia said.

"Only true history can help rise a wise generation," Krivopuskov
noted, adding that through the analysis of 84 history textbooks of
CIS countries, scientists of Moscow State University concluded that
textbooks of only two countries – Armenia and Belarus – contain the
true information about these countries’ history and the record of
their relations with Russia.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WRAPS UP CHINA TRIP

CRIENGLISH.com
May 4 2010
China

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan completed a two-day working visit
to north China’s Shanxi Province on Tuesday, wrapping up his tour
of China.

Sarkisyan arrived in Shanxi on Monday for the visit, during which he
met with Shanxi Governor Wang Jun.

Before visiting Shanxi, Sarkisyan attended the opening ceremony of
the Shanghai World Expo on April 30, and met with Chinese President
Hu Jintao in Shanghai.

Sarkisyan kicked off his tour to China on April 29.

U!COM TO PROVIDE FIXED-LINE TELEPHONY SERVICES

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 19:29 AMT 14:29 GMT

Head of the Marketing Department of U!Com company Manushak Melkumyan
said that the company plans to start providing fixed-line telephony
services from the end of this summer. "Currently, works on the
net construction are implemented, as well as negotiations with
international operators of phone communication are conducted,"
Melkumyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. According to her, the
company is ready to provide favorable tariff plans to its subscribers.

The company’s own fiber-optic line should secure its competitiveness
and allow decreasing costs of the provided services. Initially,
the fixed-line telephony will be provided in Yerevan, later, the
services will be available also in those regions, where the company’s
fiber-optic line net is present.

In the beginning of April 2010, U!Com obtained its code (6045) and
the possibility to have 10,000 numbers in this number capacity for
providing fixed-line telephony services. The company also announced
that a new digital phone appeared in the Armenian market, it includes
such functions, as video call, SMS services, etc. U!Com company, which
was established in 2007, provides three types of telecommunication
services: Internet communication, IP-television and telephone digital
communication of new generation.

ARMENIA TURNS TO GEOTHERMAL FOR ELECTRICITY

ADP News Renewable Energy Track
May 3, 2010 Monday 1:32 PM EEST

(ADPnews) – May 3, 2010 – After evaluating its geothermal potential,
Armenia intends to start utilising the hot spring resources for
producing clean electricity, Armen Movsisyan, the Armenian energy
minister, announced last week.

Besides nuclear power, the landlocked Eurasian state that has no oil
or gas reserves is turning its focus on renewable energy sources.

In 2009, the country received a USD 1.5 million (EUR 1.1m) grant
for technical assistance with geothermal energy development from
the World Bank. The latter extended the funding under its USD 25
million eight-year GeoFund programme, which was introduced to promote
geothermal power in eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Almost a decade before, Yerevan ordered local utilities to purchase
all electricity generated from renewable sources in Armenia for
the following 15 years. The move was aimed at accelerating green
power development ahead of the scheduled 2016 shutdown of the ageing
nuclear plant.

In 2003, the government asked for extensive field surveys at geothermal
site Jermaghbyur. With the help of an investigation of the 19 mining
companies operating in the region, the researchers have revealed the
site’s potential of 25 MW that can be unwrapped at the cost of USD
39.1 million.

EDUARD OREMYAN SAYS REDUCTION IN MORTGAGE MARKET INTEREST RATES QUITE POSSIBLE

ARMENPRESS
MAY 3, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: Reduction in the interests in the field
of mortgage lending is quite possible, Chairman of the Association
of Mortgage Market Participants Eduard Oremyan said today at a press
conference, held after the 4th annual meeting of the Mortgage Market
Participants. He mentioned that the interest rates have already
decreased as compared to the previous years.

He says this made banks reconsider the interests on mortgage loans
secured by their own resources. ‘The interests make 8.5-12%, however
2 years ago they made 18-20%,’ chief executive of the Association
of Mortgage Market Participants said. He stressed the time limits of
loans as an important precondition in this process.

He says reduction in the interests rates can be expected in the
loan market, as the market is currently growing. He also mentioned
that the interest rates will probably be reduced in case of creating
‘long-term money’.

