Month: May 2008

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenia against any distortion of Karabakh talks essence
08.05.2008 18:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian met Wednesday with OSCE Secretary General
Marc Perrin de Brichambaut to discuss the ways of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, cooperation with
the OSCE Yerevan Office and a number of issues
referring to the OSCE/ODIHR reports on the Armenian
presidential election, the RA MFA press office said.

The Armenian Minister briefed on the meetings held
with the OSCE Minsk Group and Azerbaijani FM Elmar
Mammadyarov. `Yerevan appreciates highly the OSCE
Minsk Group’s efforts for resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict and is willing to continue talks on
the basis of Madrid proposals,’ he said, adding that
Armenia stands against any moves distorting the
essence of the talks.

Minister Nalbandian expressed satisfaction with the
level of cooperation with the OSCE Yerevan Office and
presented the activities of the Armenian government
aimed for establishment of public confidence and
dialog between various political forces.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Condoleezza Rice: I am hopeful for strengthening of friendship with Armenia
08.05.2008 18:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice congratulated Edward Nalbandian on appointment as
Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, the RA
MFA press office reported.

The congratulatory message says in part, `I
congratulate you on appointment as Foreign Minister of
the Republic of Armenia and looking forward to meet
you. I am hopeful that we will strengthen the
friendship between our countries. We should carry out
a good deal of joint work for final resolution of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict and normalization of
diplomatic and economic relations with the neighbors.
We also hope that Armenia will give a new impetus to
democratic reform and restoration of civil freedoms –
the values that underlie our relations.’

PanARMENIAN.Net

Simultaneous resolution of Karabakh conflict and
normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations possible
08.05.2008 19:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ France’s position on the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict is that the conflict refers not only
to Azerbaijan and Armenia but to all regions, said
Bernard Fassier, the French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group.

`France treats both Armenia and Azerbaijan as friends
and its position is completely impartial. It would be
a factor of development if the borders were open not
only between Turkey and Armenia but also between
Azerbaijan and Armenia. Nobody is interested in
poverty and unlucky of its neighbor. Closed borders do
not impede air route of Armenians to Turkey and their
work in Turkey. It shows that relations between the
two countries are not disturbed completely. We hope
for a peaceful solution to all problems between the
countries. Normalization of relations between Turkey
and Armenia will help resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. Simultaneous resolution of these
two problems is possible,’ Amb. Fassier said, the
Azeri Press Agency reports.

ARMENPRESS

ARMENIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSES HOPE THAT
TURKEY NOT TO RETURN TO ITS PREVIOUS STYLE

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS: `In general, previously
there was an impression that the impulses received
from the Turkish side before April 24 included
positive elements connected with the regulation of the
Armenian-Turkish relations then those received after
April 24,’ Armenian deputy foreign minister Arman
Kirakosian said, commenting with the request of
Armenpress, on the statement of the Turkish ambassador
to Azerbaijan in which the latter said that Turkey
connects the regulation of relations with Armenia with
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict regulation and Armenia’s
refusal of efforts of international recognition of the
Armenian genocide.
`If the information about the statement of the
Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan corresponds to
reality, we may only express hope that it is not the
continuation of previously noted tendency and is not
return to the previous style,’ A. Kirakosian said.

