Interview with Abp. Nourhan Manougian - Part 2‏

INTERVIEW WITH HIS EMINENCE

ARCHBISHOP NOURHAN MANOUGIAN

PATRIARCHAL VICAR AND CANON SACRIST OF
THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM

RAG Badviragoutian Ayts-ue Arachnortaran‏

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN

LOS ANGELES, U.S.A.

RAG Badviragoutian Ayts-ue Arachnortaran‏

Open Letter to the Intellectuals who signed a letter to Abdullah Gul‏

AN OPEN LETTER

(TO THE ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS

WHO SIGNED A LETTER TO

TURKISH PRESIDENT ABDULLAH GUL)

BY DR. ARAMAIS MIRZAKHANIAN

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

Armenia & Turkey moving closer‏

Gibrahayer e-magazine www.gibrahayer.com The largest circulation Armenian e-magazine on the Internet Circulates every Wednesday - Established in 1999

ARMENIA AND TURKEY GETTING CLOSER TO "DIPLOMATIC TIES"

Monday, February 9, 2009 YEREVAN (RFE/RL) - The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Turkey reported further progress towards the normalisation of bilateral relations after weekend talks in Munich that also involved President Serzh Sargsyan. Eduard Nalbandian and Ali Babacan met in the southern German city on the sidelines of an international security conference for the second time in just over a week. Babacan also had a separate conversation there with Sargsyan, who headed the Armenian delegation at the annual high-level forum.

“You know that after the [January 29] meeting between the Armenian president and the Turkish prime minister in Davos, the foreign ministers were instructed to make additional efforts to normalise relations,” Nalbandian told journalists after the talks. “I and Mr. Babacan met for that purpose,” he said in remarks broadcast by the Armenian Second TV Channel on Saturday. “The meeting was constructive. We are moving forward and getting closer to the normalisation of relations.” "We made progress in talks on how to normalise relations," Babacan said on Sunday, according to the Anatolia news agency. A spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry likewise described the talks as “quite productive.” “These talks aim at normalising the relations between Turkey and Armenia," the official, Burak Ozugergin, was quoted by Anatolia as saying. Sargsyan met Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Swiss resort town after months of unprecedented Turkish-Armenian diplomatic contacts that have raised hopes for the establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of the border between the two neighboring states. Neither Nalbandian, nor Babacan said in Munich just when that could happen. Babacan discussed one of the main obstacles to the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during a visit to Baku on Monday. “The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved solely within the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity,” the Turkish minister told reporters in Baku, according to the Trend news agency. Babacan and official Azerbaijani sources did not say if the Turkish-Armenian dialogue was on the agenda of the talks. There have been some indications that Ankara is ready to stop linking the normalisation of its strained relations with Yerevan with a Karabakh settlement acceptable to Baku. Azerbaijani politicians and pundits have expressed concern at such prospect. In Yerevan, meanwhile, Sargsyan met on Monday with Bako Sahakian, president of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. His office said Sargsyan briefed the Karabakh Armenian leader on the results of his January 28 meeting in Zurich with Alyiev.

CYPRUS PRESIDENT DEMETRIS CHRISTOFIAS SAYS TURKEY CANNOT JOIN EU IF TURKISH TROOPS ARE NOT WITHDRAWN FROM CYPRUS

Gibrahayer e-magazine - Nicosia 11 February - Cypriot President Demetris Christofias said last week that Turkey would not be able to join the European Union as long as it continued keeping its troops in northern Cyprus. "It's not possible for Turkey to be accepted as a member of the union while continuing the occupation of Cyprus," he told reporters of the foreign press in Nicosia. Earlier last month Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said Cyprus might block more chapters in Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU in light of an oil exploration dispute between the two countries. "As long as there are threats regarding the exercise of our sovereign right to exploit the natural resources within our exclusive economic zone [in the Mediterranean Sea], it is very difficult for us to start discussions on the relevant chapter of the negotiations, he concluded.

DEMETRIS CHRISTOFIAS RECEIVES AGBU TOP MAN BERGE SETRAKIAN AND BENON SEVAN

February 6 Press release from AGBU Press service - During his visit to Cyprus on January 22, 2009, the President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), Berge Setrakian, accompanied by Mr. Benon Sevan, was received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, H. E. Demetris Christofias, and the President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, H. E. Mr. Marios Garoyian. Mr. Setrakian used this opportunity to brief them on the Organization's activities and the challenges that it faces in the 21st century for the maintenance and perpetuation of the Armenian identity in both the Diaspora and the Republic of Armenia. He also discussed the future prospect of the Melkonian property in Nicosia. The Cypriot President and the House Leader expressed their support and friendship toward the Armenian people and their commitment to further strengthen the positive relations between Cyprus and the Republic of Armenia. They also conveyed their full understanding of AGBU's objectives and the importance of the Organisation's focus on its programs for strengthening the relationship of the worldwide communities with Armenia. Furthermore, they expressed their appreciation to Mr. Setrakian that AGBU was considering the development of a project in Cyprus for the benefit of all Cypriots as a token of gratitude toward the government and the people of the Republic of Cyprus for their longstanding support of the Armenian community. The following day and at the suggestion of the Cypriot President, Mr. Setrakian met with H.E. Dr. Andreas Demetriou, Minister of Education and Culture. Also in attendance were House Representative Takis Hadjigeorghiou and Nicos Peristianis, Executive Dean of the University of Nicosia. During this meeting, the development of educational projects of mutual intent were considered and discussed.

CHRISTOFIAS SHOULD NOT FALL IN THE TRAP SAYS MELKONIAN ALUMNI ANNOUNCEMENT

Melkonian Alumni Association of Cyprus Press Release - Nicosia, 10 February- According to press reports, AGBU President Berge Setrakian paid a visit to Cyprus and held separate meetings with the President of the Republic, the House President and the Minister of Education and discussed various subjects including, as the AGBU states, “the Melkonian property issue.” According to a press release, “Cypriot officials have expressed their appreciation to Mr. Setrakian that AGBU was considering the development of a project in Cyprus for the benefit of all Cypriots as a token of gratitude toward the government and the people of the Republic of Cyprus for their longstanding support of the Armenian community.” After failing to sell the Melkonian Estate because of the preservation and national heritage order protecting 60% of the property, the AGBU has now changed course and wants to find a face-saving exit out of Cyprus, using the Melkonian property as bait. The Cyprus Melkonian Alumni were surprised that Armenian Cypriot issues were discussed by the President of the Republic, the House President and the Education Minister in the absence of the Armenian Representative at the House of Representatives. Further still, past pleas from the University of Cyprus to temporarily house the historic Melkonian Library were also ignored. When it comes to issues affecting the Armenian community, the Cyprus government has an obligation to inform the community and stand by its pledges made before the elections that it will support efforts to re-open the Melkonian as a school in line with the wishes of the Melkonian benefactors. The AGBU leadership based in the US may still be thinking in terms of dollars and cents, but we are sure President Demetris Christofias and House President Marios Garoyian will adhere to their high moral standards and responsibilities for the benefit of Armenians and Cypriots, insisting that whatever is offered by the AGBU should lead to the reopening of Melkonian Educational Institute at its present location in Nicosia.