TURKEY IGNORES CHRISTIANS DELAYING ARMENIAN PATRIARCHAL ELECTION
Armen Hareyan

HULIQ.com
May 4 2010
SC

The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has once again delayed the election
of the community’s Patriarch because the authorities in Istanbul do
not give the appropriate go-ahead for the elections to take place.

Originally the elections of the Armenian Patriarch were scheduled for
May 12. However, as Austrian Catholic Press Agency and DomRadio from
Germany report, the election is postponed. The Turkish state has not
yet approved the election.

The Interior Ministry of Turkey has not yet responded to the request
made by the election committee of the Armenian Patriarch on January
14 of 2010. According to the Turkish regulations the Interior Ministry
must give it’s approval for a new patriarch to be elected in country’s
Christian churches: something unheard of in European Union member
countries.

The OK has to come also from the Governor’s Office of Istanbul.

A similar situation has happened in 1998 when the current Armenian
Patriarch Mesrop II was elected. Now, the young Patriarch is gravely
ill and the Patriarchate had planned to elect a new Patriarch or a
co-Patriarch while Mesrop II is alive.

Currently the Patriarchate is run by Archbishop Aram Atesyan. Other
candidates for the election are the Archbishop of the Armenian Diocese
in Germany, Karekin Bekdijan, and the Bishop of Gugark in Armenia,
Sebuh Tschuldijan.

According to another Turkish law the patriarch must be born in Turkey
and be a Turkish citizen. This of course limits the possibilities
that the Christian communities have in Turkey.

Other Christian communities in Turkey are also experiencing similar
difficulties and limitations of religious freedom. Recently the Greek
Patriarch of Istanbul in a documentary made by CBS 60 minutes said
"Christians are treated as a second class citizens in Turkey." He was
referring to these types of limitations and particularly the ban by the
Turkish authorities to reopen the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary near
Istanbul. Patriarch Bartholomew said sometimes he feels "crucified."

* Watch Greek Patriarch speaking about the conditions of Christians
in Turkey.

Yet, Turkey was very vocal defending Swiss Muslim rights when the
authorities in Switzerland banned four minarets in November of 2009.

Limiting people’s religious rights and freedom is equally worrying
no matter where it happens.

ON TURKEY’S UNHEARD KNOCK AT OSCE MG DOOR
Ivan Gharibyan

news.am
May 3 2010
Armenia

The Azerbaijani authorities keep on knocking at the OSCE Minsk Group’s
door, doing so on behalf of their "big brother," Turkey, which has
been dreaming of playing a key role in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process. But the attempts of Baku and Ankara have so far failed.

What is the matter? Why has Turkey so far failed to even draw closer
to achieving its dream – becoming the fourth Co-Chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group? First, official Yerevan’s firm position rules out such
a possibility. Turkey is overtly supporting one of the conflicting
parties so it cannot lay any claims to a leading role of mediator.

The Armenian side’s firm position is supported by no less important
factor, which, however, is not officially announced: at least
two of the three OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Russia and France,
by definition cannot welcome Turkey gaining stronger positions in
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. Russia, after it has regained
control of Ukraine, is not going to "let Turkey into the Caucasus",
especially in the context of its strong influence on Azerbaijan. As
regards France, its position is even clearer. That state is openly
declaring against Turkey’s admission to the European Union (EU) –
even in the remote future. In this context, it is obvious that Paris
would strongly object to the possibility of Ankara’s playing a more
active role in the OSCE Minsk Group.

All the aforementioned facts rule out any possibility of a fourth
OSCE MG Co-Chair appearing. Ankara has found itself in stalemate
also because of the actual failure of the first stage of the
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation. Contrary to common sense and the
region’s interests, Turkey has failed to get rid of the role of hostage
to its "small brother" Azerbaijan, pursuing the whims of the hysterical
Aliyev clan. The past month has clearly shown the geopolitical players
Turkey’s inability to implement a policy independent of Baku, which has
proved the inadvisability of its "leading role" in the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process even to "the most doubting."

Turkey keeps on knocking at the OSCE Minsk Group’s door. "Ubiquitous"
Azerbaijan often does it on Turkey’s behalf – but all to no purpose.