22 YEAR The Noah’s Ark #19 (1059) 11 May 2015 Published Since 1993 Weekly Newspaper HIGHLIGHTS ÜáÛÛ³Ý î³å³Ý ß³μ³Ã³Ã»ñà (³Ý·É. / ýñ³Ýë.) U.S.-Armenian Trade Deal Signed see page 3 In This Issue President Meets Senate Leaders, Noyan Tapan Printing House Praises U.S. p.2 is offering coloured and black and white offset and digital Vigen Sargsyan: The Genocide Centennial printing of books, brochures, booklets, journals, etc with Events Served the Major Goal p.4 high quality and low prices Tel: 060 27 64 62 Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 On 9 May Armenians Celebrate Their Victories p.5 U.S. Ambassador Mills marks Noyan Tapan Video Studio World Intellectual Property Day is offering professional video and photography for indoor at the Microsoft Innovation Center p.6 and outdoor events such as weddings, birthday parties, official events, seminars and conferences. Tel: 060 27 64 62 Great Poet Toumanyan in Portuguese and Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 Brazilian Legends in Armenian p.10 11 May #19 (1059) 2015 2 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights POLITICS President Meets Senate Leaders, Praises U.S. President Serzh Sargsyan has praised America's role in main- taining peace in the South Caucasus at a meeting in Washington with four influential members of the U.S. Senate, including its Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell. Serzh Sargsyan met with McConnell, John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and two pro-Armenian Democratic senators, Robert Menendez and Jack Reed, at the start of his trip to the United States on May 5. "The president highly assessed the USA's role in maintaining regional security and stability, including the USA's active involve- ment, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, in the Nagorno- Karabakh peace process," Sargsyan's office said in a statement. Serzh Sargsyan also thanked the United States for its large- scale economic assistance provided to Armenia since independ- ence, saying that it has been "aimed at strengthening Armenian National Cathedral that will mark the 100th anniversary of the statehood." Armenian genocide in Ottoman Empire. According to the statement, the participants of the meeting dis- The Armenian presidential press service said this and other cussed the unresolved Karabakh conflict and other "regional issues events dedicated to the genocide centennial were also on the agen- and challenges." In that context, they spoke about ways of creating da of Sargsyan's lunch meeting with the American senators. "All "alternative transport and energy options" for Armenia given its senators present at the meeting stressed in their remarks the impor- closed borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey. tance of recognizing and condemning the Armenian genocide," it The statement gave no details of that discussion. It said said. Sargsyan and the U.S. lawmakers agreed that the U.S. and Armenia Both McConnell and McCain have opposed in the past con- have developed "strong partnership within bilateral and multilater- gressional draft resolutions describing the 1915 Armenian mas- al frameworks." sacres as genocide. McCain dropped his opposition to genocide That partnership seems to have not been seriously affected by recognition a year ago when he voted, along with most other mem- Armenia's recent accession to the Russian-led Eurasian Economic bers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for one such res- Union (EEU) and the West's standoff with Russia over the conflict olution put forward by Menendez. in Ukraine. The U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, Richard Mills, said The resolution never reached the Senate floor, leading last year that closer ties with the West could "complement" Menendez to introduce another Armenian genocide bill last month. Armenia's membership in the EEU. Only 20 senators have co-sponsored it so far. McConnell and "The deep bonds between the United States and Armenia are McCain are not among them. strong," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement "We would need 60 hard votes to pass it," said one Washington issued around the same time. source involved in the long-running Armenian-American cam- Nevertheless, neither President Barack Obama nor any senior paign for genocide recognition. He cautioned that although the member of the U.S. administration was scheduled to meet with Republican majority leader's reported support could give a major Serzh Sargsyan during his visit. The main official purpose of the boost to Menendez's resolution its passage by the Senate remains trip is to take part in Thursday's ecumenical service at Washington's "more than a long shot." Elections an integral part of the political culture of Artsakh: MFA "On May 3, 2015, the sixth regular par- political culture of Artsakh. Free, fair, liamentary elections were held in the transparent and competitive elections, Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) with being an