http://hayaser.net Hayaser.net the most hayaser site. en-us http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=254 US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) was going to launch a film about the Armenian Genocide yesterday, Turkish media reported. The film by historian Neil Ferguson is involved in the series of "An era of genocides" under heading "The war of the world".

The film presents the first genocide of the 20th century - the Armenian Genocide committed by the Young Turks. "The era of genocides started with the massacres of Armenians committed by Turks. But Turkey denies that it was a genocide", the film mentions, according to "Noyan Tapan". http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=253

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan met Tuesday with China’s Ambassador to Armenia Hong Jiuyin and military attaché Ma Yunbaoi.

The Minister extended his condolences over the recent train crash and the May 12 devastating earthquake in China which claimed lives of dozens of thousands of people, Minister’s spokesman, colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net.

“The Chinese government devotes much attention to bilateral military cooperation between Armenia and China. On behalf of our Defense Minister, I invite you to China this year,” Ambassador Jiuyin said.

The parties also noted that 27 Armenian servicemen have been trained in Chinese military institutes. http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=252 BOSTON— The Armenian Heritage Foundation has won approval for a controversial plan to develop a park on Boston's Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.

The group said Friday that final design work and construction will proceed now that the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority's board has granted approval to the eight-year-old proposal.

Mayor Thomas Menino and other civic leaders had opposed the proposal, saying it would open the door for other groups with causes to develop on the land, which is above Boston's Big Dig. The original park design included a memorial to mass killings of Armenians around the time of World War I.

The Armenian Heritage Foundation said Friday that the park will acknowledge Boston's role as a key port of entry to immigrants and celebrate the contributions of immigrants to American life. http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=251

The Armenian airline Armavia announced that it is launching direct flights between Riga and Armenia's capital city of Yerevan. Mikhail Baghdasarov, head of Armavia's founding company Mika Armenia Trading, said that Riga would be Armavia's first destination in the Baltic countries. Baghdasarov is confident that the new flight will be popular with both Latvian and Armenian residents.

Baghdasarov said that many passengers had to use transit flights via Vienna and Moscow to travel to/from Riga and Yerevan. Latvia's accession to the Schengen area will also prompt Armenians' interest in the new flights.   The number of flights from Yerevan to Riga could be increased in the future, Baghdasarov said. He is confident that each flight between Yerevan and Riga will be sold out next year already.  

Riga International Airport Chairman of the Board Krisjanis Peters said that he is pleased with new airlines offering flights to and from Riga. The airport's passenger turnover this year is projected at four million, and, to achieve it, the airport is working on attracting new airlines. This year the airport is planning to introduce flights to 15 new destinations overall, three airlines have started operating flights from Riga so far this year.   Peters hopes that the flights between Riga and Yerevan will help develop business and tourism connections between Latvia and Armenia.  

Earlier yesterday, Baghdasarov had a meeting with the heads of the Latvian national airline airBaltic, and said that both companies could develop successful cooperation. Armavia is interested in entering the Northern Europe market, and the possible flights to Norway, Sweden and Finland. On the other hand, Armavia operates direct flights to Egypt, Turkey, Thailand and other countries in the east, which could be of interest to passengers in the Baltic countries. 

In the coming months, Armavia is planning to launch direct flights from Yerevan to Los Angeles in the United States, Baghdasarov added.   Armavia Director General Norair Belluyan said that twenty years ago flights between Riga and Yerevan were in high demand. Belluyan is pleased that the flights will be resumed now, and he believes that they will promote tourism and business relations between Latvia and Armenia.   Armavia in cooperation with airBaltic will offer three flights a week from Riga to Yerevan. 

Armavia is Armenia's national airline and the leader on the Armenian aviation market, it was founded in 1996 by Aviafin and Mika Armenia Trading.   The airline employs more than 550 people overall, it offers flights from Armenia to Russia and C.I.S. countries as well as to Europe and Middle East.  

Armavia performs more than 70 regular flights to thirteen countries each week.  

Armavia is the third foreign airline to start flying to Riga this year. At the beginning of this year, Lithuania's FlyLAL started operating flights to Riga, and at the beginning of May, Germany's low-cost airline Germanwings launched flights between Riga and Cologne. http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=250 OFFENBACH, Germany: Armenia held Greece to a 0-0 draw Sunday in the defending champion's final warm-up game ahead of the European Championship.

 The Greeks dominated for large spells of the game but rarely posed a threat to Armenia goalkeeper Gevorg Kasparov. Angelos Charisteas had a good chance in the 37th minute when Kasparov dropped the ball, but the Nurenberg striker failed to get a shot off before the ball rolled out of play.

Costas Katsouranis tried to break the deadlock with a long-range shot in the 88th, but it was well saved by Kasparov.

