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TOP STORIES
04/19/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM
1) French Interior Minister Calls Desecration of Armenian Memorial
'Unacceptable'
2) Karabagh Army Concludes Week-long War Games
3) New Books to Aid Understanding of ARF
4) Armenian Genocide Recognition Issue Has Entered New Stage
5) Hamazkayin Fifth World Congress Ends in Lebanon
1) French Interior Minister Calls Desecration of Armenian Memorial
'Unacceptable'
(Nouvel Obs)French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his indignation
Wednesday at the desecration of the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Lyon. The
memorial, which is to be unveiled on April 24, was vandalized Monday with
revisionist inscriptions that read, "There was no genocide."
Sarkozy called the incident "unacceptable" and said that its authors "must be
severely punished by the justice of our country."
He assured the Armenian community that France stands in solidarity with them.
He said that "the Republic expressed herself with force, by the law of January
29, 2001, according to which France recognizes publicly the Armenian genocide
of 1915."
So, said the Interior Minister, "The authorities of the Republic will not
accept that the law is scoffed."
Two Armenian organizations in France, the Committee for the Defense of the
Armenian Cause (CDCA) and the Council of Armenian Organizations in France,
raised their concerns about the incident and demanded that those
responsible be
apprehended and adequately charged.
The CDCA also demanded that extra measures be taken to ensure the safety of
the Memorial's inauguration and Genocide commemoration on April 24, which will
be attended by French President Jacques Chirac.
2) Karabagh Army Concludes Week-long War Games
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The ethnic Armenian armed forces of Mountainous Karabagh
Republic (MKR) ended on Wednesday week-long large-scale exercises, which the
MKR leadership said highlighted their ability to fend off possible military
action by Azerbaijan.
Hundreds of troops, backed by tanks, heavy artillery, and helicopter gunships
firing live rounds, practiced defensive and offensive operations at a training
ground not far from the Armenian-Azeri line of contact east of Karabagh.
The war games, which will be evaluated by top military officials on Thursday,
followed a familiar scenario, with the Karabagh army fighting back an enemy
assault and then going on the counteroffensive. They also involved a rare
call-up of local army reservists who also took in the simulated fighting.
Armenia's Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian and the chief of army staff,
Colonel-Lieutenant Mikael Harutiunian, monitored the proceedings along with
the
leadership of MKR. "At first glance, everything is alright," Sarkisian told
reporters.
Armenian and Karabagh officials insisted that the exercises are not connected
with Azerbaijan's renewed threats to win back Karabagh by force or aimed at
affecting the ongoing peace talks mediated by the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Sarkisian claimed that
President Ilham Aliyev and other Azeri leaders make such threats for
"propaganda purposes."
Sarkisian also said he looks forward to Aliyev's meeting with President
George
W. Bush at the White House which is scheduled for April 28. "I am confident
that the president of the United States will urge Aliyev to resolve the
conflict by peaceful means," he said.
MKR President Arkady Ghukasian, for his part, remained skeptical about
chances
of a breakthrough in the peace process. "In my opinion, Azerbaijan is dragging
out the negotiations," he said. "Azerbaijan is not prepared for a settlement.
But this is a case where I want to be mistaken."
Meanwhile, Russia's chief Karabagh negotiator, Yuri Merzlyakov, confirmed on
Wednesday that he and the French and American co-chairs of the Minsk Group
will
likely visit the conflict zone early next month in a bid to arrange another
meeting between Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian.
Merzlyakov said the two leaders have already been presented with the
mediators'
revised peace proposals and are currently studying them. He refused to
disclose
those proposals.
The Minsk Group's American co-chair, Steven Mann, is due to pay a separate
visit to Baku and Yerevan later this week.
3) New Books to Aid Understanding of ARF
YEREVAN (Yerkir)The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) presented
Wednesday
new books aimed at helping people learn about and understand the ARF better.
The books presented were: "Bibliography of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation," in 4 volumes; Ararat Hakobian's "The Parliament of Armenia and
Political Parties in 1918-1920"; "ARF Figures Answer People's Questions";
Nigol
Aghbalian's "Thoughts on ARF"; and Gevorg Khudinian's and Ararat Hakobian's
"The Latest Efforts to Distort the ARF History."
"I think these books will help those who want to understand the
Dashnaktsutiun
better," ARF Bureau representative Hrant Markarian said at the Bureau
headquarters.
Markarian said these books are mostly aimed at the youth. "But the issues
raised in the books are aimed at all the sectors of the society," Markarian
added. "The books contain assessments of various periods of the ARF
activities,
including the present times."
Parliament's ARF faction leader Levon Mkrtchian noted that the goal of
publishing these books was to familiarize people with the ARF. "Each of the
115
years of the ARF history is described in press, book series, and today, we are
continuing this tradition," Mkrtchian said. "Every generation passes on the
ARF
values to the next; we will pass them on to the next generation."
