Armenian News
Sarkisian Signals Frustration With Turkey
Armenia -- President Serzh Sarkisian.
06.07.2009
Sarkis Harutiunian
After months of upbeat statements, President Serzh Sarkisian signaled on
Monday his frustration with Turkey's failure so far to unconditionally
normalize relations with Armenia despite concessions made by him.
`We want to eliminate closed borders remaining in Europe and to build
normal relationships without preconditions,' he said, commenting on
Turkish-Armenian relations after talks with the visiting President
Demetris Christofias of Cyprus. `But in that endeavor, we do not intend
to allow [anyone] to use the negotiating process for misleading the
international community.'
`Unfortunately, in our case, failure to honor mutual agreements leads to
greater distrust and a deeper gap and requires much greater efforts in
the future,' said Sarkisian. He did not go into further details.
Sarkisian and his foreign minister, Eduard Nalbandian, have until now
sounded cautiously optimistic about prospects for the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey and the reopening of
their border. Both men have effectively downplayed Ankara's renewed
linkage between Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and the resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The Armenian president has been under fire from his political opponents
over a lack of tangible results in Armenia's unprecedented rapprochement
with Turkey that began shortly after he took office in April 2008. He
faced particularly strong criticism at home and in the worldwide
Armenian Diaspora in late April after Ankara and Yerevan announced a
still unpublicized `roadmap' to normalizing bilateral ties.
The announcement came on the eve of the annual remembrance of more than
one million Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Turks during World War
One. The timing is believed to have made it easier for U.S. President
Barack Obama to backtrack on his pledges to officially recognize the
massacres as genocide.
Sarkisian's harshest critics have accused him of willingly sacrificing
U.S. recognition of the Armenian genocide without securing the lifting
of the 16-year Turkish blockade of Armenia. They have also condemned his
apparent acceptance of a Turkish proposal to form a commission of
historians that would look into the 1915 mass killings and deportations
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
USA AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DEFENDS OBAMA
armradio.am
01.07.2009 15:59
The U.S. ambassador to Armenia learned that President Obama's
words do have consequences, as she was peppered with criticism from
Armenian-Americans upset that Mr. Obama is backing off a campaign
pledge to recognize the Armenian "genocide."
On a cross-country tour of Armenian-American communities, Ambassador
Marie Yovanovitch has had to defend Mr. Obama while trying to calm
her listeners who are suspicious of a political double-cross, the
Washington Times writes.
"I know there is disappointment and even anger at President Obama's
April 24 statement," she said at a meeting last week in Arlington,
Mass., referring to Mr. Obama's decision to avoid using the word,
"genocide," in his address on the annual Armenian Remembrance Day.
"But President Obama went further in his statement than any previous
American president. While we must never forget the past, we also must
work together for a better future."
In his remarks, Mr. Obama referred to the "1.5 million Armenians who
were subsequently massacred or marched to their death" in "one of
the greatest atrocities of the 20th century."
However, during the presidential campaign, he pledged to refer to
the tragedy as "genocide."
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COVERAGE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Western Queens Gazette
July 1, 2009
Cover art from the online exhibition of front-page coverage of the
Armenian genocide by foreign media.
Armenian genocide has always been in the spotlight of foreign
media. Foreign media publications condemning the violence of Ottoman
power against Armenians serve as indirect evidence of the fact that
the Turkish atrocities were, indeed, genocide committed against
Armenians. Global media coverage is vital in that it touches upon
numerous issues concerning Armenian genocide. Especially notable
are English, Russian, French and American coverage and publications
on issues pertaining to Hamidian massacres, Adana atrocities and,
of course, the Genocide of 1915-1922. Publications with photos are
especially remarkable, for they convey valuable information about
genocide as a phenomenon, its process and consequences.
An exhibition of front-page coverage of the Armenian genocide by
foreign media is now available online for the first time. The coverage
of the issue began appearing at the beginning of the 19th century and
continues finding its place in modern-day media publications. These
publications evidence the worldwide response on the Armenian genocide
issue confirming its actuality, importance and awareness among the
international community. The online exhibition presented by the
Armenian Genocide Museum- Institute, although valuable, is only a
modest part of such publications open for new material submissions.
To view the online exhibition, visit http://genocide-museum.
RFE/RL REport
Western Queens Gazette
July 1, 2009
Cover art from the online exhibition of front-page coverage of the
Armenian genocide by foreign media.
Armenian genocide has always been in the spotlight of foreign
media. Foreign media publications condemning the violence of Ottoman
power against Armenians serve as indirect evidence of the fact that
the Turkish atrocities were, indeed, genocide committed against
Armenians. Global media coverage is vital in that it touches upon
numerous issues concerning Armenian genocide. Especially notable
are English, Russian, French and American coverage and publications
on issues pertaining to Hamidian massacres, Adana atrocities and,
of course, the Genocide of 1915-1922. Publications with photos are
especially remarkable, for they convey valuable information about
genocide as a phenomenon, its process and consequences.
An exhibition of front-page coverage of the Armenian genocide by
foreign media is now available online for the first time. The coverage
of the issue began appearing at the beginning of the 19th century and
continues finding its place in modern-day media publications. These
publications evidence the worldwide response on the Armenian genocide
issue confirming its actuality, importance and awareness among the
international community. The online exhibition presented by the
Armenian Genocide Museum- Institute, although valuable, is only a
modest part of such publications open for new material submissions.
To view the online exhibition, visit http://genocide-museum.
RFE/RL REport
Thousands Cheer Freed Oppositionists
Armenia -- Opposition members set free in a general amnesty greet
thousands of supporters rallying in Yerevan on July 2, 2009.
02.07.2009
Emil Danielyan
Thousands of people rallied in Yerevan on Thursday to greet senior
opposition figures that have been released from jail in a general
amnesty declared by the Armenian authorities last month.
Former Foreign Minister Aleksandr Arzumanian, former Deputy
Prosecutor-General Gagik Jahangirian and more than a dozen other
oppositions received a hero's welcome as they walked onto a hillside
square in the city center and addressed the enthusiastic crowd that
gathered there.
Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian described their release as a
`great victory' for his Armenian National Congress (HAK) and a
`defeat' for the authorities. Ter-Petrosian again made a case for a
prolonged opposition struggle for leadership change in the country,
as opposed to a repeat of non-stop street protests that followed the
February 2008 presidential election.
`It is thanks to your struggle and European structures that the
authorities have set us free,' parliament deputy Miasnik Malkhasian
said, summing up the main message of speeches delivered by the freed
oppositionists. Malkhasian, who was accused of organizing last year's
post-election violence in the capital along with several other Ter-
Petrosian loyalists, said they will now be `even more resolute' in
challenging the government.
`We have regained freedom not because of the generosity and humanity
of a regime that usurped power and stole the people's vote but
because of unprecedented pressure put by you, the popular movement,
and efforts of international structures,' Jahangirian said.
He said the release of about two dozen opposition members remaining
in prison will now be his `number one objective.' `We promise that we
will have no rest and get no sleep as long as there is a single
political prisoner left in Armenia,' added the controversial ex-
prosecutor, who was sacked and arrested after publicly voicing
support for Ter-Petrosian in the wake of the 2008 election.
Ter-Petrosian too demanded the liberation of the remaining `political
prisoners' and said `nothing has changed in relations between the
authorities and the public' as a result of the amnesty. `On the
contrary, the continuing imprisonment of some political prisoners ...
has further deepened the already huge abyss between them,' he said.
70,000 CARNATIONS TO DECORATE TURKEY-ARMENIA SOCCER GAMEArmenia -- Opposition members set free in a general amnesty greet
thousands of supporters rallying in Yerevan on July 2, 2009.
02.07.2009
Emil Danielyan
Thousands of people rallied in Yerevan on Thursday to greet senior
opposition figures that have been released from jail in a general
amnesty declared by the Armenian authorities last month.
Former Foreign Minister Aleksandr Arzumanian, former Deputy
Prosecutor-General Gagik Jahangirian and more than a dozen other
oppositions received a hero's welcome as they walked onto a hillside
square in the city center and addressed the enthusiastic crowd that
gathered there.
Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian described their release as a
`great victory' for his Armenian National Congress (HAK) and a
`defeat' for the authorities. Ter-Petrosian again made a case for a
prolonged opposition struggle for leadership change in the country,
as opposed to a repeat of non-stop street protests that followed the
February 2008 presidential election.
`It is thanks to your struggle and European structures that the
authorities have set us free,' parliament deputy Miasnik Malkhasian
said, summing up the main message of speeches delivered by the freed
oppositionists. Malkhasian, who was accused of organizing last year's
post-election violence in the capital along with several other Ter-
Petrosian loyalists, said they will now be `even more resolute' in
challenging the government.
`We have regained freedom not because of the generosity and humanity
of a regime that usurped power and stole the people's vote but
because of unprecedented pressure put by you, the popular movement,
and efforts of international structures,' Jahangirian said.
He said the release of about two dozen opposition members remaining
in prison will now be his `number one objective.' `We promise that we
will have no rest and get no sleep as long as there is a single
political prisoner left in Armenia,' added the controversial ex-
prosecutor, who was sacked and arrested after publicly voicing
support for Ter-Petrosian in the wake of the 2008 election.
Ter-Petrosian too demanded the liberation of the remaining `political
prisoners' and said `nothing has changed in relations between the
authorities and the public' as a result of the amnesty. `On the
contrary, the continuing imprisonment of some political prisoners ...
has further deepened the already huge abyss between them,' he said.
armradio.am
01.07.2009 11:12
Kayseri's Kadir Has stadium, the venue of Turkey's 2010 World Cup
qualifier against Armenia this October, will reportedly be covered
with almost 70,000 carnations for the match, with two carnations
put on each seat in the stadium, which has a capacity of 33,000,
Today's Zaman reported.
Flower Production and Marketing Corporation General Director Mustafa
Erengul said they will decorate the stadium with flowers, which are the
language of love. Stating that the event will help improve relations
between Turkey and Armenia, Interflora Florists Association Chairman
Recep Gedik said his group will help decorate the stadium with flowers,
adding that they plan to visit Armenia with state ministers.
The return game of the September 2008 Turkey-Armenia match will take
place on Oct. 14. Both countries have been awarded a Fair Play award
by FIFA, the world soccer authority, for their contributions to world
peace through the match in Yerevan. Aside from being a sporting event,
the soccer game drew attention for its political ramifications as well.
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