Recognition of the Armenian genocide

They call upon all members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to take the necessary steps for the recognition of the genocide perpetrated against Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century.

Recognition of the Armenian genocide

Written Declaration

Considering that this year 2010 marks the 95th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915 and the fact that the act of recognition of this genocide contributes to respect for human dignity and constitutes an act of prevention of crimes against humanity;

Recalling that the express positions of the United Nations, the European

PC disapproves of summer hall demolition

The RA Public Council today made a decision to request the government to cancel the demolition of the summer hall of Moscow Cinema. The decision was adopted with 18 votes for, 6 against and 3 abstentions.

Let us remind that Moscow Cinema Ltd has applied to the Government with a proposal to allot the territory of the summer hall to Mother See of Holly Etchmiadzin. The latter is to erect a church in the place of destroyed St. Peter and Paul Church.

During today's sitting the majority of participants disapproved of the hall's demolition. PC Chairman Vazgen Manukyan said

ARMENIAN POLICE AND “GAY PARADE”

On April 16, the day of Armenian police was celebrated which coincided with the International Gay Day in connection with which, the Chief of Police Alik Sargsyan stated that it is a shame for the Armenian policemen to celebrate their holiday on the same day with gays, hence he turned to Serge Sargsyan to change the professional day of police.
 
I would not like to go into details of the absurdity of this statement, but I would like to ask Alik Sargsyan whether those Armenian Police officials who were born on April 16 have to change their birthday

NEXT FIGHT IN ACADEMY

In the evening of April 17, in front of the Military College of Armenia in Nor Nork Community, which is also known as the military academy, a clash among criminals and local strongmen was clamped down. Witnesses say the clash would result in killings if the police arrived a little late. Of course, it is amazing that the police was not late. What is more surprising, however, is something else, and neither is the cause of the clash.
 
The interesting thing is that the scene of criminal fights is already the Military College, a few meters from the gate

MONTH OF POLITICAL FIELD

Women' "month" in Armenia, from political point of view, had a graceful end. On April 6, on the day of the oppositional regular rally, the political life in Armenia was turned into an "idyll"- conference of the international federation on human rights defense was held, police became a symbol of tolerance and politeness, high number of people participated in the oppositional rally, the police almost lacked during it, foreign human rights defenders joined the ralliers, a numerous march followed the rally during which the police officials were about to lay a green carpet under the feet of the marchers and to accompany them with flowers.
 
The joining of the participants of the Human Rights International conference the rally of the Armenian National Congress, on the one hand became the expression of a regular fiasco of the government,

Commemoration ceremony in Istanbul

Human Rights Association of Istanbul organized an Armenia Genocide victims' commemoration ceremony at 9:00 p.m. April 24.

The location was Haydarpasa terminal, from where on April 24, 1915 about 220 Armenian intellectuals were sent to death. Turkish human rights activists condemned Turkish policy of 1915." We gathered to honor the memory of victims died on April 24, 1915 and say ‘Never again this to occur'.

Meanwhile, about 15 Turkish ultranationalists headed by retired general Edip Baser attempted to prevent the event. A battle of words broke out, but the policemen averted further developments.

Another commemoration of Armenian Genocide victims

Turkey responds to President Sargsyan’s decision

Turkey has reacted to President Serzh Sargsyan's decision on suspending the Armenian-Turkish Protocols.

Speaking to reporters in Estonian capital Tallinn on Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday, "The decision was made by Armenia unilaterally. As Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan said, it is their own decision," reports Anadulu News Agency.
"I hope that available political atmosphere will take place in Armenia and Turkey as soon as possible and the process will resume.

Not only Turkey and Armenia but all regional countries and international community especially the United States, Russia and France would benefit from resumption

Turkey is still silent

Almost all Turkish presses have disseminated Serzh Sargsyan's announcement on suspending the procedure of ratifying the Turkey-Armenia Protocols signed in Zurich, but the official Ankara has not responded to that yet.

