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ANCA calls for American-Armenians

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14:54, 9 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMNPRESS: Armenian National Committe of America urged American-Armenians to aspire that their 710896representatives in the U.S Congress join in celebrating the Anniversary of Artsakh’s freedom movement . As reports Armenpress referring to Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), by a slogan “Artsakh needs your help. Her brave people deserve our support” ANCA urged American-Armenians to make sure that their representatives in the U.S Congress join in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Artsakh’s freedom movement at the March 13th reception, hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.

“With Azerbaijani threats and acts of aggression on the rise, it’s vital that you take a moment right now to call your Senators and Representative to support Artsakh’s right to freedom and security by attending this event and offering remarks,” said in the statement.

Joining in this historic celebration will be Artsakh’s Minister of Youth and Culture Narine Aghabalyan, Members of Congress, representatives of the Washington, DC foreign policy community, and Armenian Americans leaders.

Reps. Chu, Grimm, Nunes and Valadao Celebrate Karabakh’s Freedom

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Azerbaijani Embassy Seeking to Enforce Baku-Style Free Speech Limits on U.S. Congress

WASHINGTON—Members of Congress continued to salute the 25th anniversary of Nagorno Karabakh’s freedom movement this week, with Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Devin Nunes (R-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA) the latest to congressartskahspeak out in support of Artsakh’s quarter century of steady growth as a democratic state and society, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“We want to thank Reps. Chu, Grimm, Nunes and Valadao for joining in Artsakh’s celebration of a remarkable quarter century of freedom,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.  “In the face of Baku’s war and ongoing aggression, the proud citizens of Nagorno Karabakh have stood strong, building a solid democracy, and fundamentally reaffirming that – despite Ilham Aliyev’s angry tirades – the blessings of liberty that we enjoy as Americans are truly the birthright of all peoples.”

In a joint statement for the Congressional Record, Representatives Nunes and Valadao paid “homage to the Armenian people and particularly the people of Nagorno Karabakh, who bravely struggle to maintain their right to self-determination.”  They went on to note: “the Armenians have suffered some of the worst savagery of recent history, from the massacre of more than a million people in the Armenian Genocide, to the cruel repression of Soviet rule, to Azerbaijan’s war against Nagorno Karabakh and the ongoing siege of that region. Through these trials and tribulations, the Armenian people have paid a steep price for their freedom. The hero’s welcome Azerbaijan recently afforded to Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani military officer who murdered a sleeping Armenian officer during a NATO-sponsored program in Hungary, is a stark reminder of the unrelenting hostility Armenians face today.”

New York Congressman Michael Grimm praised the progress made by the fledgling Nagorno Karabakh Republic over the past 25 years.  “The Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s steady advances in the industries of banking, agriculture, and telecommunications, provide further testament to their promise as a viable independent partner in the international community,” stated Rep. Grimm. “Coupling this with the United States’ longstanding and unambiguous role as a defender of free people’s right to self-determination across the globe, I hope that my colleagues will join me in commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh liberation movement as part of the promotion of peace, stability, and prosperity in the South Caucusus.”

Congresswoman Chu, who spoke forcefully on the topic once again this year, noted: “In 1991, Nagorno -Karabakh officially declared independence, becoming a democratic state committed to freedom and respect for human rights. Despite dual blockades and threats from neighboring Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh has held a series of democratic elections and continues to work hard to strengthen its economy.   I stand with the people of Nagorno-Karabakh in this noble pursuit.”

Embassy of Azerbaijan Seeks to Silence Congressional Karabakh Commemoration

Meanwhile, even as Members of Congress prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Karabakh freedom movement at an event hosted by the Congressional Armenian Caucus next week, the Azerbaijani Embassy and pro-Aliyev groups in Washington, DC have sought to block this event by enforcing free speech restrictions that, while common in Baku, are profoundly foreign to the American democratic tradition.

According to Capitol Hill sources, Azerbaijan Ambassador to the U.S. Elin Suleymanov has urged Members of Congress not to attend the Karabakh celebration.  This follows remarks he made earlier this week at the American Israeli Public Affairs Council (AIPAC) Policy Conference, in which he attempted to demonize the Armenian American community, warning supporters of Israel not to “fall under the influence of pro-Armenian lobby groups.”

“This type of strong-arming may stifle free speech in Aliyev’s Azerbaijan, but Ambassador Suleymanov has a lot to learn about America if he thinks his desperate threats will work in the halls of our Congress,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

The Congressional Caucus event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., in the Cannon House Office Building – Room 121 and will feature remarks by the NKR Minister of Youth and Culture Narine Aghabalian. The event is being hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, with the participation of the Embassy of Armenia, Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, and Armenian American civic organizations.

The ANCA encourages Armenian Americans to call their Senators and Representative to participate in the March 13th Capitol Hill Celebration by visiting:

ANCA: Aliyev’s language similar to those who seek to destroy Israel

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March 8, 2013 – 12:27 AMT

Pan149031ARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), giving voice to the Armenian American community’s growing alarm over anti-Armenian tirades by Azerbaijani leaders and diplomats, officially registered a protest with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) regarding remarks made by Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov, at the organization’s recently concluded annual conference.

According to news reports, Azerbaijani Ambassador Suleymanov, during a breakout session at the AIPAC Policy conference titled “New Allies: Israel and the Caucasus Region,” threatened supporters of Israel not to “fall under the influence of pro-Armenian lobby groups.”

In the March 7th ANCA letter, Executive Director Aram Hamparian explained that: “Strengthening the relationship between the United States and Israel need not involve support for dictatorial regimes. Nor should supporting Israel require providing a platform for those, like Ambassador Suleymanov, who engage in the very sort of hateful, conspiratorial rants that have, for far too long, been used to demonize Israel and her supporters worldwide.”

Hamparian specifically asked AIPAC to “reevaluate the moral and practical dimensions of your organization’s association with Azerbaijan’s war-mongering President, Ilham Aliyev, a dictator who, echoing the venomous Holocaust-era rants of Adolf Hitler against Jews, has announced openly that, “all the Armenians of the world” are his enemies.” He added that Aliyev, by saying that “Armenia as a country is of no value… it is actually a colony, an outpost run from abroad, a territory artificially created on ancient Azerbaijani lands,” was “attacking Armenia’s very right to exist in language chillingly similar to those who seek to destroy Israel.”

Turkey’s most notorious Genocide denier, Turkish Ambassador Calls Assyrian Genocide ‘Masturbation’

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden—Turkey’s notorious Genocide denier and its European Union ambassador Egemen Bagis has compared the Assyrian Genocide, known as Seyfo, to masturbation, during a discussion with a Swedish parliament member at an event earlier this e1be53d0-f241-4a51-a562-c761c6e36538-444x333year organized by Assyrians, reported the Assyrian Television Channel ACSATV.com.

Bagis, who was attending an event organized by several Assyrian organizations in the Swedish capital turned to Swedish member of parliament Yilmaz Gerimo and said: “What are you Assyrians looking to gain by using the Seyfo question as masturbation and trumpeted it in the media and the Swedish Parliament?”

According to reporter Dikran Ego, who first reported the incident, Bagis himself broke the uncomfortable silence that ensued, by apologizing to Turkish Ambassador to Sweden Zergun Koruturk, saying that perhaps his remarks were inappropriate to say in the presence of a woman—the Swedish parliament member, Gerimo.

This is not the first time that Bagis has insulted the victims of the many Genocides committed by Turks.

Self-critical attitude to history good precondition for making right decisions – Bundestag President

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March 06, 2013 | 17:21

YEREVAN.143298– President of German Bundestag Norbert Lammert visited Memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims (photos).

Norbert Lammert laid a wreath at the memorial and visited Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reported.

“My visit is one of the moving parts of my visit to Armenia. There are similar places in Germany and around the globe,” he noted.

He stressed that the German Bundestag in 2005 made a decision in connection with the 1915 events.

“We have taken this decision with a view to our past and realizing that self-critical attitude to someone’s own history is the important precondition, which should help to adopt such decisions for the better common future,” he said.

Lammert also expressed hope that Turkey and Armenia will finally normalize relations.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

Emir of Qatar buys six Greek islands for £7m

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The emir of Qatar has bought six Greek islands in a deal worth at least £7.22million.

The islands are part of a small archipelago known as the Echinades, a couple of miles from Ithaca, a famous site in Homer’s Sheikh-Hamad-bin-K_2500949bOdyssey.

They first caught the eye of the emir, 56-year-old Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, when he moored his super-yacht nearby whilst on holiday four years ago.

The £4.2million deal for Oxia, the largest of the islands at 1,200 acres, was agreed last year but had been held up by delays in obtaining land use permits from Greek forestry officials, according to the Financial Times.

Ithaca’s Greek-American mayor, Ioannis Kassianos, said: “When you buy an island, even if you are the emir of Qatar, it takes a year and a half for all the paperwork to go through.”

The emir also agreed a £3m deal last week for a further five islands nearby with David Grivas, whose family has owned them since the inception of modern Greece, the Guardian reported.

Mr Grivas said the islands had been in his family for over 150 years but they could no longer afford to keep the properties.

Greek media have reported that the Sheikh wants an island for each of his 24 children.

Unfortunately, the Echinades are a chain of 18 islands, meaning the emir will have to find another six elsewhere.

The emir also appears to be set for a long battle with Greek officials over his plans for developing the islands.

Mr Kassianos said that, whatever the size of the land, the home can be no bigger than 250 square metres.

“The emir has reacted to this saying his WC is 250 square metres and his kitchen alone has to be 1,000 square metres, because otherwise how is he going to feed all his guests?” he said.

The deal was announced a month after the Greek premier, Antonis Samaras, flew to Doha to rebuild ties strained by continuous delays on the Greek side over Qatari investment in Greece.

The emir had pledged to invest up to 5billion euros in Greece’s transport and infrastructure when it was hit by the economic crisis three years ago.

He had been put off by Greece’s red tape and inefficiency but relations have improved, with Qatar now bidding to redevelop the Hellenikon airport site near Athens.

If the deal goes through, the airport could serve as an international hub for Qatar Airways.

Qatar may also bid for the Astir Palace hotel, a beachfront hotel near Athens that is popular with Arab tourists.

Despite Greece’s extensive privatisation programme, it has been suggested that Greece should be prepared to sell off even more of its assets to help reduce its debt obligations to other countries.

Josef Schlarmann, a member of Merkel’s Christian Democrats party, has warned Greece that, as with insolvent individuals, it should expect to sell everything it has to repay its creditors.

84% of the German public believe the EU should not help Greece recover from the economic crisis.

It has been suggested that this could be raised by the sale of state-owned Greek islands, of which there are around 6,000.

Varujan Vosganian’s “The Book of Whispers” causes troubles to Turks

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16:03, 6 March, 2013

BUCHAREST, MARCH 6, ARMENRPESS. On March 21, Varujan Vosganian’s “The Book of Whispers” will be the honorary guest at the Paris Book Salon in Romania. Romanian 27 writers will present their works at the Book Salon, including Varujan Vosganian 710617with his famous novel “The Book of Whispers”. “The Book of Whispers” tells about the Armenian Genocide and about the horrors of the 20th century. Young Turks, fascism, Stalinism, Chaushesku left their traqces on the minds and the souls of the people till now.

“The book of whispers” was published in 2009 in Bucharest and became the winner of the highest scores and won the most awards of the publishing year. Just three months after the publication of the novel, the Spanish Pre-Textos publishing house acquired the right to publish it in Spanish from Romanian Polirom publishing house.

The Spanish version was published in the early 2011, by Joaquín Garrigós’ translation, and in August of the same year, it was released in Argentina by the presence of the author and translator.

That’s why the book caused so much troubles to the Turkish authorities, which spare no effort to prevent its further translations and publications. The Turkish Embassy to Romania sent a note of complaint to the Romanian authorities, when a meeting dedicated to the book and its author was organized in one of the country’s museums.

President of Bundestag paid tribute to Armenian Genocide victims

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17:08, 6 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by the President of the German Bundestag Norbert Lammert, accompanied 710633by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Hermine Naghdalyan, paid a visit to Tsitsernakaberd Hill dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. As reports “Armenpress” the German distinguished guests placed wreaths near the memorial of the innocent victims and flowers near the unquenchable fire. Among other things Norbert Lammert stated: “My visit to this place is one of the most emotional elements. There are a number of similar places in my country and throughout the world too. They wouldn’t be erected, if not those events, which these monuments symbolize now.”

The Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan introduced the samples of the museum to the President of the German Bundestag Norbert Lammert. Among other things the President of the German Bundestag left a note in the memorial book.

President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela Has Died, Vice President Says

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Hugo Chávez, who rose from poverty in a dirt-floor adobe house to unrivaled influence in Venezuela as its president, consolidating VENEZUELA-CHAVEZ-OBIT-FILESpower and wielding the country’s oil reserves as a tool for his Socialist-inspired change, died Tuesday, Vice President Nicolás Maduro said. He was 58.
Mr. Maduro said Mr. Chávez died at the military hospital in Caracas, where he had been treated for complications arising from his long struggle with cancer.

Congress to Celebrate Karabakh Movement 25th Anniversary

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Karabakh Culture Minister Narine Aghabalyan will Speak at March 13 Capitol Hill Program

WASHNGTON—Narine Aghabalyan, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s innovative Minister of Youth and Culture, is coming to ministeraghabalyanCapitol Hill to join with legislators, civic leaders, and community organizers in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Artsakh freedom movement.

Minister Aghabalyan will offer keynote remarks at the March 13th program, to be held from 6 to 8 p.m., in the Cannon House Office Building – Room 121. The event is being hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, with the participation of the Embassy of Armenia, Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, and Armenian American civic organizations.

“We would like to thank the Congressional Armenian Caucus for taking the lead in educating the U.S. Congress about Artsakh’s commitment to democracy and, of course, the cause of a fair and lasting peace, for Nagorno Karabakh and for all the states and citizens of the region,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “This Capitol Hill program will be an excellent opportunity not only to celebrate the 25 years of Artsakh’s democratic, cultural, and economic development, but also to spotlight the remarkable new generation of leaders who are working hard to help shape a bright future of their proud and free Republic.”

Minister Aghabalyan, a journalist by trade, represents an energetic new generation of leaders who are charting a bright future for the independent Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. As a senior government official, she has played a pivotal role in the revitalization of Shushi as a cultural center, and the new location for the Youth and Culture Ministry. Her practical focus on the development of literature, theater, and other areas for the arts has helped spark a renewed interest in public-private partnerships, and her Ministry’s job-placement efforts are finding meaningful work for young citizens of the Republic.