CALIFORNIA ALUMNI VOW TO CONTINUE CAMPAIGN

Melkonian Alumni & Friends - Los Angeles, California - February 11th, 2009 - We learn from a press release dated 6 February 2009 that Mr. Berge Setrakian, the President of Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), had a meeting with President Demetris Christofias and House of Representatives President Marios Garoyian on 22 January 2009. According to the AGBU press release, Mr Setrakian discussed at the meeting the activities of his organisation "for the perpetuation of Armenian identity" and a "project in Cyprus for the benefit of all Cypriots as a token of gratitude toward the government and the people of the Republic of Cyprus for their longstanding support of the Armenian community." We are pleased to hear that the AGBU is considering projects that will benefit all Cypriots as a token of appreciation for the hospitality and generosity Cyprus and Cypriots have accorded Armenians since the end of World War I. We are also delighted to hear that "the Cypriot President and the House Leader expressed their support and friendship toward the Armenian people and their commitment to further strengthen the positive relations between Cyprus and the Republic of Armenia." However, it is also obvious that the current and future status of the Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI) was an important--if not the most important--item on the agenda of this meeting. Sadly, the only reference the AGBU press release makes to the MEI is that Mr Setrakian "also discussed the future prospect of the Melkonian property in Cyprus." It is dismaying to learn that Mr Setrakian discussed the MEI only as a "property" and that he did not broach the possibility of reopening the institute at his meeting with the Cypriot President and House leader and even in the course of his discussions about "educational projects of mutual intent" in a subsequent meeting with the Minister of Education and Culture. We are extremely grateful for the support and assistance the Government of Cyprus provided to the MEI throughout its existence and appreciate in particular the readiness it expressed to ensure the preservation of the school after the AGBU decided to close it in 2005. Indeed, it would be no exaggeration to say that the Government of Cyprus has been more farsighted and sensitive with regard to the future of the MEI than the AGBU, which has treated the school as just "property" instead of acting as the custodian of its educational heritage. In view of the scant detail the AGBU press release provides about the exact nature what was discussed with regard to the "Melkonian property," we urge the Government of Cyprus in general and the Ministry of Education and Culture in particular to meet with our representatives to explain unambiguously where the government stands on the future of the MEI and whether any yet undisclosed agreements were made with Mr Setrakian. The MEI alumni organizations in Cyprus and across the world remain determined to continue their campaign to have the MEI reopened in Cyprus and to prevent the AGBU from selling the "Melkonian property" for financial gain.

"LEDRA PALACE" ARMENIAN CEMETERY SET FOR COMPLETION IN APRIL 2009

Nicosia 9 February, Gibrahayer e-magazine - In an announcement by the Secretariat of the Armenian Church of Cyprus, the completion of the restoration of the Armenian cemetery at "Ledra Palace" was announced. The press release of the Armenian Church reads: "It is with great pleasure that we wish to inform our community that the old Armenian Cemetery is to be completely restored at a cost of about €300.000. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has generously undertaken to provide us with €153.000 for this project and the target date for the completion of the works is April - May 2009. Work on the renovation of the chapel, the restoration of the outer walls, the preservation of existing tombstones is already in progress and provision is also being made for the cemetery to be supplied with electricity and water. A monument will also be erected on the site in memory of those buried there. It is also planned to celebrate holy mass followed by a memorial service in the chapel of the cemetery on the Sunday after Easter every year. To meet its financial obligations for the completion of this project, the Armenian Church of Cyprus would welcome contributions from members of our community and in particular those that have relatives buried there. We extend in advance our grateful thanks to all those who respond to our call."

AMBASSADOR OF CYPRUS VISITS HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

Press Release - Catholicosate of Cilicia - Antelias-Lebanon - His Holiness Aram I received the Ambassador of Cyprus in Lebanon, Kyriakos Kouros on February 5. Accompanying the Ambassador was Dr. Jerard Dedeyan, a Professor at the University of Sorbonne, who is researching on the Armenian community of Cyprus in the Middle Ages. His Holiness Aram I provided a brief historical account of the ties between the Cilician Kingdom and the Island and of the mutual relations during the reign of the Lusignans. The Pontiff and his guests also discussed the developments in the Middle East in general and the political situation in Lebanon in particular. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My State of Mind, by Hrant Dink; Watch the transcribed video of an important interview with TV5; Keghart.com update 9 February 2009‏

From:	Dikran Abrahamian

My State of Mind, by Hrant Dink, Birgün Newspaper (translated by Nazim Dikbas), 1 November 2004

http://www.keghart.com/node/282
Watch the transcribed video of an important interview with TV5; English subtitles provided by Friends of Hrant: Voices in Dialogue.

“Unclench your fist and we will talk”: Hrant Dink & Victor Jara, By Arpie Dadoyan, New Jersey, 21 January 2009

http://www.keghart.com/node/283
Friends of Hrant: Voices in Dialogue are a group of Armenians, Turks and Kurds with roots in Anatolia who have come together to share their deep love and respect for Hrant Dink and to carry on his legacy and dream. On January 17 in Ottawa, Canada, they put together an evening commemorating the second anniversary of Hrant Dink’s senseless killing and invited the public to attend the event.

An Apology, a Thank You and Dialogues, by Dikran Abrahamian, 9 February 2009

http://www.keghart.com/node/284
Centuries and millenia measure a nation’s life; and experiences of such a collective, especially of traumatic nature, are imprinted in the collective memory - never to be erased and never to be forgotten. A mere century ago, the Young Turks proclaimed the end of the Ottoman Sultan's horrible reign. They spoke of friendship and goodwill.

United States and NATO: The Axis of Genocide Posted in www.daily.pk Thursday, 29 January 2009 13:45 http://www.keghart.com/node/285
"How could NATO member Turkey ever credibly claim some fictive right of "humanitarian intervention" anywhere given its longstanding campaign to submerge the Kurds as well as its previous extermination of the Armenians, a genocide which it still denies today."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Introduction to Armenian history, culture, identity & dispersion‏

OTHER FORTHCOMING EVENTS IN HAYASHEN (See attached details)

Sunday 22 February, 2009, Prof. Theo Maarton Van Lint (Oxford University)
³Armenian language/literature²

Sunday 1 March, 2009, Gregory Neil Topalian (Gomidas Institute)
"The place of the Armenian Holocaust within the terminology of 'genocide' as
defined by Raphael Lemkin"

Sunday 8 March, 2009, Dr. Vrej Nersessian (British Library)
"The origins of the Armenian Church and its place in the family of
Christian Churches."