ARMENPRESS

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER UNDERSCORES INCREASE OF
EFFECIENCY OF WORK WITH MASS MEDIA

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian today at the session once again
referred to the work with the mass media and necessity
of establishment of dialogue between the press
services of the ministries and mass media. According
to the prime minister, often such events are being
voiced by press which do not correspond to reality.
The public is waiting for answers which are not
officially commented. For avoiding it, the press
services of the all ministries must analyze the
information spread about them through mass media. It
is very important that a dialogue be established
between the media and press services of the
ministries.
Armenian prime minister noted that seminars will be
conducted for journalists and representatives of the
press services, ?thus the standards by which we must
deal with media will be established?.
The prime minister reminded also his assignment
that hence, the publications in media will be analyzed
for having real picture of the events. According to
him, mass media must realize that they are responsible
for the information they are spreading.
Speaking about the increase of gas tariffs by gas
stations widely spread in press, the prime minister
noted that today 214 gas stations are functioning in
the market and the owners of a part of them have
already decreased the prices, but it is necessary to
study the market to find out the mechanisms of
formation of prices and understand whether the market
is competitive or not.
Tigran Sargsian, referring to the necessity of
giving explanations to mass media, mentioned also the
theme of increasing pensions and allowances. According
to him, the public asks many questions connected with
it and assigned Armenian labor and social affairs
minister to explain the issue through mass media.
Around 50 percent of applications and complaints
are connected with the illegal construction in
Yerevan. ?The complaints over the issue are a lot and
continuative. For its regulation, it is necessary to
conduct consultation with the participation of
interested bodies,? he said, adding that it must be
found out whether administrative reforms must be
undertaken or legislative changes.
The prime minister also assigned all the ministers
to present through mass media the priorities of their
ministries and clearly define the results they are
expecting in 2008. It is the position and assignment
of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsian.
The ministries have also been assigned to define
the priorities and expected results for 2008-2012.
T. Sargsian said that for the implementation of the
5 pan-Armenian programs included in the government?s
program 5 commissions have been set up which must
present to the public the mentioned programs and make
them subject for public discussion.

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Little progress in latest Hrant Dink trial hearing

AZG Armenian Daily #088, 09/05/2008

Turkey

LITTLE PROGRESS IN LATEST HRANT DINK TRIAL HEARING,
BUT PRESS TO BE ADMITTED TO NEXT ONE

Little significant progress was made during the fifth
hearing on 28 April in Istanbul in the trial of the 19
people accused of the January 2007 murder of Hrant
Dink, a journalist of Armenian origin. Eight of the
defendants in the trial, which began 15 months ago,
have been detained since shortly after the murder.

One of the defendants, Coskun Igci, a police informer
in the eastern city of Trabzon, the home town of most
of the defendants, was due to have been questioned
during the 28 April hearing but he could not testify
as he was not represented by a lawyer.

Igci previously testified to a Trabzon court that he
had informed two police officers that Yasin Hayal, one
of the accused masterminds, was planning to kill Dink.
As a result of that statement, the two police officers
said they had passed on the information to their
superiors, and accused them of failing to take any
action.

The Istanbul court said it would provide Igci with a
lawyer for the next hearing on 7 July, which should be
open to the press because the accused gunman, Ogün
Samast, turns 18 on 28 June. Until now the press have
been barred from the hearings on the grounds that
Samast was a minor.

One of the defendants, Irfan Özkan, who was released
on 2 July 2007, gave damning testimony at the 28 April
hearing. He confirmed that he had heard Ümit Öksüz, a
Trabzon youth and friend of Samast, say: "A group from
Istanbul organized an important meeting in Trabzon
before the murder at which it was asked who was going
to shoot the journalist. When Samast stepped forward
to say ?I will do it,? everyone applauded."

When asked by one of the Dink family lawyers about the
participants at this meeting, Özkan refused to answer,
saying Öksüz himself should provide the information.

The court agreed to a request by the Dink family?s
lawyers for the Istanbul and Trabzon prosecutor?s
offices to be asked to provide situation reports on
the investigations under way into Istanbul police
officers, including police chief Celalettin Cerrah,
his head of intelligence and their aides, and into
gendarmes in Trabzon.

The Dink family?s lawyers is also seeking access to
official records that would help them to establish
what contacts Hayal may have developed during a
previous spell in prison in October 2004 after bombing
a McDonald?s restaurant in Trabzon. They have asked
for access to the prison computer in which all
prisoner visits are recorded but the prison
administration had not responded.

Finally, the Dink family?s lawyers also filed a
complaint against Hayal?s lawyer, Fuat Turgut,
accusing him under article 216.2 of the criminal code
of "inciting hate" by insulting novelist Orhan Pamuk
and Armenians during the hearing and in the presence
of journalists.

Reporters Without Borders, Press release

NAIRI IRITSIAN ELECTED CHAIRPERSON OF AKHALKALAK REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION

AKHALKALAK, MAY 8, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.

Nairi Iritsian was unanimously elected Chairperson of the Akhalkalak
regional administration in the May 2 sitting of the Municipality Bureau
of Akhalkalak. This information has been rpovided by A-Info.

Haroutiun Hovhannisian, the former Chairperson of the Akhalkalak
regional administration resigned after two months on that post on
account of being nominated as a candidate of MP by the majoritarian
system in the region of Akhalkalak by the United National Movement
ruling party in Georgia.

