“We strongly condemn and reject this motion which is in no way compatible with this motion has been passed thorough a fait accompli by a local politician, whose antagonism to Turkey in his attitude and behavior is well known, shows how lightly and unsoundly such a sensitive issue is dealt with” the statement reads.

“Although the solid friendly relations existing between the peoples of Turkey and Australia will not deteriorate because of this unilateral decision which is the fait accompli of a small group, its negative repercussions are nonetheless inevitable. In this context, the proponents of such initiatives aimed at dealing a blow to the very special relations that exist between our peoples will doubtlessly be deprived of the hospitality and friendship that we will never withhold from the people of Australia,” Ministry said.

“Necessary representations with Australian authorities have been made, stressing that our primary expectation from the Australian authorities for the sake of our relations that have developed so far on the basis of friendship, is that they be more attentive to unacceptable claims directed towards Turkey and the Turkish identity and that they take timely action against initiatives carrying anti-Turkish content and hate-speech,” the statement concludes.

This credit “will be provided on standard blend IDA terms at a fixed interest rate of 1.25% per annum with a maturity of 25 years and five year grace period,” the press release said.

“Total financing of the project is $45 million, of which the Government of Armenia will provide $8.2 million. Health Results Innovation Fund will contribute grant funding in the amount of $1.8 million.”

The World Bank said that the project will support the Government of Armenia in improving maternal and child health services, and the prevention, early detection, and management of selected non=communicable diseases at the primary health care level, as well as the efficiency and quality of selected hospitals in Armenia.

After briefing the Premier on the results of the ongoing program, Ishiyama and Akaragian thanked Tigran Sargsyan for consistent attention to the program. Over sixty successful cochlear implant surgeries were said to have been implemented at Erebuni medical center in the period under review.

Reassuring the guest of his continued support of the program, Tigran Sargsyan stressed that Armenian specialists need further training in this field.

The cochlear implantation surgery is deemed to be a costly medical intervention worldwide due to the implants high price.

Prior to 2008, implants used to come to Armenia through charitable means. Starting in 2008, cochlear implants surgeries have been performed under the State order facility.

Mindful of the importance of this project, as early as 2008, Prime Minister Sargsyan described it as one of exclusive regional relevance, considering that the cochlear implant surgeries are 100% effective.

The project gets financial support from the government of Armenia, the Armenian community of California and other sources.

According to statistics, one child in a thousand is born without hearing in the world, with two or three others growing deaf during the first two years of life.

To personalize the calamity, I will say that I have never seen my paternal grandparents who lived in Marash after the deportations. I feel the pain and agony for not knowing my grandparents, for not being cared by them, for being denied the joy of having grandparents and enjoy their presence while some other have the joy. They had lost everything, including their properties, confiscated by the then government, I have never experienced the love which they would have shown to me; they never bought me ice cream; or a bicycle. I have been denied that human affection. So, something is missing in me. I am short of something, There are thousand and thousand like me, whose parents were orphaned and have a very difficult time in adjusting to the cultures of the new countries they moved to.

Will the culprits bu punished? Is time changing? Is there a ray of hope out there? Armenians will never stop from presenting their case to international tribunals.

During the past few years, the Armenian Genocide remembrances were held in Turkey indicating the opening of at least a small window on history. A decade ago, no one would have thought that on Turkish television or in Turkish newspaper, the Armenian Genocide would be mentioned. Now, conferences are being organized by Turkish universities with the participation of Turkish and non-Turkish scholars. Things are changing very slowly.

This year, many things have changed. Many Turks and Kurds, individuals and organizations, joined the commemorations as a sign of solidarity and as a sign of historical truth, which cannot be denied.

This year, Armenian Genocide observances were held in Istanbul at four major venues, and for the first time, Armenian Diaspora groups were invited by the Turkish government to take part in the commemorations, panel discussions in public gatherings, events and conferences. “This year I was able to speak freely. Say anything I wanted,” said historian Ara Sarafian of London, England. “Something I couldn’t a few years ago.”

(To be continued)

By Sargis Harutyunyan and Lusine Musayelian

U.S, Russian, and French mediators have visited Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia and met with top government officials there in a fresh round of shuttle diplomacy aimed at kick-starting the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process.

The three diplomats co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group began the tour with meetings with Karabakh Armenian leaders in Stepanakert on Tuesday. They met with President Serzh Sarkisian and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan on Thursday. The troika is due to travel to Azerbaijan early next month.

“We don’t have results. We are still talking. We are going to meet with the president in a few minutes,” Ian Kelly, the recently appointed U.S co-chair, told Radio Free Europe after the meeting with Nalbandian.