Sunday 15 March, 2009, Dr. Vrej Nersessian (British Library)
³Drama during Holy week & Art and Theology²

Sunday 22 March, 2009, Joan George (Author)
"The History of Armenians in Manchester & London)
& Dalilia Heath (Aghtamar Dance Group)
"Workshop of traditional and modern Armenian dances"


Centre for Armenian Information & Advice (CAIA)
Hayashen
105a Mill Hill Road
Acton, London W3 8JF
Tel: 020 8992 4621
Fax: 020 8993 8953
E-mail: info@caia.org.uk
website: www.caia.org.uk

Registered Charity No.1088534
Limited Company by Guarantee. Registered in England No.4195084. Registered
office as above.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Armenian News‏

Hürriyet, Turkey
Feb 7 2009
Turkish FM holds productive talks with Armenian counterpart, president
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan held productive talks with his
Armenian counterpart and president on the sidelines of the 45th Munich
Security Conference on Saturday, a Turkish official said.


"Babacan met with his Armenian counterpart (Eduard) Nalbandian. Later,
he paid a visit of courtesy to President (Serzh) Sargsyan. They were
quite productive talks. These talks aim at normalizing the relations
between Turkey and Armenia," Burak Ozugergin, spokesman for the
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was quoted by Anatolian Agency as
saying.

He said Babacan also came together with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden
and held bilateral talks with his German, Finnish and Estonian
counterparts.

Babacan last week met Nalbandian on the sidelines of the annual
meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, and said there has
been an ongoing process between Turkey and Armenia, who have no
diplomatic relations. He added that when a tangible outcome is
achieved it would be announced.

The two countries have no diplomatic relations and their border has
been closed for more than a decade, as Armenia presses the
international community with the backing of the diaspora to admit the
so-called "genocide" claims instead of accepting Turkey's call to
investigate the allegations, and over Armenia's invasion of 20 percent
territory of Azerbaijan.

A warmer period began in relations when Turkish President Abdullah Gul
paid a landmark visit to Yerevan in September to watch a World Cup
qualifying football match between the two countries on the invitation
of Sargsyan. The two countries have been holding contacts at the
ministerial level since.

Babacan will proceed to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku from Germany,
adding he would meet Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and President
Ilham Aliyev there on Monday.

[following inserted to show how political the Turkish administration is]

Hürriyet, Turkey
Feb 7 2009
Weighing 'non' on French NATO bid

ANKARA - With France seen to be pouring cold water on Turkey's EU bid,
NATO members are anxiously looking to see to what degree Turkey uses
its veto trump as leverage.

As many in NATO look to see Turkey's reaction to France's
announcement that France wanted to rejoin the organization's military
arm, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Friday that Turkey was
evaluating the decision.

More than four decades after quitting NATO's military wing, France
wants back in the fold. But as all decisions are made unanimously in
NATO, all eyes have turned on Turkey, which holds a right to
veto. Critics have said how Ankara reacts will be important,
considering the French blow to the country's accession negotiations
with the European Union. Paris objects to the opening of five policy
chapters in Turkish-EU talks.

"What's important is when and how the decision will be implemented by
NATO," Babacan told reporters at Ankara's EsenboÄ?a airport
before departing for Munich, where he was to attend a security
conference.

Babacan said France was already an active member of the transatlantic
alliance and involved in some NATO operations, such as the operation
in Afghanistan. He said the issue had both legal and political
elements but that the political aspect was dominant.

"We are making an assessment of this. What's important is the NATO
alliance remains strong as an international organization, but I
believe the decision process over the French application will be
discussed in the coming days," he said. Meanwhile French Prime
Minister François Fillon appealed to Ankara in search of an
appropriate time for a visit, learned the Hürriyet Daily News &
Economic Review. Although the timing of the request coincides with
the debate on the French return to NATO's military wing, the sources
recalled that such a visit was long-planned and cannot be ultimately
linked to the NATO Summit that will take place April 3 and 4.

Irked by what it saw as a dominant role of the United States in NATO,
France pulled out of the NATO military wing in 1966. France's Le Monde
newspaper covered the issue and said Ankara was holding an important
card, referring to Turkey's veto power.

Babacan said NATO was considering the French decision. "But a large
portion of NATO member states are looking on this
positively. Processes are important here. I am sure the French will
submit the modalities on their return as soon as possible."Turkey has
resisted efforts by the European Union and NATO to cooperate more
closely, complaining that EU-member Greek Cyprus Ä? with whom it
has a longstanding dispute over the divided island Ä? is
blocking its bid for closer EU ties leading to membership.

Babacan, who will be in Munich between Feb. 6 and 8, will participate
in the Security Policies Conference and hold bilateral meetings on the
sidelines of the conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian."The timing of the meeting with the Armenian foreign
minister has been confirmed," he said. The two also met at the World
Economic Forum in Davos last week.

Babacan will visit Azerbaijan on Monday for talks with his
counterpart, Elmar Memmedyarov, and President Ilham Aliyev, according
to the ministry.

Fresno Bee, CA
Feb 7 2009
Armenian museum mired in conflict
Donor, nonprofit battle over genocide center.
Friday, Feb. 06, 2009
By Michael Doyle / Bee Washington Bureau E-Mail

WASHINGTON -- Another nasty fight is brewing around the Armenian
genocide, but this time it has nothing to do with diplomacy. It's all
about money and control of a museum.

For years, plans have been in the works for the Armenian Genocide
Museum of America just two blocks from the White House. That alone
might be enough to make diplomats cringe. Turkey -- a key U.S. ally --
regards the mere suggestion of genocide as an affront to its national
identity.

But this fight pits Armenian-Americans against one another. At issue
is a roughly $15 million pledge to help buy the four-story National
Bank of Washington building and four adjacent pieces of property.

Now the man behind the donation -- retired millionaire businessman
Gerard Cafesjian -- is trying to get his money back, saying he doesn't
like how the project has proceeded.

The nonprofit organization behind the museum, meanwhile, says
Cafesjian has been trying to meddle with its project.

Each side has sued the other.

The dispute has been anything but diplomatic, and it shows no signs of
abating. On Friday, attorneys for the warring parties met again in a
District of Columbia courtroom.

"The clients are very hostile to each other right now," attorney
Arnold Rosenfeld told a federal judge last year, a court transcript
shows.

Rosenfeld represents the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial Inc.,
which wants to build what it describes as "the premier institution in
the United States dedicated to educating American and international
audiences about the Armenian Genocide."

The museum potentially has high appeal in the San Joaquin Valley and
other regions with large Armenian-American populations. It's been
discussed since the mid-1990s, and planners say they want the
35,000-square-foot facility open before 2011.

Judge is 'very irritated'

Armenian genocide discussions often provoke political disputes,
including denials from Turkish officials and discomfort within the
U.S. State Department. When completed, the museum will commemorate the
events between 1915 and 1923, when by some estimates upward of 1.5
million Armenians died during the final years of the Ottoman Empire
before Turkey was founded.

The competing lawsuits now resemble a bad divorce, as mutual rancor
feeds on itself and prior intimacies become potential vulnerabilities.

"I must say, I'm very irritated," U.S. District Judge Colleen
Kollar-Kotelly warned lawyers in August, a court transcript
shows. "These cases are not a good use of judicial resources and,
frankly, probably not of your client's resources, either."