THIRD INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHER ARMIK OPENS IN UNESCO’S HALL

BEIRUT, MAY 8, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.

The third individual exhibition of photographer Armik entitled
"Biological variety in the Lebanon forest" opened in the UNESCO’s hall
in Lebanon on May 5. Exhibited were different photos, which depict the
different sorts of the creatures living in the forest, which are not
often paid attention to, however, it is impossible to see them with the
naked eye. According to the Daily Azdak, Armik has performed
professional work and has managed to penetrate into the depth of the
forest with a great patience and consistency introducing to the
observer the imperceptible creatures existing in nature.

The exhibition was sponsored by Khaled Kabani, the Minister of Culture.

AZG Armenian Daily #088, 09/05/2008

Culture, Social

SHUSHI TO CELEBRATE ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A GALA DINNER DANCE

With great excitement, The Shushi Armenian Dance Ensemble will
celebrate its 15th Anniversary with a Gala Dinner Dance, on Friday,
May 30, 2008, at St. Vartan Cathedral, NYC. In addition, plans for a
celebratory trip, aboard the Armenian Heritage Cruise, are also well
underway, for January, 2008. These eagerly anticipated events mark
Shushi’s continued success in perpetuating the dance of our Armenian
culture, for the preservation of the Armenian heritage for future
generations, along with its success in its extensive exposure of
Armenian dance and music, to non-Armenian audiences. To date, the
ensemble has had the opportunity to perform in numerous prestigious
cultural events in New York, New Jersey, Boston, California,
Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, as well as in Canada, Armenia and
Karabagh.

Shushi, founded in 1992, by Seta Paskalian-Kantardjian, the group’s
artistic director and choreographer, began with a few members, and has
evolved, today, into a group of 110 young (89 female, and 21 male)
dancers. The celebration of Shushi’s anniversary is truly a
celebration of the extraordinary accomplishments of Seta
Paskalian-Kantardjian who, through countless hours of her volunteered
time over the past fifteen years, continues to demonstrate her
tremendous dedication to our Armenian youth, and relentless drive to
enable them to maintain their heritage and identity.

Likewise, Shushi will be greatly honored by the attendance of
Mr. Vartan Abdo, as keynote speaker, at their May 30 Gala. Mr. Abdo is
the founder/director of the Armenian Radio Hour of NJ. He was born in
Jaffa, Israel, and moved to the US, in 1973, to further his
studies. He studied at Seton Hall University, majoring in
Mathematics. He is a full time associate professor of
Mathematics/Statistics at Union County College, Cranford, NJ and an
adjunct professor of mathematics at Seton Hall University, South
Orange, NJ. He has served the church as an ordained deacon and is
active in numerous Armenian organizations. His work within the
community was recognized by a `Gontag’ from His Holiness Karekin
II. He is married to Adrine Abdo, and lives in South Orange, NJ.

Mr. Abdo is a pioneer in our Armenian community, for his outstanding
work, over the past 30 years, in enlightening and informing our
community of relevant historical and current events, via the Armenian
Radio Hour of NJ. He has faithfully recognized and supported the
Armenian youth, including Shushi, since its inception.

We sincerely hope that you will join Shushi at its celebratory gala on
Fri, May 30, 2008 (cocktail hour at 7:30pm, dinner and program,
featuring Shushi dancers, 8:30 pm), and support its fundraising
efforts, including the group’s monumental opportunity to perform at
the Opera House in Armenia, on July 3, 2008.

For reservations: Marie Zokian (201)745-8850

By Karen Saraydarian-Arslanian

KARIN SONG AND DANCE ENSEMBLE PERFORMS IN AKHALTSKHA

AKHALKALAK, MAY 8, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.

The concert of the Karin Song and Dance Ensemble, which has arrived
from Armenia with artistic director Gagik Ginosian at the head, took
place in the Hovhannes Tumanian Secondary School 3 of Akhaltskha.

As A-Info agency reports, the Armenian society of Akhaltskha looked
forward to the performances of the ensemble as Gagik Ginosian was born
and grew up in Akhaltskha and has developed the dances of the ensemble
on the basis of the old-style performances of the Samtskhe-Javakhk
region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress