Month: May 2008

RETURN OF TURKS MESKHETIANS IN ARMENIAN-INHABITED REGIONS PREGNANT WITH NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 15:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Return of Turks Meskhetians in the Armenian-inhabited
regions of Georgia is pregnant with negative consequences, said Giorgi
Gogsadze, director of the department of human geography at Tbilisi
State University.

"Like 10 years ago, I do state now that the Council of Europe’s
urge on return of Turks Meskhetians to Georgia will do no good. But
unfortunately, we are under pressure," Govsadze told Caucasus 2007
international conference.

"Armenian-inhabited Samtskhe Javakheti region has always been
remarkable for loyalty toward the authorities. Armenians of Samtskhe
Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli voted for pro-governmental forces at all
elections. In 2003 they supported Eduard Shevarnadze; after the ‘rose
resolution’ votes were given in favor of Mikheil Saakashvili. The
same happened on January 5, 2008, although the official figure of
90 per cent of votes is exaggerated, since majority of Javakhetians
usually leave for Armenia or Russia to earn living in winter" the
Georgian expert said.

ISRAEL GOING TO STRENGTHEN FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 16:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met
yesterday with Ehud Gol, Ambassador of Israel to Armenia.

Noting the importance of development of relations, the Minister said
that Armenia keeps on facilitating bilateral cooperation. "Relations
between Armenia and Israel tend to develop," he said, adding that
political dialogue and cooperation in IT, tourism and cultural fields
should brisk up as well.

For his part, Ambassador Gol said Israel intends to strengthen friendly
relations with Armenia.

The officials also referred to regional security, specifically the
Middle East problem and the Karabakh conflict settlement, the RA MFA
press office reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA FOREIGN MINISTER HOPES FOR POSITIVE RESULTS OF PRESIDENTIAL MEETING

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 16:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian hopes
that the forthcoming meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will produce effect.

"I am hopeful that the cooperation will be continued after the
Presidents’ meeting," Minister Nalbandian said in an interview with
H2 TV Channel.

Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev are scheduled to meet in Saint
Petersburg June 7.

U.S.-KURDISTAN FRIENDSHIP GROUP CAN BE FORMED IN CONGRESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 16:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, met with
Nechirvan Barzani, visiting prime minister of the Kurdish regional
government (KRG), to discuss recent developments in war-torn Iraq,
including matters relating to the presence of the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq Monday.

Neither Rice nor Barzani made a statement before or after their
talks, but U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack confirmed
that countering the northern Iraq-based PKK was on the agenda for
the meeting.

During a meeting with Congressmen, Mr Barzani advanced an idea of
formation of a U.S.-Kurdistan friendship group, Turtsia.ru reports.

Kurdistan PM also met with the Defense Secretary Robert Gates and
CIA chief, general Michael Hayden.

"Jointly with Turkey, we are trying to find practicable solutions to
many problems, including the PKK," Barzani said

LENNMARKER: KARABAKH RESOLUTION TO BRING PROGRESS AND STABILITY TO SOUTH CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 17:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani ambassador to Sweden Rafael Ibrahimov met
with chairman of the Swedish parliamentary foreign affairs committee,
OSCE PA president Goran Lennmarker to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement process, Azerbaijan’s integration into European
structures and economic development, the Azeri MFA press office
reported.

Azerbaijan is an important political and economic player in the region,
the OSCE PA president said.

He emphasized that the soonest resolution of the Karabakh conflict
will bring progress and stability to the South Caucasus.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERGEI MINASYAN: BAKU WITH ALL ITS MIGHT TRIES TO REQUITE FOR DEFEAT IN KARABAKH WAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The concept of Azerbaijani national and defense
doctrine is West-oriented. To be more precise, it heads for Turkey,
said Sergei Minasyan, head of the political studies department at
the Caucasus Institute.

"Azerbaijan follows the model of Turkish armed forces with all its
advantages and shortcomings. Defense Minister Safar Abiyev is the only
military man, who occupies a ministerial post throughout the CIS. Army
gains weight in Azerbaijan. However, Baku shouldn’t forget that the
army has numerously led Turkey to political crises since 1960-ies,"
Minasyan said during Caucasus 2007 international conference in Yerevan.

Touching upon lively cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO,
Mr Minasyan said, "NATO stakes on Turkey and Israel. Now, the
Azeri armed forces are re-armed with Israel-made weapons. Besides,
Azerbaijan supposes to spend $66 million on defense industry. It’s
natural that Baku with all its might tries to requite for defeat in
Karabakh war. Anyway, the concept of complete revanche never justifies
itself and armament race can’t prove helpful."

NALBANDIAN: ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA SHOULD BE STOPPED IN AZERBAIJAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 18:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ To create a favorable atmosphere for Karabakh talks,
the anti-Armenian should be stopped in Azerbaijan, Armenia’s Foreign
Minister said.

"No conflict can be resolved with ongoing propaganda of one state
against another," Edward Nalbandian said in an interview with H2
TV Channel

"According a social survey, 82 per cent of the Azerbaijani population
is displeased with the OSCE Minsk Group activities. At that 29 per
cent stand for resolution of the conflict by use of force. This is
a dangerous index. I do not know any other country where so many
people could stand for resumption of hostilities," he said, Novosti
Armenia reports.

MAYOR OF MANCHESTER ISSUES PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 18:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On May 20, 2008, at a New Hampshire Alderman
meeting and the Manchester City Hall, Manchester Mayor Frank C. Guinta
presented a proclamation commemorating the Armenian Genocide to the
local Armenian activists at the event, reported the Armenian National
Committee of Merrimack Valley (ANC of MV).

Present at the event were several members from the Armenian National
Committee of Merrimack Valley, who helped to organize the event,
the Armenian Assembly of America, the Knights of Vartan, the
American-Armenian Veterans, along with numerous community members.

When presented with the proclamation, ANC of MV representative, Aram
Jeknavorian thanked the City and the Mayor, pointing out, "that the
Armenian -American Manchester community is moved and pleased that,
that this City of Manchester, NH, which was a great save haven for
the Armenian Genocide victims of 1915, has taken action to proclaim
its recognition of the Armenian Genocide and will continue to renew
its proclamation annually."

Mayor Frank Guinta was elected mayor in 2005. Prior to that, in
2000, he was elected to the first of two terms in the New Hampshire
Legislature. The following year, Guinta was elected Ward 3 Alderman,
representing Manchester’s downtown. In January 2006, Business NH
Magazine cited Guinta as an "intriguing leader" in its "Powerful
People" issue and, in January 2007, named him one of the 10 most
powerful people in New Hampshire.

Manchester, NH is located in the first Congressional District,
overseen by first term Democrat Congresswoman Shea Porter. Ms. Porter,
who is not a cosponsor of the Armenian Genocide resolution, was sent
an ANCA Congressional questionnaire asking her to respond to Armenian
American issues. The ANC of MV has received favorable questionnaires
from other Congressional Candidates which will be published in an
upcoming press release.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VARNA CITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2008 19:12 GMT+04:00

/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.

ARION THEATER TO REPRESENT ARMENIA AT PRAGUE FESTIVAL

ARMENPRESS
May 22, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian theater "Arion" will represent
the country at the 10-th theatrical festival "Apostrophe 2008" in
Prague, the Czech Republic, that will be held on June 27-July 2.

Gayane Durgarian, a press officer for the Armenian Ministry of Culture,
told Armenpress that the Armenian theater was included by the festival
organizers into the list of best ten participating companies. The
Armenian theater will stage a play called "Will you dance with me."

Some 70 theaters are expected to participate in the festival.