On Thursday, in a ruling that keeps the lawsuits alive, Kollar-Kotelly
nonetheless characterized them as "very unfortunate."

"If you're disputing about money, it's going to become bitter," said
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program at
California State University, Fresno.

Der Mugrdechian speculated that the legal dispute may have slowed
progress and undermined the proposed museum's public visibility in the
Valley. He said many people still haven't yet heard of the proposal,
though he predicted many would support it once they did.

Architects already are designing the project for 14th and G streets in
downtown Washington. The city's Historic Preservation Review Board
last year gave conceptual approval to use of the 83-year-old National
Bank of Washington building.

The Armenian Assembly of America initiated the museum planning and in
2003 secured an agreement with Cafesjian and the Cafesjian Family
Foundation.

6.3% unemployment in Armenia last year

YEREVAN, February 6. /ARKA/. The RA Statistical Service reports 6.3%
unemployment in Armenia last year against 7% in 2007.

Last December the RA State Employment Agency officially registered
90,200 jobseekers, with 77,000 of them being unemployed. The
unemployment status was granted to 74,700 people.

By the end of last December, 56,400 unemployed women had been
officially registered in Armenia ` 62.5%.
By the end of last year, Armenia's economically active population
reached 1,194,600, with 1,119,700 of them being employed.

By the end of last December, 16,600 people had been on the dole against
15,100 at the end of December 2007, the average monthly amount being
14,280 AMD (12,643 AMD at the end of December 2007).

By the end of last December, the officially registered demand for labor
force was 668 vacancies (115 unemployed people per vacancy). `

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Armenian News‏

Armenia, Turkey Schedule More Talks
By Emil Danielyan

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey will meet this weekend for
the second time in just over a week in a further sign that the two
countries are close to normalizing their relations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan was reported to say on Friday that
he will meet his Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandian on the sidelines
of a top-level international security conference that opened in Munich,
Germany later in the day.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry confirmed this as Nalbandian flew to
Munich with President Serzh Sarkisian.

The two ministers have met frequently in recent months, most recently in
Davos, Switzerland, last week. The talks were followed by the first-ever
meeting of President Serzh Sarkisian and Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan. Sarkisian's office said the two leaders `positively
assessed' their encounter and assigned their foreign ministers to make
`additional efforts to normalize bilateral relations.'

The office said on Friday that the Armenian president plans to meet
foreign leaders on the fringes of the Munich conference. It did not say
if Erdogan or Turkish President Abdullah Gul will be among those
leaders.

Babacan told CNN-Turk television last week that he `won't be surprised'
if Turkey establishes diplomatic relations and opens its border with
Armenia this year. According to `Hurriyet' newspaper, he will proceed to
Baku from Munich to meet Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev and Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on Monday.

Azerbaijani leaders have watched with unease the dramatic rapprochement
between Armenia and Turkey that began shortly after Sarkisian took
office in April last year. According to some sources privy to the
Turkish-Armenian talks, Ankara is now ready to stop making the
normalization of bilateral ties conditional on a resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Azerbaijan. They say its main
precondition now is Armenia's acceptance of Erdogan's 2005 proposal to
set up a joint commission of historians that would look into the mass
killings and deportations of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

Sarkisian has signaled his readiness, in principle, to accept the idea
strongly opposed by influential political groups in and outside his
government. One of them, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun), urged Yerevan in December to exercise caution in its
dialogue with Ankara, saying that the Turks are using it to scuttle
worldwide recognition of the Armenian genocide.

Underscoring Dashnaktsutyun's concerns, a U.S. chapter of the
pan-Armenian nationalist party's youth organization has circulated an
online petition expressing `grave concern' about the recent developments
in Armenia's relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

`We, too, believe that Armenia can best prosper when it enjoys good
relations with its neighboring states,' reads the petition. `However,
these cannot be obtained at the expense of our national patrimony, our
national security, or our basic rights as Armenians.' It challenges the
Sarkisian administration to clarify, among other things, whether it has
agreed to the Turkish-Armenian academic study.

OSCE Envoy Sees `Good Possibility' For Karabakh Peace
By Emil Danielyan

An envoy from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
has spoken of a `good possibility' of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict this year ahead of his upcoming fact-finding visit to the South
Caucasus.

Goran Lennmarker, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's representative on
the South Caucasus conflicts, is due to arrive in Yerevan on Monday on
the first leg of his regional tour. He will meet leaders of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia.

`I hope the result will be positive signals that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is on its way to a peaceful resolution, where the two
countries, Armenia and Azerbaijan, are prepared to agree on a solution
that is mutually beneficial for both of them,' Lennmarker said in an
interview posted on the assembly website late Thursday. `I think there
is a good possibility for that,' he added.

Lennmarker urged the conflicting parties to display a sense urgency in
the protracted peace process, saying that time for reaching a compromise
agreement on Karabakh may be running out. `Time is a scarce commodity,'
the Swedish parliamentarian said. `I think it's important that solutions
are reached early-on because dragging on and on, the situation on the
ground deteriorates and people have less and less hope.'

The U.S., Russian and French mediators acting under the aegis of the
OSCE Minsk Group have expressed hope that Baku and Yerevan will iron out
by July their remaining differences over the basic principles of a
Karabakh settlement proposed by the troika. The group's U.S. co-chair,
Matthew Bryza, has reportedly said that the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents made progress on `several key elements' of those principles
when they met in Zurich last week.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani military repatriated on Friday the body of
one of at least two Armenians killed in a shoot-out east of Karabakh on
January 26. The Defense Ministry in Baku said its forces killed three
Armenian soldiers and wounded several others as they repelled an attack
on their positions.

But according to Karabakh's Defense Army, the skirmish broke out after a
civilian resident of Karabakh, identified as Bad Tadevosian, `attempted
to move towards Azerbaijani positions' and was shot dead moments later.
It said that Karabakh Armenian soldiers failed to hold the man back and
that one of them was also killed in the ensuing firefight.

Some Yerevan politicians say arrest of Armenian activists on espionage charges is attempt to intimidate the minority.
By Olesya Vartanian in Tbilisi, Tamana Uchidze in Akhaltsikhe and Nelly Babaian in Yerevan

Politicians in Armenia have been angered by the arrest in Georgia late last month of two ethnic Armenians charged

with spying for Russia's secret services.

The two Armenians - Grigor Minasian and Sargis Hakobjanian - are campaigners in the Armenian community in the

southern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, where Armenians form a majority of the population.

They were arrested on January 21, but little publicity has been given to the case.

Georgian newspapers have barely mentioned the affair, and a high-ranking official at the interior minister said officials

were deliberately not releasing a lot of material so as not to "make a lot of noise about this, as it is an isolated case of

Russian spies trying to work in Samtskhe-Javakheti".

Some Armenian politicians, however, have been furious and said the arrests were an attempt to intimidate their ethnic

kin in Georgia.

Georgia's state minister for re-integration Temur Lakobashvili said Russia had intensified espionage activities in the

country since the August war over South Ossetia.