The topic of the day for all Turkish mass media outlets was the decision of Armenia's ruling political coalition to suspend the Turkey-Armenia Protocols and Turkish Prime Minister Receb Tayyip Erdogan has expressed his view on that occasion.

According to Turkish presses, in a joint press conference with his New Zealand counterpart, Erdogan said the following in regard to the RA National Assembly's suspension of the Turkey-Armenian Protocols:

Silent procession in downtown Yerevan

The flags of 20 countries were hovering in Yerevan's French Square today symbolizing the countries that had recognized the Armenian Genocide.

Heritage's Hayk Youth Union today moved in silent procession commemorating the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The event features 25 activists.

The union thus expressed its gratitude to the countries that have already recognised the Genocide and urged others to follow the example.

 

 

Source: The Armenian News by A1+

Why isn't HAK "massacring"?

The office of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) was reopened in Talin. The office had been shut down after the events of March 1, 2008.

The HAK's office will temporarily be headed by former political prisoner Mkrtich Sapeyan until the former director of the office Hayk Atanesyan returns from abroad.

Attending the opening of the office were members of HAK and residents of Talin.

"This central office of Talin will allow us to understand Armenia's political life. Unfortunately, we don't have authorities that are accountable not only to the people, but to international centers," said Armenian National Congress coordinator

OUR CUSTOMS ATTACHE IN EUROPEAN UNION

The Armenian government appointed Armen Melkikyan RA Customs Attaché to European Union and World Customs Organization with a three-year term.

Source: Lragir.am - Armenian Online

PRODUCTION OF BUSES

The minister of transport and communication Manuk Vardanyan met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China Tian Changchun on April 16.
 
The ambassador said the countries have normal political and economic relations, and good basis for cooperation in the sphere of transport. Ambassador Tian Changchun said presently two Chinese firms are operating in telecommunication in Armenia, and is hopeful that that cooperation will improve.
 
Minister Vardanyan thinks that besides telecommunication there are good opportunities for cooperation in the sphere of transport, including public transport, road building. Manuk Vardanyan said the construction of North-South will be put out to tender, and the strategy of development of passenger transportation, including transport in urban areas, which means that new buses will be needed.

Marchers issue statement

HAK supporters, who held a protest action outside the RA Administrative Court against the increase in gas price, have issued a statement.

"The illegal and unjustified increase in gas price was a hard blow to the Armenian people. It has caused a spiral rise in prices in all spheres of life and choked the country's gridlocked economy.

Starting March 1, thousands of Armenians went to the street in protest against the decision on the gas price hike.

Moreover, 7230 citizens joined the Armenian National Congress's appeal to invalidate the unfounded and illegal gas hike. It was the largest and

Prison official accused of money swindling

The preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated against the head of the Security Provision Division of the "Sevan" penitentiary accused of money swindling under the pretence of bribery has been completed in the RA Special Investigation Service.

The preliminary investigation has revealed and confirmed that justice major V. Yeghiazaryan, the head of the Security Provision Division of the "Sevan" penitentiary, not having competence of hiring employees and supporting them, ensured the resident of Kaghsi village V. Virabyan to appoint the latter in the post of the junior specialist of the "Sevan" penitentiary and demanded 300.000 drams by abusing

Mr Bakiyev has already left Kyrgyzstan

Today the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan's Secretary of State and Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev, issued the following statement:

"Today, on April 15, as a result of joint efforts of Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev, U.S. President Barack Obama and Russia's President Dmitriy Medvedev, as well as active mediation by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, along with the United Nations and the European Union, an agreement was reached with the Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan and President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on his departure from the country.

Mr Bakiyev has already left Kyrgyzstan.
This development is an important step towards the stabilization

A1+'s broadcasting right violated

2009 Annual report on the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights

Strasbourg, 14.04.2010 - The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has issued today its third annual report on the supervision of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.