Artashes Shahbazian of the ARF Armenia Supreme Body's Promotion Group
mentioned the books will be given as gifts to the participants of the
presentation, and later be donated to Armenian libraries. The books will also
be available at bookstores.
4) Armenian Genocide Recognition Issue Has Entered New Stage
YEREVAN (Yerkir)Leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) faction
in Parliament, Levon Mkrtchian said Wednesday that Armenian genocide
recognition has entered a new stage and can now focus on reparations.
"The Armenian genocide recognition issue has entered a new stage. Almost all
of the leading states recognized this fact and even the US doesn't deny it,"
said Mkrtchian.
He said Armenia should take advantage of the international community's
positive attitude about Genocide recognition and pursue a more precise
approach
towards Turkey.
"It's time to speak of compensations, since without it the fact of
recognition
loses sense. For Armenia the matter concerns not only moral and material
issues, but appears as a security issue as well," the ARF leader said.
Mkrtchian said that if Armenia's neighbor does not acknowledge the Genocide,
the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border and the Karabagh conflict
settlement
could be drawn out for an indeterminate period of time.
At the same time, the faction leader remarked that the Arab world and Iran
support Armenia in its struggle for Genocide recognition. "Iran has not
declared it at the state level, but it sides with Armenia. Actually, the
majority of states arrived at the conclusion that the Armenian genocide in
Ottoman Empire should be recognized," said Mkrtchian.
5) Hamazkayin Fifth World Congress Ends in Lebanon
The Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Associations held the 5th
World Congress April 13-15 in Lebanon, with participants from the Middle East,
Europe, North and South America, Australia, and Armenia.
The meeting discussed the activities of the Central Committee over the last
four years. Participants also spoke about prospects for increasing
participation of youth during the next four years.
At the conclusion of the Congress, a new Central Committee was elected
consisting of Sarkis Armenian, Lebanon; Mgrditch Yapoujian, Lebanon; Vahe
Jamakordzian, Syria; Simon Hasserjian, Canada; Mgrditch Mgrditchian, Lebanon;
Antranig Misserlian, Lebanon; Edward Misserlian, USA; Masis Baghdassarian,
Armenia; Souren Sarkissian, France; Mardig Demirjian, Lebanon; and Vatche
Papazian, Lebanon.
All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.
ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.
TOP STORIES
04/19/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM
1) French Interior Minister Calls Desecration of Armenian Memorial
'Unacceptable'
2) Karabagh Army Concludes Week-long War Games
3) New Books to Aid Understanding of ARF
4) Armenian Genocide Recognition Issue Has Entered New Stage
5) Hamazkayin Fifth World Congress Ends in Lebanon
1) French Interior Minister Calls Desecration of Armenian Memorial
'Unacceptable'
(Nouvel Obs)French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his indignation
Wednesday at the desecration of the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Lyon. The
memorial, which is to be unveiled on April 24, was vandalized Monday with
revisionist inscriptions that read, "There was no genocide."
Sarkozy called the incident "unacceptable" and said that its authors "must be
severely punished by the justice of our country."
He assured the Armenian community that France stands in solidarity with them.
He said that "the Republic expressed herself with force, by the law of January
29, 2001, according to which France recognizes publicly the Armenian genocide
of 1915."
So, said the Interior Minister, "The authorities of the Republic will not
accept that the law is scoffed."
Two Armenian organizations in France, the Committee for the Defense of the
Armenian Cause (CDCA) and the Council of Armenian Organizations in France,
raised their concerns about the incident and demanded that those
responsible be
apprehended and adequately charged.
The CDCA also demanded that extra measures be taken to ensure the safety of
the Memorial's inauguration and Genocide commemoration on April 24, which will
be attended by French President Jacques Chirac.
2) Karabagh Army Concludes Week-long War Games
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The ethnic Armenian armed forces of Mountainous Karabagh
Republic (MKR) ended on Wednesday week-long large-scale exercises, which the
MKR leadership said highlighted their ability to fend off possible military
action by Azerbaijan.
Hundreds of troops, backed by tanks, heavy artillery, and helicopter gunships
firing live rounds, practiced defensive and offensive operations at a training
ground not far from the Armenian-Azeri line of contact east of Karabagh.
The war games, which will be evaluated by top military officials on Thursday,
followed a familiar scenario, with the Karabagh army fighting back an enemy
assault and then going on the counteroffensive. They also involved a rare
call-up of local army reservists who also took in the simulated fighting.
Armenia's Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian and the chief of army staff,
Colonel-Lieutenant Mikael Harutiunian, monitored the proceedings along with
the
leadership of MKR. "At first glance, everything is alright," Sarkisian told
reporters.