"We have information that the Russians tried to hide their activities within non-governmental organisations. We are

talking about dozens of millions of dollars," said Lakobashvili, refusing to elaborate further.

Georgia has previously accused Russia of espionage, and the two countries fell out spectacularly in 2006 when police

arrested four Russian officers. Russia effectively blockaded Georgia as a result, even after Georgia released and

deported the men.

The lawyer for the two arrested ethnic Armenians, Nino Andriashvili, said they were accused of cooperating with a

Belarus-based organisation allegedly set up by Russia's Federal Security Service, FSB, called the Association for

Legal Assistance to the Population, ALAP.

Andriashvili said the two men had admitted being involved in espionage, but denied a secondary charge of planning

to create a private army. She said the investigators had a video of the two men discussing the creation of such an

army with the local head of ALAP, but that they had not thought he was being serious.

"Minasian and Hakobjanian came to see him in his office, and they were having a drink. And this person started to

say things like 'we are really cool, we will make a good army, we will train up some lads'. And they started to agree

with him," she said.

She said the un-named man from ALAP suggested funding three projects, including a sports hall for around

100,000 US dollars.

But some ethnic Armenians do not believe the government's story of Russian-funded treachery, saying this is an

attempt to intimidate the community whose region hosted a Russian military base until 2006.

"How many more political prisoners, uninvestigated cases and murders does this society need? God alone knows

who wanted this. It is possible that more arrests could follow this," said one man from Samtskhe-Javakheti who

knew Minasian, but who asked not to be named.

"There won't be an uprising or bloodshed, but there will definitely be protests about this."

And the local Armenians could count on support from some public figures in neighbouring Armenia, if they did

take to the streets.

Shirak Torosian, who represents the Republican Party in the Armenian parliament, said the Georgian government

needed to be told this was unacceptable.

"Now pressure from public opinion is crucial, to makethe Georgian authorities think more carefully. Otherwise,

this incident could have dangerous consequences for the region," said Torosian.

"This arrow could turn into a boomerang."

Both of the arrested men promoted the rights of the Armenian community. Minasian, 33, headed a youth

organisation and Hakobjanian, 50, campaigned on cultural issues.

Minasian's organisation also worked with the Union of Armenian Assistance, which has links to Dashnaktsutyun

(the Armenian Revolutionary Federation), a controversial nationalist party and member of Armenia's ruling coalition.

Kiro Manoian, the head of the Dashnaktsutyun office of political affairs, said the arrests were an attempt to cow

Armenians.

"The story with the arrest came at a very convenient moment to secure the attention of society and shut the mouths

of Armenians," he said.

"Georgian society is already bored of hearing about problems with Russia. Of course Armenia and the population

of [Samtskhe-Javakheti] became a convenient target to distract attention from the country's internal problems."

ALAP seems to be based in Minsk, and its website says the organisation is dedicating to promoting "peace,

education and civil society development", but has no information on the source of its funding.

Local NGOs said the organisation appeared in Samtskhe-Javakheti several months ago. In December last year,

a representative gave questionnaires to representatives of NGOs in the region. They received between 300-800

dollars if they filled them in - a lot of money in the region.

Minasian and Hakobjanian's completed questionnaires were presented as proof of their alleged espionage,

although their lawyer said none of the information they provided was a state secret.

IWPR saw one of the questionnaires and it included 20 questions related to the region, some of which were

potentially sensitive. One question concerned the resettlement of Meskhetian Turks - a people deported in Stalin's

time who have been agitating to come home ever since - while another addressed security around a pipeline being

built.

Other NGOs in the region also filled in the forms, though they realised the questions were unusual.

"We all joked that this organisation reminded us of the FSB. And we were very surprised when we found out that

they intended to spend so much money," said the head of one NGO in Samtskhe-Javakheti, who asked to remain

anonymous out of concerns that the criminal case might expand to take in other public figures.

"We were told that the possible projects were unlimited, and the money also. I have worked for many years in the

non-governmental sector. When has there ever been money like that?"

The ALAP office in central Tbilisi closed a month ago. The telephones were disconnected, and they have not

replied to emails.

Olesya Vartanian, Tamana Uchidze and Nelly Babaian are IWPR contributors.

[note St Sarkis madagh will be offered to the congregation of St Sarkis Church, Kensington, next Sunday]

Thirsting for a Mate: Tradition and faith meet on St. Sarkis Day

By By Lilit Hovhannisyan
Special to ArmeniaNow
Published: 06 February, 2009

Tonight (February 6) young Armenians who follow tradition (or who just play along), will eat

a salty cookie and hope the result will be a glimpse of their future betrothed.

The Feast of St. Sarkis comes Saturday and with it the tradition that young people who go

to bed after eating a specially-prepared salty cookie (and no water) given at twilight, will see

their future mate in a dream.

In the holiday calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church the Feast of St. Sarkis is classified

as a movable feast – it has a moving range of 35 days. It comes with the blessing of His

Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, who proclaims the

day for youth.

On that day a mass devoted to the saint will be served in all the churches named after him.

The night devoted to the holiday is particularly lively. Many young people, among whom a

large number are girls, will go to sleep thirsty and hope their future spouse will give them

water in their dream.

“I am going to eat the salty cookie this year as I did in previous years and I expect to have

a dream with my future spouse,” says Tatevik Mirzoyan, 22, student of Theatrical Institute.

“My sister did so; she ate the cookie and saw a man in her dream who offered water to her.

The same year she got married to the man she saw in her dream.”

Many youth are attracted to the tradition year by year and it has become a lively celebration.

(The closest equivalent by secular standards is Valentine’s Day – a western tradition that

has lately become popular here, too). In actuality St. Sarkis’ holiday means more to the

Armenian Apostolic Church.

St. Sarkis was a historical personality and there is even evidence that Mesrop Mashtots

brought the saint’s relics to Armenia and kept them in the village of Ushi of Aragatsotn

province. Another relic is kept in Gougark.

Among Armenians’ most beloved saints, St. Sarkis (4th century) was believed to be a

miracle worker whose army of 40 defeated an enemy of 10,000. The legend says that

when all his soldiers were killed because of a plot, he was rescued with the help of God,

there was a big storm and he was able to escape on horseback).

Other nations also celebrate such kind of holiday, for instance, Kurds call it “Khdr Nabi,”

Assyrians call it “Mar Sargis.”

In some regions of Armenia the salty cookies are made by widows, but in the capital

young people mostly buy them at churches.