In 2009 1515 new judgments finding violations of the European Convention on Human Rights were brought before the Committee of Ministers for supervision of their execution, thus bringing the number of cases under supervision to 7 881. The compensation awarded to the victims in the new judgments 2009 amounted to some 54 million Euros.

The report contains detailed statistics highlighting the main tendencies of the evolution

Davutoglu is dreaming

Speaker of the Republican Party of Armenia Edward Sharmazanov says Turkey's statements made during the meeting of heads of Turkey and Armenia in Washington are double and contradict one another.

"On the one hand, Erdogan says he sees no direct link between the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Turkish-Armenian relations and on the other hand, he says the Turkish parliament is not ready to ratify the Protocols at the moment. These statements must make intermediary countries, including the US, think in order to seriously pressure Turkey. Turkey must finally clarify whether it wants to ratify the Protocols or not. It can't continue

Sargsyan- Erdoğan meeting continues in Washington

The meeting of RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan started in Washington about an hour ago.

The meeting is organized on the sidelines of Global Nuclear Security Summit. Serzh Sargsyan is expected to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama after the meeting with the Turkish Premier.

Over 16 American Armenian organizations have urged Serzh Sargsyan to raise the issue of Genocide recognition during the meeting with his American counterpart.

The organizations also called on the Armenian President to withdraw from Armenian-Turkish peace deal.

 

Source: The Armenian News by A1+

Poland mourns over crashed plane victims

The body of Poland's President Lech Kaczynski perished in a Saturday plane crash near Smolensk has been transferred to Poland.

The death toll of the crashed Tu-154 flying from Moscow to Smolensk totaled 96 including 88 Polish officials and 8 crew members.

No survivors were reported.

Relatives of the passengers have arrived in Smolensk to recognise the bodies of the dead.

Poland has declared 7-day mourning for the crash.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev also declared April 12 a mourning day in Russia in commemoration of the plane crash.

Remind that preliminary investigation has ruled out technical faults as the cause of the air crash.

Source: The Armenian News by A1+

Tigran Martirosian becomes European champion

Armenian weightlifter Tigran Martirosian (77kg) won gold lifting a total of 360 kg in a snatch, clean and jerk combination (165 + 195) in European Weightlifting Championship in Minsk, Belarus.

Poland's Krzysztof Szramiak comes 2nd with a total result of 351 kg (160+191), followed by Belarusian Nikolai Chernyak with 346kg (161+185).

Armenian weightlifters took two medals in the Minsk championship. Armenian weightlifter Smbat Margaryan (56 kg) won silver in clean and jerk combination (109kg +146 kg).

 

Source: The Armenian News by A1+

Who’s Going to the Party?

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

All eyes are on the upcoming nuclear summit in Washington, not because new policies for international nuclear proliferation will be decided, but for the fate of the Armenia-Turkey protocols, as President Serzh Sarkisian and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be among the participants. Of course, Erdogan was dragging his feet about attending the summit, acting like a wounded socialite whose dilettante ego was wounded because the House Foreign Affairs Committee paved the way for the Armenian Genocide Resolution to be considered by the entire House of Representatives.

Earlier this week, word came that Sarkisian will meet with President Obama, while State Department spokespeople said that Obama does not have

Pasadena ANC, Hamazkayin and AYF Chapters Join to Host Screening of “Ravished Armenia”

PASADENA, CA – History will come alive at the Pasadena Armenian Center on Washington Avenue on Friday, April 16th when the film "Ravished Armenia" is shown in a free screening sponsored by local Armenian American groups. The screening of the film, which was once thought lost forever, will feature remarks by noted screenwriter and film director Eric Nazarian. The film chronicles the life of Arshaluys (Aurora) Mardiganian and her experiences during the Armenian Genocide.

“The Pasadena Hamazkayin, AYF and ANC Chapters are proud to have united to invite all residents in the City of Pasadena to come and view

Sides are negotiating over Madrid Principles

RA President Serzh Sargsyan is not scheduled to meet with Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Washington, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told journalists today.