 Greece opens play at Euro 2008 against Sweden on June 10, before taking on Russia and Spain in Group D.Greece beat Cyprus 2-0 and lost 3-2 against Hungary in its other two pre-tournament friendlies. http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=249

President Christofias has unveiled a memorial for the Armenian genocide, saying that he remains committed to creating a better future for all Cypriots, in a peaceful and reunited Cyprus.

The President referred to the integration of Armenians, who fled Turkey and arrived on the island. He praised their successful entrepreneurial spirit, saying they have made the country proud.

"This site is very symbolic; this is where the first Armenians, who fled for their lives in 1915, first landed on the island.

"This memorial is an expression of appreciation shown by the Cypriot people for the hospitality and support to Armenians who have since made Cyprus their home," the President said, as he unveiled the memorial in the southern coastal town of Larnaca.

Christofias reiterated his respect and solidarity as well as deep feelings of love to the Armenian community here, noting that Cyprus offered them a new beginning and was a refuge at difficult times.

Referring to the political situation in Cyprus, he said his government would not cease to work for a united peaceful and prosperous country for all its citizens, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Latins and Maronites.

He noted that Cyprus has suffered from a military coup, Turkey’s invasion and the continuing occupation of its northern part. Thousands of people have been displaced; many of them Armenians and people have been separated.

"Our ultimate goal is to reunite our country and our people in a bizonal bicommunal federation with one sovereignty, one citizenship and one international personality," he stressed.

He closed his remarks by assuring the Armenian community that he will continue to strive for a better future for the country and all its people.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the Ambassador of Armenian Vahram Kazhoyan said: "93 years ago Armenia was in tragedy. Genocide had already started on the territory of historic Armenia. 93 years ago we were mourning and we still mourn the victims, the memory of the victims of the genocide which started ion 24th April 1915."

However, he said, "Armenia has survived and today is a day of festivities for Armenia, it is a big holiday for Armenia, today is the rebirth of our first Republic back in 1918. In 1918 in May after victory in three major battles against Ottoman Turkey Armenians established their first Republic after 700 years of non independence."

"After a lot of difficulties we have survived thanks to the help of our friends, and amongst these friends was Cyprus. One of those people was the Cypriot people who helped Armenia since the first days of the genocide and who was among the first countries who recognized the genocide officially in 1982," he pointed out.

Armenia and Cyprus since the independent of Armenia 70 years ago have been in the international arena, as friends helping each other with a lot of understanding between them, he noted.

“I am sure that the monument in the promenade of Larnaca will become not only one of the major monuments dedicated to the Armenian genocide all over the world, but I am confident that it will become one of the beautiful landmarks of Larnaca,” he added, and thanked the Municipality of Larnaca and the government of Cyprus.
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/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide will be adopted by the Slovak parliament in late 2008 and will come into effect in January or February 2009.

“Slovakia, whose parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2004, has been operating the law penalizing denial of the Holocaust. Introducing amendments, we expand the law over all genocides, including the Armenian Genocide,” Slovakia’s Justice Minister Stefan Harabin said.

Any Slovak citizen or foreigner who denies the Armenian Genocide will face a 5-year imprisonment, according to him.

“The Armenian Genocide is the most outrageous crime against humanity,” Mr Harabin said, adding that no remarks have been received as regards the bill, which should be passed in any democratic state. http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=247

The District Administrative Court in Bulgaria's Danube city of Ruse rejected Friday the appeals against the declaration of the City Council recognizing the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire.

The appeals were tabled to the Court by the Ruse District Governor Mariya Dimova, and by city counselors from the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms party.

The Court ruling states that the declaration recognizing the genocide over Armenians and Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire could not be disputed because it was not an administrative act, it was only declarative, and had no legal consequences.

The declaration recognizing the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1922 was adopted by the Ruse City Council on April 17.

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/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A major step forward toward recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the UK was taken this week when the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland passed a motion calling on the UK on the government to recognize the Genocide.

The Church followed the example of the Presbyterian Church of Wales which called on the UK government to recognize the Genocide in 2006, independent French journalist told PanARMENIAN.Net.

This is the result of an intense work by lobbyists Ara Krikorian, Edgar Danielyan and Eilian Williams were instrumental in persuading the Church to like to this decision.

PM Gordon Brown, who belongs to the Presbyterian Church will attempt to resist this pronouncement by his Church, said Armenia Solidarity, British Armenian All Party Parliamentary Group, Nor Serount Armenian Genocide Trust. http://hayaser.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=245

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The city council of Varna, Bulgaria, adopted a resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide. Besides, April 24 was proclaimed Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide Victims.

The city council members voiced hope that their decision will help recognition of the Armenian Genocide by other cities and the Bulgarian state in tote.

Varna has become the forth Bulgarian city to recognize the Genocide.

The issue was several times raised in the parliament but was always dropped because of the fear to strain relations with Turkey, RFE/RL reports citing Bulgarian media.