This Saturday festive events will be held in churchyards across Armenia and will include

national games and the participation of choirs, dance ensembles, and horsemen

symbolizing St. Sarkis. Araratian Patriarchal Diocese and Boghossian Parks have also

arranged a festival at – appropriately – the new Lovers’ Park in Yerevan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DATE CHANGE: The Academic War on Karabagh, February 25‏

Dear Friends ,

Dr. George Bournoutian
In San Francisco: February 25
In Berkeley: February 26-27

Dr. George Bournoutian is Professor of East European and Middle Eastern Studies at Iona College, New York. Voted "Outstanding Professor" many times, he is also the author of eleven books and has taught at Columbia University, Tufts University, New York University, Rutgers University, and elsewhere. Fluent in at least 5 languages, Bournoutian is an authority on Eastern Armenian studies, from the 16th to the 19th century. His translations of primary sources have received laudatory reviews

Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 7:30 pm, Vaspouragan Hall, 51 Commonwealth Ave., SF, 94118
The Academic War Over Karabagh:
Historical Revisionism with Political Impact

Although the ceasefire between Armenians and Azerbaijans is holding steady, the battle over the record of Karabagh's ethnic identity still rages. Prof. Bournoutian has recently published Two Chronicles on the History of Karabagh, an expanded version of his 1994 book, History of Qarabagh (1994), providing a detailed picture of Karabagh in the 18th and early 19th centuries, culled from histories written by Turkic Muslims during that time. In this lecture, Bournoutian will discuss how some Azerbaijani scholars have manipulated original 19th century Persian texts to suit their present-day political agendas.
Reception to follow

Hosted by the Bay Area ANC, UC Berkeley Armenian Studies Program,
And the UCB Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies


Thursday, February 26, 2009, 12 noon, 270 Stephens Hall, UC Berkeley
Armenian Chroniclers as Primary Sources for the
History of Persia in the 17-18th Centuries


Friday, February 27, 2009, 12:00 pm, 270 Stephens Hall, UC Berkeley
Czarist Russia and the Armenian Church: A Historical Perspective

Sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program, UC Berkeley; the Center for Middle Eastern Studies,
UC Berkeley; and the Institute for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, UC Berkeley.

All Events are Free and Open to the Public
For more information, please call (510) 643-5844.

---
Armenian National Committee
San Francisco - Bay Area
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: 415-387-3433
Fax: 415-751-0617
mail@ancsf.org
www.ancsf.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Armenian News‏

AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND

NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
National Assembly of RA
Feb 4 2009
Armenia

On February 3 RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan received Mr Charles
Lonsdale, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland to Armenia.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the RA NA Speaker underlined the necessity
of activating and developing the inter-parliamentary relations and
highlighted the cooperation of parliamentary friendship groups,
exchange of experience in the legislative field and cooperation in
international structures. In this context the NA Speaker expressed
satisfaction for the support of the British delegation in PACE last
session.

Touching upon the inner-political situation of Armenia RA NA Speaker
Mr Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted the strengthening of stability in
the country and the mutual trust between the authorities and the
society. Mr Abrahamyan noted that from the first day of being elected
Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia he had
proposed that the parliament would be a rostrum of plurality and
constructive criticism for all political forces. Touching upon the
necessity of the amendment of Articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal
Code, he noted that a working group was set up headed by Mr Davit
Harutyunyan, Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on State and
Legal Affairs, which should present within a month amendments in
compliance with European standards. In this context touching upon
the problem of the detained persons after the March 1 events the NA
Speaker emphasized that nobody could be condemned for political views,
trial is going on.

The RA NA Speaker said that constructive reforms were underway, and
the parliament should completely implement the authorities reserved
by the Constitution.

Expressing gratitude for the meeting Ambassador Mr Charles Lonsdale
also highlighted the activation of inter-parliamentary relations,
noting the necessity of the development of cooperation of the
parliaments' staffs in concrete directions.

At the end Mr Abrahamyan reaffirmed the invitation of the Speaker of
the House of Commons of Great Britain to Armenia.

YEREVAN FOR INTL RECOGNITION OF RIGHT OF KARABAKH PEOPLE

TO SELF-DETERMINATION
Interfax
Feb 2 2009
Russia

Armenia should attain the international recognition of the right
to self-determination of the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a meeting with representative
of the Armenian diaspora in Zurich.

"Armenia's position on the Karabakh settlement is clear and
unambiguous: we should attain the international recognition of the
right of Nagorno-Karabakh people to self-determination. We do not
set another task for use," the Armenian presidential press service
quoted Sargsyan as saying on Monday.

"Stories that some people try to tell that we can under some pressure
or proceeding from some goals make unilateral concessions in the
Karabakh settlement have nothing to do with the reality. We cannot
sacrifice our national goal for the sake of background tasks," the
Armenian president said.

Speaking about the Armenian-Turkish settlement, Sargsyan said that
Davos saw meetings with the Turkish prime minister and the foreign
minister. "I think that the establishment of civilized and natural
relations between the two countries corresponds to our interests,"
he said.

However, "the establishment of relations with Turkey does not mean to
forget genocide," he said. Yerevan wants to "establish diplomatic
relations without preconditions, to open borders and create an
intergovernmental commission and then discuss any other question in
relations between the two states and people," he said.

Russia Approves $500 Million 'Crisis' Loan to Armenia

Published: Thursday February 5, 2009

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Russia will lend $500 million to Armenia to help its regional ally cope with the effects of the global economic crisis, official Yerevan confirmed on Thursday. The Armenian authorities asked Moscow for a “stabilization credit” late last year. Negotiations between the two governments on the size and terms of the assistance have been going on since then. Speaking in London on Wednesday, Russian Finance Minister Aleksey Kudrin disclosed the amount of money his government is ready to allocate to Yerevan. “We will be helping neighboring countries that we work with,” Russian news agencies quoted him as saying. No further details were reported. The Armenian Finance Ministry confirmed the news the next day. A ministry spokeswoman told RFE/RL that Armenian and Russian officials are now discussing the terms of the $500 million loan. She could not say just how the Armenian government plans to use it. Large-scale external assistance is vital for the success of the government's efforts to minimize the global downturn's impact on the Armenian economy. The World Bank announced last week that it will provide Armenia with up to $800 million in loans in the next four years. More than $80 million of the promised funding is due to be disbursed this month. These loans will be used for rural infrastructure projects and channeled into small and medium-sized businesses through Armenian commercial banks. Kudrin made the announcement just hours after Russia promised to contribute $7.5 billion to a rescue fund of five ex-Soviet republics on top of more than $3 billion already promised to some individual allies. The presidents of the republics making up the Eurasian Economic Community (Eurasec) met in Moscow on Wednesday. With Armenia having an observer status in the Russian-led grouping, President Serzh Sarkisian also took part in the summit. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made clear at a news conference held after the summit that Moscow will give no non-refundable handouts to its ex-Soviet allies. "Terms should be acceptable for the countries finding themselves in a difficult situation, similar to those under which international financial organizations issue their credits," he said, according to Reuters news agency. Russia itself has been hit hard by the global recession and, in particular, the sharp decline in international prices of oil and other commodities. Its stock markets have lost t hree quarters of their value and gold and currency reserves plummeted to under $ 390 billion from more than $600 billion last summer. “To think that this Russia can help someone now would be unserious,” Aleksey Malashenko, a senior analyst the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. “Because of the crisis Russia has found itself in a quite difficult situation.” Malashenko said that Russian loans to countries like Armenia are therefore likely to come with strings attached. Moscow has already won major political concessions from Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. After securing a $2.15 billion Russian rescue package this week, the Kyrgyz government announced the impending closure of a U.S. military base in the Central Asian state. Vartan Ayvazian, chairman of the Armenian parliament's economics committee, acknowledged on Tuesday that Russian assistance will “help increase Russia's political influence in Armenia.” “Russia and Armenia are strategic partners,” he told journalists. Armenia had borrowed heavily from Russia in the early and mid-1990s. The country's largest thermal-power plant and four other enterprises were handed over to state-run Russian companies in 2003 in payment for Yerevan's remaining $100 million debt to Moscow

RUSSIAN BORDER GUARD FOUND DEAD IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL
RIA Novosti
18:57 | 04/ 02/ 2009

YEREVAN, February 4 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian Federal Security Services
(FSB) border guard has been found dead in the Armenian capital of
Yerevan, an Armenian police press release said on Wednesday.

"On Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. (16:00 GMT), the police department received
a report stating that the body of a man dressed in military clothing
had been found under the Kiev Bridge," the report read.

The dead man was identified as Artur Matyevosyan, 27, a Russian border
guard. The investigation into his death is ongoing.

On Tuesday evening, the deputy head of the Armenian Police, Gevorg
Mgeryan, was shot dead by an unknown assailant just 100 meters from
the Kiev Bridge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Armenian News‏

Commentary
Turkish Scholar Exposes Ankara's Vain Attempt to Split Armenia from Diaspora
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

In their persistent efforts to distort the facts of the Armenian Genocide,
Turkish denialists resort to all sorts of tricks. Their latest scheme is trying
to drive a wedge between Armenia and the Diaspora by claiming that authorities
in Yerevan are all too willing to forget about the Genocide and reconcile
with Turks, were it not for the "sinister influence" of Diaspora Armenians who
constantly undermine all attempts at reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey.
Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, during a press conference in Ankara last week,
claimed that "the Armenian Diaspora is plotting. We can see very clearly and
sharply that their efforts are aimed at utilizing [the Armenian Genocide
issue]. This is so obvious. But I also see that the current administration in
Armenia doesn't take part in this."

Significantly, it was Turkish scholar Taner Akcam who exposed the false
arguments of all those who share Prime Minister Erdogan's false notion that Armenia
and the Diaspora are split on the issue of recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. In a recent issue of the Turkish newspaper Taraf, Prof. Akcam wrote a
lengthy analysis of Turkish misperceptions and misrepresentations on this issue.
He argued against the view that "good neighbor" Armenia and the "bad" Diaspora
have opposing views on the Armenian Genocide. Prof. Akcam correctly stated
that Armenians everywhere agree that what occurred in 1915 was genocide and feel
that it needs to be acknowledged by Turkey. He noted, however, that there are
differences among Armenians (regardless of where they live) about the
consequences of such an acknowledgement.

Prof. Akcam dismissed the Turkish claim that "the Armenian state has not been
very insistent on the subject of 'recognition of the Genocide.'" Most Turkish
analysts wrongly allege, according to Akcam, that Armenia is a very "good"
neighbor to Turkey and that it reflects its "goodness" by "refraining from use
of the word 'Genocide' and by not demanding 'recognition'" during the course of
Pres. Gul's visit to Armenia last September. Turkish analysts further claim
that "the Armenian state is seriously in the grip of and under the influence of
the 'bad' diaspora." They conclude that "in order to relieve Turkish-Armenian
tension, 'our good neighbor Armenia' must be saved from the 'bad' diaspora."
According to Prof. Akcam, Turkish analysts falsely claim that "the biggest
reason why Armenia has fallen under the influence of the 'bad' diaspora" is
"poorly conceived Turkish policies. As a result, in order to save Armenia from the
diaspora, Turkey must relinquish its bad policies and foster 'good' relations
with Armenia. Consequently, Armenia will be able to distance itself from the
bad policies of the diaspora, policies like 'insisting on recognition of
genocide.'"

Prof. Akcam categorically refuted those allegations by stating that "when it
comes to acknowledging the genocide, Armenia and the diaspora are on the same
page. It is improper to draw a distinction between the sides on an axis of
'those who insist on recognition and those who do not.' It needs to be emphasized
right here, right now, that Armenians everywhere agree that what occurred in
1915 was genocide and they feel that it needs to be acknowledged by Turkey."
Prof. Akcam then acknowledged that there may be legitimate differences among
Armenians, regardless of whether they live in Armenia or the Diaspora, on such
complex subjects as "what does it mean to recognize the genocide?" and "on
the issue of addressing an historical injustice, what steps Turkey might take
that will be considered sufficient?"

Prof. Akcam then wondered which option Turkey should pursue -- the Japanese
or German model -- in confronting its history? The Japanese model, he
explained, would entail a "half-hearted expression" of apology. The German model, on
the other hand, constitutes "acceptance of all consequences that arise from that
acknowledgement, including providing reparations if necessary, would be
required. To follow in Germany's footsteps, Turkey would have to identify the
events of 1915 as genocide and make serious effort to compensate all who were
injured by those events both emotionally and materially." He thus raised the
serious issue of bringing "restorative justice" to the victims of the Armenian
Genocide.

It is high time that Turkish denialists face squarely the brutal history of
their nation and focus their attention on making amends to heal the wounds of
the past rather than seeking to blame the descendants of the victims of the
Armenian Genocide, be they in Armenia or the Diaspora!

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO ASSIGN $250 MILLION ON RECONSTRUCTION

OF DISASTER AREAS
ARKA
Feb 2, 2009

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. Armenia's Government plans to assign
$250mln for reconstruction in the 1988 Spitak quake-hit regions,
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said during today's conference on
construction issues.

Ministers and leaders of authorized agencies, Rector of Yerevan
State University of Architecture and Construction (YSUAC), as well
as specialists and private businessmen participated in the discussions.

"These large-scale investments will help restore the disaster areas,"
the premier said, stressing the need for private investments in
the project.

With construction being the most powerful impetus of the country's
economic progress in the past years, it promotes development of other
sectors as well, Sargsyan said, pointing out a considerable decline
in Armenia's construction business due to the global economic crisis.

The premier stressed the importance of the government assistance and
the policy of boosting economy by opening new employment opportunities,
adding construction is in the government's focus.

"Our strategy in this situation is rather simple. The government
must extend its expenditures to open new employment opportunities,"
the premier said, hoping the expenditures would prove to be effective.

International experience has shown that the most profitable
investments are those in infrastruct ures, Sargsyan said, adding new
infrastructures in road construction, agriculture, irrigation and
the system of drinking water are the government's top priorities.

"No one except us can make forecasts of the sector. What are your
assessments and forecasts? What joint activities do you think we need
to undertake to soften the impact of the global economic crisis?" the
premier asked the construction specialists and entrepreneurs.