“We are exchanging ideas at this point,” Kelly said without going into details.

The mediators announced plans to again tour the region after meeting separately with Nalbandian and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Paris early this month. In a joint statement issued in the French capital, ‘they repeated their concerns’ regarding Armenian plans to launch commercial flights to Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s threats to forcibly prevent them. They also expressed concern at the continuing ceasefire violations in the conflict zone.

The flight controversy was apparently high on the agenda of the troika’s talks in Stepanakert. “Rest assured that we keep working in that direction and have concrete proposals which we are discussing with the parties,” Jacques Faure, the French co-chair, told journalists in Karabakh capital. He did not elaborate.

The mediators’ latest regional tour began amid fresh accusations trade by Baku and Yerevan.

The awards, given in honor of the late founder of the university, Kadir Has, for the ninth time this year, have been given to the recipients at a ceremony held on March 22, the sixth anniversary of the death of Has.

Acemoglu, who is an economist of Armenian descent living in the U.S, is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is known and cited for his international works on political economy, economic development and the role of institutions over the economy.

In addition to Acemoglu, the other big prize at the awards, the “Promising Science Person Award,” went to Sabanci University Engineering and Natural Sciences Faculty member Ali Kosar.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch, Bartholomew was also honored with Kadir Has University Friendship and Neighborhood plaque during the ceremony.

The chairman of the Kadir Has foundation Nuri Has, Kadir Has University Rector Mustafa Aydin, Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu, Fatih District Mayor Mustafa Demir and Bartholomew were among the attendees of the ceremony held in the university.

Kamer Daron Acemoglu born in Istanbul in 1967. He graduated from Galatarasay High School in 1986. He got his BS Degree from the University of York, UK and his MS degree in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics and then his Ph.D in 1992 from the London School of Economics.

He is currently the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and winner of the 2005 John Bates Clark Medal. He is among the 10 most cited economists in the world.

The $9 million of the provided sum will be addressed to the financing of small and medium sized enterprises and 3 million to the financing of restoring energy saving “Ameriabank highly rates the cooperation with the EBRD and finds that the involvement of financial means will create new opportunities for diversification,” Hanesyan told reporters, adding that the funding of small and medium-sized enterprises is one of the priorities of Ameriabank’s loan policy and this plan will help to raise the volume of bank’s crediting of small and medium sized businesses.

He also said the project will essentially promote the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and growth of their competitiveness both in internal and external markets. The EBRD’s financing will also help to increase the electricity production and promote the effective usage of energy resources and energy saving.

EBRD Yerevan Office Director Razlog said this contract will help to provide available financing to small and medium sized enterprises and noted that the other goal of it is development of energy.

From next month, April 24 will appear in the Church in Wales’ official calendar as Armenian Genocide Day. The date recalls the day in 1915 when the Ottoman Empire arrested Armenian community leaders in Constantinople.

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald H. Turpanjian live in Southern California and have contributed to many institutions – the AUA, the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church in Burbank, Lark Musical Association of Glendale, USC Armenian Institute, and others.

Part of the fund will go toward establishing a Continuing Education Program in rural Armenia.

“AUA is a small institution that’s a kaleidoscope of Armenia,” remarked Gerard H. Turpanjian, AUA Trustee and President of the Turpanjian Family Educational Foundation. “we are pleased to increase our support to allow AUA to expand its reach.”

The program, to be implemented by AUA Extension, will offer a tailored curriculum to develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the local workforce in rural communities, The ultimate aim is to increase local employment and stimulate stagnant rural economies.

“We are keenly aware that rural-urban migration is a serious problem in Armenia, as it is in many developing countries throughout the world,” said AUA president Dr. Bruce Boghosian. “Thanks to the vision and philanthropic leadership of Mr. Turpanjian and the Turpanjian Family Education Foundaton, AUA wil offer high-quality Extension courses for professional development i Armenia’s rural areas, playing an important rile in mitigating this problem.”

“Improving human capital in rural Armenia is essential to creating new opportunities that will eliminate the need to migrate,” explained AUA Extension Director Dr. Arpie Balian. “The courses offered through these programs will address the respective labor markets and the demand for different kills and competencies.”

AUA Extension’s mission is to expand Armenia’s academic, industrial, and technological development by fostering growth through accessible, high-quality education, adult training and lifelong learning opportunities. For more information on AUA Extension, visit: http://extension.aua.am

Referring to the ecumenical involvement of the Catholic Church, Aram I expects that it will “acquire even broader articulation on global, regional and local levels”, and the ecumenical collaboration, which is deeply rooted in the history, between the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Church of Rome will continue “with renewed impetus.”