Armenian and Karabagh officials insisted that the exercises are not connected
with Azerbaijan's renewed threats to win back Karabagh by force or aimed at
affecting the ongoing peace talks mediated by the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Sarkisian claimed that
President Ilham Aliyev and other Azeri leaders make such threats for
"propaganda purposes."
Sarkisian also said he looks forward to Aliyev's meeting with President
George
W. Bush at the White House which is scheduled for April 28. "I am confident
that the president of the United States will urge Aliyev to resolve the
conflict by peaceful means," he said.
MKR President Arkady Ghukasian, for his part, remained skeptical about
chances
of a breakthrough in the peace process. "In my opinion, Azerbaijan is dragging
out the negotiations," he said. "Azerbaijan is not prepared for a settlement.
But this is a case where I want to be mistaken."
Meanwhile, Russia's chief Karabagh negotiator, Yuri Merzlyakov, confirmed on
Wednesday that he and the French and American co-chairs of the Minsk Group
will
likely visit the conflict zone early next month in a bid to arrange another
meeting between Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian.
Merzlyakov said the two leaders have already been presented with the
mediators'
revised peace proposals and are currently studying them. He refused to
disclose
those proposals.
The Minsk Group's American co-chair, Steven Mann, is due to pay a separate
visit to Baku and Yerevan later this week.
3) New Books to Aid Understanding of ARF
YEREVAN (Yerkir)The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) presented
Wednesday
new books aimed at helping people learn about and understand the ARF better.
The books presented were: "Bibliography of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation," in 4 volumes; Ararat Hakobian's "The Parliament of Armenia and
Political Parties in 1918-1920"; "ARF Figures Answer People's Questions";
Nigol
Aghbalian's "Thoughts on ARF"; and Gevorg Khudinian's and Ararat Hakobian's
"The Latest Efforts to Distort the ARF History."
"I think these books will help those who want to understand the
Dashnaktsutiun
better," ARF Bureau representative Hrant Markarian said at the Bureau
headquarters.
Markarian said these books are mostly aimed at the youth. "But the issues
raised in the books are aimed at all the sectors of the society," Markarian
added. "The books contain assessments of various periods of the ARF
activities,
including the present times."
Parliament's ARF faction leader Levon Mkrtchian noted that the goal of
publishing these books was to familiarize people with the ARF. "Each of the
115
years of the ARF history is described in press, book series, and today, we are
continuing this tradition," Mkrtchian said. "Every generation passes on the
ARF
values to the next; we will pass them on to the next generation."
Artashes Shahbazian of the ARF Armenia Supreme Body's Promotion Group
mentioned the books will be given as gifts to the participants of the
presentation, and later be donated to Armenian libraries. The books will also
be available at bookstores.
4) Armenian Genocide Recognition Issue Has Entered New Stage
YEREVAN (Yerkir)Leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) faction
in Parliament, Levon Mkrtchian said Wednesday that Armenian genocide
recognition has entered a new stage and can now focus on reparations.
"The Armenian genocide recognition issue has entered a new stage. Almost all
of the leading states recognized this fact and even the US doesn't deny it,"
said Mkrtchian.
He said Armenia should take advantage of the international community's
positive attitude about Genocide recognition and pursue a more precise
approach
towards Turkey.
"It's time to speak of compensations, since without it the fact of
recognition
loses sense. For Armenia the matter concerns not only moral and material
issues, but appears as a security issue as well," the ARF leader said.
Mkrtchian said that if Armenia's neighbor does not acknowledge the Genocide,
the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border and the Karabagh conflict
settlement
could be drawn out for an indeterminate period of time.
At the same time, the faction leader remarked that the Arab world and Iran
support Armenia in its struggle for Genocide recognition. "Iran has not
declared it at the state level, but it sides with Armenia. Actually, the
majority of states arrived at the conclusion that the Armenian genocide in
Ottoman Empire should be recognized," said Mkrtchian.
5) Hamazkayin Fifth World Congress Ends in Lebanon
The Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Associations held the 5th
World Congress April 13-15 in Lebanon, with participants from the Middle East,
Europe, North and South America, Australia, and Armenia.
The meeting discussed the activities of the Central Committee over the last
four years. Participants also spoke about prospects for increasing
participation of youth during the next four years.
At the conclusion of the Congress, a new Central Committee was elected
consisting of Sarkis Armenian, Lebanon; Mgrditch Yapoujian, Lebanon; Vahe
Jamakordzian, Syria; Simon Hasserjian, Canada; Mgrditch Mgrditchian, Lebanon;
Antranig Misserlian, Lebanon; Edward Misserlian, USA; Masis Baghdassarian,
Armenia; Souren Sarkissian, France; Mardig Demirjian, Lebanon; and Vatche
Papazian, Lebanon.
All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.
ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.