inalienable mechanism of politi- over 70% turnout. The elections were held cal processes in the NKR, are aimed at in a free and competitive atmosphere and organizing the public life of the republic in full compliance with the international and forming the government by democrat- standards, as assessed by more than 100 ic means, which, in turn, serves as a basis international observers from around 30 for promoting human rights, fundamental countries," the NKR Ministry of Foreign freedoms and the rule of law," the state- Affairs said in a statement. ment reads. "The elections, as an expres- 30 April 2015, are also essential for main- "The parliamentary elections have reaf- sion of will of the people of Artsakh, taining the stability in the region as well as firmed the fact that elections, as a key ele- whose role in deciding its future was for the just and peaceful settlement of the ment for the functioning of any democratic unequivocally emphasized in the statement conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno system, have become an integral part of the of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on Karabakh," the Ministry said. 11 May #19 (1059) 2015 POLITICS The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 3 Luxemburg Recognizes Armenian Genocide Luxemburg became on May 6 the lat- lution, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Austria, ahead of the genocide centennial est country to recognize the 1915 Tigran Balayan posting a photocopy of that was marked in Armenia on April 24. Armenian genocide in the Ottoman the document on his Facebook and Turkey's ambassadors to the Vatican and Empire with a resolution unanimously Twitter pages. There was no immediate Austria were recalled as a result. Ankara adopted by its parliament. reaction from Turkey. also condemned the presidents of Russia Noting similar moves by the The Turkish government reacted furi- and France for attending April 24 cere- European Parliament and a "growing ously to a spate of similar declarations monies in Yerevan and reaffirming their number" of countries around the world, that were made by several other nations, countries' recognition of the Armenian the tiny European state's Chamber of including the Vatican, Germany and genocide. Deputies said it believes the slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians constituted genocide. It said it is therefore "joining in the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian genocide in the spirit of European solidarity and justice." The resolution goes on to praise Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for offering their condolences to descendants of Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Turks. But it says Ankara should go further and explicitly recognize the massacres as genocide. Such a move would "constitute a national and European gesture important and honorable for the Turkish Republic," according to the Luxembourg parliament. Armenia was quick to praise the reso- U.S.-Armenian Trade Deal Signed Armenia trade and investment relations," favorable conditions for bilateral com- Mullaney said in a statement released merce and investments. after the ceremony. According to Armenian government Under the agreement, the U.S. and statistics, the U.S. accounted for about 4 Armenian governments will set up a joint percent of Armenia's foreign trade last Council on Trade and Investment that year. The total volume of bilateral com- will meet at least once a year to address mercial exchange fell by 2.5 percent to obstacles to U.S.-Armenian trade and $221 million. explore other ways of deepening eco- The Office of the U.S. Trade The United States and Armenia nomic ties between the two countries. Representative reported an even more signed on May 7 an economic agreement Mullaney said he expects the council modest trade figure: $153 million. "U.S. which they hope will help to expand their to "unlock opportunities for workers, goods imports from Armenia in 2014 modest bilateral trade and facilitate U.S. farmers, service providers, manufacturers totaled $96 million in 2014 and included investments in the Armenian economy. and consumers in our two countries." The aluminum, woven apparel, brandy, dia- The Trade and Investment Armenian Foreign Ministry likewise said monds, and processed fruit and vegeta- Framework Agreement (TIFA) was the body will strive to put in place more bles," it said. signed by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and U.S. Assistant Trade Representative Daniel Mullaney Noyan Tapan Press-Center during President Serzh Sargsyans visit to Noyan Tapan Press Center holds different discussions, press confer- Washington. Serzh Sargsyan was present ences, round tables, teleconferences, seminars each week which at the signing ceremony. are broadcast live on the Internet. We invite you to take advantage "Today's agreement provides a vehi- of the Center, as well as to place your banner in our Press Room. cle for deepening and broadening U.S.- Tel: 060 27 64 62.