During the meeting, the RA minister of Urban Development and head of
the industrial department of the RA Ministry of Economy put forth
their proposals on boosting construction, followed by remarks and
suggestions of the private sector. The businessmen presented the
current problems in the sector, touching upon expert assessments
and licensing, as well as a considerable reduction in experienced
construction specialists, procurement of equipment, modernization of
the existing industrial park and challenges in credit markets. The
participants stressed the importance of revising the legislation.

During the conference, the prime minister gave relevant instructions,
pointing out the lack of a program for the development of construction
business and insufficient professional abilities in the field. He
emphasized the role of international support to retraining programs.

Sargsyan charged the ministers of economy and urban development to
make out what kind of technical assistance is necessary to promote
construction bus iness in order to enter into negotiations with
interested international organizations.

Together with the construction specialists, the two ministers are to
elaborate a program to boost construction in Armenia.

The prime minister asked the private sector to collaborate with the
government in facing the existing challenges.

Senior Armenian Police Official Murdered

Colonel Gevorg Mherian, a deputy chief of the Armenian police, was
gunned down outside his Yerevan home late on Tuesday.

Police sources said Mherian, 33, was repeatedly shot in the head by
unknown gunmen as he left an apartment building in the capital where
lived with his family. A senior medical official told local Kentron
television that he was dead by the time an ambulance arrived at the
scene.

Dozens of police and other law-enforcement officials, including
Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepian, rushed there shortly after the
murder. The police did not immediately issue any statements.

Mherian was appointed as deputy police chief in July as part of a
reshuffle of the higher echelon of Armenia's security apparatus
initiated by President Serzh Sarkisian. He had previously served as an
adviser to former President Robert Kocharian monitoring the
implementation of the Armenian government's strategy of combating
corruption.

64% OUT OF TOTAL POPULATION OF ARMENIA ARE URBAN RESIDENTS
ArmInfo
2009-02-02 13:46:00

ArmInfo. As of 1 January 2009 the number of Armenian population
amounted to 3238 thsd people having grown by 0,26%. Incidentally 64%
out of total population of Armenia are urban residents, the rest 36% -
village residents, Armenian National Statistics Service says. Yerevan
continues remaining the most crowed point. A total of 1111 thsd people
lived in Yerevan as of 1 January 2009 against 1107 thsd people as of
1 January 2008.

ARMENIA POSTS 9.4% RISE IN TOURIST VISITS IN 2008
ARKA
Feb 3, 2009

YEREVAN, February 3. /ARKA/. Tourist visits to Armenia last year
rose 9.4% year-on-year to 558,400 (against 510,600 in 2007), the RA
National Statistical Service (NSS) reports.

During the same period, local tourists' visits abroad rose 10.3%
to 515,500.

Cancer On Rise In Armenia
By Lilit Harutiunian

The incidence of cancer in Armenia has grown by at least 50 percent over
the past two decades, a senior medical official said on Wednesday,
singling out smoking and poor diet among the reasons for that.

The latest disease data released by Hayrapet Galstian, director of the
National Center for Oncology, show about 7,300 officially registered
cases of cancer in 2007.

The figure is sharply up from about 5,000 such cases registered in 1985.
The country had a considerably larger population at the time.

According to Galstian, breath cancer accounts for much of the increase,
even if lung cancer remains the most common oenological disease, having
affected about 1,300 Armenians in 2007. `The rate of growth of breast
cancer is now higher than that of lung cancer,' he told journalists,
adding that some 1,100 women were diagnosed with the disease in 2007.

Galstian said high rates of smoking among Armenians and a poor quality
of food consumed by them are the main factors behind the alarming rise.
He admitted that recent years' shrinkage of green areas in Yerevan and
other parts of the country has also contributed to it.

Bangladesh's Last Armenian Prays For Unlikely Future
By Shafiq Alam, AFP

Michael Joseph Martin is guarded about his exact age and reluctant to
accept he will be the last in a long line of Armenians to make a major
contribution to the history of Bangladesh.

Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, was once home to thousands of migrants
from the former Soviet republic who grew to dominate the city's trade
and business life. But Martin, aged in his 70s, is now the only one
left.

"When I die, maybe one of my three daughters will fly in from Canada to
keep our presence here alive," Martin said hopefully, speaking broken
Bengali with a thick accent. "Or perhaps other Armenians will come from
somewhere else."

Martin came to Dhaka in 1942 during World War II, following in the
footsteps of his father who had settled in the region decades earlier.
They joined an Armenian community in Bangladesh dating back to the 16th
century, but now Martin worries about who will look after the large
Armenian church in the city's old quarter.

"This is a blessed place and God won't leave it unprotected and uncared
for," he said of the Church of Holy Resurrection, which was built in
1781 in the Armanitola, or Armenian district.

Martin -- whose full name is Mikel Housep Martirossian -- looks after
the church and its graveyard where 400 of his countrymen are buried,
including his wife who died three years ago. When their children, all
Bangladeshi passport-holders, left the country along, Martin became the
sole remaining Armenian here. He now lives alone in an enormous mansion
in the church grounds.

"When I walk, sometimes I feel spirits moving around. These are the
spirits of my ancestors. They were noble men and women, now resting in
peace," said Martin, who is stooped and frail but retains a detailed
knowledge of the Armenian history in Dhaka.

Marble tombstones display family names such as Sarkies, Manook and
Aratoon from a time when Armenians were Dhaka's wealthiest merchants
with palatial homes who traded jute, spices, indigo and leather. Among
the dead are M. David Alexander, the biggest jute trader of the late
19th century, and Nicholas Peter Poghose who set up Bangladesh's first
private school in the 1830s and died in 1876.

Martin, himself a former trader, said the Armenians, persecuted by Turks
and Persians, were embraced in what is now Bangladesh first by the
Mughals in the 16th and 17th centuries and then by the British colonial
empire. Fluent in Persian -- the court language of the Mughals and the
first half of the British empire in India -- Armenians were commonly
lawyers, merchants and officials holding senior public positions.

They were also devout Christians who built some of the most beautiful
churches in the Indian subcontinent. "Their numbers fluctuated with the
prospects in trading in Dhaka," said Muntasir Mamun, a historian at
Dhaka University.

"Sometimes there were several thousand Armenians trading in the Bengal
region. They were always an important community in Dhaka and dominated
the country's trading. They were the who's who in town. They celebrated
all their religious festivals with pomp and style."

The decline came gradually after the British left India and the
subcontinent was partitioned in 1947 with Dhaka becoming the capital of
East Pakistan and then of Bangladesh after it gained independence in
1971.

These days, the Armenian Church holds only occasional services on
important dates in the Orthodox Christian calendar, with a Catholic
priest from a nearby seminary coming in to lead prayers at Christmas.
Martin said the once-busy social scene came to a halt after the last
Orthodox priest left in the late 1960s, but he is determined to ensure
the church's legacy endures.

"Every Sunday was a day of festival for us. Almost every Armenian would
attend the service, no matter how big he was in social position. The
church was the centre of all activities," he said.

"I've seen bad days before, but we always bounced back. I am sure
Armenians will come back here for trade and business. I will then rest
in peace beside my wife."
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