[ 2 October, 2009 | 19:07 ] important diaspora“Hetq’s” correspondent in Paris has just reported that French police attempted to disperse crowds of people who gathered by the Komitas statue in the French capital to protest the scheduled visit of RoA President Serzh Sargsyan at 2:00 pm for a wreath laying ceremony.
Protestors included supporters of the three traditional Armenian political parties and mere concerned members of the Armenian community in France. Our correspondent reports that all the protestors had decided to sit down near the statue until the arrival of President Sargsyan that was originally scheduled for 2:00 pm and later pushed back to 3:00 pm. »»»»» [ 2 October, 2009 | 17:41 ] culture diaspora
Robert Guédiguian’s new film, “Army of Crime” (L’armée du crime), has premiered to rave critical reviews in Europe. The film was shown at Cannes Festival earlier this Spring.
The 2-hour, historical drama focuses on the “Red Poster” resistance group that battled the Nazis in France towards the end of WW II and its Armenian-born leader Missak Manouchian. A fervent communist, Mr. Manouchian was eventually captured by the Germans and executed on February 21, 1944. The groups under Manouchian carried out almost thirty successful attacks on German occupiers from August to November. »»»»»
[ 2 October, 2009 | 17:16 ] diaspora politicsThe following is a joint statement issued by the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the Armenian Assembly, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern and Western) and the Knights of Vartan, welcoming the scheduled visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to the United States and his foreign policy initiative regarding the normalization of relations with Turkey.
The protocols initialed by Armenia and Turkey present new opportunities and pose new challenges to generations-old issues. We welcome the initiative of the President of the Republic of Armenia in taking a positive approach to the process of normalizing relations with Armenia’s neighbor, the Republic of Turkey. »»»»»
[ 2 October, 2009 | 17:12 ] diaspora politicsThe ARF Central Committee Eastern Region released the following declaration this week on the occasion of the Oct. 3 meeting in New York City between Armenia President Serge Sarkisian and eastern UnitedStates Armenian organizations to discuss the Armenia-Turkey protocols.
Armenia’s President Serge Sarkisian has called a meeting with various Armenian organizations on Oct. 3, 2009 in New York City to discuss the Armenia-Turkey protocols. Representatives from the ARF Central Committee Eastern Region and its affiliated organizations have been invited to the meeting and plan to attend. »»»»»
[ 2 October, 2009 | 17:03 ] diasporaAn Armenian-American congressional challenger made false campaign statements with reckless disregard for the truth when he said an Ohio congresswoman took money from the Turkish government and Turkish government-sponsored interests, the Ohio Elections Commission found Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, a Cincinnati-area Republican, brought the complaints against David Krikorian after he made the statements in the waning days of the 2008 campaign. Krikorian, who ran as an independent, said Schmidt was given roughly $30,000 from Turkish interests because of her denial that the mass killings of Armenians by the Turks in 1915 constituted genocide. »»»»»
[ 2 October, 2009 | 16:54 ] Nagorno Karabakh important
Anahit DanielyanThe Minsk Group Co-chairs are now in Stepanakert, NKR, and had a two hour meeting with President Bako Sahakyan. After the meeting the Co-chairs gave a press conference during which Yuri Merzlyakov stated that significant progress in settlement talks had been made since their last trip to the region.
Mr. Merzlyakov said that he hoped that the Yerevan and Baku would agree to their proposal that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan would meet on the sidelines of an upcoming session of presidents of CIS member states. »»»»»
[ 2 October, 2009 | 16:31 ] politics
On October 1, a delegation headed by the President of the Belgian Senate, Armand De Decker, met with various political factions in the Armenian National Assembly.
Mr. Gagik Minasyan, a member of the Republican Party faction, talked about the friendship of the two countries and expressed assurances that the visit would give new impetus for the development and strengthening of relations between the two countries. Mr. Minasyan noted that the Euro-integration is one of the priorities of foreign policy of Armenia. »»»»»
[ 2 October, 2009 | 16:19 ] politics
Natasha HarutyunyanPsychologist Albert Nalchatchyan, commenting on recent developments in Armenian-Turkish relations stated that at issue is the fate of the people and not just a certain group.
“Today, if I had the chance I would put a halt to the proceedings. I am amazed that our leaders cannot grasp the threats incumbent in these proceedings,” he said. Adding that, “The interests of the entire nation are being sacrificed for the interests of a narrow class of traders and commercial importers.” »»»»»
[ 2 October, 2009 | 15:20 ] ecologyOn Sunday, October 4, a bicycle convoy will take place to protest the recent government decision to allocate 20 hectares of the Jrvezh forest preserve to the community of Voghjaberd.
The two-wheel protest action is the brainchild of the “Bicycle +” NGO. The organization is demanding that the borders of the Jrvezh forest park are reviewed and that all green spaces now outside its borders be incorporated into the park. The convoy will kick off at 11:00 am from the Conservatory garden.