In reply to a journalist's question whether the countries have reached an agreement on the territorial surrender and whether the sides are still negotiating on the Madrid Principles, Mr. Nalbandian said, "Determination of Karabakh's status and recognition of Karabakh's right to self-determination is the most important issue for us. No other issue can be addressed unless this one has found a solution. The Minsk group has made and still makes offers in order to

L. Ter-Petrosyan: Kocharyan could care less about Armenia and Karabakh

RA First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan gave a short speech today because, as he said, his partners had already presented the objective of the rally in detail which was to attract the attention of the participants of the conference held by the International Federation of Human Rights in Yerevan to the fact that there are still political prisoners and persecuted in Armenia, as well as the intolerable situation facing democracy.

Nevertheless, Levon Ter-Petrosyan said he couldn't turn a blind eye to certain notable developments. According to him, the international community and international organizations have changed their ways of expression regarding political

The World Must Respond

Der Spiegel: The world must respond. The President of the Republic of Armenia about historical justice and Ankara's proposal

Full text of the interview of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to the German Der Spiegel weekly

Der Spiegel: In his interview with Der Spiegel, speaking about the Genocide which had taken place during World War I, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that "there can be no talk of genocide." Why cannot your neighboring country come to terms with its own past?

S. Sargsyan: Recently another statement was made that the Turks couldn't have possibly committed the Genocide and the Turkish history is "bright and clear as the sun". The Turks are opposed to the definition of the event as Genocide. However, Ankara is not the one to decide on this issue.

Der Spiegel: Now Erdogan is even threatening to expel thousands of Armenians illegally residing in Turkey.

S. Sargsyan: Unacceptable statements such as that one stir up in our nation the memories of the Genocide. Unfortunately, such statements articulated by

Why weren’t PACE recommendations met?

"Since the closure of A1+ Company the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has raised the issue of the embattled company in all its resolutions but to date the company is deprived of air," said ex head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Tigran Torosyan.

"Unfortunately, a law was passed on suspending tenders for broadcast licenses in Armenia. Resumption of tenders will be the first good news for the company which will enable A1+ to bid for a broadcasting license," he added.

Tenders on broadcast licensing were stopped in 2008 while A1+ was closed down in 2002. Why

Liberated territories are not a subject of bargaining

The board of Armenakan-Ramkavar Azatakan Party has issued a statement today which reads:

"All talks about concessions are irrelevant and hazardous given the absence of guarantees for Karbakh's security and Azerbaijan's ongoing bellicose statements.

The territories liberated at the cost of numerous lives cannot become a subject of bargaining. The Armenian side must can demand a material compensation from Azerbaijan for unleashing a war and killing thousands of innocent victims. The issues of Shahumyan and 400 000 Armenian refugees must be raised at a state level. Moreover, the liberated territories must be inhabited in the near future.

The Armenian

‘Date Unlcear’ For Ambassadors Return, Says Turkey

ANKARA (Today's Zaman)–Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin said on Thursday that a date had not been set yet regarding the return of Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan to Washington.  

Ozugergin made the remarks during a press conference in Ankara where he answered a host of questions, running the gamut of issues from the Armenia-Turkey protocols to Serbia's formal apology for massacres committed against Bosnians.   

When asked who would represent Turkey in the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington,  Ozugergin said that whether Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan would go to the US or not for the summit was

"Armenian Vernissage" on the Internet

"Breath of Armenia" project launches on April 1, 2010. It gives an opportunity to get acquainted with the works of Armenian artists.

"Breath of Armenia", an unprecedented project proposed by "A1 +," is a unique vernissage of Armenian art.

"Breath of Armenia" includes constantly updated displays of paintings and graphic works.

These unique works are available on the Internet thanks to cooperation with authors and owners of art works.

We start a new project "Breath of Armenia"
Enjoy the colours of our country. Visit us to get acquainted with "Breath of Armenia"

 

Source: The Armenian News by A1+